Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1997
Tornado Warning 14, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 4, 1997, 7:50 PM CST for Burleson County, Texas. It was in force for 55 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, 7:50 PM CST (01:50 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 4, 1997, 8:45 PM CST
- In force
- 55 min
- Issued by
- NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
- Area
- Whole counties
County Burleson County, TX
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 8:37 PM CST | Thunderstorm Wind | Chriesman, 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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 2:15 PM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
| Apr 4, 7:15 PM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Fort Worth, TX (KFWD), launched 00:00Z, 1.8 hours before the alert went out and 268 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
- 13 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -28 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 577 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 36 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -137 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -87 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
777 WFUS1 KHOU 050150 RRA TORHOU TXC051-050245- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 750 PM CST FRI APR 4 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 845 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS ...BURLESON COUNTY AT 748PM...RADAR INDICATED A TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM NEAR LEXINGTON IN LEE COUNTY WHICH IS 18 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CALDWELL. THE STORM IS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. ON THIS TRACK THE STORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN PORTIONS OF BURLESON COUNTY BY 815PM. STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION. ACT QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO... GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. AVOID WINDOWS. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.
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 Apr 4, 2:40 PM CST, 5 hours 10 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 4, 2:40 PM CST, 5 hours 10 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 240 PM CST FRI APR 4 1997 CURRENTLY, KHGX 88D PICKING UP SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHRA/TSRA OVER OUR NRN ZONES. WOULD NOT BE TOO SURPRISED TO SEE ADDITIONAL DEVEL- OPMENT ACROSS THE SRN ZONES A BIT LATER THIS AFTN (GIVEN MORE HEAT- ING AND LEFTOVER BOUNDARIES IN THIS INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE ATMS). A LOOK AHEAD ANOTHER WELL DEFINED S/W CURRENTLY OVER S TX IS EXPECTED TO HIT SE TX A BIT LATER DURING THE EARLY EVENING HRS. AFTER THAT, THE BIG FIREWORKS ARE STILL ON TRACK FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AS THE MAIN UPPER LOW TREKS ACROSS FROM W TX IN CONJUNCTION WITH A VERY WK COOL FRONT. WILL HAVE SEE IF THE ATMS WILL HAVE RECOVERED BY THEN, IF THE EARLY EVENING CONVECTION GOES ON AS PLANNED. OTHERWISE, THE DYNAMICS STILL LOOK VERY GOOD FOR SQUALL LINE DEVELOPMENT OVER W TX TONIGHT AND BLOWING PAST E TX BY SR. PW FCST UP TO 2 WITH PROGGED VVEL STILL LOOKING VERY IMPRESSIVE. AMS ALREADY VERY MOIST AND UN- STABLE. JUST WITING FOR THE OTHER SHOE TO DROP AT THIS POINT. WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE COASTAL FLD WATCH UP FOR THE TIME BEING. WE ARE CURRENTLY AT/NEAR HIGH TIDE WITH THE HGX PORTS DATUM INDICATING HGTS UP TO 4.5 FEET. NEXT HIGH TIDE AFTER SHOULD BE AFTER MIDNITE. HGX VWP INDICATING 50KT WINDS AT 2KFT. WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KEEP THE WIND ADVISORY UP AS WELL. 41 PRELIMS... CLL TBBB 65/77 55/80 +200 (HVY RAIN/SVR TONIGHT) IAH TBBB 67/79 56/82 +200 (HVY RAIN/SVR TONIGHT) GLS TBBB 69/76 60/77 +200 (HVY RAIN/SVR TONIGHT)
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 2:34 PM CST, 5 hours 16 minutes before
TXZ163-164-176>179-195>199-211>213-050230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 234 PM CST FRI APR 4 1997 ...A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 800 PM FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 8 PM FOR THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. COUNTIES IN THE WATCH AREA INCLUDE: AUSTIN...WASHINGTON...BURLESON...BRAZOS... MADISON... GRIMES...WALLER...HARRIS...MONTGOMERY...SAN JACINTO...POLK... TRINITY...WALKER...AND HOUSTON. THIS WATCH DOES INCLUDE THE CITIES OF BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION...CONROE... HUNTSVILLE...BRENHAM... MADISONVILLE...AND THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON IN THIS VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE. STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS AT THE SURFACE AND STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS ALOFT HAVE INDUCED A WIND SHEAR PATTERN FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TORNADIC STORM OVER THE WATCH AREA. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. AMATUER RADIO OPERATORS AND SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE URGED TO MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION AND BE PREPARED FOR ACTIVATION. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 6:12 PM CST, 1 hour 38 minutes before
TXZ163-164-176>179-195>199-210>213-226-227-235-511-050700- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 712 PM CDT FRI APR 4 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1 AM FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THE WATCH AREA IS MAINLY NORTH AND WEST OF A LINE FROM EDNA TO HOUSTON TO LIVINGSTON. COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH AREA INCLUDE: AUSTIN...BRAZOS...BURLESON...COLORADO...FORT BEND...GRIMES... HARRIS...HOUSTON...JACKSON...MADISON...MONTGOMERY...POLK... SAN JACINTO...TRINITY...WALKER...WALLER...WASHINGTON AND WHARTON COUNTIES INCLUDING THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. ROBERTSON...MILAM AND LEON COUNTIES IN CENTRAL TEXAS ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS WATCH. A SQUALL LINE AHEAD OF A COOL FRONT IN CENTRAL TEXAS WILL CONTINUE MOVING EASTWARD INTO AN UNSTABLE SOUTHEAST TEXAS AIRMASS TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE LINE ARE CAPABLE OF REACHING SEVERE LIMITS. THE MAIN THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO DEVELOPMENT IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THIS AREA ARE URGED TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER DEVELOPMENTS AND SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH YOUR AREA. MARINERS CAN EXPECT STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS IN ADVANCE OF THE COLD FRONT TO SHIFT TO THE WEST AND NORTHWEST AS THE LINE PASSES THROUGH THE REGION. STAY TUNED TO NOA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL OR CABLE MEDIA OUTLETS FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 7:13 PM CST, 37 minutes before
TXZ163-164-176>179-195>199-210>213-226-227-235-511-050700- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 712 PM CDT FRI APR 4 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1 AM FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THE WATCH AREA IS MAINLY NORTH AND WEST OF A LINE FROM EDNA TO HOUSTON TO LIVINGSTON. COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH AREA INCLUDE: AUSTIN...BRAZOS...BURLESON...COLORADO...FORT BEND...GRIMES... HARRIS...HOUSTON...JACKSON...MADISON...MONTGOMERY...POLK... SAN JACINTO...TRINITY...WALKER...WALLER...WASHINGTON AND WHARTON COUNTIES INCLUDING THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. ROBERTSON...MILAM AND LEON COUNTIES IN CENTRAL TEXAS ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS WATCH. A SQUALL LINE AHEAD OF A COOL FRONT IN CENTRAL TEXAS WILL CONTINUE MOVING EASTWARD INTO AN UNSTABLE SOUTHEAST TEXAS AIRMASS TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE LINE ARE CAPABLE OF REACHING SEVERE LIMITS. THE MAIN THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO DEVELOPMENT IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THIS AREA ARE URGED TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER DEVELOPMENTS AND SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH YOUR AREA. MARINERS CAN EXPECT STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS IN ADVANCE OF THE COLD FRONT TO SHIFT TO THE WEST AND NORTHWEST AS THE LINE PASSES THROUGH THE REGION. STAY TUNED TO NOA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL OR CABLE MEDIA OUTLETS FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 8:41 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Brazos | 64 min |
| Apr 4, 10:55 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Houston | 2 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.