Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 113, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

May 28, 1997Jackson County, Matagorda County, Wharton County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 28, 1997, 4:38 PM CDT for Jackson County, Matagorda County, Wharton County, Texas. It was in force for 67 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 28, 1997, 4:38 PM CDT (21:38 UTC)
Expired
May 28, 1997, 5:45 PM CDT
In force
67 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Jackson County, TX, Matagorda County, TX, Wharton County, TX

The radar

The Houston radar (KHGX), 126 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:39 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.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 28, 3:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 12:00Z, 9.6 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 1997-05-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 54 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 12:00Z on 1997-05-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 11 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
54 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-412 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1504 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
6 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
11 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-8 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

582 
WUUS1 KHOU 282140 RRA
SVRHOU
TXC481-239-321-282245-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
438 PM CDT WED MAY 28 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  545 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...WHARTON COUNTY
 
IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
 
   ...JACKSON COUNTY...MATAGORDA COUNTY
 
WEATHER RADAR AT 435 PM INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER BLESSING
MOVING NORTHWEST AT 5 MILES AN HOUR. A SECOND SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS
LOCATED 5 MILES EAST OF SPEAKS MOVING WEST AT 5 MILES AN HOUR. BOTH OF
THESE STORMS ARE LIKELY ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE HAIL AND POSSIBLY STRONG
WINDS.
 
 
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.

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.

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 28, 2:19 PM CDT, 2 hours 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 28, 2:19 PM CDT, 2 hours 19 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
215 PM CDT WED MAY 28 1997

QUITE BUSY SHIFT W/STRONG CONVECTION FIRING UP OVR MUCH OF
FA DUE TO STRONG SURFACE MOISTURE CONV OVR HOU/GLS AREA W/OUTFLOW
BOUNDARIES. WEAK FNTL BOUNDARY PROGGED BY ETA TO SLOWLY SAG SWD AND
BECOME DIFFUSE BY THU NITE. MN RHS SHOWING HI VALUES SHIFTING GRAD
EWD TOWARDS NW GULF LATER THU INTO FRI. 850 MB THETA-E RIDGE ALSO
SHIFTING GRAD SEWD TO NW GULF.

MID/HI LVL FLOW SHOWS TROF MOVING TO E/NE OF FA W/FLOW BECOMING MORE
W/NWLY FRI. HOWEVER...SHEAR AXIS (700 MB) S OF MN UPPER LVL TROF
SHOWN BY ETA BEING LEFT BEHIND AS SHOWN W/MID LVL LOW (ALBEIT WEAK)
JUST OFF CRP BY FRI.

LOOKS LIKE BEST CHANCES OF PCPN OCCURING NOW AND DURING EVE
HOURS...W/NOS GOING DOWN DURING. PERHAPS MENTION OF MAINLY EVE
TSTMS/SHOWERS 1ST PD. COASTAL ZNS SHOULD HAVE HIGHEST POPS TOMORROW
AS BOUNDARY SHIFTS TO THAT AREA.

PRELIMS
CLL  EBBB  65/89 68/89 3222
IAH  EBBB  67/88 69/89 4322
GLS  EEBB  77/85 76/85 4432

42/37

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 28, 10:57 AM CDT, 5 hours 41 minutes before
TXZ176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-511-513-282300-

SEVERE WEATHER AND HEAVY RAINFALL OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1057 AM CDT WED MAY 28 1997

...SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNDER A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
TODAY...

ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS IS UNDER A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.  THIS SLIGHT RISK AREA INCLUDES
THE BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION...HOUSTON...AND GALVESTON AREAS.

A STATIONARY FRONT REMAINS TO THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF SOUTHEAST
TEXAS.  THE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS AHEAD OF THE FRONT IS
VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE.  AS A RESULT...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP TODAY...AND SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY
BECOME SEVERE.

THE GREATEST SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS.  SEVERAL WATERSPOUTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED BY THE COAST GUARD
OVER GALVESTON BAY THIS MORNING.  RESIDENTS ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS
SHOULD BE ALERT FOR ADDITIONAL WATERSPOUT AND POSSIBLE TORNADO
FORMATION DURING THE DAY.

IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS
POSSIBLE DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL THREAT WILL BE EAST OF A LINE FROM HUNTSVILLE
TO RICHMOND TO SARGENT.  THIS AREA INCLUDES THE CITIES OF HOUSTON AND
GALVESTON.  RAINFALL TOTALS WILL AVERAGE 1 INCH...WITH ISOLATED
TOTALS BETWEEN 3 AND 4 INCHES POSSIBLE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR
FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WATCHES AND WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 28, 10:58 AM CDT, 5 hours 40 minutes before
TXZ176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-511-513-282300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1057 AM CDT WED MAY 28 1997

...SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNDER A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
TODAY...

ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS IS UNDER A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.  THIS SLIGHT RISK AREA
INCLUDES THE BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION...HOUSTON...AND GALVESTON AREAS.

