STORM SIGNALS
Spring 1999, Vol. 50
CONTENTS
This Edition of Storm Signals was printed by E. I. Dupont De Nemours & Company, La Porte, Texas as a service to the citizens of Southeast Texas and the upper Texas Coastal Area.
WFO Houston/Galveston Takes on Added Forecast Responsibility
By Bill Read
Meteorologist In Charge
March 15, 1999
Major service changes, the last significant step in the NWS Modernization and Restructuring, will occur on March 15, 1999. On this day, WFO Houston/Galveston will assume responsibility for the Public, Marine and Fire Weather forecast programs for our area of responsibility. Since the mid 1970s, these forecast products have been originating from offices in New Braunfels and Fort Worth. The transfer will involve both a change in communications headers on the products and planned improvements on product content.
The product header changes need to be made by vendors and customers in their communications systems. The new headers will be:
| Product | NOAA Weather Wire ID (Product Identifier) |
WMO heading |
|---|---|---|
| Routine Products: | ||
| Zone Forecast | SATZFPHGX | FPUS54 KHGX |
| Coastal Marine Forecast | SATCWFHGX | FZUS54 KHGX |
| Tide Forecast | SATTIDHGX | SOUS44 KHGX |
| Fire Weather Forecast | SATFWFHGX | FNUS54 KHGX |
| Non-Routine Products: | ||
| Flash Flood Watch | SATFFAHOU | WGUS54 KHGX |
| River Flood Watch | SATESFHOU | FGUS74 KHGX |
| Winter Weather Products | SATWSWHOU | WWUS44 KHGX |
| Non-Precip Products | SATPNSHOU | WWUS74 KHGX |
The forecasts are issued by county for land areas and marine zones for the bays and coastal waters. The table at the end of this newsletter gives the Universal Generic Code system for identifying the counties and zones. Various computer systems use the Generic Code to display only the portion of the forecast product the customer is interested in.
The issue times for the products remains unchanged. There will be some content changes designed to improve service. For the zone forecasts, we will be adding the Extended Forecast, formerly only available on the area-wide State Forecast for South Texas product. Customers will no longer have to go to different products to get the NWS forecast for the next five days.
The forecast for Galveston and Matagorda Bays will be included in the Marine Forecast product (CWF). By incorporating this information in the CWF, we will be able to combine information that formerly was in the Near Shore Forecast product and will therefore discontinue the NSH.
Beach erosion associated with storms since 1995 have resulted in impact to residents by even slightly abnormal tides. Boating activity in our shallow water bays is also adversely impacted by either abnormally high or low tides. Discussions with officials and citizens has resulted in our issuing of forecasts of tides relative to normal (normal being the astronomical predicted tides provided by the National Ocean Service). These forecasts will be issued routinely under the TID product and included in our NWR broadcasts. Of course, we will still issue Coastal Flood Watches and Warnings when tides are forecast above critical thresholds.
Routine fire weather forecasts are provided for National Forest Service and other federal land management agencies. The product is undergoing some format change which will be coordinated with the impacted agencies. An article on Fire Weather will appear in a future issue of Storm Signals.
The above discusses mainly the nuts and bolts of service changes. Our goal is to provide the best possible warnings and forecasts for citizens of southeast Texas. We hope you notice a change in accuracy of the forecasts and timeliness of updates during changing weather. We also encourage feedback from you, our customers, on the content and quality of these forecast products.
HOUSTON/GALVESTON HURRICANE WORKSHOP
PASADENA CONVENTION CENTER
FRIDAY MAY 7
The annual Houston/Galveston Hurricane Workshop is scheduled for May 7 at the Pasadena Convention Center from 8AM - 12Noon. The theme of this years workshop will be "IT WAS JUST A TROPICAL STORM". We will talking about the effects of Tropical Storm Frances on the upper Texas Coast along with other Tropical Storms in 1998 and in past years. The Director of the National Hurricane Center , Mr Jerry Jarrell will be the featured speaker. He will recap the busy 1998 Hurricane Season and shed some light on lessons learned in 1998.
Plans are underway to have the Hurricane Hunters Airplane (C-130) at Ellington Field for tours immediately following the Workshop. This years Workshop will again be sponsored by the East Harris County Manufacturers Association (EHCMA). With their sponsorship we are able to hold a first class meeting with outstanding speakers and numerous vendors to supply you with safety information for the upcoming Hurricane Season. Mark your calenders for this important Hurricane meeting as we prepare for another Hurricane Season.
The Houston/Galveston National Weather Service will have an Open House on Saturday May 8th. Have you ever wondered where the forecasts for southeast Texas are generated? When a Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado Warning is broadcast on your television set have you ever wondered where this warning was generated? Do you listen to the NOAA Weather Radio? Have you ever wondered who puts that information on the Weather Radio or how they send out alerts that activate specially built weather radios?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions then you should plan to attend the Open House on Saturday May 8th. You will have an opportunity to see your local National Weather Service at work and see the equipment we use to issue forecasts and warnings. You will be able to talk with your local National Weather Service Meteorologist and ask him or her about tools they use to do their job.
