Tornadoes · United States · Texas · 2015

EF0 tornado, Proctor Res to Proctor, Texas, April 26, 2015

From Proctor Res to Proctor, this EF0 tornado ran 0.5 miles across Comanche County on April 26, 2015, touching down at 4:15 PM CDT and reaching 80 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 26, 2015
Touchdown
4:15 PM CDT (21:15 UTC)
Lifted
4:16 PM CDT (21:16 UTC)
On the ground
1 minutes
Path length
0.5 miles (0.8 km)
Path width
80 yards (73 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Comanche County
Touchdown point
31.999, -98.435
Lift-off point
32.005, -98.429
Record number
1504261515-01

What the Weather Service recorded

Several discrete supercells developed across the region producing hail up to the size of softballs, severe winds, flash flooding and tornadoes. The storms eventually merged into a squall line that moved across the region south of Interstate 20. A total of 16 tornadoes occurred on this day and most of the tornadoes were produced by one supercell. This supercell stalled in southern Johnson County for up to 3 hours and produced 8 tornadoes near the Rio Vista area also with significant flash flooding. At least one of the tornadoes rotated cyclonically. One tornado in Johnson County was rated an EF1 but the other 15 tornadoes were rated EF0s.

Trained spotters observed a tornado to the north of the city of Proctor, on the northeast side of Proctor Lake. Several trees were damaged, but no structures suffered damage.

Amateur radio operators and trained spotters observed a tornado, originally reported to be twelve miles north of Gustine. The tornado damage was noted by local emergency management to be just north of U.S. 377, on the northeast side of the city of Proctor. While the tornado occurred near the city, only tree damage was noted from the storm.

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

The warnings

19 minutes of warning. NWS FWD issued a tornado warning for this county at 20:56 UTC, 19 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 21:45 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 18:06 UTC and running to 21:54 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
18:06 UTC21:54 UTCTornado WatchFWD
19:42 UTC20:45 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWD
20:17 UTC21:00 UTCTornado WarningFWD
20:45 UTC21:45 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWD
20:56 UTC21:45 UTCTornado WarningFWD
21:54 UTC03:45 UTCTornado WatchFWD
22:03 UTC23:00 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWD
22:58 UTC23:28 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWD
00:16 UTC00:31 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWD
02:18 UTC03:00 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWD
03:45 UTC08:59 UTCTornado WatchFWD

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 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 19:51 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.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Fort Worth, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Apr 26, 2:32 PM CDT, 1 hour 43 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 26, 2:32 PM CDT, 1 hour 43 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
232 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2015

.DISCUSSION...

WITH THE FOCUS OF THE FORECAST ON OUR SHORT TERM SEVERE WEATHER
EVOLUTION...WILL KEEP THE DISCUSSION WITH REGARDS TO THE REMAINDER
OF THE FORECAST BRIEF. THE DISCUSSION REGARDING THE EVOLUTION OF
SEVERE STORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT REMAINS MOSTLY VALID STILL AT 2
PM...SO LEFT THE EARLY AFTERNOON UPDATE APPENDED BELOW.

CHANGES FROM THE PREVIOUS UPDATE FOR TODAY...THE 18Z SUBJECTIVE
SURFACE ANALYSIS INDICATED SURFACE CYCLOGENESIS WAS OCCURRING
FARTHER NORTH THAN WHAT MODELS WERE INDICATING THIS MORNING. IF
THE SURFACE LOW DOES NOT DEVELOP FARTHER SOUTH THIS
AFTERNOON...THE PRIMARY INGREDIENTS FOR DISCRETE SUPERCELL
THUNDERSTORMS MAY MOVE NORTH TOWARDS THE DFW METROPLEX THIS
EVENING. THE SURFACE LOW IS EXPECTED TO DEEPEN THROUGH 00Z AND THE
STRONGEST FORCING AND COMBINATION OF INGREDIENTS FOR SUPERCELLS
WILL EXIST AT THAT TIME AS A RESULT. THE BEST WINDOW FOR DISCRETE
SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CWA...EAST OF THE SURFACE LOW
STILL APPEARS TO BE ON TRACK FOR THE 5 PM TO 10 PM TIME FRAME.
WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH THE EVOLUTION OF THE SURFACE LOW CLOSELY
THIS AFTERNOON BECAUSE IF IT SETS UP FARTHER NORTH...THE BIGGEST
THREAT FOR DISCRETE SUPERCELLS MAY MOVE AWAY FROM CENTRAL TEXAS
AND TOWARDS THE DFW AREA. WILL HAVE TO JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS AT
THIS POINT. ANOTHER TORNADO WATCH IS LIKELY TO BE ISSUED LATE THIS
AFTERNOON FOR MUCH OF NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS. WHILE THERE MAY NOT
BE MANY STORMS...THE STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP ARE EXPECTED TO POSE A
VERY HIGH THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER. CONDITIONS STILL LOOK
FAVORABLE FOR VERY LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES
WHEREVER SUPERCELLS DEVELOP.

