Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 182, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

August 11, 2003Matagorda County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 11, 2003, 4:39 PM CDT for Matagorda County, Texas. It was in force for 51 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Aug 11, 2003, 4:39 PM CDT (21:39 UTC)
Expired
Aug 11, 2003, 5:30 PM CDT
In force
51 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Matagorda County, TX

The radar

The Houston radar (KHGX), 137 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:41 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Aug 11, 12:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 12:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 157 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 12:00Z on 2003-08-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1123 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 2003-08-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -5 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1123 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-55 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
798 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-5 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
21 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.

000 
WUUS54 KHGX 112139
SVRHOU
TXC321-112230-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
438 PM CDT MON AUG 11 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LEAGUE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  MATAGORDA COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS

* UNTIL 530 PM CDT

* AT 436 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 5
  MILES EAST OF PALACIOS...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 20 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE...
  PALACIOS

MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR 
BUSINESS. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH ARE 
LIKELY.

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 2861 9604 2857 9623 2864 9627 2863 9633
          2888 9625 2883 9561 2857 9599 2844 9634

$$

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 Houston/Galveston, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Aug 11, 2:55 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 11, 2:55 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
255 PM CDT MON AUG 11 2003

THE FOUR CORNERS SUBTROPICAL RIDGE IS FORECAST BY THE GFS AND ETA TO
BE SQUEEZED ACROSS THE PLAINS INTO THE GREAT LAKES BY MIDWEEK.  AS IT
DOES SO...THE WEAK 500 MB LOW IS FORECAST TO MOVE FROM THE OHIO VALLEY
INTO TX BY WEDNESDAY.  THE VERY ACTIVE CORRIDOR ACROSS SE AND E TX
TODAY MAY CONTINUE TONIGHT AS ANOTHER SHORTWAVE TROUGH AND VORTICITY
MAXIMUM PUSH SOUTH FROM THE PLAINS.  BY THE WEEKEND HIGH PRESSURE WILL
AGAIN BUILD INTO SE TX FROM THE NORTH...THOUGH AT THAT TIME THE GFS
MOVES A TROPICAL SYSTEM ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GULF. FORECAST CHALLENGE
OF THE DAY CONCERNS SEVERE POTENTIAL TONIGHT...THEN POPS TUESDAY INTO
THE WEEKEND.  BY TUESDAY NIGHT THE ETA AND GFS DIFFER ESPECIALLY IN
THE SURFACE FEATURES AS THE GFS SPINS UP LOW ALONG THE COAST AND
PUSHES IT TOWARD LA WHILE THE ETA KEEPS MORE OF A SURFACE TROUGH.
FEEL THAT THE ETA MAY HAVE A BETTER HANDLE TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
THE GFS LOOKS REASONABLE FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND...ALTHOUGH WILL
NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE TROPICAL SYSTEM IT MOVES ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN GULF LATER IN THE WEEK.

CONCERNING POPS AND SEVERE POTENTIAL TONIGHT...THE BEST CHANCES LOOK
TO BE EARLY THIS EVENING.  OVERNIGHT THE BEST AREAS LOOK TO BE MORE
SOUTH AND WEST AS THE 500 MB LOW APPROACHES SE TX...IF THE GFS AND ETA
ARE CORRECT.  TO TAKE INTO THE ACCOUNT THE UNCERTAINTY...WILL NOT BE
SPECIFIC IN THE FORECAST BUT WILL MENTION THE SEVERE POSSIBILITIES
TONIGHT.  LIKE THE ETA MORE THAN THE GFS BEYOND TONIGHT...THOUGH WILL
CONTINUE THE CURRENT COMPROMISE.  WILL UP POPS SOME SATURDAY TO TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT THE GFS HANDLING OF THE TROPICAL SYSTEM.  THE MODEL PULLS
PW/S OF GREATER THAN 2 INCHES INTO THE REGION BY FRIDAY NIGHT.

PL-40
33

.HGX...NONE.

PRELIMS...
CLL TE 072/090 071/089 071 554
IAH TE 075/088 072/088 072 654
GLS TT 078/086 078/087 077 654
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 11, 7:00 AM CDT, 9 hours 39 minutes before
GMZ330-335-TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-121200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
700 AM CDT MON AUG 11 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

...SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DEVELOP IN
NORTH AND NORTHEAST TEXAS THIS MORNING AND MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST TEXAS
TODAY. UPPER LEVEL WINDS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY FAVORABLE FOR
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WIND DAMAGE WILL BE THE
PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...THOUGH HAIL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE.
LOCALIZED 2 INCH RAINFALL AMOUNTS MAY FALL IN THE STRONGER STORMS.

LARGELY DEPENDING ON AREAL THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE THIS AFTERNOON...
THERE IS ALSO A SMALL POSSIBILITY THAT ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX
WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING NEAR THE COLLEGE STATION AREA AND MOVE
SOUTHWARD OVERNIGHT. CHANCES OF THIS HAPPENING WILL BE LOWER IF
THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF PRECIPITATION IN THAT AREA DURING THE
AFTERNOON HOURS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. FAIRLY GOOD
CHANCES OF RAINFALL ARE IN THE FORECAST TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AS AN
UPPER LEVEL LOW MOVING INTO THE REGION INTERACTS WITH ABUNDANT
MOISTURE ALREADY IN PLACE. ON TUESDAY...THE BETTER CHANCES OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE COAST. RAINFALL COULD BECOME
WIDESPREAD ON WEDNESDAY AS A COASTAL TROUGH MOVES INLAND. PROLONGED
RAINFALL DURING THIS TIMEFRAME MAY ENHANCE THE FLASH FLOOD POTENTIAL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATE THIS MORNING OR THIS
AFTERNOON.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 11, 1:10 PM CDT, 3 hours 29 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
0110 PM CDT MON AUG 11 2003

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

1130 AM    GROVETON                  TX   WIND DAMAGE
08/11/03   TRINITY                        TREES DOWN AT COURTHOUSE

1210 PM    POINT BLANK               TX   0.88 IN HAIL
08/11/03   SAN JACINTO

1220 PM    RIVERSIDE                 TX   WIND DAMAGE
08/11/03   WALKER                         TREES DOWN

LW

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 11, 10:41 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHouston49 min
Aug 11, 11:16 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXTrinity44 min
Aug 11, 11:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXPolk48 min
Aug 11, 11:56 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXSan Jacinto49 min
Aug 11, 12:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXWalker56 min
Aug 11, 12:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazos39 min
Aug 11, 12:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXLiberty, Montgomery64 min
Aug 11, 12:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXSan Jacinto28 min
Aug 11, 1:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXWalker61 min
Aug 11, 1:36 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningHGX114 min
Aug 11, 1:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXAustin, Washington51 min
Aug 11, 1:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXMontgomery21 min
Aug 11, 2:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris47 min
Aug 11, 2:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazoria, Galveston39 min
Aug 11, 2:49 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningHGX116 min
Aug 11, 3:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazoria, Matagorda, Wharton46 min
Aug 11, 4:23 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningHGX2 hr
Aug 11, 5:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXJackson30 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Texas, 2003Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003

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.