Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 12, NWS Lubbock, TX

April 16, 2009Crosby County, Texas

NWS Lubbock, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 16, 2009, 6:42 PM CDT for Crosby County, Texas. It was in force for 48 min. 2 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: Apr 16, 2009, 6:42 PM CDT (23:42 UTC)
Expired: Apr 16, 2009, 7:30 PM CDT
In force: 48 min
Issued by: NWS Lubbock, TX
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Crosby County, TX

The radar

The Lubbock radar (KLBB), 42 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:42 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
Apr 16, 6:45 PM CDT	TORNADO	2 Wsw Ralls, TX	BRIEF TOUCHDOWN.
Apr 16, 6:51 PM CDT	FUNNEL CLOUD	Ralls, TX	FUNNEL CLOUD DEVELOPING OVER RALLS

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

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this tornado warning; the first came 3 minutes after it went out.

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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 16, 2:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr
Apr 16, 4:42 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Amarillo Airport, TX (KAMA), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 168 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: 525 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -282 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 678 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 320 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 252 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS54 KLUB 162342
TORLUB
TXC107-170030-
/O.NEW.KLUB.TO.W.0012.090416T2342Z-090417T0030Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
642 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LUBBOCK HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN CROSBY COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TEXAS.

* UNTIL 730 PM CDT

* AT 640 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THE MOST       
  DANGEROUS PART OF THIS STORM WAS LOCATED JUST WEST OF RALLS OVER   
  HIGHWAY 82...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE RALLS...CONE AND
  CROSBYTON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...PLEASE CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
AT 8 0 6 7 4 5 1 2 9 0.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FRIDAY MORNING
FOR THE PANHANDLE AND NORTHWEST TEXAS.

&&

LAT...LON 3383 10144 3383 10114 3355 10120 3363 10151
      3380 10149
TIME...MOT...LOC 2342Z 271DEG 10KT 3366 10143

$$

1 follow-up statement

000 
WWUS54 KLUB 162350
SVSLUB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
650 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

TXC107-170030-
/O.CON.KLUB.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-090417T0030Z/
CROSBY TX-
650 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 PM CDT FOR NORTHERN
CROSBY COUNTY...

AT 645 PM CDT...MULTIPLE TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A BRIEF 
TORNADO 2 MILES SOUTHWEST OF RALLS. 

THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR RALLS...OR 
ABOUT 10 MILES WEST OF CROSBYTON...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THE TORNADO INCLUDE RALLS AND 
CROSBYTON. LARGE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE IN NORTHERN CROSBY 
COUNTY...INCLUDING CONE.

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

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FRIDAY MORNING 
FOR THE PANHANDLE AND NORTHWEST TEXAS. 

LAT...LON 3364 10146 3380 10146 3383 10144 3383 10114
      3355 10120
TIME...MOT...LOC 2349Z 271DEG 10KT 3366 10141

$$

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 Lubbock, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Apr 16, 2:14 PM CDT, 4 hours 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 16, 2:14 PM CDT, 4 hours 28 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
214 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

.SHORT TERM...
STORM INITIATION HAS COMMENCED ALONG THE DRYLINE LOCATED ALONG A
LINE FROM EAST OF NAZARETH...TO COTTON CENTER TO EAST OF PLAINS AS
OF 19Z. THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE DRYLINE
APPEAR TO BE STRONG PER THE RADAR. CU CONTINUES TO DEEPEN ACROSS
THE REMAINDER OF THE LINE. AS THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM SLOWLY DRAWS
NEAR THE REGION /NEAR THE FOUR-CORNERS REGION/ AND LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY RISE OFF THE CAPROCK...IT IS
EXPECTED THAT THE FAVORED AREA OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE
JUST WEST OF THE CAPROCK AND THEN EXPAND EASTWARD THROUGH THE
LATE AFTERNOON HOURS.

