Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 87, NWS Fort Worth, TX

November 4, 1994Freestone County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at Nov 4, 1994, 5:06 PM CST for Freestone County, Texas. It was in force for 54 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Nov 4, 1994, 5:06 PM CST (23:06 UTC)
Expired
Nov 4, 1994, 6:00 PM CST
In force
54 min
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Freestone County, TX

The radar

The Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 145 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:15 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Longview/Gregg, TX (KGGG), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 163 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, Longview/Gregg, TX at 12:00Z on 1994-11-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 392 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, Longview/Gregg, TX at 12:00Z on 1994-11-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 273 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
392 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-27 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
613 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
273 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
341 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.5
Supercell composite
5.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFTW 042308
TORFTW
TXC161-050000-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
506 PM CST FRI NOV 4 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  600 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...FREESTONE COUNTY
 
AT 506 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED A POSSIBLE
TORNADO 4 MILES SOUTH OF FAIRFIELD. MOVEMENT WAS TOWARD THE EAST-
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THIS STORM WILL PASS JUST NORTH OF TURLINGTON IN
THE NEXT 30 MINUTES.
 
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.
 
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 TO 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, Nov 4, 3:09 PM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes before
TXZ144-145-157>162-175-042215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
309 PM CST FRI NOV 4 1994

AT 305 PM WACO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS
5 MILES EAST OF WACO.  ELSEWHERE ELSEWHERE MAINLY LIGHT RAIN WITH A
FEW EMBEDDED HEAVIER SHOWERS WAS OCCURRING GENERALLY NORTH OF A
KILLEEN TO MARLIN TO MEXIA LINE MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES
AN HOUR.

THE STRONGER STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING.

PERSONS IN CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER...ESPECIALLY TONIGHT.  A COLD FRONT WILL
SWEEP ACROSS NORTH TEXAS TONIGHT.  THIS BOUNDARY WILL INTERACT WITH A
VERY WARM AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS TO PRODUCE THE CHANCE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS.
>
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Nov 4, 3:10 PM CST, 1 hour 56 minutes before
TXZ091>096-100>111-115>125-129>137-141-143-146>149-042200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
310 PM CST FRI NOV 4 1994

...THE TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST
TEXAS HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

AT 310 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADARS SHOWED
THAT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...CONTINUED OVER EXTREME NORTH TEXAS
NORTHEAST OF A SEYMOUR...WICHITA FALLS LINE.

LARGE AREAS OF RAIN AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...WERE ALSO OVER
NORTH TEXAS...GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF A COLEMAN...DENTON
...SHERMAN LINE.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM JUST
SOUTH OF PITTSBURG TO ARP TO JUST NORTH OF ATHENS.  SOME OF THE
STRONGER STORMS MAY PRODUCE SOME GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN
HOUR AND SMALL HAIL AS WELL AS VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND FREQUENT
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THE TORNADO WATCH THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR THAT PART OF NORTH TEXAS
ALONG AND NORTH OF A MINERAL WELLS...TO PARIS LINE HAS BEEN
CANCELLED.  ALTHOUGH THUNDERSTORM WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH
THE AREA...THE LIKELIHOOD OF TORNADOES HAS DECREASED FOR NOW.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL TV OR RADIO
STATION FOR FURTHER UPDATES.
Special weather statement, Nov 4, 3:10 PM CST, 1 hour 56 minutes before
TXZ144-145-157>162-175-042215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
309 PM CST FRI NOV 4 1994

AT 305 PM WACO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS
5 MILES EAST OF WACO.  ELSEWHERE ELSEWHERE MAINLY LIGHT RAIN WITH A
FEW EMBEDDED HEAVIER SHOWERS WAS OCCURRING GENERALLY NORTH OF A
KILLEEN TO MARLIN TO MEXIA LINE MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES
AN HOUR.

THE STRONGER STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING.

PERSONS IN CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER...ESPECIALLY TONIGHT.  A COLD FRONT WILL
SWEEP ACROSS NORTH TEXAS TONIGHT.  THIS BOUNDARY WILL INTERACT WITH A
VERY WARM AND UNSZTABLE AIRMASS TO PRODUCE THE CHANCE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS.
>
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Nov 4, 3:13 PM CST, 1 hour 53 minutes before
TXZ091>096-100>111-115>125-129>137-141-143-146>149-042200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
310 PM CST FRI NOV 4 1994

...THE TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST
TEXAS HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

AT 310 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADARS SHOWED
THAT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...CONTINUED OVER EXTREME NORTH TEXAS
NORTHEAST OF A SEYMOUR...WICHITA FALLS LINE.

LARGE AREAS OF RAIN AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...WERE ALSO OVER
NORTH TEXAS...GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF A COLEMAN...DENTON
...SHERMAN LINE.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM JUST
SOUTH OF PITTSBURG TO ARP TO JUST NORTH OF ATHENS.  SOME OF THE
STRONGER STORMS MAY PRODUCE SOME GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN
HOUR AND SMALL HAIL AS WELL AS VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND FREQUENT
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THE TORNADO WATCH THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR THAT PART OF NORTH TEXAS
ALONG AND NORTH OF A MINERAL WELLS...TO PARIS LINE HAS BEEN
CANCELLED.  ALTHOUGH THUNDERSTORM WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH
THE AREA...THE LIKELIHOOD OF TORNADOES HAS DECREASED FOR NOW.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL TV OR R^ADIO
STATION FOR FURTHER UPDATES.
Special weather statement, Nov 4, 4:36 PM CST, 30 minutes before
TXZ144-145-157>162-175-042345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
436 PM CST FRI NOV 4 1994

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR HILL...BOSQUE...MCLENNAN...FALLS
LIMESTONE...AND LEON COUNTIES THROUGH TONIGHT...

AT 430 PM WACO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS
FROM WALNUT SPRINGS TO MERIDIAN...5 MILES EAST OF GROESBECK...5 MILES
EAST OF MOODY...AND FROM JONESBORO TO GATESVILLE.  THESE STORMS WERE
EMBEDDED WITHIN A LARGE AREA OF RAIN WHICH COVERED ALL OF CENTRAL TEXAS.
MOVEMENT OF THE PRECIPITATION WAS NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

THE STRONGER STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING.

PERSONS IN CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER ESPECIALLY LATER TONIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Nov 4, 4:38 PM CST, 28 minutes before
TXZ144-145-157>162-175-042345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
436 PM CST FRI NOV 4 1994

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR HILL...BOSQUE...MCLENNAN...FALLS
LIMESTONE...AND LEON COUNTIES THROUGH TONIGHT...

AT 430 PM WACO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS
FROM WALNUT SPRINGS TO MERIDIAN...5 MILES EAST OF GROESBECK...5 MILES
EAST OF MOODY...AND FROM JONESBORO TO GATESVILLE.  THESE STORMS WERE
EMBEDDED WITHIN A LARGE AREA OF RAIN WHICH COVERED ALL OF CENTRAL TEXAS.
MOVEMENT OF THE PRECIPITATION WAS NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

THE STRONGER STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING.

PERSONS IN CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER ESPECIALLY LATER TONIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 3, 6:06 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHopkins, Rains69 min
Nov 3, 7:26 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDLamar, Red River64 min
Nov 4, 4:08 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHenderson52 min
Nov 4, 4:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHaskell68 min
Nov 4, 4:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDFisher, Nolan68 min
Nov 4, 4:37 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDKaufman, Van Zandt53 min
Nov 4, 5:18 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDJones, Taylor57 min
Nov 4, 5:53 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDHenderson67 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.