Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 24, NWS Amarillo, TX

May 27, 2015Hemphill County, Lipscomb County, Texas

NWS Amarillo, TX issued this tornado warning at May 27, 2015, 6:57 PM CDT for Hemphill County, Lipscomb County, Texas. It was in force for 48 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: May 27, 2015, 6:57 PM CDT (23:57 UTC)
Expired: May 27, 2015, 7:45 PM CDT
In force: 48 min
Issued by: NWS Amarillo, TX
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 1.0 in

Counties Hemphill County, TX, Lipscomb County, TX

The radar

The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 149 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:58 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.

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 27, 2:46 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	10 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Amarillo Airport, TX (KAMA), launched 12:00Z, 12.0 hours before the alert went out and 149 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: 529 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -131 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1642 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 99 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 187 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

131 
WFUS54 KAMA 272357
TORAMA
TXC211-295-280045-
/O.NEW.KAMA.TO.W.0024.150527T2357Z-150528T0045Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
657 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AMARILLO HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN HEMPHILL COUNTY IN THE PANHANDLE OF TEXAS...
  SOUTHWESTERN LIPSCOMB COUNTY IN THE PANHANDLE OF TEXAS...

* UNTIL 745 PM CDT

* AT 656 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED 8 MILES NORTH OF CANADIAN...AND MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH.

  HAZARD...TORNADO.

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. SPOTTERS INDICATE TORNADO HAS   
           LIFTED FOR NOW BUT ROTATION CONTINUES AND REDEVELOPMENT   
           IS POSSIBLE.

  IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT
           SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE
           TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR. TREE DAMAGE IS
           LIKELY.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  CANADIAN...           GLAZIER...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING TORNADOES. TAKE COVER IN A
BASEMENT OR STORM SHELTER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 3586 10020 3591 10054 3614 10054 3615 10021
TIME...MOT...LOC 2357Z 244DEG 11KT 3602 10040

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<1.00IN

$$

SIMPSON

2 follow-up statements

246 
WWUS54 KAMA 280038
SVSAMA

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
738 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

TXC211-295-280045-
/O.CON.KAMA.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-150528T0045Z/
HEMPHILL TX-LIPSCOMB TX-
738 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL LIPSCOMB AND
NORTH CENTRAL HEMPHILL COUNTIES UNTIL 745 PM CDT...

AT 737 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED NEAR GLAZIER...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO.

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION.

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR. TREE DAMAGE IS
         LIKELY.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  GLAZIER...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3602 10031 3613 10034 3615 10021 3599 10020
TIME...MOT...LOC 0039Z 244DEG 11KT 3608 10026

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...0.00IN

$$

SIMPSON

203 
WWUS54 KAMA 280043
SVSAMA

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
743 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

TXC211-295-280053-
/O.EXP.KAMA.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-150528T0045Z/
HEMPHILL TX-LIPSCOMB TX-
743 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL LIPSCOMB AND NORTH CENTRAL
HEMPHILL COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 745 PM CDT...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED AND MOVED OUT OF
THE WARNED AREA.

ADDITIONAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE...AND A TORNADO 
WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT.

LAT...LON 3602 10031 3613 10034 3615 10021 3599 10020
TIME...MOT...LOC 0043Z 244DEG 11KT 3608 10024

$$

SIMPSON

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 Amarillo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 27, 6:37 PM CDT, 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 27, 6:37 PM CDT, 20 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
637 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

.AVIATION...
00 TAFS...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT OUTSIDE OF CONVECTION. SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS REMAIN OVER THE PANHANDLES THIS EVENING. INITIAL
CONVECTION WILL START WINDING DOWN WITH SUNSET...BUT SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVERNIGHT ACROSS
THE PANHANDLES...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE.
SAVED PREVAILING THUNDER FOR KAMA UNTIL CLOSER TO AFTERNOON...BUT
WILL LIKELY BE SHOWERS AND SOME THUNDERSTORMS NEAR ALL THE TERMINALS
EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. HIGH CONFIDENCE ON MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS
DEVELOPING OVERNIGHT...SLOWLY LIFTING TO VFR BY LATE MORNING. WINDS
WILL REMAIN SOUTHERLY AT 8 TO 15KTS WITH PERIODS OF GUSTS NEAR
THUNDERSTORMS AND OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES.

