

000 

@RUKWBCe1KDENWGUS74 KSHV 160849

FFSSHV

ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ001>006-010>012-017-OKZ077-TXZ096-097-

108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167-161800-



FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA

245 AM CST FRI FEB 16 2001



...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL CONTINUE IN EFFECT FOR THE

REMAINDER OF TONIGHT AND UNTIL NOON FRIDAY...



A COLD FRONT STRETCHED ACROSS NORTH LOUISIANA AND INTO

NORTHEAST TEXAS THIS MORNING WAS PROVIDING COLD AIR

OVER THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FOUR STATE REGION. THIS

COLD AIR...ALONG WITH UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES PROVIDED BY

A STRONG APPROACHING STORM SYSTEM FROM THE WEST...AND A

MOIST AND UNSTABLE SUPPLY OF GULF OF MEXICO AND PACIFIC

MOISTURE...HAS RESULTED IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO DEVELOP AND SPREAD OVER

MUCH OF NORTHEAST TEXAS INTO SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...SOUTHEAST

OKLAHOMA...AND NORTHWEST LOUISIANA WHERE RAINFALL HAS OCCURRED

OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS.



DURING THE PAST 8 HOURS...AS OF 245 AM THIS MORNING...DOPPLER

WEATHER RADAR ESTIMATES... ALONG WITH SURFACE OBSERVATIONS...

INDICATED THAT FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES HAS OCCURRED IN A 50 MILE WIDE AREA

FROM NORTHEAST TEXAS JUST NORTH OF THE TYLER AND LONGVIEW AREAS

NORTHEAST INTO SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA TO NEAR IDABEL...AND SOUTHWEST

ARKANSAS TO NEAR DE QUEEN AND TEXARKANA. THIS AREA OVER THE NEXT

COUPLE OF HOURS WILL SEE AN INCREASE IN THE INTENSITY AND AREAL

COVERAGE OF RAINFALL...AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE FLASH

FLOODING WITH THE ONSET OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. SOILS HAVE

BECOME NEAR SATURATION AND WATER RUNOFF MAY RESULT IN FLASH

FLOODING. THIS AREA WILL SLOWLY MOVE EAST INTO NORTHWEST

LOUISIANA LATER DURING THE MORNING.



PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO VERY HEAVY

RAINFALL AND READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION TO PROTECT PROPERTY

AND LIFE IF FLOODING OCCURS OR A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED.

REMEMBER THAT MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS RESULT WHEN PERSONS IN

AUTOMOBILES ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS AT LOW WATER

CROSSINGS OR BRIDGES.

