Alert archive / Texas / Rip Current Statements in 2024

Rip Current Statement 3, NWS Brownsville, TX

January 12, 2024Cameron County, Kenedy County, Willacy County, Texas

NWS Brownsville, TX issued this rip current statement at Jan 12, 2024, 2:53 AM CST for Cameron County, Kenedy County, Willacy County, Texas. It took effect at Jan 12, 2024, 6:00 AM CST. It was in force for 14 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jan 12, 2024, 2:53 AM CST (08:53 UTC)
In effect from
Jan 12, 2024, 6:00 AM CST
Expired
Jan 12, 2024, 8:12 PM CST
In force
14 hr
Issued by
NWS Brownsville, TX

Counties Cameron County, TX, Kenedy County, TX, Willacy County, TX

The radar

The Brownsville radar (KBRO), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:56 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

Brownsville Intl, TX (KBRO), launched 00:00Z, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 71 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, Brownsville Intl, TX at 00:00Z on 2024-01-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Brownsville Intl, TX at 00:00Z on 2024-01-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 43 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1124 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
43 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
86 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

967 
WHUS44 KBRO 120853
CFWBRO

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
253 AM CST Fri Jan 12 2024

TXZ451-454-455-130200-
/O.NEW.KBRO.SU.Y.0002.240112T1500Z-240113T0200Z/
/O.NEW.KBRO.RP.S.0003.240112T1200Z-240113T1200Z/
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
253 AM CST Fri Jan 12 2024

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM CST THIS MORNING
THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM
CST THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...For the High Rip Current Risk, dangerous rip currents 
  expected. For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of 
  6 to 9 feet expected in the surf zone.

* WHERE...Kenedy Island, Willacy Island and Cameron Island 
  Counties.

* WHEN...For the High Rip Current Risk, from 6 AM CST this 
  morning through late tonight. For the High Surf Advisory, from 
  9 AM this morning to 8 PM CST this evening.

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and 
  localized beach erosion. Rip currents can sweep even the best 
  swimmers away from shore into deeper water.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to
dangerous surf conditions.

Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and
float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a
direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the
shore and call or wave for help.

&&

$$
2 follow-up statements
983 
WHUS44 KBRO 130029
CFWBRO

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
629 PM CST Fri Jan 12 2024

TXZ451-454-455-130200-
/O.CON.KBRO.SU.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-240113T0200Z/
/O.CON.KBRO.RP.S.0003.000000T0000Z-240113T1200Z/
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
629 PM CST Fri Jan 12 2024

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CST THIS
EVENING...
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST
SATURDAY...

* WHAT...For the High Rip Current Risk, dangerous rip currents
  expected. For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of 6
  feet in the surf zone.

* WHERE...Kenedy Island, Willacy Island and Cameron Island 
  Counties.

* WHEN...For the High Rip Current Risk, through just before
  sunrise Saturday. For the High Surf Advisory, ending at 8 PM 
  CST this evening.

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions continue.
  Rip and north-to-south longshore currents can sweep even the 
  best swimmers away from shore into deeper water.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...High surf will rapidly improve later this
  evening as winds diminish and wave action subsides. High rip
  currents may continue a bit longer, but should also subside
  later tonight and eventually drop to low by Saturday.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to
dangerous surf conditions.

Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction 
following the shoreline, or toward the shoreline in the direction
of breaking waves. 

&&

$$

Update...52/BSG
171 
WHUS44 KBRO 130212
CFWBRO

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
812 PM CST Fri Jan 12 2024

TXZ451-454-455-130315-
/O.CAN.KBRO.RP.S.0003.000000T0000Z-240113T1200Z/
/O.EXP.KBRO.SU.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-240113T0200Z/
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
812 PM CST Fri Jan 12 2024

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IS CANCELLED...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY HAS EXPIRED...

Winds have rapidly diminished along the Lower Texas coast, now
running at 5 to 10 mph. Surf waves are also dropping, and will
likely fall to between 2 and 3 feet in the next few hours.

Rip currents should also be minimal, as wave flow remains from the
north or northwest at buoys relatively close to the Texas coast.
North-to-south longshore currents have likely weakened to moderate
intensity based on the falling swell, which is also directed more
offshore than along-shore. 

Conditions should continue to improve overnight, with surf waves
around 2 to 3 feet and a low intensity of rip current Saturday.

$$

52/BSG

The office that day

Everything else NWS Brownsville, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 12, 2:53 AM CSTHigh Surf AdvisoryBROCameron, Kenedy, Willacy17 hr
Jan 12, 4:13 PM CSTSmall Craft AdvisoryBRO8 hr

Nearby

Rip Current Statements in Texas, 2024Every rip current statement in 2024

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.