A SQUALL LINE STILL LOOKS LIKELY TO DEVELOP ACROSS FAR SOUTHWEST
OKLAHOMA OR ACROSS NORTHWEST TEXAS THIS EVENING. THIS SQUALL LINE
STILL LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE VERY ORGANIZED AND POSE A WIDESPREAD
THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS AS IT MOVES SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTH TEXAS
LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT.

THE THREAT FOR FLOODING APPEARS TO BE UNCHANGED AT THIS TIME. WILL
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE THREAT FOR TRAINING STORMS THROUGH
TONIGHT...HOWEVER CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO ISSUE A FLASH
FLOOD WATCH AT THIS TIME.

MONDAY...THUNDERSTORMS ARE VERY LIKELY ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL
TEXAS MONDAY AFTERNOON...HOWEVER THE MODE AND OVERALL THREAT FOR
SEVERE WEATHER IS VERY UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. IF A LARGE SQUALL
LINE/DERECHO MOVES SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTH TEXAS OVERNIGHT...IT MAY
LEAVE A STRONG OUTFLOW BOUNDARY THAT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY ALTER THE
THERMODYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT FOR MONDAY. UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS
WITH STORMS THROUGH TONIGHT...IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY THE
EXACT THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS ON MONDAY. THERE WILL BE STRONG
LIFT AS THE UPPER TROUGH PULLS EAST OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS...AND
THERE WILL BE MOISTURE...SO OVERALL POPS ARE QUITE HIGH IN THE 50
TO 70 PERCENT CHANCE RANGE. THERE WILL PROBABLY BE A SUFFICIENT
AMOUNT OF WIND SHEAR TO SUPPORT ORGANIZED STORMS TOMORROW
AFTERNOON...HOWEVER CONDITIONS NEAR THE SURFACE MAY BE COOL AND
CLOUD COVER MAY INHIBIT SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY FOR MUCH OF THE
DAY TOMORROW. AT THIS TIME...THINK THAT THE LOCATIONS WITH THE
BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE STORMS TOMORROW AFTERNOON WILL TEND TO BE
SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20 AS THE OVERNIGHT SQUALL LINE IS MOST LIKELY
ALONG AND NORTH OF I-20. WE WILL OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO REEVALUATE THE
THERMODYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT TOMORROW MORNING AFTER THE SQUALL LINE
HAS MOVED EAST OF THE CWA.

TUESDAY...THE UPPER TROUGH/LOW IS EXPECTED TO BE OVER NORTH
TEXAS...CENTERED OVER THE RED RIVER. THERE IS A CHANCE OF SEEING
SOME STORMS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE UPPER LOW AS THE COLD AIR
ALOFT WILL HELP DESTABILIZE THE ENVIRONMENT...HOWEVER SKIES WILL
LIKELY BE OVERCAST...SO SURFACE BASED STORMS APPEAR TO BE VERY
UNLIKELY AT THIS TIME. SCATTERED ELEVATED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY NEAR THE CENTER OF THE UPPER LOW...SO
HAVE THE HIGHEST POPS NEAR THE RED RIVER...AND LOWEST POPS ACROSS
CENTRAL TEXAS ON TUESDAY.

WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...UPPER LEVEL RIDGING IS EXPECTED TO
RESULT IN A WARMING TREND UNDER MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE WEEK.

CAVANAUGH

&&

.PREVIOUS UPDATE /ISSUED AT 1239 PM/...

MESOSCALE FORECAST UPDATE REGARDING THE FORECAST FOR SEVERE
STORMS ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS TODAY...

