Alert archive / Texas / Mesoscale Discussions in 2021

Mesoscale Discussion 70

February 11, 202119 counties in Texas

The Storm Prediction Center issued this mesoscale discussion at Feb 11, 2021, 9:13 AM CST for 19 counties in Texas. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Feb 11, 2021, 9:13 AM CST (15:13 UTC)
Expired
Feb 11, 2021, 1:15 PM CST
In force
4 hr
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
Concerning
Winter mixed precipitation

Counties Bell County, TX, Burnet County, TX, Coryell County, TX, Falls County, TX, Gillespie County, TX, Hamilton County, TX, Kimble County, TX, Lampasas County, TX, Limestone County, TX, Llano County, TX, Mason County, TX, McCulloch County, TX, McLennan County, TX, Menard County, TX, Milam County, TX, Mills County, TX, Robertson County, TX, San Saba County, TX, Williamson County, TX

The radar

The Ft Hood radar (KGRK), 126 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:14 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

Fort Worth, TX (KFWD), launched 12:00Z, 3.2 hours before the alert went out and 240 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 12:00Z on 2021-02-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 6 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Fort Worth, TX at 12:00Z on 2021-02-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 157 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
6 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
478 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
157 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
254 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

171 
ACUS11 KWNS 111513
SWOMCD
SPC MCD 111513 
TXZ000-111915-

Mesoscale Discussion 0070
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0913 AM CST Thu Feb 11 2021

Areas affected...Central TX

Concerning...Winter mixed precipitation 

Valid 111513Z - 111915Z

SUMMARY...Freezing rain rates are expected to increase across
central TX during the next several hours. Some sleet is also
possible.

DISCUSSION...Persistent isentropic ascent will persist ahead of the
approaching shortwave trough across the southern Plains for at least
the next several hours. Expectation is for the ongoing band of
precipitation from the Edwards Plateau into central TX to continue
while gradually shifting northeastward. Current surface analysis
places the freezing line from about 20-30 miles north of DRT
northeastward to just south of AUS and then further northeastward
into east TX. This cold air is shallow, with forecast soundings
showing sub-freezing temperatures extend to about 2000-2500 ft with
temperatures continuing to increase above that level to around 10
deg C by 3500-400 ft (around 850 mb). 

This warm noise above the shallow cold layer is expected to result
in primarily freezing rain, although some sleet could also mix in.
Relatively dry mid-levels currently in place are expected to moisten
over time, contributing to heavier precipitation rates at the
surface. Most sites are not currently reporting precipitation at the
surface but that is expected to change soon as the precipitation
rates increase. One exception at Llano, TX (AQO) which reported
0.05" of liquid over the past hour. Additionally, Burnett, TX (BMQ)
reported 0.02" of ice accretion over the past hour. This trend of
measurable precipitation at the surface and ice accretion is
expected to continue eastward into more of central TX over the next
several hours.

..Mosier.. 02/11/2021

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

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

LAT...LON   30710054 31869830 31979618 30919617 29890020 30710054

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.