Alert archive / Texas / Rip Current Statements in 2026

Rip Current Statement 18, NWS Brownsville, TX

May 17, 2026Cameron County, Kenedy County, Willacy County, Texas

NWS Brownsville, TX issued this rip current statement at May 17, 2026, 2:13 AM CDT for Cameron County, Kenedy County, Willacy County, Texas. It took effect at May 18, 2026, 7:00 AM CDT. It was in force for 36 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 17, 2026, 2:13 AM CDT (07:13 UTC)
In effect from
May 18, 2026, 7:00 AM CDT
Expired
May 19, 2026, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
36 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 07:13 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, 7.2 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 2026-05-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 584 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Brownsville Intl, TX at 00:00Z on 2026-05-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 39 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 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
584 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-286 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
912 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
39 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
84 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

095 
WHUS44 KBRO 170713
CFWBRO

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
213 AM CDT Sun May 17 2026

TXZ451-454-455-171900-
/O.NEW.KBRO.RP.S.0018.260518T1200Z-260519T0000Z/
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
213 AM CDT Sun May 17 2026

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

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected.

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

* WHEN...From Monday morning through Monday evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away
  from shore into deeper water.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

&&

$$
4 follow-up statements
166 
WHUS44 KBRO 172313
CFWBRO

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
613 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026

TXZ451-454-455-181500-
/O.CON.KBRO.RP.S.0018.260518T1200Z-260519T0000Z/
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
613 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING
THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected.

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

* WHEN...From Monday morning through Monday evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away 
  from shore into deeper water.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

&&

$$
272 
WHUS44 KBRO 180658
CFWBRO

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
158 AM CDT Mon May 18 2026

TXZ451-454-455-181715-
/O.NEW.KBRO.CF.S.0006.260518T1100Z-260518T1700Z/
/O.EXT.KBRO.RP.S.0018.260518T1200Z-260520T0000Z/
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
158 AM CDT Mon May 18 2026

...COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO
NOON CDT TODAY...
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM CDT THIS MORNING
THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...For the Coastal Flood Statement, isolated minor coastal 
  flooding expected. For the High Rip Current Risk, dangerous 
  rip currents expected.

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

* WHEN...For the Coastal Flood Statement, from 6 AM this morning 
  to noon CDT today. For the High Rip Current Risk, from 7 AM 
  CDT this morning through Tuesday evening.

* IMPACTS...Wave run-up may approach the dunes along narrow 
  beaches. Beach equipment, such as umbrellas and chairs, could 
  be moved by waves. Vehicles driving along narrow beaches may 
  experience higher water levels. Elevated water levels may also 
  occur across the Laguna Madre and South Bay, and along State 
  Highway 4 west of Boca Chica State Park. Rip currents can 
  sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Any coastal runup will reach peak
  inundation an hour before or after high tide at 8:41 AM.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Do not drive through flooded roadways.

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.

&&

$$
246 
WHUS44 KBRO 181715
CFWBRO

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
1215 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

TXZ451-454-455-190115-
/O.EXP.KBRO.CF.S.0006.000000T0000Z-260518T1700Z/
/O.CON.KBRO.RP.S.0018.000000T0000Z-260520T0000Z/
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
1215 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY
EVENING...
...COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT HAS EXPIRED...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

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

* WHEN...Through Tuesday evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away 
  from shore into deeper water.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

&&

$$
838 
WHUS44 KBRO 182327
CFWBRO

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
627 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

TXZ451-454-455-191300-
/O.CON.KBRO.RP.S.0018.000000T0000Z-260520T0000Z/
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
627 PM CDT Mon May 18 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY
EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

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

* WHEN...Through Tuesday evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away 
  from shore into deeper water.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

&&

$$

Nearby

Rip Current Statements in Texas, 2026Every rip current statement in 2026

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.