Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 57, NWS Brownsville, TX

August 13, 2003Hidalgo County, Texas

NWS Brownsville, TX issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 13, 2003, 4:43 PM CDT for Hidalgo County, Texas. It was in force for 47 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
Aug 13, 2003, 4:43 PM CDT (21:43 UTC)
Expired
Aug 13, 2003, 5:30 PM CDT
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Brownsville, TX
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Hidalgo County, TX

The radar

The Brownsville radar (KBRO), 82 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:44 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 severe thunderstorm 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

Brownsville Intl, TX (KBRO), launched 12:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 84 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 2003-08-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1817 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Brownsville Intl, TX at 12:00Z on 2003-08-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 0 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
1817 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-9 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
670 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
0 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
20 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 
WUUS54 KBRO 132143
SVRBRO
TXC215-132230-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
443 PM CDT WED AUG 13 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BROWNSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN HIDALGO COUNTY IN DEEP SOUTH TEXAS

* UNTIL 530 PM CDT

* AT 432 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  A SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF EDINBURG AND LESS THAN 
  5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MCALLEN. THE STORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT AROUND 
  15 MPH. AREAS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS BETWEEN 445 AND 
  530 PM CDT INCLUDE ELSA...EDCOUCH...HIDALGO...WESLACO...MCCOOK AND 
  MCALLEN. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS TO 60 MPH AND 
  HAIL THE SIZE OF PENNIES.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
   ELSA BY 445 PM CDT.
   EDCOUCH BY 450 PM CDT.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE 
IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS...VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND DEADLY 
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A 
SHELTER...PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

LAT...LON 2618 9840 2608 9829 2605 9820 2606 9807
          2621 9789 2641 9805

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 severe thunderstorm warning went out at Aug 13, 3:39 PM CDT, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 13, 3:39 PM CDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before
DEEP SOUTH TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
339 PM CDT WED AUG 13 2003

.DISCUSSION...SCT CONVECTION THIS PM BY TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS.
MEAN MOTION OF STORMS OVER RGV IS EAST...ADJ MEX WEST. PRESSURE
RISES OFFSHORE...WITH PRESSURE FALLS OVER INLAND AREAS. ALL IN
PREPARATION FOR THE EXODUS OF OUR UPPER LOW TO THE TX BIG BEND AND
THE INTRODUCTION OF DEEP AND WET SOUTHERLY FLOW. THIS WILL BE
FOLLOWED FRIDAY BY TROPICAL ENERGY RAPIDLY APPROACHING FROM THE
EAST.

HAVE STAYED CLOSE TO LATEST AVN RUN INIT THRU 120H. HONED TEMPS DOWN
TO RESPOND TO HVY RAFL SCENARIO. ISSUED SPS FOR PENDING RAINS AND
APPROACHING TROPICAL WAVE...WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF FLASH FLOOD
WATCH BEING ISSUED DURING THE EARLY MRNG HOURS THU.

MARINE...AT 2 PM BUOY020 REPORTED NORTH WINDS AT 10KNOTS WITH SEAS 2
FEET.  A MID LEVEL TROUGH OFF THE COAST WILL MOVE INLAND OVERNIGHT
INTO TOMORROW.  THIS WILL CAUSE WIDESPREAD RAINS ACROSS THE ADJACENT
COASTAL WATERS AS IT MOVES WEST INTO MEXICO.  THIS WILL CONTINUE
INTO THURSDAY BEFORE A BRIEF BREAK ON THURSDAY.  OVER THE WEEKEND A
TROPICAL SYSTEM MOVING WESTWARD ACROSS FLORIDA WILL MOVE INTO THE
WESTERN GULF COASTAL WATERS INCREASING WINDS AND SEAS TO ADVISORY
LEVELS.

AVIATION...VFR CONDS WILL DEGRADE WITH TIME...AS NUMEROUS TSTMS WITH
HVY RAFL BEGIN TO DEVELOP EARLY THU MRNG. IFR CIGS AND VSBYS CAN BE
XPCTD OVR MOST OF THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VLY DURING THU AND THU NGT.
EXPECT WX TO CONTINUE TO DEGENERATE FRI AND THRU THE WEEKEND...AS A
TROPICAL DISTURBANCE APPROACHES FROM THE EAST...ACCOMPANIED BY
STRONG TSTMS WITH HVY RAFL AND STRONG/GUSTY WINDS.

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
BAYVIEW/PORT ISABEL ET 077/091 077/091 077 50/70/50/60/60
BROWNSVILLE         ET 077/091 077/091 077 50/70/50/60/60
HARLINGEN           ET 075/092 075/092 075 50/70/50/60/60
MCALLEN             ET 075/093 075/093 075 50/70/50/60/60
RIO GRANDE CITY     ET 074/090 074/090 074 50/90/70/60/60
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND  ET 079/086 078/087 078 50/70/50/60/60

.BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

58/64

THIS PRODUCT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON OUR INTERNET WEB PAGE AT:
HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/BRO
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 13, 6:00 AM CDT, 10 hours 43 minutes before
TXZ248>257-141100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
600 AM CDT WED AUG 13 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

A MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE...IN COMBINATION WITH AN UPPER LEVEL
TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL GENERATE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BE
SEVERE...PRODUCING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...HEAVY
RAIN...FLOODING OF ROADWAYS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL TAPER TO ISOLATED COVERAGE
FRIDAY AS THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVES FARTHER WEST INTO
NORTHWESTERN MEXICO AND UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE
WESTERN GULF.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT.

SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS ARE ASKED TO MONITOR WEATHER
CONDITIONS CLOSELY TODAY AND TONIGHT.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 13, 12:05 PM CDT, 4 hours 38 minutes before
GMZ130-150-155-170-175-TXZ248>257-140300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1205 PM CDT WED AUG 13 2003

...ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO ALLOW THE
FORMATION OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL
DAYS...

AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS CURRENTLY MOVING JUST NORTH OF
THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY...AND WILL BE CENTERED OVER THE TEXAS
BIG BEND BY THURSDAY. COPIOUS MOISTURE...AMPLE LIFT AND A
CONSISTENT UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE WILL ENCOURAGE THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY NOW THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINS
WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON...AND INCREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE AND
INTENSITY THURSDAY. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE ISSUED LATER
TONIGHT FOR ALL OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY ON THURSDAY...AND
POSSIBLY BEYOND.

YESTERDAY...DEEP SOUTH TEXAS RECEIVED 3 TO 5 INCHES OF RAINFALL OVER
AREAS OF ZAPATA AND STARR COUNTIES...AND PORTIONS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL
CAMERON COUNTY. BROWNSVILLE IS CURRENTLY 5 INCHES OF RAINFALL BELOW
NORMAL FOR THE YEAR...AND THESE HEAVY RAINS SHOULD BRING
RELIEF TO A DRY AND HOT DEEP SOUTH TEXAS.

THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE OVER THE TEXAS BIG BEND IS NOT THE
ONLY PLAYER IN THIS HEAVY RAIN EVENT...AS A TROPICAL WAVE IS
FORECAST TO MOVE QUICKLY WEST FROM THE FLORIDA STRAITS FRIDAY...
INDUCING HEAVY RAINS IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY BY LATE FRIDAY
THROUGH LATE SATURDAY.

ALTHOUGH RAINS ARE NEEDED IN ALL OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY...
FLOODING IS A REAL HAZARD THAT MUST BE ANTICIPATED DURING THE NEXT
FEW DAYS. REMEMBER TO DRIVE ACCORDING TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AND
VISIBILITIES...AS HEAVY RAINS CAN REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO IN
A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. ROADWAY PONDING AND FLOODING OF LOW-LYING
AREAS CAN QUICKLY JERK A CAR OFF THE ROAD...OR INTO ON-COMING
TRAFFIC. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH AND
REMEMBER OUR NEW LIFE-SAVING SLOGAN HERE AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

AS ALWAYS...CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL
RADIO AND TELEVISION...OR YOUR LOCAL CABLE OUTLET...FOR THE
LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. PHILO

PHILO
Special weather statement, Aug 13, 12:05 PM CDT, 4 hours 38 minutes before
TXZ248>257-140300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1205 PM CDT WED AUG 13 2003

...ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO ALLOW THE
FORMATION OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL
DAYS...

AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS CURRENTLY MOVING JUST NORTH OF
THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY...AND WILL BE CENTERED OVER THE TEXAS
BIG BEND BY THURSDAY. COPIOUS MOISTURE...AMPLE LIFT AND A
CONSISTENT UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE WILL ENCOURAGE THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY NOW THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINS
WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON...AND INCREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE AND
INTENSITY THURSDAY. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE ISSUED LATER
TONIGHT FOR ALL OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY ON THURSDAY...AND
POSSIBLY BEYOND.

YESTERDAY...DEEP SOUTH TEXAS RECEIVED 3 TO 5 INCHES OF RAINFALL OVER
AREAS OF ZAPATA AND STARR COUNTIES...AND PORTIONS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL
CAMERON COUNTY. BROWNSVILLE IS CURRENTLY 5 INCHES OF RAINFALL BELOW
NORMAL FOR THE YEAR...AND THESE HEAVY RAINS SHOULD BRING
RELIEF TO A DRY AND HOT DEEP SOUTH TEXAS.

THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE OVER THE TEXAS BIG BEND IS NOT THE
ONLY PLAYER IN THIS HEAVY RAIN EVENT...AS A TROPICAL WAVE IS
FORECAST TO MOVE QUICKLY WEST FROM THE FLORIDA STRAITS FRIDAY...
INDUCING HEAVY RAINS IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY BY LATE FRIDAY
THROUGH LATE SATURDAY.

ALTHOUGH RAINS ARE NEEDED IN ALL OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY...
FLOODING IS A REAL HAZARD THAT MUST BE ANTICIPATED DURING THE NEXT
FEW DAYS. REMEMBER TO DRIVE ACCORDING TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AND
VISIBILITIES...AS HEAVY RAINS CAN REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO IN
A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. ROADWAY PONDING AND FLOODING OF LOW-LYING
AREAS CAN QUICKLY JERK A CAR OFF THE ROAD...OR INTO ON-COMING
TRAFFIC. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH AND
REMEMBER OUR NEW LIFE-SAVING SLOGAN HERE AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

AS ALWAYS...CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL
RADIO AND TELEVISION...OR YOUR LOCAL CABLE OUTLET...FOR THE
LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. PHILO

PHILO

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 12, 7:25 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROStarr2 hr
Aug 12, 8:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROStarr39 min
Aug 12, 8:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROZapata59 min
Aug 12, 8:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROStarr42 min
Aug 12, 9:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROJim Hogg48 min
Aug 13, 1:36 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBROZapata3 hr
Aug 13, 3:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROHidalgo62 min
Aug 13, 5:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROHidalgo42 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Texas, 2003Every severe thunderstorm 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.