Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 40, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

December 25, 2012Houston County, Trinity County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Dec 25, 2012, 9:57 AM CST for Houston County, Trinity County, Texas. It was in force for 22 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Dec 25, 2012, 9:57 AM CST (15:57 UTC)
Expired
Dec 25, 2012, 10:19 AM CST
In force
22 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Houston County, TX, Trinity County, TX

The radar

The Shreveport radar (KSHV), 163 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:00 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.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Dec 25, 9:17 AM CSTTornado WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 4.0 hours before the alert went out and 220 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.

567 
WFUS54 KHGX 251557
TORHGX
TXC225-455-251630-
/O.NEW.KHGX.TO.W.0040.121225T1557Z-121225T1630Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LEAGUE CITY  HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EAST CENTRAL HOUSTON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
  NORTHEASTERN TRINITY COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

* UNTIL 1030 AM CST
    
* AT 955 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
  CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED 
  13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WELLS...OR 19 MILES NORTHWEST OF DIBOLL...
  AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

* THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF 
  EAST CENTRAL HOUSTON AND NORTHEASTERN TRINITY 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 3142 9500 3139 9495 3135 9496 3134 9496
      3133 9490 3129 9490 3124 9510 3138 9516
      3145 9501
TIME...MOT...LOC 1555Z 247DEG 44KT 3132 9507 

$$

39
2 follow-up statements
278 
WWUS54 KHGX 251604
SVSHGX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1004 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

TXC225-455-251630-
/O.CON.KHGX.TO.W.0040.000000T0000Z-121225T1630Z/
HOUSTON TX-TRINITY TX-
1004 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1030 AM CST FOR EAST 
CENTRAL HOUSTON AND NORTHEASTERN TRINITY COUNTIES...
    
AT 959 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED 11 
MILES WEST OF HUDSON...OR 14 MILES NORTHWEST OF DIBOLL...MOVING EAST 
AT 50 MPH. THIS IS A NEW AREA OF ROTATION THAT IS RAPIDLY DEVELOPING.

THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF 
EAST CENTRAL HOUSTON AND NORTHEASTERN TRINITY 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 3142 9500 3139 9495 3135 9496 3134 9496
      3133 9490 3129 9490 3124 9510 3138 9516
      3145 9501
TIME...MOT...LOC 1559Z 248DEG 44KT 3130 9499 

$$

39
773 
WWUS54 KHGX 251619
SVSHGX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1019 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

TXC455-225-251629-
/O.CAN.KHGX.TO.W.0040.000000T0000Z-121225T1630Z/
HOUSTON TX-TRINITY TX-
1019 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL HOUSTON AND NORTHEASTERN 
TRINITY COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
        
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA. 
THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

LAT...LON 3142 9500 3139 9495 3135 9496 3134 9496
      3133 9490 3129 9490 3124 9510 3138 9516
      3145 9501
TIME...MOT...LOC 1619Z 247DEG 44KT 3130 9499 

$$

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, 9:04 AM CSTTornado WarningHGXHouston, Polk, Trinity41 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, 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.