Alert archive / Texas / Rip Current Statements in 2018

Rip Current Statement 35, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

August 14, 2018Brazoria County, Galveston County, Matagorda County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this rip current statement at Aug 14, 2018, 9:09 AM CDT for Brazoria County, Galveston County, Matagorda County, Texas. It took effect at Aug 14, 2018, 10:00 AM CDT. It was in force for 10 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 14, 2018, 9:09 AM CDT (14:09 UTC)
In effect from
Aug 14, 2018, 10:00 AM CDT
Expired
Aug 14, 2018, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
10 hr
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

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

The radar

The Houston radar (KHGX), 54 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 14:10 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

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 12:00Z, 2.2 hours before the alert went out and 241 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 2018-08-14Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2436 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 2018-08-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -86 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
2436 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
609 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
6 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-86 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-51 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

976 
WHUS44 KHGX 141409
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
909 AM CDT Tue Aug 14 2018

...High Risk of Rip Currents Today...

.Galveston Island Beach Patrol is reporting strong rip currents
along area beaches today. Beachgoers should make sure to swim 
near a lifeguard if entering the water.

TXZ436>438-142215-
/O.NEW.KHGX.RP.S.0035.180814T1500Z-180815T0100Z/
Brazoria Islands-Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula-
Matagorda Islands-
909 AM CDT Tue Aug 14 2018

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING...

The National Weather Service in Houston/Galveston has issued a
High Rip Current Risk, which is in effect until 8 PM CDT this
evening. 

* TIMING...Today

* IMPACTS...Hazardous swimming conditions will occur along Gulf-
  facing beaches, especially near piers, jetties, and rock groins.

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.

&&

$$

Nearby

Rip Current Statements in Texas, 2018Every rip current statement in 2018

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.