Alert archive / Texas / Rip Current Statements in 2026

Rip Current Statement 7, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

April 20, 2026Brazoria County, Galveston County, Matagorda County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this rip current statement at Apr 20, 2026, 9:35 AM CDT for Brazoria County, Galveston County, Matagorda County, Texas. It took effect at Apr 20, 2026, 9:46 AM CDT. It was in force for 39 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 20, 2026, 9:35 AM CDT (14:35 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 20, 2026, 9:46 AM CDT
Expired
Apr 22, 2026, 1:00 AM CDT
In force
39 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 14:39 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 12:00Z, 2.6 hours before the alert went out and 404 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 12:00Z on 2026-04-20Temperature 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 12:00Z on 2026-04-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -82 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
540 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-82 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-59 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

668 
WHUS44 KHGX 201435
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
935 AM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026

TXZ436>439-211200-
/O.NEW.KHGX.RP.S.0007.260421T0600Z-260422T0600Z/
Matagorda Islands-Brazoria Islands-Galveston Island-
Bolivar Peninsula-
935 AM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE
TUESDAY NIGHT...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected.

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

* WHEN...From late tonight through late Tuesday night.

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


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Swim near a lifeguard and away from rocks, jetties, and piers. 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
226 
WHUS44 KHGX 201446 
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
946 AM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026

TXZ436>439-211200-
/O.EXT.KHGX.RP.S.0007.260420T1446Z-260422T0600Z/
Matagorda Islands-Brazoria Islands-Galveston Island-
Bolivar Peninsula-
946 AM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY
NIGHT...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

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

* WHEN...Through late Tuesday night.

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Swim near a lifeguard and away from rocks, jetties, and piers. 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.

&&

$$
447 
WHUS44 KHGX 210356
CFWHGX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
1056 PM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026

TXZ436>439-211200-
/O.CON.KHGX.RP.S.0007.000000T0000Z-260422T0600Z/
Matagorda Islands-Brazoria Islands-Galveston Island-
Bolivar Peninsula-
1056 PM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY
NIGHT...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

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

* WHEN...Through late Tuesday night.

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Swim near a lifeguard and away from rocks, jetties, and piers. 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.