Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

January 14, 1991Matagorda County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Jan 14, 1991, 7:57 PM CST for Matagorda County, Texas. It was in force for 63 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jan 14, 1991, 7:57 PM CST (01:57 UTC)
Expired
Jan 14, 1991, 9:00 PM CST
In force
63 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Matagorda County, TX

The nearest sounding before it

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 00:00Z, 2.0 hours before the alert went out and 176 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 1991-01-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1267 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 1991-01-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 308 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
1267 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-36 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
767 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
57 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
308 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
396 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.5
Supercell composite
10.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KHOU 150156
TORHOU
TXC321-150300-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
757 PM CST MON JAN 14 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  900 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
 
   ...MATAGORDA COUNTY
 
FOR THE COASTAL WATERS ADJACENT TO MATAGORDA AND BRAZORIA COUNTIES
 
 
AT 755 PM CST STORM SPOTTERS REPORTED THAT A TORNADO STRUCK A WAL MART
STORE IN BAY CITY.
 
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.

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, Jan 14, 5:55 PM CST, 2 hours 2 minutes before
SPECIAL WEASTHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GALVESTON TX
445 PM CST MON JAN 14 1991

.....TORNADO WATCH AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR GALVESTON AND
     CHAMBERS COUNTIES...INCLUDING GALVESTON ISLAND OF SOUTHEAST
     TEXAS.....

NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED TO
DEVELOP OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS.  THEY WERE EAST AND SOUTH OF A LINE
FROM PORT ARANSAS TO AUSTIN TO 30 MILES NORTH OF LUFKIN.  HEAVIEST
RAINFALL WAS OVER AN AREA FROM HALLETSVILLE TO LAGRANGE TO WEST OF
COLLEGE STATION.   SHOWERS WERE IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF HOUSTON
...FREEPORT AND GALVESTON...OTHERS WERE OVER THE` COASTAL WATERS SOUTH
OF MATAGORDA.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTH AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Jan 14, 6:24 PM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes before
TXZ048-150100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GALVESTON TX
535 PM CST MON JAN 14 1991

.....TORNADO WATCH AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR GALVESTON AND
     CHAMBERS COUNTIES...INCLUDING GALVESTON ISLAND OF SOUTHEAST
     TEXAS.....

NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED TO
DEVELOP OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS.  THEY WERE EAST AND SOUTH OF A LINE
FROM PORT ARANSAS TO AUSTIN TO 45 MILES NORTH OF LUFKIN.  HEAVIEST
RAINFALL WAS OVER AN AREA FROM HALLETSVILLE TO COLUMBUS TO BELLVILLE.
SHOWERS WERE ALONG THE COASTAL AREAS FROM PALACIOS TO HOUSTON...
OTHERS WERE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS FROM PORT O'CONNOR TO PORT
ARANSAS AND OUT TO 125 !MILES SOUTHWEST OF GALVESTON.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTH AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Jan 14, 6:49 PM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes before
TXZ048-150200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GALVESTON TX
635 PM CST MON JAN 14 1991

.....TORNADO WATCH AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR GALVESTON AND
     CHAMBERS COUNTIES...INCLUDING GALVESTON ISLAND OF SOUTHEAST
     TEXAS.....

NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW WITH LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAIN...
CONTINUED OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THEY WERE EAST AND SOUTH OF A LINE
FROM PORT ARANSAS TO AUSTIN TO 45 MILES NORTH OF LUFKIN. HEAVIEST
RAINFALL WAS OVER AN AREA FROM 25 MILES NORTH OF PALACIOS TO COLUMBUS
TO 25 MILES NORTHWEST OF CONROE. OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE
OVER THE COASTAL WATERS AND THE GULF EXTENDING TO 75 MILES OFFSHORE
FROM PORT O'CONNOR3 TO PORT ARANSAS.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTH AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Jan 14, 7:00 PM CST, 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEASTHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GALVESTON TX
535 PM CST MON JAN 14 1991

.....TORNADO WATCH AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR GALVESTON AND
     CHAMBERS COUNTIES...INCLUDING GALVESTON ISLAND OF SOUTHEAST
     TEXAS.....

NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED TO
DEVELOP OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS.  THEY WERE EAST AND SOUTH OF A LINE
FROM PORT ARANSAS TO AUSTIN TO 45 MILES NORTH OF LUFKIN.  HEAVIEST
RAINFALL WAS OVER AN AREA FROM HALLETSVILLE TO COLUMBUS TO BELLVILLE.
COLLEGE STATION.   SHOWERS WERE ALONG THE COASTAL AREAS FROM PALACIOS
TO HOUSTON...OTHERS WERE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS FROM PORT O'CONNOR
TO PORT ARANSAS AND OUT TO 125 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GALVESTON.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTH AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Jan 14, 7:26 PM CST, 31 minutes before
TXZ047-049-037-032-046-045-150230-

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
725 PM CST MON JAN 14 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CST...
...A FLASH FLOOD/FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT...

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CST FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL
AND EAST TEXAS. METROPOLITAN HOUSTON AND SUROUNDING COUNTIES ARE
INCLUDED IN THE TORNADO WATCH AREA.

A FLASH FLOOD/FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS TONIGHT.

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM HAS DEVELOPED OVER WEST TEXAS.  THE STORM
WILL RACE RAPIDLY EAST ACROS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS
TONIGHT.  THE UPPER LEVEL STORM WILL TRIGGER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AS
IT MOVES TOWARD THE AREA AND MAY PRODUCE ONE OR TWO TORNADOES.

RADAR SHOWS THAT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTEND FROM NEAR FREEPORT NORTH
THROUGH MATAGORDA...FORTH BEND ...AND WESTERN HARRIS COUNTY.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE CITY OF HOUSTON DURING THE
NEXT 2 HOURS.

ANOTHER BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EAST OF THE AUSTIN...SAN
ANTONIO AREA WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST TEXAS LATER THIS EVENING.

MANY STREAMS AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS ARE NEAR CAPACITY
FROM LAST WEEKS HEAVY RAIN.  ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN TRIGGERED BY THE
UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MAY CAUSE RAPID FLOODING OF OVERTAXED DRAINAGE
SYSTEMS.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL TV OR RADIO STATION OR TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO
FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, Jan 14, 7:40 PM CST, 17 minutes before
TXZ048-150300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GALVESTON TX
735 PM CST MON JAN 14 1991

.....TORNADO WATCH AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR GALVESTON AND
     CHAMBERS COUNTIES...INCLUDING GALVESTON ISLAND OF SOUTHEAST
     TEXAS.....

AT 725 PM CST... NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS... A FEW WITH LOCALLY VERY
HEAVY RAIN... INCREASED AND CONTINUED OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THEY WERE
EAST AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM PORT ARANSAS TO VICTORIA TO LUFKIN.
HEAVIEST RAINFALL WAS OVER AN AREA FROM 5 MILES EAST OF PALACIOS TO
25 MILES SOUTH OF COLLEGE STATION. OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WERE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS AND THE GULF EXTENDING TO BEYOND 125
MILES OFFSHORE FROM PORT O'CONNOR TO GALVESTON.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTH AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 14, 6:32 PM CSTTornado WarningHGXColorado, Wharton58 min
Jan 14, 6:43 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXAustin, Waller62 min
Jan 14, 7:51 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXMatagorda69 min
Jan 14, 8:08 PM CSTTornado WarningHGXFort Bend, Harris67 min
Jan 14, 8:38 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazoria67 min
Jan 14, 9:40 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXGalveston65 min
Jan 14, 9:52 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXMontgomery, San Jacinto68 min
Jan 14, 9:52 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXGalveston68 min
Jan 14, 10:17 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXChambers118 min
Jan 14, 10:36 PM CSTTornado WarningHGXFort Bend, Harris69 min
Jan 15, 12:04 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXChambers, Galveston56 min
Jan 15, 3:56 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningHGXMontgomery3 hr
Jan 15, 7:03 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningHGXMontgomery117 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.