Texas, 2020

Flash Flooding in Texas, September 23, 2020

September 23, 2020 · NWS LCH · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Tropical Storm Beta moved into the Central Texas coast and weakened. The remnants of Beta moved northeast through Deep East Texas producing high rain totals and flooding.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
2

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 LCH wrote it up.

Tropical Storm Beta moved into the Central Texas coast and weakened. The remnants of Beta moved northeast through Deep East Texas producing high rain totals and flooding.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Lake Charles, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 23, 6:30 AM CST, 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 23, 6:30 AM CST, 45 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
730 AM CDT Wed Sep 23 2020

.DISCUSSION...
For the 12Z TAF package.

&&

.AVIATION...
Mostly IFR and MVFR conditions to continue for the duration of
this forecast period. This is due to the rain bands from Post
Tropical Cyclone Beta as it moves NE through the area.
Stigger/87

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AEX  80  67  81  67 /  80  60  50  20
LCH  83  72  82  70 /  90  50  60  20
LFT  85  72  84  71 /  90  60  60  20
BPT  83  70  83  69 /  70  30  30  10

&&

.LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

LA...Flash flood watch through this evening for
     LAZ027>033-041>045-052>055-073-074.

     Coastal Flood Warning until 10 PM CDT Wednesday for
     LAZ052-073-074.

     Coastal Flood Advisory until 10 PM CDT Wednesday for
     LAZ053-054.

TX...Coastal Flood Warning until 10 PM CDT Wednesday for TXZ215.

     Flash Flood Watch through Wednesday evening for
     TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262.

GM...Small Craft Advisory until 1PM CDT Wednesday for
     GMZ470-472-475.

&&

AVIATION...87
Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 23, 4:00 AM CST, 3 hours 15 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
Issued by National Weather Service Brownsville TX
500 AM CDT Wed Sep 23 2020

LAZ027>033-041>045-055-TXZ180-201-216-259>262-241000-
Vernon-Rapides-Avoyelles-Beauregard-Allen-Evangeline-St. Landry-
Calcasieu-Jefferson Davis-Acadia-Lafayette-Upper St. Martin-
Lower St. Martin-Tyler-Hardin-Orange-Northern Jasper-Northern Newton-
Southern Jasper-Southern Newton-
500 AM CDT Wed Sep 23 2020

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Louisiana, south
central Louisiana, southwest Louisiana, west central Louisiana and
southeast Texas.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Flash Flood Watch.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

LAZ053-054-241000-
Iberia-St. Mary-
500 AM CDT Wed Sep 23 2020

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for south central Louisiana.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Flash Flood Watch.
   Coastal Flood Advisory.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

LAZ052-073-074-TXZ215-241000-
Vermilion-West Cameron-East Cameron-Jefferson-
500 AM CDT Wed Sep 23 2020

...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southwest Louisiana and
southeast Texas.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Coastal Flood Warning.
   Flash Flood Watch.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

GMZ470-472-475-241000-
Waters from Cameron LA to High Island TX from 20 to 60 NM-
Waters from Intracoastal City to Cameron LA from 20 to 60 NM-
Waters from Lower Atchafalaya River to Intracoastal City LA from
20 to 60 NM-
500 AM CDT Wed Sep 23 2020

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Gulf of Mexico.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Small Craft Advisory.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

GMZ430-432-241000-
Sabine Lake-Calcasieu Lake-
500 AM CDT Wed Sep 23 2020

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the coastal lakes and bays of
the Gulf of Mexico.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

GMZ435-450-452-455-241000-
Vermilion Bay-
Coastal waters from Cameron LA to High Island TX out 20 NM-
Coastal waters from Intracoastal City to Cameron LA out 20 NM-
Coastal waters from Lower Atchafalaya River to Intracoastal City LA
out 20 NM-
500 AM CDT Wed Sep 23 2020

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT THIS MORNING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Gulf of Mexico and the
coastal lakes and bays of the Gulf of Mexico.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Small Craft Advisory.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Hardin

When
September 23, 7:15 AM CST to 10:15 AM CST
Where
Hardin County, 1.9 mi WNW of Kountze to 0.2 mi SW of Kountze
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
30.377, -94.351

Water blocked multiple roadways near and west of Kountze.

Flash Flood, Newton

When
September 23, 10:15 AM CST to 1:15 PM CST
Where
Newton County, 0.57 mi SW of Call to 1.35 mi WSW of Trout Creek
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
30.615, -93.877

Water blocked multiple roadways near and east of Call.

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Texas in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, September 2020

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: 921082, 921083.