Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 56, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

July 15, 20034 counties in Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this flash flood warning at Jul 15, 2003, 9:22 PM CDT for 4 counties in Texas. It was in force for 113 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
Jul 15, 2003, 9:22 PM CDT (02:22 UTC)
Expired
Jul 15, 2003, 11:15 PM CDT
In force
113 min
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Atascosa County, TX, Frio County, TX, Karnes County, TX, Wilson County, TX

The radar

The Austin/San Antonio radar (KEWX), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:24 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, 2.4 hours before the alert went out and 161 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 2003-07-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 314 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 00:00Z on 2003-07-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -16 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
314 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
712 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
74 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS54 KEWX 160223
FFWSAT
TXC013-163-255-493-160415-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
922 PM CDT TUE JUL 15 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
  WILSON
  ATASCOSA
  KARNES
  FRIO

* UNTIL 1115 PM CDT

* AT 922 PM...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED VERY HEAVY     
  RAIN OVER THE WARNED AREA AS TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE TRACKS WEST  
  AT 15 MPH. EXPECT HEAVY RAINFALL RATES OF AROUND 2 INCHES PER HOUR 
  OVER THE WARNED AREA. RAINFALL TOTALS IN EXCESS OF 7 INCHES ARE 
  POSSIBLE IN PARTS OF KARNES AND ATASCOSA COUNTIES BY 10 PM WITH 
  MANY AREAS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE BETWEEN 2 AND 4 INCHES.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT
QUICKLY. MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY
IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.


LAT...LON 2865 9834 2883 9814 2876 9791 2888 9766
          2904 9785 2920 9807 2909 9843 2908 9928
          2867 9932

$$
1 follow-up statement
000 
WGUS74 KEWX 160356
FFSSAT
TXC013-029-163-255-325-493-160415-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
1050 PM CDT TUE JUL 15 2003

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR BEXAR AND MEDINA COUNTIES     
   UNTIL 1230 AM CDT...
...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR WILSON...ATASCOSA...KARNES    
   AND FRIO COUNTIES UNTIL 1115 PM CDT...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS 
PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL FROM YANCEY TO LEMING AND CAMPBELLTON. 
RAINFALL RATES ARE ESTIMATED AT 1 TO 2 INCHES AN HOUR WITHIN THIS 
BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS.   

CLAUDETTE IS NOW CENTERED JUST SOUTH OF DILLEY AND IS MOVING WEST AT 
10 TO 15 MPH.  VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE IN THE VICINITY OF 
THE CENTER OF CIRCULATION.

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 15, 8:49 PM CDT, 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 15, 8:49 PM CDT, 33 minutes before
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
849 PM CDT TUE JUL 15 2003

HAVE DONE A QUICK UPDATE TO MOVE THE HIGH WIND WARNING WESTWARD TO
MATCH THE TRACK OF THE CENTER OF CLAUDETTE.

ANOTHER UPDATE COMING PENDING THE EXPIRATION OF TORNADO WATCH. WILL
ALSO LIKELY RECONFIGURE THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH BASED ON THE LATEST
GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER.  WILL UPDATE GRIDS WITH
ISSUANCE OF NEW FLASH FLOOD WATCH.

PRELIMS...
AUS 070/088 073/092 072 54341
DRT 073/085 073/093 074 89852
SAT 071/089 071/091 074 98541

.EWX...HIGH WIND TONIGHT FOR ATASCOSA... FRIO... DIMMIT AND
       ZAVALA COUNTIES.
       FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ENTIRE SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AREA
       INCLUDING THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY.
       WIND ADVISORY FOR THE REMAINDER OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
       TONIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE HIGH WIND WARNING AREA.

13/03

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 15, 3:25 PM CDT, 5 hours 57 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO, TX
325 PM CDT TUE JUL 15 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0300 PM    CUERO                     TX   WIND DAMAGE
07/15/03   DEWITT                         STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO MANY
                                          HOMES, POWER LINES DOWN
                                          REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT

PM
Special weather statement, Jul 15, 6:04 PM CDT, 3 hours 18 minutes before
TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-160030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
604 PM CDT TUE JUL 15 2003

...URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 715 PM FOR KARNES
   COUNTY...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON WEDNESDAY FOR ALL OF
   SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTY...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM FOR ATASCOSA... KARNES
   WILSON... DEWITT... GONZALES AND LAVACA COUNTIES...
...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR ATASCOSA... DEWITT
   KARNES... LAVACA AND WILSON COUNTIES...

TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE IS NOW CENTERED BETWEEN GEORGE WEST AND
BEEVILLE MOVING WEST AT 10 TO 15 MPH.  THE HEAVIEST RAINS OVERNIGHT
WILL OCCUR NEAR THE CENTER OF THE STORM AS IT TRACKS WESTWARD ACROSS
SOUTHERN ATASCOSA...FRIO...ZAVALA...DIMMIT AND MAVERICK COUNTIES.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS EFFECT OVERNIGHT AS THE OUTER CONVECTIVE
BANDS WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AWAY FROM THE CENTER.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL AVERAGE 2 TO 4 INCHES ACROSS ALL OF SOUTH
CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY. HIGHER TOTALS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES
ARE POSSIBLE CLOSER TO THE CENTER OF THE STORM TRACK.

CAMPERS...HIKERS...AND THOSE WITH INTERESTS ALONG RIVERS AND
STREAMS...AS WELL AS THOSE IN LOW LYING AREAS SHOULD PREPARE FOR A
HEAVY RAIN EVENT.  SOME SOILS REMAIN MOIST FROM RAINS OF THE PAST
COUPLE OF WEEKS...AND RUNOFF COULD BECOME RAPID.

