Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 51, NWS Norman, OK

May 30, 2012Knox County, Texas

NWS Norman, OK issued this tornado warning at May 30, 2012, 6:42 PM CDT for Knox County, Texas. It was in force for 48 min. 2 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 30, 2012, 6:42 PM CDT (23:42 UTC)
Expired: May 30, 2012, 7:30 PM CDT
In force: 48 min
Issued by: NWS Norman, OK
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Knox County, TX

The radar

The Altus AFB radar (KFDR), 103 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:42 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 30, 6:50 PM CDT	TSTM WND GST 70	3 W Truscott, TX
May 30, 7:24 PM CDT	HAIL 2.75	3 W Truscott, TX

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

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
May 30, 3:38 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Amarillo Airport, TX (KAMA), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 234 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1219 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -331 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 2065 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 256 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 299 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

539 
WFUS54 KOUN 302342
TOROUN
TXC275-310030-
/O.NEW.KOUN.TO.W.0051.120530T2342Z-120531T0030Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
642 PM CDT WED MAY 30 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORMAN HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  KNOX COUNTY IN NORTHERN TEXAS...

* UNTIL 730 PM CDT

* AT 637 PM CDT...STORM SPOTTERS REPORTED A LARGE TORNADO WAS 
  LOCATED 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF TRUSCOTT. THE TORNADO WAS MOVING 
  SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. RESIDENTS NEAR TRUSCOTT AND NORTH OF BENJAMIN 
  SHOULD TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. 

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  BENJAMIN...GILLILAND AND TRUSCOTT. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THE TORNADO WILL BE HIDDEN BY RAIN AND YOU MAY NOT SEE IT. DO NOT 
WAIT. TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

LAT...LON 3384 9990 3384 9985 3382 9982 3382 9976
      3368 9953 3351 9990 3382 10000 3384 9999
TIME...MOT...LOC 2337Z 327DEG 16KT 3384 9993 

$$

..SPEG.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Norman, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 30, 6:42 PM CDT, 0 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 30, 6:42 PM CDT, 0 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
642 PM CDT WED MAY 30 2012

.AVIATION...
SCATTERED TSRA OVER W OK AND W NORTH TX WILL MOVE SE OR E THIS
EVENING...WHILE LARGE STORM CLUSTER OVER C KS ADVANCES TO THE S.
THESE SYSTEMS WILL...BY THE END OF THE NIGHT...AFFECT ALL OUR TAF
SITES...A FEW OF THEM MORE THAN ONCE. MANY OF THE STORMS WILL BE
SEVERE...AND THE STORM COMPLEX FROM KS WILL LIKELY BRING
WIDESPREAD STRONG WINDS OVERNIGHT TO MOST OF OUR TAF SITES. A FEW
MORE TSRA MAY ACCOMPANY THE COLD FRONT TOMORROW MORNING...AS MAY A
LAYER OF ST OR SC. CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE AS THE FRONT ADVANCES
FARTHER TO THE S IN THE AFTERNOON.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
OKLAHOMA CITY OK  87  66  77  54 /  70  80  20  10
HOBART OK         93  66  80  53 /  40  50  10  10
WICHITA FALLS TX  96  70  85  54 /  40  50  20  10
GAGE OK           88  61  75  48 /  60  50  10  10
PONCA CITY OK     85  64  73  49 /  60  80  20  10
DURANT OK         91  69  83  54 /  70  60  50  10

&&

.OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...NONE.
TX...NONE.
&&

02/23/23

Hazardous weather outlook, May 30, 4:20 PM CDT, 2 hours 22 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
420 PM CDT WED MAY 30 2012

