Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2003

Tornado Warning 7, NWS San Angelo, TX

April 23, 2003Fisher County, Texas

NWS San Angelo, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 23, 2003, 1:04 PM CDT for Fisher 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 as issued.

The facts

Issued
Apr 23, 2003, 1:04 PM CDT (18:04 UTC)
Expired
Apr 23, 2003, 1:45 PM CDT
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS San Angelo, TX
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Fisher County, TX

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado 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 23, 11:50 AM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Midland Regional, TX (KMAF), launched 12:00Z, 6.1 hours before the alert went out and 192 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, Midland Regional, TX at 12:00Z on 2003-04-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1415 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, Midland Regional, TX at 12:00Z on 2003-04-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 208 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
1415 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-47 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
757 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
208 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
150 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.5
Supercell composite
8.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

421 
WFUS54 KSJT 231804
TORSJT
TXC151-231845-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
104 PM CDT WED APR 23 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN ANGELO HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  FISHER COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TEXAS

* UNTIL 145 PM CDT

* AT 1259 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG ROTATION CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO AT
  ANY TIME 4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ROTAN...OR ABOUT 23 MILES WEST OF
  HAMLIN...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.

* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
   ROTAN AT 115 PM CDT
   ROBY AT 135 PM CDT

A TORNADO MAY FORM AT ANY TIME. TAKE COVER NOW ABANDON MOBILE HOMES
AND VEHICLES FOR MORE SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER.

LAT...LON 3281 10065 3268 10050 3268 10017 3292 10017
          3295 10038

$$

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 San Angelo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Apr 23, 10:55 AM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 23, 10:55 AM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
WEST CENTRAL TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
1055 AM CDT WED APR 23 2003

DRYLINE ON A FAST TRACK ACROSS THE PANHANDLE...SLIGHTLY SLOWER TO
THE SOUTH.  CU AND A FEW SHOWERS STARTING TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF
DRYLINE JUST TO THE NW OF OUR COUNTY WARNING AREA...STRONG S SURFACE
WINDS...GOOD DEW POINTS...AND UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT ALL INDICATE A
POTENTIAL FOR STORMS.

SPEED OF DRYLINE THROUGH AREA WILL BE THE DETERMINING FACTOR AS
DRYLINE BECOMES ORIENTED NE-SW.  BEST DYNAMICS OVER BIG
COUNTRY...BUT CANT RULE OUT STORMS FURTHER SOUTH AS MORNING CLEARING
ALLOWS TEMPS TO RISE INTO THE LOWER 80S.

THIS IS THE MAKE OR BREAK PRECIP MAKER FOR THE MONTH...BY AFTERNOON
ITLL ALL BE TO OUR EAST.

235 AM CDT WED APR 23 2003

SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED OVER PORTIONS OF WC TX TODAY...WITH CLEAR
SKIES AND SEASONAL TEMPS THEREAFTER.

GOES WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A POTENT NEUTRALLY-TILTED UPPER LEVEL
TROF CENTRAL AZ EARLY THIS MORNING. UPPER FLOW HAD BECOME DIFFLUENT
IN THE LEE OF THE NM MOUNTAINS. A FEW STORMS HAD FORMED NORTH OF
CLOVIS NM...AND WERE MOVING NNE. 07Z SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWED A
DRYLINE BACKED UP AGAINST THE MOUNTAINS OF NM. ESE SURFACE
WINDS...EXTENSIVE LOW CLOUDINESS AND DEWPOINTS IN THE UPPER
50S/LOWER 60S PREVAILED OVER WC TX.

AFOREMENTIONED UPPER TROF WILL TAKE A NEGATIVE TILT AS IT LIFTS TO
NE NM BY MIDDAY. STRONG WESTERLY MID LEVEL JET ROUNDING THE BASE OF
THE UPPER TROF WILL HELP PUSH THE DRYLINE OFF THE MOUNTAINS THIS
MORNING...AND INTO WC TX THIS AFTERNOON. MESOETA APPEARS TO RESOLVE
DRYLINE MOVEMENT FAIRLY WELL...UNLIKE AVN...WHICH MIXES THE SURFACE
DRYLINE EAST TOO QUICKLY. AFTER A FEW STORMS FORM IN THE TRANS
PECOS/PERMIAN BASIN EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...EXPECT A SQUALL-LINE TO
EVOLVE AND MOVE EAST THROUGH WC TX. EXACT TIMING AND LOCATION OF
SQUALL LINE DEVELOPMENT UNCERTAIN...BUT BEST CHANCES FOR RAIN AND
SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE OVER NORTHERN AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE
FORECAST AREA...WHERE BEST LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE WILL COINCIDE WITH
HIGHEST SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY DURING THE AFTERNOON. WILL
HIGHLIGHT THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE STORMS IN THE FORECAST. FOR
ADDITIONAL INFO REGARDING SEVERE WEATHER THREAT TODAY...SEE THE
LATEST DAY 1 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK FROM THE SPC.

