Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1996

Tornado Warning 20, NWS Fort Worth, TX

April 21, 1996Grayson County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 21, 1996, 10:48 PM CDT for Grayson County, Texas. It was in force for 57 min. 4 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: Apr 21, 1996, 10:48 PM CDT (03:48 UTC)
Expired: Apr 21, 1996, 11:45 PM CDT
In force: 57 min
Issued by: NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area: Whole counties

County Grayson County, TX

The radar

The Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 131 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:48 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
Apr 21, 10:58 PM CDT	Tornado F0	Dixie, TX
Apr 21, 11:00 PM CDT	Hail 2.75	Gordonville, TX
Apr 21, 11:39 PM CDT	Thunderstorm Wind 52	Sadler, TX
Apr 21, 11:40 PM CDT	Tornado F0	Sadler, TX

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.

The nearest sounding before it

Fort Worth, TX (KFWD), launched 00:00Z, 3.8 hours before the alert went out and 105 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1644 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -22 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1764 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 159 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 305 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.6
Supercell composite: 12.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFTW 220347
TORFTW
TXC181-220445-
 
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1048 PM CDT SUN APR 21 1996
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1145 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...GRAYSON COUNTY
 
AT 1048 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
TORNADO ABOUT 4 MILES WEST OF WHITESBORO...MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST
AT 30 MPH. THIS STORM PRODUCED A TORNADO AND SOFTBALL SIZE HAIL NEAR
LINDSAY AT 1025 AND CONTINUES TO EXHIBIT A TORNADIC SIGNATURE.
 
IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADIC THREAT...EXCESSIVE RAINFALL FROM THIS STORM
WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF LOW-LYING AND FLOOD-PRONE AREAS.  RADAR ESTIMATES
THAT THREE INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN IN THE PAST HOUR IN THE NORTHERN
THIRD OF GRAYSON COUNTY.  ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS FROM THIS STORM WILL
PRODUCE LARGE AMOUNTS OF RUNOFF IN THE AREA.
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.
 
 
 
&

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

Local storm report, Apr 21, 5:47 PM CDT, 5 hours 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
541 PM CDT SUN APR 21 1996

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0322 PM    10 W THROCKMORTON         TX   .88 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   THROCKMORTON                   NICKEL HAIL ON HWY 22 WEST
                                          OF THROCKMORTON

0416 PM    15 SW THROCKMORTON        TX   2.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   THROCKMORTON                   BASEBALL HAIL 12 MILES
                                          WEST OF HWY 283

0429 PM    12 E HASKELL              TX   .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   HASKELL                        DIME HAIL

0431 PM    LAKE STAMFORD             TX   .88 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   HASKELL                        NICKEL HAIL AT PAINT CREEK
                                          MARINA

0511 PM    HASKELL                   TX   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   HASKELL                        GOLFBALL HAIL AT KVRP
                                          RADIO STATION IN HASKELL

Local storm report, Apr 21, 6:54 PM CDT, 3 hours 54 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
654 PM CDT SUN APR 21 1996

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0540 PM    14 SE THROCKMORTON        TX   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   THROCKMORTON                   SHERIFF OFFICE REPORTED
                                          GOLFBALL HAIL

0603 PM    MURRAY                    TX   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   YOUNG                          QUARTER TO GOLFBALL HAIL
                                          REPORTED

0626 PM    NEWCASTLE                 TX   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   YOUNG                          GOLFBALL HAIL REPORTED BY
                                          GRAHAM FD

0646 PM    LOVING                    TX   1.75 INCH HAIL

04/21/96   YOUNG                          GOLFBALL HAIL

Local storm report, Apr 21, 6:56 PM CDT, 3 hours 52 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...RETRANSMITTED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
654 PM CDT SUN APR 21 1996

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0540 PM    14 SE THROCKMORTON        TX   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   THROCKMORTON                   SHERIFF OFFICE REPORTED
                                          GOLFBALL HAIL

0603 PM    MURRAY                    TX   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   YOUNG                          QUARTER TO GOLFBALL HAIL
                                          REPORTED

0626 PM    NEWCASTLE                 TX   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   YOUNG                          GOLFBALL HAIL REPORTED BY
                                          GRAHAM FD

0646 PM    LOVING                    TX   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   YOUNG                          GOLFBALL HAIL

Local storm report, Apr 21, 7:39 PM CDT, 3 hours 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
739 PM CDT SUN APR 21 1996

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0503 PM    ANTELOPE                  TX   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   JACK                           MARBLE TO GOLFBALL HAIL.

0503 PM    JERMYN                    TX
04/21/96   JACK                           FUNNEL CLOUD BRIEFLY
                                          REPORTED. NO DAMAGE

0652 PM    10 E THROCKMORTON         TX   .88 INCH HAIL
04/21/96   THROCKMORTON                   DIME TO NICKEL HAIL
                                          BETWEEN WOODSON AND ELBERT
                      D                    ON SH 380.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Fort Worth, TX issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 21, 7:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Throckmorton, Young	51 min
Apr 21, 7:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Montague	58 min
Apr 21, 8:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Cooke, Montague	68 min
Apr 21, 8:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FWD	Montague	42 min
Apr 21, 8:57 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FWD	Cooke	63 min
Apr 21, 9:19 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FWD	Montague	56 min
Apr 21, 9:23 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FWD	Grayson	67 min
Apr 21, 9:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Cooke	66 min
Apr 21, 10:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FWD	Cooke	57 min
Apr 21, 10:48 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	FWD	Grayson	57 min
Apr 21, 11:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Cooke	56 min
Apr 21, 11:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Grayson	59 min
Apr 22, 12:41 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	FWD	Grayson	64 min
Apr 22, 12:41 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Grayson	64 min
Apr 22, 12:57 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Mitchell	63 min
Apr 22, 1:27 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	FWD	Mitchell	63 min
Apr 22, 1:48 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Nolan	57 min
Apr 22, 2:01 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Taylor	59 min
Apr 22, 2:46 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Jones	59 min
Apr 22, 2:48 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Haskell	57 min
Apr 22, 2:48 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	FWD	Taylor	57 min
Apr 22, 3:09 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Taylor	66 min
Apr 22, 3:21 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Callahan, Shackelford	69 min
Apr 22, 3:49 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Stephens, Throckmorton, Young	56 min
Apr 22, 4:42 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Jack, Young	63 min
Apr 22, 5:35 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Cooke	55 min
Apr 22, 7:05 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Johnson, Tarrant	55 min
Apr 22, 7:05 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Somervell	55 min
Apr 22, 8:06 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FWD	Ellis, Hill	69 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1996 Every tornado warning in 1996 Tornadoes in 1996

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.