Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2001

Flash Flood Warning 27, NWS Brownsville, TX

November 16, 20014 counties in Texas

NWS Brownsville, TX issued this flash flood warning at Nov 16, 2001, 2:47 PM CST for 4 counties in Texas. It was in force for 118 min. 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, 2:47 PM CST (20:47 UTC)
Expired
Nov 16, 2001, 4:45 PM CST
In force
118 min
Issued by
NWS Brownsville, TX
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

Counties Cameron County, TX, Hidalgo County, TX, Kenedy County, TX, Willacy County, TX

The radar

The Brownsville radar (KBRO), 88 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:50 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, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 91 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 162052
FFWBRO
TXC061-215-261-489-162245-

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  HIDALGO COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
  KENEDY COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
  WILLACY COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
  CAMERON COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS

* UNTIL 445 PM CST

* AT 245 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED HEAVY RAIN CONTINUING IN
  EAST HIDALGO...WEST CAMERON...AND PARTS OF WILLACY AND KENEDY
  COUNTIES. THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SLOWLY EAST AT 5 TO
  10 MPH.

* 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 WILL EXPERIENCE FLASH
  FLOODING INCLUDE...RAYMONDVILLE.

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.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY.
MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

LAT...LON 2627 9859 2590 9737 2607 9715 2725 9733
          2726 9798 2679 9798 2678 9834

MILLER
3 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS74 KBRO 162101 AAA
FFSBRO
TXC061-215-261-489-162200-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
257 PM CST FRI NOV 16 2001

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FOR KENEDY...WILLACY...CAMERON...AND
HIDALGO COUNTIES UNTIL 445 PM...
...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR STARR COUNTY CANCELED...

AT 300 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN BROWNSVILLE
INDICATED HEAVY RAINS MOVING FROM HIDALGO COUNTY ALONG A SLOWLY MOVING
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS INTO KENEDY...WILLACY AND CAMERON COUNTIES. ONE
HOUR RAIN RATES WERE TWO AND THREE INCHES. THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE
MOVING SLOWLY EAST TOWARD THE COAST THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS
OUTFLOW CONTINUES TO REGENERATE CONVECTION. LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS
WILL ACCOMPANY THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS. ROAD FLOODING HAS BEEN
REPORTED IN MCALLEN AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE INTO FLOODED AREAS.

$$

MILLER
000 
WGUS74 KBRO 162206
FFSBRO
TXC061-215-261-489-162245-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
359 PM CST FRI NOV 16 2001

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FOR KENEDY...WILLACY...CAMERON...AND
HIDALGO COUNTIES UNTIL 445 PM...

AT 400 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN BROWNSVILLE
INDICATED HEAVY RAINS MOVING FROM HIDALGO COUNTY ALONG A SLOWLY MOVING
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS INTO KENEDY...WILLACY AND CAMERON COUNTIES. ONE
HOUR RAIN RATES WERE TWO AND THREE INCHES. THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE
MOVING SLOWLY EAST TOWARD THE COAST THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS
OUTFLOW CONTINUES TO REGENERATE CONVECTION. DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND
STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE THUNDERSTORMS. STRONG WINDS COULD
BE OF PARTICUALR CONCERN TO INTERESTS ON SOUTH PADRE ISLAND.

$$
000 
WGUS74 KBRO 162240
FFSBRO
TXC061-215-261-489-162300-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
435 PM CST FRI NOV 16 2001

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR WILLACY AND CAMERON COUNTIES WILL BE
EXTENDED UNTIL 545 PM...
...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR HIDALGO AND KENEDY COUNTIES ALLOWED
TO EXPIRE AT 445 PM...

AT 430 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN BROWNSVILLE
INDICATED HEAVY RAINS MOVING ALONG A SLOWLY MOVING LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
INTO WILLACY AND CAMERON COUNTIES...AND THEN TO SOUTH PADRE ISLAND AND
OFFSHORE. ONE HOUR RAIN RATES WERE NEAR THREE INCHES. THESE STORMS
WILL CONTINUE MOVING SLOWLY EAST THIS EVENING AS OUTFLOW CONTINUES TO
REGENERATE CONVECTION. DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL
ACCOMPANY THE THUNDERSTORMS. STRONG WINDS COULD BE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN
TO INTERESTS ON SOUTH PADRE ISLAND.

$$

MILLER

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, 5 hours 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 16, 9:00 AM CST, 5 hours 47 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, 5 hours 17 minutes 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, 4 hours 47 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, 12:30 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBROHidalgo, Starr3 hr
Nov 16, 12:51 PM CSTTornado WarningBROHidalgo24 min
Nov 16, 1:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROHidalgo63 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.