Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 21, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

April 27, 20094 counties in Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 27, 2009, 4:55 PM CDT for 4 counties in Texas. It was in force for 35 min. 1 report 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
Apr 27, 2009, 4:55 PM CDT (21:55 UTC)
Expired
Apr 27, 2009, 5:30 PM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Austin County, TX, Fort Bend County, TX, Waller County, TX, Wharton County, TX

The radar

The Houston radar (KHGX), 99 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:55 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 27, 5:15 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD3 Se Orchard, TXFUNNEL DURATION 1 TO 2 MINUTES

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

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 27, 3:58 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 12:00Z, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 247 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 2009-04-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1236 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 2009-04-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 119 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1236 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-230 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
508 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
119 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
258 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS54 KHGX 272155
TORHGX
TXC015-157-473-481-272230-
/O.NEW.KHGX.TO.W.0021.090427T2155Z-090427T2230Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
455 PM CDT MON APR 27 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LEAGUE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN AUSTIN COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
  NORTHWESTERN FORT BEND COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
  SOUTHERN WALLER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
  NORTHERN WHARTON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

* UNTIL 530 PM CDT

* AT 452 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO  THIS TORNADO
  WAS LOCATED NEAR EAST BERNARD... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE TORNADO WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  WADSWORTH...WALLIS...SIMONTON...SAN FELIPE...ROSENBERG...
  RICHMOND...PECAN GROVE...PATTISON...ORCHARD...FULSHEAR...BROOKSHIRE
  AND BEASLEY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY.

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR THE WARNED AREA.

&&

PLEASE REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE COUNTY SHERIFF...LOCAL POLICE...
OR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND ASK THEM TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 2963 9619 2965 9621 2992 9604 2992 9596
      2960 9566 2941 9614 2954 9627
TIME...MOT...LOC 2155Z 229DEG 17KT 2954 9612

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS54 KHGX 272206
SVSHGX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
506 PM CDT MON APR 27 2009

TXC015-157-473-481-272230-
/O.CON.KHGX.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-090427T2230Z/
WALLER TX-AUSTIN TX-FORT BEND TX-WHARTON TX-
506 PM CDT MON APR 27 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 530 PM CDT FOR
WHARTON...FORT BEND...AUSTIN AND WALLER COUNTIES...

AT 503 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR EAST BERNARD...OR  14 MILES
EAST OF EAGLE LAKE...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

IN ADDITION TO THE STORM THAT INITIALLY PROMPTED THE 
WARNING...ANOTHER STORM WITHIN THE WARNED AREA HAS BEGUN TO ROTATE 
NEAR ORCHARD. THIS STORM IS ALSO MOVING NORTHEAST AND IS HEADING 
TOWARDS FULSHEAR.


* LOCATIONS IN THE THE TORNADO WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  WADSWORTH...WALLIS...SIMONTON...SAN FELIPE...ROSENBERG...
  RICHMOND...PECAN GROVE...PATTISON...ORCHARD...FULSHEAR AND
  BROOKSHIRE

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY.

&&

PLEASE REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE COUNTY SHERIFF...LOCAL POLICE...
OR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND ASK THEM TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 2963 9618 2966 9621 2992 9604 2992 9596
      2960 9566 2944 9605 2958 9624
TIME...MOT...LOC 2203Z 229DEG 17KT 2956 9609

$$
000 
WWUS54 KHGX 272223
SVSHGX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
523 PM CDT MON APR 27 2009

TXC015-157-473-272230-
/O.CON.KHGX.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-090427T2230Z/
WALLER TX-AUSTIN TX-FORT BEND TX-
523 PM CDT MON APR 27 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 530 PM CDT FOR FORT
BEND...AUSTIN AND WALLER COUNTIES...

AT 521 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR WALLIS...OR  12 MILES SOUTH
OF BROOKSHIRE...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

SEVERAL AREAS OF ROTATION ARE PRESENT WITHIN THE WARNED AREA. AT 
THIS TIME THE AREA OF GREATEST CONCERN IS BETWEEN ORCHARD AND 
FULSHEAR.

* LOCATIONS IN THE THE TORNADO WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  WADSWORTH...SIMONTON...SAN FELIPE...ROSENBERG...RICHMOND...PECAN
  GROVE...PATTISON...ORCHARD AND FULSHEAR

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY.

&&

PLEASE REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE COUNTY SHERIFF...LOCAL POLICE...
OR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND ASK THEM TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 2991 9605 2992 9603 2992 9596 2960 9566
      2947 9599 2954 9606 2959 9607 2962 9610
      2962 9614 2966 9619 2964 9619 2965 9620
      2967 9621
TIME...MOT...LOC 2222Z 229DEG 17KT 2962 9601

$$
000 
WWUS54 KHGX 272233
SVSHGX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
533 PM CDT MON APR 27 2009

TXC015-157-473-272243-
/O.EXP.KHGX.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-090427T2230Z/
WALLER TX-AUSTIN TX-FORT BEND TX-
533 PM CDT MON APR 27 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR FORT BEND...AUSTIN AND WALLER COUNTIES HAS
BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE...

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR THE WARNED AREA.

PLEASE REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE COUNTY SHERIFF...LOCAL POLICE...
OR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND ASK THEM TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 2991 9605 2992 9603 2992 9596 2960 9566
      2947 9599 2954 9606 2959 9607 2962 9610
      2962 9614 2966 9619 2964 9619 2965 9620
      2967 9621
TIME...MOT...LOC 2223Z 229DEG 17KT 2962 9601

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 27, 1:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHouston44 min
Apr 27, 3:47 PM CDTFlood WatchHGXAustin, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Chambers, Colorado and 17 more5 hr
Apr 27, 3:55 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXAustin, Washington35 min
Apr 27, 5:07 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXHarris, Montgomery38 min
Apr 27, 5:21 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningHGXAustin, Colorado, Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery, Waller and 1 more3 hr
Apr 27, 5:34 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXHarris, Montgomery41 min
Apr 27, 5:46 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXHarris, Montgomery44 min
Apr 27, 5:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazoria, Fort Bend, Harris38 min
Apr 27, 5:56 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningHGX94 min
Apr 27, 6:02 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXBrazoria, Fort Bend, Harris28 min
Apr 27, 6:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty and 1 more63 min
Apr 27, 6:31 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningHGX89 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 2009Every tornado warning in 2009Tornadoes in 2009

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.