Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

April 26, 1990Chambers County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 26, 1990, 3:57 PM CDT for Chambers County, Texas. It was in force for 33 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Apr 26, 1990, 3:57 PM CDT (20:57 UTC)
Expired
Apr 26, 1990, 4:30 PM CDT
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Chambers County, TX

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 26, 4:00 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 0Chambers, TX

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 149 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 12:00Z on 1990-04-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 447 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 1990-04-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 64 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
447 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-12 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
642 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
64 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
135 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KGLS 262057
TORGLS
TXC071-262130-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GALVESTON TX
357 PM CDT THU APR 26 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GALVESTON HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  430 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
 
   ...NORTHERN CHAMBERS COUNTY
 
THE CHAMBERS COUNTY SHERRIF'S DEPARTMENT HAS REPORTED A TORNADO ON
INTERSTATE 10 NEAR THE OLD AND LOST RIVER BRIDGE.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.  IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF
AVAILABLE.  OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.
 
NNNN

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, Apr 26, 11:40 AM CDT, 4 hours 17 minutes before
TXZ047-049-037-032-046-045-046-261845-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
1138 AM CDT THU APR 26 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN COLORADO
COUNTY UNTIL 1215 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON...

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND A
PORTION OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST AND A
PORTION OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AND SATELLITE DATA INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTO
MOVING INTO THE WESTERN PORTION OF COLORADO COUNTY.  THIS SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM IS IN A LINE OF INCREASING THUNDERSTORMS THAT EXTENDED
FROM NEAR COLLEGE STATION SOUTHWESTWARD TO NEAR CORPUS CHRISTI.  THE
LINE OF INCREASING STORMS WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT NEAR 15 MPH.

INDICATIONS ARE THAT THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE MORE RAPIDLY TO
SEVERE LEVELS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
COULD FORM IN WHARTON AND AUSTIN COUNTIES WITHIN THE NEXT ONE TO TWO
HOURS.

THIS STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY
VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...AND LOCAL STREET AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING IS
POSSIBLE WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO FOLLOWING THE ONSET OF HEAVY RAIN.

REMAIN ALERT...LISTEN CAREFULLY TO YOUR COMMERCIAL RADIO AND
TELEVISION STATIONS OR YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST
STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS ON THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER.
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 12:15 PM CDT, 3 hours 42 minutes before
TXZ047-049-037-032-046-045-261915-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
1214 PM CDT THU APR 26 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR COLORADO COUNTY
UNTIL 1215 PM AND WILL LIKELY BE EXTENDED...

...A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND
A PORTION OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT ALSO...

...STRONG POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINFALL WITH A
POTENTIAL TO CAUSE LOCAL URBAN FLOODING EXPECTED IN THE GREATER
HOUSTON AREA BY 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON...

RADAR INDICATES THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS...POSSIBLY PRODUCING
SEVERE WEATHER...OVER COLORADO COUNTY.

THOSE INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN A LINE OF INCREASING THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM NEAR COLLEGE STATION SOUTHWESTWARD OVER VICTORIA TO
NEAR CORPUS CHRISTY. THE LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 15
MPH.

DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...HEAVY RAINFALL CAUSING LOCAL FLOODING...AND IN
LIGHTING ARE ALL POSSIBLE FROM HIS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.

LISTEN FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS ON YOUR COMMERCIAL RADIO
AND TELEVISION STATIONS OR YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND BE PRXEPARED TO
MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA OR
THREATENNG WEATHER IS SIGHTED.
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 12:22 PM CDT, 3 hours 35 minutes before
TXZ047-049-037-032-046-045-261915-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
1214 PM CDT THU APR 26 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR COLORADO COUNTY
UNTIL 115 PM.

...A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND
A PORTION OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT ALSO...

...STRONG POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINFALL WITH A
POTENTIAL TO CAUSE LOCAL URBAN FLOODING EXPECTED IN THE GREATER
HOUSTON AREA BY 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON...

RADAR INDICATES THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS...POSSIBLY PRODUCING
SEVERE WEATHER...OVER COLORADO COUNTY.

THOSE INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN A LINE OF INCREASING THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM NEAR COLLEGE STATION SOUTHWESTWARD OVER VICTORIA TO
NEAR CORPUS CHRISTI. THE LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 15
MPH.

DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...HEAVY RAINFALL CAUSING LOCAL FLOODING...AND
INTENSE LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE FROM HIS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.

