Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 68, NWS Lake Charles, LA

June 17, 1997Hardin County, Texas

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 17, 1997, 9:37 AM CDT for Hardin County, Texas. It was in force for 38 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
Jun 17, 1997, 9:37 AM CDT (14:37 UTC)
Expired
Jun 17, 1997, 10:15 AM CDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area
Whole counties

County Hardin County, TX

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 115 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 14:39 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
Jun 17, 6:30 AM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 2.6 hours before the alert went out and 117 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 1997-06-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3576 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 1997-06-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 85 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
3576 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
642 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
85 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
111 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.9
Supercell composite
12.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KLCH 171432 RRA
SVRLCH
TXC199-171515-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
937 AM CDT TUE JUN 17 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1015 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
 
   ...HARDIN COUNTY
 
AT 930 AM...LAKE CHARLES DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS 15 MILES WEST KOUNTZE MOVING EAST 45 MPH. DAMAGING
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
KOUNTZE...SOUR LAKE...SILSBEE...AND LUMBERTON ARE IN THE PATH
OF THIS STORM.
 
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING.  PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD 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 Lake Charles, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jun 17, 8:47 AM CDT, 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 17, 8:47 AM CDT, 50 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS..SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL LOUISIANA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
845 AM CDT TUE JUN 17 1997

AREA UNDER INFLUENCE OF RIGHT REAR QUADRANT OF JET STREAK WHICH
IS ENHANCING INFLOW WITH 25 TO 30 KNOT WINDS JUST ABOVE THE SFC.
LOWER 80S DEWPOINTS JUST OFF THE SW LA COAST. AREA UNDER EXTREME
INSTABILITY WITH LIFTED INDICES AROUND -11...CAPES AROUND 4000
TO 5300 J/KG...PW'S AROUND 2 INCHES. UNUSUAL DISPLAY OF WIDESPREAD
ACCAS CLOUDS WHICH USUALLY LEADS TO QUITE AN ACTIVE WEATHER DAY.
BELIEVE MEAN WIND OF 25 TO 30 KNOTS...DRY GROUND OVER SW LA AND SQUALL
LIKE FAST MOVEMENT MAY SPELL LOW PROBABILITY FOR FLOODING. FLASH
FLOOD GUIDANCE IS QUITE HIGH ACROSS AREA WITH 2 1/2 INCHES PER
HOUR AND 3.5 TO 4 INCHES OVER THREE HOUR PERIOD. BELIEVE MAIN
THREAT IS DAMAGING WINDS...ISOLATING FLOODING AND POSSIBLE LARGE
HAIL AND A FEW TORNADOES. UP POPS...THAT IS ALL. 06

LCH 89/77/90 734
BPT 89/76/90 824
LFT 90/76/91 734
AEX 90/76/90 834

  06

TX ZONES...

LA ZONES...

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 17, 5:04 AM CDT, 4 hours 33 minutes before
LAZ043-031-029-030-041-051-032-053-042-044-055-028-033-054-045-
052-027-TXZ201-181-215-182-216-180-171600-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
504 AM CDT TUE JUN 17 1997

...HEAVY RAIN AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TODAY ACROSS
SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL LOUISIANA...

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY ACROSS
MUCH OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND CENTRAL LOUISIANA. THERE IS A SLIGHT
RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY ACROSS SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHCENTRAL
LOUISIANA.

A FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR ALL
OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

AN UNSEASONABLE...STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE
EAST TODAY ACROSS NORTHERN TEXAS. AS IT DOES...A COLD FRONT WILL
ALSO PROGRESS EASTWARD AND STALL THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS SOUTHEAST
TEXAS. AHEAD OF THE FRONT...STRONG AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND MOVE ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS IN A VERY
MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE. THEY ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST
ACROSS LOUISIANA DURING THE DAY. BECAUSE THE FRONT WILL STALL ACROSS
SOUTHEAST TEXAS...ADDITONAL THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT MAY OCCUR THIS
AFTERNOON CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING ALONG AND NEAR
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY.

LATEST SURFACE AND UPPER AIR OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT LARGE HAIL
...DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT
FROM THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE
ACROSS THE AREA.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATIONS
FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.  BE READY TO SEEK SHELTER SHOULD
A WARNING BE ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA.
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 5:07 AM CDT, 4 hours 30 minutes before
LAZ043-031-029-030-041-051-032-053-042-044-055-028-033-054-045-
052-027-TXZ201-181-215-182-216-180-171600-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
504 AM CDT TUE JUN 17 1997

...HEAVY RAIN AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TODAY ACROSS
SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL LOUISIANA...

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY ACROSS
MUCH OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND CENTRAL LOUISIANA. THERE IS A SLIGHT
RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY ACROSS SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHCENTRAL
LOUISIANA.

A FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR ALL
OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

AN UNSEASONABLE...STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE
EAST TODAY ACROSS NORTHERN TEXAS. AS IT DOES...A COLD FRONT WILL
ALSO PROGRESS EASTWARD AND STALL THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS SOUTHEAST
TEXAS. AHEAD OF THE FRONT...STRONG AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND MOVE ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS IN A VERY
MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE. THEY ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST
ACROSS LOUISIANA DURING THE DAY. BECAUSE THE FRONT WILL STALL ACROSS
SOUTHEAST TEXAS...ADDITONAL THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT MAY OCCUR THIS
AFTERNOON CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING ALONG AND NEAR
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY.

LATEST SURFACE AND UPPER AIR OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT LARGE HAIL
...DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT
FROM THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE
ACROSS THE AREA.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATIONS
FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.  BE READY TO SEEK SHELTER SHOULD
A WARNING BE ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA.
Local storm report, Jun 17, 7:17 AM CDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
717 AM CDT TUE JUN 17 1997

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0646 AM    2 E CHESTER              TX    WIND DAMAGE
06/17/97   TYLER                          TREE DOWN ACROSS HWY 1745.
                                          REPORTED BY SHERIFFS
                                          DISPATCHER.
Local storm report, Jun 17, 7:20 AM CDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
717 AM CDT TUE JUN 17 1997

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0646, AM    2 E CHESTER              TX    WIND DAMAGE
06/17/97   TYLER                          TREE DOWN ACROSS HWY 1745.
                                          REPORTED BY SHERIFF'S
                                          DISPATCHER.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Lake Charles, LA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 17, 6:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHTyler60 min
Jun 17, 7:10 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHJasper65 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.