HOWEVER...THERE IS UNCERTAINTY TO THE EXTENT OF THE EASTWARD
PROPAGATION OF THE DRYLINE...DUE TO THE UPPER LOW INDUCING HEIGHT
FALLS ACROSS THE AREA...WHICH CAN SLOW DOWN THE EASTWARD
PROGRESSION. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION.

&&

.LONG TERM...
THE POTENT UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL SLOWLY PROPAGATE
ENEWD ACROSS SOUTHWEST KANSAS FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY MORNING. THE
BETTER MOISTURE...CAPE VALUES AND LIFTED INDICES GETS SHIFTED EAST
OF THE SOUTH PLAINS...AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES SOUTH ACROSS THE CWA
ON SATURDAY. GUIDANCE MODELS HINT AT THE MAIN CAA SWEEPING SOUTH
ACROSS THE REGION SUNDAY. THUS...SINCE THE AIR BEHIND THE MAIN
PUSH IS ONLY SLIGHTLY COOLER...HIGH TEMPS SUNDAY WILL ONLY BE
AT/SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL.

THEREAFTER...AS THE UPPER SYSTEM TRANSLATES TO THE NORTHEAST...DRY
AND QUIET WEATHER IS EXPECTED AS UPPER LEVEL RIDGING ACROSS THE
WESTERN CONUS COMMENCES. WITH UPPER LEVEL RIDING AND SFC HIGH
PRESSURE NEAR THE REGION...SFC WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE NORTH SUNDAY
THROUGH MONDAY BEFORE BECOMING SOUTHERLY THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE
EXTENDED FORECAST. BY WEDNESDAY...THE UPPER AMPLIFIED RIDGE IS
PROGGED TO FLATTEN A BIT DUE TO THE NEXT INCOMING PACIFIC NORTHWEST
SYSTEM.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
FRIONA        38  63  35  63  41 /  40  20  20  10  10
TULIA         42  65  36  66  43 /  50  20  20  10  10
PLAINVIEW     43  65  37  67  44 /  50  20  20  10  10
LEVELLAND     43  68  39  72  44 /  40  10  10  10  10
LUBBOCK       47  70  41  73  46 /  50  10  10  10  10
DENVER CITY   42  70  37  74  43 /  40  10   0  10  10
BROWNFIELD    44  70  39  73  44 /  50  10  10  10  10
CHILDRESS     52  71  46  72  48 /  80  30  20  10  10
SPUR          49  71  44  75  48 /  70  20  10  10  10
ASPERMONT     53  73  46  77  49 /  80  20  10  10  10

&&

.LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

29

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 16, 11:26 AM CDT, 7 hours 16 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
1126 AM CDT THU APR 16 2009

TXZ021>044-171630-
PARMER-CASTRO-SWISHER-BRISCOE-HALL-CHILDRESS-BAILEY-LAMB-HALE-
FLOYD-MOTLEY-COTTLE-COCHRAN-HOCKLEY-LUBBOCK-CROSBY-DICKENS-KING-
YOAKUM-TERRY-LYNN-GARZA-KENT-STONEWALL-
1126 AM CDT THU APR 16 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE EXTREME SOUTHERN TEXAS
PANHANDLE...SOUTH PLAINS AND ROLLING PLAINS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

CONVECTIVE

THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS THE SOUTH PLAINS AND ROLLING PLAINS.
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG A DRYLINE THAT WILL BE
LOCATED ACROSS THE CENTRAL SOUTH PLAINS BY THIS AFTERNOON. ANY
STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS. INITIAL ACTIVITY WILL MOVE EAST INTO THE ROLLING
PLAINS TONIGHT...WITH A SECOND AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS REDEVELOPING
LATER TONIGHT ALONG THE STATE LINE AND THEN PUSHING EAST ACROSS
THE REGION.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THUNDERSTORMS COULD LINGER ACROSS THE ROLLING PLAINS FRIDAY
MORNING BEFORE PUSHING EAST OF THE AREA FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE CENTRAL
SOUTH PLAINS AND ROLLING PLAINS...AND AREAWIDE LATER TONIGHT.

