Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1998

Tornado Warning 28, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

June 5, 1998Colorado County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Jun 5, 1998, 5:41 PM CDT for Colorado County, Texas. It was in force for 59 min. 3 reports 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
Jun 5, 1998, 5:41 PM CDT (22:41 UTC)
Expired
Jun 5, 1998, 6:40 PM CDT
In force
59 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Colorado County, TX

The radar

The Houston radar (KHGX), 141 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:43 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 5, 6:10 PM CDTHail 0.75Weimar, TX
Jun 5, 6:15 PM CDTThunderstorm WindWeimar, TXTrees blown down along FM 250.
Jun 5, 6:15 PM CDTHail 0.75Columbus, 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 nearest sounding before it

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 12:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 225 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 1998-06-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2494 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 1998-06-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 209 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
2494 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-323 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
721 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
209 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
270 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

953 
WFUS1 KHOU 052240 RRA
TORHOU
TXC089-052340-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
541 PM CDT FRI JUN 5 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  COLORADO COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS

* UNTIL 640 PM CDT

* AT 540 PM...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM
  NEAR SCHULENBURG... MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH ALONG 1-10.

* THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
  WEIMAR 545 PM
  GLIDDEN 550 PM
  COLUMBUS 555 PM

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING BASEBALL SIZE HAIL AND FUNNEL
CLOUDS.

IF YOU ARE IN THESE AREAS... SEEK SAFETY IN A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM
AWAY FROM WINDOWS.


&

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 Jun 5, 2:57 PM CDT, 2 hours 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 5, 2:57 PM CDT, 2 hours 44 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
257 PM CDT FRI JUN 5 1998

CF AT 19Z WAS JUST SOUTH OF A JCT...GRK...TYR LN AND JUST NRTH OF CLL
ATTM.  RADAR LOOP WITH GRK SHOWS DVLPMNT OUT AHEAD AND BEHIND FNT AS
CF IS SHALLOW WITH 85H FNT STILL WELL BACK OVR NRTH TX.  WITH STRNG
INSTABILITIES OVR FA...EXPECT THREAT OF ELEVATED ACTIVITY BEHIND FNT
TO CONT OVR FA THRU TNGT AS WELL.  EST TIMING OF SLW MVG CF ATTM IS
CLL AREA ARND 21Z-23Z...IAH 23Z-02Z AND NEAR GLS BY ARND 06Z-09Z.
ETA IS HINTING AT CF HANGING UP OVR COASTAL COUNTIES BUT APPEARS ENUF
PUSH IS PRESENT TO GET IT OFF COAST BY AT LEAST 10Z SAT.  THREAT OF
SVR WX & LCLY HVY RAIN STILL EXSIST LATE AFTN-TNGT AS AFTN CF...AFTN
HTG & WEAK S/WS IN UPR JET ALL TANGLE WITH A VERY MOIST & UNSTABLE
SE TX AIRMASS.  SUSPECT A 1-2 DEG CAP IS HOLDING LID ON THINGS
ATTM...BUT WATCH OUT WHEN THIS GIVES WAY AS CF & OUTFLOWS PUSH INTO
AREA.  AS FOR RMNG FCST PERIODS...MDLS SHOW HIGH PRES BLDG IN WAKE OF
FROPA WITH COOLER/DRIER AIR FILTERING IN ON SAT.  PERSISTANT W-E
ORIENTED ZONAL UPR JET THRU PERIOD WUD SUGGEST SLOW CLRG...IF ANY...
BEHIND FROPA.  THEREFORE...WILL BE SLW TO SCT INLAMND ZONES OUT ON
SAT AND KEEP MC SKIES IN ALNG COAST TILL SAT NGT.  PTLY CLDY AND
COOLER ON TAP FOR SUN BUT RIDGE MVS EWD ALLOWING WNDS TO GO EAST ON
SUN THEN BACK TO A HUMID SE FLOW BY TUES.  LOOKING AT TMPS BEHIND FNT
ENCOURAGES ME TO LEAN TWRD COOLER AVN NUMBERS ATTM.  39

PRELIMS...
CLL  E/E>B B/B 70/85 65/86  7100
IAH  E/E>B B/B 72/86 68/86  821-
GLS  E/E   B/B 77/86 74/86  8321

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 5, 3:40 PM CDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>213-226-227-235-052035-

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
340 PM CDT FRI JUN 5 1998

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH
FOR THE NORTH AND CENTRAL PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS EFFECTIVE
FROM 4 PM CDT UNTIL 10 PM CDT. THIS DOES INCLUDE HOUSTON...MADISON...
BRAZOS... GRIMES... WALKER... TRINITY...POLK...SAN JACINTO...
MONTGOMERY... WALLER... AUSTIN... COLORADO...WHARTON...HARRIS...AND
LIBERTY COUNTIES.

