Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2002

Flash Flood Warning 79, NWS Corpus Christi, TX

October 28, 2002Aransas County, Nueces County, San Patricio County, Texas

NWS Corpus Christi, TX issued this flash flood warning at Oct 28, 2002, 6:09 PM CST for Aransas County, Nueces County, San Patricio County, Texas. It was in force for 111 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Oct 28, 2002, 6:09 PM CST (00:09 UTC)
Expired
Oct 28, 2002, 8:00 PM CST
In force
111 min
Issued by
NWS Corpus Christi, TX
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Aransas County, TX, Nueces County, TX, San Patricio County, TX

The radar

The Corpus Christi radar (KCRP), 33 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:09 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 00:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 22 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 00:00Z on 2002-10-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1976 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 00:00Z on 2002-10-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 316 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1976 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-41 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
606 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
316 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
278 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
3.1
Supercell composite
14.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS54 KCRP 290009
FFWCRP
TXC007-355-409-290200-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
607 PM CST MON OCT 28 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CORPUS CHRISTI HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN ARANSAS COUNTY IN TEXAS
  NORTHEASTERN NUECES COUNTY IN TEXAS
  SOUTHEASTERN SAN PATRICIO COUNTY IN TEXAS

* UNTIL 800 PM CST

* AT 600 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
VERY HEAVY RAINFALL FROM PORTLAND TO ARANSAS PASS.  THE THUNDERSTORM 
WILL MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH AND CONTINUE TO PRODUCE 
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNING AREA.  

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 2790 9700 2806 9709 2786 9746 2769 9744

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 Corpus Christi, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Oct 28, 3:00 PM CST, 3 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 28, 3:00 PM CST, 3 hours 9 minutes before
COASTAL BEND FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
300 PM CST MON OCT 28 2002

HEAVIER RAINS REMAINED OVER THE COASTAL WATERS MUCH OF THE DAY AS A
WARM FRONT MADE SLOW PROGRESS NORTHWARD. THE WARM FRONT WILL BECOME
QUASI-STATIONARY DURING THE EVENING HOURS. WILL EXTEND FLASH FLOOD
WATCH UNTIL AFTER SUNSET. MOISTURE AT MID/UPPER LEVELS WILL DECREASE
TONIGHT AND TUESDAY ONLY RETAINING BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE. WILL
KEEPS POPS AT SLIGHT CHANCE WEST TO CHANCE EAST TONIGHT AND
GENERALLY SLIGHT CHANCE POPS TUESDAY. CONCERN FOR TONIGHT AND
TUESDAY NIGHT WILL BE FOG. DRIER AIR ALOFT/MOIST BOUNDARY
LAYER/SATURATED SOIL/LIGHT BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS FAVOR AREAS OF FOG
WHICH COULD BECOME DENSE TUESDAY NIGHT.

LONG-TERM...WARM FRONT WILL PUSH SOUTH OF THE CWA AS A DRY COLD
FRONT WEDNESDAY NIGHT. MODELS CONTINUE TO PUSH A STRONG COLD FRONT
THROUGH THE CWA FRIDAY NIGHT WITH A CHILLY AIRMASS IN ITS WAKE. THIS
IS IN RESPONSE TO AN AMPLIFYING LONG-WAVE TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN
CONUS. THINK CHILLY TEMPS WILL MODIFY SOMEWHAT BEFORE REACHING THE
CWA.

