Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 83, NWS Fort Worth, TX

April 21, 1997Van Zandt County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 21, 1997, 11:07 PM CDT for Van Zandt County, Texas. It was in force for 68 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, 1997, 11:07 PM CDT (04:07 UTC)
Expired
Apr 22, 1997, 12:15 AM CDT
In force
68 min
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Van Zandt County, TX

The radar

The Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 137 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:09 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 21, 11:43 PM CDTHail 0.75Canton, TX
Apr 21, 11:55 PM CDTHail 1.75Ben Wheeler, TX
Apr 22, 12:18 AM CDTHail 1.75Ben Wheeler, TX
Apr 22, 12:25 AM CDTHail 1.75Van, 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, 4.1 hours before the alert went out and 139 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, Fort Worth, TX at 00:00Z on 1997-04-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2364 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, Fort Worth, TX at 00:00Z on 1997-04-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 25 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
2364 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-35 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1547 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
25 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
167 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.5
Supercell composite
5.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFTW 220407 RRA
SVRFTW
TXC467-220515-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1107 PM CDT MON APR 21 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1215 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHEAST TEXAS
 
   ...VAN ZANDT COUNTY
 
AT 1105 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WITH LARGE HAIL JUST WEST OF CANTON. THESE STORMS WERE DEVELOPING
RAPIDLY AND WILL LIKELY BEGIN TO MOVE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  AS IT APPROACHES YOU SHOULD
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.
IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE MOVE TO STURDY SHELTER NOW.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, Apr 21, 6:03 PM CDT, 5 hours 4 minutes before
TXZ091>095-098>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-221200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
605 PM CDT MON APR 21 1997

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH DAYBREAK
TUESDAY FOR ALL OF NORTH TEXAS.  THE PRIMARY THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER
WILL BE FROM LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS.

EARLY MONDAY EVENING...A SURFACE LOW WAS LOCATED JUST EAST OF
ABILENE.  A STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDED EAST FROM THIS LOW TO JUST
NORTH OF THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH METROPLEX TO THE RED RIVER NORTH OF
PARIS.  A DRYLINE EXTENDED SOUTH OF THE LOW INTO THE TEXAS HILL
COUNTRY.  THE AIRMASS TO THE EAST OF THE DRYLINE AND SOUTH OF THE
STATIONARY FRONT WAS EXTREMELY UNSTABLE...BUT A LAYER OF WARM AIR
5000 TO 7000 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE WAS PREVENTING THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT.  THIS CAPPING INVERSION OF WARM AIR IS EXPECTED TO
WEAKEN THIS EVENING AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE APPROACHES FROM THE
NORTHWEST.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP RAPIDLY NEAR THE
INTERSECTION OF THE STATIONARY FRONT AND DRYLINE TONIGHT.  THESE
STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME ORGANIZED AND MOVE SOUTHEAST INTO EAST
TEXAS DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS TUESDAY.

THE WIND PROFILE IN THE LOWEST 5000 FEET OF THE ATMOSPHERE DOES NOT
APPEAR TO SUPPORT SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS...HOWEVER...THE WIND
PROFILE WILL SUPPORT A COMPLEX OF STRONG TO OCCASIONALLY SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS...MUCH LIKE SUNDAY NIGHT'S ACTIVITY.  AND AS WITH
SUNDAY NIGHT'S SEVERE WEATHER...LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT
WINDS APPEAR TO BE THE SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONS...
STORM SPOTTER GROUPS...AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD MONITOR
THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION AND TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS SHOULD
SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN YOUR AREA.  ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED
NORTHWEST OF A WACO TO BONHAM LINE BEFORE 1000 PM...WITH ACTIVATION
POSSIBLE SOUTHEAST OF THIS LINE AFTER MIDNIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONS...OR YOUR LOCAL CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

70
Special weather statement, Apr 21, 6:05 PM CDT, 5 hours 2 minutes before
TXZ091>095-098>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-221200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
605 PM CDT MON APR 21 1997

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH DAYBREAK
TUESDAY FOR ALL OF NORTH TEXAS.  THE PRIMARY THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER
WILL BE FROM LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS.

EARLY MONDAY EVENING...A SURFACE LOW WAS LOCATED JUST EAST OF
ABILENE.  A STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDED EAST FROM THIS LOW TO JUST
NORTH OF THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH METROPLEX TO THE RED RIVER NORTH OF
PARIS.  A DRYLINE EXTENDED SOUTH OF THE LOW INTO THE TEXAS HILL
COUNTRY.  THE AIRMASS TO THE EAST OF THE DRYLINE AND SOUTH OF THE
STATIONARY FRONT WAS EXTREMELY UNSTABLE...BUT A LAYER OF WARM AIR
5000 TO 7000 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE WAS PREVENTING THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT.  THIS CAPPING INVERSION OF WARM AIR IS EXPECTED TO
WEAKEN THIS EVENING AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE APPROACHES FROM THE
NORTHWEST.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP RAPIDLY NEAR THE
INTERSECTION OF THE STATIONARY FRONT AND DRYLINE TONIGHT.  THESE
STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME ORGANIZED AND MOVE SOUTHEAST INTO EAST
TEXAS DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS TUESDAY.