ELSENHEIMER

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 320 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015/

DISCUSSION...
CONVECTION HAS INITIATED OVER THE NORTHEASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE.
STORMS WILL DEVELOP QUICKLY AND LIKELY BECOME SEVERE OVER THE FAR
EASTERN PANHANDLES THIS EVENING. VERY IMPRESSIVE SURFACE BASED CAPE VALUES
OF 3000-4500 J/KG ARE PRESENT...AND A MODERATE AMOUNT OF WIND SHEAR...THOUGH
MAINLY OF THE DIRECTIONAL VARIETY. THIS SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT
SEVERE STORMS WITH MAINLY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND THE PRIMARY
THREATS...THOUGH A FEW TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE AS WELL. STORMS WILL BE
SLOW TO MOVE AND HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. FOR
ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON TODAY'S SEVERE POTENTIAL...SEE MESOSCALE UPDATE
IN PREVIOUS AFD.

THE NEXT ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COMES TONIGHT AS THE
UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER BAJA WILL CONTINUE MOVING INLAND...AND
SHORTWAVE IMPULSES WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE AHEAD OF IT IN GENERALLY
WESTERLY FLOW. THIS WILL KEEP CHANCES FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE PANHANDLES THROUGH SATURDAY. A BIT DIFFICULT
TO PICK OUT THE BETTER CHANCES DURING THIS PERIOD AS THE MAIN FORCING
WILL BE LIKELY TIED TO SHORTWAVE ENERGY THAT HAS YET TO BE RESOLVED
CLEARLY...AND AS SUCH...DID NOT DEVIATE MUCH FROM PREVIOUS FORECAST.
ONE POSSIBILITY ARE THE AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS OVER THE EASTERN
PANHANDLES AGAIN AS SURFACE CONVERGENCE REMAINS IN PLACE...THOUGH
SOME QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THAT AREA WILL BE IN THE PANHANDLES OR
FURTHER EAST OVER OKLAHOMA. DEWPOINTS IN THE MID-60S ARE EXPECTED TO
REMAIN SIMILAR TO TODAY'S PLACEMENT...AS WELL AS FORECASTED SURFACE
BASED CAPE VALUES UPWARDS OF 2000 J/KG. THIS COULD BE LIMITED THOUGH
BY LEFTOVER CLOUDS FROM ANY CONVECTION THAT FORMS OVERNIGHT TONIGHT.
MOST CLEAR SIGNAL APPEARS TO BE FRIDAY AFTERNOON/EARLY SATURDAY
MORNING AS WHAT IS LEFT OF THE TROUGH MOVES EASTWARD OVER THE
PANHANDLES. ALSO APPEARS A SURFACE FRONT COULD PROVIDE SOME
ADDITIONAL FORCING DURING THIS PERIOD. WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN IS
POSSIBLE FROM ANY THUNDERSTORMS WE SEE DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.

BY SUNDAY....UPPER LEVEL RIDGING BEGINS TO BUILD OVER THE FOUR
CORNERS REGION WITH DRY NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE PANHANDLES TO START
THE WEEK. THIS SHOULD KEEP OUR AREA FAIRLY DRY...THOUGH ANY
CONVECTION THAT FORMS UPSTREAM COULD MOVE INTO THE NORTHWESTERN
PORTIONS OF THE PANHANDLES UNDER THIS FLOW REGIME.  THE CENTER OF
THE RIDGE STARTS PUSHING EAST AND BREAKING DOWN SOMEWHAT ON TUESDAY
AS A DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVES INTO THE WEST COAST.

ELSENHEIMER

&&

.AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...NONE.
OK...NONE.

&&

18/08

Hazardous weather outlook, May 27, 3:04 PM CDT, 3 hours 53 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
304 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-280815-
CIMARRON-TEXAS-BEAVER-DALLAM-SHERMAN-HANSFORD-OCHILTREE-LIPSCOMB-
HARTLEY-MOORE-HUTCHINSON-ROBERTS-HEMPHILL-OLDHAM-POTTER-CARSON-
GRAY-WHEELER-DEAF SMITH-RANDALL-ARMSTRONG-DONLEY-COLLINGSWORTH-
304 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA
PANHANDLES.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...MAINLY ACROSS
THE EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES. SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME
SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL UP TO GOLF BALL SIZE AND DAMAGING WINDS THE
MAIN THREATS...AND A LOW THREAT FOR TORNADOES.

