WWUS35 KHOU 170928 SPSHOU TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-171700- HEAVY RAIN OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 430 AM CDT SAT OCT 17 1998 ...HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS THIS WEEKEND... TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO FLOW INTO TEXAS FROM OFF OF THE GULF OF MEXICO AND FROM THE EASTERN PACIFIC AS A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE SOUTHWEST. THESE DISTURBANCES WILL HELP INITIATE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY. BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON...A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE WESTERN EDGE OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND ACT AS A FOCUS FOR FURTHER SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. MOISTURE LEVELS ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN WELL ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS THROUGH THE WEEKEND CREATING THE POSSIBILITY OF HEAVY RAIN TOTALS. AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THAT THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL TODAY WILL BE WEST OF A LINE FROM COLUMBUS TO HUNTSVILLE. RAINFALL TOTALS WILL AVERAGE BETWEEN 1/2 AND 1 INCH WITH ISOLATED TOTALS TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE IN SOME AREAS. BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON...THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAIN WILL EXPAND FURTHER EAST AS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES INTO SOUTHEAST TEXAS. RAINFALL TOTALS ARE LIKELY TO BE HIGHER ON SUNDAY AS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY CONTINUES ON A SLOW TRACK ACROSS THE AREA. RAIN CHANCES WILL REMAIN HIGH THROUGH EARLY MONDAY. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS SITUATION CAREFULLY. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE ISSUED FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS LATER TODAY. EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND BE PREPARED FOR ACTIVATION SHOULD HEAVY RAIN DEVELOP AND FLOODING BE OBSERVED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER RELIABLE WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. RWUS31 KFTW 170946 FFAFTW TXZ139>145-154>160-174-180900- BULLETIN...IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 445 AM CDT SAT OCT 17 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS. THE WATCH AREA IS GENERALLY SOUTH A LINE THROUGH COLEMAN AND HILLSBORO...AND WEST OF A LINE THROUGH HILLSBORO AND CAMERON. THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF LAMPASAS... WACO... AND TEMPLE. HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR TODAY AND TONIGHT AS VERY MOIST AIR AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT INTERACTS WITH WEAK BUT SLOW MOVING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE. RAINFALL AMOUNTS BETWEEN TWO AND FOUR INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE WATCH AREA BY SUNDAY MORNING. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS HEAVY RAIN COULD CAUSE FLOODING OF STREAMS AND LOW LYING AREAS. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH LATEST WEATHER DEVELOPMENTS AND BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION SHOULD HEAVY RAIN OCCUR OR FLOODING BE OBSERVED. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...YOUR LOCAL CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER...OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATIONS FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. RWUS31 KSAT 171034 FFASAT TXZ168>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-180000- BULLETIN...IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 530 AM CDT SAT OCT 17 1998 ...FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY FOR THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND ALL OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS .. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY FOR ALL OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...INCLUDING THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY...SOUTHERN EDWARDS PLATEAU AND PORTIONS OF RIO GRANDE PLAINS. THE WATCH IS GENERALLY NORTH AND WEST OF A LINE FROM EAGLE PASS TO TILDEN TO HALLETTSVILLE TO LEXINGTON. THE WATCH AREA INCLUDES THE METROPOLITAN AREAS OF AUSTIN...DEL RIO AND SAN ANTONIO. TROPICAL MOISTURE FROM THE PACIFIC AND UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES MOVING ACROSS THE AREA WILL TRIGGER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE WATCH AREA TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS LATE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY...ALLOWING MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES POSSIBLE IN THE STRONGER AND SLOWER MOVING STORMS OR WHERE STORMS TRAVEL OVER THE SAME AREAS. A FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS FLOODING IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. HEAVY RAIN MAY CAUSE THE RAPID RISE OF STREAMS AND RIVERS...FLOODING LOW LYING AREAS AND LOW WATER CROSSINGS. OVER FLATTER TERRAIN THE RAINS MAY CAUSE PONDING WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS AND LOW ROADWAYS. PERSONS IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA ARE URGED TO CHECK PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS...KEEP INFORMED AND BE READY TO TAKE ACTION IF HEAVY RAIN OR FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED OR LOW LYING AREAS WHERE WATER OF AN UNKNOWN DEPTH COVERS THE ROAD. BULLETIN...IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 805 AM CDT SAT OCT 17 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS EXTENDED THE FLASH FLOOD EASTWARD TO THE TRINITY RIVER AND ADJACENT COUNTIES. THE WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THAT PART OF NORTH TEXAS SOUTH A LINE THROUGH COLEMAN...HILLSBORO...AND ATHENS... AND WEST OF A LINE THROUGH ATHENS AND CENTERVILLE. HEAVY RAIN DEVELOPED OVERNIGHT ALONG AND WEST OF THE I-35 CORRIDOR FROM WACO TO SAN ANTONIO. THIS CLUSTER OF STORMS IS EXPECTED TO DRIFT EAST THIS MORNING... AND OVER THE AREA AROUND THE TRINITY RIVER SOUTH OF TRINIDAD BY MIDDAY. RAINFALL TOTALS BETWEEN TWO AND FOUR INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE WATCH AREA TODAY. