Tornadoes · United States · Texas · 2004
F0 tornado, Sugarland, Texas, November 23, 2004
This F0 tornado ran 0.1 miles across Fort Bend County on November 23, 2004, touching down at 10:05 PM CST and reaching 20 yards wide. It killed nobody.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
F040 to 72 mphthis tornado
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
F173 to 112 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
F2113 to 157 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
F3158 to 206 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
F4207 to 260 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
F5261 to 318 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
The record
- Rating
- F0
- Date
- November 23, 2004
- Touchdown
- 10:05 PM CST (04:05 UTC)
- Path length
- 0.1 miles (0.2 km)
- Path width
- 20 yards (18 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- County
- Fort Bend County
- Touchdown point
- 29.620, -95.770
- Lift-off point
- 29.620, -95.770
- Record number
- 1689
What the Weather Service recorded
Tree down.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03:46 UTC | 04:30 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX |
Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.
The forecast that day
The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Moderate Risk, with a 0.15 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 01:14 UTC.
SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.
The air that afternoon
The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.
Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), 00:00Z
4.1 hours before the tornado, 254 km from the path. November 24, 2004.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1863 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -2 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 2253 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 691 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 53 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 23 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 177 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 209 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 2.0
- Supercell composite
- 8.1
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 6.3 K/km
Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), 12:00Z
7.9 hours after it, 254 km from the path. November 24, 2004.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -104155 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1633 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 63 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 23 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -196 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -85 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 4.0 K/km
The surface observations
Houston/Hull Field (SGR), 11 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02:53 UTC | 76 | 72 | 200° 12 kt | 1002.7 | ||
| 03:45 UTC | 75.2 | 73.4 | 230° 9 kt | 1003.7 | TS | |
| 03:53 UTC | 76 | 73 | 240° 10 kt | 15 | 1003.7 | VCTS |
| 04:02 UTC | 66.2 | 64.4 | 300° 21 kt | 37 | 1006.4 | +TSRA BR |
| 04:07 UTC | 62.6 | 60.8 | 300° 17 kt | 37 | 1006.4 | +TSRA BR |
| 04:13 UTC | 62.6 | 60.8 | 320° 10 kt | 28 | 1006.1 | TSRA BR |
| 04:21 UTC | 62.6 | 60.8 | 310° 10 kt | 1007.1 | TSRA | |
| 04:36 UTC | 62.6 | 60.8 | 310° 12 kt | 1006.4 | RA | |
| 04:53 UTC | 62 | 59 | 330° 18 kt | 25 | 1005.4 | -RA |
| 05:53 UTC | 61 | 57 | 300° 8 kt | 1006.8 |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Houston radar (KHGX), 69 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 04:04 UTC.
Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track
Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.
What was reported nearby
Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03:12 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Cat Spring | Austin, TX | TREE DOWN ON HOUSE. |
| 03:20 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Monaville | Waller, TX | BARN DAMAGED. |
| 03:20 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Waller | Harris, TX | POWER POLES SNAPPED. |
| 03:20 UTC | TORNADO | 5 Nw Wharton | Wharton, TX | POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGED 4 HOMES IN THE SPANISH CAMP AREA NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF FM HIGHWAY 1161 AND FM HIGHWAY 640. |
| 03:25 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 6 Ese Monaville | Waller, TX | POWER POLES SNAPPED NEAR FM HIGHWAY 362 AND FM HIGHWAY 529. |
| 03:30 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Wharton | Wharton, TX | NUMEROUS TELEPHONE POLES SNAPPED...TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN...AND BARNS DAMAGED IN THE AREA BETWEEN GLEN FLORA...EGYPT...HUNGERFORD...AND WHARTON. |
| 03:40 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 S Hempstead | Waller, TX | TREE TOPPLED ONTO ROADWAY CAUSING A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT INVOLVING A SHERRIFFS OFFICER. NO INJURIES REPORTED. |
