Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1997
Tornado Warning 6, NWS Fort Worth, TX
NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 4, 1997, 1:32 PM CST for Parker County, Texas. It was in force for 43 min. 1 report 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 4, 1997, 1:32 PM CST (19:32 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 4, 1997, 2:15 PM CST
- In force
- 43 min
- Issued by
- NWS Fort Worth, TX
- Area
- Whole counties
County Parker County, TX
The radar
The Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 52 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:35 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 1:40 PM CST | Hail 0.88 | Millsap, 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
Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 7.5 hours before the alert went out and 274 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
- 78 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -46 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 490 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 43 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 267 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 300 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.5
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KFTW 041931 RRA TORFTW TXC367-042015- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 132 PM CST FRI APR 4 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 215 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS ...PARKER COUNTY AT 132 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED A DEVELOPING TORNADO JUST SOUTHEAST OF MINERAL WELLS. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. 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 CLOS8ET 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
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 11:40 AM CST, 1 hour 52 minutes before
TXZ091>095-098>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-051000- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 1140 AM CST FRI APR 4 1997 THERE IS SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR ALL OF NORTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND ACROSS MAINLY THE EASTERN TWO THIRDS TONIGHT. A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL STORM WAS MOVING ACROSS THE ROCKIES AND WILL DRIVE ACROSS ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS BY LATE TONIGHT. A SURFACE DRY LINE OVER WEST TEXAS AT MIDDAY WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. THE DRY LINE WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS BY LATE AFTERNOON AND WILL REACH THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH METROPLEX AND WACO DURING THE EVENING HOURS. THE BOUNDARY WILL EVENTUALLY REACH EASTERN PARTS FROM PARIS TO ATHENS TO CENTERVILLE AROUND MIDNIGHT. AN ABUNDANCE OF DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE REMAINS IN PLACE OVER THE REGION. COLD AIR ALOFT AND SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUD COVER LATER THIS AFTERNOON WILL AID IN THE RAPID DESTABILIZATION OF THE ATMOSPHERE. MOISTURE CONVERGENCE WILL BE MAXIMIZED ALONG THE DRY LINE WHERE THE ERUPTION OF SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND IN ADVANCE OF THE BOUNDARY WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. A FEW SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED MAINLY IN THE WACO VICINITY WHERE AN ISOLATED TORNADO COULD BE OBSERVED. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WITH THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY COMPOUND THE FLASH FLOOD THREAT OVER THE AREA. THE GROUND REMAINS AT OR NEAR SATURATION AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS AND ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS WILL RAPIDLY RUNOFF AND PRODUCE HIGH WATER PROBLEMS. A VERY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN WAKE OF THE DRY LINE BY LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY. WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS SATURDAY WILL INCREASE DRAMATICALLY ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS WHERE SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WILL OCCUR. HIGHER GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE LIKELY SATURDAY. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND STORM SPOTTERS WEST OF A JACKSBORO... STEPHENVILLE...TO WACO LINE SHOULD BE READY FOR SPOTTER ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON. SPOTTERS FROM SHERMAN TO THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH METROPLEX WILL LIKELY BE ACTIVATED DURING THE EVENING HOURS. ELSEWHERE...SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY FROM LATE EVENING UNTIL EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 48
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 11:41 AM CST, 1 hour 51 minutes before