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS HEAVY RAIN COULD CAUSE FLOODING OF STREAMS AND LOW LYING AREAS. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH LATEST WEATHER DEVELOPMENTS AND BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION SHOULD HEAVY RAIN OCCUR OR FLOODING BE OBSERVED. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...YOUR LOCAL CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER...OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATIONS FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 1024 AM CDT SAT OCT 17 1998 ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR WILLIAMSON...HAYS... COMAL...TRAVIS AND BEXAR COUNTIES UNTIL 12:25 PM CDT...THE METROPOLITAN AREAS OF AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO ARE INCLUDED IN THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FLASH FLOOD SITUATION... A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WILLIAMSON...HAYS... COMAL...TRAVIS AND BEXAR COUNTIES UNTIL 12:25 PM CDT THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. OVER 11 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN THE WOODS OF SHAVANO AREA OF NORTH SAN ANTONIO...AND IT IS STILL RAINING HARD. TOTALS BETWEEN MORNING HAVE RANGED BETWEEN 5 AND 10 INCHES IN AND AROUND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY. SEVERE FLOODING IS OCCURRING... WITH NUMEROUS STREETS...ROADS AND HIGHWAYS CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IS OCCURRING ON CIBOLO...SALADO...LEON AND OLMOS CREEKS...AND ALL MINOR TRIBUTARIES AND DRAINAGE DITCHES LEADING INTO THESE CREEKS. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IS ALSO OCCURRING ON THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER IN AND AROUND SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY...AND IN THE COUNTIES TO THE NORTH OF BEXAR COUNTY TOWARD BLANCO AND CANYON LAKE. TO REPEAT...THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING FLOOD SITUATION...YOU SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TRAVEL THIS MORNING OR EARLY AFTERNOON...STAY HOME UNLESS FLOOD WATERS THREATEN YOUR LOCATION AND YOU ARE FORCED TO EVACUATE TO HIGHER GROUND. NUMEROUS STREETS...ROADS AND HIGHWAYS IN SAN ANTONIO ARE FLOODED AND UNDER WATER...THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DOES NOT RECOMMEND ANY TRAVEL UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVE. STAY TUNED TO LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...THE WEATHER CHANNEL... CABLE TV OUTLETS OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER ADVISORIES OR WARNINGS. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TODAY FOR MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL TEXAS...AND THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY. AREA RESIDENTS SHOULD MONITOR FLOOD CONDITIONS... AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND SHOULD FLOOD WATERS THREATEN. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING. FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 258 PM CDT SAT OCT 17 1998 ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON FOR BASTROP...BEXAR...BLANCO...BURNET...CALDWELL... COMAL...GUADALUPE...HAYS...KENDALL...TRAVIS AND WILLIAMSON COUNTIES. THE AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO METROPOLITAN AREAS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS FLASH FLOOD WARNING. IN ADDITION...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL TEXAS...AND THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY...THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON...TONIGHT AND INTO SUNDAY. BESIDES THE THREAT FOR ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL 8 PM CDT FOR BASTROP...BLANCO...BURNET...CALDWELL...COMAL... FAYETTE...GILLESPIE...HAYS...LEE...LLANO...TRAVIS AND WILLIAMSON COUNTIES. THE AUSTIN METROPOLITAN AREA IS INCLUDED IN THIS TORNADO WATCH AREA. RAINFALL TOTALS IN EXCESS OF 15 INCHES...APPROACHING 20 INCHES IN A FEW ISOLATED LOCATIONS...HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THOSE COUNTIES FROM SAN ANTONIO NORTHWARD ALONG THE I35 CORRIDOR...AND WITHIN A 2 TO 3 COUNTY-WIDE PATH EITHER SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE...PAST NEW BRAUNFELS AND SAN MARCOS TO AUSTIN AND GEORGETOWN. MORE RAIN IS MOVING INTO THE SAN ANTONIO-AUSTIN CORRIDOR FROM THE SOUTHWEST. THIS ADDITIONAL RAIN...WHICH COULD TOTAL MORE THAN 5 INCHES...WILL NOT SOAK IN BUT RUN OFF RAPIDLY INTO ALREADY FLOODED CREEKS...DRAINAGE DITCHES AND RIVERS...OR POND IN LOW- LYING FLAT AREAS. MANY ROADS...HIGHWAYS AND STREETS ARE CLOSED BECAUSE OF HIGH WATER AND FLOODING. NEARLY ALL CREEKS AND LOW-WATER CROSSINGS IN SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL TEXAS...AS WELL AS PORTIONS OF THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY...ARE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE AND OUT OF BANKS. THIS CONTINUES TO BE AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING HEAVY RAIN AND FLOOD SITUATION. TRAVEL IS DISCOURAGED. THOSE MOTORISTS ALREADY OUT SHOULD NOT...REPEAT NOT...ATTEMPT TO DRIVE AROUND BARRICADES. THIS IS NOT ONLY RISKY AND FOOLHARDY...IT IS AGAINST THE LAW. THE LEAST THAT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU IS A FINE. THE WORST IS YOU OR YOUR PASSENGERS CAN BE SWEPT AWAY AND DROWN. ALL CREEKS IN AND AROUND SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN...PLUS ALL CREEKS AND RIVERS IN BETWEEN INCLUDING THE GUADALUPE...ARE AT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LEVELS. NUMEROUS HIGH-WATER RESCUES AND EVACUATIONS IN AND AROUND THE METROPOLITAN AREAS AND ADJACENT SUBURBS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TODAY. MAJOR PROPERTY DAMAGE HAS BEEN REPORTED. THE DEATH TOLL FROM THE FLOODING MAY NOT BE FULLY KNOWN FOR SEVERAL DAYS. IN ADDITION...REPORTS OF RAILROAD TRESTLES BEING SWEPT AWAY HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTED. ADDITIONAL WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES WILL BE BROADCAST OVER LOCAL TV AND RADIO STATIONS...NOAA WEATHER RADIO...THE WEATHER CHANNEL...CNN HEADLINE NEWS...OR LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS. LISTEN FOR THESE BROADCASTS AND HEED THEIR ADVICE.