Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2001

Flash Flood Warning 26, NWS Brownsville, TX

November 16, 2001Hidalgo County, Starr County, Texas

NWS Brownsville, TX issued this flash flood warning at Nov 16, 2001, 12:30 PM CST for Hidalgo County, Starr County, Texas. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline the Iowa Environmental Mesonet reconstructed for it; the warning itself named whole counties.

The facts

Issued
Nov 16, 2001, 12:30 PM CST (18:30 UTC)
Expired
Nov 16, 2001, 3:30 PM CST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Brownsville, TX
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

Counties Hidalgo County, TX, Starr County, TX

The radar

The Brownsville radar (KBRO), 116 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:32 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Brownsville Intl, TX (KBRO), launched 12:00Z, 6.5 hours before the alert went out and 119 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Brownsville Intl, TX at 12:00Z on 2001-11-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1911 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Brownsville Intl, TX at 12:00Z on 2001-11-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 52 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1911 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
681 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
52 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
121 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.7
Supercell composite
5.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WGUS54 KBRO 161829
FFWBRO
TXC215-427-162130-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1230 PM CST FRI NOV 16 2001

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  STARR COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
  HIDALGO COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS

* UNTIL 330 PM CST

* AT 1217 PM CST...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY
  RAINFALL WAS MOVING SLOWLY SOUTHEAST ACROSS STARR AND HIDALGO
  COUNTIES. DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED RAINFALL RATES OF TWO TO THREE   
  INCHES PER HOUR...WITH LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE.

* SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IN THE 
  WARNED AREA. RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH  
  FLOODING TO OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT COULD EXPERIENCE FLASH
  FLOODING INCLUDE....SULLIVAN CITY...RIO GRANDE CITY...AND MCALLEN.
  HEAVIER RAINS CAN BE EXPECTED IN WILLACY AND CAMERON COUNTIES
  LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES TO 
  PUSH SOUTHEAST.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF SMALL 
CREEKS AND STREAMS...URBAN AREAS...HIGHWAYS...STREETS AND UNDERPASSES
AS WELL AS OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT. MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR OTHER LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL
ONE...ON FOOT. TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND.

LAT...LON 2657 9916 2605 9817 2609 9789 2644 9789
          2645 9802 2679 9801 2677 9895

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Brownsville, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Nov 16, 9:00 AM CST, 3 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 16, 9:00 AM CST, 3 hours 30 minutes before
DEEP SOUTH TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
900 AM CST FRI NOV 16 2001

.DISCUSSION...TODAYS WEATHER HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME MORE
COMPLICATED BY THIS AFTERNOON.  A POTENT 5H UPPER LOW OVER WEST
TEXAS CONTINUES TO SPIN...FEEDING MID LEVEL MOISTURE OVER DEEP SOUTH
TEXAS FROM THE SOUTHWEST.  LOW LEVEL SOUTHEAST FLOW IS ALSO PUMPING
MOISTURE INTO THE AREA.  HEAVY RAIN CELLS TO THE NORTH HAVE BEEN
BACK BUILDING INTO ZAPATA AND JIM HOGG COUNTIES THIS MORNING...
PROMPTING A FLOOD WARNING FOR THOSE COUNTIES.

THIS MORNINGS SOUNDING EXHIBITS ABUNDANT LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE...WITH
PWAT OVER 1.5 INCHES...COMBINE THIS WITH AN LI OF -7.5 AND A CAPE
OVER 3000.  CLEARLY THE INGREDIENTS ARE IN PLACE FOR FUELING DEEP
CONVECTION.  THE CURRENT QUESTION IS HOW FAR SOUTH INTO THE CWA THE
HEAVY CONVECTION WILL MOVE.  THIS MORNINGS ETA MODEL SHOWS THE TAIL
OF A MID-LEVEL IMPULSE CURRENTLY PASSING OVER THE CWA...WHICH IS
ENCOURAGING UPWARD MOTION THIS MORNING.  HOWEVER...STRONGEST PVA
WITH THIS IMPULSE WILL BE FARTHER TO THE NORTH OVER CENTRAL
TX...HINTING THAT SOME CONVECTION WILL REDEVELOP TO THE NORTH LATER
ON THIS AFTERNOON. NEVERTHELESS...THE CURRENT RUN OF THE RUC MODEL
APPEARS TO BE CAPTURING THE SOUTHWARD MOTION OF THE MCS OVER THE
NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA...SUGGESTING THAT THIS SYS WILL CONTINUE TO
SAG SLOWLY SOUTHWARD THIS MORNING...BUT BELIEVE MAIN THREAT WILL BE
HEAVY RAIN...THUS WILL RAISE POPS OVER THE CWA AND INCLUDE MENTION
OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...AS WELL AS ISSUING A FLOOD WATCH FOR THE
CWA.

.MARINE...WINDS AND SEAS HAVE DIMINISHED SLIGHTLY OFFSHORE...TO
AROUND 15 KNOTS AND 6 FEET...SO WILL GO WITH SCEC NOW INSTEAD OF SCA.

COORDINATION...52.WCM/PUBLIC-SYNOPTIC-AVIATION-MARINE...54.BHM-CAM/
MESO...60.TS-55.MM

.BRO...FFA TXZ248>257.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Nov 16, 9:30 AM CST, 3 hours before
TXZ248>257-161900-

DEEP SOUTH TEXAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
930 AM CST FRI NOV 16 2001

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS THROUGH 4 PM...

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE AREA...NOW CENTERED OVER
SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO...WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH ABUNDANT UPPER
MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY INTO MOST OF TEXAS TODAY. THE MORE INTENSE
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN CONCENTRATED TO OUR NORTH OVER
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE COASTAL BEND AREA TODAY HOWEVER...
SCATTERED SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL ONCE AGAIN THREATEN
PORTIONS OF DEEP SOUTH TEXAS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

THE COMBINATION OF THE UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE...THE LIGHTER SURFACE
WINDS...AND THE EXPECTED AFTERNOON HEATING WILL MAKE CONDITIONS MORE
CONDUCIVE FOR ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION TODAY.
VERY HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT FROM
ANY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS THAT FORM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER...FOR LATER STATEMENTS
CONCERNING THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

SPEECE/MILLER
Local storm report, Nov 16, 10:00 AM CST, 2 hours 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1000 AM CST FRI NOV 16 2001

TIME(CST)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0959 AM    10 N SAN YGNACIO          TX   FLOOD
11/16/01   ZAPATA                         REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER  WATER OVER
                                          U.S. 83.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Brownsville, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 16, 7:50 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBROJim Hogg, Zapata3 hr
Nov 16, 9:30 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBROBrooks90 min
Nov 16, 10:27 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningBRO63 min
Nov 16, 10:27 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningBRO63 min
Nov 16, 10:51 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBROHidalgo, Jim Hogg, Starr, Zapata99 min
Nov 16, 10:57 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROStarr63 min
Nov 16, 12:06 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROHidalgo54 min
Nov 16, 12:51 PM CSTTornado WarningBROHidalgo24 min
Nov 16, 1:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROHidalgo63 min
Nov 16, 2:47 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBROCameron, Hidalgo, Kenedy, Willacy118 min
Nov 16, 3:01 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROCameron59 min
Nov 16, 3:58 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROCameron62 min
Nov 16, 4:20 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningBRO55 min
Nov 16, 4:20 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningBRO55 min
Nov 16, 4:45 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBROCameron, Willacy60 min
Nov 16, 5:07 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningBRO68 min
Nov 16, 5:07 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningBRO68 min
Nov 16, 5:07 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROCameron53 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 2001Every flash flood warning in 2001

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.