SKYWARN MEETINGS
We are now in our prime severe weather season. We have held several Skywarn meetings to train volunteers to be the eyes of the National Weather Service and we have several more meetings already scheduled. If you are interested in becoming a Skywarn Volunteer Spotter and have not been to a training session yet your should try to attend one of the sessions that will be held in March and April. If your community has not scheduled a Skywarn Training Seminar but would like to, please call Gene Hafele at 281-337-5074 x223. The National Weather Service relies on reports from Storm Spotters to verify our Severe Weather Warnings and improve our warning service to the community.
| March 17 | 700pm | Southern Harris County - Charles Roeseler |
| Clear Lake Amateur Radio Society | ||
| Contact: Craig Schaeffer...281-554-9272 | ||
| March 19 | 700pm | Harris County - Charles Roeseler |
| Northwest Amateur Radio Society | ||
| Contact: George Levandoski....713-895-0700 | ||
| March 23 | 630pm | Burleson County - Gene Hafele |
| Caldwell City Hall | ||
| Contact: Charles Kenner...409-567-4343 | ||
| March 25 | 630pm | Galveston County - Gene Hafele |
| Contact: Galveston County OEM 281-337-3100 | ||
| April 6 | 630pm | Waller County - Gene Hafele |
| Hempstead City Hall | ||
| Contact: L J Lecamu...409-826-2242 | ||
| April 8 | 630pm | Washington County - Gene Hafele |
| Contact: Dennis Mitterlehner...409-836-2633 | ||
| April 12 | 630pm | San Jacinto County |
| Contact: David Brandon...409-653-3395 |
1999 HURRICANE SEASON
Will this be our year?
By Josh Lichter
The Texas coast was able to avoid a hurricane hit once again in 1998. This marks a record breaking ninth consecutive year without a land falling hurricane. 1989 still stands as the last year Texas was struck by a hurricane when Chantal and Jerry made landfall along the upper coast. The last major hurricane to strike Texas was Alicia in 1983.
Texas was unable to avoid two tropical storms last year. Charley struck the middle Texas coast on August 22nd with 60 mph winds, but the most damage from this storm was further inland where severe and deadly flooding was observed from the Hill Country to the Del Rio area. On September 11th, Tropical Storm Frances also struck the middle Texas coast with 65 mph winds. Major flooding and severe beach erosion - much like that from a category one hurricane - were unleashed on the upper Texas coast as the storm slowly moved onshore. Texas and the rest of the United States were fortunately spared from the immense death and destruction caused by Hurricanes Georges and Mitch.
Dr. Gray's latest prediction for the 1999 season, issued on December 4th, calls for a similar season to last year. He predicts we'll see 14 named storms, 9 hurricanes and 4 intense hurricanes. Gray predicts that one big difference between the upcoming season and the 1998 season will be that more low-latitude intense storms will affect the Caribbean, and these lower latitude systems will have a better chance of striking somewhere along the U.S. coast - including the western Gulf of Mexico.
Your Houston/Galveston National Weather Service office will continue to keep you informed on any tropical cyclone threat for our area. Our staff members give hurricane preparedness talks for schools, businesses, and organizations that may be beneficial to you and your employees. If you are interested in one of these presentations, please contact Josh Lichter by phone at (281)337-5074x307, or by email at joshua.lichter@noaa.gov. We keep saying that this could be the year we get struck by a major hurricane - 1999 just might be that year!
| 1999 Atlantic Hurricane Season Storm Names | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Arlene | Floyd | Katrina | Philippe |
| Bret | Gert | Lenny | Rita |
| Cindy | Harvey | Maria | Stan |
| Dennis | Irene | Nate | Tammy |
| Emily | Jose | Ophelia | Vince |
| Wilma | |||
New Years Day Severe Weather Outbreak
By Brian Kyle
A round of spring-like severe weather swept through southeast Texas on January 1st. Prior to the development of thunderstorms, temperatures were in the mid and upper 70s with a warm, moist flow off the Gulf. This unstable and moist airmass was enough to trigger thunderstorm development ahead of an approaching cold front.
A total of eight tornadoes struck within the 23 counties that the NWS Houston/Galveston warns for in southeast Texas. There were additional reports of tornadoes across the remainder of east Texas as well. Brief highlights of each tornado follow.
The first tornado struck the Acorn Hills subdivision, just northeast of Huntsville, early Friday afternoon. This tornado completely destroyed a mobile home. Fortunately, the three people inside the home, escaped with minor injuries. A large tree fell on another mobile home and pinned the resident to the floor. He was rescued and Life Flighted to a Houston hospital with a collapsed lung and a broken leg and ankle. Three other residents sustained minor injuries. Numerous trees were downed across the subdivision. With the much needed help of prison inmates, the neighborhood was cleaned up quickly. The tornado damage was surveyed and was classified as a strong F1 on the Fujita Scale that ranges from F0 to F5.
This same tornadic thunderstorm moved toward Riverside, in northeastern Walker County, where a brief touchdown was also reported. The only damage reported to the NWS from that community was to a barn. This tornado was likely an F0.
This storm continued on a northeast path and crossed Lake Livingston just south of Trinity. Communities 5-8 miles south of Trinity (Timber Bay, Whiterock Estates, Aztec and Timber Cove) took a beating from another touchdown. Numerous trees were uprooted and deposited on area homes. Many homes were nearly destroyed. A resident with an anemometer measured 110 mph winds before it was blown away. Luckily, no injuries or deaths were reported with this touchdown. This tornado was rated as an F2.
Shortly after these three events, another storm developed southwest of Huntsville. This storm produced a tornado that was responsible for several uprooted and snapped trees in Sam Houston National Forest.
The fifth tornado was reported between Groveton and Woodlake, located in south- central Trinity county. Damage to 20-30 homes were caused by trees falling on them. This damage was not surveyed by the NWS, but will probably be rated a an F0.
A sixth tornado was reported late Friday night in the Gilchrist area, which is on the eastern end of the Bolivar Peninsula. The initial touchdown occurred just off Hwy 87 at the intersection of Car Street and Featherstone street where it ripped off the roof of a dilapidated house. In addition, a motorized boat was tossed from this location and found approximately 150 to 200 feet (from interview with resident) down the street. Numerous pieces of wood were embedded into the ground. Street signs were also downed by high winds. This tornado was rated an F1.