12Z UPPER AIR ANALYSIS SHOWED AN INTENSE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH
LOCATED OVER THE SOUTHERN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO BORDER. 500 MB
HEIGHT FALLS OF 6 TO 12 DM WERE OBSERVED DOWNSTREAM OF THIS UPPER
TROUGH...AND THE MAGNITUDE OF THESE HEIGHT FALLS IS INDICATIVE OF
STRONG LARGE SCALE FORCING FOR ASCENT TO THE EAST. AT THE 700 MB
LEVEL...A PLUME OF STEEP MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES WAS OBSERVED...WITH
A TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE IN THE 700 TO 500 MB LAYER OF 22 DEG C
LOCATED SOUTHWEST OF NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS. TO THE SOUTHWEST OF
THIS PLUME OF ENHANCED LAPSE RATES...A 50 KT MID-LEVEL JET CORE
WAS OBSERVED OVER NORTHERN MEXICO. CLOSER TO THE SURFACE...AT THE
850 MB LEVEL...DEEP MOISTURE WAS ONLY OBSERVED OVER SOUTHWEST
TEXAS WITH A DRYLINE SUBJECTIVELY ANALYZED NEAR THE TX/OK
BORDER...EXTENDING SOUTHWEST OVER WEST CENTRAL TEXAS AND INTO
NORTHERN MEXICO ABOUT 60 MILES WEST OF DEL RIO. A 15Z SURFACE
ANALYSIS OBSERVED RICH MOISTURE IN PLACE ALONG THE TX GULF COAST
WITH MID 70S DEW POINTS OBSERVED WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF HOUSTON.

FOR TODAY...NEARLY ALL SHORT RANGE MODEL GUIDANCE INDICATES THAT A
SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL INTENSIFY RAPIDLY THIS AFTERNOON
OVER WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. MOST GUIDANCE SHOWS SURFACE PRESSURE
FALLING AT A RATE OF 2-3 MB PER HOUR LEADING UP TO 00Z. AT
15Z...THE LOWEST SURFACE PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS
WAS AROUND 1002 MB...MOST GUIDANCE INDICATES THE SURFACE LOW'S
PRESSURE WILL FALL TO 993 TO 995 MB BY 00Z. THAT MAGNITUDE OF
PRESSURE FALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE SURFACE LOW IS FAIRLY
INTENSE...AND SHOULD RESULT IN A CONVERGENCE OF PARAMETERS THAT
WILL SUPPORT A LOCALIZED SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK ACROSS THE
REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ONE OF THE KEY FORECAST
CHALLENGES TODAY WILL BE DETERMINING WHERE THE SURFACE LOW MOVES
AS THE RELATIVE THREATS FOR SUPERCELLS AND TORNADOES WILL VARY
DEPENDING ON THE EXACT POSITION OF THIS LOW LATER THIS AFTERNOON.

THE 12Z NAM AND 16Z HRRR INDICATE THE SURFACE LOW WILL BE LOCATED
JUST SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20 AND JUST NORTH OF SAN ANGELO. IF THIS
POSITION FOR THE SURFACE LOW IS CORRECT...THE THREAT FOR DISCRETE
SUPERCELLS WOULD BE MAXIMIZED TO THE EAST OF THE SURFACE
LOW...WHERE A TRIPLE POINT WOULD LIKELY SET UP. SUPERCELLS WOULD
BE MOST LIKELY TO DEVELOP NEAR THIS TRIPLE POINT...AND THEN MOVE
EAST IN THE RELATIVELY STRONG SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT. STORMS
APPEAR TO BE VERY LIKELY IN A SUPERCELL STORM MODE IF THEY DEVELOP
IN THIS TRIPLE POINT BY 00Z AS CAPE IS FORECAST TO BE ON THE ORDER
OF 3000 J/KG WITH DEEP LAYER SHEAR OF 50 KTS IN THE 0-6 KM AGL
LAYER. THE SHAPE OF THE 0-3 KM HODOGRAPH IS EXPECTED TO BE
CLOCKWISE LOOPING...AND DYNAMICALLY MORE FAVORABLE FOR RIGHT
MOVING SUPERCELLS. AS A RESULT...EXPECT SUPERCELL STORM MOTION TO
BE ALMOST DUE EAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING.

