Dec 13, 2020 0600 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook
Updated: Sun Dec 13 05:48:03 UTC 2020 (20201213 1200Z Day 1 shapefile | 20201213 1200Z Day 1 KML)
Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table
Categorical Graphic
20201213 1200 UTC Day 1 Outlook Graphic
Day 1 Risk Area (sq. mi.) Area Pop. Some Larger Population Centers in Risk Area
MARGINAL 48,661 8,278,953 Houston, TX...Baton Rouge, LA...Pasadena, TX...Lafayette, LA...Beaumont, TX...
Probabilistic Tornado Graphic
20201213 1200 UTC Day 1 Tornado Probabilities Graphic
Probability of a tornado within 25 miles of a point.
Hatched Area: 10% or greater probability of EF2 - EF5 tornadoes within 25 miles of a point.
Day 1 Tornado Risk Area (sq. mi.) Area Pop. Some Larger Population Centers in Risk Area
2 % 27,754 7,177,286 Houston, TX...Pasadena, TX...Lafayette, LA...Beaumont, TX...Sugar Land, TX...
Probabilistic Damaging Wind Graphic
20201213 1200 UTC Day 1 Damaging Wind Probabilities Graphic
Probability of damaging thunderstorm winds or wind gusts of 50 knots or higher within 25 miles of a point.
Hatched Area: 10% of greater probability of wind gusts 65 knots or greater within 25 miles of a point.
Day 1 Wind Risk Area (sq. mi.) Area Pop. Some Larger Population Centers in Risk Area
5 % 49,015 8,282,880 Houston, TX...Baton Rouge, LA...Pasadena, TX...Lafayette, LA...Beaumont, TX...
Probabilistic Large Hail Graphic
20201213 1200 UTC Day 1 Large Hail Probabilities Graphic
Probability of hail 1" or larger within 25 miles of a point.
Hatched Area: 10% or greater probability of hail 2" or larger within 25 miles of a point.
Day 1 Hail Risk Area (sq. mi.) Area Pop. Some Larger Population Centers in Risk Area
No Risk Areas Forecast
   SPC AC 130548

   Day 1 Convective Outlook  
   NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
   1148 PM CST Sat Dec 12 2020

   Valid 131200Z - 141200Z

   ...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM THE
   MIDDLE/UPPER TX COAST INTO SOUTHEAST TX AND CENTRAL/SOUTHERN LA...

   ...SUMMARY...
   Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms may impact parts of the
   Upper Texas Coast and southern/central Louisiana on Sunday. Damaging
   wind gusts and perhaps a tornado or two are the main threats.

   ...Middle/Upper Texas Coast into Southern/Central Louisiana...
   Shortwave trough currently moving through the Four Corners region is
   forecast to continue quickly southeastward, reaching the southern
   High Plains by later this morning. This shortwave is then expected
   to pivot more eastward across the southern Plains and Lower MS
   Valley, while also obtaining a more neutral tilt. This transition to
   a more neutral tilt will also be accompanied by strengthening
   mid-level flow as well as increasing low-level flow throughout the
   warm sector and surface cyclogenesis. 

   Surface low resulting from this cyclogenesis will likely develop
   along the middle TX Coast before moving northeastward across central
   LA and into central MS. This path will limit the inland penetration
   of the warm sector, with low 60s dewpoints likely remaining confined
   from the middle TX coast in southeast TX during the day. Later this
   evening and overnight, low 60s dewpoints will likely reach central
   portions of the Lower MS Valley and Southeast states.

   Primary forecast concern is whether or not surface-based storms will
   be able to establish within the warm sector over southeast TX/Upper
   TX Coast. Based on forecast soundings, surface temperatures likely
   need to reach the low/mid 70s for surface-based storms, which
   appears most probable from the middle TX Coast into southwest LA in
   the 18 to 21Z time frame. Given the impressive kinematic profiles,
   the expectation is that any warm-sector storms that are able to
   persist and maintain updraft continuity should be able to organize
   into supercells. Primary threat would be damaging wind gusts, but a
   tornado or two is also possible. One additional factor working
   against tornadogenesis (in addition to limited instability and a
   potentially elevated storm structure) is the anticipated veering of
   the low-level winds during the afternoon ahead of the cold front.

   A strongly forced, but narrow line of storms is anticipated along
   the front in the wake of the earlier warm-sector activity. A few
   stronger gusts are possible from the middle TX coast into southern
   LA as this line moves through. Low-level stability will likely limit
   strong gusts at the surface across much of east TX and
   northern/central LA, but potential exists for a few gusts to be 
   strong enough to penetrate the stable layer. Overnight, storms
   should have a tendency to become more elevated with eastern extent
   into the Southeast as the system outpaces the low-level moisture
   along the coast.

   ..Mosier.. 12/13/2020

   CLICK TO GET WUUS01 PTSDY1 PRODUCT

   NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 1 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1300Z