Alert archive / Nevada / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Reno, NV

July 21, 2008Churchill County, Nevada

NWS Reno, NV issued this tornado warning at Jul 21, 2008, 6:16 PM PDT for Churchill County, Nevada. It was in force for 44 min. 5 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Jul 21, 2008, 6:16 PM PDT (01:16 UTC)
Expired: Jul 21, 2008, 7:00 PM PDT
In force: 44 min
Issued by: NWS Reno, NV
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Churchill County, NV

The radar

The Reno radar (KRGX), 63 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:18 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.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jul 21, 6:25 PM PDT	FUNNEL CLOUD	Fallon, NV	SEVERAL REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS CURRENTLY WEST OF FALLON.
Jul 21, 6:27 PM PDT	HAIL 1	Fallon, NV	HAIL ACCUMULATING ON GROUND.
Jul 21, 6:28 PM PDT	FUNNEL CLOUD	Fallon, NV	FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED JUST WEST OF FALLON.
Jul 21, 6:31 PM PDT	HAIL 0.75	Fallon, NV	WINDS ESTIMATED 45 MPH IN DOWNTOWN FALLON.
Jul 21, 6:34 PM PDT	HAIL 1.25	1 Sw Fallon, NV	HAIL ACCUMULATING WITH HEAVY RAINFALL. LOCALIZED FLOODING REPORTED.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Reno, NV (KREV), launched 00:00Z, 1.3 hours before the alert went out and 53 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 19 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -30 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 2865 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 18 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 88 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 
WFUS55 KREV 220118
TORREV
NVC001-220200-
/O.NEW.KREV.TO.W.0006.080722T0116Z-080722T0200Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
616 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RENO HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WEST CENTRAL CHURCHILL COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL NEVADA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF FALLON...

* UNTIL 700 PM PDT

* AT 614 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 10 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF FALLON...MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  FALLON BY 630 PM PDT...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 
QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS THAT WILL 
PRECEDE THE TORNADIC PART OF THE STORM. A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 
EMPLOYEE IN THE AREA OF FALLON HAS REPORTED A DEVELOPING CIRCULATION 
WITH THIS STORM.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

LAT...LON 3968 11886 3959 11856 3932 11875 3931 11887
      3936 11894
TIME...MOT...LOC 0116Z 200DEG 23KT 3935 11886

$$
CS

4 follow-up statements

000 
WWUS55 KREV 220127
SVSREV

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
625 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

NVC001-220200-
/O.CON.KREV.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-080722T0200Z/
CHURCHILL NV-
625 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM PDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL CHURCHILL COUNTY...

...TORNADIC STORM HEADING TOWARD FALLON...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY...

AT 623 PM PDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD 
ASSOCIATED WITH A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. THIS FUNNEL CLOUD BRIEFLY 
TOUCHED DOWN SOUTH OF FALLON. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTH 
OF FALLON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  FALLON BY 630 PM PDT...
  FALLON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AND JUNCTION US 50 AND NV 116 (STUART RD)
  BY 635 PM PDT...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 
QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

LAT...LON 3938 11873 3937 11885 3942 11892 3968 11886
      3965 11875 3963 11870 3960 11859 3959 11858
TIME...MOT...LOC 0125Z 205DEG 25KT 3944 11879

$$
CS

000 
WWUS55 KREV 220138
SVSREV

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
637 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

NVC001-220200-
/O.CON.KREV.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-080722T0200Z/
CHURCHILL NV-
637 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM PDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL CHURCHILL COUNTY...

...PEOPLE NORTHEAST OF DOWNTOWN FALLON SHOULD TAKE COVER 
IMMEDIATELY...

AT 635 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR FALLON MUNICIPAL 
AIRPORT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 29 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL AFFECT AREAS NORTHEAST OF FALLON THROUGH 7 PM PDT.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

LAT...LON 3948 11866 3947 11866 3946 11868 3945 11879
      3950 11886 3967 11882 3966 11877 3963 11870
      3961 11861 3959 11858
TIME...MOT...LOC 0137Z 205DEG 25KT 3951 11873

$$
CS

000 
WWUS55 KREV 220148
SVSREV

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
647 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

NVC001-220200-
/O.CON.KREV.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-080722T0200Z/
CHURCHILL NV-
647 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM PDT FOR CENTRAL
CHURCHILL COUNTY...

...THREAT FOR FALLON HAS PASSED...

AT 644 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THAT THE CIRCULATION WITH THIS STORM HAD WEAKENED BUT A BRIEF WEAK 
TORNADO REMAINS POSSIBLE.  THIS POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER 
CENTRAL CHURCHILL COUNTY...OR ABOUT 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF 
FALLON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 29 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL OTHERWISE REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF THE
INDICATED COUNTY.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

LAT...LON 3954 11861 3953 11863 3954 11872 3959 11879
      3965 11876 3965 11874 3963 11870 3961 11860
      3959 11858
TIME...MOT...LOC 0147Z 205DEG 25KT 3959 11867

$$
CS

000 
WWUS55 KREV 220153
SVSREV

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
653 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

NVC001-220203-
/O.EXP.KREV.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-080722T0200Z/
CHURCHILL NV-
653 PM PDT MON JUL 21 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL CHURCHILL COUNTY EXPIRES AT 700 PM
PDT...

THE STORMS THAT EARLIER PROMPTED THE TORNADO WARNING HAVE 
WEAKENED...THEREFORE THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. 
HOWEVER...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL REMAIN IN THE AREA NORTHEAST OF 
FALLON THROUGH 715 PM PDT...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY 
WINDS...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINS.

IF YOU OBSERVED ANY DAMAGE...LARGE HAIL...OR FLOODING FROM THE STORM 
EARLIER...REPORT IT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RENO. CALL 
OUR OFFICE AT 775-673-8100. YOUR REPORTS HELP US IMPROVE OUR WARNING 
PROCESS.

LAT...LON 3954 11861 3953 11863 3954 11872 3959 11879
      3965 11876 3965 11874 3963 11870 3961 11860
      3959 11858
TIME...MOT...LOC 0153Z 205DEG 25KT 3963 11865

$$
CS

The office that day

Everything else NWS Reno, NV issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 21, 5:22 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Douglas, Lyon	38 min
Jul 21, 5:25 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Lyon	35 min
Jul 21, 5:53 PM PDT	Flash Flood Warning	REV	Lyon	2 hr
Jul 21, 6:06 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Churchill	39 min
Jul 21, 6:32 PM PDT	Flash Flood Warning	REV	Churchill, Mineral	3 hr
Jul 21, 7:09 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Churchill	36 min
Jul 21, 7:34 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Washoe	41 min
Jul 21, 7:41 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	REV	Churchill	37 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Nevada, 2008 Every tornado warning in 2008 Tornadoes in 2008

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.