Flash Flood Warning 39, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1217 AM CDT WED MAY 13 2015

.DISCUSSION...
SEE THE 06Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW.

40

&&

.AVIATION...
A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING AND DRIFTING
NORTHWARD JUST INLAND OF THE COAST. ANOTHER ROUND OF STORMS WERE
MOVING NORTHEASTWARD FROM SOUTH TEXAS ALONG AN UPPER LEVEL
SHORTWAVE TROUGH. MOST OF THE SITES WILL SEE ROUNDS OF
THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT. A CONSENSUS OF THE MODELS INDICATES A BREAK
AROUND 12Z WITH THE NEXT ROUND FROM THE SOUTH OCCURRING DURING THE
MID AND LATE MORNING PERIOD. INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE NEXT BREAK
WILL ARRIVE BY THE EVENING.

40

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 926 PM CDT TUE MAY 12 2015/

UPDATE...
SEE EVENING UPDATE.

DISCUSSION...
A RATHER BUSY EVENING WITH WATERSPOUTS...FUNNEL CLOUDS AND VERY
HEAVY RAIN. PARTS OF BRAZORIA AND GALVESTON COUNTIES RECEIVED
BETWEEN 7 AND 10 INCHES OF RAIN TODAY. NOT MUCH CHOICE IN
EXPANDING THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH TO INCLUDE THESE COUNTIES SINCE
FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE IS EXTREMELY LOW. ALSO STARTED THE FLASH
FLOOD WATCH EARLIER THIS EVENING DUE TO THE ONGOING HEAVY RAIN. A
COASTAL TROUGH WAS THE CULPRIT FOR TONIGHT'S RAIN AS SE WINDS
OVER THE GULF COLLIDED WITH NE WINDS ALONG THE COAST. COASTAL
CONVERGENCE HAS WEAKENED BUT CONVECTION OVER THE GULF CONTINUES TO
CREEP TOWARD THE COAST. WILL ADD HEAVY RAIN TO THE WEATHER GRIDS
AND TWEAK POPS UPWARD. THE SITUATION IS GETTING SERIOUS. RIVERS
ARE FULL AND THE GROUND IS SATURATED. IF ANOTHER BIG RAIN FALLS
TOMORROW...SOME SIGNIFICANT FLOODING WILL DEVELOP. 43

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 646 PM CDT TUE MAY 12 2015/

DISCUSSION...
SEE THE 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW.

40

AVIATION...
WITH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY RIGHT ALONG THE COAST AND AN UPPER LEVEL
SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING OVERHEAD...WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS WILL PERSIST ACROSS MOST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AT LEAST
THROUGH MID EVENING. THE MODELS ARE NOT IN AGREEMENT...HOWEVER THE
HIGHER RESOLUTION MODELS DO BRING SOME BREAK IN THE ACTIVITY
OVERNIGHT. ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER MEXICO WILL
MOVE OVERHEAD ON WEDNESDAY. THERE IS SOME MODEL DISAGREEMENT WITH
REGARDS TO TIMING. THINK THAT THE BEST CHANCES WILL BE IN THE
MORNING OVER THE NORTHERN SITES AND THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON OVER
THE SOUTH.

40

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 355 PM CDT TUE MAY 12 2015/

DISCUSSION...
LATEST SFC ANALYSIS HAS FRONTAL BOUNDARY STALLED FROM JUST NORTH
OF LUFKIN TO AUSTIN. SOUTH OF THE BOUNDARY THERE HAS BEEN ENOUGH
RECOVERY IN THE AIRMASS WITH THE PASSING SHORT WAVE TROUGH THAT
STORMS HAVE RE-DEVELOPED ACROSS THE AREA. KHGX 88D VAD SHOWS A A
LOT OF TURNING IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER FOR A CURVED HODOGRAPH.
STORMS HAVE BEEN RATHER SHALLOW BUT STILL ENOUGH TO ROTATE AT
TIMES. STORMS ARE MOVING BUT STILL PRODUCING 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN
AN HOUR ESPECIALLY OVER THE ANGLETON AREAS IN BRAZORIA CO. STORMS
SHOULD DECREASE LATER THIS EVENING WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING AND
THE SHORT WAVE PUSHING OUT OF THE AREA. MAIN CONCERN WILL BE
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THAT DEVELOPS WED MORNING AND DURING THE
DAY. FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN POSTED FOR WESTERN PORTIONS OF SE
TX BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE FT BEND...HARRIS...BRAZORIA OR GALVESTON
COUNTIES. WATCH WILL GO FROM 09Z WED TO 00Z THUR TO ACCOUNT FOR
STORMS FROM C TX MOVING INTO THE AREA OR MORE DEVELOPMENT WITH AN
APPROACHING SHORT WAVE TROUGH.

LATEST WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS THE NEXT STRONG SHORTWAVE
TROUGH. TROUGH IS NOW OVER THE BAJA OF MEXICO AND SHOULD TAKE A NE
TRAJECTORY OVER TX PANHANDLE AND N TX. THE BULK OF STRONG POS VORT
ADVECTION WILL BE NORTH OF THE AREA BUT MODELS STILL DEVELOP QUITE
A BIT OF OMEGA WITH THE TROUGH AXIS AND STILL SOME Q VECTOR
DIVERGENCE IN 500-300MB LAYER. COUPLE THAT WITH PLENTY OF GULF
MOISTURE STILL OVER SE TX AND WITH MODELS SHOWING ANOTHER INCREASE
IN MOISTURE IN RESPONSE TO THE WAVE...ENVIRONMENT STILL FAVORABLE
FOR HEAVY RAINFALL. PRECIP WATER VALUES NEAR 1.8-2 INCHES WILL BE
MORE THAN ENOUGH DURING THE DAY WED TO SUPPORT RAIN RATES OF 2
INCHES AN HR IN SOME OF THESE STORMS. MAY QUESTION WILL BE EXACTLY
WHERE AND MODELS HAVE BEEN VERY INCONSISTENT WITH CONVECTIVE
EVOLUTION WHICH IS TO BE EXPECTED. WRF-ARW AND TX TECH WRF SHOW
SOME TIME OF MCS MOVING INTO THE AREA DURING THE DAY BUT SYSTEM
COULD STILL MOVE NORTH INTO N TX AND THE ARLATEX. THIS IS TO SAY
THAT THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHERE HEAVY RAINFALL MAY
OCCUR. FLASH FLOOD WATCH COVERS AREAS THAT CANNOT HANDLE ANY MORE
RAINFALL AND HAVE BEST CHANCE TO SEE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
TOMORROW.

