Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 16, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

May 13, 19944 counties in Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at May 13, 1994, 6:16 PM CDT for 4 counties in Texas. It was in force for 59 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 13, 1994, 6:16 PM CDT (23:16 UTC)
Expired
May 13, 1994, 7:15 PM CDT
In force
59 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Brazoria County, TX, Chambers County, TX, Galveston County, TX, Harris County, TX

The radar

The Houston radar (KHGX), 4 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:16 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

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 193 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 1994-05-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 972 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 1994-05-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 42 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
972 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-39 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
791 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
42 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
76 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

The text of this product is not in the archive. The NWS text archive before 2002 is incomplete.

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.

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 13, 2:47 PM CDT, 3 hours 29 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 13, 2:47 PM CDT, 3 hours 29 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON, TX
246 PM CDT FRI MAY 13 1994

WITH ONGOING WX...DISCUSSION TO BE BRIEF.  ALTHOUGH MODELS MOVE UPPER
TROF SLIGHTLY EAST THRU 48H...VORT LOBE STILL TRAILING IN N CNTRL TX.
IN ADDITION...PROGS KEEP THE SFC FRONT TO OUR WEST.  DOESN`T LUK LIKE
FA WILL CLEAR TOO MUCH OVER WKND.  WILL KEEP AT LEAST SLIGHT CHC POPS
IN THRU FCST PD...WITH HIGHEST POPS TONIGHT (OBVIOUSLY).  PERSISTENCE
F^OR TEMPS.  41/39

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 13, 12:52 PM CDT, 5 hours 24 minutes before
TXZ211-210-227-198-213-163-200-199-179-178-164-177-212-197-226-
041-051-239-313-140100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
1252 PM CDT FRI MAY 13 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL
   800 PM TONIGHT...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF EAST
   TEXAS UNTIL 8PM TONIGHT...
...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND THE
   ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS UNTIL 9PM TONIGHT...

THE TORNADO WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING SOUTHEAST TEXAS COUNTIES...
HOUSTON...TRINITY...AUSTIN...BURLESON...WHARTON...BRAZOS...COLORADO...
JACKSON...WASHINGTON...FORT BEND...MADISON...WALKER...GRIMES...
MONTGOMERY...WALLER...HARRIS...POLK...LIBERTY AND SAN JACINTO.  THIS
WATCH DOES INCLUDE THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA AND THE BRYAN-COLLEGE
STATION AREA.  THE WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT TONIGHT.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING EAST TEXAS
COUNTIES...HARDIN...TYLER...JASPER...AND NEWTON. THE WATCH IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 8PM TONIGHT.

THE TORNADO WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COASTAL SOUTHEAST TEXAS
COUNTIES...ORANGE...JEFFERSON...CHAMBERS...GALVESTON...BRAZORIA...AND
MATAGORDA. THIS WATCH INCLYDES THE BEAUMONT-PORT ARTHUR AND GALVESTON
METROPOLITIAN AREAS. THE WATCH IS IN EFFCT UNTIL 9PM TONIGHT.

THE AIRMASS OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS REMAINS VERY UNSTABLE.  THIS IN
COMBINATION WITH DAYTIME HEATING AND AN UPPER LOW OVER EASTERN NEW
MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS WILL PROVIDE A GOOD CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS.  SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY
PRODUCE TORNADOES.  REMEMBER A WATCH MEANS SEVERE WEATHER IS POSSIBLE IN
OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA...INCLUDING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OR TORNADOS. TAKE
COVER IMMEDIATELY IS A WARNING IS ISSUED OR SEVERE WEATHER IS OBSERVED.
Special weather statement, May 13, 12:54 PM CDT, 5 hours 22 minutes before
TXZ211-210-227-198-213-163-200-199-179-178-164-177-212-197-226-
041-051-239-313-140100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
1252 PM CDT FRI MAY 13 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL
   800 PM TONIGHT...

THE TORNADO WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING SOUTHEAST TEXAS COUNTIES...
HOUSTON...TRINITY...AUSTIN...BURLESON...WHARTON...BRAZOS...COLORADO...
JACKSON...WASHINGTON...FORT BEND...MADISON...WALKER...GRIMES...
MONTGOMERY...WALLER...HARRIS...POLK...LIBERTY AND SAN JACINTO.  THIS
WATCH DOES INCLUDE THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA AND THE BRYAN-COLLEGE
STATION AREA.  THE WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT TONIGHT.

