Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 14, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

May 4, 1991Gonzales County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this tornado warning at May 4, 1991, 6:42 PM CDT for Gonzales County, Texas. It was in force for 33 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 4, 1991, 6:42 PM CDT (23:42 UTC)
Expired
May 4, 1991, 7:15 PM CDT
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Gonzales County, TX

The nearest sounding before it

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 193 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 1991-05-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1262 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 1991-05-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 147 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1262 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-416 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1389 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
147 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
99 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
5.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSAT 042343
TORSAT
TXC177-050015-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
642 PM CDT SAT MAY 4 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  715 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH TEXAS
          ...GONZALES
 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO FORMING IN
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM JUST EAST OF BELMONT. THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST
AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...GO TO A BASEMENT SHELTER OR A
CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUILDING.
ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.
 
LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL LIKELY
ACCOMPANY THIS STORM.
 
YOU SHOULD ASK THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO RELAY YOUR
SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

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 4, 1:44 PM CDT, 4 hours 58 minutes before
TXZ030-034>037-042030

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
132 PM CDT SAT MAY 04 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM CDT FOR ALL OF
   CENTRAL TEXAS...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT...

AT 129 PM CDT...RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM DEL RIO TO
EAST OF JUNCTION CITY TO EAST OF ABILENE.  THIS LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING TOWARDTHE EAST AT 15 MPH AND WILL BE AFFECTING MILLS...LAMPASAS...LLANO..AND
GILLESPIE COUNTIES DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED ACROSS CENTRAL TEXAS FROM MARBLE
FALLS EASTWARD THROUGH BARTLETT TO COLLEGE STATION.  MOVEMENT WAS TOWARD THE
NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL HAS BEEN REPORTED AT JUNCTION WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS
TO THE WEST.  HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO POSE A THREAT DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT
OF THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS.  A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL
OF CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY...SO STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST
UPDATES ON THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, May 4, 1:59 PM CDT, 4 hours 43 minutes before
TXZ054-042000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
200 PM CDT SAT MAY 4 1991

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR VAL VERDE COUNTY HAS BEEN
CANCELED...

AT 158 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED NO PRECIPITATION IN VAL VERDE COUNTY. THE
THUNDERSTORMS REPORTED EARLIER HAVE MOVED EAST OF THE COUNTY AND WERE
LOCATED FROM BRACKETVILLE TO ROCKSPRINGS AND FURTHER NORTH. MOVEMENT WAS
TO THE EAST AT 15 MPH.
Special weather statement, May 4, 2:51 PM CDT, 3 hours 51 minutes before
TXZ030-034>036-042045

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
243 PM CDT SAT MAY 04 1991

...TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED MILLS...SAN SABA...LAMPASAS...LLANO...
   BURNET...WILLIAMSON...GILLESPIE...BLANCO...HAYS...CALDWELL...BASTROP...
   AND TRAVIS...UNTIL 9PM CDT...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR CENTRAL TEXAS HAS BEEN CANCELLED...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND ADJACENT HILL COUNTRY
   THROUGH TONIGHT...

AT 240 PM CDT...RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM NORTHEAST OF DEL
RIO TO HARPER TO LLANO CITY TO STAR.  THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING
TOWARD THE EAST AT 20 MPH.  A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING SMALL HAIL...VERY GUSTY
SURFACE WINDS...AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WAS LOCATED OVER NORTH CENTRAL
GILLESPIE COUNTY AND LLANO COUNTY.
.
.
.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING OVER THE LAKE BUCHANAN VICINITY
BETWEEN 2 PM AMD 230 PM CDT.  PERSONS ON THE LAKE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY
RETURN TO SHOlRE AND SEEK A PLACE OF SHELTER.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 4, 2:58 PM CDT, 3 hours 44 minutes before
TXZ030-034>036-042045

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION FOR TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
243 PM CDT SAT MAY 04 1991

...TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED MILLS...SAN SABA...LAMPASAS...LLANO...
   BURNET...WILLIAMSON...GILLESPIE...BLANCO...HAYS...CALDWELL...BASTROP...
   AND TRAVIS...UNTIL 9PM CDT...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR CENTRAL TEXAS HAS BEEN CANCELLED...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND ADJACENT HILL COUNTRY
   THROUGH TONIGHT...

