Alert archive / Texas / Mesoscale Discussions in 2021

Mesoscale Discussion 245

March 24, 202135 counties in Texas

The Storm Prediction Center issued this mesoscale discussion at Mar 24, 2021, 8:15 PM CDT for 35 counties in Texas. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Mar 24, 2021, 8:15 PM CDT (01:15 UTC)
Expired
Mar 24, 2021, 10:15 PM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
Concerning
Severe potential...watch likely
Chance of a watch
95%
All 35 counties

Bandera County, TX, Bell County, TX, Blanco County, TX, Bosque County, TX, Brown County, TX, Burnet County, TX, Comanche County, TX, Concho County, TX, Coryell County, TX, Edwards County, TX, Erath County, TX, Falls County, TX, Gillespie County, TX, Hamilton County, TX, Hays County, TX, Hill County, TX, Kendall County, TX, Kerr County, TX, Kimble County, TX, Kinney County, TX, Lampasas County, TX, Llano County, TX, Mason County, TX, McCulloch County, TX, McLennan County, TX, Medina County, TX, Menard County, TX, Mills County, TX, Real County, TX, San Saba County, TX, Somervell County, TX, Sutton County, TX, Uvalde County, TX, Val Verde County, TX, Williamson County, TX

The radar

The Austin/San Antonio radar (KEWX), 145 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:16 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

Del Rio, TX (KDRT), launched 00:00Z, 1.3 hours before the alert went out and 223 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, Del Rio, TX at 00:00Z on 2021-03-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 479 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Del Rio, TX at 00:00Z on 2021-03-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 13 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
479 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-29 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2767 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
80 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
13 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
317 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

101 
ACUS11 KWNS 250115
SWOMCD
SPC MCD 250115 
TXZ000-250315-

Mesoscale Discussion 0245
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0815 PM CDT Wed Mar 24 2021

Areas affected...Edwards Plateau into the TX Hill Country

Concerning...Severe potential...Watch likely 

Valid 250115Z - 250315Z

Probability of Watch Issuance...95 percent

SUMMARY...Additional storm development is likely by mid to late
evening.  All severe hazards (hail, wind, tornado) are possible.  A
new watch will likely need to be coordinated before 10pm prior to
expiration of tornado watch #47.  The type of watch (severe
thunderstorm, tornado) is still a bit uncertain.

DISCUSSION...Visible/IR satellite imagery during the past 1.5 hours
has shown the development of a mid-level cloud patch straddling the
Rio Grande from parts of Terrell and Val Verde counties.  The cloud
development is likely in response to stronger forcing for ascent
beginning to spread east towards the west edge of the moist/unstable
sector located over the TX Hill Country.  As the upward vertical
motion continues to move east, concurrent with a strengthening
low-level jet, expecting the gradual development of additional
thunderstorms initially near Val Verde, Sutton, and Edwards
counties.  As this activity matures, an accompanying severe risk is
probable given strong vertical shear and ample instability.  Large
hail and severe gusts appear to be the primary risk.  However, some
recent CAM model runs have shown the development of strong simulated
supercells.  Although the low-level shear is not currently forecast
to be very strong, a conditional risk for a few low-level
mesocyclones and an attendant tornado risk could materialize. 
Nonetheless, vigorous storms capable of hail/wind will likely
develop and a severe risk will probably linger into the overnight.

..Smith/Grams.. 03/25/2021

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

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

LAT...LON   29540128 30270114 31649975 32339866 32349769 31949674
            31489667 30929690 29659853 29129943 29110066 29540128

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 24, 7:37 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBowie, Camp, Cass, Collin, Cooke, Dallas and 23 more53 min
Mar 24, 9:52 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCBandera, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Bosque, Burnet and 37 more6 hr
Mar 24, 10:28 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCEdwards, Kimble62 min
Mar 24, 11:37 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBowie, Cass, Lamar, Morris, Red River, Titus53 min
Mar 24, 11:42 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBurnet, Coryell, Lampasas, Llano, Mason, San Saba93 min
Mar 25, 1:40 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAnderson, Bandera, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Bosque and 40 more95 min

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.