Tornadoes · United States · Texas · 2019
Unrated tornado, Mumford, Texas, April 13, 2019
This Unrated tornado ran 2.3 miles across Robertson County on April 13, 2019, touching down at 12:14 PM CDT and reaching 50 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.
EF065 to 85 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
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.
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.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
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.
Unratedthis tornado
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
- Unrated
- Date
- April 13, 2019
- Touchdown
- 12:14 PM CDT (17:14 UTC)
- Lifted
- 12:19 PM CDT (17:19 UTC)
- On the ground
- 5 minutes
- Path length
- 2.3 miles (3.7 km)
- Path width
- 50 yards (46 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- County
- Robertson County
- Touchdown point
- 30.730, -96.550
- Lift-off point
- 30.756, -96.523
- Record number
- 1904131114-01
The damage survey
11 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS FWD, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF1. The highest wind the damage implies is 90 mph.
- roof is gone. parts are displaced east
- Approximate location where tornado started.
Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.
What the Weather Service recorded
A strong upper level trough generated scattered to numerous thunderstorms across North and Central Texas on Saturday April 13. Storms were mainly hail producers early in the day, but damaging winds and a few tornadoes occurred across the southern counties in the vicinity of a stationary front in the late morning and afternoon hours.
A brief EF-0 tornado was confirmed from 3 videos just east of the town of Mumford, TX in southern Robertson County. No damage was reported as the track stayed in open farmland.
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. One was issued for the county at another hour that day.
The county was under a severe thunderstorm watch, issued at 13:46 UTC and running to 18:16 UTC.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13:46 UTC | 18:16 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | FWD |
| 15:45 UTC | 16:45 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD |
| 15:47 UTC | 16:30 UTC | Tornado Warning | FWD |
| 16:17 UTC | 17:00 UTC | Tornado Warning | FWD |
| 16:30 UTC | 17:00 UTC | Tornado Warning | FWD |
| 16:42 UTC | 17:07 UTC | Tornado Warning | FWD |
| 17:01 UTC | 17:30 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD |
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 Enhanced Risk, with a 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 16:12 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.
Fort Worth, TX (KFWD), 12:00Z
5.2 hours before the tornado, 243 km from the path. April 13, 2019.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -80550 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 651 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 69 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 32 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 531 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 763 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.9
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 2.9 K/km
Fort Worth, TX (KFWD), 00:00Z
6.8 hours after it, 243 km from the path. April 14, 2019.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -74284 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 41 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 539 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 29 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 14 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 67 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 286 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 5.1 K/km
The surface observations
Hearne (LHB), 16 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15:15 UTC | 66.2 | 66.2 | 90° 7 kt | 1001 | -VCTSRA | |
| 15:35 UTC | 67 | 67 | 60° 8 kt | 1000.7 | -TSRA | |
| 16:15 UTC | 180° 23 kt | 28 | 1000.7 | +TSRA | ||
| 16:35 UTC | 66.7 | 66.7 | 180° 9 kt | 22 | 1000.7 | +TSRA |
| 16:55 UTC | 66.4 | 66.4 | 0° 0 kt | 1000.7 | -TSRA | |
| 17:15 UTC | 62.4 | 62.2 | 280° 20 kt | 44 | 1003.4 | VCTS |
| 17:35 UTC | 57.2 | 57.2 | 290° 16 kt | 29 | 1003.7 | -TSRA |
| 17:55 UTC | 57.4 | 57.2 | 310° 12 kt | 21 | 1003 | -TSRA |
| 18:15 UTC | 57.6 | 57.2 | 320° 10 kt | 15 | 1003 | TSRA |
