Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 28, NWS Brownsville, TX

October 18, 2012Cameron County, Willacy County, Texas

NWS Brownsville, TX issued this tornado warning at Oct 18, 2012, 5:41 PM CDT for Cameron County, Willacy County, Texas. It was in force for 64 min. 6 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
Oct 18, 2012, 5:41 PM CDT (22:41 UTC)
Expired
Oct 18, 2012, 6:45 PM CDT
In force
64 min
Issued by
NWS Brownsville, TX
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Cameron County, TX, Willacy County, TX

The radar

The Brownsville radar (KBRO), 53 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:42 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
Oct 18, 5:50 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD7 S San Perlita, TXGAME WARDEN REPORTED A LARGE FUNNEL CLOUD POSSIBLY TOUCHING THE GROUND AT THE INTERSECTION OF FM 498 AND FM 1420.
Oct 18, 6:00 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG3 W San Perlita, TXTRAINED SKYWARN SPOTTER REPORTS PALM TREE BLOWN DOWN AND SHINGLES BLOWN OFF A ROOF ON HIGHWAY 186 3 MILES WEST OF SAN PERLITA AT 6 PM CDT.
Oct 18, 6:00 PM CDTTSTM WND DMGSan Perlita, TXSCHOOL EMPLOYEE REPORTS SWINGING DOORS OF SCHOOL BUS BARN TORN OFF THEIR HINGES AT SAN PERLITA ISD FACILITY AT 6 PM CDT.
Oct 18, 6:00 PM CDTTSTM WND GST 60San Perlita, TXTRAINED SKYWARN SPOTTER REPORTED WINDS ESTIMATED AT 55 TO 60 MPH IN SAN PERLITA AT 6 PM CDT.
Oct 18, 6:00 PM CDTHAIL 1.756 W Willamar, TXJAILER WITH WILLACY COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT REPORTED GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL FELL ON FM 490 6 MILES WEST OF WILLAMAR AT 6 PM CDT.
Oct 18, 6:25 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG2 E Sebastian, TX30 FOOT TALL TREE SPLIT IN HALF BY WINDS 2 EAST OF SEBASTIAN ON FM 2629.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Brownsville Intl, TX (KBRO), launched 12:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 55 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, Brownsville Intl, TX at 12:00Z on 2012-10-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2118 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, Brownsville Intl, TX at 12:00Z on 2012-10-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 62 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
2118 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-148 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1124 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
62 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
82 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

139 
WFUS54 KBRO 182241
TORBRO
TXC061-489-182345-
/O.NEW.KBRO.TO.W.0028.121018T2241Z-121018T2345Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
541 PM CDT THU OCT 18 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BROWNSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN CAMERON COUNTY IN DEEP SOUTH TEXAS.
  EASTERN WILLACY COUNTY IN DEEP SOUTH TEXAS.

* UNTIL 645 PM CDT

* AT 541 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
  TRACKING A TORNADO 10 MILES EAST OF RAYMONDVILLE...MOVING SOUTH AT
  10 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  WILLAMAR.
  PORFIRIO.
  SANTA MONICA.
  ARROYO CITY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM! MOVE INTO THE INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING...AWAY FROM WINDOWS. COVER YOUR HEAD AND
BODY WITH PILLOWS OR BLANKETS.

IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...MOVE INTO A STURDY BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...
SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH...OR LOW SPOT...AND COVER YOUR HEAD
WITH YOUR HANDS.

PLEASE REPORT TORNADOES OR FUNNEL CLOUDS...WINDS OF 58 MPH OR
HIGHER...HAIL THE SIZE OF PENNIES OR LARGER...AND ANY WIND DAMAGE TO
YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BROWNSVILLE BY CALLING 956-504-1432.

