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.

  1. EF065 to 85 mph

    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. 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)ExpiredProductOffice
13:46 UTC18:16 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WatchFWD
15:45 UTC16:45 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWD
15:47 UTC16:30 UTCTornado WarningFWD
16:17 UTC17:00 UTCTornado WarningFWD
16:30 UTC17:00 UTCTornado WarningFWD
16:42 UTC17:07 UTCTornado WarningFWD
17:01 UTC17:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWD

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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Fort Worth, TX at 12:00Z on 2019-04-13Temperature 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 -80550, lifted condensation level 651 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, Fort Worth, TX at 12:00Z on 2019-04-13The 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 531 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 69 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
-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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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

6.8 hours after it, 243 km from the path. April 14, 2019.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Fort Worth, TX at 00:00Z on 2019-04-14Temperature 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 -74284, lifted condensation level 539 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, Fort Worth, TX at 00:00Z on 2019-04-14The 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 67 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 29 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
-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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Hearne (LHB), 16 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
15:15 UTC66.266.290° 7 kt1001-VCTSRA
15:35 UTC676760° 8 kt1000.7-TSRA
16:15 UTC180° 23 kt281000.7+TSRA
16:35 UTC66.766.7180° 9 kt221000.7+TSRA
16:55 UTC66.466.40° 0 kt1000.7-TSRA
17:15 UTC62.462.2280° 20 kt441003.4VCTS
17:35 UTC57.257.2290° 16 kt291003.7-TSRA
17:55 UTC57.457.2310° 12 kt211003-TSRA
18:15 UTC57.657.2320° 10 kt151003TSRA
18:35 UTC57.457340° 7 kt1003-TSRA
18:55 UTC57.657.2350° 7 kt151001.7-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)ReportWhereCountyRemark
14:55 UTCHAIL 1.75RockdaleMilam, TXGOLF BALL SIZED HAIL REPORTED IN ROCKDALE
16:01 UTCTORNADO4 Nnw HearneRobertson, TXTREE DAMAGE REPORTED 4 MILES NNW OF HEARNE
16:14 UTCTORNADOMumfordRobertson, TXA 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 UTCTORNADOFranklinRobertson, TXDAMAGE TO SEVERAL HOMES IN FRANKLIN.
16:18 UTCTORNADO1 Sw FranklinRobertson, TXMETAL BUILDING DESTROYED 1 MILE SW OF FRANKLIN
16:20 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Sw FranklinRobertson, TXFRANKLIN SAFARI ANIMAL PARK SUFFERED DAMAGE TO FENCES WITH ANIMAL HOUSES DESTROYED.
16:36 UTCTSTM WND DMGRidgeRobertson, TXMULTIPLE TREES DOWN ON US 79 E OF FRANKLIN TO THE ROBERTSON/LEON CO LINE. TRAFFIC BLOCKED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
16:50 UTCTORNADO1 Sw MarquezLeon, TXREPORTS OF TREES DOWN ON HWY 79 SW OF MARQUEZ
17:28 UTCTSTM WND DMGBryanBrazos, TXLARGE TREE LIMB DOWN.
17:40 UTCTSTM WND DMGCrossGrimes, TXTREES 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.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
April 1310:50 AM CDTEF3Robertson, TX32.5250$250,000
April 1311:26 AM CDTEF1Houston, TX8.92004$300,000
April 1311:46 AM CDTEF2Cherokee, TX0.8400$250,000
April 1311:52 AM CDTEF2Cherokee, TX2.5400$600,000
April 1312:12 PM CDTEF1Leon, TX11.2150$10,000
April 1312:20 PM CDTEF2Houston, TX6.0100$250,000
April 131:00 PM CDTEF3Houston, TX41.1880220$11 million
April 131:45 PM CDTEF0Houston, TX0.250
April 132:38 PM CDTEF1Nacogdoches, TX0.8100$5,000
April 134:04 PM CDTEF1Tensas Parish, LA17.31,230$70,000
April 134:13 PM CDTEF1Tensas Parish, LA5.0950$50,000
April 134:35 PM CDTEF1Madison Parish, LA1.0840$15,000
April 134:44 PM CDTEF0Madison Parish, LA2.850
April 134:57 PM CDTEF2Warren, MS20.2700$135,000
April 135:04 PM CDTEF2Warren, MS4.3440$800,000
April 135:08 PM CDTEF2Warren, MS2.7175$375,000
April 136:00 PM CDTEF0Yazoo, MS2.925$10,000
April 136:42 PM CDTEF1Holmes, MS1.6100
April 137:06 PM CDTEF1Attala, MS0.550$20,000
April 137:09 PM CDTEF0Madison Parish, LA4.450$5,000
April 137:35 PM CDTEF1Leake, MS4.9300
April 138:10 PM CDTEF1Pike, MS7.5125
April 139:08 PM CDTEF1Webster, MS2.7400$85,000
April 139:26 PM CDTEF0Webster, MS0.3100$30,000
April 139:39 PM CDTEF1Covington, MS4.12502$120,000
April 139:55 PM CDTEF2Oktibbeha, MS8.8830$210,000
April 1310:18 PM CDTEF1Oktibbeha, MS4.5400$35,000
April 1311:06 PM CDTEF2Monroe, MS11.3800119$3.0 million
April 1311:19 PM CDTEF2Kemper, MS8.4700$80,000
April 1311:22 PM CDTEF2Monroe, MS13.2800$500,000
April 1311:36 PM CDTEF1Clarke, MS7.0300$120,000
April 1311:48 PM CDTEF1Clarke, MS4.6200$50,000
April 1311:55 PM CDTEF2Clarke, MS6.1400$95,000
April 1311:57 PM CDTEF1Marion, AL1.2440
April 1312:14 AM CDTEF1Franklin, AL6.380

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.