Alert archive / Texas / Mesoscale Discussions in 2021

Mesoscale Discussion 1840

October 12, 20216 counties in Oklahoma; 11 counties in Texas

The Storm Prediction Center issued this mesoscale discussion at Oct 12, 2021, 3:14 PM CDT for 6 counties in Oklahoma; 11 counties in Texas. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Oct 12, 2021, 3:14 PM CDT (20:14 UTC)
Expired
Oct 12, 2021, 5:45 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
Concerning
Severe potential...tornado watch likely
Chance of a watch
80%

Counties Beckham County, OK, Ellis County, OK, Greer County, OK, Harmon County, OK, Jackson County, OK, Roger Mills County, OK, Childress County, TX, Collingsworth County, TX, Cottle County, TX, Donley County, TX, Foard County, TX, Gray County, TX, Hall County, TX, Hardeman County, TX, Hemphill County, TX, Roberts County, TX, Wheeler County, TX

The radar

The Altus AFB radar (KFDR), 116 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:16 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 watches that followed

Watches SPC issued over any of the same counties within four hours of this discussion.

The nearest sounding before it

Amarillo Airport, TX (KAMA), launched 12:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 154 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, Amarillo Airport, TX at 12:00Z on 2021-10-12Temperature 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, Amarillo Airport, TX at 12:00Z on 2021-10-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 399 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1866 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
61 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
399 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
416 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

305 
ACUS11 KWNS 122014
SWOMCD
SPC MCD 122014 
OKZ000-TXZ000-122245-

Mesoscale Discussion 1840
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0314 PM CDT Tue Oct 12 2021

Areas affected...eastern Texas Panhandle into far western Oklahoma

Concerning...Severe potential...Tornado Watch likely 

Valid 122014Z - 122245Z

Probability of Watch Issuance...80 percent

SUMMARY...A few supercells may develop through evening, from the
eastern Texas Panhandle into far western Oklahoma. Tornadoes,
perhaps strong, and very large hail will be possible.

DISCUSSION...Surface analysis shows a front extending from northern
TX into southwest OK which is becoming more diffuse with heating.
This boundary separates a cooler/capped air mass over much of OK
from a destabilizing air mass over northwest TX and into the TX
Panhandle. Meanwhile, a dryline stretches from north to south across
the TX Panhandle and South Plains.

Visible satellite shows stable billow clouds north of the boundary,
but these are gradually eroding from south to north as temperatures
warm into the lower 80s F. A growing CU field is also evident over
northwest TX, where MLCAPE is in the 1500-2000 J/kg range. Backed
surface winds on the cool side of the boundary are contributing to
100-150 m2/s2 0-1 km SRH per FDR VWP.

Although convergence is currently weak, it is expected to increase
around 00Z and into the evening as the dryline eventually pushes
east with the upper trough. A few more hours of air mass
modification will occur, including moistening. In addition, the
low-level jet will continue to increase to over 50 kt, further
enhancing shear.

Assuming a cell or two can form, they should quickly acquire
rotation, with tornadoes and hail likely. Any lone cells that can
maintain access to the warm side of the boundary will have the
potential for a strong tornado.

..Jewell/Grams.. 10/12/2021

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

ATTN...WFO...OUN...LUB...AMA...

LAT...LON   34959921 34639932 34139955 33929976 33760008 33720037
            33790060 33930069 34480088 35050125 35580118 35960072
            36389981 36319967 36279954 35749914 34959921

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 12, 2:29 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBeaver, Ellis, Harper31 min
Oct 12, 3:08 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBeaver, Texas97 min
Oct 12, 5:34 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCBeaver, Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Comanche and 18 more5 hr

Nearby

Mesoscale Discussions in Texas, 2021Mesoscale Discussions in Oklahoma, 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.