Tornadoes · United States · Texas · 2007

EF0 tornado, Clarendon, Texas, March 28, 2007

This EF0 tornado ran 1.0 miles across Donley County on March 28, 2007, touching down at 7:05 PM CDT and reaching 200 yards wide. It killed nobody.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mph

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. EF2111 to 135 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.

  4. EF3136 to 165 mph

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. EF5over 200 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.

  7. 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
EF0
Date
March 28, 2007
Touchdown
7:05 PM CDT (00:05 UTC)
Lifted
7:09 PM CDT (00:09 UTC)
On the ground
4 minutes
Path length
1.0 miles (1.6 km)
Path width
200 yards (183 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Donley County
Touchdown point
34.770, -100.981
Lift-off point
34.783, -100.974
Record number
0703281805-01

What the Weather Service recorded

Severe thunderstorms during the evening hours produced numerous tornadoes and large hail across the southern...central and eastern Texas panhandle. Heavy rains caused flash flooding in the eastern Texas panhandle during the late night and early morning hours. One man was killed by a tornado in the northeastern Texas panhandle and another person was injured.

The tornado occurred over open country and the path length and path width were estimated. No damage or injuries were reported.

This tornado crossed Highway 287, damaging a home along the south side of the highway.

This tornado originated in northwestern Hall county southwest of Brice and entered Donley County at 1805 CST. This tornado remained over open country and the path length and path width were estimated. No damage or injuries were reported.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

24 minutes of warning. NWS AMA issued a tornado warning for this county at 23:41 UTC, 24 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 00:30 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 20:16 UTC and running to 04:29 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
20:16 UTC04:29 UTCTornado WatchAMA
23:24 UTC00:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningAMA
23:41 UTC00:30 UTCTornado WarningAMA
00:24 UTC01:15 UTCTornado WarningAMA
01:16 UTC01:45 UTCTornado WarningAMA
04:29 UTC06:55 UTCTornado WatchAMA
05:20 UTC06:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningAMA
05:30 UTC07:30 UTCFlash Flood WarningAMA

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 21:01 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.

Amarillo Airport, TX (KAMA), 00:00Z

0.1 hours before the tornado, 83 km from the path. March 29, 2007.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Amarillo Airport, TX at 00:00Z on 2007-03-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 1596 joules per kilogram, CIN -28, lifted condensation level 1565 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.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. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Amarillo Airport, TX at 00:00Z on 2007-03-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 102 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 66 knots.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. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1596 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-28 J/kg
Surface CAPE
2623 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1565 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
66 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
102 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
126 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.5
Supercell composite
5.7
0-3 km lapse rate
8.8 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Amarillo Airport, TX (KAMA), 12:00Z

11.9 hours after it, 83 km from the path. March 29, 2007.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Amarillo Airport, TX at 12:00Z on 2007-03-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 0 joules per kilogram, CIN -106053, lifted condensation level 4339 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCL10008507005003002001001 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. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Amarillo Airport, TX at 12:00Z on 2007-03-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 16 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 84 knots.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. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-106053 J/kg
Surface CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
4339 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
84 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
10 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-227 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
2.9 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Childress Municipal (CDS), 74 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
22:53 UTC7560140° 16 kt1006.4
23:53 UTC7460120° 19 kt301006.4
00:53 UTC7360130° 20 kt1007.1
01:53 UTC7160130° 19 kt271007.5

