• Flood Potential SoCen TX

    From Mike Powell@618:250/10 to All on Sun Mar 8 08:48:38 2026
    AWUS01 KWNH 081237
    FFGMPD
    TXZ000-081700-

    Mesoscale Precipitation Discussion 0050
    NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
    736 AM EST Sun Mar 08 2026

    Areas affected...South-central Texas...

    Concerning...Heavy rainfall...Flash flooding possible

    Valid 081235Z - 081700Z

    SUMMARY...Slow moving cells capable of 1.75"/hr rates near the
    Southern Balcones Escarpment/San Antonio Metro may pose localized
    flash flooding concerns through mid-morning.

    DISCUSSION...EWX RADAR and GOES-E 10.3um EIR continue to show
    increasing coverage and cooling top/intensifying thunderstorms
    across south-central Texas. Return weak southerly moisture flux
    over the shallow cold front across Deep South Texas combined with
    favorable divergence in the exit/diffluence of upper-level jet max
    has enhanced scattered early morning shower activity into
    deeper/broader updrafts capable of intense rainfall. VWP at EWX
    combined with RAP analysis suggests a recent uptick in 850-700mb
    flow to 15kts, but generally into the northern limit to the weak
    isentropic ascent providing this additional convergence to
    generate/expand convective activity. CIRA LPW shows sfc-850 and
    850-700mb tight moisture gradient indicative of the shallow front
    with values near .8-.9 and .5" respectively. The loading of this
    1.5 to 1.75" total PWat into the cells has increased rainfall
    efficiency to support 1.5-1.75"/hr rates, especially the broader
    cell in Bexar county, which also shows solid suggestion of upwind redevelopment.

    Deep layer steering driven mainly below 700mb has more of a slow
    northward shift within broadly westerly flow, which is also nearly
    parallel to the moisture/flux gradient. This may allow for short
    periods of repeating to allow for hour plus duration or random training/repeating from upstream cells too. Spots of 2-3" are
    possible in 1-2 hours though the mid-morning (through 15-17z)
    until favorable jet divergence slides further eastward/weakens as
    well.

    Proximity to San Antonio Metro/broad urban center and Balcones
    Escarpment will likely be the greatest driver of flash flooding
    potential. Naturally low FFG along/north of the city with hourly
    values between 1.5-2" are well within the potential of low-end
    exceedance and suggestive of localized possible incident or two of
    flash flooding, especially if combined with hydrophobic urban
    setting, further compounding run-off potential. Though south of
    the escarpment across the sandier Coastal Plain, FFG values
    increase rapidly and therefore flooding risk would be considerably
    lower, but still non-zero.

    Gallina

    ATTN...WFO...CRP...EWX...HGX...

    ATTN...RFC...FWR...NWC...

    LAT...LON 29999741 29759663 29389614 28909595 28569640
    28349786 28389910 28619953 28919971 29259965
    29649922 29919843

    $$
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    * Origin: Capitol City Online (618:250/10)