Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1997
Tornado Warning 47, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Oct 23, 1997, 2:58 PM CDT for Grimes County, Walker County, Texas. It was in force for 62 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
- Oct 23, 1997, 2:58 PM CDT (19:58 UTC)
- Expired
- Oct 23, 1997, 4:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 62 min
- Issued by
- NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Grimes County, TX, Walker County, TX
The radar
The Houston radar (KHGX), 146 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:02 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 23, 3:22 PM CDT | Tornado F1 | Huntsville, TX | Destroyed 2 houses |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 23, 9:15 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
| Oct 23, 2:15 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 8.0 hours before the alert went out and 254 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
- 4 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -174 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 826 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 42 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 112 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 151 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
519 WFUS1 KHOU 231959 RRA TORHOU TXC185-471-232100- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 258 PM CDT THU OCT 23 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 400 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS ...GRIMES COUNTY...WALKER COUNTY AT 259 PM...RADAR INDICATED A TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM NEAR BEDIAS. THIS STORM WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THIS STORM WILL CROSS I-45 IN NORTHWESTERN WALKER COUNTY. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO... SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM... SUCH AS A CLOSET OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. AVOID WINDOWS AND PROTECT YOUR BODY FROM FLYING DEBRIS WITH CUSHIONS... BLANKETS... OR PILLOWS.
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 Oct 23, 2:04 PM CDT, 54 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Oct 23, 2:04 PM CDT, 54 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 204 PM CDT THU OCT 23 1997 STG S/W CURRENTLY MOVG THRU THE NERN PTN OF THE STATE. SHEAR AND HELICITY PT TWD CONT SVR/TORNADO THREAT OVR THE CWA FOR THE REST OF THE AFT (REFERENCE LATEST TOR WARNING). EXITING JET THAT HELPED ENHANCE THE LIFT OVR THE RGN EARLIER HAS MOVD PAST ETX...HOWEVER THE NEXT JET WAS NOSING INTO THE WRN PTNS OF THE AREA ON THE WV. AS THE S/W MOVS E THIS EVE...THE ERN COUNTIES WL HAVE A CHC FOR TSTMS (SOME POSSIBLY SVR) INTO THE MID EVE HRS AT THE LATEST. THEN SIG DRYING OCCURS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NGT THRU FRI. THE H5 FLOW WL BE WRLY THRU SAT EVE...AND AS THE NEXT CDFNT APRCHS RN CHCS WL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE SAT AFT AND EVE. WITH THE JET OVHD HI CLDS CHUD STAY IN PLACE THRU THE PD. TEMPS SHUD BE HIER FRI BEFORE COOLING A BIT ON SAT AS THE FNT MOVS THRU. PL/40 PRELIMS... CLL E/B B/E 062/085 062/081 057 1--3 2ND PD DECREASING CLOUDS IAH E/B B/E 064/085 064/082 058 5--3 RN CHCS THIS EVE GLS E/B B/E 065/082 068/080 062 61-3 RN CHCS THIS EVE
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Oct 23, 9:16 AM CDT, 5 hours 42 minutes before
TXZ163-164-176>178-195>199-232115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 917 AM CDT THU OCT 23 1997 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THIS THURSDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FROM 915 AM CDT TIL 300 PM CDT. THE COUNTIES OF TRINITY...HOUSTON...WASHINGTON ...BRAZOS...BURLESON...GRIMES...WALKER...MADISON...MONTGOMERY ...AND SAN JACINTO ARE IN THE WATCH AREA. AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE...AN INCREASINGLY MOIST... UNSTABLE AIR OVER SOUTHTEXAS...AND AN UPPER LEVEL JET MOVING OVER THE REGION...WILL ALL FACTOR INTO...FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES IN THE WATCH AREA. PJERSONS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA SHOULD MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND BE READY TO TAKE IMMEDIATE SAFETY MEASURES SHOULD A WARNING BE ISSUED.
Special weather statement, Oct 23, 9:17 AM CDT, 5 hours 41 minutes before
TXZ163-164-176>178-195>199-232115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 917 AM CDT THU OCT 23 1997 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THIS THURSDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FROM 915 AM CDT TIL 300 PM CDT. THE COUNTIES OF TRINITY...HOUSTON...WASHINGTON ...BRAZOS...BURLESON...GRIMES...WALKER...MADISON...MONTGOMERY ...AND SAN JACINTO ARE IN THE WATCH AREA. AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE...AN INCREASINGLY MOIST... UNSTABLE AIR OVER SOUTHTEXAS...AND AN UPPER LEVEL JET MOVING OVER THE REGION...WILL ALL FACTOR INTO...FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES IN THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA SHOULD MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND BE READY TO TAKE IMMEDIATE SAFETY MEASURES SHOULD A WARNING BE ISSUED.