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 84 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 00:03 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)ReportWhereCountyRemark
22:20 UTCTORNADOSilvertonBriscoe, TXTRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED TORNADO ON THE GROUND 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SILVERTON.
22:28 UTCTORNADO8 Sw SilvertonBriscoe, TXTRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED A TORNADO 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SILVERTON ON THE GROUND FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES.
22:43 UTCTORNADO1 S SilvertonBriscoe, TXSTORM CHASER REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND JUST SOUTH OF SILVERTON WITH PENNY SIZED HAIL.
22:50 UTCHAIL 0.88ClaudeArmstrong, TX
22:50 UTCHAIL 1ClaudeArmstrong, TX
22:50 UTCHAIL 2.751 Ne WaysideArmstrong, TX
22:51 UTCHAIL 1ClaudeArmstrong, TXWEST SIDE OF TOWN
22:57 UTCTORNADO1 S SilvertonBriscoe, TXTRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED TORNADO ON THE GROUND JUST SOUTH OF SILVERTON.
23:00 UTCTORNADO3 Nnw SilvertonBriscoe, TXTRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND 3 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF SILVERTON.
23:03 UTCTORNADO1 Ne SilvertonBriscoe, TXTORNADO WAS REPORTED BY A STORM CHASER 1 MILE NORTHEAST OF SILVERTON. IT WAS 1/8 IN DIAMETER.
23:35 UTCTORNADO10 N QuitaqueBriscoe, TXTORNADO REPORTED ON THE GROUND NEAR OR AT CAPROCK CANYON PARK AT 635 PM CDT.
23:43 UTCTORNADO12 Sw BriceBriscoe, TXSTORM CHASER REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BRICE AT 643 PM CDT.
23:54 UTCTORNADO15 N TurkeyHall, TXSTORM CHASER REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND 15 MILES NORTH OF TURKEY.
00:00 UTCHAIL 1ClaudeArmstrong, TX
00:00 UTCHAIL 1.75ClaudeArmstrong, TX
00:05 UTCTORNADO12 Ssw ClarendonDonley, TXLONG TRACK TORNADO MOVED INTO DONLEY COUNTY
00:15 UTCHAIL 110 W ClarendonDonley, TX
00:22 UTCTSTM WND GST 605 W ClarendonDonley, TXTRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK OVERTURNED
00:39 UTCHAIL 114 Ne ClarendonDonley, TX
00:39 UTCTORNADO3 Sw JerichoDonley, TX18 WHEELERS FLIPPED BY TORNADO AT REST STOP ON INTERSTATE 40.
00:45 UTCHAIL 1ClaudeArmstrong, TX
00:46 UTCTORNADO6 Nw HedleyDonley, TXTORNADO UPROOTED MESQUITE TREES AT BASE.....OUTBUILDING AND POWER POLES DAMAGED
00:50 UTCTORNADO6 Sw ClarendonDonley, TX
00:54 UTCTORNADO2 Nw JerichoGray, TXEND POINT OF TORNADO THAT BEGAN AT 0739 PM
00:55 UTCTORNADO1 E JerichoGray, TX18 WHEELERS FLIPPED BY TORNADO AT REST STOP ON INTERSTATE 40.
01:07 UTCHAIL 2.757 S McleanDonley, TXHIGHWAY 273
01:10 UTCHAIL 2.752 S McleanGray, TX
01:13 UTCTORNADO7 Sw McleanDonley, TX
01:24 UTCTORNADO2 S McleanGray, TXEND POINT OF TORNADO THAT BEGAN AT 0813 PM
01:24 UTCTORNADO2 S McleanGray, TX
01:30 UTCHAIL 2.751 S McleanGray, TX
01:35 UTCHAIL 13 Sw Lake McclellanGray, TXUS 70 AND INTERSTATE 40
01:45 UTCHAIL 0.7510 Ne GroomGray, TXAT HIGHWAY 2300

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2007 tornado in TexasEvery tornado in Texas since 1950Warnings in force in Texas nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of March 28, 2007

