Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 13, NWS Fort Worth, TX

April 12, 1991Johnson County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 12, 1991, 7:43 PM CDT for Johnson County, Texas. It was in force for 47 min. 2 reports 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 12, 1991, 7:43 PM CDT (00:43 UTC)
Expired
Apr 12, 1991, 8:30 PM CDT
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Johnson County, TX

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 12, 7:51 PM CDTTornado F2Johnson, TX
Apr 12, 8:40 PM CDTTornado F0Johnson, 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

Stephenville/Cla, TX (KSEP), launched 00:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 71 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, Stephenville/Cla, TX at 00:00Z on 1991-04-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2952 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Stephenville/Cla, TX at 00:00Z on 1991-04-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 66 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
2952 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1539 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
66 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
122 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.8
Supercell composite
8.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFTW 130058 COR
TORFTW
TXC251-130130-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING...CORRECTION TO TIME IN THIRD PARAGRAPH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
743 PM CDT FRI APR 12 1991

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  830 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS

   ...JOHNSON COUNTY

AT 740 PM CDT RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW A TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM OVER THE
SOUTHERN HALF OF JOHNSON COUNTY... MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 10 MPH. RADAR
INDICATED THAT THE MOST LIKELY LOCATION FOR A TORNADO WAS JUST SOUTH O
CLEBURNE... NEAR THE COMMUNITY OF RIO VISTA. GOLF BALL TO BASEBALL
SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED AT RIO VISTA AT 735 PM.
MEANWHILE... A FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAD ALSO BEEN ISSUED FOR JOHNSON
COUNTY UNTIL 1030 PM. THIS WAS DUE TO THE HEAVY RAIN AND SLOW MOVEMENT
OF THE STORM.

ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WAS OCCURRING BETWEEN GRANBURY
AND CLEBURNE AND WILL BE MOVING INTO WESTERN JOHNSON COUNTY BY 800 PM.
THIS THUNDERSTORM ALSO HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE
HAIL.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING.  AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH
OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

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 12, 3:18 PM CDT, 4 hours 25 minutes before
TXZ019>033-130400-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FT WORTH TX
320 PM CDT FRI APR 12 1991

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT NORTHWEST
OF A GAINESVILLE-MINERAL WELLS-ABILENE LINE. ADJACENT TO THE HIGH RISK
THERE IS A MODERATE RISK NORTHWEST OF A SHERMAN-30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
DALLAS-BROWNWOOD LINE...AND A SLIGHT RISK OVER THE REST OF NORTH TEXAS.

THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...FLASH FLOODING...AND POSSIBLY A FEW TORNADOES.

LIFTED INDICES ARE BELOW -10 IN WEST AND CENTRAL PORTIONS OF NORTH
TEXAS. THE COMBINATION OF EXTREME INSTABILITY AND MODERATE VERTICAL
WIND SHEARS SUGGESTS THAT SEVERE WEATHER AND FLASH FLOODING ARE LIKELY
OVER PORTIONS OF NORTH TEXAS THROUGH TONIGHT.

AT 3PM THUNDERSTORMS WERE FORMING RAPIDLY IN ERATH COUNTY...ABOUT 60
MILES SOUTHWEST OF FORT WORTH. THIS STORM COMPLEX WAS PART OF A ZONE
OF DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS THAT EXTENDED NORTH INTO OKLAHOMA. THESE
STORMS WERE FORMING AHEAD OF A DRY LINE WHICH HAD ADVANCED EAST TO
NEAR A CHILDRESS-COLEMAN LINE AT 3 PM. FURTHERMORE...THE OLD OUTFLOW
BOUNDARY...SITUATED NEAR A JACKSBORO-FORT WORTH-TYLER LINE COULD SERVE
TO HELP INTENSIFY STORMS THAT APPROACH FROM THE WEST.

