Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Lake Charles, LA

May 15, 1994Orange County, Texas

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this tornado warning at May 15, 1994, 11:30 AM CDT for Orange County, Texas. It was in force for 45 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 15, 1994, 11:30 AM CDT (16:30 UTC)
Expired
May 15, 1994, 12:15 PM CDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area
Whole counties

County Orange County, TX

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 67 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 1994-05-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2205 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°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 1994-05-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 58 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
2205 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
516 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
58 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
63 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.4
Supercell composite
2.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBPT 151630
TORBPT
TXC361-151715-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
1130 AM CDT SUN MAY 15 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PORT ARTHUR HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1215 PM CDT
FOR PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
 
   ...ORANGE COUNTY
 
WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO OVER THE NORTHERN END OF
SABINE LAKE MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST. PERSONS IN BRIDGE CITY AND
ORANGE SHOULD TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.
 
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
DFLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.
 
 
 
NNNN

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, May 15, 7:35 AM CDT, 3 hours 55 minutes before
LAZ020-022-027-028-030>032-041>044-051-052-151335-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
735 AM CDT SUN MAY 15 1994

AT 725 AM...THE LEADING EDGE OF A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY
RAIN EXTENDED FROM 40 MILES NORTHEAST OF JENA TO JUST NORTHWEST OF
DE QUINCY TO 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF KIRBYVILLE TEXAS.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAIN..
STORNG GUSTY WINDS..AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL OVER RAPIDES..SOUTHEAST
VENON..BEAUREGARD..AND ALLEN PARISHES DURING THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO AS THEY
MOVE EAST.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE SHOWN ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE
FROM JUST SOUTH OF CONROE TEXA TO BAYTOWN TO FREEPORT.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, May 15, 8:41 AM CDT, 2 hours 49 minutes before
TXZ201-181-215-182-216-180-151445-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
841 AM CDT SUN MAY 15 1994

...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS INVADED SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

AT 835 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING ALONG A KIRBYVILLE...WARREN...LIBERTY...AND
HOUSTON LINE.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOTED WEST OF THE GOLDEN
TRIANGLE NEAR LIBERTY.

THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY THIS MORNING.
THEREFORE THE SAME AREAS WILL SEE REPEATED BOUTS OF HEAVY RAIN
AS THE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE NORTHEAST ALONG THE LINE.

SOME ISOLATED LOCATIONS OVER SOUTHERN TYLER COUNTY HAVE RECIEVED THREE
AND A HALF INCHES OF RAIN SINCE 500 AM.  ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL...WHICH
IS LIKELY...WILL RUNOFF QUICKLY AND CAUSE MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING
AREAS AND LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
THROUGH THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS.  IN ADDITION TO THE BRIEF
HEAVY RAINFALL...SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...
STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN...MOVE INDOORS UNTIL THEY HAVE PASSED.  AND
NEVER ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER COVERING THE ROAD.
Special weather statement, May 15, 8:41 AM CDT, 2 hours 49 minutes before
TXZ201-181-215-182-216-180-151445-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
841 AM CDT SUN MAY 15 1994

...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS INVADED SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

AT 835 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING ALONG A KIRBYVILLE...WARREN...LIBERTY...AND
HOUSTON LINE.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOTED WEST OF THE GOLDEN
TRIANGLE NEAR LIBERTY.

THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY THIS MORNING.
THEREFORE THE SAME AREAS WILL SEE REPEATED BOUTS OF HEAVY RAIN
AS THE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE NORTHEAST ALONG THE LINE.

