Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2002

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

March 30, 2002Brazoria County, Fort Bend County, Matagorda County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Mar 30, 2002, 6:48 PM CST for Brazoria County, Fort Bend County, Matagorda County, Texas. It was in force for 57 min. 4 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
Mar 30, 2002, 6:48 PM CST (00:48 UTC)
Expired
Mar 30, 2002, 7:45 PM CST
In force
57 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Brazoria County, TX, Fort Bend County, TX, Matagorda County, TX

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 30, 7:15 PM CSTTornado F0Guy, TXA tornado touchdown occurred in Guy, 10 miles southwest of Rosenberg, relayed by Sheriff.
Mar 30, 7:25 PM CSTHail 1Rosharon, TXQuarter sized hail occurred at FM 762 and Meyer Field airport.
Mar 30, 7:32 PM CSTHail 1.75Fresno, TX
Mar 30, 7:44 PM CSTHail 0.75Pearland, 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
Mar 30, 3:45 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 00:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 223 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 00:00Z on 2002-03-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3315 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 00:00Z on 2002-03-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -83 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
3315 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-20 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1234 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
64 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-83 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
4 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.6
Supercell composite
-3.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

619 
WFUS54 KHGX 310048
TORHOU
TXC039-157-321-310145-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
647 PM CST SAT MAR 30 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  FORT BEND COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
  BRAZORIA COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
  MATAGORDA COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS

* UNTIL 745 PM CST

* AT 645 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE     
   OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 4 MILES WEST OF DANEVANG...MOVING EAST     
   NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE TORNADO INCLUDE...
  NEEDVILLE
  DAMON
  BRAZOS BEND STATE PARK
  THOMPSONS
  ROSHARON...BONNEY
  JULIFF

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.

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 Mar 30, 5:30 PM CST, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 30, 5:30 PM CST, 1 hour 18 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR NEW TORNADO WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
530 PM CST SAT MAR 30 2002

TORNADO WATCH 60 HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 1100 PM CST FOR MUCH OF
NORTHERN AND EASTERN SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THIS WATCH REPLACES TORNADO
WATCH 57. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 59 IS STILL IN EFFECT FOR
SOUTHERN AND COASTAL COUNTIES OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL 900 PM CST.
SEE THE UPDATED SPSHOU FOR COUNTY DETAILS.

42/35/30/36/45/DH/WT

.HGX...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 59 THRU 9 PM.
       TORNADO WATCH 60 THRU 11 PM.
       SCEC 00-20 NM WATERS.
       SCA  00-60 NM WATERS.

PRELIMS...
CLL BU 055/072 048/075 055 6-0
IAH BU 059/076 051/076 056 6-0
GLS BU 065/074 058/072 061 5-0

--------------------------------------------------------------------
.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL PERSIST ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS FOR THE
REMAINING AFTERNOON HOURS AND ON INTO THIS EVENING. UPPER LOW IS NOW
MOVING INTO CENTRAL TEXAS. STRONG DIFLUENT PATTERN WILL CONTINUE
ACROSS THE AREA AS SPEED MAX ROTATES AROUND THE BASE OF THE LOW.
TORNADIC THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN JUST OUTSIDE OUR CWAS NORTHWEST
ZONES. THESE STORMS SHOULD BEGIN TO SPREAD TO THE EAST AND INTO OUR
CWA DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS AS THE UPPER LOW GETS CLOSER INTO OUR
VERY MOIST...VERY WARM AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE. WILL CONTINUE THE
SEVERE THREAT ON INTO THE EVENING HOURS WITH THE NORTHERN HALF OF
OUR CWA (AREAS NEAR AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 10) AT GREATEST RISK. BY
TOMORROW MORNING...EXPECT QUIET PATTERN TO SETTLE IN TO THE AREA AS
THE STORM SYSTEM PROGRESSES OFF TO THE EAST. WILL HAVE SOME DRY
WEATHER THROUGH TUESDAY...THEN WILL SEE SOME SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS
ON WEDNESDAY AS THE NEXT COLD FRONT MOVES INTO THE AREA FROM THE
NORTH. A COOLDOWN WILL FOLLOW FOR THE LAST PART OF THE WEEK AS
SHOWER/THUNDERSTORM CHANCES LINGER ACROSS THE AREA. WE MAY EVEN HAVE
TO EVENTUALLY LOWER THE FORECAST TEMPERATURES FOR THE END OF THE
WEEK AS SOME CANADIAN AIR FILTERS INTO THE AREA. PRELIMS ARE NEXT.

42/35/30

.HGX...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH TXZ210-226-227-235>238 THRU
       9 PM.
       TORNADO WATCH TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-211>214 THRU
       6 PM.
       SCEC 00-20 NM WATERS.
       SCA  00-60 NM WATERS.