RIGHT MOVING SUPERCELLS LOOK MOST LIKELY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20
BASED ON THE FORECAST POSITION OF THE SURFACE LOW. THIS PLACES
MUCH OF CENTRAL TEXAS IN THE PRIMARY THREAT CORRIDOR FOR DISCRETE
SUPERCELLS. THE ENVIRONMENT IS SUPPORTIVE OF WELL-ORGANIZED
SUPERCELLS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WIND
GUSTS AND TORNADOES. THE RESIDENTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS ARE ENCOURAGED
TO PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING AS A RESULT. OF COURSE IF THE SURFACE LOW IS FARTHER NORTH
...THE PRIMARY THREAT CORRIDOR FOR DISCRETE SUPERCELLS WILL MOVE
NORTH WITH IT. AWAY FROM THIS PRIMARY THREAT CORRIDOR...IT IS
CERTAINLY POSSIBLE FOR SUPERCELLS TO DEVELOP JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE
IN THE WARM AIR ADVECTION REGIME INDICATED BY THE CLOCKWISE
LOOPING LOW-LEVEL HODOGRAPH. THIS LIFT/FORCING IS NOT AS STRONG
AND FOCUSED...SO IT IS SIMPLY MORE DIFFICULT TO KNOW IF...WHEN
AND WHERE A SUPERCELL MAY DEVELOP IN THIS WARM AIR ADVECTION
REGIME.

AFTER 00Z...THE VERY STRONG FORCING FOR ASCENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE
UPPER TROUGH OVER SOUTHERN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO IS EXPECTED TO
LIFT OUT OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THE LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE IS
CONVERGING ON A SOLUTION THAT SUGGESTS A VERY WELL ORGANIZED
SQUALL LINE WILL DEVELOP NEAR CHILDRESS...AND MOVE SOUTHEAST
TOWARDS NORTH TEXAS THIS EVENING. THERE ARE HINTS IN THE MODEL
MASS FIELDS THAT THIS SQUALL LINE COULD POTENTIALLY BE VERY WELL
ORGANIZED...AND MAY POSE A WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WIND THREAT AS IT
MOVES SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTH TEXAS OVERNIGHT. IF THIS SQUALL LINE
DOES INDEED ORGANIZE...IT MAY PERSIST LONG ENOUGH AND PRODUCE
ENOUGH STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE TO QUALIFY AS A DERECHO BY THE
TIME IT EXITS THE CWA TO THE EAST WELL AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE PRIMARY
TIME THIS SQUALL LINE/BOW-ECHO IS EXPECTED TO MOVE OVER NORTH
TEXAS IS FROM 10 PM TO 3 AM. THE EXISTENCE OF THIS SQUALL LINE IS
FAR FROM 100 PERCENT CERTAIN...BUT IT WILL PROBABLY ORGANIZE BASED
ON THE CONSISTENT SIGNAL IN THIS MORNING'S HIGH RESOLUTION MODEL
GUIDANCE. THE PRIMARY THREATS WITHIN THIS SQUALL LINE WOULD BE
DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. ASSUMING THE SQUALL LINE MOVES
THROUGH THE AREA AFTER SUNSET AS CURRENTLY FORECAST...THIS MAY
REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGH-END DAMAGING WINDS. REGARDLESS...
WIND DAMAGE WOULD STILL BE LIKELY AS THIS SQUALL LIKE WOULD
PROBABLY BE VERY WELL ORGANIZED. LARGE HAIL AND A BRIEF TORNADO
MAY ALSO OCCUR IN THIS LINE...ASSUMING IT DEVELOPS.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST...WE WILL ALSO BE MONITORING FOR HEAVY RAINFALL
AND FLASH FLOODING POTENTIAL THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. IF A WARM
FRONT SETS UP ALONG THE INTERSTATE 20 CORRIDOR...SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP ALONG THIS BOUNDARY AND TRAIN OVER
AREAS TO THE NORTHEAST. THIS MAY EVOLVE INTO ANOTHER LOCALIZED
FLASH FLOODING EVENT NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20 AND GENERALLY EAST OF
INTERSTATE 35...VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED ON FRIDAY. WILL HOLD
OFF ON A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NOW AS CONFIDENCE IN THIS TAKING
PLACE IS NOT HIGH AT THIS TIME. IF IT OCCURS...THESE LOCATIONS
HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED QUITE A BIT OF RAINFALL ON FRIDAY...SO
FLOODING WOULD TEND TO OCCUR QUICKLY IF STORMS BEGIN TO TRAIN OVER
THIS REGION THROUGH TONIGHT.

WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SHORT TERM FORECAST UPDATES FOR CONVECTION
MODE THROUGH THIS EVENING. EXPECT STORMS WILL START DEVELOPING
NEAR THE SURFACE LOW AND EVOLVE INTO DISCRETE SUPERCELLS BY/AFTER
4 PM/21Z.

CAVANAUGH

&&

.AVIATION...
/ISSUED 1256 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2015/
THE NEXT 24 HOURS WILL BE A VERY ACTIVE PERIOD FOR THE NORTH AND
CENTRAL TEXAS TAF SITES WITH CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR NUMEROUS
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH WILL BE SEVERE.

CONVECTION IS ONGOING SOUTHWEST OF METROPLEX TAF SITES AND JUST
TO THE WEST OF WACO. THIS ACTIVITY IS ELEVATED...AND BASED AROUND
10KFT. STEEP LAPSE RATES THROUGH THE COLUMN ARE LIKELY
CONTRIBUTING TO TURBULENCE IN THIS AREA AS WELL. LIGHTNING WILL BE
THE PRIMARY CONCERN AS THIS ACTIVITY CONTINUES TO PUSH TOWARDS THE
METROPLEX THIS AFTERNOON.

LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG THE DRYLINE AS SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY
INCREASES DUE TO STRONG LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE ADVECTION. IT APPEARS
THE GREATEST THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS NEAR THE METROPLEX WILL
OCCUR AFTER 02Z. HIGH RESOLUTION GUIDANCE IS KEYING IN ON AN AREA
ALONG A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY WHICH WOULD BE FAVORABLE FOR A
STRONG LINEAR CONVECTIVE SYSTEM TO DEVELOP AND RIDE THE BOUNDARY
EASTWARD TOWARD THE METROPLEX TAF SITES AROUND MIDNIGHT. THIS
SOLUTION IS FAR FROM CERTAIN...BUT THERE IS DECENT AGREEMENT FROM
SHORT TERM GUIDANCE WHICH LENDS CREDENCE TO THIS SCENARIO. THE
MAIN THREAT WITH THIS SOLUTION WOULD BE VERY STRONG WINDS...BUT
ALL TYPES OF SEVERE WEATHER WOULD STILL BE POSSIBLE IN THIS
FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT.

THE LINE OF STORMS BEING ADVERTISED ALONG THE STATIONARY BOUNDARY
WILL LIKELY BE TOO FAR NORTH TO IMPACT THE WACO TAF SITE.
HOWEVER... WACO WILL BE THREATENED BY DISCRETE SUPERCELLS
DEVELOPING LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING ALONG AND AHEAD
OF THE DRYLINE. AGAIN...ALL TYPES OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE
POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING IN CENTRAL TEXAS.

AFTER STORMS CLEAR OUT EARLY ON MONDAY MORNING...SOME BORDERLINE
IFR/MVFR CIGS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE WAKE OF THE WIDESPREAD
CONVECTION. HAVE KEPT TAF SITES ON THE LOW END OF MVFR FOR NOW
SINCE THERE IS MUCH UNCERTAINTY ON THE POST-CONVECTIVE ENVIRONMENT
TOMORROW.

STALLEY

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DALLAS-FT. WORTH, TX  63  69  53  63  48 /  70  60  60  20   5
WACO, TX              64  76  54  65  46 /  60  60  40  10   0
PARIS, TX             56  66  52  63  45 /  70  70  70  30   5
DENTON, TX            62  66  52  63  45 /  70  60  60  20   5
MCKINNEY, TX          60  66  52  63  46 /  70  70  70  20   5
DALLAS, TX            63  69  53  63  50 /  70  60  60  20   5
TERRELL, TX           61  70  54  63  48 /  60  70  70  20   5
CORSICANA, TX         64  73  54  64  48 /  60  60  60  20   0
TEMPLE, TX            64  81  55  66  48 /  60  30  40  10   0
MINERAL WELLS, TX     61  71  53  63  46 /  70  60  40  10   0

&&

.FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.

