Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 39, NWS Fort Worth, TX

April 29, 1994Ellis County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 29, 1994, 7:07 PM CDT for Ellis County, Texas. It was in force for 53 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 29, 1994, 7:07 PM CDT (00:07 UTC)
Expired
Apr 29, 1994, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
53 min
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Ellis County, TX

The nearest sounding before it

Stephenville/Cla, TX (KSEP), launched 00:00Z, 0.1 hours before the alert went out and 124 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 1994-04-30Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 1994-04-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 525 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
626 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
63 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
525 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
672 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFTW 300008
TORFTW
TXC139-300100-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
707 PM CDT FRI APR 29 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  800 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...ELLIS COUNTY
 
AT 705 PM CDT DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AND STORM SPOTTERS REPORT A
TORNADO ON THE WEST SIDE OF WAXAHACHIE MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
THIS TORNADO THREATENS THE COMMUNITIES OF WAXAHACHIE...OVILLA... OAK
LEAF AND RED OAK.
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.

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 29, 3:05 PM CDT, 4 hours 2 minutes before
TXZ144-145-157>162-175-302130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
305 PM CDT FRI APR 29 1994

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR BOSQUE...HILL...
   CORYELL AND MCLENNAN COUNTIES OF CENTRAL TEXAS...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES THIS AFTERNOON FOR ALL OF CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 258 PM CDT RAINFALL WAS NO LONGER INDICATED OVER THE CENTRAL TEXAS
AREA. HOWEVER...THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING IN SOUTHWEST TEXAS AND ARE
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA LATE
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

WITH MANY CENTRAL TEXAS AREAS RECEIVING ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN DURING
THE NIGHT...ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL THIS AFERNOON AND EVENING WILLN POSE
A THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING...ALONG THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AS THIS SEVERE WEATHER EVENT UNFOLDS.
<
07
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 3:51 PM CDT, 3 hours 16 minutes before
TXZ091>167-292100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
350 PM CDT FRI APR 29 1994

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL...CENTRAL...SOUTHWEST TEXAS
UNTIL 1000 PM CDT TONIGHT...

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT 70 MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES
NORTHWEST OF DEL RIO TO 25 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF DALLAS.

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF NORTH TEXAS THIS EVENING

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY FOR THAT PART OF NORTH TEXAS BOUNDED
BY MONTAGUE...EASTLAND...BRADY...BELTON...CENTERVILLE...TYLER...AND
CLARKSVILLE.  SOME OF THE CITIES IN THE WATCH INCLUDE TYLER...SHERMAN
...PARIS...MINERAL WELLS...CLEBURNE...AND THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH METROPLEX.

AT 3:50 PM...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED WIDESPREAD RAIN AND SCATTERED SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS GENERALLY NORTH OF A LINE FROM SAN ANGELO TO TYLER.
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

NORTH TEXAS RESIDENTS AND TRAVELERS ARE REMINDED TO BE ALERT AND STAY
AWARE OF THE WEATHER IN AND NEAR YOUR PARTICULAR AREA.

LISTEN TO LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR UPDATES
ON THIS LATEST WEATHER EPISODE.
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 4:14 PM CDT, 2 hours 53 minutes before
TXZ091-167-300100-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FT WORTH TX
415 PM CDT FRI APR 29 1994

...COMBINED FLASH FLOOD AND SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES ACROSS
NORTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT FOR
THAT PART OF NORTH TEXAS GENERALLY SOUTH AND EAST OF A SHERMAN-
WEATHERFORD-BROWNWOOD LINE.  THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS NORTH AND WEST OF THIS LINE.  IN ADDITION...A FLASH
FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST PORTIONS OF
NORTH TEXAS. THE FLASH FLOOD THREAT MAY BECOME SUBSTANTIAL TONIGHT.

AT 4PM A WARM FRONT WAS LOCATED NEAR A PARIS-DALLAS-LAMPASAS LINE.
STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS JUST ABOVE THE GROUND WERE FORCING THE FRONT
VERY SLOWLY TO THE NORTH.  THESE STRONG WINDS DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE
TO A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE APPROACHING FROM MEXICO.

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE FORMING AT MID-AFTERNOON FROM NEAR ABILENE
TO DEL RIO.  THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN NUMBER AND
INTENSIFY AS THEY MOVE RAPIDLY NORTHEAST INTO NORTH TEXAS.  THE
GREATEST THREAT FROM THESE STORMS ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT
WILL BE FROM LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS..HEAVY RAINFALL...AND
ISOLATED TORNADOES.  TORNADOES ARE NOT LIKELY IN THE 40 TO MID 50
DEGREE AIR NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT.  HOWEVER...THESE AREAS MAY
EXPERIENCE HEAVY RAINFALL...LARGE HAIL...AND GUSTY WINDS.