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-311000-
HARPER-WOODS-ALFALFA-GRANT-KAY-ELLIS-WOODWARD-MAJOR-GARFIELD-NOBLE-
ROGER MILLS-DEWEY-CUSTER-BLAINE-KINGFISHER-LOGAN-PAYNE-BECKHAM-
WASHITA-CADDO-CANADIAN-OKLAHOMA-LINCOLN-GRADY-MCCLAIN-CLEVELAND-
POTTAWATOMIE-SEMINOLE-HUGHES-HARMON-GREER-KIOWA-JACKSON-TILLMAN-
COMANCHE-STEPHENS-GARVIN-MURRAY-PONTOTOC-COAL-COTTON-JEFFERSON-
CARTER-JOHNSTON-ATOKA-LOVE-MARSHALL-BRYAN-HARDEMAN-FOARD-WILBARGER-
WICHITA-KNOX-BAYLOR-ARCHER-CLAY-
420 PM CDT WED MAY 30 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK COVERS NORTHERN...WESTERN...
CENTRAL...AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA...AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...THROUGH TONIGHT...

THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...
THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT
ACROSS MUCH OF OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.

LOCATION...
THE MODERATE RISK AREA INCLUDES ALL AREAS OF OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN
NORTH TEXAS NORTH AND EAST OF A LINE FROM GAGE TO ALTUS IN
OKLAHOMA...TO ARCHER CITY IN WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. A SLIGHT RISK
COVERS THE REMAINDER OF WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.

TIMING...
THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE THROUGH 2 AM
THURSDAY.

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS...
STORM SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL ACROSS THE
RISK AREA SHOULD PLAN FOR SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS THROUGH EARLY
THURSDAY MORNING.

IMPACTS... DAMAGING WIND GUSTS UP TO 80 MPH...CAUSING DAMAGE TO
STRUCTURES...TREES...AND UTILITY LINES.

HAIL UP TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER...CAUSING DAMAGE TO
WINDOWS...ROOFS...AND CARS.

DISCUSSION...
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING IN THE VICINITY OF A
DRYLINE EXTENDING SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE EASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE.
THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE EASTWARD INTO PARTS OF WESTERN
OKLAHOMA AND NORTH TEXAS THIS EVENING ADDITIONAL STORMS ARE EXPECTED
TO DEVELOP ACROSS PARTS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL KANSAS IN THE VICNITY
OF A WARM FRONT. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE NUMEROUS
DURING THE EVENING AND MOVE SOUTHEASTWARD INTO OKLAHOMA AIDED BY AN
UPPER LEVEL MOVING INTO THE PLAINS STATES. FAVORABLE WIND FIELDS AND
AN EXTREMELY UNSTABLE AIRMASS WILL SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE
STORMS. INITIAL STORMS WILL LIKELY BE DISCRETE SUPERCELLS CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING VERY LARGE HAIL TO BASEBALL SIZE AND PERHAPS A TORNADO OR
TWO...ESPECIALLY IN THE VICINITY OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WHERE LOW
LEVEL WINDS WILL BE MORE FAVORABLE FOR STORM ROTATION. LATER THIS
EVENING...STORMS WILL LIKELY MERGE INTO A SEVERE SQUALL
LINE...POSING A THREAT OF WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS. THE SEVERE
THREAT WILL LAST WELL INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AS THIS CLUSTER OF
STORMS PUSHES SOUTHEASTWARD.

PROBABILITY TABLE...
VALID THROUGH 700 AM CDT THURSDAY MAY 31.
PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING IN THE
              NWS NORMAN COUNTY WARNING AREA...100 PERCENT.
PROBABILITY OF SEVERE STORMS IF STORMS OCCUR...100 PERCENT.

OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
NONE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...

THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...
THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER INTO THURSDAY AFTERNOON AS A COLD FRONT
SWEEPS ACROSS THE AREA. WHILE A FEW MARGINALLY SEVERE STORMS MAY
OCCUR...WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED THURSDAY. THE NEXT
CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL ARRIVE SATURDAY AS ANOTHER STORM
SYSTEM APPROACHES THE REGION.

OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
NONE.