JORDAN

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 16, 6:24 PM CDT, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
624 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0617 PM     HAIL             10 S POST               33.05N 101.38W
04/16/2009  E1.50 INCH       GARZA              TX   PUBLIC

            COVERING GROUND

&&

EVENT NUMBER 00380

MCZ

Local storm report, Apr 16, 6:25 PM CDT, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
625 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0620 PM     HAIL             2 W FLOYDADA            33.98N 101.37W
04/16/2009  E0.88 INCH       FLOYD              TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            DIME TO NICKLE HAIL COVERING THE GROUND.

&&

EVENT NUMBER 00381

ST

Local storm report, Apr 16, 6:26 PM CDT, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
626 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0626 PM     HAIL             LAKE ALAN HENRY         33.06N 101.05W
04/16/2009  E2.75 INCH       GARZA              TX   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

&&

EVENT NUMBER 00382

MCZ

Special weather statement, Apr 16, 6:30 PM CDT, 12 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
630 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

TXZ023-170015-
SWISHER TX-
630 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM ACROSS SWISHER COUNTY...

AT 629 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES EAST OF TULIA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15
MPH.  THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DIME SIZE HAIL.  AT 615 PM
CDT...A REPORT OF HAIL COVERING THE GROUND 2 MILES EAST OF FLOYDADA.

IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER INDOORS. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

Local storm report, Apr 16, 6:32 PM CDT, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
632 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0440 PM     HAIL             7 SW LUBBOCK            33.51N 101.94W
04/16/2009  E2.50 INCH       LUBBOCK            TX   NWS EMPLOYEE

            SINGLE HAILSTONE OF SIZE

&&

EVENT NUMBER 00383

02

Special weather statement, Apr 16, 6:32 PM CDT, 10 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
632 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

TXZ023-170015-
SWISHER TX-
632 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM ACROSS SWISHER COUNTY...

AT 629 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES EAST OF TULIA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15
MPH.  THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DIME SIZE HAIL.

IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER INDOORS. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 16, 2:04 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Swisher	56 min
Apr 16, 2:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Swisher	39 min
Apr 16, 2:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Hockley, Lamb	55 min
Apr 16, 3:00 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Swisher	30 min
Apr 16, 3:23 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Swisher	52 min
Apr 16, 3:35 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Hale, Swisher	40 min
Apr 16, 3:39 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	LUB	Swisher	111 min
Apr 16, 3:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Lamb	49 min
Apr 16, 3:50 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Hockley, Lubbock, Lynn, Terry	55 min
Apr 16, 3:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Castro, Hale, Swisher	46 min
Apr 16, 4:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Castro, Hale, Lamb	44 min
Apr 16, 4:05 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Swisher	40 min
Apr 16, 4:28 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Lubbock	47 min
Apr 16, 4:39 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Castro, Swisher	21 min
Apr 16, 4:41 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	LUB	Lubbock	109 min
Apr 16, 4:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Garza, Lynn	64 min
Apr 16, 4:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Hale	62 min
Apr 16, 4:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Crosby, Floyd, Hale, Lubbock	26 min
Apr 16, 4:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Swisher	66 min
Apr 16, 5:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Crosby, Floyd, Hale, Lubbock	44 min
Apr 16, 5:12 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	LUB	Swisher	3 hr
Apr 16, 5:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Lubbock	42 min
Apr 16, 5:32 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Garza	43 min
Apr 16, 5:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Garza	33 min
Apr 16, 5:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Crosby, Floyd	66 min
Apr 16, 5:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Swisher	33 min
Apr 16, 6:00 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Crosby, Lubbock	45 min
Apr 16, 6:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Crosby, Dickens, Garza, Kent	60 min
Apr 16, 6:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Hale, Lubbock	45 min
Apr 16, 6:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Garza, Kent	42 min
Apr 16, 6:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Floyd	34 min
Apr 16, 6:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Hale, Lubbock	32 min
Apr 16, 6:44 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Garza	31 min
Apr 16, 6:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Garza, Lynn	23 min

Nearby

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