A LATE SEASON COLD FRONT OVER NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS IS MOVING
SOUTHWARD. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE NORTHERN PARTS OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS EARLY THIS EVENING AND PUSH ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS OVERNIGHT.  THE FRONT WILL ENCOUNTER A VERY WARM...
MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS. THIS...COUPLED WITH UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCES WILL ENHANCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WHICH COULD REACH SEVERE LIMITS.

THE MAIN THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE IN THE FORM OF
DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL.  ALSO...THE SLOWER MOVEMENT OF THE COLD
FRONT IN SOME AREAS COULD PRODUCE AS MUCH AS 2 TO 4 INCHES OF
RAINFALL WHICH MAY RESULT IN LOCALIZED FLOODING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION
FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS SEVERE WEATHER
SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Jun 5, 3:40 PM CDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>213-226-227-235-052035-

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
340 PM CDT FRI JUN 5 1998

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH
FOR THE NORTH AND CENTRAL PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS EFFECTIVE
FROM 4 PM CDT UNTIL 10 PM CDT. THIS DOES INCLUDE HOUSTON...MADISON...
BRAZOS... GRIMES... WALKER... TRINITY...POLK...SAN JACINTO...
MONTGOMERY... WALLER... AUSTIN... COLORADO...WHARTON...HARRIS...AND
LIBERTY COUNTIES.

A LATE SEASON COLD FRONT OVER NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS IS MOVING
SOUTHWARD. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE NORTHERN PARTS OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS EARLY THIS EVENING AND PUSH ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS OVERNIGHT.  THE FRONT WILL ENCOUNTER A VERY WARM...
MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS. THIS...COUPLED WITH UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCES WILL ENHANCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WHICH COULD REACH SEVERE LIMITS.

THE MAIN THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE IN THE FORM OF
DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL.  ALSO...THE SLOWER MOVEMENT OF THE COLD
FRONT IN SOME AREAS COULD PRODUCE AS MUCH AS 2 TO 4 INCHES OF
RAINFALL WHICH MAY RESULT IN LOCALIZED FLOODING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION
FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS SEVERE WEATHER
SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Jun 5, 3:40 PM CDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>213-226-227-235-052035-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED HEADING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
340 PM CDT FRI JUN 5 1998

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
FOR THE NORTH AND CENTRAL PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS EFFECTIVE
FROM 4 PM CDT UNTIL 10 PM CDT. THIS DOES INCLUDE HOUSTON...MADISON...
BRAZOS... GRIMES... WALKER... TRINITY...POLK...SAN JACINTO...
MONTGOMERY... WALLER... AUSTIN... COLORADO...WHARTON...HARRIS...AND
LIBERTY COUNTIES.

A LATE SEASON COLD FRONT OVER NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS IS MOVING
SOUTHWARD. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE NORTHERN PARTS OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS EARLY THIS EVENING AND PUSH ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS OVERNIGHT.  THE FRONT WILL ENCOUNTER A VERY WARM...
MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS. THIS...COUPLED WITH UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCES WILL ENHANCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WHICH COULD REACH SEVERE LIMITS.
THE MAIN THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE IN THE FORM OF
DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL.  ALSO...THE SLOWER MOVEMENT OF THE COLD
FRONT IN SOME AREAS COULD PRODUCE AS MUCH AS 2 TO 4 INCHES OF
RAINFALL WHICH MAY RESULT IN LOCALIZED FLOODING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION
FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS SEVERE WEATHER
SITUATION.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 5, 4:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHouston, Trinity65 min
Jun 5, 4:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXAustin, Washington64 min
Jun 5, 4:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazos, Burleson63 min
Jun 5, 5:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXGrimes65 min
Jun 5, 5:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXWaller62 min
Jun 5, 5:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXPolk62 min
Jun 5, 5:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXAustin35 min
Jun 5, 5:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXWalker59 min
Jun 5, 5:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazos64 min
Jun 5, 6:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris, Waller65 min
Jun 5, 6:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXGrimes62 min
Jun 5, 6:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXPolk64 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.