Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1999

Tornado Warning 33, NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

May 9, 1999Pecos County, Texas

NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued this tornado warning at May 9, 1999, 5:47 PM CDT for Pecos County, Texas. It was in force for 43 min. 2 reports 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
May 9, 1999, 5:47 PM CDT (22:47 UTC)
Expired
May 9, 1999, 6:30 PM CDT
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Midland/Odessa, TX
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Pecos County, TX

The radar

The Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 125 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:50 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
May 9, 6:17 PM CDTHail 2.5Sheffield, TX
May 9, 6:30 PM CDTHail 0.75Bakersfield, 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
May 9, 4:30 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Midland Regional, TX (KMAF), launched 12:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 126 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, Midland Regional, TX at 12:00Z on 1999-05-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1809 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, Midland Regional, TX at 12:00Z on 1999-05-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 114 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
1809 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-293 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1047 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
114 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
106 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

999 
WFUS1 KMAF 092248 RRA
TORMAF
TXC371-092330-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND-ODESSA TX
547 PM CDT SUN MAY 9 1999

THE MIDLAND-ODESSA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN PECOS COUNTY IN TEXAS

* UNTIL 630 PM CDT

* AT 545 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED
  A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 8 MILES SOUTH OF   
  BAKERSFIELD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADIC STORM INCLUDE...    
  SHEFFIELD.

LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS ARE ALSO LIKELY WITH THIS
STORM.

IF YOU SPOT A TORNADO...NEVER TRY TO OUTRUN IT IN A CAR. CARS ARE
EASILY TOSSED AROUND BY TORNADO WINDS.

IF YOU SPOT A TORNADO...CONTACT YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND
ASK THEM TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 3092 10228 3069 10246 3067 10180 3088 10187

DJK

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 Midland/Odessa, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 9, 2:12 PM CDT, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 9, 2:12 PM CDT, 3 hours 35 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
212 PM CDT (112 PM MDT) SUN MAY 9 1999

ATMOSPHERE CONTINUES TO DESTABILIZE...LAPS DERIVED CAPES ACROSS THE
NORTHERN PERMIAN BASIN AND SOUTHERN SOUTH PLAINS ALREADY IN THE
3500-4500 RANGE.  CURRENTLY DRYLINE LOCATED FROM NEAR A BOQUILLAS TO
KMRF TO KCVN LINE.  LI/S EAST OF THE DRYLINE RANGE FROM -6 OVER THE
WESTERN COUNTIES TO -10 OVER THE NORTHEASTERN COUNTIES. LOOKING AT
THE LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY...CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE BEING
REACHED AS A CU FIELD BEGINNING TO FORM ACROSS THE LOWER TRANS PECOS
REGION AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORMING OVER SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND
THE NORTHERN PERMIAN BASIN.

UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT WILL CONTINUE TO BECOME MORE IN PHASE WITH THE
DRYLINE THIS AFTERNOON AS A SHORTHWAVE SWINGS ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEW
MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS BY 00Z THIS AFTERNOON. WITH SUCH HIGH CAPES AND
WITH PLENTY OF DEEP LOW LEVEL MOISTURE ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO
DEVELOP WILL LIKELY GO SEVERE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE NORTHERN CWA.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE EVENING HOURS.

AFTER THAT...MODELS TYPICALLY DON/T HANDLE THE DRYLINE VERY WELL...SO
WILL GO WITH INSTINCT AND SAY THAT DRYLINE WILL NOT MOVE THAT MUCH
OVERNIGHT OR TOMORROW.  MODELS DON/T MOVE THE DRYLINE MUCH THROUGH
THE FORECAST PERIOD...HOWEVER THEY DO HAVE IT TOO FAR EAST.

