Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 8, NWS San Angelo, TX

May 25, 2003Sutton County, Texas

NWS San Angelo, TX issued this flash flood warning at May 25, 2003, 11:14 PM CDT for Sutton County, 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
May 25, 2003, 11:14 PM CDT (04:14 UTC)
Expired
May 26, 2003, 2:15 AM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS San Angelo, TX
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Sutton 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 00:00Z, 4.2 hours before the alert went out and 131 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 00:00Z on 2003-05-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2132 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, Del Rio, TX at 00:00Z on 2003-05-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 15 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
2132 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-71 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1625 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
15 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
81 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
1.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS54 KSJT 260416
FFWSJT
TXC435-260715-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
1114 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN ANGELO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SUTTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TEXAS

* UNTIL 215 AM CDT

* AT 1110 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
  NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN MOVING NORTHEAST 
  ACROSS SUTTON COUNTY. 

* RAINFALL TOTALING 2 TO 4 INCHES HAS ALREADY FALLEN TO THE WEST
  AND SOUTHWEST OF SONORA. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES 
  WILL OCCUR. THIS WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING.  

DO NOT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. THE WATER 
DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW SAFE PASSAGE. REMEMBER...MOST 
FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

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 3068 10093 3031 10092 3032 10016 3068 10015

$$

19
2 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS74 KSJT 260550
FFSSJT
TXC435-260715-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
1248 AM CDT MON MAY 26 2003

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SUTTON COUNTY UNTIL 
215 AM CDT...

THE SUTTON COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE REPORTED STREET FLOODING IN SONORA. 
DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES THAT RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2.5 TO 4 INCHES
HAVE OCCURRED OVER AREAS OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN SUTTON COUNTY...
WITH ISOLATED 4 TO 5 INCH AMOUNTS JUST SOUTHWEST OF SONORA. 

AT 1245 AM...RADAR INDICATESD THAT THE STORMS WITH THE HEAVIEST 
RAINFALL HAD MOVED EASTWARD OUT OF SUTTON COUNTY. OTHER STORMS WITH 
MODERATE RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 200 AM. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL UP 
TO ONE HALF INCH IS EXPECTED.  

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
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. DO NOT DRIVE
INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. 

$$

19
000 
WGUS74 KSJT 260552 CCA
FFSSJT
TXC435-260715-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
1249 AM CDT MON MAY 26 2003

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SUTTON COUNTY UNTIL 
215 AM CDT...

THE SUTTON COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE REPORTED STREET FLOODING IN SONORA. 
DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES THAT RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2.5 TO 4 INCHES
HAVE OCCURRED OVER AREAS OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN SUTTON COUNTY...
WITH ISOLATED 4 TO 5 INCH AMOUNTS JUST SOUTHWEST OF SONORA. 

AT 1245 AM...RADAR INDICATED THAT THE STORMS WITH THE HEAVIEST 
RAINFALL HAD MOVED EAST OUT OF SUTTON COUNTY. OTHER STORMS WITH 
MODERATE RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 200 AM. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL UP 
TO ONE HALF INCH IS EXPECTED.  

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
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. DO NOT DRIVE
INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. 

$$

19

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 San Angelo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at May 25, 9:30 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 25, 9:30 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before
WEST CENTRAL TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
930 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2003

RADAR/SATELLITE TRENDS SHOW DEVELOPING MCS IN OUR SOUTHWESTERN
COUNTIES. THIS IN AREA OF QUITE STRONG MOISTURE FLUX CONVERGENCE
AND UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE. THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX MOVING SLOWLY
EAST AND NORTHEAST...BUT LIKELY TO STALL AS IT PUSHES INTO
SOUTHERN CONCHO VALLEY. VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OF 1-2.5 INCHES PER
HOUR OCCURRING WITH THE CONVECTION. WILL ISSUE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR
NORTHERN EDWARDS PLATEAU AND SOUTHERN CONCHO VALLEY REST OF
TONIGHT. WILL CLOSELY MONITOR AREAS FARTHER EAST FOR FLASH FLOOD
POTENTIAL OVERNIGHT.