The seventh tornado also touched down late Friday night in Canal City, approximately 1 to 2 miles up Hwy 87 from Gilchrist. The initial touchdown appears to have been right on the beach where it partially destroyed a beach home on stilts and a moderate sized radio tower. The most significant damage occurred to a house where approximately 100 windows were blown out. In addition high winds rolled a motor home about 10 feet. This tornado was rated an F0.
That same night, the eighth tornado formed just on the other side of a canal in the Dunning's Farm area, just off of FM 1009 inside of Liberty county. At this point three large houses were completely destroyed with widespread tree damage. The tornado moved northeast and dragged heavy farm tractors (approximately 50000 lbs) over 10 to 15 feet. The tornado moved across a wide open field and crossed into Jefferson county where additional damage and 5 injuries were reported. The tornado was reported as an F2 in Liberty County and an F3 in Jefferson County.
Numerous other reports of wind damage and hail were received across the remainder of southeast Texas from the January 1st storms.
As a side note: Many residents the NWS visited with while doing storm damage surveys told us that they knew about many of the Tornado Warnings and Severe Thunderstorm Warnings that were issued for their area. However, most admitted to not taking them seriously. The NWS only issues warnings when winds in excess of 58 mph, tornadoes, or dime size hail (or larger) is anticipated or have been reported. A great way to monitor what warnings have been issued is to listen to NOAA Weather Radio, your local news channel, or cable television (The Weather Channel). If a warning is issued for your county, take appropriate measures to protect yourself and your property.
Southeast Texas Severe Weather Safety Tips
By Steven Taylor
Severe weather preparedness is a necessary part of living in southeast Texas. Year after year, this unique area is affected by a wide variety of severe weather ranging from tornadoes and large hail to flooding and an occasional tropical storm or hurricane. The beginning of this new year definitely began with a bang as an intense area of severe thunderstorms moved through southeast Texas during the evening and early morning hours of the first and second of January. As the year progresses, more severe weather can be expected with the peak of the severe weather season occurring in March, April and May and again in October, November and December. However, it is important to remember that severe weather can occur any time of the year.
Because severe weather is part of every southeast Texan's life, the National Weather Service has provided some severe weather safety tips to help you prepare for this upcoming severe weather season. The National Weather Service in Houston/Galveston issues all severe weather warnings for southeast Texas. Therefore, it is important to know the difference between a watch and a warning. A watch means that conditions are favorable for the development of severe weather. For example, if a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is issued, this means that atmospheric conditions are favorable for the formation of severe thunderstorms in and close to the outlined watch area. If severe weather is occurring or is imminent, the National Weather Service will issue a warning for a particular severe weather threat. For example, if hail the size of dimes (3/4 inch in diameter) or larger is expected with thunderstorms, the National Weather Service in Houston/Galveston will issue a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for areas that will be directly affected by the severe thunderstorm.
The following are some severe weather safety actions you can take to protect you and your family during potentially dangerous weather.
Thunderstorms
Tornadoes
Floods/Flash Floods
It is important thatr you stay informed about the possibility of severe weather in your area. This can be achieved by tuning into NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or your local television station. Severe weather warnings are passed to these communication outlets during severe weather situations and are used to activate local warning systems. A warning is ineffective if nobody hears it! Each year, people are killed or seriously injured by severe weather. Many either did not receive a warning or ignored it. Do not let this happen to you. If you hear a warning, take the necessary actions to protect you and your family!
For more information on severe weather preparedness, please call or write to the Houston/ Galveston National Weather Service Office. In addition, safety information can be found online at the following web address:
WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE ...EXCEPT FOR THE DROUGHT
By David C. Schwertz
Nineteen ninety eight was a year of extremes . . . flood, drought, then flood again. The year began on a wet note as significant flooding occurred over a large portion of southeast Texas. On January 6th a slow moving Pacific cold front interacted with deep tropical moisture streaming in from the Gulf of Mexico to produce widespread heavy rainfall across the region. Up to 10 to 12 inches fell in some areas. The result was major flooding along the lower Trinity River, the East Fork of the San Jacinto River, and the Navasota River below Lake Limestone. Minor to moderate flooding also occurred along the West Fork of the San Jacinto River, the San Jacinto River Main Stem below Lake Houston, Caney Creek, Cypress Creek, Spring Creek, and Luce Bayou and filled several reservoirs across the Hydrologic Service Area (HSA).
Flooding in the Trinity River Basin impacted Madison, Polk, and Liberty Counties. FM 247 in far southeast Madison County was closed and the pecan crop was severely damaged due to heavy rain and flooding in eastern portions of the county. In Polk County a bridge was washed out on Kickapoo Creek near Onalaska. Several businesses were flooded along Highway 190 west of Livingston from Long King Creek. In Liberty County roads into several subdivisions was flooded restricting access to residents. The road into Big Thicket Lake Estates was flooded from Menard Creek near Rye. One home in the Lake Grenada subdivision below Liberty had about 4 inches of water in it. The FM 787 and Highway 105 bridges across the Trinity River were closed for more than two weeks due to channel scour around the bridge piers.
Significant flooding also occurred in the San Jacinto River Basin impacted Montgomery, Liberty, and Harris Counties. On the East Fork of the San Jacinto River several homes in the community of Plum Grove in east central Liberty County were flooded. FM 1485 was closed for several days due to flooding. Casey Road along the downstream left bank was inundated as well. There were no reports of water in any homes. Flood water from Peach Creek flooded the intersection of FM 2090 and US Highway 59 near the community of Splendora in Montgomery County. Flooding also closed a service station and convenience store at that intersection. Crockett-Martin Road at FM 2090, also in Montgomery County, was closed due to flooding from Caney Creek. On the West Fork of the San Jacinto River several roads and a few homes were flooded in the River Plantation subdivision south of Conroe in central Montgomery County. This was a result of backwater up Little Caney Creek. In far northeast Harris County near Humble 10 homes in the Northshore subdivision, one in Lakeside, four in Forest Cove, and 17 in Riverside Crest were flooded. Roads were also inundated in Walden Woods. This flooding was a combination of the flood wave moving downstream and backwater from Lake Houston. Below Lake Houston on the San Jacinto River main stem Wallisville Road and Grace Drive leading into the Banana Bend subdivision were inundated, however, there were no reports of homes flooded in the subdivision.