| 18:35 UTC | 57.4 | 57 | 340° 7 kt | 1003 | -TSRA | |
| 18:55 UTC | 57.6 | 57.2 | 350° 7 kt | 15 | 1001.7 | -RA |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Ft Hood radar (KGRK), 81 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 17:14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:55 UTC | HAIL 1.75 | Rockdale | Milam, TX | GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL REPORTED IN ROCKDALE |
| 16:01 UTC | TORNADO | 4 Nnw Hearne | Robertson, TX | TREE DAMAGE REPORTED 4 MILES NNW OF HEARNE |
| 16:14 UTC | TORNADO | Mumford | Robertson, TX | A BRIEF EF0 TORNADO CONFIRMED FROM 3 VIDEOS JUST EAST OF THE TOWN OF MUMFORD TX. NO DAMAGE WAS REPORTED AS THE TRACK STAYED IN OPEN FARMLAND. |
| 16:15 UTC | TORNADO | Franklin | Robertson, TX | DAMAGE TO SEVERAL HOMES IN FRANKLIN. |
| 16:18 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Sw Franklin | Robertson, TX | METAL BUILDING DESTROYED 1 MILE SW OF FRANKLIN |
| 16:20 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 4 Sw Franklin | Robertson, TX | FRANKLIN SAFARI ANIMAL PARK SUFFERED DAMAGE TO FENCES WITH ANIMAL HOUSES DESTROYED. |
| 16:36 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Ridge | Robertson, TX | MULTIPLE TREES DOWN ON US 79 E OF FRANKLIN TO THE ROBERTSON/LEON CO LINE. TRAFFIC BLOCKED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. |
| 16:50 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Sw Marquez | Leon, TX | REPORTS OF TREES DOWN ON HWY 79 SW OF MARQUEZ |
| 17:28 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Bryan | Brazos, TX | LARGE TREE LIMB DOWN. |
| 17:40 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Cross | Grimes, TX | TREES SNAPPED. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2019 tornado in TexasEvery tornado in Texas since 1950Warnings in force in Texas nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of April 13, 2019
35 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 13 | 10:50 AM CDT | EF3 | Robertson, TX | 32.5 | 250 | $250,000 | ||
| April 13 | 11:26 AM CDT | EF1 | Houston, TX | 8.9 | 200 | 4 | $300,000 | |
| April 13 | 11:46 AM CDT | EF2 | Cherokee, TX | 0.8 | 400 | $250,000 | ||
| April 13 | 11:52 AM CDT | EF2 | Cherokee, TX | 2.5 | 400 | $600,000 | ||
| April 13 | 12:12 PM CDT | EF1 | Leon, TX | 11.2 | 150 | $10,000 | ||
| April 13 | 12:20 PM CDT | EF2 | Houston, TX | 6.0 | 100 | $250,000 | ||
| April 13 | 1:00 PM CDT | EF3 | Houston, TX | 41.1 | 880 | 2 | 20 | $11 million |
| April 13 | 1:45 PM CDT | EF0 | Houston, TX | 0.2 | 50 | |||
| April 13 | 2:38 PM CDT | EF1 | Nacogdoches, TX | 0.8 | 100 | $5,000 | ||
| April 13 | 4:04 PM CDT | EF1 | Tensas Parish, LA | 17.3 | 1,230 | $70,000 | ||
| April 13 | 4:13 PM CDT | EF1 | Tensas Parish, LA | 5.0 | 950 | $50,000 | ||
| April 13 | 4:35 PM CDT | EF1 | Madison Parish, LA | 1.0 | 840 | $15,000 | ||
| April 13 | 4:44 PM CDT | EF0 | Madison Parish, LA | 2.8 | 50 | |||
| April 13 | 4:57 PM CDT | EF2 | Warren, MS | 20.2 | 700 | $135,000 | ||
| April 13 | 5:04 PM CDT | EF2 | Warren, MS | 4.3 | 440 | $800,000 | ||
| April 13 | 5:08 PM CDT | EF2 | Warren, MS | 2.7 | 175 | $375,000 | ||
| April 13 | 6:00 PM CDT | EF0 | Yazoo, MS | 2.9 | 25 | $10,000 | ||
| April 13 | 6:42 PM CDT | EF1 | Holmes, MS | 1.6 | 100 | |||
| April 13 | 7:06 PM CDT | EF1 | Attala, MS | 0.5 | 50 | $20,000 | ||
| April 13 | 7:09 PM CDT | EF0 | Madison Parish, LA | 4.4 | 50 | $5,000 | ||
| April 13 | 7:35 PM CDT | EF1 | Leake, MS | 4.9 | 300 | |||
| April 13 | 8:10 PM CDT | EF1 | Pike, MS | 7.5 | 125 | |||
| April 13 | 9:08 PM CDT | EF1 | Webster, MS | 2.7 | 400 | $85,000 | ||
| April 13 | 9:26 PM CDT | EF0 | Webster, MS | 0.3 | 100 | $30,000 | ||
| April 13 | 9:39 PM CDT | EF1 | Covington, MS | 4.1 | 250 | 2 | $120,000 | |
| April 13 | 9:55 PM CDT | EF2 | Oktibbeha, MS | 8.8 | 830 | $210,000 | ||
| April 13 | 10:18 PM CDT | EF1 | Oktibbeha, MS | 4.5 | 400 | $35,000 | ||
| April 13 | 11:06 PM CDT | EF2 | Monroe, MS | 11.3 | 800 | 1 | 19 | $3.0 million |
| April 13 | 11:19 PM CDT | EF2 | Kemper, MS | 8.4 | 700 | $80,000 | ||
| April 13 | 11:22 PM CDT | EF2 | Monroe, MS | 13.2 | 800 | $500,000 | ||
| April 13 | 11:36 PM CDT | EF1 | Clarke, MS | 7.0 | 300 | $120,000 | ||
| April 13 | 11:48 PM CDT | EF1 | Clarke, MS | 4.6 | 200 | $50,000 | ||
| April 13 | 11:55 PM CDT | EF2 | Clarke, MS | 6.1 | 400 | $95,000 | ||
| April 13 | 11:57 PM CDT | EF1 | Marion, AL | 1.2 | 440 | |||
| April 13 | 12:14 AM CDT | EF1 | Franklin, AL | 6.3 | 80 |
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.