Alert archive / Texas / Rip Current Statements in 2018

Rip Current Statement 5, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

May 3, 2018Brazoria County, Galveston County, Matagorda County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this rip current statement at May 3, 2018, 4:19 AM CDT for Brazoria County, Galveston County, Matagorda County, Texas. It was in force for 16 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 3, 2018, 4:19 AM CDT (09:19 UTC)
Expired
May 3, 2018, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
16 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 09:19 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 00:00Z, 9.3 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 00:00Z on 2018-05-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2052 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 00:00Z on 2018-05-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 115 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
2052 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-170 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
734 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
115 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
166 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
8.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

233 
WHUS44 KHGX 030919
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
419 AM CDT Thu May 3 2018

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

.Moderate onshore winds and elevated wave heights will result in a 
high rip current risk along Gulf-facing beaches today. Beachgoers 
should make sure to swim near a lifeguard if entering the water.

TXZ336-337-437-438-040100-
/O.NEW.KHGX.RP.S.0005.180503T0919Z-180504T0100Z/
Brazoria Islands-Coastal Brazoria-Coastal Matagorda-
Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula-
419 AM CDT Thu May 3 2018

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...

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

* TIMING...Through this evening.

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Swim near a lifeguard. 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.

&&

$$
1 follow-up statement
798 
WHUS44 KHGX 032019
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
319 PM CDT Thu May 3 2018

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

.Moderate onshore winds and elevated wave heights will result in
a high rip current risk along Gulf-facing beaches today.
Beachgoers should make sure to swim near a lifeguard if entering
the water.

TXZ336-337-437-438-040100-
/O.CON.KHGX.RP.S.0005.000000T0000Z-180504T0100Z/
Coastal Matagorda-Coastal Brazoria-Brazoria Islands-
Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula-
319 PM CDT Thu May 3 2018

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

* TIMING...Through this evening.

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Swim near a lifeguard. 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
May 2, 9:13 PM CDTSmall Craft AdvisoryHGX15 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.