Flooding on the Navasota River impacted mainly large areas of pastureland in Madison, Grimes, and Brazos Counties. Four families were briefly evacuated from Hall Lake subdivision north of Highway 21 in Brazos County. Flood waters reached near these homes, but did not enter them. Democrat and Long Trussel Roads were closed due to flooding from the Navasota and Grass Burr and Elmo Weeden Roads and FM 1179 were closed due to flooding from Wixen Creek, a tributary to the Navasota River in Brazos County. No damage was attributed to this flooding. Rises were also observed at several additional locations, however only minor overbank conditions and minor flooding of agricultural land occurred.
In September Tropical Storm Frances dumped four to 6 inches of rain over the region with large areas receiving eight to 10 inches of rain and some areas in excess of 12 inches. The result was significant flooding in many areas. Flooding was exacerbated in many areas by tides four to 6 feet above normal. Significant rises occurred on the San Bernard River in Brazoria County from above Sweeny to the mouth on September 9 with flood stage exceeded on September 10th. This rise was mainly due to strong tidal influence. Significant rains began on September 10th and continued through the 12th. The majority of the rain occurred during the early morning hours of September 11th as Frances made landfall. By daybreak September 11th significant flooding was occurring in Harris County and the City of Houston. Homes in Jersey Village and Woodland Trails in northwest Houston along White Oak Bayou were flooding by 6:00 a.m. Most subdivisions along White Oak Bayou experienced house flooding. Homes were also flooded on Halls Bayou above I-45, on Brays Bayou at Lawndale near the confluence with the Houston Ship Channel, and on Armand Bayou near Spencer Highway in Pasadena. I-10 between the West Loop and downtown Houston and I-45 near North Main Street were closed by 9:00 a.m. due to flooding from Buffalo and White Oak Bayous. State Highway 288 was closed due to flooding from Brays Bayou. In all more than 1400 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed in this event. In Brazoria County, Chocolate Bayou near Alvin exceeded its banks in the channel above FM 1462 to the mouth at Chocolate Bay. Several minor roads were impacted by this flooding.
Significant flooding occurred on the San Bernard River above U.S. Highway 59 near Kendalton to the mouth. Flooding above FM 442 near Boling was due to backwater on the tributaries of Peach and West Bernard Creeks in Wharton County. While no homes flooded several roads in the El Lobo subdivision were inundated. A combination of strong tidal influence and heavy rain produced the rise in the channel above Sweeny to the mouth. While low-lying areas along the river were flooded, the most significant impact was on barge traffic at the Phillips Petroleum Facility.
The Tres Palacios River in Matagorda County began rising at the rate of one foot an hour during the evening hours of September 10th resulting in moderate lowland flooding above State Highway 71 near Midfield to the mouth at Tres Palacios Bay. Significant backwater up Juanita Creek, about one mile upstream from the gaging station at FM 456 was also noted. Several farm to market and county roads in Matagorda County were inundated by this flood. There were no reports of homes flooded, however, several areas were isolated due to the flooded roadways. Flooding on East Mustang Creek near Louise in Wharton County closed FM 647 for several hours on September 12th. Secondary and minor roads near the creek were also inundated.
Several small, ungaged watersheds in Chambers, Galveston, Brazoria, Matagorda, Fort Bend, and Wharton Counties flooded. This resulted in the closing of many farm to market and county with several homes and subdivisions threatened. These included Dickinson Bayou in Galveston County, Oyster Creek in Brazoria County and Caney Creek in Matagorda County. Water had receded on all but the San Bernard and Tres Palacios Rivers by the afternoon of September 12th. There were no deaths of serious injuries due to river flooding associated with this event. Galveston, Harris, Brazoria, and Matagorda Counties were declared disaster areas.
Severe flooding revisited the Houston HSA during the month of October. The event began Saturday afternoon October 17th as train echo development across the northwest HSA. Through early Sunday morning October 18th an MCS moved slowly through the northern and western portions of the HSA producing extremely heavy rain. This same complex had moved earlier through the San Antonio area. The size and intensity of the complex along with the repeated development of heavy rains resulted in widespread average rainfall of 5 to 8 inches over the HSA. Many areas received in excess of 10 inches and more than 16 inches of rain fell along the Wharton/Colorado county line. The large areal coverage of this heavy rainfall lead to widespread river flooding, some of which reached near record levels. During the day Sunday the rain moved quickly to the east producing rainfall amounts averaging 2 to 4 inches. This rainfall did not result in significant flooding. Before the rainfall had stopped, rapid rises were occurring on several main stems and tributaries within the HSA. 5 to 7 inches of rain over the San Jacinto basin October 17th produced rapid rises during the early morning hours of October 18th. Major flooding occurred on Spring and Cypress Creeks as water spilled into surrounding communities in Montgomery and Harris Counties. A combination of heavy rain and flooding on these watersheds produced major flooding on the West Fork of the San Jacinto above Highway 59 near Humble to Lake Houston. Flooding continued from October 18th through October 23rd. On the East Fork at FM 1485 near New Caney the river went from around 5 feet, well within banks, to above bankfull (15 feet) in 3 ½ hours, and to above flood stage (19 feet) 2 ½ hours later. The river remained above flood stage for almost four days. As a result of these flood waves emptying into Lake Houston significant flooding occurred on the San Jacinto River main stem below the lake from October 18th through October 23rd. At Highway 90 near Sheldon a rapid rise occurred on October 18th sending the river from well within banks to above flood stage (10 feet) in only 2 ½ hours. Minor flooding occurred on the West Fork of the San Jacinto River in the channel below Lake Conroe to below Porter and on Caney Creek near Splendora and Luce Bayou near Huffman. Crests on these watersheds were at or slightly above flood stage and generally lasted 24 to 36 hours. As a result of this flooding thousands of homes and businesses were isolated due to road closures, 150 to 200 homes were flooded in Montgomery County, mainly along Spring Creek. In Harris County 1200 homes were affected by flooding, 291 sustained minor damage, 50 sustained major damage and one was destroyed. The only death attributed to flooding occurred late Sunday night or early Monday morning when an individual drove into a flooded road along Spring Creek.
