Alert archive / Texas / Mesoscale Discussions in 2017

Mesoscale Discussion 809

May 21, 20179 counties in Texas

The Storm Prediction Center issued this mesoscale discussion at May 21, 2017, 8:02 PM CDT for 9 counties in Texas. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 21, 2017, 8:02 PM CDT (01:02 UTC)
Expired
May 21, 2017, 10:30 PM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
Chance of a watch
40%

Counties Brooks County, TX, Cameron County, TX, Hidalgo County, TX, Jim Hogg County, TX, Kenedy County, TX, Kleberg County, TX, Starr County, TX, Willacy County, TX, Zapata County, TX

The radar

The Brownsville radar (KBRO), 113 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:03 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

Brownsville Intl, TX (KBRO), launched 00:00Z, 1.0 hours before the alert went out and 115 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, Brownsville Intl, TX at 00:00Z on 2017-05-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2410 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Brownsville Intl, TX at 00:00Z on 2017-05-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 30 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
2410 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-57 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
887 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
30 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
64 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.3
Supercell composite
1.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

560 
ACUS11 KWNS 220102
SWOMCD
SPC MCD 220102 
TXZ000-220330-

Mesoscale Discussion 0809
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0802 PM CDT Sun May 21 2017

Areas affected...South Texas

Concerning...Severe potential...Watch possible 

Valid 220102Z - 220330Z

Probability of Watch Issuance...40 percent

SUMMARY...A severe threat will be possible this evening across south
Texas. Wind damage and isolated large hail will be the primary
threats. Weather watch issuance could be needed across south Texas
if the current severe threat increases.

DISCUSSION...The latest surface analysis shows a 999 mb low in
northern Mexico with a trough extending eastward from the low to
near the Gulf Coast and then northward into south Texas. Low-level
convergence appears to be maximized along the surface trough which
is supporting thunderstorm development. Surface dewpoints in south
Texas are in the lower to mid 70s F and MLCAPE is estimated to be in
the 1500 to 2500 J/kg range. This combined with moderate deep-layer
shear evident on regional WSR-88D VWPS and steep lapse rates will be
favorable strong updrafts with isolated large hail potential. Backed
surface winds to the east are also contributing to low-level shear
which will could aide the developing of bowing structures with a
wind damage threat. The bowing line segment that is near the Rio
Grande River and is currently moving into south Texas at 25 to 30
kt. This should keep any wind damage threat isolated. Nevertheless,
trends will continue to be monitored and a weather watch is still
being considered.

..Broyles/Hart.. 05/22/2017

...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov for graphic product...

ATTN...WFO...CRP...BRO...

LAT...LON   27099727 26759723 26309707 25949709 25879754 25929847
            26269908 27009962 27369954 27529912 27609778 27389721
            27099727

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 22, 2:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCAndrews, Bailey, Castro, Cochran, Deaf Smith, Gaines and 5 more7 hr

Nearby

Mesoscale Discussions in Texas, 2017Every mesoscale discussion in 2017

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.