Narrative:

The routing filed for this flight was aus cqy rzc J105 bos, which would have avoided a cold front with severe thunderstorm WX on departure, also avoiding thunderstorms en route in east tx. Pre departure clearance revised clearance was aus 08360 tnv cqy. As captain, I verified with dispatch that this routing would penetrate the WX and was not good. I called clearance, stating that we could not accept the revised segment due to WX. Clearance stated that flts had departed and had been able to deviate on a 060 degree heading. This was 10 mins prior to departure. There was an implication that a major delay was not necessary that we could accept the clearance and deviate on departure. The runway 31L ILS was out and runway 31L was not available to depart. We departed runway 13R on a 080 degree heading. There was a broken area of medium cells at 20 NM and north of our heading, with a large gap, then very large cells. Departure frequency was busy, and on contact we were given a 040 degree heading, directly toward the broken area of cells. There was not room to maneuver considering the cell's size, spacing, speed and volatility. We initially turned to 040 degrees, but 10 NM from the WX had to turn back to heading 100 degrees for the above reasons. We advised departure unable heading 040 degrees and were told to contact ZHU and inform them. This flight turned without clearance due to lack of time for clearance. I was attempting to avoid what happened, and hope for more ATC coordination and help.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80S ACFT ENCOUNTERED POTENTIALLY SEVERE WX AND DEVIATED PRIOR TO OBTAINING CLRNC FROM THE CTR.

Narrative: THE ROUTING FILED FOR THIS FLT WAS AUS CQY RZC J105 BOS, WHICH WOULD HAVE AVOIDED A COLD FRONT WITH SEVERE TSTM WX ON DEP, ALSO AVOIDING TSTMS ENRTE IN EAST TX. PDC REVISED CLRNC WAS AUS 08360 TNV CQY. AS CAPT, I VERIFIED WITH DISPATCH THAT THIS ROUTING WOULD PENETRATE THE WX AND WAS NOT GOOD. I CALLED CLRNC, STATING THAT WE COULD NOT ACCEPT THE REVISED SEGMENT DUE TO WX. CLRNC STATED THAT FLTS HAD DEPARTED AND HAD BEEN ABLE TO DEVIATE ON A 060 DEG HDG. THIS WAS 10 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. THERE WAS AN IMPLICATION THAT A MAJOR DELAY WAS NOT NECESSARY THAT WE COULD ACCEPT THE CLRNC AND DEVIATE ON DEP. THE RWY 31L ILS WAS OUT AND RWY 31L WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO DEPART. WE DEPARTED RWY 13R ON A 080 DEG HDG. THERE WAS A BROKEN AREA OF MEDIUM CELLS AT 20 NM AND N OF OUR HDG, WITH A LARGE GAP, THEN VERY LARGE CELLS. DEP FREQ WAS BUSY, AND ON CONTACT WE WERE GIVEN A 040 DEG HDG, DIRECTLY TOWARD THE BROKEN AREA OF CELLS. THERE WAS NOT ROOM TO MANEUVER CONSIDERING THE CELL'S SIZE, SPACING, SPD AND VOLATILITY. WE INITIALLY TURNED TO 040 DEGS, BUT 10 NM FROM THE WX HAD TO TURN BACK TO HDG 100 DEGS FOR THE ABOVE REASONS. WE ADVISED DEP UNABLE HDG 040 DEGS AND WERE TOLD TO CONTACT ZHU AND INFORM THEM. THIS FLT TURNED WITHOUT CLRNC DUE TO LACK OF TIME FOR CLRNC. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO AVOID WHAT HAPPENED, AND HOPE FOR MORE ATC COORD AND HELP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.