Alert archive / Texas / Rip Current Statements in 2018

Rip Current Statement 41, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

November 4, 2018Galveston County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this rip current statement at Nov 4, 2018, 10:52 AM CST for Galveston County, Texas. It was in force for 10 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Nov 4, 2018, 10:52 AM CST (16:52 UTC)
Expired
Nov 4, 2018, 9:00 PM CST
In force
10 hr
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

County Galveston County, TX

The radar

The Houston radar (KHGX), 32 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:53 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, 4.9 hours before the alert went out and 180 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 2018-11-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 540 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 2018-11-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 239 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
540 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-38 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
715 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
239 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
255 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

197 
WHUS44 KHGX 041652
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
1052 AM CST Sun Nov 4 2018

...Strong Rip Currents on Gulf Facing Beaches...

.Moderate northeasterly winds have generated strong rip and 
longshore currents on Gulf Beaches, and pose a threat to swimmers and
beach goers. The threat will persist through tonight.

TXZ438-050300-
/O.NEW.KHGX.RP.S.0041.181104T1652Z-181105T0300Z/
Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula-
1052 AM CST Sun Nov 4 2018

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

The National Weather Service in Houston/Galveston has issued a
High Rip Current Risk, which is in effect until 9 PM CST this
evening. 

* TIMING...Through tonight.

* IMPACTS...Strong rip currents along Gulf facing beaches.

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
Nov 4, 3:04 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryHGXBrazos56 min
Nov 4, 4:27 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryHGXWashington2 hr

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.