Severe flooding on the San Bernard River occurred October 18th, the result of 12 to 14 inches of rain over the upper portions of the watershed. Major flooding occurred on several major tributaries, including Middle and West Bernard Creeks in Wharton County. Long time residents experienced flooding for the first time in memory. Highway 90A, which crosses the San Bernard River near East Bernard, was flooded and closed from October 20th through October 22nd. Highway 59 was closed near Kendalton for almost 24 hours. In Hungerford, Highway 59 was inundated at West Bernard Creek. The river crested near the flood of record at FM 442 near Boling. Downstream near Sweeny in Brazoria County barge traffic to the Phillips Petroleum Facility was stopped for more than a week due to high water and swift currents. Flooding continued through October 28th. The Lakeside subdivision in Brazoria County on Cedar Creek was threatened.
Flooding on the Colorado River was the result of heavy rainfall and upstream flooding. In Columbus moderate flooding occurred from October 18th through October 22nd. Several roads in the Columbus vicinity were inundated and closed. An RV park on Highway 71 in northwest Columbus was flooded as well as the public golf course, and Beeson Park, near the gage. Residents in Garwood, Altair, and Eagle Lake in southern Colorado County were evacuated. Downstream in Wharton major flooding occurred from October 20th through October 24th. A near record crest was observed in Wharton as well. Several hundred residents of Wharton were evacuated to El Campo for more than 48 hours. Wharton County had homes flooded from both the San Bernard and Colorado. In all 350 to 375 homes were impacted, four were destroyed completely, 143 sustained major damage, and 209 received minor damage. Hundreds of head of livestock were lost and 7500 acres of crop land were damaged. Fifty agricultural structures were damaged or destroyed as well as 25 pieces of equipment (tractors, irrigation equipment, etc.).
Significant flooding occurred in the Lavaca-Navidad watershed as well. This flooding impacted Lavaca and Jackson Counties. Several farm to market roads were inundated isolating several residents along the river. Approaches to the FM 710 bridge at Sandy Creek in Jackson County were flooded. The Navidad River at FM 530 near Speaks and at FM 283 near Morales had close to five feet of water over the road. In Jackson County four feet of water covered FM 510 and County Road 401 near Strane Park. In Lavaca County water came within six inches of the lowest slabs in Hallettesville. In Jackson County the Lavaca River was several miles wide near the confluence with the Navidad River.
Crests of these floods ranged from late Sunday until Thursday as the flood waves moved toward the coast. The flooding on the San Bernard and Colorado exceeded the historical flooding of winter 1991-1992. Flooding on the Brazos was somewhat less than either the 1991-1992 flood or the October 1994 flood. Flooding on the San Jacinto and its tributaries was well below the record 1994 event.
Major flooding visited southeast Texas yet again in November. On November 12th, upper level moisture from the Pacific Ocean interacting with low level moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and an approaching upper-level storm system from the west produced widespread heavy rainfall over the region during the afternoon and evening hours. Rainfall amounts across the area averaged 5 to 7 inches with large areas receiving 7 to 9 inches and isolated amounts in excess of 10 inches of rain. The underlying soil moisture was still very high from the heavy rains in October so considerable runoff was produced. Significant rises occurred on most rivers and streams within the Houston/Galveston HSA beginning during the late night and early morning hours of November 12th and 13th. Four to six inches of rain over the Trinity River basin produced rapid rises during the early morning hours of November 13th. Moderate lowland flooding occurred on the Trinity River main stem for several days. Long King Creek in Livingston experienced major flooding with water levels in excess of 30 feet. Flooding begins at 19 feet. Moderate flooding also occurred on Menard Creek near Rye as well as Bedias Creek near Madisonville. Flooding on these tributaries lasted for a few days. Residents of several subdivisions along the Trinity River above Liberty were advised to evacuate.
Major flooding began on Cypress Creek during the evening hours of November 12th with significant rises observed on the West and East Forks of the San Jacinto River, Spring Creek, Caney Creek, and Luce Bayou during the morning hours of November 13th. Flooding continued for several days. More than 200 homes were flooded along Cypress and Spring Creeks and the West Fork of the San Jacinto River. Numerous roads in Montgomery and Harris County were inundated and closed during this event. Along the East Fork of the San Jacinto River the community of Plum Grove in Liberty County was severely impacted with several homes flooded and two major roads into the community closed for more than 24 hours. The community of Patton Village in Montgomery County also experienced major flooding. Significant flooding also occurred below Lake Houston in the communities of Magnolia Gardens, Banana Bend and Highland Shores. During the early morning hours of November 14th, 3 to 5 inches of rain over Clear Creek, along the Harris/Galveston County line produced a rapid rise. Moderate flooding occurred during the afternoon and evening hours of November 14th. The creek was within banks by the morning of November 15th, however, several homes in Friendswood were flooded.
