Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1995

Tornado Warning 11, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

March 13, 1995Austin County, Colorado County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Mar 13, 1995, 4:04 AM CST for Austin County, Colorado County, Texas. It was in force for 56 min. 2 reports 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
Mar 13, 1995, 4:04 AM CST (10:04 UTC)
Expired
Mar 13, 1995, 5:00 AM CST
In force
56 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Austin County, TX, Colorado County, TX

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 13, 4:15 AM CSTTornado F0Bernardo, TXSheriff reported trees down on FM 109 near Bernado.
Mar 13, 4:20 AM CSTTornado F0Washington Cnty, TXA tornado destroyed a barn in Chappell Hill on FM 1155.

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

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 00:00Z, 10.1 hours before the alert went out and 243 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 00:00Z on 1995-03-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 331 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 00:00Z on 1995-03-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 85 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
331 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-277 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1005 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
85 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
141 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KHOU 131004
TORHOU
TXC015-089-131100-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
404 AM CST MON MAR 13 1995
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  500 AM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...AUSTIN COUNTY...COLORADO COUNTY
 
WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO NORTH OF COLUMBUS
MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. 75 MPH WINDS WERE REPORTED EARLIER IN
LA GRANGE. THIS STORM WILL BE MOVING INTO AUSTIN COUNTY TOWARDS THE
TOWNS OF INDUSTRY AND KENNEY.
 
 
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 Mar 13, 2:41 AM CST, 1 hour 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 13, 2:41 AM CST, 1 hour 23 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
240 AM CST MON MAR 13 1995

SVR WX A THREAT TODAY WITH MAJOR THREAT VERY HEAVY RAINS OVER SETX.  ETA AND
NGM BOTH PAINT A THETA E ADVECTION AXIS FROM THE GULF NEAR PSX TOWARDS CLL
THROUGH 12Z TUE AND THEN BEGIN TO SHIFT IT EASTWARD. S/W NR DRT NUDGING THE
SOUTHERN END OF THE BOUNDARY EASTWARD FASTER THAN THE NORTH END WHICH IS QUITE
EVIDENT FROM THE KEWX 88D RADAR. GIVEN THE CURRENT MESOSCALE TREND ANTICIPATE
THE AXIS OF PRECIPITATION TO MOVE EAST TO A LINE FROM NEAR PSX TO CLL FOCUSING
THE HEAVY RAINS ALONG THE BOUNDARY. KHGX 88D RADAR INDICATING 45 KNOT INFLOW
TO STORMS, THICKNESS DIFFLUENCE, AND BRANCHING JET CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE
HEAVY RAIN THREAT AS WELL.  (AT 24HRS THE NGM APPEARS TO BE EXPERIENCING A
CONVECTIVE FEED BACK PROBLEM OVER THE NORTHERN FA...WHICH IS NOT SUPRISING
GIVEN THE ABUNDANT CONVECTION PREVELANT AT THAT TIME.) MODELS OVER THE LAST
FEW RUNS HAVE CONTINUED TO SLOW THE MOVEMENT OF THE SURFACE FEATURES AND AM
NOT REALLY EXPECTING THE FRONT TO MOVE ENTIRELY OUT OF THE FA THRU TUESDAY. SO
WILL CONTINUE TO WORD THE ZONES WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD
DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE INVERTED TROF/FRONT.  AFTER COORDINATION CALL
WITH NMC'S QPF BRANCH FEEL THAT TODAY WILL BRING THE HEAVIEST RAINS TO THE
REGION...IN EXCESS OF 6 INCHES SOUTHEAST OF A CLL TO IAH LINE.  WILL OBVIOUSLY
CONTINUE THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR FA AND WILL WORD IT
STRONGLY CONCERNING THE MAGNITUDE OF THE EVENT.

COORDINATED WITH SELS FOR TORNADO WATCH OVER ENTIRE FA.

45

PRELIMS
IAH 069/059 069/050 065  45+99

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 12, 10:48 PM CST, 5 hours 16 minutes before
TXZ176-195>198-210-211-235-131050-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
1048 PM CST SUN MAR 12 1995

...TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS...VALID UNTIL 5AM MONDAY MORNING...

