Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 86, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

May 16, 2003Houston County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 16, 2003, 8:21 PM CDT for Houston County, Texas. It was in force for 54 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
May 16, 2003, 8:21 PM CDT (01:21 UTC)
Expired
May 16, 2003, 9:15 PM CDT
In force
54 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Houston County, TX

The radar

The Shreveport radar (KSHV), 189 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:25 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
May 16, 8:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Shreveport, LA (KSHV), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 198 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 00:00Z on 2003-05-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1901 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 00:00Z on 2003-05-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 218 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
1901 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-14 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1440 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
218 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
247 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.4
Supercell composite
15.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS54 KHGX 170121
SVRHOU
TXC225-170215-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
820 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LEAGUE CITY HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 915 PM CDT

* AT 813 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 10   
MILES WEST OF GRAPELAND...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STORM HAS A 
HISTORY OF PRODUCING GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN FREESTONE COUNTY 
EARLIER THIS EVENING.

* LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE...
  GRAPELAND
  WECHES

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

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 3150 9577 3137 9562 3143 9508 3166 9523

$$

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 May 16, 8:05 PM CDT, 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 16, 8:05 PM CDT, 16 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
805 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003

SPC WILL BE ISSUING A SEVERE WW FOR THE NRN COUNTIES OF THE
CWA...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 05Z. WATCH WILL ENCOMPASS GENERALLY THAT AREA
NORTH OF A LINE FROM CALDWELL TO CONROE TO LIVINGSTON. LINE OF
STRONG/SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDS FROM HENDERSON TO THORNTON AT
01Z. RADAR SHOWS TRIPLE POINT OF DRYLINE AND COLD FRONT JUST SOUTH
OF WACO...SO THINK STORMS COULD STILL BACK-BUILD A LITTLE FURTHER
WEST THIS EVENING. COLD FRONT HAS A LITTLE MORE PUSH THAN DRYLINE
AND SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO GET TSRA AT LEAST INTO NERN ZONES. WILL UP
NERN  ZONES TO LIKELY POPS FOR TONIGHT AND MAINTAIN MENTION OF
SEVERE NERN HALF. WILL KEEP FINGERS CROSSED THAT SOME OF THIS RAIN
MAKES IT SOUTH TO THE HOUSTON/GALVESTON AREA.

35/43

.HGX...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NRN HALF UNTIL 05Z.
       SCEC ALL WATERS.

.PRELIMS...
CLL BB 071/088 064/090 071 430
IAH EB 075/089 068/090 073 331
GLS EB 077/085 073/085 076 221

PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
WINDS OVER THE REGION ARE UP WITH GUSTS NEAR 30 MPH. TEMPERATURE
TIED IAH RECORD 93 AT 1 PM...COULD SET A NEW RECORD BEFORE 4 PM. DEEP
CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON WELL NORTHEAST OF THE RED RIVER.  CAP
CONTINUES TO HOLD A LID ON THINGS THIS FAR SOUTH. COLD FRONT PASSING
ABILENE AND DRYLINE NEARING KERRVILLE. UPPER LOW SLOWING DOWN AND ON
WATER VAPOR BECOMING MORE N-S ELLIPTICAL. STILL HAVE A SMALL SHOT AT
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE NORTHERN ZONES LATE THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH EVENING. CLOSELY WATCHING THE CLUSTER OF CU NEAR AUS FOR MORE
DEVELOPMENT. WIND THE PRIMARY THREAT IN STRONGLY SHEARED ENVIRONMENT.
UPPER LOW SHOULD MOVE MORE SLOWLY EAST THEN GRADUALLY TAKE A TURN
SOUTHEAST SATURDAY MORNING. WEAK COLD FRONT SATURDAY MORNING IN NW
ZONES REACHES INTO THE CENTRAL ZONES AROUND 18Z AND THE COAST 03-06Z
SUNDAY. SPLITTING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GFS AND ETA (ETA STILL NEAR
I-10 AT 06Z/GFS 30-60NM OFFSHORE) ON FROPA TIMING SATURDAY AFTERNOON
AND NIGHT. COULD SEE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS NEAR THE
BOUNDARY SATURDAY. WEAK SURFACE RIDGE TRANSITIONS THE AREA SUNDAY AND
LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLIES RETURN BY SUNDAY NIGHT AS UPPER RIDGE BUILDS
NORTHEAST FROM BIG BEND TO NEAR CHICAGO. UPPER LOW DROPPING SOUTH
THROUGH LA AND INTO THE GULF SUNDAY NIGHT. UPPER RIDGE CONTINUES TO
BUILD EAST ON MONDAY. NEXT UPPER TROUGH SWEEPS THROUGH GREAT LAKES
AND TRAILING END FLATTENS SOUTHERN U.S. RIDGE...PUSHING A MUCH MORE
CONTINENTAL AIRMASS SOUTH INTO THE TEXAS ON TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY.
THIS SHOULD BRING SOME CLOUDS BUT AM HESITANT TO ADD ANY MENTION OF
PRECIPITATION FOR TUESDAY-THURSDAY. THURSDAY AND FRIDAY UPPER RIDGE
BUILDS EAST INTO THE AREA SQUASHING RAIN CHANCES ONCE AGAIN.

WILL CARRY AN SCEC AT A MINIMUM FOR THE MARINE...BUT SCA POSSIBLE
WILL MAKE THE DECISION AT PRESS TIME.

45/41/31
Hazardous weather outlook, May 16, 7:11 AM CDT, 13 hours 10 minutes before
GMZ330-335-TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-171200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
711 AM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST TEXAS. ACTIVITY MAY BUILD
AS FAR SOUTH AS THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
TEXAS. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS TO
BECOME SEVERE ROUGHLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM COLUMBUS TO
HOUSTON TO LIBERTY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. THIS AFTERNOONS AND
TONIGHTS STORM SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED SEVERE WEATHER WILL GRADUALLY
MOVE EAST OF THE AREA ON SATURDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS ANTICIPATED AS EARLY AS THIS AFTERNOON AND ON
INTO TONIGHT.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 16, 8:03 PM CDT, 18 minutes before
TXZ163-164-176>179-195-196-198-199-170500-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
803 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF SOUTHEAST
TEXAS IN EFFECT THROUGH MIDNIGHT...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH MIDNIGHT.
THE WATCH AREA IS GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A CALDWELL TO WILLIS
TO SEGNO LINE. THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE WATCH:
BRAZOS...BURLESON...GRIMES...HOUSTON...MADISON...MONTGOMERY...
POLK...SAN JACINTO...TRINITY AND WALKER.

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM PUSHING EAST COUPLED WITH
THE DRY LINE AND A SURFACE COOL FRONT WILL TRIGGER ADDITIONAL
THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING. THIS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN BY
MIDNIGHT.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 16, 9:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXMadison39 min
May 16, 9:44 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXMadison31 min
May 16, 10:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXWalker60 min
May 16, 10:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazos43 min
May 16, 10:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBurleson46 min
May 16, 10:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXGrimes41 min
May 16, 10:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXSan Jacinto, Walker52 min
May 16, 11:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXGrimes44 min
May 16, 11:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXMontgomery49 min
May 16, 11:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXWashington44 min
May 17, 12:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXMontgomery25 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.