TXZ091>095-098>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-051000- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 1140 AM CST FRI APR 4 1997 THERE IS SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR ALL OF NORTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND ACROSS MAINLY THE EASTERN TWO THIRDS TONIGHT. A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL STORM WAS MOVING ACROSS THE ROCKIES AND WILL DRIVE ACROSS ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS BY LATE TONIGHT. A SURFACE DRY LINE OVER WEST TEXAS AT MIDDAY WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. THE DRY LINE WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS BY LATE AFTERNOON AND WILL REACH THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH METROPLEX AND WACO DURING THE EVENING HOURS. THE BOUNDARY WILL EVENTUALLY REACH EASTERN PARTS FROM PARIS TO ATHENS TO CENTERVILLE AROUND MIDNIGHT. AN ABUNDANCE OF DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE REMAINS IN PLACE OVER THE REGION. COLD AIR ALOFT AND SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUD COVER LATER THIS AFTERNOON WILL AID IN THE RAPID DESTABILIZATION OF THE ATMOSPHERE. MOISTURE CONVERGENCE WILL BE MAXIMIZED ALONG THE DRY LINE WHERE THE ERUPTION OF SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND IN ADVANCE OF THE BOUNDARY WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. A FEW SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED MAINLY IN THE WACO VICINITY WHERE AN ISOLATED TORNADO COULD BE OBSERVED. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WITH THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY COMPOUND THE FLASH FLOOD THREAT OVER THE AREA. THE GROUND REMAINS AT OR NEAR SATURATION AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS AND ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS WILL RAPIDLY RUNOFF AND PRODUCE HIGH WATER PROBLEMS. A VERY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN WAKE OF THE DRY LINE BY LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY. WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS SATURDAY WILL INCREASE DRAMATICALLY ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS WHERE SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WILL OCCUR. HIGHER GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE LIKELY SATURDAY. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND STORM SPOTTERS WEST OF A JACKSBORO... STEPHENVILLE...TO WACO LINE SHOULD BE READY FOR SPOTTER ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON. SPOTTERS FROM SHERMAN TO THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH METROPLEX WILL LIKELY BE ACTIVATED DURING THE EVENING HOURS. ELSEWHERE...SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY FROM LATE EVENING UNTIL EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHnER SERVICE. 48
The office that day
Everything else NWS Fort Worth, TX issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 2:35 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Limestone, Robertson | 55 min |
| Apr 4, 2:35 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Limestone, Robertson | 55 min |
| Apr 4, 8:23 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Bell, Falls, McLennan | 4 hr |
| Apr 4, 8:57 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Dallas, Johnson, Tarrant | 3 hr |
| Apr 4, 9:24 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Limestone | 3 hr |
| Apr 4, 9:57 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Ellis, Navarro | 3 hr |
| Apr 4, 10:20 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Hunt, Kaufman, Rockwall | 3 hr |
| Apr 4, 10:52 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Bell | 68 min |
| Apr 4, 11:30 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Ellis | 2 hr |
| Apr 4, 11:40 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Falls | 65 min |
| Apr 4, 11:45 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Bell, Falls | 3 hr |
| Apr 4, 11:45 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Limestone | 3 hr |
| Apr 4, 12:17 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Limestone | 58 min |
| Apr 4, 12:22 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Hopkins | 2 hr |
| Apr 4, 1:01 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Palo Pinto | 44 min |
| Apr 4, 1:05 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Hunt | 2 hr |
| Apr 4, 1:16 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Parker | 59 min |
| Apr 4, 1:27 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Eastland | 48 min |
| Apr 4, 2:18 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Comanche, Erath | 57 min |
| Apr 4, 3:03 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Parker | 57 min |
| Apr 4, 3:10 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Parker | 2 hr |
| Apr 4, 3:13 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Erath | 62 min |
| Apr 4, 3:23 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Hood | 67 min |
| Apr 4, 4:18 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Cooke, Grayson | 27 min |
| Apr 4, 4:26 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Denton | 49 min |
| Apr 4, 4:33 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Tarrant | 57 min |
| Apr 4, 4:40 PM CST | Tornado Warning | FWD | Denton, Grayson | 50 min |
| Apr 4, 5:15 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Tarrant | 2 hr |
| Apr 4, 5:32 PM CST | Tornado Warning | FWD | Coryell, Lampasas | 28 min |
| Apr 4, 5:54 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Bell | 3 hr |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1997Every tornado warning in 1997Tornadoes 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.