Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

April 21, 2011Pecos County, Terrell County, Texas

NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 21, 2011, 4:18 PM CDT for Pecos County, Terrell County, Texas. It was in force for 57 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 21, 2011, 4:18 PM CDT (21:18 UTC)
Expired
Apr 21, 2011, 5:15 PM CDT
In force
57 min
Issued by
NWS Midland/Odessa, TX
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Pecos County, TX, Terrell County, TX

The radar

The Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 155 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:18 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 21, 4:20 PM CDTHAIL 1.7525 Se Fort Stockton, TXREPORTED ALONG HIGHWAY 285.

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 21, 3:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Midland Regional, TX (KMAF), launched 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 155 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 12:00Z on 2011-04-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 695 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 12:00Z on 2011-04-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 240 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
695 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-359 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
968 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
240 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
283 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
3.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

330 
WFUS54 KMAF 212118
TORMAF
TXC371-443-212215-
/O.NEW.KMAF.TO.W.0001.110421T2118Z-110421T2215Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
418 PM CDT THU APR 21 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIDLAND HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN PECOS COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TEXAS...
  NORTH CENTRAL TERRELL COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TEXAS...

* UNTIL 515 PM CDT

* AT 414 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO OVER CENTRAL
  PECOS COUNTY...OR 23 MILES SOUTHEAST OF FORT STOCKTON...ALONG HIGHWAY
  285...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL AFFECT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
  OPEN COUNTRY OF SOUTHERN PECOS COUNTY...HIGHWAY 285 SOUTHEAST
  OF FORT STOCKTON...OPEN COUNTRY OF WEST CENTRAL TERRELL COUNTY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

THE SAFEST PLACES TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT OR AN
UNDERGROUND SHELTER. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY
FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE... SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STRONG BUILDING. MOVE INTO AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR CLOSET
AWAY FROM WINDOWS. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES... EVACUATE THEM AND MOVE TO 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.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
THURSDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS.

&&

LAT...LON 3078 10252 3078 10215 3051 10209 3041 10219
      3031 10237 3028 10269 3068 10280
TIME...MOT...LOC 2116Z 263DEG 13KT 3060 10268

$$
2 follow-up statements
359 
WWUS54 KMAF 212129
SVSMAF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
429 PM CDT THU APR 21 2011

TXC371-443-212215-
/O.CON.KMAF.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-110421T2215Z/
PECOS TX-TERRELL TX-
429 PM CDT THU APR 21 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM CDT FOR NORTH
CENTRAL TERRELL AND SOUTHERN PECOS COUNTIES...

AT 420 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
25 MILES SOUTHEAST OF FORT STOCKTON ALONG HIGHWAY 285. THIS
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS WAS LOCATED ALONG 285...25 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF FORT STOCKTON...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE...OPEN 
COUNTRY OF SOUTHERN PECOS COUNTY...HIGHWAY 285 SOUTHEAST OF FORT 
STOCKTON...OPEN COUNTRY OF NORTH CENTRAL TERRELL COUNTY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

THE SAFEST PLACES TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT OR AN
UNDERGROUND SHELTER. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY
FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE... SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STRONG BUILDING. MOVE INTO AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR CLOSET
AWAY FROM WINDOWS. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES... EVACUATE THEM AND MOVE TO 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.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
THURSDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS.

&&

LAT...LON 3078 10252 3078 10215 3051 10209 3041 10219
      3031 10237 3028 10269 3068 10280
TIME...MOT...LOC 2126Z 263DEG 13KT 3057 10264

$$
431 
WWUS54 KMAF 212152
SVSMAF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
452 PM CDT THU APR 21 2011

TXC371-443-212215-
/O.CON.KMAF.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-110421T2215Z/
PECOS TX-TERRELL TX-
452 PM CDT THU APR 21 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM CDT FOR NORTH
CENTRAL TERRELL AND SOUTHERN PECOS COUNTIES...

AT 444 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
DETECT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER OPEN COUNTRY OF SOUTH CENTRAL 
PECOS COUNTY...OR ABOUT 28 MILES NORTHWEST OF SANDERSON...MOVING 
SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE...OPEN
COUNTRY OF SOUTHERN PECOS COUNTY...OPEN COUNTRY OF NORTH CENTRAL
TERRELL COUNTY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

THE SAFEST PLACES TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT OR AN
UNDERGROUND SHELTER. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY
FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE... SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STRONG BUILDING. MOVE INTO AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR CLOSET
AWAY FROM WINDOWS. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES... EVACUATE THEM AND MOVE TO 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.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
THURSDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS.

&&

LAT...LON 3078 10252 3078 10215 3051 10209 3041 10219
      3031 10237 3028 10269 3068 10280
TIME...MOT...LOC 2148Z 263DEG 13KT 3050 10261

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 20, 8:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFPecos34 min
Apr 20, 9:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFPecos37 min
Apr 21, 4:41 AM CDTRed Flag WarningMAF40 hr
Apr 21, 5:12 AM CDTHigh Wind WatchMAF10 hr
Apr 21, 3:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFPecos61 min
Apr 21, 5:14 PM CDTTornado WarningMAFPecos61 min
Apr 21, 5:47 PM CDTTornado WarningMAFPecos, Terrell58 min
Apr 21, 6:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFScurry14 min
Apr 21, 6:45 PM CDTTornado WarningMAFTerrell60 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 2011Every tornado warning in 2011Tornadoes in 2011

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.