&&

LAT...LON 2629 9734 2624 9779 2654 9781 2660 9752
      2660 9747 2644 9740 2645 9740 2641 9738
      2638 9737 2637 9738 2636 9736 2632 9734
      2632 9735 2631 9733
TIME...MOT...LOC 2241Z 292DEG 10KT 2645 9762

$$

TOMASELLI
2 follow-up statements
839 
WWUS54 KBRO 182255
SVSBRO

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
555 PM CDT THU OCT 18 2012

TXC061-489-182345-
/O.CON.KBRO.TO.W.0028.000000T0000Z-121018T2345Z/
CAMERON-WILLACY-
555 PM CDT THU OCT 18 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM CDT FOR EASTERN
WILLACY AND NORTHERN CAMERON COUNTIES...

AT 550 PM CDT...A GAME WARDEN REPORTED A LARGE FUNNEL POSSIBLY TOUCHING
THE GROUND AT THE INTERSECTION OF FM 498 AND FM 1420. 

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THE TORNADO WAS NOW 
12 MILES EAST OF RAYMONDVILLE...MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  WILLAMAR.
  SANTA MONICA.
  ARROYO CITY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM! ACT QUICKLY. GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM
ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING...AWAY FROM WINDOWS. COVER
YOUR HEAD WITH PILLOWS OR BLANKETS.

PLEASE REPORT TORNADOES OR FUNNEL CLOUDS...WINDS OF 58 MPH OR
HIGHER...HAIL THE SIZE OF PENNIES OR LARGER...AND ANY WIND DAMAGE TO
YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BROWNSVILLE BY CALLING 956-504-1432.

&&


LAT...LON 2629 9734 2624 9779 2654 9781 2660 9752
      2660 9747 2644 9740 2645 9740 2641 9738
      2638 9737 2637 9738 2636 9736 2632 9734
      2632 9735 2631 9733
TIME...MOT...LOC 2254Z 292DEG 10KT 2644 9758

$$

TOMASELLI
619 
WWUS54 KBRO 182326
SVSBRO

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
626 PM CDT THU OCT 18 2012

TXC061-489-182345-
/O.CON.KBRO.TO.W.0028.000000T0000Z-121018T2345Z/
CAMERON-WILLACY-
626 PM CDT THU OCT 18 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM CDT FOR EASTERN
WILLACY AND NORTHERN CAMERON COUNTIES...

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  SANTA MONICA.
  ARROYO CITY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM! ACT QUICKLY. GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM
ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING...AWAY FROM WINDOWS. COVER
YOUR HEAD WITH PILLOWS OR BLANKETS.

IF DRIVING AND CAN REACH A STURDY BUILDING SAFELY...DO SO. IF THERE
IS NO STURDY BUILDING NEARBY AND YOU CAN SAFELY DRIVE AWAY FROM THE
TORNADO...DO SO. OTHERWISE...IF YOU SEE FLYING DEBRIS...PARK YOUR
VEHICLE. CLOSE WINDOWS...LEAVE SEATBELTS ON...GET LOWER THAN THE
DASHBOARD...AND COVER YOUR HEAD...PREFERABLY WITH BLANKETS OR
PILLOWS. IF THERE IS NO DEBRIS...LEAVE THE VEHICLE AND GO INTO A
DITCH OR LOW SPOT...BUT WATCH FOR RISING WATERS.

PLEASE REPORT TORNADOES OR FUNNEL CLOUDS...WINDS OF 58 MPH OR
HIGHER...HAIL THE SIZE OF PENNIES OR LARGER...AND ANY WIND DAMAGE TO
YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BROWNSVILLE BY CALLING 956-504-1432.

&&


LAT...LON 2629 9734 2624 9779 2654 9781 2660 9752
      2660 9747 2644 9740 2645 9740 2641 9738
      2638 9737 2637 9738 2636 9736 2632 9734
      2632 9735 2631 9733
TIME...MOT...LOC 2326Z 292DEG 10KT 2641 9749

$$

TOMASELLI

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 18, 4:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROKenedy, Willacy63 min
Oct 18, 5:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROCameron, Kenedy, Willacy95 min
Oct 18, 6:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROCameron, Hidalgo, Willacy55 min
Oct 18, 6:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROCameron, Willacy59 min
Oct 18, 6:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROCameron, Hidalgo56 min

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.