Severe Thunderstorm Warning 32, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
417 AM CST SAT FEB 18 2012

.DISCUSSION...
UPPER LOW OVER WEST TEXAS AND MOVING EAST WITH STRONG DIFFLUENCE
ONGOING ACROSS SETX. LINE OF STORMS COALESCED JUST WEST OF
COLORADO COUNTY AND CONTINUES TO ORGANIZE AS IT MOVES EAST. VERY
HEAVY RAINFALL STILL ON TAP TODAY WITH THE LINE OF STORMS MOVING
THROUGH AND MORE FORMING AND MOVING EAST. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL
GOING ON WELL NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT OVER THE COASTAL COUNTIES
WITH EMBEDDED HEAVIER SHOWERS SHOULD CONTINUE OVERSPREAD THE
NORTHERN COUNTIES. EXPECTING THAT AS THE STRENGTHENING FLOW
DEVELOPS THE INTENSITY OF RAINFALL WILL INCREASE. EXPECTING FLASH
FLOOD WARNINGS DURING THE NEXT 6 TO 8 HOURS. EXTENDED THE FLOOD
WATCH UNTIL 3 PM. ALSO AM EXPECTING SOME DEVELOPMENT OF STORMS
BACK UNDERNEATH THE UPPER LOW AS IT MOVES INTO THE AREA THIS
AFTERNOON. MORNING COMMUTE WILL LIKELY HAVE SOME BIG ISSUES WITH
THE STREET FLOODING.

SEVERE THREAT ALSO ESPECIALLY ALONG THE WARM FRONT OVER THE
SOUTHERN HALF OF THE REGION WHERE WIND AND HAIL THREAT WILL
EXIST. SOME SLIGHT RISK FOR SMALL HAIL ACROSS THE NORTH AREAS BUT
MAY BE A LOT OF PEA SIZED HAIL THERE.

RAINS SHOULD BE ENDING BY LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING IN THE
NORTHEAST AS THE UPPER LOW DEPARTS. WESTERLY FLOW WRAPPING AROUND
THE SYSTEM MAY WARRANT A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTHWEST COUNTIES
WHERE WINDS STACKED OFF THE DECK TO 925 MB PROGGED TO INCREASE TO
35 TO 45 KNOTS.

BEYOND TONIGHT HAVE TRENDED THE FORECAST DRIER THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS
IT APPEAR THE FRONT WILL SCOUR OUT THE GULF MOISTURE AND LIMIT THE
RETURN MOISTURE BEFORE THE NEXT PACIFIC FRONT MONDAY NIGHT AND
EARLY TUESDAY...FASTER THAN WITH PREVIOUS RUNS.
45

&&

.MARINE...
EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS AND SEAS WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING UNTIL AN
AREA OF LOW PRESSURE MOVES EAST ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS.  WINDS
SHOULD TURN SOUTHWEST BY AFTERNOON AND THEN NORTHWEST TONIGHT AS A
COLD FRONT PUSHES OFF THE COAST.  ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR
THE STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS AND RESULTANT ROUGH SEAS.  WIND GUSTS
COULD REACH GALE FORCE FOR A FEW HOURS JUST BEHIND THE FRONT.  WINDS
AND SEAS SHOULD DECREASE SUNDAY WITH RETURN FLOW SETTING UP ON
MONDAY.  A WEAK FRONT MAY PUSH OFF THE COAST ON TUESDAY TURNING
WINDS TO THE NORTHEAST BUT SOUTHERLY WINDS SHOULD DEVELOP AGAIN FOR
THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK.

39

&&

.AVIATION...
THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTINUE TO SPREAD OVER SE TX THIS MORNING AS
AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS.  THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY SHOULD LAST
THROUGH MUCH OF THE MORNING BEFORE MOVING EAST BY EARLY AFTERNOON.
TAFS WILL KEEP LOW CIGS/VSBY WITH TSRA/SHRA AND SLOWLY LIFTING.
UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL ALSO MOVE OVER THE AREA AND MAY PROVIDE SOME
WRAP AROUND LIGHT RAIN FOR THE AFTERNOON AND INTO SAT NIGHT.  SHOULD
SEE CIGS CLEARING BY 06-12Z SUN.