THE AIR MASS IS VERY UNSTABLE IN THE WARM SECTOR.  FURTHER...ALTHOUGH
TURNING OF THE WINDS WITH HEIGHT WAS MARGINAL AT 4PM...THE TURNING
FACTOR MAY INCREASE BY EARLY EVENING.  AND...WIND SPEEDS ARE QUITE
STRONG ABOVE THE GROUND...INDICATING A THREAT OF TORNADOES.  AT
LEAST ONE TORNADO WAS REPORTED WITH THE EARLY ACTIVITY IN EASTERN
PECOS COUNTY...ABOUT 70 MILES SOUTH OF MIDLAND.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD BE READY FOR
POSSIBLE ACTIVATION TODAY...WITH THE GREATEST THREAT FROM SEVERE
WEATHE6R COMING AFTER 5PM IN WEST AND SOUTHWEST SECTIONS OF NORTH TEXAS
...AFTER 7 PM IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH SECTIONS...AND AFTER 10 PM IN THE
EAST.
Local storm report, Apr 29, 4:39 PM CDT, 2 hours 28 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
438 PM CDT FRI APR 29 1994

...SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS FROM THE MORNING OF FRI. APR 29 1994...

237 AM CDT...DIME SIZE HAIL AT BYNAM AND MERTENS...HILL FCOUNTY...
             BY HILL COUNTY SHERIFF`S OFFICE.
343 AM CDT...MARBLE SIZE HAIL AT CHANNEL 6 TV...MCLENNAN COUNTY...
             CHANNEL 6 TV WEATHER MET.
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 5:28 PM CDT, 1 hour 39 minutes before
TXZ091>167-300100-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FT WORTH TX
515 PM CDT FRI APR 29 1994

...COMBINED FLASH FLOOD AND SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES ACROSS
NORTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT FOR
THAT PART OF NORTH TEXAS GENERALLY SOUTH AND EAST OF A SHERMAN-
WEATHERFORD-BROWNWOOD LINE.  THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS NORTH AND WEST OF THIS LINE.  IN ADDITION...A FLASH
FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST PORTIONS OF
NORTH TEXAS. THE FLASH FLOOD THREAT MAY BECOME SUBSTANTIAL TONIGHT.

AT 4PM A WARM FRONT WAS LOCATED NEAR A PARIS-DALLAS-LAMPASAS LINE.
STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS JUST ABOVE THE GROUND WERE FORCING THE FRONT
VERY SLOWLY TO THE NORTH.  THESE STRONG WINDS DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE
TO A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE APPROACHING FROM MEXICO.
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE FORMING AT MID-AFTERNOON FROM NEAR ABILENE
TO DEL RIO.  THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN NUMBER AND
INTENSIFY AS THEY MOVE RAPIDLY NORTHEAST INTO NORTH TEXAS.  THE
GREATEST THREAT FROM THESE STORMS ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT
WILL BE FROM LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS..HEAVY RAINFALL...AND
ISOLATED TORNADOES.  TORNADOES ARE NOT LIKELY IN THE 40 TO MID 50
DEGREE AIR NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT.  HOWEVER...THESE AREAS MAY
EXPERIENCE HEAVY RAINFALL...LARGE HAIL...AND GUSTY WINDS.

THE AIR MASS IS VERY UNSTABLE IN THE WARM SECTOR.  FURTHER...ALTHOUGH
TURNING OF THE WINDS WITH HEIGHT WAS MARGINAL AT 4PM...THE TURNING
FACTOR MAY INCREASE BY EARLY EVENING.  AND...WIND SPEEDS ARE QUITE
STRONG ABOVE THE GROUND...INDICATING A THREAT OF TORNADOES.  AT
LEAST ONE TORNADO WAS REPORTED WITH THE EARLY ACTIVITY IN EASTERN
PECOS COUNTY...ABOUT 70 MILES SOUTH OF MIDLAND.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD BE READY FOR
POSSIBLE ACTIVATION TODAY...WITH THE GREATEST THREAT FROM SEVERE
WEATHER COMING AFTER 5PM IN WEST AND SOUTHWEST SECTIONS OF NORTH TEXAS
...AFTER 7 PM IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH SECTIONS...AND AFTER 10 PM IN THE
EAST.
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 6:02 PM CDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before
TXZ091>167-300000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
600 PM CDT FRI APR 29 1994

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM FOR THAT PART OF NORTH
TEXAS GENERALLY BOUNDED BY AN ABILENE TO MONTAGUE TO KAUFMAN TO TEMPLE
LINE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT FOR MUCH OF THE
CENTRAL 1/3 OF NORTH TEXAS.

AT 550 PM CDT DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED WIDELY SCATTERED TO SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS OVER AN AREA GENERALLY WEST OF A SHERMAN TO DECATUR TO
DALLAS TO TEMPLE LINE.  WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED
GENERALLY EAST OF A SHERMAN TO COOPER TO TYLER LINE.

THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR LAKE WHITNEY MOVING
NORTHEAST AROUND 20 MPH AND WAS HEADING TOWARDS THE CLEBURNE
ALVARADO...MAYPEARL AREAS OF JOHNSON AND ELLIS COUNTIES.  ANOTHER
INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED 20 MILES WEST OF BERECKENRIDGE AND 40
MILES SOUTHWEST OF CISCO.  MOVEMENT OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR
FURTHER UPDATES.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 29, 7:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDDallas65 min
Apr 29, 8:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDKaufman65 min
Apr 29, 8:40 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDKaufman35 min
Apr 29, 9:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHunt55 min
Apr 29, 9:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDVan Zandt62 min
Apr 29, 9:40 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDVan Zandt20 min
Apr 29, 9:46 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDRains44 min
Apr 29, 10:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHopkins53 min
Apr 29, 10:23 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDWood37 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1994Every tornado warning in 1994Tornadoes in 1994

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.