&&
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 26, 3:19 PM CDT, 56 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
319 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2015

TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-271245-
MONTAGUE-COOKE-GRAYSON-FANNIN-LAMAR-YOUNG-JACK-WISE-DENTON-COLLIN-
HUNT-DELTA-HOPKINS-STEPHENS-PALO PINTO-PARKER-TARRANT-DALLAS-
ROCKWALL-KAUFMAN-VAN ZANDT-RAINS-EASTLAND-ERATH-HOOD-SOMERVELL-
JOHNSON-ELLIS-HENDERSON-COMANCHE-MILLS-HAMILTON-BOSQUE-HILL-NAVARRO-
FREESTONE-ANDERSON-LAMPASAS-CORYELL-BELL-MCLENNAN-FALLS-LIMESTONE-
LEON-MILAM-ROBERTSON-
319 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MID
EVENING ACROSS ALL OF NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS. THE HIGHEST
CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ALONG AND WEST OF THE I-35
CORRIDOR. THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH VERY LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND POSSIBLY TORNADOES. THE TORNADO THREAT
IS GREATEST SOUTHWEST OF A DECATUR TO HILLSBORO TO TEMPLE LINE
BETWEEN 5 PM AND 9 PM.

THE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE NIGHTTIME
HOURS AS A LINE OF STORMS DEVELOPS OUT WEST AND MARCHES EAST
ACROSS MUCH OF NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS. DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE
WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREATS
TONIGHT...BUT A TORNADO CAN NOT BE RULED OUT.

ALL THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL THAT MAY LEAD TO FLASH
FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
THE IS A GOOD CHANCE OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORM ON MONDAY ACROSS
ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH
LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WINDS...BUT THE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER
SHOULD BE LOWER THAN SUNDAYS THREAT. HOWEVER...THE HEAVY RAINFALL
AND FLOODING THREAT WILL INCREASE MONDAY WITH LOCATIONS NORTH OF A
BOWIE TO DFW TO PALESTINE LINE HAVING THE HIGHER RAINFALL AMOUNTS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON ALONG AND WEST OF
I-35. SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY TONIGHT ACROSS ALL OF
NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 26, 3:33 PM CDT, 42 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
333 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0328 PM     TORNADO          4 NW SIDNEY             31.99N  98.78W
04/26/2015                   COMANCHE           TX   TRAINED SPOTTER
Local storm report, Apr 26, 3:46 PM CDT, 29 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
346 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0333 PM     TORNADO          8 NW COMANCHE           31.98N  98.72W
04/26/2015                   COMANCHE           TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTER 3SE OF RISING STAR REPORTED TORNADO W/DEBRIS TO
            THE SOUTH IN COMANCHE COUNTY.
Local storm report, Apr 26, 4:03 PM CDT, 12 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
403 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0402 PM     HAIL             7 W DE LEON             32.12N  98.67W
04/26/2015  E2.75 INCH       COMANCHE           TX   AMATEUR RADIO

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.

Fort Worth, TX (KFWD), 12:00Z

9.3 hours before the tornado, 141 km from the path. April 26, 2015.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Fort Worth, TX at 12:00Z on 2015-04-26Temperature 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 -90765, lifted condensation level 3257 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCL10008507005003002001001 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. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Fort Worth, TX at 12:00Z on 2015-04-26The 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 108 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 43 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
-90765 J/kg
Surface CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
3257 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
108 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
128 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
3.9 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Fort Worth, TX (KFWD), 00:00Z

2.7 hours after it, 141 km from the path. April 27, 2015.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Fort Worth, TX at 00:00Z on 2015-04-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 1199 joules per kilogram, CIN -82, lifted condensation level 1646 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.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. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Fort Worth, TX at 00:00Z on 2015-04-27The 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 68 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 59 knots.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. 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
1199 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-82 J/kg
Surface CAPE
2579 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1646 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
59 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
68 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
248 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
3.3
0-3 km lapse rate
8.4 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What was reported nearby

