Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

April 16, 2009Howard County, Martin County, Texas

NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 16, 2009, 8:50 PM CDT for Howard County, Martin County, Texas. It was in force for 40 min. 4 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, 8:50 PM CDT (01:50 UTC)
Expired
Apr 16, 2009, 9:30 PM CDT
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Midland/Odessa, TX
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Howard County, TX, Martin County, TX

The radar

The Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 75 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:50 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 16, 8:53 PM CDTTORNADO5 Nw Big Spring, TX
Apr 16, 8:53 PM CDTTORNADONw Big Spring, TX
Apr 16, 9:05 PM CDTTORNADOFairview, TX
Apr 16, 9:25 PM CDTTSTM WND DMGS Vincent, TX60 FT TOWER BLOWN DOWN, BASE TWISTED 180 DEGREES - WCR 17 TOWARD 2230 N 1 AND A HALF MILES SOUTH IN HOWARD COUNTY

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 16, 4:42 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Midland Regional, TX (KMAF), launched 00:00Z, 1.8 hours before the alert went out and 75 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 00:00Z on 2009-04-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 404 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 00:00Z on 2009-04-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 94 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
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 KMAF 170150
TORMAF
TXC227-317-170230-
/O.NEW.KMAF.TO.W.0008.090417T0150Z-090417T0230Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
850 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIDLAND HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL HOWARD COUNTY IN WEST TEXAS...
  EAST CENTRAL MARTIN COUNTY IN WEST TEXAS...

* UNTIL 930 PM CDT

* AT 849 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 7 MILES SOUTH OF
  KNOTT...OR 10 MILES WEST OF BIG SPRING...MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH.

* THE TORNADO MAY AFFECT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
  KNOTT...
  FAIRVIEW...
  BIG SPRING...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

TORNADOES AT NIGHT ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU
SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO...IT MAY BE TOO LATE. TAKE COVER NOW.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FRIDAY MORNING
FOR WEST TEXAS.

&&

LAT...LON 3247 10175 3249 10120 3212 10131 3229 10185
TIME...MOT...LOC 0150Z 201DEG 5KT 3230 10163

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS54 KMAF 170157
SVSMAF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
857 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

TXC227-317-170230-
/O.CON.KMAF.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-090417T0230Z/
HOWARD TX-MARTIN TX-
857 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 PM CDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL MARTIN AND CENTRAL HOWARD COUNTIES...

AT 853 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO 5 MILES 
NORTHWEST OF BIG SPRING.  THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTH AT 5 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THE TORNADO INCLUDE...FAIRVIEW...KNOTT AND
LUTHER...BIG SPRING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORNADOES AT NIGHT ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU
SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO...IT MAY BE TOO LATE. TAKE COVER NOW.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FRIDAY MORNING
FOR WEST TEXAS.

&&

LAT...LON 3247 10175 3249 10120 3212 10131 3229 10185
TIME...MOT...LOC 0156Z 201DEG 5KT 3235 10155

$$
000 
WWUS54 KMAF 170207
SVSMAF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
907 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

TXC227-317-170230-
/O.CON.KMAF.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-090417T0230Z/
HOWARD TX-MARTIN TX-
907 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 PM CDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL MARTIN AND CENTRAL HOWARD COUNTIES...

AT 906 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO NEAR THE 
COMMUNITY OF FAIRFIELD. TAKE COVER NOW THE SPOTTER REPORTS THE 
TORNADO IS AT LEAST ONE QUARTER MILE WIDE. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 
NEAR FAIRVIEW...OR ABOUT 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF BIG SPRING...MOVING 
NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THE TORNADO INCLUDE...FAIRVIEW AND 
SURROUNDING AREAS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORNADOES AT NIGHT ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU
SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO...IT MAY BE TOO LATE. TAKE COVER NOW.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FRIDAY MORNING
FOR WEST TEXAS.

&&

LAT...LON 3247 10175 3249 10120 3212 10131 3229 10185
TIME...MOT...LOC 0206Z 201DEG 5KT 3236 10154

$$
000 
WWUS54 KMAF 170214
SVSMAF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
914 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

TXC227-317-170230-
/O.CON.KMAF.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-090417T0230Z/
HOWARD TX-MARTIN TX-
914 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 PM CDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL MARTIN AND CENTRAL HOWARD COUNTIES...

AT 911 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE WATCHING THE STORM NEAR 
FAIRFIELD AND INDICATE THE TORNADO HAS LIFTED. HOWEVER A FUNNEL IS 
STILL REPORTED BY THE SHERIFFS OFFICE...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 25 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...FAIRFIELD AND 
SURROUNDING AREAS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 WEST TEXAS.

&&

LAT...LON 3247 10175 3249 10120 3212 10131 3229 10185
TIME...MOT...LOC 0212Z 201DEG 5KT 3237 10154

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 16, 7:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFAndrews, Ector59 min
Apr 16, 7:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFMartin27 min
Apr 16, 8:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFHoward, Martin62 min
Apr 16, 8:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFAndrews55 min
Apr 16, 8:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFHoward44 min
Apr 16, 9:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFCrane, Ector, Pecos44 min
Apr 16, 9:07 PM CDTTornado WarningMAFMartin23 min
Apr 16, 9:27 PM CDTTornado WarningMAFMartin63 min
Apr 16, 9:28 PM CDTTornado WarningMAFBorden, Howard32 min
Apr 16, 9:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFPecos45 min
Apr 16, 9:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFCrane, Midland, Upton53 min
Apr 16, 9:57 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMAFHoward3 hr
Apr 16, 10:00 PM CDTTornado WarningMAFBorden, Scurry30 min
Apr 16, 10:15 PM CDTTornado WarningMAFHoward60 min
Apr 16, 10:26 PM CDTTornado WarningMAFBorden, Scurry34 min
Apr 16, 10:27 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMAFMartin3 hr
Apr 16, 10:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFCrane, Pecos, Upton60 min
Apr 16, 10:35 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMAFHoward3 hr
Apr 16, 10:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFGlasscock, Reagan, Upton57 min
Apr 16, 10:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFHoward38 min
Apr 16, 11:09 PM CDTTornado WarningMAFMitchell66 min
Apr 16, 11:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFScurry33 min
Apr 17, 12:07 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMAFMitchell3 hr
Apr 17, 12:08 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFPecos, Terrell37 min
Apr 17, 12:15 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFMitchell60 min
Apr 17, 4:58 AM CDTRed Flag WarningMAFLoving, Pecos, Ward, Winkler14 hr
Apr 17, 8:27 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningMAFCrockett, Pecos, Terrell8 hr
Apr 17, 8:27 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningMAFCrockett, Terrell8 hr

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.