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS ARE INCLUDED IN THE TORNADO
WATCH...BRAZOS...BURLESON...MADISON...GRIMES...AUSTIN...WASHINGTON...JAC
KSON AND COLORADO.

A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED IN CENTRAL TEXAS FROM WEST
OF WACO TO WEST OF AUSTIN. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD REACH
BURLESON AND BRAZOS COUNTIES AROUND 2AM AND THE REMAINDER OF THE ABOVE
MENTIONED COUNTIES BY 4 AM. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS  A HISTORY
OF PRODUCING SEVERE WEATHER.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE
WEATHER TONIGHT AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IF SEVERE WEATHER
APPROACHES YOUR LOCATION. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTAIN THE
POSSIBILITY OF LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...
DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.  FOR YOUR
PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR
HOME OR BUSINESS.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IN A HOME OR
BUSINESS IS AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID
WINDOWS.
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 3:23 AM CST, 41 minutes before
TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-511-513-131610-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
323 AM CST MON MAR 13 1995

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...BRAZORIA...GRIMES...MONTGOMERY...SAN
JACINTO...CHAMBERS...LIBERTY...FORT
BEND...HARRIS...MADISON...GALVESTON...MATAGORDA...POLK...WALLER...
HOUSTON...TRINITY...WHARTON...COLORADO...AUSTIN...BRAZOS...BURLESON

A TORNADO WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE
PART OF SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS INCLUDING ADJACENT COASTAL
WATERS UNTIL 10 AM.

A SLOW MOVING PACIFIC COLD FRONT COMBINED WITH STRONG SOUTHEASTERY
WINDS BRINGING MOISTURE ASHORE FROM THE GULF HAS PRODUCED NUMEROUS
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EAST TEXAS.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES
AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  PERSONS IN
THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS
AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND WARNING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER
STATEMENTS.

WEATHER SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED AND AMATEUR RADIO AND OTHER
SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION AND RELAY
REORTS PROMPTLY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 3:24 AM CST, 40 minutes before
TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-511-513-131610-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
323 AM CST MON MAR 13 1995

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...BRAZORIA...GRIMES...MONTGOMERY...SAN
JACINTO...CHAMBERS...LIBERTY...FORT
BEND...HARRIS...MADISON...GALVESTON...MATAGORDA...POLK...WALLER...
HOUSTON...TRINITY...WHARTON...COLORADO...AUSTIN...BRAZOS...BURLESON

A TORNADO WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE
PART OF SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS INCLUDING ADJACENT COASTAL
WATERS UNTIL 10 AM.

A SLOW MOVING PACIFIC COLD FRONT COMBINED WITH STRONG SOUTHEASTERY
WINDS BRINGING MOISTURE ASHORE FROM THE GULF HAS PRODUCED NUMEROUS
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EAST TEXAS.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES
AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  PERSONS IN
THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS
AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND WARNING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER
STATEMENTS.

WEATHER SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED AND AMATEUR RADIO AND OTHER
SPOTTERS AR`E REQUESTED TO MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION AND RELAY
REORTS PROMPTLY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 13, 4:08 AM CSTTornado WarningHGXWashington67 min
Mar 13, 5:01 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXWaller44 min
Mar 13, 5:25 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXGrimes, Montgomery, Walker50 min
Mar 13, 5:55 AM CSTTornado WarningHGXFort Bend50 min
Mar 13, 6:05 AM CSTTornado WarningHGXLiberty40 min
Mar 13, 6:23 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris67 min
Mar 13, 6:41 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXFort Bend64 min
Mar 13, 8:36 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris, Liberty48 min
Mar 13, 8:58 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXGalveston62 min
Mar 13, 9:14 AM CSTTornado WarningHGXGalveston61 min
Mar 13, 9:35 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXChambers55 min
Mar 13, 5:46 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHouston, Madison59 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1995Every tornado warning in 1995Tornadoes in 1995

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.