39

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
COLLEGE STATION (CLL)      63  43  64  46  68 / 100  10   0   0  10
HOUSTON (IAH)              70  46  66  45  70 / 100  10   0   0  10
GALVESTON (GLS)            69  50  62  52  66 / 100  10   0   0  10

&&

.HGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
     AUSTIN...BRAZORIA...BRAZOS...BURLESON...CHAMBERS...
     COLORADO...FORT BEND...GALVESTON...GRIMES...HARRIS...
     HOUSTON...JACKSON...LIBERTY...MADISON...MATAGORDA...
     MONTGOMERY...POLK...SAN JACINTO...TRINITY...WALKER...
     WALLER...WASHINGTON...WHARTON.

GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 AM CST SUNDAY
     FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: MATAGORDA BAY...WATERS FROM
     FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL 20 NM TO 60 NM...
     WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL OUT 20
     NM...WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT 20 TO 60 NM...
     WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT OUT 20 NM.

     SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION FROM NOON CST TODAY THROUGH
     THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: MATAGORDA BAY.

     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST SUNDAY
     FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: GALVESTON BAY.

     SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL 6 AM CST EARLY THIS
     MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO
     THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL 20 NM TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM
     FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL OUT 20 NM...WATERS
     FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT 20 TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM HIGH
     ISLAND TO FREEPORT OUT 20 NM.

&&

DISCUSSION...45

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
404 PM CST FRI FEB 17 2012

TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-182215-
AUSTIN-BRAZORIA-BRAZOS-BURLESON-CHAMBERS-COLORADO-FORT BEND-
GALVESTON-GRIMES-HARRIS-HOUSTON-JACKSON-LIBERTY-MADISON-MATAGORDA-
MONTGOMERY-POLK-SAN JACINTO-TRINITY-WALKER-WALLER-WASHINGTON-
WHARTON-
404 PM CST FRI FEB 17 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

         ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS
              EVENING THROUGH NOON SATURDAY...

A WARM FRONT OVER THE WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO WILL PUSH SLOWLY
NORTH TOWARD THE UPPER TEXAS COAST. A DEVELOPING AREA OF LOW
PRESSURE OVER NORTHERN MEXICO WILL MOVE UP THE COAST. THE WARM
FRONT WILL SERVE AS A FOCUS FOR HEAVY RAIN OVERNIGHT. CURRENTLY...
1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN IS EXPECTED ALONG AND SOUTH OF U.S. HIGHWAY
59 WITH ISOLATED TOTALS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES. 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IS
EXPECTED ELSEWHERE ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

SOME OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE WIND DAMAGE OR EVEN AN ISOLATED
TORNADO SOUTH OF I-10 AS THE SURFACE LOW TRACKS NORTHEAST ALONG
THE COAST.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
THE HEAVY RAINS WILL COME TO END LATE SATURDAY AS A COLD FRONT
SWEEPS OUT MOST OF THE MOISTURE. GUSTY WEST AND NORTHWEST WINDS OF
15 TO 25 MPH OR STRONGER WILL DEVELOP IN THE WAKE OF THE DEPARTING
COLD FRONT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD PREPARE FOR ACTIVATION
THIS EVENING THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
320 AM CST SAT FEB 18 2012

TXZ177-198-199-180945-
GRIMES-MONTGOMERY-WALKER-
320 AM CST SAT FEB 18 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...

AT 316 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTH OF NAVASOTA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
50 MPH.

PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...ROANS PRAIRIE...
RICHARDS...DACUS...CRABBS PRAIRIE...BEDIAS...ANDERSON...NAVASOTA AND
HUNTSVILLE.

GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL TREE BRANCHES TO BE BROKEN...AND
UNSECURED OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE
OR NON-CONVERTIBLE AUTOMOBILE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED.

LAT...LON 3068 9544 3023 9599 3023 9605 3026 9610
      3031 9609 3030 9612 3033 9615 3034 9614
      3035 9615 3038 9614 3042 9609 3046 9613
      3085 9597 3087 9583
TIME...MOT...LOC 0920Z 217DEG 45KT 3035 9603