Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 45, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

April 6, 2003Houston County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 6, 2003, 2:38 PM CDT for Houston County, Texas. It was in force for 37 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
Apr 6, 2003, 2:38 PM CDT (19:38 UTC)
Expired
Apr 6, 2003, 3:15 PM CDT
In force
37 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Houston County, TX

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
Apr 6, 12:40 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Shreveport, LA (KSHV), launched 12:00Z, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 219 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, Shreveport, LA at 12:00Z on 2003-04-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1292 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, Shreveport, LA at 12:00Z on 2003-04-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 259 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
1292 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-53 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
492 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
259 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
405 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.5
Supercell composite
20.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

432 
WUUS54 KHGX 061938
SVRHOU
TXC225-062015-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
236 PM CDT SUN APR 6 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LEAGUE CITY HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 315 PM CDT

* AT 230 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER 
SOUTHWEST HOUSTON COUNTY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. LARGE HAIL IS 
LIKELY WITH THIS STORM.

* LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
INCLUDE...CROCKETT AND AUSTONIO

MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR
BUSINESS. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS

A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE
TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.

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 3119 9573 3106 9558 3131 9526 3147 9545

$$

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 Apr 6, 2:35 PM CDT, 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 6, 2:35 PM CDT, 3 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
235 PM CDT SUN APR 6 2003

CONVECTION HAS THUS FAR BEEN HELD IN CHECK. THE AREA IS UNDER A
TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 6 PM FOR AREAS GENERALLY NORTH OF I-10. AS
STATED IN EARLIER DISCUSSION...CONFIDENCE IN WIDESPREAD SEVERE
WEATHER IS LOW. EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER HAS LIMITED HEATING AND THE
SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA REMAINS CAPPED. WILL BUMP POPS UPWARD FOR
THE NE-E ZONES FOR THIS EVENING AND WILL TAKE A WAIT AND SEE OUTLOOK
FOR POINTS SOUTH. SUBSIDENCE WILL DOMINATE AREA WEATHER OVERNIGHT IN
THE WAKE OF THIS FIRST SYSTEM...BUT MSTR TRAPPED BENEATH THE TEMP
INVERSION WILL LIKELY KEEP SKIES CLOUDY. DEW POINTS ARE STILL IN THE
LOWER 70S...SO AREAS OF SEA FOG ARE AGAIN POSSIBLE.

ON MONDAY...SFC AND 85H WINDS QUICKLY BECOME SOUTH AND PUMP HIGHER
PW AIR BACK INTO THE REGION. THE AREA IS IN 25H JET COUPLET BETWEEN
18 AND 06Z. 25H WINDS ARE DIVERGENT BETWEEN 00-06Z. AT THE SURFACE A
COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY PUSH ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT. COLD
ACTUALLY SEE SOME SOME DECENT RAINS WITH THIS SYSTEM DUE TO THE
SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT AND FAVORABLE UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS. THE
AREA IS AGAIN UNDER THE GUN FOR SEVERE WEATHER. LIS PROGGED BETWEEN
-2 AND -5 AND CAPES BETWEEN 2000-3000 J/KG. WILL LET NEXT SHIFT
REVIEW NEW MODEL DATA BUT FEEL SEVERE THREAT IS AGAIN A POSSIBILITY
ON MONDAY. RAIN ENDS EARLY TUESDAY MORNING WITH CLEARING SKIES.
LATER FORECASTS ARE A BIT MUDDLES. BOTH THE UKMET/ECMWF HAVE A
WEAKNESS AT 50H CROSSING THE AREA ON SATURDAY. WILL STAY
CONSERVATIVE FOR NOW AND KEEP SKIES PARTLY CLOUDY.

43/46/30/31

.HGX...TORNADO WATCH THROUGH 6 PM NORTH OF I-10.

PRELIMS...
CLL TB 062/079 054/066 038 357
IAH EB 066/081 058/067 039 348
GLS EB 068/075 065/066 048 238
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 6, 11:10 AM CDT, 3 hours 28 minutes before
GMZ330-335-TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-070000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1110 AM CDT SUN APR 6 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.
AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE FROM MEXICO AND A VERY MOIST
ATMOSPHERE WILL INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING
IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND POSSIBLY ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL ALL BE
POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. THE THREAT OF DAMAGING WINDS AND
TORNADOES WILL INCREASE QUICKLY BETWEEN NOON AND 4 PM...ESPECIALLY
FOR AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF A COLUMBUS TO LIBERTY LINE OR GENERALLY
NORTH OF I-10. THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE AREA BY
EARLY EVENING.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY LATE FOR THIS AFTERNOON.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY
MORNING.  A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION EARLY TUESDAY
MORNING. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL.

WINDY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND MAY WARRANT A
WIND ADVISORY AS STRONG NORTH WINDS DEVELOP AFTER THE COLD FRONTAL
PASSAGE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 6, 12:40 PM CDT, 1 hour 58 minutes before
TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>213-062300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...COR EXP TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1240 PM CDT SUN APR 6 2003

...TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON FOR AREAS ALONG AND
NORTH OF A COLUMBUS TO LIBERTY LINE THROUGH 6 PM...

DEEP MOISTURE AND THE APPROACHING DRY LINE WILL INTERACT WITH
FAVORABLE UPPER LEVEL WINDS TO PRODUCE A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS
THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. FAVORABLE LOW LEVEL WIND FIELDS
FAVOR ROTATING THUNDERSTORMS WHICH WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO
PRODUCE TORNADOES.

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE TORNADO WATCH:
AUSTIN...BRAZOS...BURLESON...COLORADO...GRIMES...HARRIS...
HOUSTON...LIBERTY...MADISON...MONTGOMERY...POLK...SAN JACINTO...
TRINITY...WALKER...WALLER AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR THESE COUNTIES SHOULD KEEP A LOOK OUT FOR
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.

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.