Contact: Randee Exler                  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
         Marilu Trainor                May 20, 1998

The National Weather Service announced today that the tornado warnings issued during the storms that devastated central Texas nearly one year ago provided people in the area with adequate lead time to take appropriate safety measures. The agency, in releasing its service assessment of the May 27 tornadoes, also honored emergency managers and a grocery store manager who helped safeguard lives during this event.

"All major population centers in central Texas received advance warnings of the tornadoes ranging from several minutes to hours before the storms struck," said James Henderson, leader of the 12-member interagency NWS service assessment team.

The NWS conducts service assessments following significant weather-related events. A multi-disciplined team assembles within days of the event to collect data, review the service rendered by the local NWS field offices and national centers, and assess how the NWS coordinated with local emergency management officials and media to warn the public of impending dangerous weather. The team also looks at how the public responded to warnings and whether proper safety procedures were followed.

Henderson, whose normal assignment is deputy director for the NWS Aviation Weather Center in Kansas City, said, "Service assessments help us learn from the past and refine what works and what could work even better. By analyzing a variety of data, the National Weather Service, along with our partners in emergency management and the media, can look back and perhaps give better warnings in the future."

On May 27, 1997, there were 22 tornadoes and 12 events of large hail in central Texas. The most damaging of the tornadoes was an incredibly violent tornado, rated an F5 on the Fujita Tornado Intensity Scale (complete devastation -- strong frame houses lifted off foundations and carried considerable distance to disintegration), that occurred near the community of Jarrell in Williamson County.

According to NWS records, there had never been a tornado this devastating reported in either Williamson or Travis County. The Jarrell tornado was responsible for 27 of the 30 fatalities that occurred on that day. Additional deaths occurred with the Cedar Park tornado, the Pedernales Valley tornado and with flash flooding later in the day.

"The weather pattern that spawned this tornado outbreak was unusual for springtime central Texas tornadoes," said Henderson. "The tornadoes moved in an unusual direction, traveling south-southwestward, rather than northeastward. Witnesses commented that the tornado came first, and then hail, and then heavy rain, which is backwards from what is viewed as 'typical' of tornadoes in a super cell thunderstorm."

"Overall, National Weather Service performance at the Dallas/Ft. Worth and Austin/San Antonio forecast offices involved in this event was good," said Henderson. "Watches were issued for all events well in advance and population centers throughout central Texas received warnings with significant lead times." Some management issues were identified by the Service Assessment Team at the NWS Austin/San Antonio forecast office that have since been addressed, including training on monitoring HAM radio equipment and assigning duties during severe weather events.

The Dallas/Fort Worth office issued 10 tornado warnings and additional products during the period from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. on May 27. The Moody and Lake Belton tornadoes were preceded by tornado warnings that had lead times of 24 and 47 minutes, respectively. The Lorena tornado, a weak tornado that lasted for three minutes, occurred about one minute before a tornado warning was issued.

The Austin/San Antonio office issued eight tornado warnings and numerous other products associated with severe thunderstorms and flash floods during the period from 3:30 to 10 p.m. The tornado warning for Jarrell had a lead time of ten minutes. The lead times for the Cedar Park tornado and the Pedernales Valley tornado were 30 minutes and 31 minutes, respectively.

Henderson noted that nearly everyone interviewed was aware of the warnings. "NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) was used by emergency managers. However, it was not the first choice of the public. The Texas law enforcement telecommunications system was effective in dissemination warnings. Some delays were noted in emergency alert system activations.

"Because people in the Double Creek Estates subdivision died while following standard tornado safety rules, there was a misconception about the utility of these rules," he said.

However, further study of the remaining tornadoes this day revealed that many lives were saved by following the standard rules of seeking shelter and not trying to flee an approaching tornado. Agency representatives encourage individuals to review tornado safety rules.

As part of the May 20 briefing, the NWS issued Public Service Awards and Letters of Commendation to several emergency management agencies and to Larry Fore, the Albertsons Food and Drug Store manager in Cedar Park who moved customers and employees to a meat locker prior to the arrival of a tornado -- an action that probably saved their lives. In addition to Fore, those invited to accept the awards include:

     John Durham, Bell County Emergency Management Coordinator, Belton
     Rodney Baden, McLennan County Emergency Management Coordinator, Waco
     John I. Sneed, Williamson County Emergency Management Coordinator,    
               Georgetown 
     Pete Baldwin, Travis County Emergency Management Coordinator, Austin
     Capt. Mark Moss, City of Georgetown Emergency Management Coordinator,                
Georgetown 
     Dale Fuller, City of Cedar Park Emergency Management Coordinator, Cedar 
               Park