Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 28, NWS Brownsville, TX

September 19, 2003Cameron County, Willacy County, Texas

NWS Brownsville, TX issued this flash flood warning at Sep 19, 2003, 10:55 AM CDT for Cameron County, Willacy County, Texas. It was in force for 2 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Sep 19, 2003, 10:55 AM CDT (15:55 UTC)
Expired
Sep 19, 2003, 1:00 PM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Brownsville, TX
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Cameron County, TX, Willacy County, TX

The radar

The Brownsville radar (KBRO), 36 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:57 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, 3.9 hours before the alert went out and 38 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 2003-09-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 535 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, Brownsville Intl, TX at 12:00Z on 2003-09-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -28 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
535 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-15 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
629 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
9 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-28 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
4 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS54 KBRO 191556
FFWBRO
TXC061-489-191800-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1055 AM CDT FRI SEP 19 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BROWNSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  CAMERON COUNTY IN DEEP SOUTH TEXAS
  WILLACY COUNTY IN DEEP SOUTH TEXAS

* UNTIL 100 PM CDT

* AT 1055 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR
  INDICATED AN AREA OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA.
  DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED UP TO 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL HAD FALLEN
  DURING THE PAST 3 HOURS IN EASTERN WILLACY COUNTY AND IN CAMERON 
  COUNTY NEAR BROWNSVILLE. HEAVY RAINFALL OF UP TO ONE AND ONE HALF
  INCHES PER HOUR CONTINUES IN THE WARNED AREA.

* HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. RUNOFF FROM
  THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO OCCUR. SOME
  LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...RAYMONDVILLE...
  SAN BENITO...LA FERIA...HARLINGEN...BROWNSVILLE...LYFORD...
  SEBASTIAN...SANTA ROSA...RIO HONDO...RANCHO VIEJO...LOS FRESNOS AND
  COMBES.

THE PUBLIC HAS REPORTED STANDING WATER ON HIGHWAY 100 JUST WEST OF 
LOS FRESNOS.

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

FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT. MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR
IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER COVERED BRIDGES...
DIPS...OR LOW WATER CROSSINGS. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...
EVEN A SMALL ONE...ON FOOT. TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER
GROUND.

LAT...LON 2658 9746 2627 9737 2610 9732 2606 9720
          2599 9721 2595 9738 2587 9742 2594 9758
          2605 9769 2608 9789 2646 9787 2650 9798
          2659 9795

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS74 KBRO 191656
FFSBRO
TXC061-489-191730-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1154 AM CDT FRI SEP 19 2003

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR HIDALGO COUNTIES 
WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE...

HEAVY RAIN HAS LESSENED OVER THE WARNED AREA. BROWNSVILLE DOPPLER 
RADAR ESTIMATES THAT RAINFALL RATES OVER HIDALGO COUNTY HAVE TAPERED 
OFF TO HALF AN INCH PER HOUR OR LESS. 

REMEMBER...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH 500 PM 
TODAY. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OCCUR AGAIN LATER THIS 
AFTERNOON.

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.

REPORT FLOODING TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SO THAT THEY
MAY TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO CLOSE FLOODED ROADWAYS.

LAT...LON 2658 9746 2627 9737 2610 9732 2606 9720
          2599 9721 2595 9738 2587 9742 2594 9758
          2605 9769 2608 9789 2646 9787 2650 9798
          2659 9795

$$
000 
WGUS74 KBRO 191712
FFSBRO
TXC061-489-191800-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1210 PM CDT FRI SEP 19 2003

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 100 PM CDT FOR CAMERON AND
WILLACY COUNTIES...

AT 1208 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN 
AREA OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. RAINFALL 
CONTINUES TO FALL AT A RATE OF HALF AN INCH TO AN INCH PER HOUR IN 
THE WARNED AREA.

RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE FLOODING 
TO OCCUR... ESPECIALLY ALONG SMALL STREAMS AND NEAR LOW WATER 
CROSSINGS. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE... 
RAYMONDVILLE...SAN BENITO...LA FERIA...HARLINGEN...LYFORD... 
SEBASTIAN...SANTA ROSA...RIO HONDO...RANCHO VIEJO...LOS FRESNOS... 
COMBES...BROWNSVILLE AND SAN PERLITA.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL CREEKS
AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...COUNTRY ROADS
AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS...STREAMS AND OTHER LOW LYING
AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLASH FLOODING.

LAT...LON 2626 9785 2620 9784 2610 9784 2609 9785
          2591 9743 2598 9732 2659 9749 2658 9776
          2660 9792 2649 9795 2644 9784 2635 9784

$$
000 
WGUS74 KBRO 191755
FFSBRO
TXC061-489-192200-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1255 PM CDT FRI SEP 19 2003

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 500 PM CDT FOR CAMERON AND
WILLACY COUNTIES...

AT 1255 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN 
AREA OF PERSISTENT HEAVY RAINFALL SUPPORTED BY DEEP TROPICAL 
MOISTURE MOVING NORTHWESTWARD FROM THE GULF ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. 
DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED THAT 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAS OCCURRED 
DURING THE PAST 3 HOURS. THE HEAVIEST RAIN OF UP TO AN INCH AND ONE 
HALF PER HOUR WAS ESTIMATED BY RADAR NEAR THE LAGUNA IN EASTERN 
WILLACY AND CAMERON COUNTIES.

HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. RUNOFF FROM THIS
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING TO OCCUR...ESPECIALLY ALONG
SMALL STREAMS AND NEAR LOW WATER CROSSINGS. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL
EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE... RAYMONDVILLE...SAN BENITO...LA
FERIA...HARLINGEN...LYFORD...SEBASTIAN...SANTA ROSA...RIO 
HONDO...RANCHO VIEJO...LOS FRESNOS...COMBES AND SAN PERLITA.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL CREEKS
AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...COUNTRY ROADS
AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS...STREAMS AND OTHER LOW LYING
AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLASH FLOODING.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS, ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK
HIGHER GROUND.

LAT...LON 2626 9785 2620 9784 2610 9784 2609 9785
          2591 9743 2598 9732 2659 9749 2658 9776
          2660 9792 2649 9795 2644 9784 2635 9784

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 19, 6:55 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROHidalgo3 hr
Sep 19, 7:00 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROKenedy, Willacy3 hr
Sep 19, 8:19 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROCameron, Willacy3 hr
Sep 19, 10:00 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROHidalgo2 hr
Sep 19, 4:55 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROCameron, Willacy3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 2003Every flash flood warning in 2003

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.