Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

May 13, 1994Montgomery County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at May 13, 1994, 2:18 PM CDT for Montgomery County, Texas. It was in force for 57 min. 1 report 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
May 13, 1994, 2:18 PM CDT (19:18 UTC)
Expired
May 13, 1994, 3:15 PM CDT
In force
57 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Montgomery County, TX

The radar

The Houston radar (KHGX), 101 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:20 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 13, 2:30 PM CDTTornado F0Montgomery, TXTornado touched down near Conroe at Needham Road.

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

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 7.3 hours before the alert went out and 222 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

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

000 
TTAA00 KHOU 131919
TORHOU
TXC339-132015-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
218 PM CDT FRI MAY 13 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  315 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
 
   ...MONTGOMERY COUNTY
 
AT 215 PM...A TORNADO WAS NEAR CONROE...MOVING NORTHEAST TOWARD CUT AND
SHOOT.
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO... SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR
ROOM... SUCH AS A CLOSET OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE.
AVOID WINDOWS AND PROTECT YOUR BODY FROM FLYING DEBRIS WITH
CUSHIONS... BLANKETS... OR PILLOWS.

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, 9:41 AM CDT, 4 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 13, 9:41 AM CDT, 4 hours 37 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON, TX
941 AM CDT FRI MAY 13 1994

AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY WAS INTERACTING IN AN UNCAPPED AND UNSTABLE
ENVIRONMENT OVR SE TX THIS MORNING PRODUCING SEVERAL WATERSPOUT AND
FUNNEL CLOUDS IN AND AROUND GLS BAY.  LI`S RANGED FROM -8 TO -10 AND WILL
CONTINUE THE THREAT OF SCATTERED TSTORMS WITH ISOLATED PULSE SVR POSSIBLE
AGAIN THIS AFTN.

COLD AIR ALOFT WITH GUD HEIGHT FALLS CUD BE SEEN ACROSS SW TX ON 12Z
ANALYSIS.  LOW SHUD CONTINUE TO MOVE TOWARDS SE TX THRU SAT INCSG THE CHC
FOR HVY RAINFALL AND SVR STORMS.  SFC DEWPOINTS CONTINUE IN THE LOWER
TO MID 70S AS GULF MOISTURE CONTINUES TO DEEPEN.

ON THIS UPDATE WILL INCREASE THE POPS BACK TO SOLID CHC CATEGORY
ACROSS ALL ZONES THRU SAT DUE TO POTENTIALLY UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT AND
OUTFLOW BNDRY AND SEABREEZE INTERACTIONS.

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 13, 11:19 AM CDT, 2 hours 59 minutes before
TXZ211-210-198-163-164-177-212-197-041-051-313-132215-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
1119 AM CDT FRI MAY 13 1994

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND WEST OF A
LUFKIN TO HUNTSVILLE TO COLUMBUS LINE THIS AFTERNOON.

A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSHPERE CONTINUES OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS
AHEAD OF A SLOW MOVING COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL TEXAS. IF
THIS RAIN COOLED AREA OVER CENTRAL TEXAS CONTINUES TO MOVE EAST INTO
SOUTHEAST TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON...THE COLLISION OF THE RAIN COOLED AIR
AND THE HOT AND HUMID AIR OVER THE AREA WILL PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS.

AT 11AM A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS IN PROGRESS JUST NORTHWEST OF THE
AUSTIN AREA.  THIS STORM HAS HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL
AND FLASH FLOOODING.

THE RISK AREA WILL BE MONITORED FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. STAY TUNED TO
YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER NEWS SOURCES FOR FURTHER UPDATES.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND SKYWARN BE PREPARED FOR ACTIVATION.
Special weather statement, May 13, 11:20 AM CDT, 2 hours 58 minutes before
TXZ211-210-198-163-164-177-212-197-041-051-313-132215-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
1119 AM CDT FRI MAY 13 1994

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND WEST OF A
LUFKIN TO HUNTSVILLE TO COLUMBUS LINE THIS AFTERNOON.

A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSHPERE CONTINUES OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS
AHEAD OF A SLOW MOVING COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL TEXAS. IF
THIS RAIN COOLED AREA OVER CENTRAL TEXAS CONTINUES TO MOVE EAST INTO
SOUTHEAST TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON...THE COLLISION OF THE RAIN COOLED AIR
AND THE HOT AND HUMID AIR OVER THE AREA WILL PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS.

AT 11AM A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS IN PROGRESS JUST NORTHWEST OF THE
AUSTIN AREA.  THIS STORM HAS HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL
AND FLASH FLOOODING.

THE RISK AREA WILL BE MONITORED FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. STAY TUNED TO
YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER NEWS SOURCES FOR FURTHER UPDATES.
EMERGENCY MANAGE^MENT AND SKYWARN BE PREPARED FOR ACTIVATION.
Special weather statement, May 13, 12:52 PM CDT, 1 hour 26 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, 1 hour 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...

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.

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, 2:33 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, 6:16 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXBrazoria, Chambers, Galveston, Harris59 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.