STORMS SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS OFFICIALS SHOULD PREPARE
FOR LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING ACTIVATION. SPOTTERS IN DALLAS...TARRANT...
PARKER...ERATH...HOOD...JOHNSON...WISE...PALO PINTO...AND DENTON
COUNTIES CAN EXPECT ACTIVATION WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.
Special weather statement, Apr 12, 3:43 PM CDT, 4 hours before
TXZ031-122145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
342 PM CDT FRI APR 12 1991

...TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR BELL...BOSQUE...CORYELL
...HILL AND MCLENNAN COUNTIES...

AT 340 PM CDT WACO WEATHER RADAR SHOWED NO PRECIPITATION OCCURING IN CENTRAL
TEXAS.  HOWEVER...A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NOTED OVER ERATH COUNTY NEAR
STEPHENVILLE.  MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

WHILE NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS NOTED...RESIDENTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD BE ON
THE LOOKOUT FOR DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG
GUSTY WIND...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND LARGE HAIL.  TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE IN SOME AREAS.

A SURFACE FRONT AND DRYLINE CURRENTLY LOCATED TO THE WEST OF THE AREA WILL
SERVE AS THE FOCUS FOR SEVERE WEATHER.  THE VERTICLE WIND PROFILES ALSO<
INDICATE THAT SOME OF THE STORMS WXILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE FLOODING
AND FLASH FLOODING.

RESIDENTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.

BB
Special weather statement, Apr 12, 5:34 PM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
TXZ031-122345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
534 PM CDT FRI APR 12 1991

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR BELL...BOSQUE...CORYELL
...HILL AND MCLENNAN COUNTIES...

AT 520 PM CDT WACO WEATHER RADAR SHOWED NO PRECIPITATION OCCURING IN CENTRAL
TEXAS. HOWEVER...A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NOTED OVER HOOD COUNTY...
JUST SOUTH OF GRANBURY. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS NOTED OVER CENTRAL TEXAS RESIDENTS SHOULD
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THUNDERSTORMS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOME
OF THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY
WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND LARGE HAIL.  TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.<

07
Special weather statement, Apr 12, 7:14 PM CDT, 29 minutes before
TXZ031-130100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
712 PM CDT FRI APR 12 1991

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR BELL...BOSQUE...CORYELL
...HILL AND MCLENNAN COUNTIES...

AT 709 PM CDT A LARGE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS...STRONG
DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL WAS OVER JOHNSON COUNTY. IT WAS MOVING EAST AT 10
MILES AN HOUR.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS NOTED OVER CENTRAL TEXAS RESIDENTS SHOULD
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THUNDERSTORMS LATER THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. SOME
OF THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY
WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND LARGE HAIL.  TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.                                               05

The office that day

Everything else NWS Fort Worth, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 12, 7:34 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDJohnson3 hr
Apr 12, 8:30 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDJohnson60 min
Apr 12, 9:10 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDHill65 min
Apr 12, 9:30 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDJohnson45 min
Apr 12, 10:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDJohnson45 min
Apr 12, 10:16 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDHill59 min
Apr 12, 10:27 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDJohnson3 hr
Apr 12, 11:04 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDHill4 hr
Apr 13, 12:02 AM CDTTornado WarningFWDHill43 min
Apr 13, 12:16 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDEllis59 min
Apr 13, 9:04 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDJohnson, Somervell4 hr
Apr 13, 9:04 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDHamilton4 hr
Apr 13, 9:17 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDDallas, Tarrant4 hr
Apr 13, 10:32 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDEllis2 hr
Apr 13, 10:59 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDBell, Coryell, McLennan3 hr
Apr 13, 11:05 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDHunt, Rockwall3 hr
Apr 13, 11:56 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDBell64 min
Apr 13, 12:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDEllis31 min
Apr 13, 12:18 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDFalls, Limestone3 hr
Apr 13, 1:04 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDBell, Coryell, Falls, Hill, Limestone, McLennan3 hr
Apr 13, 1:06 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDRed River54 min
Apr 13, 4:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDBrazos, Robertson58 min
Apr 13, 5:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDLeon, Madison52 min
Apr 13, 6:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDBrazos57 min
Apr 13, 6:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDBrazos62 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.