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

Time (UTC)ReportWhereCountyRemark
20:13 UTCTORNADO1 Wnw MayBrown, TXRESIDENT REPORTS TORNADO ON THE GROUND...AND IT HAS BEEN OBSERVED FOR THE LAST 10 MINUTES.
20:17 UTCHAIL 1.756 N MayBrown, TX
20:24 UTCTORNADO3 N MayBrown, TXVIDEO OF A TORNADO 3 MILES NORTH OF MAY VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
20:28 UTCTORNADO4 Nw SidneyComanche, TX$$
20:28 UTCTORNADO4 Nw SidneyComanche, TX
20:33 UTCTORNADO8 Nw ComancheComanche, TXSPOTTER 3SE OF RISING STAR REPORTED TORNADO W/DEBRIS TO THE SOUTH IN COMANCHE COUNTY.
21:00 UTCHAIL 4.5DusterComanche, TXSMASHED WIND
21:02 UTCHAIL 2.757 W De LeonComanche, TX$$
21:02 UTCHAIL 2.757 W De LeonComanche, TX
21:15 UTCTORNADO12 N GustineComanche, TXTORNADO ON GROUND 12N OF GUSTINE.
21:30 UTCTSTM WND GST 602 N ProctorComanche, TX$$
21:30 UTCTSTM WND GST 602 N ProctorComanche, TX
21:30 UTCTORNADO3 Sw DublinErath, TXSPOTTER REPORTS TORNADO 3SW OF DUBLIN.
21:31 UTCHAIL 11 N ProctorComanche, TX$$
21:31 UTCHAIL 11 N ProctorComanche, TX
21:41 UTCHAIL 2.752 E DublinErath, TXSPOTTER REPORT OF BASEBALL HAIL 2 EAST OF DUBLIN.
21:44 UTCHAIL 1.751 S DublinErath, TXSPOTTER REPORTS GOLF BALL HAIL COVERING THE ROAD 1 SOUTH OF DUBLIN.
22:12 UTCHAIL 1.50 S Rising StarEastland, TXIN RISING STAR
22:24 UTCHAIL 1.752 Wnw DublinErath, TXHAIL 2 INCHES DEEP ON HWY 6 AT COMANCHE/ERATH COUNTY LINE.
22:24 UTCHAIL 1.754 Ese De LeonComanche, TXHAIL AROUND 2 INCHES DEEP ON HWY 6 AT COMANCHE/ERATH COUNTY LINE.
22:24 UTCHAIL 1.754 Ese De LeonComanche, TXHAIL AROUND 2 INCHES DEEP ON HWY 6 AT EASTLAND/ERATH COUNTY LINE.
22:33 UTCHAIL 0.88RangerEastland, TX$$
22:33 UTCHAIL 0.88RangerEastland, TX
22:36 UTCHAIL 0.75Chalk MountainErath, TX$$
22:36 UTCHAIL 0.75Chalk MountainErath, TX
22:38 UTCTORNADO2 W Chalk MountainErath, TXBRIEF TORNADO
22:51 UTCHAIL 1.75GormanEastland, TX$$
22:51 UTCHAIL 1.75GormanEastland, TX
23:36 UTCHAIL 4.25StephenvilleErath, TXIN TOWN
23:47 UTCHAIL 4.255 Ne SeldenErath, TX
23:47 UTCHAIL 4.255 Ne StephenvilleErath, TX$$
23:47 UTCHAIL 4.255 Ne StephenvilleErath, TX
00:03 UTCTORNADO5 E StephenvilleErath, TX$$
00:03 UTCTORNADO5 E StephenvilleErath, TX
00:04 UTCTORNADO6 E StephenvilleErath, TXLARGE CONE

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

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2015 tornado in TexasEvery tornado in Texas since 1950Warnings in force in Texas nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of April 26, 2015

18 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
April 262:42 PM CDTEF0Coleman, TX0.150
April 263:10 PM CDTEF0Brown, TX3.350
April 263:28 PM CDTEF0Comanche, TX0.925
April 263:45 PM CDTEF0Comanche, TX1.350
April 264:05 PM CDTEF0Comanche, TX0.850
April 264:30 PM CDTEF0Erath, TX1.370
April 266:58 PM CDTEF0Erath, TX0.850
April 269:09 PM CDTEF0Somervell, TX0.225
April 2610:00 PM CDTEF1Brown, TX1.0175
April 2610:03 PM CDTEF0Johnson, TX2.0200$100,000
April 2610:24 PM CDTEF0Johnson, TX1.180
April 2610:33 PM CDTEF0Johnson, TX2.1200$50,000
April 2610:45 PM CDTEF0Johnson, TX0.925
April 2611:01 PM CDTEF0Johnson, TX5.4220$600,000
April 2611:16 PM CDTEF1Johnson, TX1.0100$60,000
April 2611:16 PM CDTEF0Johnson, TX1.680
April 2611:24 PM CDTEF0Hill, TX0.730
April 2611:25 PM CDTEF0Johnson, TX5.5100$200,000

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.