AUSTIN/II

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 30, 1:52 PM CDT, 4 hours 50 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
152 PM CDT WED MAY 30 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0830 PM     HAIL             EDMOND                  35.65N 97.48W
05/29/2012  E1.75 INCH       OKLAHOMA           OK   PUBLIC

            15TH AND SANTA FE

&&

DW

Special weather statement, May 30, 4:54 PM CDT, 1 hour 48 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
454 PM CDT WED MAY 30 2012

OKZ033-036-TXZ083-084-302230-
HARMON OK-JACKSON OK-HARDEMAN TX-FOARD TX-
454 PM CDT WED MAY 30 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HARMON...JACKSON...HARDEMAN
AND FOARD COUNTIES UNTIL 530 PM CDT...

AT 450 PM CDT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR ESTELLINE
TEXAS AND 8 MILES EAST OF CEE VEE TEXAS... MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT
35 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL EVENTUALLY MOVE INTO PORTIONS OF HARDEMAN AND
FOARD COUNTIES OF NORTH TEXAS... AND PERHAPS INTO HARMON COUNTY
OKLAHOMA. ALTHOUGH THESE STORMS ARE STILL LOCATED IN HALL...
CHILDRESS AND COTTLE COUNTIES OF TEXAS... LIGHTNING FROM THESE
STORMS IS BEGINNING TO AFFECT HARMON AND JACKSON COUNTIES OKLAHOMA
AND HARDEMAN AND FOARD COUNTIES IN TEXAS.

LAT...LON 3423 10005 3424 10000 3474 10000 3468 9951
      3383 9951 3397 10005
TIME...MOT...LOC 2150Z 287DEG 29KT 3458 10044 3425 10030

Special weather statement, May 30, 5:35 PM CDT, 1 hour 7 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
535 PM CDT WED MAY 30 2012

OKZ021-022-302300-
WASHITA OK-BECKHAM OK-
535 PM CDT WED MAY 30 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WASHITA AND NORTHEASTERN
BECKHAM COUNTIES UNTIL 600 PM CDT...

AT 532 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR ELK CITY...
MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

HAZARDS INCLUDE...
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS...
WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ELK CITY...CORDELL...BURNS FLAT...DILL CITY...CANUTE...BESSIE AND
FOSS.

LAT...LON 3546 9956 3547 9937 3546 9888 3522 9890
      3531 9958
TIME...MOT...LOC 2232Z 273DEG 39KT 3538 9944

..SPEG.

Special weather statement, May 30, 6:06 PM CDT, 36 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
606 PM CDT WED MAY 30 2012

OKZ016-022-023-302330-
CUSTER OK-CADDO OK-WASHITA OK-
606 PM CDT WED MAY 30 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN CUSTER...CADDO
AND WASHITA COUNTIES UNTIL 630 PM CDT...

AT 605 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALONG A LINE EXTENDING
FROM FOSS TO ALFALFA...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

HAZARDS INCLUDE...
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS...
WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CORDELL...HINTON...BURNS FLAT...BINGER...CORN...CANUTE...GRACEMONT...
EAKLY...BESSIE...COLONY...LOOKEBA...FOSS...ALBERT...LAKE CHICKASHA...
FORT COBB RESERVOIR...ALFALFA...CLOUD CHIEF AND COWDEN.

LAT...LON 3546 9937 3552 9836 3543 9830 3538 9831
      3538 9826 3513 9809 3512 9888
TIME...MOT...LOC 2305Z 269DEG 58KT 3542 9914 3517 9867

..SPEG.

Local storm report, May 30, 6:40 PM CDT, 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
640 PM CDT WED MAY 30 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0627 PM     TSTM WND GST     3 W TRUSCOTT            33.75N 99.85W
05/30/2012  E60 MPH          KNOX               TX   CO-OP OBSERVER

&&

FM

The office that day

Everything else NWS Norman, OK issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 29, 7:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Wichita, Wilbarger	60 min
May 29, 7:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Archer, Baylor, Wichita, Wilbarger	57 min
May 29, 8:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Archer	65 min
May 29, 9:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Archer, Clay	47 min
May 30, 4:54 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OUN	Foard, Hardeman	36 min
May 30, 5:33 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Foard, Hardeman	57 min
May 30, 6:13 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OUN	Foard, Knox	47 min
May 30, 6:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Foard, Hardeman, Knox	60 min

Nearby

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