Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 72, NWS Lake Charles, LA

February 26, 1998Tyler County, Texas

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 26, 1998, 1:42 AM CST for Tyler County, Texas. It was in force for 63 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
Feb 26, 1998, 1:42 AM CST (07:42 UTC)
Expired
Feb 26, 1998, 2:45 AM CST
In force
63 min
Issued by
NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area
Whole counties

County Tyler County, TX

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 132 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:42 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
Feb 26, 2:30 AM CSTThunderstorm WindColmesneil, 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
Feb 26, 12:00 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 00:00Z, 7.7 hours before the alert went out and 134 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 00:00Z on 1998-02-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 61 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 00:00Z on 1998-02-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 157 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
61 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
647 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
157 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
161 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.

088 
WUUS1 KLCH 260744 RRA
SVRLCH
TXC457-260845-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
142 AM CST THU FEB 26 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES LA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 245 AM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...

IN SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS

   ...TYLER COUNTY

AT 140 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED FROM LUFKIN TO 15 MILES WEST
OF WOODVILLE.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 40 MPH.

THE TOWNS OF CHESTER...WOODVILLE...COLMESNEIL...AND HILLISTER ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS LINE.

THE MAIN THREAT FROM THIS LINE IS DAMAGING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF
60 MPH.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...
DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND TORRENTIAL RAIN. FOR
YOUR PROTECTION...SEEK SHELTER IN A STRONG BUILDING. STAY AWAY
FROM WINDOWS AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES...COMPUTERS...OR OTHER
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

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 Feb 26, 1:23 AM CST, 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 26, 1:23 AM CST, 19 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS..SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL LOUISIANA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
220 AM CST THU FEB 26 1998

APPROACHING SQUALL LINE WILL AFFECT N PORTIONS OF FA AND MAY BUILD
SOUTHWARD AS IT MOVES EAST. ALTHOUGH CURRENT RADAR TRENDS NOT SHOWING
ANY SOUTHWARD BUILDING. SVR WIND GUSTS AND SMALL HAIL A POSSIBILITY
AS THE LINE MOVES THROUGH. KLCH VWP SHOWING 45 TO 50 KT SE FLOW AT
2 KFT. LATEST SFC ANALYSIS INDICATING DW PTS IN LOWER 60S AHEAD OF
LINE...PROVIDING AN ABUNDANCE OF LLM. SFC LOW WILL WORK NE UP TX
COAST LATER THIS MORNING AS SFC TROF PUSHES EAST.

KHGX RADAR SHOWING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BACK TO THE SW BEHIND
THE LINE AS ADDITIONAL ENERGY REMAINS BEHIND LEAD SHRT WV. FOR THIS
REASON WILL INCLUDE SCT POPS FOR BPT AREA FOR MORN ACTIVITY. IN
AGREEMENT WITH 94E...WHICH SHOWS FLASH FLOOD THREAT IN CEN LA
AND NORTHWARD WHICH IS IN AXIS OF BEST DYNAMICS COUPLED WITH DEEP
MOISTURE. DRYING WILL OCCUR BEHIND SFC TROF LATER THIS AFT. S PORTIONS
OF LA WILL LIKELY SEE BEST RAIN CHC LATER IN THE MORNING AS PACIFIC
FRONT MOVES THROUGH.  HIGH TEMPS SHOULD MAKE IT INTO THE 70S IN BREEZY
W FLOW THIS AFT. ANOTHER SFC TROF WILL APPROACH NW PORTIONS OF FA F<RIDAY
NIGHT AND MAY ACT AS FOCUS FOR A FEW SHWRS IF ENOUGH MOISTURE IS PRESENT.

1

BPT 76/43/65 600
LCH 75/44/64 700
LFT 75/45/64 700
AEX 73/42/64 800

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 25, 10:04 PM CST, 3 hours 38 minutes before
LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-261000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1004 PM CST WED FEB 25 1998

...THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES
ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS...SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL
LOUISIANA THURSDAY MORNING...

A LARGE UPPER LEVEL LOW ACROSS THE PLAINS AND A STRONG SOUTHERN
BRANCH OF THE JET STREAM WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE A SQUALL LINE
ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THURSDAY MORNING. THE ACTIVITY WILL MOVE
INTO SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA BETWEEN 4 AND 5 AM AND
OVERSPREAD THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA JUST AFTER DAYBREAK.
THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS.

FURTHERMORE...A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER SOUTH TEXAS WILL
TRACK NORTHEAST AND INTO THE LOUISIANA COASTAL WATERS BY LATE
MORNING. THIS WILL KEEP THE LOW-LEVEL WINDS OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST
WITH WINDS ALOFT FROM THE SOUTHWEST. THIS TYPE OF VERTICAL WIND
PROFILE IS FAVORABLE FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES.

IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WILL
ACCOMPMANY THE SQUALL LINE WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES.
THIS MAY RESULT IN URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING MAKING FOR A
DIFFICULT MORNING COMMUTE.

THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL AND
HAM RADIO OPERATORS WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED BY EARLY MORNING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR
UPDATES ON THIS WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Feb 25, 10:04 PM CST, 3 hours 38 minutes before
LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-261000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1004 PM CST WED FEB 25 1998

...THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES
ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS...SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL
LOUISIANA THURSDAY MORNING...

A LARGE UPPER LEVEL LOW ACROSS THE PLAINS AND A STRONG SOUTHERN
BRANCH OF THE JET STREAM WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE A SQUALL LINE
ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THURSDAY MORNING. THE ACTIVITY WILL MOVE
INTO SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA BETWEEN 4 AND 5 AM AND
OVERSPREAD THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA JUST AFTER DAYBREAK.
THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS.

FURTHERMORE...A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER SOUTH TEXAS WILL
TRACK NORTHEAST AND INTO THE LOUISIANA COASTAL WATERS BY LATE
MORNING. THIS WILL KEEP THE LOW-LEVEL WINDS OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST
WITH WINDS ALOFT FROM THE SOUTHWEST. THIS TYPE OF VERTICAL WIND
PROFILE IS FAVORABLE FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES.

IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WILL
ACCOMPMANY THE SQUALL LINE WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES.
THIS MAY RESULT IN URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING MAKING FOR A
DIFFICULT MORNING COMMUTE.

THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL AND
HAM RADIO OPERATORS WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED BY EARLY MORNING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR
UPDATES ON THIS WEATHER SITUATION.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 26, 5:59 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHTyler46 min
Feb 26, 6:16 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHJasper44 min
Feb 26, 6:47 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHNewton43 min
Feb 26, 6:57 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHJefferson58 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Texas, 1998Every 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.