Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 47, NWS Brownsville, TX

October 12, 20035 counties in Texas

NWS Brownsville, TX issued this flash flood warning at Oct 12, 2003, 8:10 AM CDT for 5 counties in 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 as issued.

The facts

Issued
Oct 12, 2003, 8:10 AM CDT (13:10 UTC)
Expired
Oct 12, 2003, 11:00 AM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Brownsville, TX
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Brooks County, TX, Hidalgo County, TX, Jim Hogg County, TX, Starr County, TX, Zapata County, TX

The nearest sounding before it

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 12:00Z, 1.2 hours before the alert went out and 142 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 12:00Z on 2003-10-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 154 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 12:00Z on 2003-10-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -9 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
154 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-45 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
701 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-9 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
51 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 121313
FFWBRO
TXC047-215-247-427-505-121600-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
810 AM CDT SUN OCT 12 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BROWNSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  HIDALGO COUNTY 
  STARR COUNTY 
  BROOKS COUNTY 
  ZAPATA COUNTY 
  JIM HOGG COUNTY IN DEEP SOUTH TEXAS

* UNTIL 1100 AM CDT

* AT 803 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA.     
  DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED THREE HOUR RAINFALL TOTALS OF TWO TO FOUR  
  INCHES IN SEVERAL PORTIONS OF THE WARNED AREA...WITH ISOLATED      
  AMOUNTS OF FOUR TO SIX INCHES.

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO   
  OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...     
  ZAPATA...FALCON DAM...EL SAUZ...ROMA...RIO GRANDE CITY... SAN      
  MANUEL...MCCOOK...WESLACO...SAN JUAN...PHARR...MISSION AND         
  MERCEDES.

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 2727 9800 2659 9799 2649 9801 2644 9788
          2606 9788 2607 9819 2642 9908 2730 9949
          2730 9880 2737 9881 2737 9855 2730 9855

$$

SPEECE
2 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS74 KBRO 121415
FFSBRO
TXC047-215-247-427-505-121500-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
910 AM CDT SUN OCT 12 2003

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 1100 AM CDT FOR HIDALGO...
STARR...BROOKS...ZAPATA AND JIM HOGG COUNTIES...

AT 910 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. THE 
HEAVIEST RAINFALL IS LOCATED OVER BROOKS AND NORTHERN HIDALGO WHERE 
RAINFALL RATES HAVE REACHED THREE TO SIX INCHES AN HOUR.  FLOODING 
IS NOW OCCURRING IN THE TOWNS OF ENCINO AND FALFURRIAS. THE 
FALFURRIAS FIRE DEPARTMENT IS RESCUING RESIDENTS IN TOWN DUE TO THE 
RISING WATERS.    

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...FALFURRIAS... 
ENCINO...HIDALGO...FALCON DAM...EL SAUZ...ROMA...RIO GRANDE 
CITY...SAN MANUEL AND MCCOOK.

MOST 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.

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.

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

$$

SPEECE
000 
WGUS74 KBRO 121537
FFSBRO
TXC047-215-247-427-505-121600-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1030 AM CDT SUN OCT 12 2003

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 1100 AM CDT FOR 
HIDALGO...STARR...BROOKS...ZAPATA AND JIM HOGG COUNTIES...

AT 1030 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THAT THE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL HAVE MOVED 
EAST INTO KENEDY...WILLACY AND CAMERON COUNTIES.  HOWEVER...LIGHT TO 
MODERATE RAINFALL CONTINUES OVER ACROSS HIDALGO...STARR...BROOKS... 
ZAPATA AND JIM HOGG COUNTIES. FLOODING IS NOW OCCURRING IN THE TOWNS 
OF ENCINO AND FALFURRIAS. THE FALFURRIAS FIRE DEPARTMENT IS RESCUING 
RESIDENTS IN TOWN DUE TO THE RISING WATERS.    

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...FALFURRIAS... 
ENCINO...HIDALGO...FALCON DAM...EL SAUZ...ROMA...RIO GRANDE CITY... 
SAN MANUEL AND MCCOOK.

MOST 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.

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.

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

$$

SPEECE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 12, 1:58 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROJim Hogg, Starr, Zapata3 hr
Oct 12, 3:19 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROBrooks3 hr
Oct 12, 4:48 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROJim Hogg, Starr, Zapata3 hr
Oct 12, 5:20 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROHidalgo3 hr
Oct 12, 5:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROHidalgo37 min
Oct 12, 6:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROHidalgo45 min
Oct 12, 6:08 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROBrooks3 hr
Oct 12, 7:29 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROHidalgo46 min
Oct 12, 7:38 AM CDTTornado WarningBROHidalgo52 min
Oct 12, 8:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROBrooks, Kenedy39 min
Oct 12, 9:52 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROKenedy, Willacy3 hr
Oct 12, 10:21 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROCameron3 hr
Oct 12, 1:34 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROCameron3 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.