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WGUS74 KEWX 041006

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TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-041200-



FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX

506 AM CDT TUE SEP 4 2001



...FLASH FLOOD WATCH TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY OVER THE EASTERN

TWO-THIRDS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...



A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FOR THE

FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS.



     COMAL...GILLESPIE...MEDINA...GONZALES...KENDALL...WILSON...

     REAL...BASTROP...BLANCO...TRAVIS...KERR...BEXAR...HAYS...

     LAVACA...DEWITT...BURNET...WILLIAMSON...ATASCOSA...BANDERA...

     LEE...LLANO...GUADALUPE...FRIO...UVALDE...CALDWELL...ZAVALA...

     DIMMIT...FAYETTE AND KARNES



A NEW AREA OF LOW PRESSURE THAT FORMED ALOFT LAST NIGHT IS

EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY.  THIS EARLY SEPTEMBER WEATHER PATTERN

BODES WELL FOR A GOOD CHANCE OF RAIN THROUGH WEDNESDAY. IN WAKE OF

MUCH ABOVE NORMAL RAINS IN LATE AUGUST AND SO FAR IN EARLY

SEPTEMBER...ADDITIONAL RAIN WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOOD PROBLEMS AND

RUNOFF INTO CREEKS AND RIVERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED FLOODING IN THE

PAST WEEK.



AT 5 AM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CUT THROUGH THE CENTER OF VAL VERDE

COUNTY FROM PANDALE TO JUST NORTH OF DEL RIO. THESE STORMS HAD

AVERAGE AMOUNTS OF ONE HALF INCH PER HOUR WITH HEAVIER AMOUNTS OF

NEAR ONE AND ONE HALF INCHES NEAR PANDALE. THESE THUNDERSTORMS

STRETCHED FURTHER SOUTH TO AN AREA OF SHOWERS ACROSS NORTHERN

MAVERICK COUNTY.



FURTHER TO THE EAST A DIMINISHING AREA OF LIGHT RAIN AND SHOWERS

EXTENDED ACROSS THE WINTER GARDENS INTO SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF

SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS.



FURTHER RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TODAY AND TONIGHT THROUGHOUT THE WATCH

AREA AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW STALLS ACROSS THE AREA. MUCH OF SOUTH

CENTRAL TEXAS REMAINS SATURATED FROM PREVIOUS RAINS OF THE PAST

WEEK. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL ONLY RESULT IN RAPID RUNOFF AND

RESULTANT FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN LOW LYING OR FLOOD PRONE AREAS.



A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING COULD OCCUR IN THE

WATCH AREA.  PERSONS IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND HILL COUNTRY SHOULD

CHECK PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS...STAY INFORMED OF THE LATEST WEATHER

AND RIVER FORECAST AND ADVISORIES...AND BE READY TO MOVE TO HIGHER

GROUND AND A PLACE OF SAFETY IF HEAVY RAIN OR FLOODING IS OBSERVED...

OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.



MOTORISTS CAN PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY AND AVOID UNNECESSARY

INJURY...BY AVOIDING FLOODED LOW-WATER CROSSINGS AND UNDERPASSES

THAT ARE UNDER RAPIDLY-FLOWING WATER...AND NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE

AROUND BARRICADES.  THIS IS AGAINST THE LAW...AND COULD BE

LIFE-THREATENING.  CHILDREN SHOULD BE KEPT AWAY FROM CREEK AND RIVER

BANKS THAT COULD GIVE WAY FROM RAINS AND FLOOD WATERS.  DO NOT LET

CHILDREN PLAY IN OR NEAR FLOOD DRAINAGE DITCHES OR CULVERTS. HIKERS

AND CAMPERS NEAR FLOOD-PRONE CREEKS AND RIVERS SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER

GROUND AND FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM THE FLOOD PLAIN TO PROTECT LIFE AND

PROPERTY.  FARMERS AND RANCHERS SHOULD MAKE SURE LIVESTOCK...POULTRY

AND EQUIPMENT ARE MOVED TO PROTECTED LOCATIONS.  SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS

ALSO SHOULD BE ALERT WHEN APPROACHING OR DRIVING NEAR LOW-WATER

CROSSINGS...CREEKS AND FLOOD-PRONE ROADS.



ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.

STAY TUNED TO LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

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