Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Amarillo, TX

May 21, 2012Deaf Smith County, Oldham County, Texas

NWS Amarillo, TX issued this tornado warning at May 21, 2012, 8:39 PM CDT for Deaf Smith County, Oldham County, Texas. It was in force for 51 min. 5 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
May 21, 2012, 8:39 PM CDT (01:39 UTC)
Expired
May 21, 2012, 9:30 PM CDT
In force
51 min
Issued by
NWS Amarillo, TX
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Deaf Smith County, TX, Oldham County, TX

The radar

The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 73 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:42 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 21, 8:45 PM CDTTORNADO5 Nw Adrian, TX
May 21, 8:50 PM CDTHAIL 1.75Adrian, TX
May 21, 8:51 PM CDTHAIL 1.751 S Adrian, TXALONG I40
May 21, 9:06 PM CDTHAIL 1.75Adrian, TX
May 21, 9:22 PM CDTHAIL 0.88Adrian, TX2 TO 3 INCHES OF NICKEL SIZE HAIL COVERING THE GROUND.

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
May 21, 3:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Amarillo Airport, TX (KAMA), launched 00:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 74 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, Amarillo Airport, TX at 00:00Z on 2012-05-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 118 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, Amarillo Airport, TX at 00:00Z on 2012-05-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 24 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
118 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-79 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2075 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
24 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
231 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

709 
WFUS54 KAMA 220139
TORAMA
TXC117-359-220230-
/O.NEW.KAMA.TO.W.0003.120522T0139Z-120522T0230Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
839 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AMARILLO HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTH CENTRAL DEAF SMITH COUNTY IN THE PANHANDLE OF TEXAS.
  CENTRAL OLDHAM COUNTY IN THE PANHANDLE OF TEXAS.

* UNTIL 930 PM CDT

* AT 837 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO ABOUT  
  5 MILES NORTHWEST OF ADRIANMOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE VEGA AND ADRIAN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A TORNADO HAS BEEN CONFIRMED. TAKE COVER IN A STURDY BUILDING NOW.
MOBILE HOMES AND VEHICLES ARE NOT SAFE.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...PLEASE CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
AT 8 0 6 3 3 5 1 1 2 1.

&&

LAT...LON 3548 10226 3506 10232 3526 10287 3553 10276
TIME...MOT...LOC 0139Z 320DEG 13KT 3530 10267

$$

JC
3 follow-up statements
807 
WWUS54 KAMA 220201
SVSAMA

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
901 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

TXC117-359-220230-
/O.CON.KAMA.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120522T0230Z/
DEAF SMITH TX-OLDHAM TX-
901 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
OLDHAM AND NORTH CENTRAL DEAF SMITH COUNTIES...

AT 858 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
DETECT A STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS 
LOCATED NEAR ADRIAN...OR 16 MILES WEST OF VEGA...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 
10 MPH.

AT 851 PM...THIS STORM PRODUCED GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL 1 MILE SOUTH OF 
ADRIAN.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO RURAL AREAS
OF CENTRAL OLDHAM AND NORTH CENTRAL DEAF SMITH COUNTIES.

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

IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT OF A TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE
WINDS. GO TO A SAFE PLACE NOW.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...PLEASE CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
AT 8 0 6 3 3 5 1 1 2 1.

LAT...LON 3548 10226 3506 10232 3526 10287 3553 10276
TIME...MOT...LOC 0158Z 313DEG 9KT 3527 10270

$$

JC
076 
WWUS54 KAMA 220222
SVSAMA

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
922 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

TXC117-359-220230-
/O.CON.KAMA.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120522T0230Z/
DEAF SMITH TX-OLDHAM TX-
922 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
OLDHAM AND NORTH CENTRAL DEAF SMITH COUNTIES...

AT 919 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
DETECT A STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS STORM WAS 
LOCATED NEAR ADRIAN...OR 13 MILES WEST OF VEGA...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 
10 MPH.

TRAINED SPOTTERS REPORTED A ROTATING WALL CLOUD WITH THIS STORM. A 
TORNADO COULD REDEVELOP AT ANY TIME. 

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

IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT OF A TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF 
PRODUCING GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. 
GO TO A SAFE PLACE NOW.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...PLEASE CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
AT 8 0 6 3 3 5 1 1 2 1.

LAT...LON 3522 10275 3553 10276 3548 10226 3506 10232
TIME...MOT...LOC 0219Z 313DEG 9KT 3523 10265

$$

JC
901 
WWUS54 KAMA 220230
SVSAMA

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
930 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

TXC117-359-220240-
/O.EXP.KAMA.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120522T0230Z/
DEAF SMITH TX-OLDHAM TX-
930 PM CDT MON MAY 21 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL OLDHAM AND NORTH CENTRAL DEAF
SMITH COUNTIES HAS EXPIRED...

AT 930 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT
THE STORM THAT PROMPTED THE TORNADO WARNING HAD WEAKENED. THEREFORE
THE TORNADO WARNING WAS ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

LAT...LON 3522 10275 3553 10276 3548 10226 3506 10232
TIME...MOT...LOC 0222Z 313DEG 9KT 3522 10264

$$

JC

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 21, 8:10 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryAMAOldham3 hr
May 21, 8:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAMAOldham60 min
May 21, 8:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAMADeaf Smith, Hartley, Oldham53 min
May 21, 9:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAMADeaf Smith, Oldham, Potter, Randall60 min
May 21, 10:00 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningAMAOldham8 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes in 2012

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.