Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 48, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

July 5, 2003Medina County, Uvalde County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this flash flood warning at Jul 5, 2003, 11:57 AM CDT for Medina County, Uvalde 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
Jul 5, 2003, 11:57 AM CDT (16:57 UTC)
Expired
Jul 5, 2003, 2:15 PM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Medina County, TX, Uvalde County, TX

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

Del Rio, TX (KDRT), launched 12:00Z, 5.0 hours before the alert went out and 149 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, Del Rio, TX at 12:00Z on 2003-07-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 476 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, Del Rio, TX at 12:00Z on 2003-07-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 9 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
476 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-18 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
652 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
5 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
9 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 KEWX 051705
FFWSAT
TXC325-463-051915-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
1157 AM CDT SAT JUL 5 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
  MEDINA
  UVALDE

* UNTIL 215 PM CDT

* AT 1157 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN EXTENDING FROM JUST SOUTH OF 
UVALDE TO 6 MILES WEST OF YANCEY TO HONDO MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 
MPH. RAINFALL RATES OF ONE TO TWO INCHES PER HOUR AND LIGHTNING WILL 
CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT TWO HOURS. DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT TWO 
TO FIVE INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN IN THESE AREAS SINCE SUNRISE. 

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

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 2953 9958 2912 9967 2912 9884 2955 9884

$$
1 follow-up statement
000 
WGUS74 KEWX 051823
FFSSAT
TXC325-463-051915-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
106 PM CDT SAT JUL 5 2003

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR MEDINA AND UVALDE COUNTIES
UNTIL 215 PM CDT...

AT 110 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL EXTENDING FROM JUST WEST 
OF CASTROVILLE TO HONDO AND JUST SOUTH OF UVALDE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 
20 MPH. RAINFALL RATES OF THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH TO ONE AND ONE 
HALF INCHES PER HOUR AND LIGHTNING WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT HOUR 
AND A HALF. 

THE MEDINA COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED ACCESS ROADS LEADING INTO 
AND OUT OF HONDO ARE CLOSED. COOP REPORTS AND DOPPLER RADAR 
ESTIMATES INDICATE THAT FIVE TO NINE INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN IN 
AND AROUND THE HONDO AREA SINCE EARLY THIS MORNING. SERIOUS FLASH 
FLOODING IS AN IMMINENT THREAT...ESPECIALLY NEAR LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE TO
HIGHER GROUND. STAY TUNED TO LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE LATEST
WEATHER INFORMATION.

$$

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 Austin/San Antonio, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Jul 5, 10:03 AM CDT, 1 hour 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 5, 10:03 AM CDT, 1 hour 54 minutes before
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
1003 AM CDT SAT JUL 5 2003

CURRENT RADAR LOOP DEPICTS A SMALL SCALE CIRCULATION CENTERED OVER
MEDINA COUNTY.  OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS THE GREATEST THREAT OF
FLASH FLOODING WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF THIS MESO-SCALE FEATURE.
OTHERWISE ONLY MINOR CHANGES TO POPS AND TEMPS TO ACCOUNT FOR
CURRENT AND ANTICIPATED TRENDS IN CLOUD COVER AND PRECIP COVERAGE.

WILL LEAVE WATCH AS IS FOR THE UPDATE BUT WILL LIKELY RECONFIGURE
WESTWARD AND EXTEND INTO SUNDAY ON THE AFTERNOON PACKAGE.

UPDATED PRELIMS...
AUS 085/073 091/073 093 84413
DRT 086/072 092/075 095 75443
SAT 083/073 091/074 093 84413

.EWX...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH 23Z TODAY...GENERALLY ALONG AND EAST
OF A ROCKSPRINGS TO CARRIZO SPRINGS LINE.

13/03

...PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
WILL MAINTAIN FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TODAY. PERSISTENT UPPER LOW NEAR
THE BIG BEND IS SENDING ANOTHER SHORT-WAVE ACROSS SOUTHERN TEXAS.
WIDELY SCATTERED CONVECTION ALREADY IN CWA WITH WIDESPREAD CONVECTION
ALONG THE COASTAL PLAIN TRACKING TOWARD CWA. PWS BETWEEN 1.9 AND 2.4
INCHES INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND DUE TO
RECENT RAINS, SOILS HAVE BECOME MOIST HAS RESULTED IN RUNOFF BECOMING
MORE RAPID AND SOME STREAMS NOT FALLING BACK TO NORMAL LEVELS. EXPECT
CONVECTION TO DECREASE OVERNIGHT, THEN REDEVELOP ON SUNDAY AS UPPER
LOW REMAINS JUST WEST OF AREA. WATCH MAY THEN HAVE TO BE EXTENDED OR
RECONFIGURED. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN WELL BELOW AVERAGE DUE
CLOUDS AND RAIN WITH LOW TEMPERATURES ABOUT AVERAGE DUE SOIL MOISTURE
INCREASE.

BEYOND SUNDAY NIGHT, FORECAST BECOMES A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT. MODELS
WANT TO TAKE UPPER LOW WEST ACROSS MEXICO AS UPPER RIDGE BUILDS OVER
THE TOP OF IT WHILE A TUTT LOW DRIFTS WEST ACROSS THE NORTHWESTERN
GULF OF MEXICO. THERE WILL PROBABLY BE A NARROW ZONE OF SUBSIDENCE
WHICH SHOULD INHIBIT CONVECTION DURING THE NIGHTTIME HOURS, EXCEPT
OUT WEST WHERE SOME INFLUENCE OF UPPER LOW CONTINUES AND IN THE FAR
EAST DUE INCREASING INFLUENCE OF TUTT LOW. ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY,
TUTT LOW MOVES ACROSS SOUTHERN TEXAS WITH CONVECTION EXPECTED AREA
WIDE. BY FRIDAY, MODELS SHOW TUTT LOW WELL WEST OF CWA AND FOR NOW,
WILL KEEP FRIDAY POP-FREE, ALTHOUGH LATER SHIFTS MAY HAVE HAVE
INCLUDE IF MOVEMENT IS SLOWER THAN FORECAST. TEMPERATURES SHOULD
GRADUALLY WARM UNDER INFLUENCE OF UPPER RIDGE.

04/19
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 5, 6:00 AM CDT, 5 hours 57 minutes before
TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-061100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
600 AM CDT SAT JUL 5 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY FOR MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY...EXCEPT THE COUNTIES OF VAL
VERDE...KINNEY AND MAVERICK. A UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM TO THE WEST
CONTINUES TO THE THE FOCUS FOR THE UNSTABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS OVER
SOUTH CENTRAL. SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BRING
MOISTURE INTO THE REGION. THIS WILL RESULT IN INTERMITTENT PERIODS
OF RAIN THROUGH TODAY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS FOR TODAY WILL BE 1 TO 3
INCHES...WITH ISOLATED 3 TO 6 INCH POSSIBLE. THIS TYPE OF RAIN WILL
PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
RAINFALL COVERAGE AND INTENSITY WILL DECREASE SUNDAY THROUGH
THURSDAY AS THE UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM DRIFTS AWAY FROM THE REGION.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TODAY AND TONIGHT.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 5, 6:50 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBexar3 hr
Jul 5, 7:25 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXMedina, Uvalde3 hr
Jul 5, 10:10 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXMedina, Uvalde2 hr
Jul 5, 10:24 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXFrio, Zavala3 hr
Jul 5, 1:26 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXFrio, Zavala3 hr
Jul 5, 1:59 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXMedina, Uvalde2 hr
Jul 5, 2:52 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXDimmit, Maverick113 min
Jul 5, 3:58 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXFrio, Medina, Uvalde, Zavala4 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.