| 04:00 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 10 S Cypress | Harris, TX | TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN AT FM HIGHWAY 529 AND HIGHWAY 6 IN NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY. |
| 04:05 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Sugar Land | Fort Bend, TX | TREES DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 6 NEAR US HIGHWAY 90. |
| 04:05 UTC | TORNADO | Pecan Grove | Fort Bend, TX | POSSIBLE TORNADO IN PECAN GROVE AT KEY MAP LOCATION 566J. TREES DOWN IN THE AREA. |
| 04:25 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Alvin | Brazoria, TX | TREE DOWN ON POWER LINES. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2004 tornado in TexasEvery tornado in Texas since 1950Warnings in force in Texas nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of November 23, 2004
47 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 23 | 10:40 AM CST | F0 | Williamson, TX | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| November 23 | 10:51 AM CST | F0 | Williamson, TX | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| November 23 | 11:05 AM CST | F0 | Williamson, TX | 0.3 | 30 | |||
| November 23 | 1:10 PM CST | F0 | Montgomery, TX | 0.2 | 20 | $40,000 | ||
| November 23 | 1:34 PM CST | F0 | Fayette, TX | 0.3 | 30 | |||
| November 23 | 1:49 PM CST | F0 | Polk, TX | 0.1 | 15 | $10,000 | ||
| November 23 | 1:55 PM CST | F0 | San Jacinto, TX | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| November 23 | 2:20 PM CST | F0 | Washington, TX | 0.1 | 20 | $10,000 | ||
| November 23 | 2:52 PM CST | F0 | Liberty, TX | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| November 23 | 3:25 PM CST | F0 | Grimes, TX | 0.2 | 25 | |||
| November 23 | 3:30 PM CST | F0 | Montgomery, TX | 0.3 | 25 | $10,000 | ||
| November 23 | 3:35 PM CST | F0 | Maverick, TX | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| November 23 | 3:50 PM CST | F0 | Montgomery, TX | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| November 23 | 4:08 PM CST | F1 | Hardin, TX | 16.0 | 200 | $100,000 | ||
| November 23 | 4:10 PM CST | F0 | Chicot, AR | 1.0 | 50 | $2,000 | ||
| November 23 | 4:24 PM CST | F0 | Richland Parish, LA | 0.5 | 25 | |||
| November 23 | 4:27 PM CST | F2 | Hardin, TX | 8.0 | 600 | 1 | $600,000 | |
| November 23 | 4:38 PM CST | F0 | Zavala, TX | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| November 23 | 4:40 PM CST | F0 | Maverick, TX | 0.3 | 30 | |||
| November 23 | 4:41 PM CST | F2 | Jasper, TX | 8.0 | 300 | $250,000 | ||
| November 23 | 4:55 PM CST | F2 | Jasper, TX | 15.0 | 500 | $500,000 | ||
| November 23 | 5:12 PM CST | F0 | Maverick, TX | 0.5 | 50 | |||
| November 23 | 5:12 PM CST | F1 | Newton, TX | 3.0 | 300 | $100,000 | ||
| November 23 | 5:40 PM CST | F1 | Newton, TX to LA | 9.0 | 300 | $50,000 | ||
| November 23 | 6:00 PM CST | F0 | Natchitoches Parish, LA | 1.0 | 25 | $30,000 | ||
| November 23 | 6:08 PM CST | F0 | Burnet, TX | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| November 23 | 6:08 PM CST | F1 | Vernon Parish, LA | 1.0 | 100 | $200,000 | ||
| November 23 | 6:08 PM CST | F0 | Williamson, TX | 0.3 | 400 | |||
| November 23 | 6:10 PM CST | F1 | Newton, TX | 1.0 | 100 | $40,000 | ||
| November 23 | 6:30 PM CST | F1 | Newton, TX | 10.0 | 300 | $250,000 | ||
| November 23 | 6:35 PM CST | F2 | Vernon Parish, LA | 10.0 | 600 | 3 | $500,000 | |
| November 23 | 6:49 PM CST | F2 | Natchitoches Parish, LA | 20.0 | 300 | 1 | $1.0 million | |
| November 23 | 6:50 PM CST | F1 | Vernon Parish, LA | 14.0 | 150 | $100,000 | ||
| November 23 | 7:20 PM CST | F0 | Grant Parish, LA | 12.0 | 75 | |||
| November 23 | 7:20 PM CST | F1 | Vernon Parish, LA | 3.0 | 50 | $50,000 | ||
| November 23 | 7:32 PM CST | F0 | Bell, TX | 0.1 | 50 | $10,000 | ||
| November 23 | 7:46 PM CST | F0 | Karnes, TX | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| November 23 | 8:00 PM CST | F0 | DeWitt, TX | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| November 23 | 8:05 PM CST | F3 | LaSalle Parish, LA | 15.0 | 300 | 1 | 20 | $5.8 million |
| November 23 | 8:13 PM CST | F1 | DeWitt, TX | 0.5 | 100 | |||
| November 23 | 8:30 PM CST | F0 | Grant Parish, LA | 3.0 | 75 | $50,000 | ||
| November 23 | 8:58 PM CST | F0 | Lavaca, TX | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| November 23 | 9:20 PM CST | F0 | Wharton, TX | 0.4 | 35 | $30,000 | ||
| November 23 | 9:38 PM CST | F1 | Marion, AL | 13.9 | 250 | $400,000 | ||
| November 23 | 10:00 PM CST | F2 | Trinity, TX | 2.0 | 500 | $100,000 | ||
| November 23 | 11:31 PM CST | F0 | Warren, MS | 1.0 | 75 | $1,000 | ||
| November 23 | 11:40 PM CST | F3 | Jefferson, MS | 18.0 | 600 | $300,000 |
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.
Sources
NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.