Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

February 1, 1990Liberty County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Feb 1, 1990, 8:11 PM CST for Liberty County, Texas. It was in force for 64 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 1, 1990, 8:11 PM CST (02:11 UTC)
Expired
Feb 1, 1990, 9:15 PM CST
In force
64 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Liberty 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

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 00:00Z, 2.2 hours before the alert went out and 155 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 00:00Z on 1990-02-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 299 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 00:00Z on 1990-02-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 160 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
299 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-40 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
621 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
160 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
160 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
1.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KHOU 020214
TORHOU
TXC291-020315-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
811 PM CST THU FEB 1 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  915 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
          ...LIBERTY
 
A TORNADO WAS REPORTED BY BAYTOWN POLICE NEAR HUFFMAN MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 40 MPH AND SHOULD MOVE INTO LIBERTY COUNTY NEAR EASTGATE.
CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF TORNADOES
AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE THROUGH THE AREA.
 
 
 
DO NOT USE YOUR CAR TO TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO.  CARS ARE EASILY
TOSSED AROUND BY TORNADO WINDS.  IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF
A TORNADO...LEAVE THE CAR AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING.  IF NO
STRUCTURE IS NEARBY...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT.

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, Feb 1, 3:02 PM CST, 5 hours 9 minutes before
TXZ048-020300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GALVESTON TEXAS
300 PM CST THU FEB 01 1990

 ... TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF SOUTH TEXAS INCLUDING
GALVESTON AND CHAMBERS COUNTIES AND THEIR ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS
INCLUDING GALVESTON BAY UNTIL 9 PM TONIGHT ...

THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES EXISTS
FOR MUCH OF SOUTH TEXAS FROM 3 PM TO 9 PM TONIGHT. AN UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE IS APPROACHING THE GALVESTON BAY AREA FROM THE WEST.
SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY RAINS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS SYSTEM.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS OCCURRED IN THE GALVESTON AREA AS OF YET...
HOWEVER THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS UNTIL 9 PM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS...
AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF THREATNING WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR A
WARNING ISSUED.
Special weather statement, Feb 1, 3:50 PM CST, 4 hours 21 minutes before
TXZ048-020400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GALVESTON TEXAS
345 PM CST THU FEB 01 1990

 ... TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF SOUTH TEXAS INCLUDING
GALVESTON AND CHAMBERS COUNTIES AND THEIR ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS
INCLUDING GALVESTON BAY UNTIL 9 PM TONIGHT ...

...A DENSE FOG ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR GALVESTON AND CHAMBERS
COUNTIES AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS...INCLUDING GALVESTON BAY...

THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES EXISTS FOR
MUCH OF SOUTH TEXAS FROM 3 PM TO 9 PM TONIGHT. AN UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE IS APPROACHING THE GALVESTON BAY AREA FROM THE WEST.
SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY RAINS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS SYSTEM.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS OCCURRED IN THE GALVESTON AREA AS OF YET...
HOWEVER THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS UNTIL 9 PM.

DENSE FOG HAS FORMED OVER THE COASTAL SECTIONS OF GALVESTON AND
CHAMBERS COUNTIES AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS...INCLUDING
GALVESTON BAY REDUCING VISIBILITY TO 1/4 MILE OR LESS IN SOME AREAS.
THIS CONDITION IS EXPECTED TO LAST THROUGHOUT THE EVENING HOURS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD USE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING IN AREAS OF REDUCED
VISIBILITY...SLOW DOWN...USE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS TO REDUCE
GLARE...AND INCREASE THE FOLLOWING DISTANCES BETWEEN VEHICLES.

MARINERS AND OPERATORS OF SMALL CRAFT SHOULD USE EXTREME CAUTION
WHEN NAVIGATING IN AREAS OF SEVERELY REDUCED VISIBILITY. VESSELS NOT
EQUIPPED WITH NAVIGATIONAL AIDS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS...
AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF THREATNING WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR A
WARNING ISSUED.
Special weather statement, Feb 1, 4:12 PM CST, 3 hours 59 minutes before
TXZ037-045-047-020000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
415 PM CST THU FEB 1 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS
UNTIL 9PM INCLUDING HARRIS AND GALVESTON COUNTIES...

A COMBINATION OF AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND A SLOW MOVING SURFACE TROUGH
OF LOW PRESSURE IS MAKING CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THUNDERSTORMS...SOME POSSIBLY SEVERE.  A FEW OF THESE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
COULD PRODUCE TORNADOES...HAIL AND HEAVY RAINFALL.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IF THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR IF A
WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO YOUR WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL
RADIO OR TV STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS ON THUIS TORNADO WATCH.
Special weather statement, Feb 1, 6:37 PM CST, 1 hour 34 minutes before
TXZ032-037-045-047-020130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
630 PM CST THU FEB 1 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS
UNTIL 900 PM CST INCLUDING THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA...

CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME POSSIBLY
SEVERE THIS EVENING.  A FEW OF THESE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE
TORNADOES...HAIL...HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS AS THEY MOVE
NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

AT 630 PM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAD FORMED FROM SOUTH OF COLUMBUS
THROUGH COLLEGE STATION TO NORTH OF CROCKETT.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS
WERE FROM CROCKETT TO GRAPELAND.

ANOTHER AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE INDICATED FROM RICHMOND
THROUGH HOUSTON TO NEAR LUFKIN.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS AREA
WERE NEAR GROVETON.

THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS DO NOT APPEAR TO BE PRODUCING SEVERE
WEATHER AT THIS TIME...HOWEVER CONDITONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT
AND COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH LITTLE WARNING.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS
AND BE READY TO TAKE SAFE SHELTER IF A WARNING IS ISSUED OR SEVERE
WEATHER IS SIGHTED.
Special weather statement, Feb 1, 7:29 PM CST, 42 minutes before
TXZ032-037-045>047-020230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
725 PM CST THU FEB 1 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS
UNTIL 900 PM CST INCLUDING THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA...

AT 720 PM AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS INDICATED FROM WHARTON THROUGH HOUSTON
TO NORTH OF LUFKIN.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE FROM CONROE TO NORTH
OF LIVINGSTON.

THIS AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD MOVE INTO HOUSTON FROM THE WEST AND MOVE
THROUGH THE CITY AND INTO THE UPPER BAY BY 830 THIS EVENING.  THE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THESE THUNDERSTORMS TO PRODUCE TORNADOES...HAIL
HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE AREA.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO OR T.V. STATION FOR FURTHER
STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS ON THIS WEATHER SITUATION.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 1, 7:38 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris, Montgomery, San Jacinto67 min
Feb 1, 7:50 PM CSTTornado WarningHGXTrinity55 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1990Every tornado warning in 1990Tornadoes in 1990

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.