Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 20, NWS Lake Charles, LA

January 21, 1998Newton County, Texas

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jan 21, 1998, 6:33 PM CST for Newton County, Texas. It was in force for 32 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: Jan 21, 1998, 6:33 PM CST (00:33 UTC)
Expired: Jan 21, 1998, 7:05 PM CST
In force: 32 min
Issued by: NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area: Whole counties

County Newton County, TX

The radar

The Ft Polk radar (KPOE), 84 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:33 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
Jan 21, 6:45 PM CST	Hail 0.75	Newton, 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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jan 21, 2:15 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 00:00Z, 0.6 hours before the alert went out and 91 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1567 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -9 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 528 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 120 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 168 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.3
Supercell composite: 6.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

The text of this product is not in the archive. The NWS text archive before 2002 is incomplete.

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 Jan 21, 2:45 PM CST, 3 hours 48 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 21, 2:45 PM CST, 3 hours 48 minutes before

SOUTHEAST TEXAS..SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL LOUISIANA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
245 PM CST WED JAN 21 1998

WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS QUICK WITH A TORNADO WATCH BEING ISSUED FOR
THE SE TX AND SW LA ZONES. LAST FEW VOLUME SCANS ARE SHOWING CNVTN
BECOMING MORE ORGANIZED BETWEEN BPT AND HOU WHERE THE BEST MOISTURE
CONVERGENCE AND SURFCACE LI/S OF -4 TO -8 EXIST. THE RAPID
DESTABILIZATION IS A DIRECT RESULT OF STRONG MOISTURE CONVECTION AND
DAYTIME HEATING...WITH SFC TEMPS IN THE LOWER 70S AND DWPTS IN THE
LOWER AND MID 60S. LCH VWP SHOWS SOME TURNING IN THE LOW-LEVELS
BETWEEN THE SFC AND 5 KFT. MODIFYING THE 12Z LCH SOUNDING WITH THE
20Z SFC OB PRODUCES A CAPE NEAR 2000 J/KG AND A BEST LI OF -4. IT
APPEARS THAT WARM FRONT ALONG SE TX THIS MORNING HAS MORE OR LESS
MERGED WITH THE STATIONARY FRONT...LOCATED IN A LINE FROM TXK TO TYR
TO CLL. MODELS INDICATE MID/UPPER LEVEL TROF GRADUALLY SHIFTING
EASTWARD A VIGOROUS SHORT WAVE ROUNDS THE BASE OF TROF THE NEXT
24H. THIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH A WEAK SUB TROP JET MAX...PWS OF
1.2 TO 1.5...850 MB LOW-LEVEL JET...AND A SLOW MOVING FRONTAL
BOUNDARY ALL POINT TO A HEAVY RAINFALL EVENT TONIGHT AND EARLY
THURSDAY. QPF AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES LOOK REASONABLE WITH
ISOLATED AMOUNTS UP TO 4 INCHES. EXPECT FRONTAL PASSAGE IN SE TX
AND SW LA NEAR NOONTIME THURSDAY AND ACROSS S CEN AND E CEN LA
LATE IN THE AFTERNOON.

5

BPT 65/66/42/50 +6(EARLY)10
LCH 65/66/42/50 +710
LFT 64/65/45/50 8820
AEX 59/62/40/49 9820

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 21, 3:19 PM CST, 3 hours 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
319 PM CST WED JAN 21 1998

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

248 PM     KOUNTZE                   TX   1.75 INCH HAIL
01/21/98   HARDIN
                                          KFDM TV-6 METEOROLOGIST
                                          REPORTED GOLF BALL SIZE
                                          HAIL FROM OBSERVER.

316 PM     FRED                      TX   1.00 INCH HAIL
01/21/98   TYLER                          PUBLIC REPORTED QUARTER SIZE
                                          HAIL.

Local storm report, Jan 21, 3:19 PM CST, 3 hours 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
319 PM CST WED JAN 21 1998

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

248 PM     KOUNTZE                   TX   1.75 INCH HAIL
01/21/98   TYLER
                                          KFDM TV-6 METEOROLOGIST
                                          REPORTED GOLF BALL SIZE
                                          HAIL FROM OBSERVER.

316 PM     FRED                      TX   1.00 INCH HAIL
01/21/98   TYLER                          PUBLIC REPORTED QUARTER SIZE
                                          HAIL.