19

200 PM DISCUSSION...

TONIGHT...
MODELS HAVING TROUBLE WITH SFC FEATURES AND APPROACHING UPPER TROF.
AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY STRADDLED I20 ACROSS THE BIG COUNTRY.   THE
AIRMASS SOUTH OF THIS BOUNDARY HAS CONTINUED TO SLOWLY DESTABILIZE.
THE SFC BASED CAPES WERE RISING INTO THE 1000 TO 1500 J/KG RANGE.
ALSO...AN AREA OF DIFFLUENCE WAS MOVING INTO THE BIG BEND AREA AND
WILL LIKELY MOVE ACROSS THE CONCHO ALLEY LATER TONIGHT.  SPC MESO
ANALYSIS SHOWS THIS DIVERGENCE AT 3H.  AT THE SFC...A WEAK SFC TROF
APPEARS TO REFLECT THIS DIFFLUENCE/DIVERGENCE EXTENDING FROM BWD TO
SJT TO FST TO A SFC LOW BETWEEN ELP AND MAF.  EXPECT THE UPPER TROF
TO CONTINUE TO UNDERCUT THE UPPER RIDGE AS IT MOVES ESE.
EXPECT...CONVECTION DEVELOPING TO OUR WEST TO GRADUALLY SPREAD EAST
TONIGHT AS A MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE SYSTEM.  ALSO...ANY CONVECTION
THAT DEVELOPS ALONG FRONT/OUTFLOW BOUNDARY WILL MOVE SOUTH.  AS
UPPER TROF APPROACHES SHOULD SEE BETTER LOW LEVEL JET.  WENT W/60
POPS FOR MUCH OF WC TX TONIGHT...AND WILL ADD MENTION OF LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL BECAUSE OF SLOW STORM MOVEMENT.

MEMORIAL DAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...
EXPECT FRONT TO SAG A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH AND GO STATIONARY.
AS IT DOES...MODELS PROG AN AREA OF DIFFLUENCE ALONG THE STATIONARY
FRONT ACROSS THE TRANS PECOS REGION.  THIS COULD GIVE US ADDITIONAL
CHANCES OF RAINFALL.  THINGS SHOULD BEGIN DRYING OUT ON
WEDNESDAY...ALTHOUGH CANT RULE OUT SOME ISOLATED TSTORMS SINCE WE
CONTINUE TO BE IN NW FLOW ALOFT.

THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...
UPPER HIGH IS PROGGED BY ALL LONG RANGE MODELS TO BUILD INTO WC TX
AND SHOULD HELP TO DRY US OUT.

SUNDAY...
WENT AHEAD AND INSERTED A LOW POP AS MODELS PROG A WEAK UPPER TROF
INTO WC TX.  ALSO...LEE SIDE TROFING DEVELOPS BENEATH STRONGER ZONAL
FLOW ACROSS THE CENTRAL ROCKIES.  COULD MEAN THE RETURN OF THE
DRYLINE.

CCF PRELIMS...

ABI 057/076/058/079 6322
SJT 061/078/060/081 6433
JCT 062/083/063/082 6433

.SJT...NONE.

GUERRERO/WRIGHT/BACKER
Hazardous weather outlook, May 25, 2:30 PM CDT, 8 hours 44 minutes before
TXZ049-054-064>066-071>073-076>078-098-099-113-114-127-128-139-140-
154-155-168>170-261930-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
230 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...

A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER EXISTS THROUGH TONIGHT FOR AREAS
SOUTH OF THE BIG COUNTRY. A COMPLEX OF STORMS IS DEVELOPING ACROSS
FAR WEST TEXAS AND INTO EASTERN NEW MEXICO THIS AFTERNOON IN
ASSOCIATION WITH AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NOW ENTERING FAR
WEST TEXAS. AS THIS COMPLEX OF STORMS APPROACHES OUR CWA LATER THIS
EVENING AND OVERNIGHT... A FEW OF STORMS COULD REACH SEVERE LIMITS
WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE MAIN CONCERN.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

WITH A FRONT MOVING THROUGH AND THEN STALLING OUT ACROSS WEST
CENTRAL TEXAS...THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER ON
SUNDAY AND MONDAY. OTHERWISE...A SLIGHT CHANCE OF STORMS WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY TONIGHT.

15

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 25, 9:56 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
TXZ064>066-071>073-076>078-139-140-154-155-168>170-260401-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
956 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2003

...STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN HEADED FOR SAN ANGELO...
CHRISTOVAL...AND MERTZON...

AT 955 PM CDT...RADAR SHOWED THE LEADING EDGE OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN AND
STRONG WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 50 MPH LOCATED FROM MERTZON
TO CHRISTOVAL...OR ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTH OF SAN ANGELO.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF THE CONCHO VALLEY AND
EDWARDS PLATEAU.

REMEMBER MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR AT NIGHT.  IF YOU
ENCOUNTER A FLOODED LOW WATER CROSSING...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.

GUERRERO

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 25, 7:35 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningSJTTom Green115 min
May 25, 8:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTSutton56 min
May 25, 8:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTTom Green52 min
May 25, 8:38 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningSJTCrockett3 hr
May 25, 8:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTSchleicher63 min
May 25, 9:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTCrockett64 min
May 25, 11:41 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningSJTSchleicher2 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.