AT 1239 PM CDT A CLUSTER OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED
FROM WESTERN COLORADO COUNTY INTO LAVACA COUNTY.  A POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS
LOCATED ABOUT 10 MILES TO THE SOUTHEAST OF HALLETTSVILLE.
ALSO...ANOTHER AREA OF WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS
DEVELOPING FROM NORTH ZULCH IN MADISON COUNTY TO WOODVILLE IN TYLER
COUNTY.  BOTH OF THESE AREAS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 10 TO 15 MPH.

THE AIRMASS OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS REMAINS VERY UNSTABLE.  THIS IN
COMBINATION WITH DAYTIME HEATING AND AN UPPER LOW OVER EASTERN NEW
MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS WILL PROVIDE A GOOD CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS.  SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY
PRODUCE TORNADOES.  REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH MEANS TORNADOES ARE
POSSIBLE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA.  TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY IF A WARNING
IS ISSUED OR A TORNADO IS OBSERVED.
Special weather statement, May 13, 3:21 PM CDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before
TXZ211-210-227-198-213-163-200-199-179-178-164-177-212-197-226-
041-051-239-313-140100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
1252 PM CDT FRI MAY 13 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL
   800 PM TONIGHT...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF EAST
   TEXAS UNTIL 8PM TONIGHT...
...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND THE
   ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS UNTIL 9PM TONIGHT...

THE TORNADO WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING SOUTHEAST TEXAS COUNTIES...
HOUSTON...TRINITY...AUSTIN...BURLESON...WHARTON...BRAZOS...COLORADO...
JACKSON...WASHINGTON...FORT BEND...MADISON...WALKER...GRIMES...
MONTGOMERY...WALLER...HARRIS...POLK...LIBERTY AND SAN JACINTO.  THIS
WATCH DOES INCLUDE THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA AND THE BRYAN-COLLEGE
STATION AREA.  THE WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT TONIGHT.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING EAST TEXAS
COUNTIES...HARDIN...TYLER...JASPER...AND NEWTON. THE WATCH IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 8PM TONIGHT.

THE TORNADO WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COASTAL SOUTHEAST TEXAS
COUNTIES...ORANGE...JEFFERSON...CHAMBERS...GALVESTON...BRAZORIA...AND
MATAGORDA. THIS WATCH INCLYDES THE BEAUMONT-PORT ARTHUR AND GALVESTON
METROPOLITIAN AREAS. THE WATCH IS IN EFFCT UNTIL 9PM TONIGHT.

THE AIRMASS OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS REMAINS VERY UNSTABLE.  THIS IN
COMBINATION WITH DAYTIME HEATING AND AN UPPER LOW OVER EASTERN NEW
MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS WILL PROVIDE A GOOD CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS.  SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY
PRODUCE TORNADOES.  REMEMBER A WATCH MEANS SEVERE WEATHER IS POSSIBLE IN
OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA.B..INCLUDING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OR TORNADOS. TAKE
COVER IMMEDIATELY IS A WARNING IS ISSUED OR SEVERE WEATHER IS OBSERVED.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 13, 12:49 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXColorado56 min
May 13, 1:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXMontgomery60 min
May 13, 2:16 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXAustin, Washington41 min
May 13, 2:18 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXMontgomery57 min
May 13, 2:33 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXColorado27 min
May 13, 2:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXColorado2 hr
May 13, 3:11 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXWashington34 min
May 13, 3:52 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXBurleson68 min
May 13, 3:53 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXWashington67 min
May 13, 4:00 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXBrazos, Grimes60 min
May 13, 4:21 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXPolk69 min
May 13, 4:31 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXAustin, Waller59 min
May 13, 4:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris58 min
May 13, 4:51 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXHouston, Trinity69 min
May 13, 5:07 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXHarris, Montgomery68 min
May 13, 5:26 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXJackson44 min
May 13, 6:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXLiberty66 min
May 13, 6:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXPolk52 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.