Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1995
Tornado Warning 41, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Dec 17, 1995, 7:39 AM CST for Matagorda County, Texas. It was in force for 51 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
- Dec 17, 1995, 7:39 AM CST (13:39 UTC)
- Expired
- Dec 17, 1995, 8:30 AM CST
- In force
- 51 min
- Issued by
- NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
- Area
- Whole counties
County Matagorda County, TX
The radar
The Houston radar (KHGX), 118 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:42 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 17, 8:10 AM CST | Tornado F0 | Blessing, TX | Many trees were blown down and roofs were torn off. |
| Dec 17, 8:10 AM CST | Tornado F0 | Markham, TX | Five to seven houses with major roof damage, one trailer destroyed, several trees and light poles down. |
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 12:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 176 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 2808 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -3 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 518 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 43 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 189 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 253 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 2.3
- Supercell composite
- 12.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KHOU 171344 COR TORHOU TXC321-171430- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING...CORRECTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX 745 AM CST SUN DEC 17 1995 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 830 AM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS ...MATAGORDA COUNTY AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS AT 725 AM...A TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WAS PASSING BETWEEN THE TOWNS OF BLESSING AND PALACIOS. THIS STORM WILL BE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. ELMATON IS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM. . THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE... MOVE TO A SHELTER... PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY. DO NOT DRIVE INTO FLOODED UNDERPASSES OR LOW WATER CROSSINGS. MORE DEATHS OCCUR FROM FLASH FLOODING THAN ANY OTHER WEATHER RELATED PHENOMENA.
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 Dec 17, 2:26 AM CST, 5 hours 13 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 17, 2:26 AM CST, 5 hours 13 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 220 AM CST SAT DEC 16 1995 CONVECTION FINALLY BREAKING OUT! A GOOD DEAL OF TRAINING ALREADY OCCURING IN THE INVERTED PRESSURE TROF AND FOCUSING NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF THE THETA-E RIDGE AND WF AROUND CLL. THETA-E RIDGE SHOULD BECOME MORE EXPLOSIVE AS LLJ STRENGTHENS AND MORE MOISTURE STREAMS IN. OLD TIME FORECASTER FROM THE OFFICE RECOUNTED THAT THESE TYPE OF CUTOFF LOWS COMING OUT OF THE W WILL FOCUS PRECIP IN CLOSER TO THE LOW AS THEY BEGIN TO WEAKEN AND ARE VERY FREQUENTLY SLOWER IN MOVEMENT THAN MODELS PREDICT. AND LASTLY...BEWARE OF THE NOCTURNAL ENVIORNMENT...PRECIP IS MUCH HEAVIER THAN IS USUALLY EXPECTED. GIVEN THE TREND OF THE LAST 4 DAYS HAVE TO AGREE WITH LOCAL WISDOM. FFA IS A MUST...HIGH POPS AND MENTION SVR. UPPER DIFFLUENCE GOING BALLISTIC BY 12Z TODAY AND CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD. SEE NCEP PRODUCTS FOR QPF REASONING WHICH APPEARS VALID BUT GIVEN THE TRENDS EVIDENT ISOLATED 6+" APPEARING MORE LIKELY. ON SATEL...NEXT IMPULSE SHOULD REACH THE WESTERN AREA AROUND 12Z WHICH AGREES WELL WITH ETA PROG. COORDINATION WITH SPC INDICATING SVR WATCH BEING CONSIDERED ATTM. GOT TO GO...VILS OF 54 SUPPORTING TREMENDOUS MARBLE-SIZED HAIL FALLOUTS. REFLECTIVITY CORES OF 55 DBZ AT OR ABOVE 27KFT APPEAR TO BE THE SVR THRESHOLD ATTM. 45
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Dec 17, 3:55 AM CST, 3 hours 44 minutes before
TXZ211-237-210-227-198-213-163-200-236-199-179-178-164-177-212- 197-226-196-195-214-238-235-176-171500- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX 355 AM CST SUN DEC 17 1995 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH 9 AM... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH TOD . COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IN COMBINATION WITH STRONG UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS WILL PRODUCE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL BECOME SEVERE PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH AND LARGE HAIL. IN ADDITION TO THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER...LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS LIKELY TODAY. RAINFALL TOTALS OF UP TO 5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA. THE CITIES OF HOUSTON...GALVESTON...COLLEGE STATION...BRENHAM...EL CAMPO...CONROE AND LIVINGSTON ARE INCLUDED IN THE WATCH AREA. ALL INTERESTS ARE URGED TO MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY.