Moderate lowland flooding occurred on the Lower Brazos River below Rosharon to below West Columbia. Significant backwater flooding was observed on Varner Creek in Brazoria County. No homes were flooded but several minor roads were inundated. Moderate flooding was also observed on East and Middle Yegua Creeks with minor lowland flooding on the Navasota River near Normangee. Significant flooding occurred on Mill Creek in Austin County with several roads inundated and closed. Major lowland flooding occurred once again on the San Bernard River above Highway 60 near Wallis to below Sweeny. No homes were flooded, but several major roads were closed. Evacuation of the El Lobo Subdivision in Wharton County was recommended. Barge traffic to the Phillips Petroleum facility near Sweeny was halted for several days. In Fort Bend County FM 2919 near the Tierra Grande subdivision had water to the bottom of the bridge. Major flooding was again observed on Sandy Creek and the Lavaca-Navidad Rivers in Jackson County. Several secondary roads and bridges were flooded as well as several homes near Vienna.
1998 was a year that began with major flooding, moved into drought, and ended with disastrous flooding in several communities within the HSA. As we move into the last year of the millennium, major flooding is again occurring on the Navasota River. Hopefully this is not an indication of the year that will be.
NOAA Weather Radio
By Don Oettinger
Since late 1998, the Houston/Galveston National Weather Service Office has been using the Console Replacement System (CRS) to produce the NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts. CRS is a new, personal computer based broadcasting console that automatically translates and schedules written National Weather Service forecasts and warnings into synthesized voice broadcasts. This system is part of a multi-year improvement of the Weather Radio Network.
The new automated system frees our staff to spend more time on critical warning and forecasting duties and significantly reduces the time it takes to record warning information. It also provides a more efficient means of disseminating severe weather watches, warnings, and emergency information over the NOAA Weather Radio network. This network continues to grow while staffing levels remain the same. With the old Weather Radio system each forecast, warning, and information product had to be written, printed, re-worded and then taped for broadcast. This was a significant workload during fair weather conditions and could become overwhelming during a major severe weather outbreak. With the CRS we will be able to devote more time to the severe weather and we will be less likely to fall behind in an attempt to keep the products on the radio current. The ability to broadcast live and to manually record products for broadcast still exists with the CRS.
We have received quite a few comments about the synthesized voice from our listeners. The National Weather Service is committed to making improvements to the CRS voice quality as improvements become available. We currently use text to voice synthesis provided by the contractor Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). DECtalk is the best quality of synthesized voice available. The technology provides an unlimited vocabulary and the highest quality and accuracy available in the industry. Acclaimed British physicist Stephen Hawking uses Dectalk in his daily life. In addition to working with DEC to improve the broadcast quality of the automated voicing system, the Weather Service is also working to provide multiple male and female sounding voices with different tones and pitches so that more variety can be offered with the broadcasts.
We will strive, as we always have, to provide the best, most accurate NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts possible. Your questions, suggestions, and comments are always welcome.
...1998 - A YEAR OF WEATHER EXTREMES ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
By Matt Moreland
1998 will be remembered as one of the warmest years on record across southeast Texas.
The average temperature at Intercontinental Airport in Houston was 70.6°F... making 1998 the warmest year on record with records dating back to 1967. The normal average yearly temperature is 68.4°F putting 1998 at a full 2.2F degrees above normal for the year. The previous warmest year on record was 1990 with an average of 70.4°F degrees.
The average temperature at Scholes Field in Galveston for 1998 was 71.9°F. The normal average yearly temperature is 69.7°F degrees putting the average annual temperature for 1998 at a full 2.2F degrees above normal. The 71.9°F was the warmest average annual temperature recorded in at least the last 35 years. Fortunately...Galveston mostly escaped the extreme heat that affected inland parts of Southeast Texas in May through August. However...several records were observed in Galveston during the fall...including a late season 96°F degrees on September 28...the hottest of the year!
At Easterwood Field in College Station, the average temperature for 1998 was 70.0°F. The normal average yearly temperature is 67.6°F degrees putting the average annual temperature for 1998 at a full 2.4°F degrees above normal. Notable in College Station this year were the 51 days of 100°F degrees or higher...the first on May 31ST and the last on September 3rd. Temperatures above 100°F degrees were observed every day from July 6th through August 4th a full 30 days in a row! May...June...and July were the warmest ever recorded for each month.
Every month of 1998 averaged above normal in temperatures across southeast Texas except March and April which averaged only slightly below normal. Here is how the year wrapped up temperature-wise month by month:
| HOUSTON TEMPERATURE DATA FOR 1998 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Average High/Low |
Mean | Departure From Normal |