AT 240 PM CDT...RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM NORTHEAST OF DEL
RIO TO HARPER TO LLANO CITY TO STAR.  THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING
TOWARD THE EAST AT 20 MPH.  A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING SMALL HAIL...VERY GUSTY
SURFACE WINDS...AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WAS LOCATED OVER NORTH CENTRAL
GILLESPIE COUNTY AND LLANO COUNTY.
.
.
.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING OVER THE LAKE BUCHANAN VICINITY
BETWEEN 3 PM AMD 330 PM CDT.  PERSONS ON THE LAKE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY
RETURN TO SHORE AND SEEK A PLACE OF SHELTER.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 4, 3:59 PM CDT, 2 hours 43 minutes before
TXZ030-034>036-042100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
353 PM CDT SAT MAY 04 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR LLANO COUNTY HAS BEEN CANCELLED...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL TEXAS...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND ADJACENT HILL COUNTRY
   THROUGH TONIGHT...

AT 350 PM CDT...RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM BANDERA TO 10 MILES
WEST OF ROUND MOUNTAIN TO LAMPASAS TO WEST OF WACO.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

THE THUNDERSTORM OVER LLANO COUNTY HAS WEAKENED AND MOVED EAST INTO WESTERN
BURNET COUNTY.  ALTHOUGH THE STORM HAS WEAKENED...IT MAY CONTAIN SMALL HAIL
AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.  HEAVY RAINS FELL ACROSS NORTHERN BURNET COUNTY
YESTERDAY AND ADDITIONAL RAINFALL MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS AND
CREEKS.  KEEP CHILDREN AWAY FROM ALL CREEKS AND DRAINAGE AREAS AND DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS STREAMS OR LOW LYING AREAS WHERrE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 4, 4:00 PM CDT, 2 hours 42 minutes before
TXZ034-035-038-039-042200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
400 PM CDT SAT MAY 4 1991

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR UVALDE COUNTY...
...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND THE EDWARDS
PLATEAU UNTIL 9PM TONIGHT...
...A FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL
AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH TONIGHT...

A LINE OF SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS FROM UVALDE TO KERRVILLE
AND SAN SABA WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.  SOME OF THE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE SAN ANTONIO AREAS WITHIN AN HOUR. SOME
OF THE MORE INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS DROPPED PEA SIZE HAIL IN NORTHERN EDWARDS
COUNTY AND WESTERN KERR COUNTY.  THE RAINFALL RATE WERE FROM ONE HALF TO
ONE INCH AN HOUR.  NO REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AT THIS TIME FROM NORTHWEST
UVALDE COUNTY WERE RADAR DETECTED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM EARLIER  IN THE
AFTERNOON.

THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENyT HAS BEEN AIDED BY A DRY LINE AND AN UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE.  THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPMENT WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO TONIGHT.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 7:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBurnet, Llano, San Saba67 min
May 3, 8:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXWilliamson56 min
May 3, 11:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXLee45 min
May 4, 3:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXLlano67 min
May 4, 4:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBexar66 min
May 4, 4:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBlanco48 min
May 4, 4:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXHays50 min
May 4, 4:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXComal59 min
May 4, 4:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXTravis, Williamson41 min
May 4, 4:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXGuadalupe65 min
May 4, 5:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXTravis62 min
May 4, 6:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXGonzales60 min
May 4, 6:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBastrop50 min
May 4, 6:58 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXDeWitt, Lavaca62 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1991Every tornado warning in 1991Tornadoes in 1991

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.