Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2001

Tornado Warning 29, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

October 13, 2001Polk County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Oct 13, 2001, 2:34 AM CDT for Polk County, Texas. It was in force for 41 min. No storm report in the archive falls 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.

The facts

Issued
Oct 13, 2001, 2:34 AM CDT (07:34 UTC)
Expired
Oct 13, 2001, 3:15 AM CDT
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Polk County, TX

The radar

The Houston radar (KHGX), 144 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:36 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.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Oct 13, 12:30 AM CDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 00:00Z, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 169 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 2001-10-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2537 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°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 2001-10-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 70 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
2537 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
640 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
70 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
102 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.9
Supercell composite
6.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

128 
WFUS54 KHGX 130737
TORHOU
TXC373-130815-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
234 AM CDT SAT OCT 13 2001

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  POLK COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS

* UNTIL 315 AM CDT

* AT 231 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF  
PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GOODRICH...OR 20 MILES 
SOUTH OF SEVEN OAKS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 TO 30 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE TORNADO INCLUDE...
  SEVEN OAKS
  HIGHWAY 146 AND 190
  ALABAMA COUSHATTA RESERVATION
  LEGGETT

MOVE TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. ABANDON YOUR CAR
OR MOBILE HOME FOR A STRONG SHELTER NOW

PLEASE REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE COUNTY SHERIFF...LOCAL POLICE...
OR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 3060 9495 3051 9482 3095 9454 3105 9481

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 Oct 12, 9:15 PM CDT, 5 hours 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 12, 9:15 PM CDT, 5 hours 19 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
915 PM CDT FRI OCT 12 2001

WILL UPDATE ZONES TO REFLECT TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 781 AFFECTING
BRAZOS...BURLESON AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES. NO CHANGE TO REST OF
PACKAGE.

.HGX...TORNADO WATCH TIL 08Z FOR BRAZOS...BURLESON AND WASHINGTON
       COUNTIES.
       FFA ALL ZONES TONIGHT.
       SCA BAYS AND 0-60NM GULF WATERS.

37/40/TF

CLL EU 064/070 050/077 055 +40
IAH TU 072/075 052/076 054 +60
GLS TU 076/076 062/074 065 880

In the hours before

Local storm report, Oct 12, 9:08 PM CDT, 5 hours 26 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
908 PM CDT FRI OCT 12 2001

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

0750 PM    4 W LIVINGSTON            TX   WIND DAMAGE
10/12/01   POLK                           TREES DOWN ON HIGHWAY
                                          350. REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.
Special weather statement, Oct 12, 9:30 PM CDT, 5 hours 4 minutes before
TXZ195>197-130800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
930 PM CDT FRI OCT 12 2001

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM FOR BRAZOS...BURLESON...AND
WASHINGTON COUNTIES...

THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS ARE EXPECTED TO
SPREAD EASTWARD AND SHOULD APPROACH BRAZOS...BURLESON...AND
WASHINGTON COUNTIES AROUND MIDNIGHT.

THE HIGHLY UNSTABLE AND VERY MOIST AIR MASS WILL BE CONDUCIVE
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE STORMS AND A FEW TORNADOES.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR
THE LATEST UPDATES ON THIS SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Oct 13, 12:20 AM CDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before
TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-238-131408-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1220 AM CDT SAT OCT 13 2001

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS
OF EASTERN TEXAS AND THE COASTAL WATERS UNTIL 500 AM CDT SATURDAY.

THIS INCLUDES BRAZORIA...CHAMBERS...COLORADO...FORT BEND...GALVESTON
GRIMES...HARRIS...HOUSTON...LIBERTY...MADISON...MONTGOMERY...POLK
SAN JACINTO...WALKER...WALLER...WASHINGTON...AND WHARTON COUNTIES OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 80 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HOUSTON TEXAS TO 65 MILES
NORTHEAST OF LUFKIN TEXAS.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR
THE LATEST UPDATES ON THIS SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 12, 7:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXPolk, San Jacinto52 min
Oct 13, 12:18 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBurleson57 min
Oct 13, 12:36 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazos, Washington54 min
Oct 13, 1:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXGrimes, Madison56 min
Oct 13, 1:13 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXAustin62 min
Oct 13, 1:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris, Waller67 min
Oct 13, 1:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXMontgomery, Walker55 min
Oct 13, 1:55 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHouston50 min
Oct 13, 2:02 AM CDTTornado WarningHGXHouston43 min
Oct 13, 2:12 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXPolk, San Jacinto, Trinity63 min
Oct 13, 2:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXAustin25 min
Oct 13, 2:27 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris63 min
Oct 13, 2:47 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXMontgomery43 min
Oct 13, 2:58 AM CDTTornado WarningHGXTrinity47 min
Oct 13, 3:14 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXPolk61 min
Oct 13, 3:24 AM CDTTornado WarningHGXLiberty51 min
Oct 13, 4:02 AM CDTSpecial Marine WarningHGX88 min
Oct 13, 4:16 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXChambers, Liberty44 min
Oct 13, 5:20 AM CDTSpecial Marine WarningHGX115 min
Oct 13, 5:20 AM CDTSpecial Marine WarningHGX115 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 2001Every tornado warning in 2001Tornadoes in 2001

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.