Alert archive / Texas / Rip Current Statements in 2019

Rip Current Statement 26, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

August 18, 2019Brazoria County, Galveston County, Matagorda County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this rip current statement at Aug 18, 2019, 2:26 PM CDT for Brazoria County, Galveston County, Matagorda County, Texas. It was in force for 44 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 18, 2019, 2:26 PM CDT (19:26 UTC)
Expired
Aug 20, 2019, 10:00 AM CDT
In force
44 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 19:26 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, 7.4 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 2019-08-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2254 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 12:00Z on 2019-08-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -76 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
2254 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
662 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
3 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-76 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
38 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

416 
WHUS44 KHGX 181926
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
226 PM CDT Sun Aug 18 2019

...Strong Rip Currents Possible Through Monday Morning...

.Strong rip currents are possible along Gulf-facing beaches for
the remainder of the day and into Monday morning.

TXZ436>438-191200-
/O.NEW.KHGX.RP.S.0026.190818T1926Z-190819T1500Z/
Brazoria Islands-Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula-
Matagorda Islands-
226 PM CDT Sun Aug 18 2019

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...

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

* TIMING...Sunday afternoon through Monday morning

* IMPACTS...Rip currents are possible along Gulf-facing beaches.
  Beachgoers should exercise caution and only swim in lifeguard-
  staffed areas.

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
064 
WHUS44 KHGX 190842
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
342 AM CDT Mon Aug 19 2019

...Strong Rip Currents Possible through this Morning...

.Strong rip currents are possible along Gulf-facing beaches through 
this morning.

TXZ436>438-191500-
/O.CON.KHGX.RP.S.0026.000000T0000Z-190819T1500Z/
Brazoria Islands-Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula-
Matagorda Islands-
342 AM CDT Mon Aug 19 2019

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CDT THIS
MORNING...

* TIMING...Through the late morning hours.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents are possible along Gulf-facing beaches. 
  Beachgoers should exercise caution and only swim in lifeguard- 
  staffed areas. 

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.

&&

$$
751 
WHUS44 KHGX 191432
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
932 AM CDT Mon Aug 19 2019

...Strong Rip Currents Possible through Tuesday Morning...

.Strong rip currents are possible along Gulf-facing beaches
through Tuesday morning.

TXZ436>438-201500-
/O.EXT.KHGX.RP.S.0026.000000T0000Z-190820T1500Z/
Brazoria Islands-Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula-
Matagorda Islands-
932 AM CDT Mon Aug 19 2019

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING...

* TIMING...Through the late morning hours Tuesday.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents are possible along Gulf-facing beaches. 
  Beachgoers should exercise caution and only swim in lifeguard- 
  staffed areas. 

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.

&&

$$
471 
WHUS44 KHGX 192031
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
331 PM CDT Mon Aug 19 2019

...Strong Rip Currents Possible Tonight Through Tuesday 
Morning...

.Strong rip currents are possible along Gulf-facing beaches
tonight through Tuesday morning.

TXZ436>438-200445-
/O.CON.KHGX.RP.S.0026.000000T0000Z-190820T1500Z/
Brazoria Islands-Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula-
Matagorda Islands-
331 PM CDT Mon Aug 19 2019

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT TONIGHT THROUGH 
TUESDAY MORNING...

* TIMING...This afternoon through the late morning hours Tuesday.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents are possible along Gulf-facing beaches.
  Beachgoers should exercise caution if entering the water and
  only swim in areas with lifeguards on duty.

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 18, 11:39 AM CDTHeat AdvisoryHGXChambers, Galveston7 hr
Aug 18, 1:27 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHGXHarris48 min
Aug 18, 1:53 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementHGXLiberty52 min

Nearby

Rip Current Statements in Texas, 2019Every rip current statement in 2019

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.