65 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
March 283:05 PM CDTEF0Logan, IL0.110
March 283:19 PM CDTEF0McLean, IL0.110
March 285:20 PM CDTEF0Swisher, TX2.575
March 285:28 PM CDTEF0Briscoe, TX2.075
March 285:43 PM CDTEF1Briscoe, TX6.8100$35,000
March 286:03 PM CDTEF0Floyd, TX0.550$10,000
March 286:03 PM CDTEF0Briscoe, TX4.8220
March 286:10 PM CDTEF0Briscoe, TX1.8100
March 286:35 PM CDTEF2Briscoe, TX16.5300$175,000
March 286:40 PM CDTEF0Donley, TX1.0100
March 285:49 PM MDTEF0Wallace, KS0.510
March 285:52 PM MDTEF0Wallace, KS6.075
March 286:55 PM CDTEF1Donley, TX7.3150$5,000
March 287:05 PM CDTEF0Decatur, KS8.025$40,000
March 286:12 PM MDTEF0Cherry, NE3.0150$250
March 287:16 PM CDTEF0Lipscomb, TX6.0150
March 287:28 PM CDTEF0Meade, KS1.450
March 287:28 PM CDTEF2Beaver, OK16.01502$102,000
March 287:32 PM CDTEF0Meade, KS1.350
March 286:33 PM MDTEF0Hamilton, KS10.6100
March 286:37 PM MDTEF0Sherman, KS0.510
March 287:39 PM CDTEF3Donley, TX3.46002$180,000
March 287:42 PM CDTEF1Meade, KS13.5125$78,000
March 287:46 PM CDTEF2Donley, TX4.2528$63,000
March 287:48 PM CDTEF3Gray, TX3.06002$100,000
March 286:48 PM MDTEF0Greeley, KS11.0100
March 286:49 PM MDTEF0Sherman, KS0.510
March 287:58 PM CDTEF0Ford, KS7.850
March 288:02 PM CDTEF0Donley, TX0.350
March 288:04 PM CDTEF2Beaver, OK6.0100$58,000
March 287:05 PM MDTEF0Chase, NE0.120
March 287:05 PM MDTEF1Arthur, NE20.6100
March 287:06 PM MDTEF0Sherman, KS3.025
March 287:09 PM MDTEF0Greeley, KS15.0100$25,000
March 287:11 PM MDTEF1Chase, NE2.520$15,000
March 287:12 PM MDTEF0Perkins, NE0.220
March 288:13 PM CDTEF2Donley, TX4.5200$170,000
March 288:14 PM CDTEF1Gray, KS10.4200$160,000
March 288:15 PM CDTEF0Donley, TX1.050
March 287:15 PM MDTEF2Sherman, KS7.0350$100,000
March 287:20 PM MDTEF1Perkins, NE2.330$15,000
March 287:20 PM MDTEF2Perkins, NE15.9900$1.2 million
March 288:23 PM CDTEF2Gray, TX3.6200$74,000
March 288:29 PM CDTEF2Cheyenne, KS27.0700$2.0 million
March 288:30 PM CDTEF0Gray, TX0.350$3,000
March 288:32 PM CDTEF1Hodgeman, KS10.7200$3,000
March 288:36 PM CDTEF1Gray, TX0.350$39,000
March 288:39 PM CDTEF0Meade, KS8.7100
March 287:41 PM MDTEF1Wallace, KS8.0100$250,000
March 288:45 PM CDTEF3Gray, TX8.01,760$27,000
March 287:46 PM MDTEF1Grant, NE2.0100$500
March 288:49 PM CDTEF1Cheyenne, KS4.0100$6,000
March 287:54 PM MDTEF3Prowers, CO28.090029$4.0 million
March 288:00 PM MDTEF0Keith, NE0.120
March 289:01 PM CDTEF3Hodgeman, KS29.11,320$535,000
March 289:09 PM CDTEF1Cheyenne, KS3.0200$25,000
March 288:11 PM MDTEF1Keith, NE0.720$100,000
March 288:17 PM MDTEF1Dundy, NE12.0440$460,000
March 288:20 PM MDTEF0Keith, NE0.120$5,000
March 288:29 PM MDTEF0Sherman, KS2.525$3,000

All 66 of them

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.