Alert archive / Texas / Mesoscale Discussions in 2021

Mesoscale Discussion 681

May 18, 20217 counties in Texas

The Storm Prediction Center issued this mesoscale discussion at May 18, 2021, 8:54 PM CDT for 7 counties in Texas. It was in force for 96 min.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 18, 2021, 8:54 PM CDT (01:54 UTC)
Expired
May 18, 2021, 10:30 PM CDT
In force
96 min
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
Concerning
Tornado watch 188...190

Counties Austin County, TX, Fort Bend County, TX, Harris County, TX, Jackson County, TX, Montgomery County, TX, Waller County, TX, Wharton County, TX

The radar

The Houston radar (KHGX), 94 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:58 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

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 00:00Z, 1.9 hours before the alert went out and 252 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 00:00Z on 2021-05-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2386 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 00:00Z on 2021-05-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 59 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
2386 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-17 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
721 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
59 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
114 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.8
Supercell composite
6.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

580 
ACUS11 KWNS 190155
SWOMCD
SPC MCD 190154 
TXZ000-190330-

Mesoscale Discussion 0681
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0854 PM CDT Tue May 18 2021

Areas affected...Southeast TX

Concerning...Tornado Watch 188...190...

Valid 190154Z - 190330Z

The severe weather threat for Tornado Watch 188, 190 continues.

SUMMARY...The threat for damaging wind and a tornado or two will
continue as an ongoing MCS moves eastward tonight.

DISCUSSION...Convection across southeast TX has consolidated into an
eastward-propagating MCS. Favorable instability (MLCAPE of 1500-2000
J/kg) and sufficient effective shear (30-40 kt) will continue to
favor some organization as the system progresses across southeast
TX. Locally damaging wind will be possible, especially near the
bowing portion of the line as it approaches the Houston area between
02-03Z. The KHGX VWP continues to show moderately strong low-level
southeasterly flow with some veering with height, which will support
transient supercell structures capable of a tornado or two, and
perhaps some hail.

..Dean.. 05/19/2021

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

ATTN...WFO...HGX...CRP...EWX...

LAT...LON   28839682 29669638 30189628 30439616 30569596 30639558
            30429528 29969528 29459548 29119581 28979601 28819638
            28839682

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 18, 7:34 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCAustin, Bee, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend and 17 more6 hr
May 18, 8:00 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCCherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Nacogdoches, Panola and 4 more60 min
May 18, 10:39 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCHardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Newton, Orange, Tyler96 min
May 18, 11:00 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCDimmit, Duval, Jim Hogg, La Salle, Webb, Zapata90 min
May 19, 3:32 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBrooks, Dimmit, Duval, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells and 5 more118 min
May 19, 5:24 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCBrooks, Cameron, Duval, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells and 8 more8 hr
May 19, 7:09 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCHidalgo, Jim Hogg, Starr96 min
May 19, 8:46 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBrooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Kenedy, Willacy89 min
May 19, 2:10 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCCallahan, Coke, Coleman, Concho, Crane, Crockett and 24 more3 hr
May 19, 6:06 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCCrane, Crockett, Ector, Glasscock, Irion, Midland and 6 more84 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.