Alert archive / California / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Sacramento, CA

October 22, 2012Butte County, Yuba County, California

NWS Sacramento, CA issued this tornado warning at Oct 22, 2012, 2:37 PM PDT for Butte County, Yuba County, California. It was in force for 38 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
Oct 22, 2012, 2:37 PM PDT (21:37 UTC)
Expired
Oct 22, 2012, 3:15 PM PDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Sacramento, CA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Butte County, CA, Yuba County, CA

The radar

The Beale AFB radar (KBBX), 24 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:37 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 nearest sounding before it

Oakland, CA (KOAK), launched 12:00Z, 9.6 hours before the alert went out and 199 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, Oakland, CA at 12:00Z on 2012-10-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 4 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, Oakland, CA at 12:00Z on 2012-10-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 276 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
4 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
650 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
69 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
276 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
345 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.

570 
WFUS56 KSTO 222137
TORSTO
CAC007-115-222215-
/O.NEW.KSTO.TO.W.0001.121022T2137Z-121022T2215Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
237 PM PDT MON OCT 22 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN YUBA COUNTY IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA...
  SOUTH CENTRAL BUTTE COUNTY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA...

* UNTIL 315 PM PDT

* AT 233 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR IOWA       
  CITY...OR 9 MILES SOUTH OF PALERMO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. 

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  BANGOR...STANFIELD HILL...OREGON HOUSE...FRENCHTOWN...DOBBINS...
  CHALLENGE AND BROWNSVILLE

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

&&

LAT...LON 3953 12130 3935 12117 3923 12151 3938 12164
TIME...MOT...LOC 2137Z 240DEG 15KT 3932 12149

$$

CS
3 follow-up statements
562 
WWUS56 KSTO 222151
SVSSTO

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
251 PM PDT MON OCT 22 2012

CAC007-115-222215-
/O.CON.KSTO.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-121022T2215Z/
YUBA CA-BUTTE CA-
251 PM PDT MON OCT 22 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM PDT FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL BUTTE AND NORTHERN YUBA COUNTIES...

AT 246 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR LOMA RICA...OR 9 
MILES SOUTHEAST OF PALERMO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. IN ADDITION 
THIS STORM WILL LIKELY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
BANGOR...STANFIELD HILL...OREGON HOUSE...FRENCHTOWN...DOBBINS...
CHALLENGE AND BROWNSVILLE

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

&&

LAT...LON 3925 12146 3942 12154 3953 12130 3935 12117
TIME...MOT...LOC 2149Z 240DEG 15KT 3934 12143

$$

CS
383 
WWUS56 KSTO 222204
SVSSTO

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
304 PM PDT MON OCT 22 2012

CAC007-115-222215-
/O.CON.KSTO.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-121022T2215Z/
YUBA CA-BUTTE CA-
304 PM PDT MON OCT 22 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM PDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN BUTTE AND CENTRAL YUBA COUNTIES...

AT 303 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR STANFIELD 
HILL...OR 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF PALERMO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 
MPH. LOCAL MEDIA HAS REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD WITH THIS STORM.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO OREGON
HOUSE...FRENCHTOWN...DOBBINS...CHALLENGE AND BROWNSVILLE

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

&&

LAT...LON 3928 12140 3943 12149 3953 12130 3935 12117
TIME...MOT...LOC 2204Z 240DEG 15KT 3937 12136

$$

CS
986 
WWUS56 KSTO 222214
SVSSTO

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
314 PM PDT MON OCT 22 2012

CAC007-115-222222-
/O.EXP.KSTO.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-121022T2215Z/
YUBA CA-BUTTE CA-
314 PM PDT MON OCT 22 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN BUTTE AND CENTRAL YUBA
COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 315 PM PDT...

THE ROTATION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STORM HAS WEAKENED.

LAT...LON 3928 12140 3943 12149 3953 12130 3935 12117
TIME...MOT...LOC 2212Z 240DEG 15KT 3937 12131

$$

CS

The office that day

Everything else NWS Sacramento, CA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 22, 1:11 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementSTOShasta49 min
Oct 22, 1:42 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementSTOTehama48 min
Oct 22, 2:13 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementSTOYuba62 min
Oct 22, 3:14 PM PDTTornado WarningSTOSutter, Yuba31 min
Oct 22, 3:42 PM PDTTornado WarningSTONevada, Yuba48 min
Oct 22, 3:52 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementSTOShasta38 min
Oct 22, 4:11 PM PDTTornado WarningSTONevada, Placer, Yuba49 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in California, 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.