SOME ISOLATED LOCATIONS OVER SOUTHERN TYLER COUNTY HAVE RECIEVED THREE
AND A HALF INCHES OF RAIN SINCE 500 AM.  ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL...WHICH
IS LIKELY...WILL RUNOFF QUICKLY AND CAUSE MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING
AREAS AND LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
THROUGH THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS.  IN ADDITION TO THE BRIEF
HEAVY RAINFALL...SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...
STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN...MOVE INDOORS UNTIL THEY HAVE PASSED.  AND
NEVER ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER COVERING THE ROAD.
Special weather statement, May 15, 8:42 AM CDT, 2 hours 48 minutes before
TXZ201-181-215-182-216-180-151445-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
841 AM CDT SUN MAY 15 1994

...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS INVADED SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

AT 835 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING ALONG A KIRBYVILLE...WARREN...LIBERTY...AND
HOUSTON LINE.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOTED WEST OF THE GOLDEN
TRIANGLE NEAR LIBERTY.

THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY THIS MORNING.
THEREFORE THE SAME AREAS WILL SEE REPEATED BOUTS OF HEAVY RAIN
AS THE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE NORTHEAST ALONG THE LINE.

SOME ISOLATED LOCATIONS OVER SOUTHERN TYLER COUNTY HAVE RECIEVED THREE
AND A HALF INCHES OF RAIN SINCE 500 AM.  ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL...WHICH
IS LIKELY...WILL RUNOFF QUICKLY AND CAUSE MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING
AREAS AND LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
THROUGH THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS.  IN ADDITION TO THE BRIEF
HEAVY RAINFALL...SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...
STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN...MOVE INDOORS UNTIL THEY HAVE PASSED.  AND
NEVER ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER COVERING THE ROAD.
Special weather statement, May 15, 9:07 AM CDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
LAZ020-022-027-028-030>032-041>044-051-052-151335-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
907 AM CDT SUN MAY 15 1994

AT 825 AM...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...
WERE SHOWN 20 MILES WEST OF DERIDDER AND MIDWAY BETWEEN FORT POLK AND OAKDALE.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND
HAIL AS THEY MOVE ACROSS VERNON...RAPIDES...BEAUREGARD...AND ALLEN PARISHES.

IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS SHOWN FROM WEST OF
KIRBYVILLE TO KOUNTZE TO LIBERTY TO THE HOUSTON AREA TO FREEPORT TEXAS.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF LARGER AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
LOCATED GENERALLY SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM NATCHEZ MISSISSIPPI
TO THE ALEXANDRIA AREA TO THE SOUTHERN END OF TOLEDO BEND RESERVOIR
TO NEAR WOODVILLE TEXAS AND NEAR THE LAKE LIVINGSTON AREA.  THIS ACTIVITY
EXTENDED FROM THE LAKE LIVINGSTON AREA TO THE COAST FROM FREEPORT TEXAS
TO GALVESTON AND EXTENDED INTO THE GULF 90 MILES OFFSHORE.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR
Special weather statement, May 15, 9:08 AM CDT, 2 hours 22 minutes before
LAZ020-022-027-028-030>032-041>044-051-052-151335-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
907 AM CDT SUN MAY 15 1994

AT 825 AM...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...
WERE SHOWN 20 MILES WEST OF DERIDDER AND MIDWAY BETWEEN FORT POLK AND OAKDALE.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND
HAIL AS THEY MOVE ACROSS VERNON...RAPIDES...BEAUREGARD...AND ALLEN PARISHES.

IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS SHOWN FROM WEST OF
KIRBYVILLE TO KOUNTZE TO LIBERTY TO THE HOUSTON AREA TO FREEPORT TEXAS.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF LARGER AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
LOCATED GENERALLY SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM NATCHEZ MISSISSIPPI
TO THE ALEXANDRIA AREA TO THE SOUTHERN END OF TOLEDO BEND RESERVOIR
TO NEAR WOODVILLE TEXAS AND NEAR THE LAKE LIVINGSTON AREA.  THIS ACTIVITY
EXTENDED FROM THE LAKE LIVINGSTON AREA TO THE COAST FROM FREEPORT TEXAS
TO GALVESTON AND EXTENDED INTO THE GULF 90 MILES OFFSHORE.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR

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.