Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Watches in 2019

Tornado Watch 197

May 20, 201940 counties in Texas

The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at May 20, 2019, 12:36 PM CDT for 40 counties in Texas. It was in force for 9 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: May 20, 2019, 12:36 PM CDT (17:36 UTC)
Expired: May 20, 2019, 9:55 PM CDT
In force: 9 hr
Issued by: the Storm Prediction Center
Particularly dangerous situation: Yes
Largest hail expected: 4 in
Strongest gust expected: 60 kt

All 40 counties

Armstrong County, TX, Borden County, TX, Briscoe County, TX, Childress County, TX, Collingsworth County, TX, Cottle County, TX, Crane County, TX, Crosby County, TX, Dawson County, TX, Dickens County, TX, Donley County, TX, Ector County, TX, Fisher County, TX, Floyd County, TX, Garza County, TX, Glasscock County, TX, Gray County, TX, Hale County, TX, Hall County, TX, Haskell County, TX, Howard County, TX, Irion County, TX, Jones County, TX, Kent County, TX, King County, TX, Lubbock County, TX, Lynn County, TX, Martin County, TX, Midland County, TX, Mitchell County, TX, Motley County, TX, Nolan County, TX, Reagan County, TX, Scurry County, TX, Sterling County, TX, Stonewall County, TX, Swisher County, TX, Taylor County, TX, Upton County, TX, Wheeler County, TX

The radar

The Lubbock radar (KLBB), 119 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:37 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.

What SPC expected

The probabilities SPC published with the watch, for the watch area over its life.

Two or more tornadoes: 95%
One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes: 90%
Ten or more severe wind reports: 80%
One or more gusts of 65 knots or more: 20%
Ten or more severe hail reports: 95%
One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more: 95%
Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports: 95%