THE WIND PROFILE IN THE LOWEST 5000 FEET OF THE ATMOSPHERE DOES NOT
APPEAR TO SUPPORT SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS...HOWEVER...THE WIND
PROFILE WILL SUPPORT A COMPLEX OF STRONG TO OCCASIONALLY SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS...MUCH LIKE SUNDAY NIGHTS ACTIVITY.  AND AS WITH
SUNDAY NIGHTS SEVERE WEATHER...LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT
WINDS APPEAR TO BE THE SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONS...
STORM SPOTTER GROUPS...AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD MONITOR
THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION AND TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS SHOULD
SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN YOUR AREA.  ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED
NORTHWEST OF A WACO TO BONHAM LINE BEFORE 1000 PM...WITH ACTIVATION
POSSIBLE SOUTHEAST OF THIS LINE AFTER MIDNIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONS...OR YOUR LOCAL CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

70
Special weather statement, Apr 21, 9:32 PM CDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
TXZ091>095-098>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-221200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
930 PM CDT MON APR 21 1997

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH DAYBREAK
TUESDAY FOR ALL OF NORTH TEXAS.  THE PRIMARY THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER
WILL BE FROM LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS.

A SURFACE LOW WAS LOCATED BETWEEN STEPHENVILLE AND WACO LATE MONDAY
EVENING.  A WARM FRONT EXTENDED NORTHEAST OF THIS LOW...THROUGH THE
DALLAS/FT WORTH METROPLEX...THEN EAST INTO EAST TEXAS NEAR MARSHALL.
A DRYLINE EXTENDED SOUTH OF THE LOW INTO THE HILL COUNTRY.  THE
AIRMASS TO THE EAST OF THE DRYLINE AND ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE WARM
FRONT IS MODERATELY UNSTABLE...BUT A LAYER OF WARM AIR SOME 5000 TO
7000 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE WAS PREVENTING THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WAS APPROACHING THE TEXAS
PANHANDLE.  SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW SEVERE...WERE LOCATED
OVER THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE...AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM FOR MUCH OF THE PANHANDLE AND A SMALL PORTION OF
SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA.  THIS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO
MOVE SOUTHEAST DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...REACHING THE NORTHWESTERN
PORTIONS OF NORTH TEXAS AROUND 100 AM...FROM A BONHAM TO DALLAS TO
GOLDTHWAITE LINE BY 400 AM...AND FROM A PARIS TO TEMPLE LINE BY
DAYBREAK.

LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM OUTFLOW WINDS APPEAR TO BE THE
SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER THREATS.  WHILE THE WIND PROFILE IN THE
LOWEST 5000 FEET OF THE ATMOSPHERE FAVORS AN ORGANIZED CLUSTER OF
STRONG TO OCCASIONALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW SUPERCELL
THUNDERSTORMS MAY OCCUR.

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONS...
STORM SPOTTER GROUPS...AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD MONITOR
THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION AND TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS SHOULD
SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN YOUR AREA.  ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTER
GROUPS MAY BE REQUIRED NORTHWEST OF A MONTAGUE TO EASTLAND LINE
SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT...NORTHWEST OF A BONHAM TO GOLDTHWAITE LINE BY
300 AM...AND NORTHWEST OF A PARIS TO TEMPLE LINE BY 600 AM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCJAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONS...OR YOUR LOCAL CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

70

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 22, 12:06 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHenderson69 min
Apr 22, 12:15 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDVan Zandt30 min
Apr 22, 12:22 AM CDTTornado WarningFWDHenderson53 min
Apr 22, 1:29 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDVan Zandt61 min
Apr 22, 2:11 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDVan Zandt3 hr
Apr 22, 2:17 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDMontague58 min
Apr 22, 2:19 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDYoung56 min
Apr 22, 2:31 AM CDTTornado WarningFWDVan Zandt59 min
Apr 22, 2:37 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDJack68 min
Apr 22, 2:55 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCooke, Wise65 min
Apr 22, 3:03 AM CDTTornado WarningFWDJack57 min
Apr 22, 3:16 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDThrockmorton44 min
Apr 22, 3:25 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDDenton65 min
Apr 22, 3:43 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDYoung62 min
Apr 22, 3:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCollin66 min
Apr 22, 3:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDParker, Tarrant66 min
Apr 22, 4:03 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDLamar57 min
Apr 22, 4:19 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDDallas56 min
Apr 22, 4:36 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDJack, Wise69 min
Apr 22, 4:44 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHunt, Rockwall61 min
Apr 22, 4:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDEllis, Kaufman66 min
Apr 22, 4:59 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCollin31 min
Apr 22, 5:10 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDFannin65 min
Apr 22, 5:18 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDDelta, Hopkins, Lamar, Rains57 min
Apr 22, 5:18 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDVan Zandt57 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Texas, 1997Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997

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.