Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1997
Tornado Warning 67, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Nov 4, 1997, 6:36 PM CST for Matagorda County, Texas. It was in force for 54 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
- Nov 4, 1997, 6:36 PM CST (00:36 UTC)
- Expired
- Nov 4, 1997, 7:30 PM CST
- In force
- 54 min
- Issued by
- NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
- Area
- Whole counties
County Matagorda County, TX
The radar
The Houston radar (KHGX), 118 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:36 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 4, 6:58 PM CST | Thunderstorm Wind | Midfield, TX | Car blown off HWY 71 near Midfield. |
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
Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 00:00Z, 0.6 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 544 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -12 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 981 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 54 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 121 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 279 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.6
- Supercell composite
- 3.9
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KHOU 050041 RRA TORHOU TXC321-050130- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 636 PM CST TUE NOV 4 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 730 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS ...NORTHERN MATAGORDA COUNTY AT 634 PM CST...A TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR THE COMMUNITY OF MIDFIELD. THIS STORM WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT NEAR 12 MPH. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. 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 MO BILE 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 Nov 4, 2:32 PM CST, 4 hours 4 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Nov 4, 2:32 PM CST, 4 hours 4 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED POPS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 230 PM CST TUE NOV 4 1997 SHRT WV CRNTLY MVG INTO CNTRL TX HAS INTERACTED WITH RAPIDLY INCREASING LLM ACRS WRN SECTIONS TO PRODUCE WIDELY SCT SHWRS/TSTMS. WILL HANDLE CRNT CONVECTION IN NOWCAST. FOR TNGT...SE TX AIRMASS WILL CONT TO QUICKLY MODIFY AS FIRST SHRT WV CONTS TO DVLP SCT TSTMS THRU THIS EVNG. INCREASING WND SHEER AND INSTABILITY WITH FIRST SHRT WV WILL WARRANT CONTD MENTION OF PSBL SVR FOR THIS EVNG. EXPECT FIRST WAVE OF ACTIVITY TO DIMINISH BY MID-LATE EVNG (10PM) AS INITIAL SHRT WV PUSHES EAST BEFORE MDNGT. A SECOND BATCH OF STRONG SHRT WV ENERGY ARRIVES DURING THE EARLY MRNG HRS AND BRINGS ANOTHER SHOT OF PSBL SVR WX TO FA...MAINLY FM EARLY MRNG THRU MID-LATE MRNG FOR INLAND AREAS...AND NOONISH COAST AS SECOND SHRT WV PUSHES PRE-FNTL TROF THRU EARLY AND CLEANS FA OUT BEFORE ACTUAL CF (COLD AIR) ARRIVES DURING THE AFTN. EXPECT WND SHIFT ARND NOON CLL...EARLY AFTN IAH AND OFF COAST BY LATE AFTN. WILL GO FOR DECREASING CLDS ACRS NRN & CNTRL ZONES FOR WED AFTN BUT HOLD OFF TILL EVNG ALONG COAST. THEN MAINLY CLR SKIES AND COOL TMPS RTRN ONCE AGAIN FOR LAST TWO PERIODS. WILL ISSUE SPS COVERING PSBL SVR WX FM THIS EVNG THRU WED MRNG. CONT WITH GUSTY WNDS OUT AHEAD AND BEHIND FROPA WITH SMA WARRANTED TNGT & WED. 39 PRELIMS... CLL E/E>V V/U 61/76 46/72 5300 (PSBL SVR TNGT-MID MRNG) IAH E/E>B V/U 61/77 48/71 5400 (PSBL SVR TNGT-LATE MRNG) GLS E/E B>V/U 66/76 56/70 5410 (PSBL SVR TNGT-NOONISH)
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Nov 4, 3:00 PM CST, 3 hours 36 minutes before
TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-050600- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 300 PM CST TUE NOV 4 1997 THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS FROM TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE RISK AREA INCLUDES THE BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION AREA...HOUSTON METRO AREA...THE GALVESTON AREA AND THE BAY CITY AREA. THE AIRMASS OVER SOUTHEAST WILL CONTINUE TO BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE TONIGHT WITH THE RETURN OF WARM TROPICAL MOISTURE FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO. A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT AND PRODUCE PERIODS OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. THE FIRST IMPULSE WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING AND PRODUCE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE PUSHING EAST SHORTLY BEFORE MIDNIGHT. THEN A SECOND AND MUCH STRONGER IMPULSE WILL APPROACH THE AREA DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THIS STRONGER DISTURBANCE HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR PRODUCING A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THAT PUSH ACROSS THE AREA FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST...POSSIBLY APPROACHING THE COLLEGE STATION AREA BY AROUND 4-6AM...HOUSTON AREA AROUND 6-8AM...AND ALONG THE UPPER TEXAS COAST AROUND 8-10AM. INCREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND WIND SHEAR...COUPLED WITH MID LEVEL DRY AIR AND COLD TEMPERATURES ALOFT COULD RESULT IN SOME STORMS REACHING SEVERE LIMITS. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND STRONG DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS. HOWEVER...THE WIND PROFILE IN THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE ALSO SUPPORTS POSSIBLE ISOLATED TORNADO FORMATIONS. THE UPPER LEVEL ENERGY IS EXPECTED TO PUSH EAST OF THE AREA BY AROUND NOON ON WEDNESDAY...ENDING THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER. ALL RESIDENTS IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS ARE ENCOURAGED TO STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Nov 4, 3:07 PM CST, 3 hours 29 minutes before
TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-050600- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 300 PM CST TUE NOV 4 1997 THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS FROM TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE RISK AREA INCLUDES THE BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION AREA...HOUSTON METRO AREA...THE GALVESTON AREA AND THE BAY CITY AREA. THE AIRMASS OVER SOUTHEAST WILL CONTINUE TO BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE TONIGHT WITH THE RETURN OF WARM TROPICAL MOISTURE FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO. A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT AND PRODUCE PERIODS OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. THE FIRST IMPULSE WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING AND PRODUCE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE PUSHING EAST SHORTLY BEFORE MIDNIGHT. THEN A SECOND AND MUCH STRONGER IMPULSE WILL APPROACH THE AREA DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THIS STRONGER DISTURBANCE HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR PRODUCING A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THAT PUSH ACROSS THE AREA FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST...POSSIBLY APPROACHING THE COLLEGE STATION AREA BY AROUND 4-6AM...HOUSTON AREA AROUND 6-8AM...AND ALONG THE UPPER TEXAS COAST AROUND 8-10AM. INCREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND WIND SHEAR...COUPLED WITH MID LEVEL DRY AIR AND COLD TEMPERATURES ALOFT COULD RESULT IN SOME STORMS REACHING SEVERE LIMITS. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND STRONG DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS. HOWEVER...THE WIND PROFILE IN THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE ALSO SUPPORTS POSSIBLE ISOLATED TORNADO FORMATIONS. THE UPPER LEVEL ENERGY IS EXPECTED TO PUSH EAST OF THE AREA BY AROUND NOON ON WEDNESDAY...ENDING THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER. ALL RESIDENTS IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS ARE ENCOURAGED TO STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 4, 6:15 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Matagorda | 60 min |
| Nov 4, 10:26 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Brazoria | 64 min |
| Nov 4, 11:01 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Brazoria, Matagorda | 59 min |
| Nov 4, 11:34 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Brazoria | 41 min |
| Nov 5, 12:10 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HGX | Brazoria | 35 min |
| Nov 5, 2:16 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Brazoria | 59 min |
| Nov 5, 3:25 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Brazoria | 65 min |
| Nov 5, 3:59 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Galveston | 61 min |
| Nov 5, 4:06 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Houston | 69 min |
| Nov 5, 4:30 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Matagorda | 60 min |
| Nov 5, 4:35 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Brazoria | 55 min |
| Nov 5, 5:21 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Houston | 54 min |
| Nov 5, 5:31 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Brazoria | 59 min |
| Nov 5, 6:00 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Houston | 60 min |
| Nov 5, 7:02 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Houston | 58 min |
| Nov 5, 7:26 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Houston | 2 hr |
| Nov 5, 7:26 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Trinity | 64 min |
| Nov 5, 8:05 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Houston | 55 min |
| Nov 5, 8:31 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Houston, Trinity | 119 min |
| Nov 5, 8:47 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Trinity | 58 min |
| Nov 5, 8:52 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Polk | 68 min |
| Nov 5, 10:38 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HGX | Liberty | 37 min |
| Nov 5, 2:55 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Matagorda | 50 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.