Alert archive / New Mexico / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 18, NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

May 26, 1994Lea County, New Mexico

NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued this tornado warning at May 26, 1994, 6:21 PM MDT for Lea County, New Mexico. It was in force for 69 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 26, 1994, 6:21 PM MDT (00:21 UTC)
Expired
May 26, 1994, 7:30 PM MDT
In force
69 min
Issued by
NWS Midland/Odessa, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Lea County, NM

The nearest sounding before it

Midland Regional, TX (KMAF), launched 00:00Z, 0.4 hours before the alert went out and 147 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, Midland Regional, TX at 00:00Z on 1994-05-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 225 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, Midland Regional, TX at 00:00Z on 1994-05-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 8 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
225 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-99 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
984 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
62 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
8 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
215 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KMAF 270023
TORMAF
NMC025-270130-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
721 PM CDT (621 PM MDT) THU MAY 26 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIDLAND HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  830 PM CDT (730 PM MDT)
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO
 
   ...LEA COUNTY
 
AT 620 PM MDT...A SPOTTER REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND 7 MILES WEST
OF HOBBS NEW MEXICO. RESIDENTS OF THE HOBBS AREA SHOULD TAKE COVER NOW.
MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
 
 
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 SMALLp INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.
 
 
 
&

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 26, 3:30 PM MDT, 2 hours 51 minutes before
TXZ045>047-050>052-058>063-067>069-075-082-NMZ029-262245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
430 PM CDT THU MAY 26 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...THE
   PERMIAN BASIN AND TRANS PECOS OF WEST TEXAS UNTIL 10:00 PM CDT...
...A TORNADO WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CHAVES COUNTY NEW MEXICO UNTIL
   515 PM CDT...

AT 425 PM  CDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
AND SMALL HAIL COVERED MUCH OF WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO. THE
HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE EAST OF BIG SPRING AND NORTHWEST OF CARLSBAD.
THUNDERSTORMS...WITH HEAVY RAIN...WERE LOCATED WEST OF LUBBOCK. MOVEMENT
WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

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.

STAY ALERT FOR RAPID CHANGES IN YOUR LOCAL WEATHER...STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO ...YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATION FOR UPDATED
INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, May 26, 3:36 PM MDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before
TXZ045>047-050>052-058>063-067>069-075-082-NMZ029-262245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
430 PM CDT THU MAY 26 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...THE
   PERMIAN BASIN AND TRANS PECOS OF WEST TEXAS UNTIL 10:00 PM CDT...
...A TORNADO WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CHAVES COUNTY NEW MEXICO UNTIL
   515 PM CDT...

AT 425 PM  CDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
AND SMALL HAIL COVERED MUCH OF WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO. THE
HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE EAST OF BIG SPRING AND NORTHWEST OF CARLSBAD.
THUNDERSTORMS...WITH HEAVY RAIN...WERE LOCATED WEST OF LUBBOCK. MOVEMENT
WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

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.

STAY ALERT FOR RAPID CHANGES IN YOUR LOCAL WEATHER...STZAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO ...YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATION FOR UPDATED
INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, May 26, 4:30 PM MDT, 1 hour 51 minutes before
TXZ045>047-050>052-058>063-067>069-075-082-NMZ029-262345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
530 PM CDT THU MAY 26 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...THE
   PERMIAN BASIN AND TRANS PECOS OF WEST TEXAS UNTIL 10:00 PM CDT...
...A TORNADO WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR EDDIE COUNTY NEW MEXICO UNTIL
   600 PM CDT...

AT 525 PM  CDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
AND SMALL HAIL COVERED MUCH OF WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO. THE
HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE EAST OF BIG SPRING AND WEST OF LUBBOCK.
THUNDERSTORMS...WITH HEAVY RAIN...WERE LOCATED NEAR CARLSBAD. MOVEMENT
WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

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.
STAY ALERT FOR RAPID CHANGES IN YOUR LOCAL WEATHER...STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO ...YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATION FOR UPDATED
INFORMATION.

WWUS35KABQ-&
Special weather statement, May 26, 4:37 PM MDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before
TXZ045>047-050>052-058>063-067>069-075-082-NMZ029-262345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
530 PM CDT THU MAY 26 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...THE
   PERMIAN BASIN AND TRANS PECOS OF WEST TEXAS UNTIL 10:00 PM CDT...
...A TORNADO WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR EDDIE COUNTY NEW MEXICO UNTIL
   600 PM CDT...

AT 525 PM  CDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
AND SMALL HAIL COVERED MUCH OF WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO. THE
HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE EAST OF BIG SPRING AND WEST OF LUBBOCK.
THUNDERSTORMS...WITH HEAVY RAIN...WERE LOCATED NEAR CARLSBAD. MOVEMENT
WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

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.
STAY ALERT FOR RAPID CHANGES IN YOUR LOCAL WEATHER...STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO ...YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATION FOR UPDATED
INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, May 26, 5:34 PM MDT, 47 minutes before
TXZ045>047-050>052-058>063-067>069-075-082-NMZ029-270045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
634 PM CDT THU MAY 26 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...THE
   PERMIAN BASIN AND TRANS PECOS OF WEST TEXAS UNTIL 10:00 PM CDT...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR LEE COUNTY NEW MEXICO
   UNTIL 730 PM CDT...

AT 625 PM  CDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
AND SMALL HAIL COVERED MUCH OF WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO. THE
HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE SOUTH OF HOBBS TO NORTHWEST OF LUBBOCK.
MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

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.

STAY ALERT FOR RAPID CHANGES IN YOUR LOCAL WEATHER...STAY TUNED TO NOAA

WEATHER RADIO ...YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATION FOR UPDATED
INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, May 26, 5:37 PM MDT, 44 minutes before
TXZ045>047-050>052-058>063-067>069-075-082-NMZ029-270045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
634 PM CDT THU MAY 26 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...THE
   PERMIAN BASIN AND TRANS PECOS OF WEST TEXAS UNTIL 10:00 PM CDT...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR LEE COUNTY NEW MEXICO
   UNTIL 730 PM CDT...

AT 625 PM  CDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
AND SMALL HAIL COVERED MUCH OF WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO. THE
HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE SOUTH OF HOBBS TO NORTHWEST OF LUBBOCK.
MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

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.

STAY ALERT FOR RAPID CHANGES IN YOUR LOCAL WEATHER...STAY TUNED TO NOAA

WEATHER RADIO ...YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATION FOR UPDATED
INFORMATION.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 26, 6:46 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningMAFLea119 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in New Mexico, 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.