A STATIONARY FRONT REMAINS TO THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF SOUTHEAST
TEXAS.  THE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS AHEAD OF THE FRONT IS
VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE.  AS A RESULT...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP TODAY...AND SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY
BECOME SEVERE.

THE GREATEST SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS.  SEVERAL WATERSPOUTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED BY THE COAST GUARD
OVER GALVESTON BAY THIS MORNING.  RESIDENTS ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS
SHOULD BE ALERT FOR ADDITIONAL WATERSPOUT AND POSSIBLE TORNADO
FORMATION DURING THE DAY.

IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS
POSSIBLE DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL THREAT WILL BE EAST OF A LINE FROM HUNTSVILLE
TO RICHMOND TO SARGENT.  THIS AREA INCLUDES THE CITIES OF HOUSTON AND
GALVESTON.  RAINFALL TOTALS WILL AVERAGE 1 INCH...WITH ISOLATED
TOTALS BETWEEN 3 AND 4 INCHES POSSIBLE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR
FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WATCHES AND WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 28, 11:00 AM CDT, 5 hours 38 minutes before
TXZ176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-511-513-282300-

SEVERE WEATHER AND HEAVY RAINFALL OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1057 AM CDT WED MAY 28 1997

...SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNDER A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
TODAY...

ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS IS UNDER A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.  THIS SLIGHT RISK AREA INCLUDES
THE BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION...HOUSTON...AND GALVESTON AREAS.

A STATIONARY FRONT REMAINS TO THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF SOUTHEAST
TEXAS.  THE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS AHEAD OF THE FRONT IS
VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE.  AS A RESULT...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP TODAY...AND SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY
BECOME SEVERE.

THE GREATEST SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS.  SEVERAL WATERSPOUTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED BY THE COAST GUARD
OVER GALVESTON BAY THIS MORNING.  RESIDENTS ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS
SHOULD BE ALERT FOR ADDITIONAL WATERSPOUT AND POSSIBLE TORNADO
FORMATION DURING THE DAY.

IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS
POSSIBLE DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL THREAT WILL BE EAST OF A LINE FROM HUNTSVILLE
TO RICHMOND TO SARGENT.  THIS AREA INCLUDES THE CITIES OF HOUSTON AND
GALVESTON.  RAINFALL TOTALS WILL AVERAGE 1 INCH...WITH ISOLATED
TOTALS BETWEEN 3 AND 4 INCHES POSSIBLE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR
FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WATCHES AND WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 28, 3:36 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
TXZ210-211-226-227-235>237-290240-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
338 PM CDT WED MAY 28 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL 800 PM...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
FOR THE FOLLOWING SOUTHERN COUNTIES OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

AUSTIN...FORT BEND...BRAZORIA...COLORADO...WHARTON...MATAGORDA...
AND JACKSON.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH A HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL ARE PROGRESSING
FROM A BELLVILLE TO GALVESTON LINE TO THE SOUTHWEST.  THESE STORMS
ARE ENTERING AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE AND WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
SEVERE WEATHER INCLUDING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND TORNADOES.

IF ANY SEVERE WEATHER IS OBSERVED...PLEASE REPORT YOUR INFORMATION
TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICE AND HAVE THEM RELAY YOUR REPORT
TO THE HOUSTON/GALVESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR
FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 28, 3:38 PM CDT, 1 hour before
TXZ210-211-226-227-235>237-290240-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
338 PM CDT WED MAY 28 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL 800 PM...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
FOR THE FOLLOWING SOUTHERN COUNTIES OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

AUSTIN...FORT BEND...BRAZORIA...COLORADO...WHARTON...MATAGORDA...
AND JACKSON.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH A HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL ARE PROGRESSING
FROM A BELLVILLE TO GALVESTON LINE TO THE SOUTHWEST.  THESE STORMS
ARE ENTERING AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE AND WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
SEVERE WEATHER INCLUDING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND TORNADOES.

IF ANY SEVERE WEATHER IS OBSERVED...PLEASE REPORT YOUR INFORMATION
TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICE AND HAVE THEM RELAY YOUR REPORT
TO THE HOUSTON/GALVESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR
FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 27, 7:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazos, Madison59 min
May 27, 7:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXGrimes56 min
May 27, 7:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXWalker63 min
May 27, 11:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXGrimes53 min
May 27, 11:40 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningHGXGrimes, Walker2 hr
May 28, 12:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXGrimes, Montgomery, Walker67 min
May 28, 12:43 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHouston62 min
May 28, 10:43 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris62 min
May 28, 11:44 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris61 min
May 28, 12:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXMontgomery64 min
May 28, 1:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXGalveston57 min
May 28, 1:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXSan Jacinto62 min
May 28, 2:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXWaller57 min
May 28, 2:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXAustin68 min
May 28, 2:59 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXPolk31 min
May 28, 3:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazoria, Fort Bend59 min
May 28, 3:36 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXBrazoria, Fort Bend69 min
May 28, 5:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXJackson63 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.