Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 39, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

December 25, 2012Houston County, Polk County, Trinity County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Dec 25, 2012, 9:04 AM CST for Houston County, Polk County, Trinity County, Texas. It was in force for 41 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
Dec 25, 2012, 9:04 AM CST (15:04 UTC)
Expired
Dec 25, 2012, 9:45 AM CST
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Houston County, TX, Polk County, TX, Trinity County, TX

The radar

The Shreveport radar (KSHV), 168 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:05 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
Dec 25, 9:22 AM CSTTORNADO13 Se Crockett, TXPUBLIC REPORT OF TORNADO DAMAGE ON 287 WITH A DESTROYED BUILDING.
Dec 25, 9:22 AM CSTTORNADO15 Se Crockett, TXTRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED TORNADO PASSED THROUGH PASTURE BEHIND HOME.
Dec 25, 9:25 AM CSTTORNADO8 Ene Lovelady, TXWORST OF THE DAMAGE WAS ALONG HIGHWAY 287 ONE MILE NORTH OF PENNINGTON. A FEED STORE AND RESTAURANT WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY AN EF-3 TORNADO WITH DEBRIS SCATTERED IN A FIELD TO THE EAST. SEVERAL HOMES AND TRAILERS WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED ALONG THE PATH. MOST
Dec 25, 9:30 AM CSTTSTM WND GST 80Lovelady, TXLOVELADY FIRECHIEF REPORT WIND GUST OF 80 MPH
Dec 25, 9:40 AM CSTTORNADO15 Ene Lovelady, TXBRIEF TOUCHDOWN OF AN EF-0 TORNADO WAS OBSERVED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT NEAR THE SCENE OF THE EARLIER EF-3 TORNADO ALONG HIGHWAY 287. SOME DEBRIS WAS LOFTED BUT LITTLE TO NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. LOCATION WAS ONE MILE NNW OF THE TOWN OF PENNINGTON. PATH LENGTH WAS 0.3

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

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 3.1 hours before the alert went out and 217 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 2012-12-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1505 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 2012-12-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 265 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
1505 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-9 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
500 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
265 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
353 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
10.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

569 
WFUS54 KHGX 251504
TORHGX
TXC225-373-455-251545-
/O.NEW.KHGX.TO.W.0039.121225T1504Z-121225T1545Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
904 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LEAGUE CITY  HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN HOUSTON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
  NORTHEASTERN TRINITY COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
  EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL POLK COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

* UNTIL 945 AM CST
    
* AT 859 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
  CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED 2 
  MILES SOUTHEAST OF LOVELADY OR 11 MILES NORTH OF TRINITY...OR 14 
  MILES SOUTH OF CROCKETT...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  LOVELADY AND KENNARD. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST 
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME OR 
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT 
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3144 9503 3145 9501 3142 9500 3139 9495
      3134 9495 3133 9490 3129 9490 3129 9488
      3126 9490 3123 9486 3115 9485 3113 9483
      3104 9542 3116 9548 3146 9505
TIME...MOT...LOC 1459Z 236DEG 41KT 3111 9542 

$$

39
2 follow-up statements
412 
WWUS54 KHGX 251521
SVSHGX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
921 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

TXC225-373-455-251545-
/O.CON.KHGX.TO.W.0039.000000T0000Z-121225T1545Z/
HOUSTON TX-TRINITY TX-POLK TX-
921 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 945 AM CST FOR EAST 
CENTRAL HOUSTON...NORTHEASTERN TRINITY AND EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL 
POLK COUNTIES...
    
AT 916 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED 12 
MILES NORTHWEST OF GROVETON...OR 14 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CROCKETT...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE WAS REPORTED NEAR PENNINGTON AT AROUND 910AM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
KENNARD.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST 
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME OR 
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT 
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3144 9503 3145 9501 3142 9500 3139 9495
      3134 9496 3133 9490 3129 9490 3129 9488
      3126 9490 3123 9486 3115 9485 3113 9483
      3115 9525 3127 9531 3146 9505
TIME...MOT...LOC 1516Z 236DEG 41KT 3122 9523 

$$

39
978 
WWUS54 KHGX 251537
SVSHGX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
937 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

TXC225-373-455-251545-
/O.CON.KHGX.TO.W.0039.000000T0000Z-121225T1545Z/
HOUSTON TX-TRINITY TX-POLK TX-
937 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 945 AM CST FOR EAST 
CENTRAL HOUSTON...NORTHEASTERN TRINITY AND EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL 
POLK COUNTIES...
    
AT 933 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED 11 
MILES SOUTHWEST OF WELLS...OR 18 MILES WEST OF LUFKIN...MOVING 
NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. THE STORM DOES SHOW SIGNS OF WEAKENING BUT DO 
NOT LET YOUR GUARD DOWN.

THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF 
EAST CENTRAL HOUSTON...NORTHEASTERN TRINITY AND EXTREME NORTH 
CENTRAL POLK COUNTIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST 
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME OR 
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT 
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3144 9503 3145 9501 3142 9500 3139 9495
      3134 9496 3133 9490 3129 9490 3129 9488
      3126 9490 3123 9486 3115 9485 3113 9483
      3121 9504 3138 9515 3146 9505
TIME...MOT...LOC 1533Z 234DEG 41KT 3135 9504 

$$

39

The office that day

Everything else NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 25, 12:47 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHGXMontgomery28 min
Dec 25, 1:09 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHGXGrimes, San Jacinto, Walker36 min
Dec 25, 1:36 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHGXPolk39 min
Dec 25, 1:48 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHGXTrinity27 min
Dec 25, 2:12 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHGXHouston, Polk, Trinity48 min
Dec 25, 2:54 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHGXHouston21 min
Dec 25, 8:13 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHGXHouston47 min
Dec 25, 8:32 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHouston43 min
Dec 25, 8:42 AM CSTTornado WarningHGXHouston48 min
Dec 25, 9:17 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHouston, Madison43 min
Dec 25, 9:45 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXPolk, Trinity30 min
Dec 25, 9:56 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHGXSan Jacinto49 min
Dec 25, 9:57 AM CSTTornado WarningHGXHouston, Trinity22 min
Dec 25, 10:02 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHGXSan Jacinto43 min
Dec 25, 10:15 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris, Liberty, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto30 min
Dec 25, 10:18 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXPolk, San Jacinto, Trinity42 min
Dec 25, 10:38 AM CSTWind AdvisoryHGXAustin, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Chambers, Colorado and 17 more16 hr
Dec 25, 10:39 AM CSTTornado WarningHGXHarris, Liberty, Montgomery36 min
Dec 25, 10:42 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXLiberty, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto17 min
Dec 25, 11:01 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXChambers, Harris, Liberty44 min
Dec 25, 11:07 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHGXChambers53 min
Dec 25, 11:08 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningHGX82 min
Dec 25, 11:12 AM CSTTornado WarningHGXChambers, Harris, Liberty48 min
Dec 25, 11:18 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazoria, Galveston, Harris42 min
Dec 25, 11:23 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXChambers, Harris, Liberty55 min
Dec 25, 11:24 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningHGX81 min
Dec 25, 11:35 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHGXBrazoria, Matagorda70 min
Dec 25, 11:54 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazoria, Galveston24 min
Dec 25, 12:15 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningHGX2 hr
Dec 25, 12:46 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningHGX59 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.