Alert archive / Texas / Rip Current Statements in 2026
Rip Current Statement 4, NWS Brownsville, TX
NWS Brownsville, TX issued this rip current statement at Jan 17, 2026, 1:32 AM CST for Cameron County, Kenedy County, Willacy County, Texas. It took effect at Jan 17, 2026, 6:00 AM CST. It was in force for 36 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jan 17, 2026, 1:32 AM CST (07:32 UTC)
- In effect from
- Jan 17, 2026, 6:00 AM CST
- Expired
- Jan 18, 2026, 6:00 PM CST
- 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 07:32 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, 7.5 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1179 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 49 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 108 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 143 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
483 WHUS44 KBRO 170732 CFWBRO Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Brownsville TX 132 AM CST Sat Jan 17 2026 TXZ451-454-455-171900- /O.NEW.KBRO.SU.Y.0003.260117T1800Z-260118T1500Z/ /O.NEW.KBRO.RP.S.0004.260117T1200Z-260119T0000Z/ Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island- 132 AM CST Sat Jan 17 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM CST THIS MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON... ...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 AM CST SUNDAY... * WHAT...For the High Rip Current Risk, dangerous rip currents expected. For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of 4 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 Sunday afternoon. For the High Surf Advisory, from noon today to 9 AM CST Sunday. * 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. && $$
4 follow-up statements
732 WHUS44 KBRO 171903 CFWBRO Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Brownsville TX 103 PM CST Sat Jan 17 2026 TXZ451-454-455-181100- /O.CON.KBRO.SU.Y.0003.000000T0000Z-260118T1500Z/ /O.CON.KBRO.RP.S.0004.000000T0000Z-260119T0000Z/ Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island- 103 PM CST Sat Jan 17 2026 ...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST SUNDAY... ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON... * WHAT...For the High Rip Current Risk, dangerous to extreme rip currents expected. For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of 6 to 9 feet expected in the surf zone. * WHERE...Kenedy Island, Willacy Island and Cameron Island Counties. * WHEN...For the High Rip Current Risk, through Sunday afternoon. For the High Surf Advisory, from through 9 AM CST Sunday. * IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and localized beach erosion. Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Surf waves appear to have risen to 6 feet along South Padre Island at the second or third sand bar early this afternoon. Additional rises, along with roughness, is expected later this afternoon through the overnight hours. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... All but the most experienced swimmers or surfers should remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions. Extreme rip currents will be life-threatening to all swimmers. && $$ 52/BSG
242 WHUS44 KBRO 181500 CFWBRO Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Brownsville TX 900 AM CST Sun Jan 18 2026 TXZ451-454-455-182300- /O.EXP.KBRO.SU.Y.0003.000000T0000Z-260118T1500Z/ /O.CON.KBRO.RP.S.0004.000000T0000Z-260119T0000Z/ Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island- 900 AM CST Sun Jan 18 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerous rip currents. * WHERE...Kenedy Island, Willacy Island and Cameron Island Counties. * WHEN...Until 6 PM CST this 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. && $$
118 WHUS44 KBRO 182308 CFWBRO Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Brownsville TX 508 PM CST Sun Jan 18 2026 TXZ451-454-455-190015- /O.CON.KBRO.RP.S.0004.000000T0000Z-260119T0000Z/ Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island- 508 PM CST Sun Jan 18 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerous rip currents. * WHERE...Kenedy Island, Willacy Island and Cameron Island Counties. * WHEN...Until 6 PM CST this evening. * IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help. && $$
050 WHUS44 KBRO 182353 CFWBRO Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Brownsville TX 553 PM CST Sun Jan 18 2026 TXZ451-454-455-190100- /O.EXP.KBRO.RP.S.0004.000000T0000Z-260119T0000Z/ Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island- 553 PM CST Sun Jan 18 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM CST THIS EVENING... Conditions along the Lower Texas Coast have improved. A moderate risk of rip currents will continue tonight. $$
The office that day
Everything else NWS Brownsville, TX issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 16, 11:39 PM CST | Freeze Watch | BRO | Brooks, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Zapata | 12 hr |
| Jan 17, 1:32 AM CST | High Surf Advisory | BRO | Cameron, Kenedy, Willacy | 31 hr |
| Jan 17, 12:01 PM CST | Freeze Warning | BRO | Brooks, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Zapata | 21 hr |
| Jan 17, 12:13 PM CST | Red Flag Warning | BRO | Brooks, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Zapata | 5 hr |
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.