Special weather statement, Dec 17, 3:57 AM CST, 3 hours 42 minutes before
TXZ211-237-210-227-198-213-163-200-236-199-179-178-164-177-212- 197-226-196-195-214-238-235-176-171500- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX 355 AM CST SUN DEC 17 1995 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH 9 AM... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH TOD . COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IN COMBINATION WITH STRONG UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS WILL PRODUCE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL BECOME SEVERE PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH AND LARGE HAIL. IN ADDITION TO THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER...LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS LIKELY TODAY. RAINFALL TOTALS OF UP TO 5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA. THE CITIES OF HOUSTON...GALVESTON...COLLEGE STATION...BRENHAM...EL CAMPO...CONROE AND LIVINGSTON ARE INCLUDED IN THE WATCH AREA. ALL INTERESTS ARE URGED TO MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY.
Special weather statement, Dec 17, 5:47 AM CST, 1 hour 52 minutes before
TXZ211-237-210-227-198-213-163-200-236-199-179-178-164-177-212- 197-226-196-195-214-238-235-176-171800- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX 550 AM CST SUN DEC 17 1995 ...TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH 12 PM... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON... COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IN COMBINATION WITH STRONG UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS WILL PRODUCE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL BECOME SEVERE PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH AND LARGE HAIL. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION TO THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER...LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS LIKELY TODAY. RAINFALL TOTALS OF UP TO 5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA. THE CITIES OF HOUSTON...GALVESTON...COLLEGE STATION...BRENHAM...EL CAMPO...CONROE AND LIVINGSTON ARE INCLUDED IN THE WATCH AREA. AL,L INTERESTS ARE URGED TO MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 17, 2:00 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Burleson | 60 min |
| Dec 17, 2:40 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Matagorda | 65 min |
| Dec 17, 3:06 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Grimes, Waller | 54 min |
| Dec 17, 3:19 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HGX | Montgomery | 56 min |
| Dec 17, 3:19 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HGX | Grimes | 39 min |
| Dec 17, 3:22 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Walker | 68 min |
| Dec 17, 4:23 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | San Jacinto | 52 min |
| Dec 17, 4:23 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Montgomery | 31 min |
| Dec 17, 5:16 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Polk | 59 min |
| Dec 17, 5:26 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | San Jacinto | 34 min |
| Dec 17, 5:33 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Brazoria, Matagorda | 57 min |
| Dec 17, 6:13 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Burleson | 3 hr |
| Dec 17, 6:54 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Polk, San Jacinto | 3 hr |
| Dec 17, 7:31 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Matagorda | 59 min |
| Dec 17, 7:44 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Grimes | 3 hr |
| Dec 17, 7:59 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Montgomery | 4 hr |
| Dec 17, 8:14 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HGX | Brazoria, Matagorda | 61 min |
| Dec 17, 8:43 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Harris, Liberty | 2 hr |
| Dec 17, 8:43 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Harris, Liberty | 2 hr |
| Dec 17, 9:00 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Galveston | 2 hr |
| Dec 17, 9:00 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Galveston | 2 hr |
| Dec 17, 9:27 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HGX | Galveston | 63 min |
| Dec 17, 9:47 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Chambers | 118 min |
| Dec 17, 9:47 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Chambers | 118 min |
| Dec 17, 10:02 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Matagorda | 118 min |
| Dec 17, 10:32 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HGX | Brazoria, Matagorda | 58 min |
| Dec 17, 11:15 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Brazoria, Fort Bend | 4 hr |
| Dec 17, 11:15 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Matagorda | 4 hr |
| Dec 17, 11:23 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Galveston | 3 hr |
| Dec 17, 11:31 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HGX | Brazoria | 48 min |
| Dec 17, 2:27 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Galveston | 3 hr |
| Dec 17, 3:20 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Chambers | 2 hr |
| Dec 17, 3:20 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Brazoria | 2 hr |
| Dec 17, 5:01 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Brazoria | 59 min |
| Dec 17, 5:30 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Brazoria, Galveston | 3 hr |
| Dec 17, 5:30 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Chambers | 3 hr |
| Dec 17, 5:44 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Polk | 61 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.