Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 15, NWS Lubbock, TX

April 16, 2009Dickens County, Garza County, Kent County, Texas

NWS Lubbock, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 16, 2009, 7:55 PM CDT for Dickens County, Garza County, Kent County, Texas. It was in force for 50 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 16, 2009, 7:55 PM CDT (00:55 UTC)
Expired: Apr 16, 2009, 8:45 PM CDT
In force: 50 min
Issued by: NWS Lubbock, TX
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Dickens County, TX, Garza County, TX, Kent County, TX

The radar

The Lubbock radar (KLBB), 95 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:56 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 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.

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

Midland Regional, TX (KMAF), launched 00:00Z, 0.9 hours before the alert went out and 188 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: 404 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -64 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 2611 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 94 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 236 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 3.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS54 KLUB 170055
TORLUB
TXC125-169-263-170145-
/O.NEW.KLUB.TO.W.0015.090417T0055Z-090417T0145Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LUBBOCK HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN DICKENS COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TEXAS.
  NORTHERN KENT COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TEXAS.
  EASTERN GARZA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TEXAS.

* UNTIL 845 PM CDT

* AT 753 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 22 MILES WEST OF          
  CLAIREMONT...OR ABOUT 16 MILES EAST OF POST...MOVING NORTHEAST AT  
  10 MPH. THIS STORM PRODUCED A FUNNEL CLOUD AT 746 PM CDT 3 MILES   
  NORTHEAST OF JUSTICEBURG. A SECOND POTENTIALLY TORNADIC STORM WAS  
  LOCATED 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF CLAIREMONT. 

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE GIRARD...       
  CLAIREMONT...JAYTON AND GIRARD.

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 3334 10101 3347 10052 3311 10054 3306 10116
      3316 10123
TIME...MOT...LOC 0053Z 232DEG 11KT 3310 10112

$$

1 follow-up statement

000 
WWUS54 KLUB 170114
SVSLUB

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

TXC125-169-263-170145-
/O.CON.KLUB.TO.W.0015.000000T0000Z-090417T0145Z/
DICKENS TX-KENT TX-GARZA TX-
814 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 845 PM CDT FOR EASTERN
GARZA...NORTHERN KENT AND SOUTHEASTERN DICKENS COUNTIES...

AT 812 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 8 
MILES NORTH OF LAKE ALAN HENRY. THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF 
PRODUCING FUNNEL CLOUDS. THIS STORM IS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE GIRARD AND JAYTON.

A 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 3311 10108 3311 10110 3317 10118 3334 10101
      3347 10052 3323 10053
TIME...MOT...LOC 0114Z 226DEG 13KT 3317 10105

$$

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, 5 hours 41 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 16, 2:14 PM CDT, 5 hours 41 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, 8 hours 29 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, 6:32 PM CDT, 1 hour 23 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, 1 hour 23 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.

Local storm report, Apr 16, 6:50 PM CDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before

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

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

0645 PM     TORNADO          2 WSW RALLS             33.67N 101.42W
04/16/2009                   CROSBY             TX   STORM CHASER

            BRIEF TOUCHDOWN.

&&

EVENT NUMBER 00384

ST

Local storm report, Apr 16, 6:51 PM CDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before

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

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

0651 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     RALLS                   33.68N 101.38W
04/16/2009                   CROSBY             TX   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            FUNNEL CLOUD DEVELOPING OVER RALLS

&&

EVENT NUMBER 00385

MCZ

Special weather statement, Apr 16, 6:57 PM CDT, 58 minutes before

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

TXZ024-170030-
BRISCOE TX-
657 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM ACROSS BRISCOE COUNTY...

AT 657 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF QUITAQUE...MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 30 MPH.  HAIL TO THE SIZE OF DIMES MAY BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.

SMALL HAIL IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK
SHELTER INDOORS. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

Local storm report, Apr 16, 7:22 PM CDT, 33 minutes before

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

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

0718 PM     HAIL             4 NW POST               33.23N 101.43W
04/16/2009  E1.75 INCH       GARZA              TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

EVENT NUMBER 00386

ST

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 16, 7:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Floyd	45 min
Apr 16, 7:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Castro, Lamb	58 min
Apr 16, 7:12 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Garza, Kent	48 min
Apr 16, 7:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Castro	47 min
Apr 16, 7:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Crosby, Garza	33 min
Apr 16, 7:33 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Lubbock, Lynn, Terry	57 min
Apr 16, 7:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Floyd, Motley	48 min
Apr 16, 7:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Hockley, Lubbock	29 min
Apr 16, 7:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Castro	16 min
Apr 16, 8:13 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	LUB	Lubbock	107 min
Apr 16, 8:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Crosby, Floyd, Hale, Lubbock	45 min
Apr 16, 8:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Dickens, Kent	63 min
Apr 16, 8:49 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	LUB	Swisher	3 hr
Apr 16, 8:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Briscoe, Floyd, Hale, Swisher	56 min
Apr 16, 8:57 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	LUB	Garza	3 hr
Apr 16, 8:59 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Hockley, Lubbock	24 min
Apr 16, 9:08 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Lubbock	19 min
Apr 16, 9:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Hale	31 min
Apr 16, 9:34 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Dickens, Kent	41 min
Apr 16, 9:37 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	LUB	Kent	3 hr
Apr 16, 9:47 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	LUB	Hale	118 min
Apr 16, 10:16 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Dickens, Kent	29 min
Apr 16, 10:17 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Crosby, Lubbock	28 min
Apr 16, 10:25 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LUB	Lynn	2 hr
Apr 16, 10:25 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Crosby, Lubbock	35 min
Apr 16, 10:42 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Floyd, Hale	48 min
Apr 16, 10:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Dickens, Kent, King, Stonewall	44 min
Apr 16, 11:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Swisher	26 min
Apr 16, 11:48 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	LUB	Hale, Swisher	5 hr
Apr 17, 6:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Childress	48 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.