PRELIMS...
CLL BU 055/072 048/075 055 6-0
IAH BU 059/076 051/076 056 6-0
GLS BU 065/074 058/072 061 5-0

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 30, 3:45 PM CST, 3 hours 3 minutes before
TXZ210-226-227-235>238-310300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
345 PM CST SAT MAR 30 2002

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ISSUED FOR THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL 9 PM...
...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL 6 PM...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
FOR THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL 9 PM. THIS WATCH
COVERS THAT AREA SOUTH OF THE TORNADO WATCH ALREADY IN EFFECT. THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT SOUTH OF A LINE FROM BELLVILLE
TO HOUSTON TO ANAHUAC...WITH THE TORNADO WATCH REMAINING IN EFFECT
NORTH OF THIS LINE.

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE IN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH...
COLORADO...FORT BEND...GALVESTON...WHARTON...JACKSON...MATAGORDA...
BRAZORIA.

SOME COMMUNITIES INCLUDED IN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ARE
COLUMBUS...RICHMOND ROSENBERG...GALVESTON...EL CAMPO...EDNA...BAY
CITY...AND LAKE JACKSON.

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE
WILL MOVE ACROSS THE WATCH AREA OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. SOME OF THE
STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
THUNDERSTORMS TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM OR TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SEVERE WEATHER IS
IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL MEDIA FOR ADDITIONAL
UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM...MOVE INSIDE TO A REINFORCED STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY
FROM WINDOWS.
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 5:30 PM CST, 1 hour 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
530 PM CST SAT MAR 30 2002

TXZ163-164-176>179-199-200-213-214-310500-
CHAMBERS-HARRIS-HOUSTON-LIBERTY-MADISON-MONTGOMERY-POLK-SAN JACINTO-
TRINITY-WALKER-
530 PM CST SAT MAR 30 2002

...TORNADO WATCH EXTENDED UNTIL 11 PM FOR THE EASTERN THIRD OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS EXTENDED THE TORNADO WATCH FOR THE
EASTERN THIRD OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL 11 PM. THE TORNADO WATCH IS IN
EFFECT EAST OF A LINE FROM MADISONVILLE TO HOUSTON TO ANAHUAC.

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE IN THE TORNADO WATCH...
MADISON...HOUSTON...WALKER...TRINITY...POLK...SAN
JACINTO...MONTGOMERY...HARRIS...LIBERTY...AND CHAMBERS

SOME COMMUNITIES INCLUDED IN THE TORNADO WATCH ARE
MADISONVILLE...CROCKETT...HUNTSVILLE...GROVETON...LIVINGSTON...
COLDSPRING...CONROE...HOUSTON...LIBERTY...AND ANAHUAC.

A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS MOVING ACROSS THE AREA AT THE PRESENT TIME.
THESE STORMS HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO
PRODUCE TORNADOES...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM OR TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SEVERE WEATHER IS
IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL MEDIA FOR ADDITIONAL
UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM...MOVE INSIDE TO A REINFORCED STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY
FROM WINDOWS.

TXZ226-227-235>238-310500-
BRAZORIA-FORT BEND-GALVESTON-JACKSON-MATAGORDA-WHARTON-
530 PM CST SAT MAR 30 2002

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM FOR THE
SOUTHERN THIRD OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT SOUTH OF A LINE FROM
EDNA TO HOUSTON TO ANAHUAC THROUGH 9 PM.

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE IN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH...
JACKSON...WHARTON...FORT BEND...MATAGORDA...BRAZORIA...WHARTON...AND
GALVESTON

SOME COMMUNITIES INCLUDED IN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ARE
EDNA...EL CAMPO...RICHMOND ROSENBERG...BAY CITY...LAKE JACKSON...AND
GALVESTON.

A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS MOVING ACROSS THE AREA AT THE PRESENT TIME.
THESE STORMS HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
THUNDERSTORMS TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM OR TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SEVERE WEATHER IS
IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL MEDIA FOR ADDITIONAL
UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM...MOVE INSIDE TO A REINFORCED STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY
FROM WINDOWS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 30, 6:04 PM CSTTornado WarningHGXMatagorda, Wharton41 min
Mar 30, 6:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXPolk, Trinity38 min
Mar 30, 6:31 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris59 min
Mar 30, 6:33 PM CSTTornado WarningHGXPolk27 min
Mar 30, 7:01 PM CSTTornado WarningHGXPolk, Trinity29 min
Mar 30, 7:23 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris, Liberty37 min
Mar 30, 7:39 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXPolk, San Jacinto36 min
Mar 30, 7:47 PM CSTTornado WarningHGXChambers, Galveston, Harris43 min
Mar 30, 7:54 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningHGX66 min
Mar 30, 8:01 PM CSTTornado WarningHGXLiberty29 min
Mar 30, 8:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXChambers, Liberty43 min
Mar 30, 9:08 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningHGX67 min
Mar 30, 10:17 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningHGX58 min
Mar 31, 3:02 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXTrinity13 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 2002Every tornado warning in 2002Tornadoes in 2002

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.