LISTEN FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS ON YOUR COMMERCIAL RADIO
AND TELEVISION STATIONS OR YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND BE PREPARED TO
MOVE TO A PLACE OF SiAFETY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA OR
THREATENNG WEATHER IS SIGHTED.
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 1:42 PM CDT, 2 hours 15 minutes before
TXZ047-049-037-032-046-045-032-262045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
140 PM CDT THU APR 26 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEST TEXAS AND A
PORTION OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST
TEXAS...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...CAUSING GUSTY WINDS...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND
LOCAL STREET FLOODING MOVE INTO HARRIS COUNTY.

WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATES A 25 MILE WIDE LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM HOUSTON COUNTY NEAR CROCKETT...SOUTHWARD
TO NORTHERN HARRIS COUNTY...AND THEN SOUTHWESTWARD TO NEAR CORPUS
CHRISTI.  THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS LINE WERE LOCATED
OVER NORTHERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY NEAR WILLIS AND KATY IN EXTREME
SOUTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMSD WAS MOVING TO THE
EAST AT 10 TO 15 MPH.

THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY AND
DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...AND INTENSE LIGHTNING CAN ALL BE EXPECTED IF
THUNDERSTORMS BECOME SEVERE.

VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IS DEFINATELY EXPECTED AND LOCAL URBAN FLOODING IS
LIKELY...ESPECIALLY FREEWAY FEEDER ROADS.

LISTEN FOR THE LATEST I\NFORMATION ON YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION
STATIONS OR YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND BE PEPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTIOIF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA OR SEVERE WEATHER IS SIGHTED.
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 1:43 PM CDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before
TXZ047-049-037-032-046-045-032-262045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
140 PM CDT THU APR 26 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEST TEXAS AND A
PORTION OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST
TEXAS...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...CAUSING GUSTY WINDS...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND
LOCAL STREET FLOODING MOVE INTO HARRIS COUNTY.

WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATES A 25 MILE WIDE LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM HOUSTON COUNTY NEAR CROCKETT...SOUTHWARD
TO NORTHERN HARRIS COUNTY...AND THEN SOUTHWESTWARD TO NEAR CORPUS
CHRISTI.  THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS LINE WERE LOCATED
OVER NORTHERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY NEAR WILLIS AND KATY IN EXTREME
SOUTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMSD WAS MOVING TO THE
EAST AT 10 TO 15 MPH.

THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY AND
DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...AND INTENSE LIGHTNING CAN ALL BE EXPECTED IF
THUNDERSTORMS BECOME SEVERE.

VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IS DEFINATELY EXPECTED AND LOCAL URBAN FLOODING IS
LIKELY...ESPECIALLY FREEWAY FEEDER ROADS.

LISTEN FOR THE LATEST IbNFORMATION ON YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION
STATIONS OR YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND BE PEPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTIOIF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA OR SEVERE WEATHER IS SIGHTED.
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 3:02 PM CDT, 55 minutes before
TXZ047-032-037-045>47-049-262100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
301 PM CDT THU APR 26 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEST TEXAS
UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST
TEXAS...

AT 3 PM..A SOLID LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING THROUGH THE CENTER OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS...STRETCHING FROM LAKE LIVINGSTON THROUGH HOUSTON AND
TO THE COAST AT PALACIOS.  HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT HAS HAD 1.83
INCHES OF RAIN BETWEEN 2 AND 3 PM AS THE STORMS MOVED THROUGH.

THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF DAMAGING WINDS REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE...HOWEVER THERE REMAINS THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT OR TORNADOS ANYWHERE WITHIN THIS SQALL LINE.
.
THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST 10 TO 15 MPH
WHILE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WITHIN THE LINE ARE MOVING RAPIDLY NORTHEAST.

THE COUNTIES THAT WILL BE MOST AFFECTED BY THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NEXT
HOUR INCLUDE SAN-JACINTO...EAST MONTGOMERY...LIBERTY...EASTERN HALF OF
HARRIS...EASTERN FORT-BEND...MATAGORDA...AND BRAZORIA COUNTIES...

RESIDENTS IN THESE COUNTIES SHOULD STAY TUNED T)O WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL
RADIO AND TV...FOR THE LATEST UPDATES ON THE PROGRESS OF THIS LINE
OF THUNDERSTORMS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER AND READY TO
TAKE PROTECTIVE ACTION SHOULD A WARNING BE ISSUED.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 26, 11:14 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXColorado61 min
Apr 26, 12:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXColorado58 min
Apr 26, 1:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXFort Bend, Harris59 min
Apr 26, 3:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXChambers, Galveston2 hr

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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.