Alert archive / Texas / Mesoscale Discussions in 2021

Mesoscale Discussion 105

February 16, 202111 counties in Texas

The Storm Prediction Center issued this mesoscale discussion at Feb 16, 2021, 9:41 PM CST for 11 counties in Texas. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Feb 16, 2021, 9:41 PM CST (03:41 UTC)
Expired
Feb 17, 2021, 1:45 AM CST
In force
4 hr
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
Concerning
Winter mixed precipitation

Counties Bell County, TX, Brazos County, TX, Burleson County, TX, Burnet County, TX, Falls County, TX, Lampasas County, TX, Leon County, TX, Llano County, TX, Milam County, TX, Robertson County, TX, Williamson County, TX

The nearest sounding before it

Fort Worth, TX (KFWD), launched 00:00Z, 3.7 hours before the alert went out and 233 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, Fort Worth, TX at 00:00Z on 2021-02-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Fort Worth, TX at 00:00Z on 2021-02-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 231 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1371 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
83 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
231 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
314 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

601 
ACUS11 KWNS 170342
SWOMCD
SPC MCD 170341 
TXZ000-170745-

Mesoscale Discussion 0105
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0941 PM CST Tue Feb 16 2021

Areas affected...Parts of central Texas

Concerning...Winter mixed precipitation 

Valid 170341Z - 170745Z

SUMMARY...Light to occasionally moderate precipitation will
overspread parts of central Texas, roughly between Austin, Waco and
College Station through Midnight-3 AM CST.  This may initiate as
sleet in most areas, before changing over to freezing rain with
accumulating ice probable on most exposed surfaces.

DISCUSSION...A developing band of precipitation now spreading
east-northeast of the Edwards Plateau appears largely forced by
lower/mid tropospheric  frontogenetic forcing,  Models suggest that
this will be maintained across parts of central Texas (particularly
near/northwest of Austin into areas between Waco and College
Station) into and through the 06-09Z time frame, although there may
be some fluctuations in intensity.

Based on forecast soundings, lift appears generally maximized within
the dendritic growth zone, but temperatures above freezing within
the 850-700 mb layer are allowing for falling precipitation to melt.
 East-north of the Edwards Plateau, cooling within this initially
unsaturated layer, due to melting and evaporation, may support
relatively minor accumulations of sleet.  However, as elevated warm
advection continues across the region on south-southwesterly flow,
warming and deepening of the warm layer is expected to allow for a
changeover to rain.  

Although rain rates may remain relatively light to occasionally
moderate in intensity, with surface temperatures mostly in the upper
teens to mid 20s F, ice may quickly accumulate on most exposed
surfaces.

..Kerr.. 02/17/2021

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

ATTN...WFO...HGX...FWD...EWX...SJT...

LAT...LON   30519882 30979895 31269862 31429699 31359599 30579601
            30289782 30269870 30519882

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 16, 6:59 PM CSTMesoscale DiscussionSPCArmstrong, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Childress, Collingsworth and 7 more4 hr
Feb 16, 8:14 PM CSTMesoscale DiscussionSPCArcher, Clay, Cooke, Grayson, Jack, Montague and 2 more4 hr
Feb 17, 1:55 AM CSTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAngelina, Austin, Bastrop, Brazos, Burleson, Colorado and 31 more6 hr
Feb 17, 7:38 AM CSTMesoscale DiscussionSPCJasper, Newton, Sabine4 hr
Feb 17, 9:15 AM CSTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBowie, Cass6 hr

Nearby

Mesoscale Discussions in Texas, 2021Every mesoscale discussion in 2021

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.