Texas, 1997

Flooding in Texas, February 12 to 28, 1997

February 12 to 28, 1997 · NWS SHV · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

Heavy rain caused the Sabine River to rise well above flood stage at numerous points. Rainfall runoff and reservoir discharge from Lake Fork and Lake Tawakoni all contributed to the rapid rise of the river.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS SHV wrote it up.

Heavy rain caused the Sabine River to rise well above flood stage at numerous points. Rainfall runoff and reservoir discharge from Lake Fork and Lake Tawakoni all contributed to the rapid rise of the river. On the 22nd in Mineola, the Sabine crested at 18.1 feet which was 4.1 feet above flood stage. Near Quitman, Lake Fork creek, a tributary of the Sabine, rose to 19.0 feet which was 3 feet above flood stage. At Gladewater, the river crested at 34.7 feet on the 28th which was 8.7 feet above flood stage. Small buildings and oil wells were flooded. This was quite a contrast to the summer of 1996 when drought forced Lake Towokani to 10 feet below normal.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Wood

When
February 12, 8:00 AM CST to February 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Wood forecast zone
Coordinates
32.786, -95.382 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Smith

When
February 12, 8:00 AM CST to February 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Smith forecast zone
Coordinates
32.375, -95.269 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Gregg

When
February 12, 8:00 AM CST to February 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Gregg forecast zone
Coordinates
32.481, -94.817 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Harrison

When
February 12, 8:00 AM CST to February 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Harrison forecast zone
Coordinates
32.548, -94.371 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Rusk

When
February 12, 8:00 AM CST to February 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Rusk forecast zone
Coordinates
32.108, -94.762 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Panola

When
February 12, 8:00 AM CST to February 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Panola forecast zone
Coordinates
32.162, -94.306 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Shelby

When
February 12, 8:00 AM CST to February 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Shelby forecast zone
Coordinates
31.792, -94.145 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Texas in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, February 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5589657, 5589658, 5589659, 5589660, 5589661, 5589662, 5589663.