Tornadoes · United States · Texas · 2010

EF0 tornado, Alanreed, Texas, April 22, 2010

This EF0 tornado ran 0.5 miles across Gray County on April 22, 2010, touching down at 5:38 PM CDT and reaching 25 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
April 22, 2010
Touchdown
5:38 PM CDT (22:38 UTC)
Lifted
5:40 PM CDT (22:40 UTC)
On the ground
2 minutes
Path length
0.5 miles (0.8 km)
Path width
25 yards (23 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Gray County
Touchdown point
35.220, -100.850
Lift-off point
35.222, -100.842
Record number
1004221638-01

What the Weather Service recorded

Severe thunderstorms producing large hail...damaging thunderstorm winds...and several tornadoes moved across parts of the eastern two-thirds of the Texas Panhandle. The thunderstorms winds knocked down a large tree and one tornado caused damage to power poles. No injuries were reported.

The tornado touched down one mile east of Lake McClellan in Gray County at 1638 CST and then lifted at 1640 CST. The tornado was on the ground for one half mile with a maximum path width of twenty-five yards. 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

29 minutes of warning. NWS AMA issued a tornado warning for this county at 22:09 UTC, 29 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 23:00 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 19:32 UTC and running to 01:34 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
19:32 UTC01:34 UTCTornado WatchAMA
21:42 UTC23:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningAMA
22:09 UTC23:00 UTCTornado WarningAMA
22:39 UTC23:30 UTCTornado WarningAMA
22:58 UTC23:45 UTCTornado WarningAMA
23:02 UTC00:00 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningAMA
23:14 UTC00:00 UTCTornado WarningAMA
23:29 UTC00:00 UTCTornado WarningAMA
23:43 UTC00:45 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningAMA
23:44 UTC00:18 UTCTornado WarningAMA
23:47 UTC00:20 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningAMA
23:58 UTC00:45 UTCTornado 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 19:59 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), 12:00Z

10.6 hours before the tornado, 78 km from the path. April 22, 2010.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Amarillo Airport, TX at 12:00Z on 2010-04-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 33 joules per kilogram, CIN -291, lifted condensation level 1875 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 12:00Z on 2010-04-22The 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 87 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 36 knots.19395878Sfc1 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
33 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-291 J/kg
Surface CAPE
2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1875 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
15 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
87 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
284 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
5.0 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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

1.4 hours after it, 78 km from the path. April 23, 2010.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Amarillo Airport, TX at 00:00Z on 2010-04-23Temperature 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 -85048, lifted condensation level 1589 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 00:00Z on 2010-04-23The 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 23 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 53 knots.19395878Sfc1 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
-85048 J/kg
Surface CAPE
683 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1589 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
23 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.2
0-3 km lapse rate
6.9 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The radar

The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 78 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 22:39 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
21:59 UTCTORNADO5 Ne GoodnightArmstrong, TXON THE THE GROUND FOR 3 MINUTES
22:10 UTCTORNADO8 Ese GroomDonley, TXTORNADO BEGAN 4 MILES SE OF GROOM AND ENDED ABOUT 2 MILES ESE OF JERICHO
22:20 UTCHAIL 2.7510 N HowardwickDonley, TXNEAR INTERSECTION OF INTERSTATE 40 AND HWY 70
22:20 UTCTORNADO3 Ne GoodnightArmstrong, TXTORNADO BEGAN 3 MILES S OF GOODNIGHT AND ENDED ABOUT 8 MILES NE OF GOODNIGHT. TORNADO REPORTED BY MULTIPLE SOURCES.
22:29 UTCHAIL 2.53 E GroomGray, TX
22:29 UTCHAIL 2.756 E GroomGray, TX
22:33 UTCHAIL 1.525 W MiamiRoberts, TXHAIL STARTED AROUND 1633 CST AND LASTED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
22:38 UTCTORNADO1 E Lake McclellanGray, TXTORNADO BEGAN 1 MILE E OF LAKE MECCLELLAN AND MOVED NE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE.
22:59 UTCHAIL 1.753 E GroomGray, TXGROOM FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED THE HAIL NEAR BOYDSTON ROAD AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 70.
22:59 UTCHAIL 1.753 Se GroomDonley, TXGROOM FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED THE HAIL NEAR BOYDSTON ROAD AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 70.
23:07 UTCTORNADO8 Ese GroomDonley, TXTORNADO BAGAN 8 MILES ESE OF GROOM AND MOVED NE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE.
23:30 UTCTORNADO5 Nw AlanreedGray, TXLARGE INTENSE CIRCULATION... APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER OF A MILE WIDE... WITH SEVERAL BRIEF MULTI VORTEX STYLE TOUCHDOWNS. TORNADO BEGAN 1 MILE NORTH OF LAKE MCCLELLAN AND ENDED 4 MILES N OF ALANREED. MULTIPLE REPORTS RE
23:36 UTCHAIL 1.757 E GroomGray, TX
23:40 UTCTORNADO13 Ene LeforsGray, TXTORNADO BEGAN 11 MILES ENE OF LEFORS AND ENDED APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES WSW OF MOBEETIE.
00:05 UTCTSTM WND GST 60AlanreedGray, TX