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

THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ON THURSDAY...WITH A FEW SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL CONTINUE FRIDAY
AND INTO SATURDAY BEFORE A DRIER PATTERN DEVELOPS THIS WEEKEND.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT AND AGAIN ON THURSDAY.

ELSENHEIMER

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 27, 6:00 PM CDT, 57 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
600 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

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

0530 PM     HAIL             BORGER                  35.66N 101.40W
05/27/2015  E0.75 INCH       HUTCHINSON         TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MINOR STREET FLOODING ALSO REPORTED

&&

EVENT NUMBER AMA1500487

CLK

Local storm report, May 27, 6:15 PM CDT, 42 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
615 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

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

0610 PM     FLASH FLOOD      6 E WAYSIDE             34.79N 101.44W
05/27/2015                   ARMSTRONG          TX   BROADCAST MEDIA

            WATER OVER HIGHWAY 207

&&

EVENT NUMBER AMA1500488

KB

Local storm report, May 27, 6:41 PM CDT, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
641 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

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

0638 PM     TORNADO          5 NW CANADIAN           35.96N 100.45W
05/27/2015                   HEMPHILL           TX   STORM CHASER

            MULTIPLE REPORTS FROM STORM CHASERS

&&

EVENT NUMBER AMA1500489

KB

Local storm report, May 27, 6:48 PM CDT, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
648 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

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

0602 PM     TORNADO          2 SSW CANADIAN          35.88N 100.40W
05/27/2015                   HEMPHILL           TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MULTIPLE REPORTS FROM STORM CHASERS

&&

EVENT NUMBER AMA1500490

CLK

Special weather statement, May 27, 6:48 PM CDT, 9 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
648 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

TXZ013-014-018-019-280045-
ARMSTRONG TX-CARSON TX-DONLEY TX-GRAY TX-
648 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ARMSTRONG...SOUTHEASTERN
CARSON...EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN GRAY AND NORTHWESTERN DONLEY COUNTIES
UNTIL 745 PM CDT...

AT 646 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
WASHBURN TO 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GOODNIGHT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25
MPH.

HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  CLARENDON...          CLAUDE...             HOWARDWICK...
  GREENBELT LAKE...     WAYSIDE...            WASHBURN...
  GOODNIGHT...          GROOM...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 40 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 89 AND 114.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING.

TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED
ROADWAY...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.

LAT...LON 3516 10162 3540 10131 3499 10081 3474 10120
      3474 10163
TIME...MOT...LOC 2348Z 230DEG 23KT 3509 10150 3489 10127

NF

Local storm report, May 27, 6:50 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
650 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015

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

0605 PM     TORNADO          2 NW CANADIAN           35.93N 100.41W
05/27/2015                   HEMPHILL           TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MULTIPLE VORTEX TORNADO. MULTIPLE REPORTS FROM STORM
            CHASERS.

&&

EVENT NUMBER AMA1500491

CLK

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 27, 2:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts	24 min
May 27, 2:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts	62 min
May 27, 3:23 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	AMA	Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts	52 min
May 27, 3:46 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	AMA	Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts	3 hr
May 27, 3:53 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	AMA	Armstrong	67 min
May 27, 4:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Armstrong, Donley	54 min
May 27, 4:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts	60 min
May 27, 4:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Hemphill, Lipscomb	91 min
May 27, 4:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Armstrong, Carson, Donley, Gray	58 min
May 27, 4:51 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	AMA	Hemphill	39 min
May 27, 5:07 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	AMA	Armstrong	53 min
May 27, 5:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Hemphill, Lipscomb, Roberts	54 min
May 27, 5:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Carson, Gray, Roberts	53 min
May 27, 5:31 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	AMA	Hemphill, Lipscomb	44 min
May 27, 5:35 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	AMA	Armstrong	3 hr
May 27, 5:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Carson, Hutchinson	49 min
May 27, 5:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Armstrong	63 min
May 27, 5:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Hansford, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts	69 min
May 27, 5:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Armstrong, Randall	61 min
May 27, 6:12 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	AMA	Hemphill, Lipscomb	48 min
May 27, 6:36 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	AMA	Hartley, Oldham	3 hr
May 27, 6:48 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	AMA	Armstrong	57 min
May 27, 6:50 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	AMA	Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts	3 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 2015 Every tornado warning in 2015 Tornadoes in 2015

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.