Local storm report, Jan 21, 3:19 PM CST, 3 hours 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
319 PM CST WED JAN 21 1998

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

248 PM     KOUNTZE                   TX   1.75 INCH HAIL
01/21/98   HARDIN
                                          KFDM TV-6 METEOROLOGIST
                                          REPORTED GOLF BALL SIZE
                                          HAIL FROM OBSERVER.

316 PM     FRED                      TX   1.00 INCH HAIL
01/21/98   TYLER                          PUBLIC REPORTED QUARTER SIZE
                                          HAIL.

Special weather statement, Jan 21, 6:09 PM CST, 24 minutes before

LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-220345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
609 PM CST WED JAN 21 1998

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR SOUTHEAST
   TEXAS...SOUTHWEST...SOUTHCENTRAL AND CENTRAL LOUISIANA...

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND
   PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA....

NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER EAST TEXAS
THIS EVENING...IN RESPONSE TO A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE
MOVING INTO THE AREA.  A SURFACE BOUNDRY WAS LOCATED OVER
SOUTHCENTRAL TEXAS...EXTENDING NORTHEAST NEAR SHREVEPORT LOUISIANA.
AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WARM...MOIST AIR WAS BEING PUMPED IN FROM
THE GULF OF MEXICO.  THIS HAS SET THE STAGE FOR STRONG TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING.

THE FRONT WILL SLOWLY MOVE EASTWARD THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT WITH THE
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER SOUTHEAST
TEXAS...MOVING INTO SOUTHERN LOUISIANA. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL
BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE THREAT FOR
TORNADOES AND FLOODING WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. RAINFALL TOTALS WILL
AVERAGE AROUND TWO INCHES WITH LOCALLY THREE INCHES POSSIBLE.

RESIDENTS ARE URGED MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND STAY
TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA SOURCE FOR THE
LATEST ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.
DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT AT NIGHT TO TELL HOW MUCH WATER IS ON ROADS.
MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE THROUGH WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH.

Local storm report, Jan 21, 6:13 PM CST, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
613 PM CST WED JAN 21 1998

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

530 PM     9 W KIRBYVILLE            TX   0.75 INCH HAIL
01/21/98   JASPER                         LOCALS REPORT DIME SIZE HAIL.

600 PM     NEWTON                    TX   1.00 INCH HAIL
01/21/98   NEWTON                         REPORTED BY SHERIFF OFFICE

ERICKSON

Local storm report, Jan 21, 6:13 PM CST, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
613 PM CST WED JAN 21 1998

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

530 PM     9 W KIRBYVILLE            TX   0.75 INCH HAIL
01/21/98   JASPER                         LOCALS REPORT DIME SIZE HAIL.

600 PM     NEWTON                    TX   1.00 INCH HAIL
01/21/98   NEWTON                         REPORTED BY SHERIFF OFFICE

ERICKSON

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jan 21, 6:08 PM CST	Tornado Warning	LCH	Beauregard, Vernon	57 min
Jan 21, 8:55 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Calcasieu	35 min
Jan 21, 9:23 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Beauregard	62 min
Jan 21, 9:38 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Allen	62 min
Jan 21, 9:47 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Jefferson Davis	63 min
Jan 21, 10:24 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Avoyelles	46 min
Jan 21, 10:25 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Beauregard	65 min
Jan 21, 11:01 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Calcasieu, Cameron	64 min
Jan 21, 11:14 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Beauregard	2 hr
Jan 21, 11:31 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Allen, Jefferson Davis	64 min
Jan 21, 11:50 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Calcasieu	2 hr
Jan 22, 12:06 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Calcasieu, Cameron	64 min
Jan 22, 1:08 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Jefferson Davis	47 min
Jan 21, 7:57 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Tyler	58 min
Jan 21, 8:50 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Jefferson	55 min
Jan 21, 9:11 PM CST	Tornado Warning	LCH	Jasper, Tyler	34 min
Jan 21, 9:44 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Jefferson	61 min
Jan 21, 9:46 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Newton	49 min
Jan 21, 10:32 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Orange	63 min
Jan 21, 10:53 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Jefferson	2 hr
Jan 21, 10:55 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Jefferson	65 min
Jan 21, 11:24 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Orange	2 hr
Jan 22, 1:53 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Jefferson	2 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Texas, 1998 Every severe thunderstorm warning 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.