MAF 063/093 060/090 3222
CNM 061/093 060/090 2111
MRF 055/088 053/086 2111
P07 063/090 063/090 2111

MARTIN

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 9, 12:20 PM CDT, 5 hours 27 minutes before
NMZ027>029-TXZ045>048-050>052-057>063-067>070-074-075-079>082-100500-

THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
1219 PM CDT (1119 AM MDT) SUN MAY 9 1999

THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN WEST TEXAS:
ANDREWS CULBERSON GLASSCOCK MARTIN REAGAN UPTON

BORDEN      DAWSON      HOWARD      MIDLAND      REEVES      WARD
BREWSTER    ECTOR       JEFF DAVIS  PECOS        SCURRY      WINKLER
CRANE       GAINES      LOVING      PRESIDIO     TERRELL

AND IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO:

EDDY        LEA

SYNOPSIS: THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE
NORTHEASTERN PERMIAN BASIN...SOUTH PLAINS...AND SOUTHWESTERN LOW
ROLLING PLAINS. ELSEWHERE...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK
AREA TODAY.

LATE THIS SUNDAY MORNING...THE DRYLINE WAS NOTED FROM
NEAR LAJITAS...TO THE EASTERN DAVIS MOUNTAINS...TO WEST OF CARLSBAD.
IT SHOULD MOVE SLOWLY EAST TODAY...AND BE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY FROM
THE EASTERN BIG BEND...THROUGH THE CENTRAL PERMIAN BASIN...TO NEAR
SEMINOLE.  AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE FROM THE
SOUTHWEST...AND INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS AT THE SURFACE AND
ALOFT WILL AID IN THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT EAST OF THE DRYLINE.

THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO DEVELOP WILL BECOME SEVERE QUICKLY AS THE
AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE ENERGY IS HIGH.  THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE
STORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND.  HOWEVER WITH STRONGER
FORECASTED WIND SHEAR ALOFT...ROTATING SUPERCELLS CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING TORNADOES IS POSSIBLE.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS
EVENING.

RSB
Special weather statement, May 9, 12:27 PM CDT, 5 hours 20 minutes before
NMZ027>029-TXZ045>048-050>052-057>063-067>070-074-075-079>082-100500-

THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...CORRECTED WORDING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
1227 PM CDT (1127 AM MDT) SUN MAY 9 1999

THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN WEST TEXAS:
ANDREWS CULBERSON GLASSCOCK MARTIN REAGAN UPTON

BORDEN      DAWSON      HOWARD      MIDLAND      REEVES      WARD
BREWSTER    ECTOR       JEFF DAVIS  PECOS        SCURRY      WINKLER
CRANE       GAINES      LOVING      PRESIDIO     TERRELL

AND IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO:

EDDY        LEA

SYNOPSIS: THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE
NORTHEASTERN PERMIAN BASIN...SOUTH PLAINS...AND SOUTHWESTERN LOW
ROLLING PLAINS. ELSEWHERE...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK
AREA TODAY.

EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...THE DRYLINE WAS NOTED FROM NEAR LAJITAS...TO
THE EASTERN DAVIS MOUNTAINS...TO WEST OF CARLSBAD.  IT SHOULD MOVE
SLOWLY EAST TODAY...AND BE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY FROM THE EASTERN
BIG BEND...THROUGH THE CENTRAL PERMIAN BASIN...TO NEAR SEMINOLE LATE
THIS AFTERNOON.  AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE FROM THE
SOUTHWEST...AND INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS AT THE SURFACE AND
ALOFT WILL AID IN THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT EAST OF THE DRYLINE.

THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO DEVELOP WILL BECOME SEVERE QUICKLY AS THE
AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE ENERGY IS HIGH.  THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE
STORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND.  HOWEVER WITH STRONGER
FORECASTED WIND SHEAR ALOFT...ROTATING SUPERCELLS CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS
EVENING.

RSB

The office that day

Everything else NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 9, 3:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFPecos44 min
May 9, 4:16 PM CDTTornado WarningMAFCrane, Pecos44 min
May 9, 4:55 PM CDTTornado WarningMAFPecos50 min
May 9, 5:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFTerrell40 min
May 9, 5:27 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMAFPecos3 hr
May 9, 5:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFTerrell46 min
May 9, 5:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFReagan, Upton48 min
May 9, 6:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFPecos45 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1999Every tornado warning in 1999Tornadoes in 1999

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.