Alert archive / Texas / Beach Hazards Statements in 2025

Beach Hazards Statement 2, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

April 29, 2025Brazoria County, Galveston County, Matagorda County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this beach hazards statement at Apr 29, 2025, 3:37 PM CDT for Brazoria County, Galveston County, Matagorda County, Texas. It was in force for 30 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 29, 2025, 3:37 PM CDT (20:37 UTC)
Expired
Apr 30, 2025, 10:00 PM CDT
In force
30 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 20:37 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, 8.6 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 2025-04-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1253 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 2025-04-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 28 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
1253 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-84 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
668 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
28 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
19 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

808 
WHUS44 KHGX 292037
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
Issued by National Weather Service Corpus Christi TX
337 PM CDT Tue Apr 29 2025

TXZ436>439-300800-
/O.NEW.KHGX.BH.S.0002.250429T2037Z-250501T0300Z/
Matagorda Islands-Brazoria Islands-Galveston Island-
Bolivar Peninsula-
337 PM CDT Tue Apr 29 2025

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...High risk of rip currents. Minor coastal flooding possible
  around high tides cycles.

* WHERE...Gulf-facing beaches, including the Matagorda 
  Peninsula, Brazoria County beaches, Galveston Island and the 
  Bolivar Peninsula.

* WHEN...Through Wednesday evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away
  from shore into deeper water. Elevated tides could lead to 
  minor flooding of beaches, lots, parks, and roads with only
  isolated road closures possible. This includes the lowest
  more-prone spots like HWY 87/124 along the Bolivar Peninsula,
  Western Galveston Island, Bluewater Highway and Surfside.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.

&&

$$
4 follow-up statements
551 
WHUS44 KHGX 300317
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
Issued by National Weather Service Corpus Christi TX
1017 PM CDT Tue Apr 29 2025

TXZ436>439-010030-
/O.CON.KHGX.BH.S.0002.000000T0000Z-250501T0300Z/
Matagorda Islands-Brazoria Islands-Galveston Island-
Bolivar Peninsula-
1017 PM CDT Tue Apr 29 2025

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
EVENING...

* WHAT...High risk of rip currents and above normal water levels.

* WHERE...Gulf-facing beaches, including the Matagorda 
  Peninsula, Brazoria County beaches, Galveston Island and the 
  Bolivar Peninsula.

* WHEN...Through Wednesday evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away
  from shore into deeper water. Elevated tides could lead to 
  higher than normal wave run up on area beaches.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.

&&

$$
852 
WHUS44 KHGX 300759
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
Issued by National Weather Service Corpus Christi TX
259 AM CDT Wed Apr 30 2025

TXZ436>439-301600-
/O.CON.KHGX.BH.S.0002.000000T0000Z-250501T0300Z/
Matagorda Islands-Brazoria Islands-Galveston Island-
Bolivar Peninsula-
259 AM CDT Wed Apr 30 2025

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...High risk of rip currents and above normal water levels.

* WHERE...Gulf-facing beaches, including the Matagorda 
  Peninsula, Brazoria County beaches, Galveston Island and the 
  Bolivar Peninsula.

* WHEN...Through Wednesday evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away 
  from shore into deeper water. Elevated tides could lead to 
  higher than normal wave run up on area beaches.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.

&&

$$
402 
WHUS44 KHGX 301531
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
Issued by National Weather Service Corpus Christi TX
1031 AM CDT Wed Apr 30 2025

TXZ436>439-010300-
/O.CON.KHGX.BH.S.0002.000000T0000Z-250501T0300Z/
Matagorda Islands-Brazoria Islands-Galveston Island-
Bolivar Peninsula-
1031 AM CDT Wed Apr 30 2025

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...High risk of rip currents and above normal water levels.

* WHERE...Gulf-facing beaches, including the Matagorda 
  Peninsula, Brazoria County beaches, Galveston Island and the 
  Bolivar Peninsula.

* WHEN...Through Wednesday evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away 
  from shore into deeper water. Elevated tides could lead to 
  higher than normal wave run up on area beaches.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.

&&

$$
780 
WHUS44 KHGX 302022
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
Issued by National Weather Service Corpus Christi TX
322 PM CDT Wed Apr 30 2025

TXZ436>439-010300-
/O.CON.KHGX.BH.S.0002.000000T0000Z-250501T0300Z/
Matagorda Islands-Brazoria Islands-Galveston Island-
Bolivar Peninsula-
322 PM CDT Wed Apr 30 2025

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...High risk of rip currents and above normal water levels.

* WHERE...Gulf-facing beaches, including the Matagorda 
  Peninsula, Brazoria County beaches, Galveston Island and the 
  Bolivar Peninsula.

* WHEN...Through Wednesday evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away 
  from shore into deeper water. Elevated tides could lead to 
  higher than normal wave run up on area beaches.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.

&&

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this beach hazards statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this beach hazards statement went out at Apr 29, 12:27 PM CDT, 3 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 29, 12:27 PM CDT, 3 hours 10 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
Issued by National Weather Service Corpus Christi TX
1227 PM CDT Tue Apr 29 2025

...New AVIATION...