THUNDERSTORMS MAY PERSIST INTO THE EARLY PART OF THE TONIGHT PERIOD
OVER THE HEARTLAND AND PERHAPS EASTERN BIG COUNTRY. THEREAFTER...
DRIER AND MUCH MORE STABLE AIR FILTERS INTO WC TX. A WEAK BACK DOOR
COLD FRONT MAY SHAVE A FEW DEGREES OFF OF HIGH TEMPS OVER THE BIG
COUNTRY ON FRIDAY. OTHERWISE...PERSISTENCE APPEARS THE BEST FORECAST
THROUGH THIS WEEKEND...AS WC TX REMAINS UNDER WEAK RIDGING ALOFT. NO
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES PLANNED FOR THE EXTENDED.

PRELIM CCF...
ABI 080/054/085/050/081 4100
SJT 082/054/084/052/084 3000
JCT 078/052/083/050/084 3100

.SJT...NONE.

14
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 23, 5:44 AM CDT, 7 hours 20 minutes before
TXZ049-054-064>066-071>073-076>078-098-099-113-114-127-128-139-140-
154-155-168>170-241045-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
544 AM CDT WED APR 23 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE EASTERN
PORTION OF THE BIG COUNTRY AND ALL OF THE HEARTLAND COUNTIES TODAY.
THIS MODERATE RISK AREA IS NORTH AND EAST OF A LINE FROM ASPERMONT
TO JUST WEST OF ABILENE AND BALLINGER TO BRADY AND SAN SABA.
ELSEWHERE THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO THE EAST
OF A LINE FROM ROTAN TO ROBERT LEE...SAN ANGELO...ELDORADO AND
SONORA. THE DRYLINE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA TODAY. THIS IN
COMBINATION WITH A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL CAUSE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH MAY BE SEVERE...ESPECIALLY
IN THE MODERATE RISK AREA. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE VERY LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING WINDS. THERE WILL BE SUFFICIENT SHEAR FOR THUNDERSTORMS
TO PRODUCE TORNADOES...ESPECIALLY OVER THE MODERATE RISK AREA.
INTERESTED PERSONS WILL WANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO LATER FORECAST
CONCERNING THIS THUNDERSTORM EVENT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATE THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON.

27/BRAZZELL

The office that day

Everything else NWS San Angelo, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 23, 12:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTFisher39 min
Apr 23, 1:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTSterling63 min
Apr 23, 1:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTNolan42 min
Apr 23, 1:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTCoke, Tom Green56 min
Apr 23, 1:51 PM CDTTornado WarningSJTHaskell54 min
Apr 23, 1:55 PM CDTTornado WarningSJTFisher, Jones65 min
Apr 23, 2:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTCrockett59 min
Apr 23, 2:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTTaylor42 min
Apr 23, 2:37 PM CDTTornado WarningSJTThrockmorton53 min
Apr 23, 2:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTRunnels58 min
Apr 23, 2:59 PM CDTTornado WarningSJTJones, Shackelford61 min
Apr 23, 3:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTCrockett60 min
Apr 23, 3:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTSchleicher56 min
Apr 23, 3:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTCallahan46 min
Apr 23, 3:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTTaylor29 min
Apr 23, 3:31 PM CDTTornado WarningSJTThrockmorton44 min
Apr 23, 3:41 PM CDTTornado WarningSJTCrockett, Sutton64 min
Apr 23, 3:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTColeman62 min
Apr 23, 3:59 PM CDTTornado WarningSJTMenard, Schleicher61 min
Apr 23, 4:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTCallahan60 min
Apr 23, 4:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTShackelford59 min
Apr 23, 4:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTBrown54 min
Apr 23, 4:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTColeman46 min
Apr 23, 4:45 PM CDTTornado WarningSJTCrockett, Sutton60 min
Apr 23, 4:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTCoke, Runnels46 min
Apr 23, 5:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTBrown30 min
Apr 23, 5:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTRunnels48 min
Apr 23, 5:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTCallahan, Coleman79 min
Apr 23, 6:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSJTBrown79 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 2003Every tornado warning in 2003Tornadoes 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.