PERSONS IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY ARE ADVISED TO
MONITOR THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Jul 15, 7:03 PM CDT, 2 hours 19 minutes before
TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-160100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
703 PM CDT TUE JUL 15 2003

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 PM FOR KARNES...
   ATASCOSA... DEWITT AND LAVACA COUNTIES...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON WEDNESDAY FOR ALL OF
   SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTY...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM FOR ATASCOSA... KARNES
   WILSON... DEWITT... GONZALES AND LAVACA COUNTIES...
...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR ATASCOSA... DEWITT
   KARNES... LAVACA AND WILSON COUNTIES...

TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE IS NOW CENTERED 65 MILES SOUTH OF SAN
ANTONIO MOVING WEST AT 10 TO 15 MPH. THE HEAVIEST RAINS OVERNIGHT
WILL OCCUR NEAR THE CENTER OF THE STORM AS IT TRACKS WESTWARD ACROSS
SOUTHERN ATASCOSA...FRIO...ZAVALA...DIMMIT AND MAVERICK COUNTIES.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS EFFECT OVERNIGHT AS THE OUTER CONVECTIVE
BANDS WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AWAY FROM THE CENTER.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL AVERAGE 2 TO 4 INCHES ACROSS ALL OF SOUTH
CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY. HIGHER TOTALS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES
ARE POSSIBLE CLOSER TO THE CENTER OF THE STORM TRACK.

CAMPERS...HIKERS...AND THOSE WITH INTERESTS ALONG RIVERS AND
STREAMS...AS WELL AS THOSE IN LOW LYING AREAS SHOULD PREPARE FOR A
HEAVY RAIN EVENT.  SOME SOILS REMAIN MOIST FROM RAINS OF THE PAST
COUPLE OF WEEKS...AND RUNOFF COULD BECOME RAPID.

PERSONS IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY ARE ADVISED TO
MONITOR THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Jul 15, 7:49 PM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-160200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
749 PM CDT TUE JUL 15 2003

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING UNTIL 930 PM FOR KARNES... ATASCOSA...
   DEWITT AND LAVACA COUNTIES...
...URBAN AND SMALL STREAM ADVISORY UNTIL 915 PM FOR BEXAR
   AND WILSON COUNTIES...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL NOON WEDNESDAY FOR ALL OF SOUTH CENTRAL
   TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTY...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM FOR ATASCOSA... KARNES
   WILSON... DEWITT... GONZALES AND LAVACA COUNTIES...
...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR ATASCOSA... DEWITT
   KARNES... LAVACA AND WILSON COUNTIES...

TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE IS CENTERED ABOUT 65 MILES SOUTH OF SAN
ANTONIO MOVING WEST AT 10 TO 15 MPH. THE HEAVIEST RAINS OVERNIGHT
WILL OCCUR NEAR THE CENTER OF THE TROPICAL STORM AS IT TRACKS
WESTWARD ACROSS SOUTHERN ATASCOSA...FRIO...ZAVALA...DIMMIT AND
MAVERICK COUNTIES.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS EFFECT OVERNIGHT AS THE OUTER CONVECTIVE
BANDS WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AWAY FROM THE CENTER.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL AVERAGE 2 TO 4 INCHES ACROSS ALL OF SOUTH
CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY. HIGHER TOTALS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES
ARE POSSIBLE CLOSER TO THE CENTER OF THE STORM TRACK.

CAMPERS...HIKERS...AND THOSE WITH INTERESTS ALONG RIVERS AND
STREAMS...AS WELL AS THOSE IN LOW LYING AREAS SHOULD PREPARE FOR A
HEAVY RAIN EVENT.  SOME SOILS REMAIN MOIST FROM RAINS OF THE PAST
COUPLE OF WEEKS...AND RUNOFF COULD BECOME RAPID.

PERSONS IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY ARE ADVISED TO
MONITOR THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.
Local storm report, Jul 15, 8:43 PM CDT, 39 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO, TX
843 PM CDT TUE JUL 15 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0333 PM    HALLETTSVILLE             TX   WIND DAMAGE
07/15/03   LAVACA                         TREES DOWN AND POWER
                                          OUTAGE
                                          REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT

0530 PM    KARNES CITY               TX   WIND DAMAGE
07/15/03   KARNES                         TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
                                          COUNTYWIDE
                                          REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT

0700 PM    CUERO                     TX   WIND DAMAGE
07/15/03   DEWITT                         POWER LINES DOWN
                                          COUNTYWIDE
                                          REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT

0730 PM    RUNGE                     TX   FLASH FLOODS
07/15/03   KARNES                         ROADS CLOSED
                                          REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT

0731 PM    JOURDANTON                TX   WIND DAMAGE
07/15/03   ATASCOSA                       1 FATALITY
                                          TREE BLOWN OVER ON
                                          VICTIM BY HIGH WIND
                                          REPORTED BY
                                          LAW ENFORCEMENT

0740 PM    JOURDANTON                TX   WIND DAMAGE
07/15/03   ATASCOSA                       POWER LINES DOWN
                                          COUNTYWIDE
                                          REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT

DC

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 15, 10:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBexar, Medina2 hr
Jul 15, 11:12 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXAtascosa, Frio, Karnes, Wilson108 min
Jul 16, 1:05 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBexar115 min
Jul 16, 1:27 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXKarnes2 hr
Jul 16, 1:52 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXMedina113 min
Jul 16, 2:39 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXFrio111 min
Jul 16, 4:26 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXVal Verde2 hr
Jul 16, 6:33 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXLavaca4 hr
Jul 16, 6:42 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXVal Verde3 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.