Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1998

Tornado Warning 12, NWS Fort Worth, TX

April 26, 1998Montague County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 26, 1998, 5:53 PM CDT for Montague County, Texas. It was in force for 37 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline the Iowa Environmental Mesonet reconstructed for it; the warning itself named whole counties, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Apr 26, 1998, 5:53 PM CDT (22:53 UTC)
Expired
Apr 26, 1998, 6:30 PM CDT
In force
37 min
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Montague County, TX

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 26, 6:10 PM CDTHail 0.75Belcherville, 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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 26, 3:00 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Fort Worth, TX (KFWD), launched 12:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 118 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, Fort Worth, TX at 12:00Z on 1998-04-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 177 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, Fort Worth, TX at 12:00Z on 1998-04-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 146 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
177 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-328 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
676 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
146 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
7 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.

067 
WFUS1 KFTW 262255 RRA
TORFTW
TXC337-262330-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
553 PM CDT SUN APR 26 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A

   * TORNADO WARNING FOR
     MONTAGUE COUNTY IN TEXAS
     INCLUDING NOCONA

   * UNTIL 630 PM CDT

   * AT 553 PM CDT THE PUBLIC REPORTED A TORNADO NEAR BELLEVUE IN 
     CLAY COUNTY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES PER HOUR.

   * OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE STONEBURG...SPANISH
     FORT...RINGOLD AND BELCHERVILLE

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW
SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

LAT...LON 3383 9746 3364 9797 3389 9798 3397 9762

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.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 26, 12:00 PM CDT, 5 hours 53 minutes before
TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-262300-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1200 PM CDT SUN APR 26 1998

...MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH
CENTRAL TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  THIS MODERATE RISK AREA
IS FOR THAT PART OF NORTH TEXAS EAST OF A GRAHAM TO GOLDTHWAITE
LINE...AND WEST OF A PARIS TO CENTERVILLE LINE.  SOME CITIES INCLUDED
IN THE MODERATE RISK AREA ARE ATHENS...BOWIE...CANTON...CORSICANA...
FAIRFIELD...GAINESVILLE...MINERAL WELLS...PALESTINE...PARIS...
SHERMAN...STEPHENVILLE...TEMPLE...WACO...AND THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH
METROPLEX.

AT MIDDAY...A SURFACE LOW WAS LOCATED OVER THE SOUTHERN TEXAS
PANHANDLE.  A DRYLINE EXTENDED SOUTHEAST OF THIS LOW INTO THE
WESTERN HILL COUNTRY...WHILE A DEVELOPING WARM FRONT EXTENDED EAST
FROM THE LOW ACROSS THE RED RIVER VALLEY.  ALOFT...AN UPPER LEVEL
STORM SYSTEM WAS LOCATED OVER CENTRAL NEW MEXICO.  WARM AND UNSTABLE
AIR COVERED ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...BUT A
LAYER OF WARM AIR SOME 5000 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE WAS ACTING TO CAP
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.  AS THE UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM
APPROACHES NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON...THE LAYER OF WARM AIR
ALOFT WILL COOL...AND AS A RESULT...THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS
EXPECTED BY MID AFTERNOON ALONG THE DRYLINE AND WARM FRONT WEST OF
THE I35 CORRIDOR.  BY EARLY EVENING...THE SURFACE LOW AND DRYLINE
WILL MOVE INTO NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...AND THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER
WILL SHIFT EASTWARD AS WELL.

THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE FROM LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS.  THE WIND PROFILE IN THE LOWEST 5000 FEET
OF THE ATMOSPHERE ALONG AND JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT...
GENERALLY NORTH AND EAST OF A BOWIE TO STEPHENVILLE TO CANTON LINE...
SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
TORNADOES.

THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER SHOULD END LATER THIS EVENING AS A COLD
FRONT MOVES INTO NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS FROM OKLAHOMA.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS...STORM
SPOTTER GROUPS...AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD MONITOR THIS
DEVELOPING SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION
SHOULD SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN YOUR AREA.  ACTIVATION MAY BE
REQUESTED EAST OF A PARIS...DALLAS...TO KILLEEN LINE ANYTIME AFTER
200 PM...AND ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF NORTH TEXAS BY 600 PM.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS
SITUATION AND WILL ISSUE LATER STATEMENTS AS NEEDED.  STAY TUNED TO
NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO STATIONS...OR
YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER EVENT.

70
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 12:12 PM CDT, 5 hours 41 minutes before
TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-262300-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1212 PM CDT SUN APR 26 1998

...CHANGED EAST TO WEST IN FIFTH PARAGRAPH BELOW...

...MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH
CENTRAL TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  THIS MODERATE RISK AREA
IS FOR THAT PART OF NORTH TEXAS EAST OF A GRAHAM TO GOLDTHWAITE
LINE...AND WEST OF A PARIS TO CENTERVILLE LINE.  SOME CITIES INCLUDED
IN THE MODERATE RISK AREA ARE ATHENS...BOWIE...CANTON...CORSICANA...
FAIRFIELD...GAINESVILLE...MINERAL WELLS...PALESTINE...PARIS...
SHERMAN...STEPHENVILLE...TEMPLE...WACO...AND THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH
METROPLEX.

AT MIDDAY...A SURFACE LOW WAS LOCATED OVER THE SOUTHERN TEXAS
PANHANDLE.  A DRYLINE EXTENDED SOUTHEAST OF THIS LOW INTO THE
WESTERN HILL COUNTRY...WHILE A DEVELOPING WARM FRONT EXTENDED EAST
FROM THE LOW ACROSS THE RED RIVER VALLEY.  ALOFT...AN UPPER LEVEL
STORM SYSTEM WAS LOCATED OVER CENTRAL NEW MEXICO.  WARM AND UNSTABLE
AIR COVERED ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...BUT A
LAYER OF WARM AIR SOME 5000 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE WAS ACTING TO CAP
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.  AS THE UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM
APPROACHES NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON...THE LAYER OF WARM AIR
ALOFT WILL COOL...AND AS A RESULT...THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS
EXPECTED BY MID AFTERNOON ALONG THE DRYLINE AND WARM FRONT WEST OF
THE I35 CORRIDOR.  BY EARLY EVENING...THE SURFACE LOW AND DRYLINE
WILL MOVE INTO NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...AND THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER
WILL SHIFT EASTWARD AS WELL.

THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE FROM LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS.  THE WIND PROFILE IN THE LOWEST 5000 FEET
OF THE ATMOSPHERE ALONG AND JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT...
GENERALLY NORTH AND EAST OF A BOWIE TO STEPHENVILLE TO CANTON LINE...
SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
TORNADOES.

THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER SHOULD END LATER THIS EVENING AS A COLD
FRONT MOVES INTO NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS FROM OKLAHOMA.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS...STORM
SPOTTER GROUPS...AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD MONITOR THIS
DEVELOPING SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION
SHOULD SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN YOUR AREA.  ACTIVATION MAY BE
REQUESTED WEST OF A PARIS...DALLAS...TO KILLEEN LINE ANYTIME AFTER
200 PM...AND ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF NORTH TEXAS BY 600 PM.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS
SITUATION AND WILL ISSUE LATER STATEMENTS AS NEEDED.  STAY TUNED TO
NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO STATIONS...OR
YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER EVENT.

70

The office that day

Everything else NWS Fort Worth, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 26, 3:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDYoung57 min
Apr 26, 3:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDMills62 min
Apr 26, 4:26 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDMills34 min
Apr 26, 4:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDYoung45 min
Apr 26, 4:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDMills63 min
Apr 26, 5:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCoryell, Hamilton60 min
Apr 26, 5:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDMontague63 min
Apr 26, 6:12 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDCoryell33 min
Apr 26, 6:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDStephens60 min
Apr 26, 6:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDLampasas68 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1998Every tornado warning in 1998Tornadoes in 1998

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.