MARINE...MESO-ANALYSIS DEPICTS A WARM FRONT PUSHING ACROSS THE BAYS
AND OVER INTERIOR SECTIONS THIS AFTERNOON.  CONVECTION (AND STRONGER
SOUTHERLY WINDS) CONTINUES TO DEVELOP IN THE WARMER/MOIST AND
UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN BAYS WITH ELEVATED
CONVECTION DEVELOPING ALONG THE IMMEDIATE WARM FRONTAL AXIS ACROSS
THE NORTHERN MARINE ZONES..AND PUSHING NORTHWARD.  EXPECT CONVECTION
TO EXIT THE NORTHERN WATERS AND PUSH FARTHER INLAND AND NORTHWARD
FROM THE SOUTHERN BAYS.  SYNOPTIC-SCALE ASCENT WILL DIMINISH BEYOND
TONIGHT AS THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF THE UPPER JET STREAK RAPIDLY
LIFTS TO THE NORTHEAST..AND UPPER VORT PACKAGE SWINGS OVER THE TEXAS
PANHANDLE AND OFF TO THE NORTHEAST PULLING DRIER AIR IN FROM THE
WEST..AS EVIDENT ON VAPOR IMAGERY.  WEAK COLD FRONT WILL AFFECT THE
WIND FIELDS WED NIGHT/THU WITH A SECONDARY AND STRONGER COLD FRONT
EXPECTED FRI NIGHT/SAT.  MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BEEN SLOWING DOWN THE
SECONDARY FRONT..BUT THE PAST COUPLE OF RUNS APPEAR TO BE SOMEWHAT
IN AGREEMENT AT THIS TIME..HOWEVER TIMING WILL BE ADJUSTED AS THE
FRONT IS STILL FIVE DAYS AWAY.  ZONAL FLOW AHEAD OF THE UPCOMING
FRONT WILL INHIBIT SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE RETURN FOR CONVECTION..AND
WILL FORECAST ISOLATED-SCATTERED BASED ON THE EXPECTED THERMAL
CONTRAST WHICH WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO FORM A LINE OVER THE MARINE
AREA.

.CRP...NONE.

PRELIMINARY NUMBERS:
CRP EB 071/084 071/082 064 32-
VCT EB 070/080 068/080 062 32-
LRD EB 068/081 068/081 064 22-

.CRP...FLASH FLOOD WATCH TXZ232>234-242>247 UNTIL 01Z.

71/76
Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 28, 5:30 AM CST, 12 hours 39 minutes before
TXZ229>234-239>247-291200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
530 AM CST MON OCT 28 2002

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH TEXAS.

.TODAY AND TONIGHT...
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR BEE...GOLIAD...VICTORIA...
ARANSAS...CALHOUN...REFUGIO...KLEBERG...NUECES...AND SAN PATRICIO
COUNTIES.

A WARM FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE COASTAL BEND COUNTIES AND BECOME
NEARLY STATIONARY. WITH PLENTIFUL MOISTURE AS WELL AS A STORM SYSTEM
IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE...THE STAGE WILL BE SET FOR
HEAVY RAINFALL. RAIN IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE AS HEAVY AS IT WAS DURING
LAST WEEKS EVENTS...BUT THE GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED ACROSS MOST
OF THE COASTAL COUNTIES. AREAS AWAY FROM THE COAST ARE NOT INCLUDED
IN THIS WATCH.

THE THREAT WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH THIS EVENING.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION FOR SEVERE STORM SPOTTING PURPOSES IS NOT
ANTICIPATED TODAY OR TONIGHT. RAINFALL REPORTS MAY BE NEEDED FROM
SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS.

.TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...
A COLD FRONT FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTH TEXAS ON TUESDAY...  AND
COOLER AND CONSIDERABLY DRIER AIR WILL END THE THREAT OF
THUNDERSTORMS OR HEAVY RAINFALL.

THERE ARE SOME INDICATIONS THAT A VERY STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE
THROUGH SOUTH TEXAS ON FRIDAY NIGHT OR SATURDAY. THIS WILL BRING THE
COLDEST TEMPERTURES OF THE SEASON TO THE COASTAL BEND AND RIO GRANDE
PLAINS...AND NORTH TEXAS MAY EVEN SEE FREEZING TEMPERATURES.

PURPURA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 28, 6:05 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCRP40 min
Oct 28, 7:59 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningCRPNueces, Refugio, San Patricio61 min
Oct 28, 9:01 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningCRPSan Patricio59 min
Oct 28, 10:04 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningCRPAransas, San Patricio56 min
Oct 28, 10:19 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningCRP56 min
Oct 28, 11:07 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningCRP53 min
Oct 28, 11:49 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningCRP2 hr
Oct 29, 2:00 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningCRP2 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 2002Every flash flood warning in 2002

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.