Alert archive / Texas / Rip Current Statements in 2017

Rip Current Statement 12, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

August 10, 20174 counties in Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this rip current statement at Aug 10, 2017, 3:03 PM CDT for 4 counties in Texas. It was in force for 30 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 10, 2017, 3:03 PM CDT (20:03 UTC)
Expired
Aug 11, 2017, 9:00 PM CDT
In force
30 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 20:07 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, 8.1 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 2017-08-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2579 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 2017-08-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 74 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
2579 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
646 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
74 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
123 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

544 
WHUS44 KHGX 102003
CFWHGX

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
303 PM CDT THU AUG 10 2017

...COASTAL FLOODING AND HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS FOR 
UPPER TEXAS COAST TONIGHT...

.LONG PERIOD SWELLS GENERATED BY FRANKLIN TRAVERSING THE WESTERN 
GULF OF MEXICO WATERS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE TEXAS COAST THROUGH
TONIGHT. THESE SWELLS WILL HELP TO GENERATE STRONG AND DANGEROUS 
RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE GULF FACING BEACHES AND ALLOW STRONGER 
WAVE RUN-UP WITH WATER REACHING THE DUNES.

TXZ214-236>238-110415-
/O.NEW.KHGX.CF.Y.0008.170810T2003Z-170811T1000Z/
/O.NEW.KHGX.RP.S.0012.170810T2003Z-170811T1000Z/
BRAZORIA-CHAMBERS-GALVESTON-MATAGORDA-
303 PM CDT THU AUG 10 2017

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM CDT FRIDAY...
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON HAS ISSUED A
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY, WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM CDT FRIDAY.
A HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK HAS ALSO BEEN ISSUED. THIS HIGH RIP
CURRENT RISK IS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. 

* COASTAL FLOODING...PRIMARILY ALONG THE GULF FACING BEACHES.

* TIMING...THROUGH TONIGHT.

* IMPACTS...WAVE RUN UP INTO THE DUNES RESULTING IN LIMITED TO
  IMPOSSIBLE BEACH DRIVING CONDITIONS IS EXPECTED TODAY AND TONIGHT. 
  STRONG AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING RIP CURRENTS ARE ALSO 
  EXPECTED ALONG GULF FACING BEACHES OF THE UPPER TEXAS COAST. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY INDICATES THAT ONSHORE WINDS AND TIDES
WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE FLOODING OF LOW AREAS ALONG THE SHORE.

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
172 
WHUS44 KHGX 110845
CFWHGX

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
345 AM CDT FRI AUG 11 2017

...COASTAL FLOODING AND HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS FOR UPPER TEXAS
COAST TONIGHT...

.LONG PERIODS SWELLS ARE EXPECTED TO SLOWLY DIMINISH THIS MORNING.
THE SWELLS WILL HELP GENERATE STRONG AND DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS
ALONG THE GULF-FACING BEACHES AND ALLOW STRONGER WAVE RUN-UP TO
HELP WATER REACH THE DUNES.

TXZ214-236>238-111215-
/O.EXT.KHGX.CF.Y.0008.000000T0000Z-170811T1200Z/
/O.EXT.KHGX.RP.S.0012.000000T0000Z-170811T2100Z/
BRAZORIA-CHAMBERS-GALVESTON-MATAGORDA-
345 AM CDT FRI AUG 11 2017

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT THIS
MORNING...
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...

* COASTAL FLOODING...PRIMARILY ALONG THE GULF-FACING BEACHES.

* TIMING...THROUGH EARLY THIS MORNING.

* IMPACTS...WAVE RUN-UP INTO THE DUNES RESULTING IN LIMITED TO
  IMPOSSIBLE BEACH DRIVING CONDITIONS. STRONG AND POTENTIALLY LIFE
  THREATENING RIP CURRENTS ARE ALSO EXPECTED ALONG GULF-FACING 
  BEACHES OF THE UPPER TEXAS COAST. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY INDICATES THAT ONSHORE WINDS AND TIDES
WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE FLOODING OF LOW AREAS ALONG THE SHORE.

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.

&&

$$
936 
WHUS44 KHGX 112041
CFWHGX

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
341 PM CDT FRI AUG 11 2017

...HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS FOR UPPER TEXAS COAST THROUGH EARLY THIS
EVENING...

.LINGERING LONG PERIOD SWELLS AND ELEVATED SWELL HEIGHTS WILL
CONTINUE TO HELP GENERATE STRONG AND DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ALONG
THE GULF FACING BEACHES THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING.

TXZ214-236>238-120000-
/O.EXT.KHGX.RP.S.0012.000000T0000Z-170812T0000Z/
BRAZORIA-CHAMBERS-GALVESTON-MATAGORDA-
341 PM CDT FRI AUG 11 2017

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS
EVENING...


* TIMING...THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING.

* IMPACTS...STRONG AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING RIP CURRENTS
  ARE EXPECTED ALONG GULF-FACING BEACHES OF THE UPPER TEXAS 
  COAST. 

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.

&&

$$

LB
257 
WHUS44 KHGX 112351
CFWHGX

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
651 PM CDT FRI AUG 11 2017

...HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS FOR UPPER TEXAS COAST THROUGH EARLY
THIS EVENING...

.LINGERING LONG PERIOD SWELLS AND ELEVATED SWELL HEIGHTS WILL
CONTINUE TO HELP GENERATE STRONG AND DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ALONG
THE GULF FACING BEACHES THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING.

TXZ214-236>238-120200-
/O.EXT.KHGX.RP.S.0012.000000T0000Z-170812T0200Z/
BRAZORIA-CHAMBERS-GALVESTON-MATAGORDA-
651 PM CDT FRI AUG 11 2017

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS
EVENING...

* TIMING...THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING.

* IMPACTS...STRONG AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING RIP CURRENTS 
  ARE EXPECTED ALONG GULF-FACING BEACHES OF THE UPPER TEXAS 
  COAST. 

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
Aug 10, 7:43 AM CDTSmall Craft Advisory for Hazardous SeasHGX23 hr
Aug 10, 3:03 PM CDTCoastal Flood AdvisoryHGXBrazoria, Chambers, Galveston, Matagorda16 hr

Nearby

Rip Current Statements in Texas, 2017Every rip current statement in 2017

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.