Record? |
| JAN | 67.5/46.7 | 57.1 | +6.7 | - |
| FEB | 65.7/44.5 | 55.1 | +1.2 | - |
| MAR | 70.9/49.2 | 60.1 | -0.5 | - |
| APR | 77.6/54.1 | 65.9 | -2.4 | - |
| MAY | 90.3/67.0 | 78.8 | +4.2 | warmest ever |
| JUN | 95.1/75.9 | 85.5 | +5.1 | warmest ever |
| JUL | 98.5/74.6 | 86.6 | +4.0 | warmest since 1980 |
| AUG | 95.7/73.6 | 84.7 | +2.4 | - |
| SEP | 91.1/73.2 | 82.2 | +4.0 | warmest since 1980 |
| OCT | 82.2/62.9 | 72.6 | +3.0 | - |
| NOV | 72.9/55.6 | 64.3 | +3.3 | - |
| DEC | 65.1/45.1 | 55.1 | +1.6 | - |
| GALVESTON TEMPERATURE DATA FOR 1998 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Average High/Low |
Mean | Departure From Normal |
Record? |
| JAN | 64.5/53.6 | 59.1 | +6.4 | - |
| FEB | 63.2/51.5 | 57.4 | +2.2 | - |
| MAR | 66.8/54.6 | 60.7 | -1.0 | - |
| APR | 75.0/62.9 | 69.0 | -0.3 | - |
| MAY | 82.7/72.9 | 77.8 | +2.0 | - |
| JUN | 88.3/79.2 | 83.8 | +2.6 | - |
| JUL | 89.5/80.7 | 85.1 | +1.8 | - |
| AUG | 90.1/79.3 | 84.7 | +1.2 | - |
| SEP | 88.5/78.8 | 83.7 | +3.7 | - |
| OCT | 81.3/70.9 | 76.1 | +3.3 | - |
| NOV | 72.9/61.7 | 67.3 | +3.1 | - |
| DEC | 64.1/51.7 | 57.9 | +0.9 | - |
| BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION TEMPERATURE DATA FOR 1998 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Average High/Low |
Mean | Departure From Normal |
Record? |
| JAN | 65.9/45.4 | 55.7 | +7.2 | - |
| FEB | 64.5/43.1 | 53.8 | +1.4 | - |
| MAR | 68.5/47.0 | 57.8 | -2.5 | - |
| APR | 77.4/53.2 | 65.3 | -2.9 | - |
| MAY | 91.2/67.5 | 79.4 | +4.9 | warmest ever |
| JUN | 98.0/75.3 | 86.7 | +6.0 | warmest ever |
| JUL | 101.0/76.1 | 88.6 | +5.0 | warmest ever |
| AUG | 96.3/74.1 | 85.2 | +1.2 | - |
| SEP | 90.8/73.4 | 82.1 | +3.5 | - |
| OCT | 80.5/61.9 | 71.2 | +1.8 | - |
| NOV | 70.4/53.9 | 62.2 | +2.4 | - |
| DEC | 61.1/42.5 | 51.8 | +0.4 | - |
The warmer than normal temperatures during the summer and early fall were caused by a series of persistent strong ridges of high pressure aloft. Cold weather did not occur until the very end of the year near Christmas which brought December closer to normal.
In addition to being much warmer than normal, 1998 was a year of rainfall extremes. Rainfall for the year was above normal across all of southeast Texas. Houston finished the year with 54.92 inches of rainfall...8.85 inches above normal. Galveston finished the year with 51.66 inches of rainfall...9.38 inches above normal. Bryan/College Station finished the year with 45.07 inches of rainfall...5.99 inches above normal. However, 1998 will be remembered as having both very dry and very wet periods. Here is how rainfall shaped up for the year:
| HOUSTON RAINFALL DATA FOR 1998 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Total Rainfall |
Departure From Normal |
Record? |
| JAN | 4.35 | +1.06 | - |
| FEB | 5.85 | +2.89 | - |
| MAR | 2.32 | -0.60 | - |
| APR | 1.23 | -1.98 | - |
| MAY | 0.04 | -5.20 | driest since 1937 |
| JUN | 2.87 | -2.09 | - |
| JUL | 1.65 | -1.95 | - |
| AUG | 4.39 | +0.90 | - |
| SEP | 10.19 | +5.30 | - |
| OCT | 7.77 | +3.50 | - |
| NOV | 10.21 | +6.42 | wettest since 1943 |
| DEC | 4.05 | +0.60 | - |
| GALVESTON RAINFALL DATA FOR 1998 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Total Rainfall |
Departure From Normal |
Record? |
| JAN | 5.47 | +1.97 | - |
| FEB | 4.98 | +2.71 | - |
| MAR | 1.74 | -0.49 | - |
| APR | 0.52 | -1.91 | - |
| MAY | 0.02 | -3.57 | - |
| JUN | 9.43 | +4.99 | - |
| JUL | 0.21 | -3.75 | - |
| AUG | 4.52 | +0.05 | - |
| SEP | 12.87 | +6.94 | - |
| OCT | 5.55 | +2.18 | - |
| NOV | 2.66 | -0.71 | - |
| DEC | 3.69 | +0.19 | - |
| BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION RAINFALL DATA FOR 1998 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Total Rainfall |
Departure From Normal |
Record? |
| JAN | 3.80 | +1.17 | - |
| FEB | 5.22 | +2.60 | - |
| MAR | 2.42 | -0.16 | - |
| APR | 1.16 | -2.22 | - |
| MAY | 0.11 | -4.69 | driest ever |
| JUN | trace | -3.68 | driest ever |
| JUL | 0.73 | -1.56 | - |
| AUG | 3.82 | +1.40 | - |
| SEP | 7.62 | +2.75 | - |
| OCT | 8.85 | +5.04 | - |
| NOV | 6.53 | +3.38 | - |
| DEC | 4.81 | +1.98 | - |
An active storm track provided the above normal rainfall during January and February. Several heavy rain and flooding events occurred during this time. However, a strong ridge of high pressure became the dominant weather regime as early as March and provided unusually dry weather during the spring and early summer. Most notable were the rainfall amounts in may...0.04 inches at Houston ...0.02 inches at Galveston...and 0.11 inches in College Station...almost no rainfall in normally one of the wettest months of the year. The only exception to the dry period was a flood event in Galveston in late June. The dry period during the spring and summer was quickly offset by several heavy rain events during the fall: Tropical Storm Frances on September 10-11th, the flood event of October 18-19, and the flood event of November 12-14th. By the end of the year, the rainfall deficit from the dry spring and summer was erased and rainfall ended up above normal for the year.
The newest EMWIN rebroadcast in southeast Texas went on the air in February in the city of Crockett in Houston County. This station is re-broadcasting at 9600 baud on 150.435 MHz. The transmitter and tower are located in Davy Crockett Park in Crockett Texas. The transmitter is located atop a 400 foot tall antenna and currently transmitting at 25 watts. Increase in the transmitter power is expected by summer of 1999.
This new EMWIN rebroadcast is being furnished and sponsored by Houston County Office of Emergency Management. The tower and transmitter facilities are being furnished by KIVY radio station and owner Jim Gibbs. Technical assistance has been provided by Chief Engineer of KIVY, Chester Leediker. For further information on how to receive this data please contact David Lamb with Houston County Office of Emergency Management at 409-544-5156.