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

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2010 tornado in TexasEvery tornado in Texas since 1950Warnings in force in Texas nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of April 22, 2010

41 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
April 221:05 PM MDTEF0Bent, CO4.7100
April 221:08 PM MDTEF0Bent, CO2.550
April 221:35 PM MDTEF0Bent, CO0.650
April 221:48 PM MDTEF0Bent, CO1.9150
April 221:57 PM MDTEF0Bent, CO0.650
April 222:22 PM MDTEF0Kiowa, CO3.450
April 222:29 PM MDTEF1Kiowa, CO7.2200$1,000
April 222:36 PM MDTEF0Kiowa, CO0.450
April 222:45 PM MDTEF0Kiowa, CO2.650
April 222:55 PM MDTEF0Kiowa, CO0.725
April 222:56 PM MDTEF0Kiowa, CO1.450
April 223:00 PM MDTEF0Kiowa, CO1.275
April 223:12 PM MDTEF0Kiowa, CO1.250
April 223:28 PM MDTEF0Elbert, CO0.150
April 223:38 PM MDTEF0Adams, CO0.150
April 224:48 PM CDTEF1Kearny, KS9.41,760$180,000
April 224:59 PM CDTEF0Armstrong, TX1.850
April 225:04 PM CDTEF0Kearny, KS4.9440
April 225:10 PM CDTEF0Donley, TX5.2100
April 225:20 PM CDTEF1Armstrong, TX10.3100$3,000
April 224:24 PM MDTEF0Cheyenne, CO2.375
April 225:32 PM CDTEF0Kearny, KS2.6150
April 224:40 PM MDTEF0Cheyenne, CO1.450
April 225:51 PM CDTEF0Beaver, OK0.225
April 226:07 PM CDTEF0Donley, TX0.625
April 226:10 PM CDTEF1Finney, KS2.7880$800
April 225:12 PM MDTEF0Cheyenne, CO2.675
April 226:17 PM CDTEF0Finney, KS0.975
April 226:27 PM CDTEF0Scott, KS3.3440
April 226:30 PM CDTEF0Gray, TX4.0440
April 226:39 PM CDTEF0Kearny, KS2.7200
April 226:40 PM CDTEF0Gray, TX4.5100
April 225:52 PM MDTEF0Cheyenne, CO1.125
April 226:05 PM MDTEF0Cheyenne, CO1.425
April 227:06 PM CDTEF1Scott, KS7.2440$210,000
April 227:20 PM CDTEF2Motley, TX9.01,300$100,000
April 227:40 PM CDTEF0Scott, KS1.4150
April 227:46 PM CDTEF3Cottle, TX12.3975$300,000
April 227:57 PM CDTEF0Lane, KS3.7150
April 229:05 PM CDTEF0Cottle, TX5.0150
April 229:21 PM CDTEF0Gove, KS0.510

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.