Special weather statement, Oct 23, 10:45 AM CDT, 4 hours 13 minutes before
TXZ179-200-210>214-226-227-235>238-511-513-240000- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 1045 AM CDT THU OCT 23 1997 THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON. A NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS ARE COMING TOGETHER TO GENERATE AN ENVIRONMENT VERY FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATE THIS MORNING AND THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON. A WARM FRONT COMING ONSHORE NEAR FREEPORT WILL MOVE NORTHWARD DURING THE DAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE AREA MOVES ACROSS NORTH TEXAS. COLD AIR ALOFT AND VERY MOIST AIR TO THE SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT WILL MAKE FOR AN UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT AND ALONG WITH STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND VERY STRONG WESTERLY WINDS IN THE JETSTREAM WILL FAVOR THE EXPLOSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS. THE ONSET OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE LINKED TO A DISTURBANCE IN THE JETSTREAM PLACING THE REGION UNDER THE GUN BETWEEN 1230 AND 330 PM THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO DEVELOP HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BECOMING SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON...THE THREAT OF LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE. HOWEVER...THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH SOUTHEAST TEXAS RATHER QUICKLY REDUCING THE THREAT OF ANY WIDESPREAD FLOODING. A TORNADO WATCH IS ALREADY IN EFFECT OVER AREA FROM BRENHAM TO CONROE TO GROVETON. OTHER WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED AS THIS SEVERE WEATHER EVENT UNFOLDS. MARINERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE. IF THREATENING WEATHER SHOULD DEVELOP NEAR YOUR LOCATION...YOU ARE ADVISED TO RETURN TO PORT. EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD EXPECT ACTIVATION AS EARLY AS NOON. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR FURTHER UPDATES ON THIS SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.
Special weather statement, Oct 23, 10:50 AM CDT, 4 hours 8 minutes before
TXZ179-200-210>214-226-227-235>238-511-513-240000- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 1045 AM CDT THU OCT 23 1997 THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON. A NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS ARE COMING TOGETHER TO GENERATE AN ENVIRONMENT VERY FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATE THIS MORNING AND THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON. A WARM FRONT COMING ONSHORE NEAR FREEPORT WILL MOVE NORTHWARD DURING THE DAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE AREA MOVES ACROSS NORTH TEXAS. COLD AIR ALOFT AND VERY MOIST AIR TO THE SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT WILL MAKE FOR AN UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT AND ALONG WITH STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND VERY STRONG WESTERLY WINDS IN THE JETSTREAM WILL FAVOR THE EXPLOSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS. THE ONSET OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE LINKED TO A DISTURBANCE IN THE JETSTREAM PLACING THE REGION UNDER THE GUN BETWEEN 1230 AND 330 PM THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO DEVELOP HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BECOMING SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON...THE THREAT OF LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE. HOWEVER...THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH SOUTHEAST TEXAS RATHER QUICKLY REDUCING THE THREAT OF ANY WIDESPREAD FLOODING. A TORNADO WATCH IS ALREADY IN EFFECT OVER AREA FROM BRENHAM TO CONROE TO GROVETON. OTHER WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED AS THIS SEVERE WEATHER EVENT UNFOLDS. MARINERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE. IF THREATENING WEATHER SHOULD DEVELOP NEAR YOUR LOCATION...YOU ARE ADVISED TO RETURN TO PORT. EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD EXPECT ACTIVATION AS EARLY AS NOON. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR FURTHER UPDATES ON THIS SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 23, 11:33 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Liberty | 57 min |
| Oct 23, 1:52 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Fort Bend | 53 min |
| Oct 23, 2:03 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Harris | 57 min |
| Oct 23, 2:19 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Harris | 56 min |
| Oct 23, 2:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Liberty | 60 min |
| Oct 23, 3:12 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Harris | 63 min |
| Oct 23, 3:28 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Austin | 62 min |
| Oct 23, 3:43 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Liberty | 62 min |
| Oct 23, 3:50 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Waller | 55 min |
| Oct 23, 3:51 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Trinity | 69 min |
| Oct 23, 4:08 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Harris, Montgomery | 67 min |
| Oct 23, 5:01 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Liberty, San Jacinto | 59 min |
| Oct 23, 5:12 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Montgomery | 63 min |
| Oct 23, 5:37 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Polk | 68 min |
| Oct 23, 5:40 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | San Jacinto | 65 min |
| Oct 23, 5:58 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Liberty | 47 min |
| Oct 23, 6:40 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Polk | 35 min |
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.