Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1986
Tornado Warning 2, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at May 17, 1986, 3:51 PM CDT for Fort Bend County, Texas. It was in force for 69 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 17, 1986, 3:51 PM CDT (20:51 UTC)
- Expired
- May 17, 1986, 5:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 69 min
- Issued by
- NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
- Area
- Whole counties
County Fort Bend County, TX
The radar
The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.
The nearest sounding before it
Victoria Regiona, TX (KVCT), launched 12:00Z, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 133 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1627 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -289 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 922 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 52 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 171 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 256 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.2
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KHOU 172051 TORHOU TXC157-172200- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX 351 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 1986 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 500 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OF TEXAS...FORT BEND AT 345PM CDT DPS REPORTED TWO TORNADOES ON THE GROUND..ONE JUST NORTH OF TABNER NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF HWY 90 AND FM 1895. THE OTHER JUST SOUTH OF TABNER. RADAR SHOWS THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR REPORTED IN YOUR AREA.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 17, 12:45 PM CDT, 3 hours 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX 1245 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 1986 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHEAST AND EAST TEXAS UNTIL 700 PM CDT... THE WATCH AREA INCLUDES THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA AND COUNTIES NORTH OF HARRIS COUNTY. AT 1245 PM CDT AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO GRIMES.. WALKER AND HOUSTON COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE FROM NEAR COLLGEE STATION TO NORTH OF CROCKETT. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS SOME HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES AS THE MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. CONDITONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE WEATHER OR THE FORMATION OF TORNADOS..PERSONS IN THIS AREA ARE URGED TO STAY TUNED TO LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 17, 1:46 PM CDT, 2 hours 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX 145 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 1986 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHEAST AND EAST TEXAS UNTIL 700 PM CDT... THE WATCH AREA INCLUDES THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA AND COUNTIES NORTH OF HARRIS COUNTY. AT 145 PM CDT AN AREA OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN WASHINGTOM.. GRIMES..WALKER AND TRINITY COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN A BAND FROM BRENHAM THROUGH HUNTSVILLE TO THE NORTHERN END OF LAKE LIVINGSTON TO NORTH OF GROVETON. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS SOME HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES AS THE MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE WEATHER OR THE FORMATION OF TORNADOS. PERSONS IN THIS AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR APPROCHING THREATING WEATHER AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR YOUR WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO O`R T.V. STATIONS FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS ISSUED AS NEEDED.
Special weather statement, May 17, 2:30 PM CDT, 1 hour 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX 230 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 1986 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHEAST AND EAST TEXAS UNTIL 700 PM CDT... THE WATCH AREA INCLUDES THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA AND COUNTIES NORTH OF HARRIS COUNTY. AT 230 PM CDT AN AREA OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN GRIMES..WASHINGTON.. TRINITY..SAN JACINTO AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE FROM ROANS PRARIE THROUGH HUNTSVILLE TO LAKE LIVINGSTON. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN NORTHERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND SHOULD BE MOVING INTO THE HOUSTON AREA WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. BOATERS AND CAMPERS IN THE LAKE LIVINGSTON AND LAKE CONROE AREA SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTERED AREA UNTIL THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE OUT OF THE AREA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS..SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTING STRIKES AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OR FROMATION OF TORNADOS. PERSONS ARE URGED TO REMAIN ALERT AND SEEK SHELTER IF THREATING WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.
Special weather statement, May 17, 3:15 PM CDT, 36 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX 315 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 1986 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL 1000 PM CDT... THE WATCH AREA INCLUDES THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA AND COUNTIES NORTH OF HARRIS COUNTY. AT 315 PM CDT HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN HARRIS..MONTGORMERY..POLK AND SAN JACINTO COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE FROM NEAR KATY THROUGH CONROE THROUGH LAKE LIVINGSTON TO CAMP RUBY. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. BOATERS AND CAMPERS IN THE LAKE LIVINGSTON AND LAKE CONROE AREA SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTERED AREA UNTIL THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE OUT OF THE AREA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS OF 50 MPH OR HIGHER SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OR FORMATION OF TORNADOS. PERSONS ARE URGED TO REMAIN ALERT AND SEEK SHELTER IF THREATING WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.
Special weather statement, May 17, 3:30 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GALVESTON TX 330 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 1986 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS INCLUDING GALVESTON AND CHAMBERS COUNTIES. AT 330 PM CDT A LINE OF VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM THE SAM RAYBURN RESERVOIR...SOUTHWEST TO JUST NORTH OF HOUSTON...ACROSS TOMBALL TO WEST OF LA GRANGE. THIS LINE WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS VERY STORNG GUSTING WINDS ARE OCCURRING...REPORTS OF GUSTS UP TO 75 MILES AN HOUR HAVE BEEN RECIEVED. PERSONS SOUTH OF THE THUNDERSTORM LINE SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. THE HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING NEAR STEINHAGEN LAKE...AND SOUTHWEST OF LA GRANGE NEAR FLATONIA. STAY TUNED TO LOCAL TV...RADIO...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 3:48 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Liberty | 57 min |
| May 17, 3:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Harris | 63 min |
| May 17, 4:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Austin, Colorado, Wharton | 65 min |
| May 17, 4:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Waller | 65 min |
| May 17, 4:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Brazoria | 65 min |
| May 17, 4:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Chambers, Galveston | 60 min |
| May 17, 4:57 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Fort Bend | 63 min |
| May 17, 5:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Chambers, Galveston | 60 min |
| May 17, 5:20 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Brazoria | 55 min |
| May 17, 5:59 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Matagorda | 61 min |
| May 17, 6:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Brazoria | 66 min |
| May 17, 6:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Chambers, Galveston | 2 hr |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1986Every tornado warning in 1986Tornadoes in 1986
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.