WHILE THERE IS WEAK RIDGING ALOFT THUR...STILL ENOUGH MOISTURE
AND HEATING WITH NO CAP THAT STORMS COULD FORM AGAIN. BY FRIDAY
THE RIDGING IS GONE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER WEAK WAVE
PASSING BY FOR SCT THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. POPS SHOULD BE
DECREASING DURING THIS TIME BUT ANOTHER UPPER LOW OVER THE ROCKIES
WILL KEEP SW FLOW ALOFT IN PLACE. WITH CONSTANT FLOW OF MOISTURE
OFF THE GULF...NEED TO KEEP SOME RAIN CHANCES GOING INTO NEXT
WEEK.

39

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
COLLEGE STATION (CLL)      69  84  70  83  71 /  50  40  20  40  20
HOUSTON (IAH)              72  84  71  84  73 /  40  40  20  40  20
GALVESTON (GLS)            74  82  75  81  76 /  30  30  20  30  10

&&

.HGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 4 AM CDT EARLY THIS MORNING 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.

     FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 AM CDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS
     EVENING 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 SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL 4 AM CDT 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...43
AVIATION/MARINE...40

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
630 AM CDT TUE MAY 12 2015

TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-131130-
HOUSTON-TRINITY-MADISON-WALKER-SAN JACINTO-POLK-BURLESON-BRAZOS-
WASHINGTON-GRIMES-MONTGOMERY-LIBERTY-COLORADO-AUSTIN-WALLER-
HARRIS-CHAMBERS-WHARTON-FORT BEND-JACKSON-MATAGORDA-BRAZORIA-
GALVESTON-
630 AM CDT TUE MAY 12 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
TEXAS.

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM TONIGHT...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE REGION WILL BE PRECIPITATION FREE THROUGH
THE DAY...ANY SCATTERED AFTERNOON RAIN AND STORM ACTIVITY COULD
CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING CONCERNS. OTHER THAN URBANIZED AREAS...FAR
NORTHERN COUNTIES AND SOUTHWESTERN COASTAL COUNTIES CLOSER TO THE
GULF WILL BE THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING. THESE ARE THE COUNTIES
THAT HAVE RECEIVED THE HIGHEST RAINFALL SINCE SUNDAY NIGHT...THEIR
SATURATED GROUNDS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLE RAINFALL RATES IN EXCESS
OF 2 INCHES AN HOUR BEFORE RUNOFF OCCURS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

A HIGHER PROBABILITY OF RETURN PRECIPITATION WEDNESDAY INITIATED
FROM THE PASSAGE OF A VICINITY SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCE. LOWERING
RAIN AND STORM CHANCES EACH SUBSEQUENT DAY THROUGH THE END OF THE
WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS WILL LIKELY NOT BE NEEDED TODAY...POSSIBLY WITH RETURN
PRECIPITATION WEDNESDAY.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1131 PM CDT TUE MAY 12 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1130 PM     FLASH FLOOD      LEAGUE CITY             29.49N  95.11W
05/12/2015                   GALVESTON          TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            HIGH WATER AT THE 200 BLOCK OF EAST MAIN STREET.

&&

EVENT NUMBER HGX1500220

40

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1201 AM CDT WED MAY 13 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1200 AM     FLASH FLOOD      LEAGUE CITY             29.49N  95.11W
05/13/2015                   GALVESTON          TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            IMPASSABLE CONDITIONS DUE TO HIGH WATER ON EAST MAIN
            AND HOUSTON AVENUE.

&&

EVENT NUMBER HGX1500222

40

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1226 AM CDT WED MAY 13 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1226 AM     FLASH FLOOD      LEAGUE CITY             29.49N  95.11W
05/13/2015                   GALVESTON          TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            300 BLOCK OF HOBBES ROAD FLOODED.

&&

EVENT NUMBER HGX1500223

40

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1231 AM CDT WED MAY 13 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1230 AM     FLASH FLOOD      LEAGUE CITY             29.49N  95.11W
05/13/2015                   GALVESTON          TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            HIGH WATER FROM THE 2300 BLOCK OF FM-518 TO ST
            CHRISTOPHER AVE.

&&

EVENT NUMBER HGX1500224

40

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1249 AM CDT WED MAY 13 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1249 AM     FLASH FLOOD      LEAGUE CITY             29.49N  95.11W
05/13/2015                   GALVESTON          TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SOUTH BOUND FEEDER OF I-45 AT HIGHWAY 96 IMPASSABLE DUE
            TO HIGH WATER.

&&

EVENT NUMBER HGX1500225

40

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
134 AM CDT WED MAY 13 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0129 AM     FLASH FLOOD      WEBSTER                 29.53N  95.12W
05/13/2015                   HARRIS             TX   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            I-45 NORTH AND SOUTH BOUND FEEDER ROADS FLOODED AT
            FM-528 NASA PARKWAY.

&&

EVENT NUMBER HGX1500226

40