Alert archive / Texas / Rip Current Statements in 2026

Rip Current Statement 5, NWS Brownsville, TX

January 24, 2026Cameron County, Kenedy County, Willacy County, Texas

NWS Brownsville, TX issued this rip current statement at Jan 24, 2026, 2:37 AM CST for Cameron County, Kenedy County, Willacy County, Texas. It took effect at Jan 24, 2026, 6:00 PM CST. It was in force for 48 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jan 24, 2026, 2:37 AM CST (08:37 UTC)
In effect from
Jan 24, 2026, 6:00 PM CST
Expired
Jan 26, 2026, 6:00 PM CST
In force
48 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 08:42 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, 8.6 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 2026-01-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 667 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, Brownsville Intl, TX at 00:00Z on 2026-01-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 120 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
667 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-130 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
741 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
120 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
198 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
2.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

783 
WHUS44 KBRO 240837
CFWBRO

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
237 AM CST Sat Jan 24 2026

TXZ451-454-455-241800-
/O.NEW.KBRO.SU.Y.0004.260125T0000Z-260126T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KBRO.RP.S.0005.260125T0000Z-260126T0000Z/
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
237 AM CST Sat Jan 24 2026

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM
CST SUNDAY...
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH
SUNDAY AFTERNOON...

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

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

* WHEN...For the High Surf Advisory, from 6 PM this evening to 6 
  PM CST Sunday. For the High Rip Current Risk, from this 
  evening through Sunday afternoon.

* 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
446 
WHUS44 KBRO 242044
CFWBRO

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
244 PM CST Sat Jan 24 2026

TXZ451-454-455-251200-
/O.CON.KBRO.SU.Y.0004.260125T0000Z-260126T0000Z/
/O.CON.KBRO.RP.S.0005.260125T0000Z-260126T0000Z/
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
244 PM CST Sat Jan 24 2026

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO
6 PM CST SUNDAY...
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM CST THIS
EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of 2 
  to 9 feet expected in the surf zone. For the High Rip Current 
  Risk, dangerous rip currents expected.

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

* WHEN...For the High Surf Advisory, from 6 PM this evening to 6 
  PM CST Sunday. For the High Rip Current Risk, from 6 PM CST 
  this evening through Sunday afternoon.

* 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.

&&

$$
006 
WHUS44 KBRO 250829
CFWBRO

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
229 AM CST Sun Jan 25 2026

TXZ451-454-455-260000-
/O.EXT.KBRO.SU.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-260127T0000Z/
/O.EXT.KBRO.RP.S.0005.000000T0000Z-260127T0000Z/
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
229 AM CST Sun Jan 25 2026

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST MONDAY...
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of 4 
  to 9 feet in the surf zone. For the High Rip Current Risk, 
  dangerous rip currents.

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

* WHEN...For the High Surf Advisory, until 6 PM CST Monday. For 
  the High Rip Current Risk, through Monday afternoon.

* 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.

&&

$$
106 
WHUS44 KBRO 251608
CFWBRO

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
1008 AM CST Sun Jan 25 2026

TXZ451-454-455-270000-
/O.CON.KBRO.SU.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-260127T0000Z/
/O.CON.KBRO.RP.S.0005.000000T0000Z-260127T0000Z/
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
1008 AM CST Sun Jan 25 2026

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST MONDAY...
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY
AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of 4 
  to 9 feet in the surf zone. For the High Rip Current Risk, 
  dangerous rip currents.

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

* WHEN...For the High Surf Advisory, until 6 PM CST Monday. For 
  the High Rip Current Risk, through Monday afternoon.

* 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.

&&

$$
525 
WHUS44 KBRO 270001
CFWBRO

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
601 PM CST Mon Jan 26 2026

TXZ451-454-455-270115-
/O.EXP.KBRO.SU.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-260127T0000Z/
/O.EXP.KBRO.RP.S.0005.000000T0000Z-260127T0000Z/
Kenedy Island-Willacy Island-Cameron Island-
601 PM CST Mon Jan 26 2026

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

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.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 23, 11:16 PM CSTSmall Craft AdvisoryBRO70 hr
Jan 24, 2:37 AM CSTHigh Surf AdvisoryBROCameron, Kenedy, Willacy63 hr
Jan 24, 11:01 AM CSTExtreme Cold WarningBROBrooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Starr and 2 more45 hr
Jan 24, 11:01 AM CSTFreeze WarningBROBrooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Starr and 2 more47 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.