Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 7, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

April 17, 1991Fayette County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 17, 1991, 7:54 PM CDT for Fayette County, Texas. It was in force for 51 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 17, 1991, 7:54 PM CDT (00:54 UTC)
Expired
Apr 17, 1991, 8:45 PM CDT
In force
51 min
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Fayette County, TX

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 17, 8:30 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 0Fayette, 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

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 00:00Z, 0.9 hours before the alert went out and 242 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 00:00Z on 1991-04-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3040 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 00:00Z on 1991-04-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 77 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
3040 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-161 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
789 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
63 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
77 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
138 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.4
Supercell composite
1.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KAUS 180054
TORAUS
TXC149-180145-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
754 PM CDT WED APR 17 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  845 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...FAYETTE COUNTY
 
AT 750 PM CDT...THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER AT LA GRANGE REPORTED
A TORNADO AT WARDA OR 8 MILES NORTH OF LA GRANGE. PERSONS...ESPECIALLY
IN LA GRANGE AND ALONG HIGHWAY 77 SHOULD TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
 
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 yTO 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, Apr 17, 2:48 PM CDT, 5 hours 6 minutes before
TXZ034-035-172100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
250 PM CDT WED APR 17 1991

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNITL 9 PM CDT FOR PART OF THE TEXAS HILL
COUNTRY...INCLUDING KERR AND EDWARDS COUNTIES...

AT 245 PM CDT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER THE
NORTHERN PART OF THE HILL COUNTRY BETWEEN JUNCTION...SAN ANGELO...AND
BRADY.  A THUNDERSTORM WITH HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED NEAR JUNCTION.
ALL OF THIS ACTIVIFTY WAS MOVING TO THE EAST 15 MPH.

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PART OF THE HILL COUNTRY UNTIL 9 PM CDT
TONIGHT.  WARM MOIST AIR AND AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE HAVE COMBINED TO
PRODUCE A VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE OVER CENTRAL TEXAS.  THE THUNDERSTORMS
COULD DEVELOPE SOUTHWARD INTO KERR AND EDWARDS COUNTINES DURING THE REST
OF THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
Special weather statement, Apr 17, 4:15 PM CDT, 3 hours 39 minutes before
TXZ030-034>036-172245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
415 PM CDT WED APR 17 1991

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM FOR A LARGE PORTION OF CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 410 PM CDT AUSTIN RADAR SHOWED A NEARLY SOLID LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
FROM WACO TO LAKE BUCHANAN AND TO WEST OF FREDERICKSBURG.  THE STRONGEST
STORMS WERE ABOUT 30 MILES WEST OF FREDERICKSBURG POSSIBLY PRODUCING SMALL
HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS.

MOGEVENT OF THE STORMS WAS TO THE EAST AT 25 MPH.

WIDESPREAD RAINS WILL BE MOVING EAST FROM CENTRAL INTO SOUTHEAST TEXAS
AND COULD PRODUCE SOME LOCALIZED FLOODING.

LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Apr 17, 4:15 PM CDT, 3 hours 39 minutes before
TXZ034-035-TX54-172215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
415 PM CDT WED APR 17 1991

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS
INCLUDING KERR AND EDWARDS COUNTIES...

AT 400 PM CDT RADAR AND SATELLITE INFORMATION INDICATED THAT THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUED FROM NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS SOUTHWARD INTO THE NORTHERN TEXAS HILL
COUNTRY.  DURING THE PAST HOUR...STRONG THUNDESTORMS MOVED EASTWARD JUST
NORTH OF KERR COUNTY.  NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS REPORTED IN KERR COUNTY.

THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED IN VAL VERDE COUNTY AND WERE MOVING EASTWARD
TOWARD EDWARDS COUNTY.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY
WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINS AS THEY MOVE
ACROSS EDWARDS COUNTY DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

ALL PEOPLE IN THE NORTHERN HILL COUNTRY SHOULD WATCH FOR DEVELOPING
THUNDERSTORMS AND BE PREPARED TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD
SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN YOUR EAREA.
Special weather statement, Apr 17, 5:24 PM CDT, 2 hours 30 minutes before
TXZ034-035-TX54-172320-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
520 PM CDT WED APR 17 1991

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS
INCLUDING KERR AND EDWARDS COUNTIES...

AT 420 PM CDT RADAR AND SATELLITE INFORMATION INDICATED THAT THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUED FROM NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS SOUTHWARD INTO THE NORTHERN TEXAS HILL
COUNTRY.  DURING THE PAST HOUR THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL TEXAS
WERE WEST OF THE AUSTIN AREA.

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO STRENGTHEN ACROSS NORTHERN VAL VERDE COUNTY AND
WERE MOVING INTO EDWARDS COUNTY.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG
GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINS AS THEY MOVE
ACROSS EDWARDS COUNTY DURING THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO.

PEOPLE IN THE NORTHERN HILL COUNTRY ARE URGED TO  WATCH FOR DEVELOPING
THUNDERSTORMS AND BE PREPARED TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD SEVERE
WEATHER THREATEN YOUR AREA.
Special weather statement, Apr 17, 5:53 PM CDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
TXZ054-180000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
553 PM CDT WED APR 17 1991

AT 540 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING IN EXTREME
NORTHEASTERN VAL VERDE COUNTY. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG
HIGHWAY 277 NEAR LOMA ALTA. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT 15 MPH. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS MAY INTENSIFY AS THEY MOVE EAST.

HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED
WITH THESE STOR8MS.

PEOPLE IN THE AREA OF THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE URGED TO STAY TUNED TO
LOCAL RADIO...TV OR THE NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS AS
THEY OCCUR.

NNNN
Special weather statement, Apr 17, 6:48 PM CDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
TXZ034-035-TX54-180045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
645 PM CDT WED APR 17 1991

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS
INCLUDING KERR AND EDWARDS COUNTIES...

AT 645 PM CDT RADAR AND SATELLITE INFORMATION INDICATED THAT THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUED FROM NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS SOUTHWARD INTO THE CENTRAL TEXAS HILL
COUNTRY.  DURING THE PAST HOUR THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL TEXAS
WERE AROUND THE AUSTIN AREA.

THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS EDWARDS COUNTY WILL BE MOVING THROUGH KERR...
REAL AND BANDERA COUNTIES DURING THE NEXT HOUR...PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS...
LIGHTNING...POSSIBLE HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINS.

PEOPLE IN THE HILL COUNTRY ARE URGED TO WATCH FOR DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS
AND BE PREPARED TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER
THREATEN YOUR AREA.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 17, 7:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXFayette59 min
Apr 17, 7:58 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXFayette, Lee2 hr
Apr 17, 9:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXFayette3 hr
Apr 18, 4:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBlanco, Burnet, Travis67 min
Apr 18, 6:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXHays, Travis55 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.