Two additional EMWIN rebroadcasts exist in southeast Texas. In the city of Houston a VHF rebroadcast on 150.435 MHz is located on top of the Exxon Building in downtown Houston. The transmitter power is at 250 watts with the antenna more than 600 feet above ground level. Due to the height and power this EMWIN re-broadcast covers all of Harris County and most portions of each of the counties bordering Harris County (Galveston...Brazoria...Fort Bend... Waller... Grimes...Montgomery...Liberty and Chambers).
The Houston VHF rebroadcast is being sponsored by the Harris County Appraisal District along with the Harris County Office of Emergency Management. Exxon Corporation U.S.A is making space available for the transmitter and antenna under a $1.00 per year lease to the Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD).
The EMWIN installation in Houston has become one of the most sophisticated in the United States, and now features simultaneous download from both GOES-8 and GOES-10, as well as insertion of Houston area Doppler radar and cloud to ground lightning strikes within a 300 mile radius of Houston.
EMWIN Houston broadcasts 24 hours per day. Reception of the data stream requires a VHF scanner or receiver capable of tuning 150.435 MHZ, a 1200 baud EMWIN demodulator, and a Windows 95 computer running either WeatherNode or RealEMWIN software. Additional technical information may be requested by e-mail to emwin-houston@hcad.org, or by phoning 713-957-7486. Voice mail messages may be left if no one is available to take the call.
The third EMWIN re-broadcast is in the Bryan/College Station area. In Bryan/College Station the NWS is working with KEOS FM radio station (89.1 MHZ) to rebroadcast the data on their FM subcarrier (67 KHZ). Similar to the Houston rebroadcast you must have a receiver capable of receiving the 67 KHZ signal along with demodulator and WEATHERNODE software to display the data stream. The transmitter has recently increased the power output to 1000 watts and is located on a 200 foot tower. Their broadcast coverage with the new transmitter power covers all of Brazos county along with nearly all of the surrounding counties (Robertson...Burleson...Grimes...Madison). For additional information on the Bryan/College Station EMWIN please call Lance Parr at 409-845-5169.
WHAT IS EMWIN?
As an integral part of its mission, the NWS recognizes the need to provide the emergency management community with access to a set of basic NWS warnings, watches, forecasts, and other products at no recurring cost.
EMWIN is now evolving into a fully operational and supported NWS service, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other public and private organizations. EMWIN is a suite of methods of making available a live data stream of basic weather data, and providing access to stored sets of basic un- enhanced data, using a variety of techniques and technologies. Each method has advantages and disadvantages over the others, hence this multi layered approach to enable multiple methods of availability.
EMWIN's present methods in use for disseminating the basic data stream include:
For further information on EMWIN including a list of Vendors you can contact our office or use the Internet to access the following addresses.
The American Meteorological Society is an organization open to persons with strong interests in meteorology. There are various forms of membership based primarily on the scientific background of the applicant. Local chapters exist across the country includingthe city of Houston. The Houston chapter meets September through May, usually on the third Thursday of the month. Meeting announcements are posted on the Houston/Galveston NWS homepage. Announcements are also distributed via e-mail and fax. Membership dues are only ten dollars and payment can be made at any local chapter meeting. If paying by mail, please make out the check to Houston Chapter of the AMS and mail it to:
| Houston AMS Secretary c/o NWSO HGX 1620 Gill Rd Dickinson, TX 77539 |
Officers are elected in May for the following AMS calendar year. The 1998- 1999 officers this year are:
The following is a brief synopsis of our chapter meetings for the first half of this year. New members are always welcome. Hope to see you at an upcoming meeting.
SEPTEMBER - Mr. Don Galloway, an incident commander with the Texas Wildlife Support Office discussed the current fire danger situation in Texas and how fuel moisture is driven meteorologically.
OCTOBER - Mr. Lance Wood, Senior Forecaster and AWIPS team leader at the Houston/Galveston National Weather Service office provided an overview of the new AWIPS forecasting system and delivered a demonstration of the system. Attendees of this meeting were also treated to a tour of the National Weather Service forecast office and associated facilities.
NOVEMBER - Mr. Vince Carreras, Meteorologist-in-Charge of the Central Weather Service Unit (CWSU) at Bush Intercontinental Airport discussed the role of center weather meteorologists and described how meteorologists play an important role in day to day planning of the FAA Traffic Management System. He also provided an in-depth tour of the CWSU work area at the airport. Mr. Mike Smith, an FAA traffic management specialist provided a tour of the FAA facilities co-located at the airport.
DECEMBER - Our December meeting was held on a cold and rainy night. For those who braved the elements, they were treated to a weather poetry reading by Mr. Bill Carmichael. A sample of Mr. Carmichael's work is located on the Houston/Galveston homepage.
JANUARY - Our chapter president, Aaron Studwell, presented a paper he authored and then presented to the National AMS Conference in Dallas. Mr. Studwell spoke about weather derivatives, a new financial tool. These derivatives are used by utility companies and agricultural interests either to protect income or reduce losses due to weather.
Name: Tuputala Taele or T.J.
Pronunciation: "Two-pooh-tah-lah" "Tah-ellie"
Office: NWS Houston/Galveston (HGX), League City, TX
Position: Electronics Technician
Favorite Movie(s): "Armageddon" and "Titanic" (tied)
| ***Fun Fact*** April 17 is celebrated in the American Samoan Islands as the day the islands became a U. S. territory! |
What is the most troubling piece of equipment here at the office?
The break room toaster oven and "I did not melt the last one down!"
Favorite food?
Any Asian food but favorite dish is Mongolian Beef
Super Bowl prediction for next year?
"Oakland Raiders all the way, baby!"
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