.SHORT TERM...
(This afternoon through Wednesday Night)
Issued at 719 AM CDT Tue Apr 29 2025

Ridging across the Southern Plains/SE/E CONUS continues to shift
eastward today as closed low approaches from the Desert Southwest.
Subsidence and dry mid-lower levels should work to suppress rainfall
today, though modest PWs and weak impulses preceding the low will
keep rain chances from being zero. This especially during the
afternoon hours as daytime heating destabilizes the environment.
Warm conditions are still on the tap for today with highs in the 80s
and lows in the upper 60s/70s. The tightening pressure gradient from
the approaching disturbance should keep breezy southeasterly winds
in place through mid week. Paired with the partly to mostly cloudy
skies, this should make for fairly comfortable weather.

Wednesday should start to see more active weather as the
aforementioned low/upper level trough pushes into the Southern
Plains/Texas. A 25-30 knot LLJ sets up over SE Texas, with the jet
axis positioned north/northeast of our area. Parameter space for
this environment shows overall lower CIN than the day prior with
greater instability. HREF has ML CAPE ranging from 1300-2200 J/KG
with SFC CAPE around 1500-2700 J/KG. 0-6KM Shear climbs above 35
knots, though cloud-layer shear remains rather low. Midlevel lapse
rates range from 7.0-7.5 DegC/km, though the freezing level and WBZ
level are rather high. HREF model updraft helicity paint balls
greater than 25m2/s2 largely keep north of our CWA, with only a
few individual models showing clusters near the Brazos
Valley/Piney Wood area. Besides shortwaves impulses, a weak cold
front will also be approaching SE Texas late Wednesday night.
Interestingly enough, the 06z HRRR places this boundary further
south than currently depicted in the current NBM/HREF. Broader
models trends suggest that it'll slow/stall, with convection
petering out through the early morning hours of Thursday, though
it's exact positioning is less certain for the moment.

The Storm Prediction Center has areas north of I-10/US-59 under a
Marginal (level 1/5) Risk of Severe Weather. These areas are also
under a Slight (level 2/4) to Marginal (level 1/4) risk for
Excessive rainfall on Wednesday. These storms could produce
damaging wind gusts and locally heavy rainfall, as well as large
hail to a slightly lesser degree. Still, the severe risk is
overall not very large given the lack of forcing available, so
it's likely that we may only see scattered showers/storms with
only a few stronger storms pulsing up. The heavy rainfall threat
now looks more credible given the potential for the weak cold
front to stall out over our northern counties.

03

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Thursday through next Monday)
Issued at 1152 PM CDT Mon Apr 28 2025

With mid-upper trof making further eastward progress away from the
area, the upper pattern will transition to a more quasi-zonal
flow - but still allowing for scattered diurnally driven precip
Thursday. Shower/tstm chances increase Friday and Friday night as
a weak, slow moving frontal boundary moves closer and eventually into
SE TX and serve as a focusing mechanism for precip. This boundary
should make it close to the coast by Saturday morning then
eventually put on the brakes as it loses support (unless mesoscale
driven) for a further southward push. Slightly cooler/drier
airmass is anticipated for a short while north of the front, but
with pooling deeper moisture to its south returning back inland,
southern and swrn parts of the CWA can probably expect some continued
rain chances on Sat. As the next upper trof taking shape to our
west, a building ridge should suppress, but not completely
eliminate, chances of shra/tstms somewhat Sunday & Monday. 47

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAF Issuance)
Issued at 1222 PM CDT Tue Apr 29 2025

VFR conditions will generally prevail over the course of the
afternoon and into the evening, with southeast winds at times
producing gusts in the 20-25 knot range. Winds will relax somewhat
overnight, but should remain elevated enough to inhibit the
development of widespread fog. MVFR cigs should return to the area
after sunset, and remain in place into tomorrow morning. Elevated
south to southeast winds develop once again by late morning.
Looking slightly beyond the TAF period, thunderstorm potential
returns to the forecast tomorrow evening as a frontal boundary
approaches the area.

Cady

&&

.MARINE...
Issued at 1152 PM CDT Mon Apr 28 2025

A tightening pressure gradient between high pressure to the east
and lower pressure to the west will maintain moderate onshore
winds and somewhat elevated seas. Have issued a small craft advsy
for current winds being observed in Galveston Bay and adjacent
nearshore waters...and caution flags elsewhere. We'll likely need
a continuation of either SCEC/SCA flags for the next couple days
as speeds/seas flirt with criteria. Chances for rip currents along
area beaches will be on the moderate/high side and water levels
will run above normal. The gradient loosens during the second half
of the week with gradually subsiding winds/seas...although
shower/storm chances gradually rise - especially Fri-Sat as a weak
front sags closer toward the coast. 47

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
College Station (CLL)	 MMM MMM MMM MMM / MMM MMM MMM MMM
Houston (IAH)			 MMM MMM MMM MMM / MMM MMM MMM MMM
Galveston (GLS)			 MMM MMM MMM MMM / MMM MMM MMM MMM

&&

.HGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...None.
GM...None.
&&

SHORT TERM...03
LONG TERM....47
AVIATION...Cady
MARINE...47

The office that day

Everything else NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 28, 10:33 PM CDTSmall Craft AdvisoryHGX7 hr
Apr 29, 3:44 PM CDTSmall Craft AdvisoryHGX27 hr

Nearby

Beach Hazards Statements in Texas, 2025Every beach hazards statement in 2025

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.