Warnings issued inside it

86 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 20, 1:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Crosby, Dickens, Floyd, Motley	56 min
May 20, 2:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Cottle, Dickens, King, Motley	60 min
May 20, 2:21 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Dickens, Motley	24 min
May 20, 2:41 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Motley	49 min
May 20, 2:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Briscoe, Childress, Hall, Motley	56 min
May 20, 2:50 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Cottle	40 min
May 20, 2:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Donley, Gray	52 min
May 20, 2:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Andrews, Dawson, Gaines	79 min
May 20, 3:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Gray, Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts, Wheeler	48 min
May 20, 3:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Collingsworth, Donley	65 min
May 20, 3:16 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Childress, Hall	18 min
May 20, 3:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Briscoe, Floyd, Hall, Motley	28 min
May 20, 3:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Lynn, Terry	66 min
May 20, 3:25 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Childress, Cottle	35 min
May 20, 3:26 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	AMA	Collingsworth	49 min
May 20, 3:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Floyd, Motley	34 min
May 20, 3:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Armstrong, Donley	62 min
May 20, 3:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Briscoe, Swisher	16 min
May 20, 3:30 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Childress, Cottle	30 min
May 20, 3:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	AMA	Collingsworth, Donley	27 min
May 20, 3:35 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Gray, Hemphill, Roberts, Wheeler	55 min
May 20, 3:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Briscoe, Floyd, Hall, Motley	59 min
May 20, 3:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Crosby, Lubbock, Lynn, Terry	57 min
May 20, 3:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Collingsworth, Wheeler	24 min
May 20, 3:59 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Childress	31 min
May 20, 4:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Crosby, Floyd, Hale, Lubbock, Motley	68 min
May 20, 4:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Borden, Dawson	25 min
May 20, 4:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Crosby, Garza, Lubbock, Lynn	53 min
May 20, 4:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Garza, Lynn	66 min
May 20, 4:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Andrews, Crane, Ector, Martin, Midland, Upton	50 min
May 20, 4:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Childress, Hall	32 min
May 20, 4:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Crosby, Dickens, Lubbock	46 min
May 20, 4:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Childress, Hall	54 min
May 20, 5:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Wheeler	38 min
May 20, 5:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Collingsworth	57 min
May 20, 5:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Howard, Martin	67 min
May 20, 5:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Dawson	20 min
May 20, 5:12 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Crosby, Garza, Lubbock, Lynn	63 min
May 20, 5:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Garza, Lynn	26 min
May 20, 5:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Borden, Dawson	40 min
May 20, 5:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Crosby, Garza	53 min
May 20, 5:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Crane, Ector, Glasscock, Howard, Martin, Midland and 1 more	52 min
May 20, 5:30 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MAF	Ector, Midland	30 min
May 20, 5:38 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	AMA	Collingsworth	17 min
May 20, 5:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Garza, Lynn	31 min
May 20, 5:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Childress, Hall	29 min
May 20, 5:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Borden, Dawson	47 min
May 20, 5:59 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Crosby, Dickens	31 min
May 20, 6:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Glasscock, Howard, Martin, Midland	60 min
May 20, 6:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MAF	Glasscock, Midland	27 min
May 20, 6:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Considerable damage threat	LUB	Dickens	33 min
May 20, 6:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Crane, Glasscock, Midland, Reagan, Upton	37 min
May 20, 6:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Dickens	27 min
May 20, 6:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Garza, Kent	65 min
May 20, 6:44 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MAF	Glasscock, Howard	31 min
May 20, 6:50 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MAF	Glasscock, Midland	25 min
May 20, 6:53 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Considerable damage threat	LUB	Dickens, King	36 min
May 20, 6:58 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Garza, Kent	32 min
May 20, 7:12 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Borden, Howard, Martin, Mitchell, Scurry	63 min
May 20, 7:12 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MAF	Glasscock, Midland	33 min
May 20, 7:13 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MAF	Howard, Mitchell	32 min
May 20, 7:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LUB	Kent	27 min
May 20, 7:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Glasscock, Midland	53 min
May 20, 7:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Cottle, King	33 min
May 20, 7:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MAF	Glasscock, Howard	47 min
May 20, 7:44 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MAF	Howard, Mitchell, Scurry	19 min
May 20, 7:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Midland	27 min
May 20, 7:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Glasscock, Martin, Midland	21 min
May 20, 7:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	King	28 min
May 20, 8:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AMA	Collingsworth, Donley, Gray, Wheeler	62 min
May 20, 8:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Glasscock, Howard, Mitchell, Scurry	61 min
May 20, 8:17 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MAF	Howard, Mitchell	43 min
May 20, 8:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Scurry	62 min
May 20, 8:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Glasscock, Martin, Midland	56 min
May 20, 8:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	MAF	Mitchell	32 min
May 20, 8:47 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	SJT	Fisher, Nolan	43 min
May 20, 8:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	SJT	Fisher, Jones	41 min
May 20, 8:54 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	SJT	Fisher	36 min
May 20, 9:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Borden, Howard, Mitchell, Scurry	61 min
May 20, 9:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MAF	Andrews, Crane, Dawson, Ector, Glasscock, Howard and 4 more	54 min
May 20, 9:22 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	SJT	Fisher, Jones	23 min
May 20, 9:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LUB	Stonewall	37 min
May 20, 9:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	SJT	Fisher, Jones	47 min
May 20, 9:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	SJT	Fisher, Jones	35 min
May 20, 9:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	SJT	Fisher	32 min
May 20, 9:52 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	SJT	Haskell	23 min

Discussions around it

SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.

The nearest sounding before it

Amarillo Airport, TX (KAMA), launched 12:00Z, 5.6 hours before the alert went out and 148 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: 812 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -146 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 637 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 57 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 404 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 461 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 7.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 19, 7:21 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Harrison, Panola	84 min
May 19, 11:56 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Andrews, Armstrong, Bailey, Briscoe, Carson, Castro and 21 more	2 hr
May 20, 1:57 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	Armstrong, Bailey, Carson, Castro, Cochran, Dallam and 21 more	8 hr
May 20, 6:14 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts	2 hr
May 20, 10:41 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Armstrong, Borden, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Childress and 34 more	3 hr
May 20, 11:17 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Hardeman, Wichita, Wilbarger	2 hr
May 20, 1:37 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Briscoe, Childress, Collingsworth, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens and 11 more	53 min
May 20, 1:37 PM CDT	Tornado Watch PDS	SPC	Archer, Baylor, Clay, Foard, Hardeman, Knox and 2 more	8 hr
May 20, 2:15 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Dallam, Hansford, Hartley, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Moore and 4 more	90 min
May 20, 5:08 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Crane, Crockett, Glasscock, Midland, Reagan, Terrell and 1 more	2 hr
May 20, 5:50 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Borden, Childress, Collingsworth, Cottle, Crosby, Dawson and 18 more	115 min

Nearby

Tornado Watches in Texas, 2019 Every tornado watch in 2019

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.