Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2012

Flash Flood Warning 16, NWS Lake Charles, LA

March 20, 2012Hardin County, Jefferson County, Texas

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this flash flood warning at Mar 20, 2012, 11:32 AM CDT for Hardin County, Jefferson County, Texas. It was in force for 3 hr. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Mar 20, 2012, 11:32 AM CDT (16:32 UTC)
Expired
Mar 20, 2012, 2:30 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Hardin County, TX, Jefferson County, TX

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:32 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 20, 1:55 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD5 N Silsbee, TXMINOR FLOODING BEGINNING ON CANSLER RD NEAR FM 92 NORTH OF SILSBEE
Mar 20, 1:55 PM CDTFLASH FLOODWsw Kountze, TXMINOR STREET FLOODING BEING REPORTED ON FM1293 NEAR KOUNTZE

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 98 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 2012-03-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1368 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 2012-03-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 225 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
1368 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-14 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
555 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
225 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
338 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.2
Supercell composite
8.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

823 
WGUS54 KLCH 201632
FFWLCH
TXC199-245-201930-
/O.NEW.KLCH.FF.W.0016.120320T1632Z-120320T1930Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1132 AM CDT TUE MAR 20 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN HARDIN COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
  NORTH CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

* UNTIL 230 PM CDT

* AT 1127 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE      
  WARNED AREA. RADAR AND RAIN GAUGE ESTIMATES OF 2 TO AS MUCH AS     
  5.5 INCHES HAVE FALLEN ACROSS THE AREA ALONG AND EAST OF A VILLAGE 
  MILLS...TO KOUNTZE TO BEVIL OAKS LINE. 

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
  OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
  KOUNTZE...LUMBERTON...SILSBEE...WILDWOOD...BEVIL OAKS...CANEY HEAD
  AND VILLAGE MILLS.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES BUT ARE NOT 
LIMITED TO...CYPRESS CREEK...BLACK CREEK...KIMBALL CREEK...TURKEY 
CREEK...VILLAGE CREEK...BEECH CREEK...MILL CREEK...WALKER 
BRANCH...HICKORY CREEK...PINOAK BRANCH...BLACK BRANCH...BOGGY 
CREEK...LITTLE ROCK CREEK...BIG SANDY CREEK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE.

&&

LAT...LON 3052 9446 3052 9407 3051 9409 3049 9408
      3043 9412 3040 9412 3036 9409 3030 9411
      3028 9412 3024 9411 3010 9421 3014 9429

$$
2 follow-up statements
568 
WGUS54 KLCH 201635 CCA
FFWLCH
TXC199-245-201930-
/O.COR.KLCH.FF.W.0016.120320T1632Z-120320T1930Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1132 AM CDT TUE MAR 20 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN HARDIN COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
  NORTH CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

* UNTIL 230 PM CDT

* AT 1127 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE      
  WARNED AREA. RADAR AND RAIN GAUGE ESTIMATES OF ONE TO THREE INCHES 
  HAVE ALREADY FALLEN WITH AN ADDITIONAL ONE TO THREE INCHES         
  EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA ALONG AND EAST OF A VILLAGE   MILLS...TO  
  KOUNTZE TO BEVIL OAKS LINE. 

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
  OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
  KOUNTZE...LUMBERTON...SILSBEE...WILDWOOD...BEVIL OAKS...CANEY HEAD
  AND VILLAGE MILLS.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES BUT ARE NOT 
LIMITED TO...CYPRESS CREEK...BLACK CREEK...KIMBALL CREEK...TURKEY 
CREEK...VILLAGE CREEK...BEECH CREEK...MILL CREEK...WALKER 
BRANCH...HICKORY CREEK...PINOAK BRANCH...BLACK BRANCH...BOGGY 
CREEK...LITTLE ROCK CREEK...BIG SANDY CREEK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE.

&&

LAT...LON 3052 9446 3052 9407 3051 9409 3049 9408
      3043 9412 3040 9412 3036 9409 3030 9411
      3028 9412 3024 9411 3010 9421 3014 9429

$$
677 
WGUS74 KLCH 201849
FFSLCH

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
149 PM CDT TUE MAR 20 2012

TXC199-245-201930-
/O.CON.KLCH.FF.W.0016.000000T0000Z-120320T1930Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
HARDIN TX-JEFFERSON TX-
149 PM CDT TUE MAR 20 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL JEFFERSON
AND EASTERN HARDIN COUNTIES UNTIL 230 PM CDT...

AT 143 PM CDT...RADAR ESTIMATES INDICATE THAT ANYWHERE FROM 2.5 TO 
4.5 INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN OVER THE PAST 6 HOURS ACROSS MUCH OF 
EASTERN HARDIN COUNTY. WHILE THE HEAVY RAINS HAVE ENDED FOR THE TIME 
BEING...STREAM GAUGES CONTINUE TO INDICATE FAIRLY RAPID RISES 
CONTINUING DUE TO STORM RUNOFF. 

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLASH FLOODING INCLUDE...
KOUNTZE...LUMBERTON...SILSBEE...BEVIL OAKS AND CANEY HEAD.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLASH FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR
OCCURRING. IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA...MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND
IMMEDIATELY. RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE
IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE.

&&

LAT...LON 3051 9431 3052 9407 3051 9409 3049 9408
      3043 9412 3040 9412 3036 9409 3028 9412
      3023 9412 3010 9421 3014 9429 3030 9434

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Lake Charles, LA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 20, 11:12 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLCHHardin, Jasper, Tyler3 hr
Mar 20, 11:58 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLCHJefferson2 hr
Mar 20, 12:40 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLCHJasper3 hr
Mar 20, 12:56 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHJefferson3 hr
Mar 20, 1:23 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHJasper7 hr
Mar 20, 1:32 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLCHJasper, Newton3 hr
Mar 20, 2:07 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHJasper, Newton3 hr
Mar 20, 2:27 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHJasper, Newton5 hr
Mar 20, 2:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHOrange7 hr
Mar 20, 3:18 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHOrange6 hr
Mar 20, 6:53 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHJasper, Newton2 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 2012Every flash flood warning in 2012

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.