Alert archive / Texas / Rip Current Statements in 2015

Rip Current Statement 7, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

October 17, 20154 counties in Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this rip current statement at Oct 17, 2015, 10:34 AM CDT for 4 counties in Texas. It was in force for 35 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Oct 17, 2015, 10:34 AM CDT (15:34 UTC)
Expired
Oct 18, 2015, 10:00 PM CDT
In force
35 hr
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

Counties Brazoria County, TX, Chambers County, TX, Galveston County, TX, Matagorda County, TX

The radar

The Houston radar (KHGX), 30 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:33 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 3.6 hours before the alert went out and 219 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 2015-10-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 2015-10-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 80 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
2261 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
80 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
94 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

188 
WHUS44 KHGX 171534
CFWHGX

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1034 AM CDT SAT OCT 17 2015


TXZ214-236>238-180245-
/O.NEW.KHGX.RP.S.0007.151017T1534Z-151018T0800Z/
BRAZORIA-CHAMBERS-GALVESTON-MATAGORDA-
1034 AM CDT SAT OCT 17 2015

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON HAS ISSUED A
HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK...WHICH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT.
GALVESTON BEACH PATROL REPORTS STRONG RIP AND LONGSHORE CURRENTS 
TODAY WITH FLAG COLOR RED.  

* TIMING...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

* IMPACTS...STRONG RIP CURRENTS DUE TO BRISK NORTHEAST WINDS 
WILL MAKE SWIMMING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. LIFE THREATENING RIP
CURRENTS ARE LIKELY IN THE SURF ZONE.
               
RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY
FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE
SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS GROINS...
JETTIES AND PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS...BEACH PATROL...
FLAGS AND SIGNS. SWIM NEAR A LIFEGUARD.
               
IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...YELL FOR HELP. REMAIN
CALM...DO NOT EXHAUST YOURSELF AND STAY AFLOAT WHILE WAITING FOR
HELP. IF YOU HAVE TO SWIM OUT OF A RIP CURRENT...SWIM PARALLEL TO
SHORE AND BACK TOWARD THE BEACH WHEN POSSIBLE. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT AS YOU WILL TIRE QUICKLY.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
361 
WHUS44 KHGX 180325
CFWHGX

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1025 PM CDT SAT OCT 17 2015

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK...

.MODERATE EAST NORTHEAST WINDS AND ELEVATED SURF WILL RESULT IN A 
HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK ALONG THE UPPER TEXAS COAST.

TXZ214-236>238-181130-
/O.EXT.KHGX.RP.S.0007.000000T0000Z-151018T2200Z/
BRAZORIA-CHAMBERS-GALVESTON-MATAGORDA-
1025 PM CDT SAT OCT 17 2015

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON...

* TIMING...THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS...STRONG RIP CURRENTS...ESPECIALLY NEAR PIERS...JETTIES
AND ROCK GROINS WILL MAKE SWIMMING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS EVEN TO THE
MOST MOST EXPERIENCED SWIMMERS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. LIFE THREATENING RIP
CURRENTS ARE LIKELY IN THE SURF ZONE.

RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY
FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE
SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS GROINS...
JETTIES AND PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS...BEACH PATROL...
FLAGS AND SIGNS. SWIM NEAR A LIFEGUARD.

IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...YELL FOR HELP. REMAIN
CALM...DO NOT EXHAUST YOURSELF AND STAY AFLOAT WHILE WAITING FOR
HELP. IF YOU HAVE TO SWIM OUT OF A RIP CURRENT...SWIM PARALLEL TO
SHORE AND BACK TOWARD THE BEACH WHEN POSSIBLE. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT AS YOU WILL TIRE QUICKLY.

&&

$$
262 
WHUS44 KHGX 180326
CFWHGX

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1026 PM CDT SAT OCT 17 2015

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK...

.MODERATE EAST NORTHEAST WINDS AND ELEVATED SURF WILL RESULT IN A
HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK ALONG THE UPPER TEXAS COAST.

TXZ214-236>238-182200-
/O.CON.KHGX.RP.S.0007.000000T0000Z-151018T2200Z/
BRAZORIA-CHAMBERS-GALVESTON-MATAGORDA-
1026 PM CDT SAT OCT 17 2015

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY
AFTERNOON...

* TIMING...THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS...STRONG RIP CURRENTS...ESPECIALLY NEAR PIERS...
  JETTIES AND ROCK GROINS WILL MAKE SWIMMING POTENTIALLY 
  HAZARDOUS EVEN TO THE MOST MOST EXPERIENCED SWIMMERS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. LIFE THREATENING RIP
CURRENTS ARE LIKELY IN THE SURF ZONE.

RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY
FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE
SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS GROINS...
JETTIES AND PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS...BEACH PATROL...
FLAGS AND SIGNS. SWIM NEAR A LIFEGUARD.

IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...YELL FOR HELP. REMAIN
CALM...DO NOT EXHAUST YOURSELF AND STAY AFLOAT WHILE WAITING FOR
HELP. IF YOU HAVE TO SWIM OUT OF A RIP CURRENT...SWIM PARALLEL TO
SHORE AND BACK TOWARD THE BEACH WHEN POSSIBLE. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT AS YOU WILL TIRE QUICKLY.

&&

$$
387 
WHUS44 KHGX 182026 
CFWHGX

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
326 PM CDT SUN OCT 18 2015

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK...

.MODERATE EAST WINDS AND ELEVATED SURF WILL RESULT IN A HIGH RIP 
CURRENT RISK ALONG THE UPPER TEXAS COAST.

TXZ214-236>238-190300-
/O.EXT.KHGX.RP.S.0007.000000T0000Z-151019T0300Z/
BRAZORIA-CHAMBERS-GALVESTON-MATAGORDA-
326 PM CDT SUN OCT 18 2015

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING...

* TIMING...THROUGH THIS EVENING.

* IMPACTS...STRONG RIP CURRENTS...ESPECIALLY NEAR PIERS...JETTIES AND 
  ROCK GROINS WILL MAKE SWIMMING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS EVEN TO THE 
  MOST MOST EXPERIENCED SWIMMERS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. LIFE THREATENING RIP CURRENTS 
ARE LIKELY IN THE SURF ZONE.

RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY FROM 
SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE SANDBAR 
AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS GROINS...JETTIES AND PIERS. 
HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS...BEACH PATROL...FLAGS AND SIGNS. SWIM 
NEAR A LIFEGUARD.

IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...YELL FOR HELP. REMAIN CALM...DO 
NOT EXHAUST YOURSELF AND STAY AFLOAT WHILE WAITING FOR HELP. IF YOU HAVE 
TO SWIM OUT OF A RIP CURRENT...SWIM PARALLEL TO SHORE AND BACK TOWARD THE 
BEACH WHEN POSSIBLE. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT 
AS YOU WILL TIRE QUICKLY.

&&

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 17, 6:14 AM CDTSmall Craft AdvisoryHGX46 hr

Nearby

Rip Current Statements in Texas, 2015Every rip current statement in 2015

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.