A strong upper level trough entered the Southern Plains during the afternoon hours of April 12th, which allowed southerly low level winds to gradually return warm and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico north into East Texas and North Louisiana. An upper level disturbance ejecting northeast ahead of the trough across portions of East Texas and North Louisiana during the early morning hours of April 13th carried enough elevated instability, shear, and forcing north of an advancing warm front over Southeast Texas and South Louisiana, such that scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed, with numerous reports of large hail and occasional damaging winds received. The warm front continued to gradually mix north northwest into East Texas and Northcentral Louisiana by late morning and early afternoon hours, with a very warm, moist, and unstable air mass noted over Deep East Texas and portions of Northcentral Louisiana south of the front. Coupled with even stronger forcing and low level shear ahead of the approaching upper trough, additional strong to severe thunderstorms developed near and south of the front from late morning through the afternoon, producing numerous reports of damaging winds with several tornadoes across portions of East Texas. These showers and thunderstorms diminished by early evening with the departure of the trough, and the arrival of an associated cold front which brought about cooler, drier, and more stable air southeast into the region.

Thunderstorm Wind in NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 13:40:00 to 13-APR-19 13:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: SWIFT
Magnitude: 87.00 EG
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

Damaging straight line winds estimated to be near 100 mph were found intermittently along a path from south of Nacogdoches to west-northwest of the Martinsville community. The greatest concentration of damage was near the intersection of County Road 239 and FM 2713, where approximately 50 trees were snapped or uprooted, the roof of a chicken house was removed, one home sustained roof damage, and another home had their windows broken from flying debris.

Hail in SHELBY, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 08:55:00 to 13-APR-19 08:55:00 (CST-6)
Location: JAMES
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Quarter size hail covered the ground east northeast of Center.

Hail in HARRISON, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 09:16:00 to 13-APR-19 09:16:00 (CST-6)
Location: MARSHALL
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

Nickel size hail fell in Marshall.

Thunderstorm Wind in RUSK, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 12:05:00 to 13-APR-19 12:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: REEDS
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Trees were downed across Highway 42 near the intersection of County Road 142D between the Laird Hill and Leveretts Chapel communities.

Thunderstorm Wind in ANGELINA, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 13:05:00 to 13-APR-19 13:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: POLLOK
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A KTRE-TV weather watcher reported portions of a metal roof were blown off of a home in the Pollok community. Numerous tree limbs were downed in the area as well.

Tornado in RUSK, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 12:54:00 to 13-APR-19 13:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: REKLAW
Tornado F-scale: EF3
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This is a continuation of the Cherokee and Northwest Nacogdoches County tornado that tore through the Alto and Sacul communities. This tornado crossed County Roads 4265 and 4238 in extreme Southern Rusk County, where numerous trees were snapped and uprooted. The tornado continued northeast across the East Fork Angelina River, Highway 84, and County Road 4233, where it began to weaken as much of the damage over these areas consisted of snapped large limbs. The tornado finally lifted on County Road 4233 near the intersection of FM 2753. The maximum estimated winds in Southern Rusk County was near 105 mph primarily in the area of County Roads 4265 and 4238.

Thunderstorm Wind in NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 13:20:00 to 13-APR-19 13:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: LOONEYVILLE
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A tree was downed on FM 225 just south of Cushing.

Thunderstorm Wind in NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 13:10:00 to 13-APR-19 13:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: DOUGLASS
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A tree was blown down across FM 225 south of the Douglass community.

Thunderstorm Wind in SHELBY, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 13:50:00 to 13-APR-19 13:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: TIMPSON
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Trees were blown down near the Shelby/Panola County line northwest of Timpson.

Thunderstorm Wind in SHELBY, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 14:08:00 to 13-APR-19 14:08:00 (CST-6)
Location: SHELBYVILLE
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Trees were blown down near Shelbyville.

Thunderstorm Wind in SABINE, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 14:23:00 to 13-APR-19 14:23:00 (CST-6)
Location: PINELAND MUNI ARPT
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Trees were downed just south of Pineland.

Thunderstorm Wind in SABINE, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 14:35:00 to 13-APR-19 14:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: HEMPHILL
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Trees were downed just northeast of Hemphill.

Hail in CASS, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 09:40:00 to 13-APR-19 09:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: BANCKER
Magnitude: 2.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Tennis ball size hail fell east of Linden near the Kildare community.

Hail in WOOD, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 09:55:00 to 13-APR-19 09:55:00 (CST-6)
Location: MINEOLA WISENER ARPT
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Quarter size hail fell just south southwest of Quitman.

Thunderstorm Wind in ANGELINA, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 13:07:00 to 13-APR-19 13:07:00 (CST-6)
Location: CENTRAL
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A tree fell on the vehicle in the 1800 block of Dewitt Henson Road near Pollok, killing an 8 year old boy and a 3 year old boy sitting in the backseat. The two parents sitting in the front seat sustained minor injuries.

Tornado in CHEROKEE, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 10:52:00 to 13-APR-19 11:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: ALTO
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 600.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The same storm that produced an EF-2 tornado over Southern Cherokee County about 6 miles south southwest of Alto produced another EF-2 tornado with maximum estimated winds near 120 mph across the southern and western sections of the city of Alto, where it damaged structures along Highway 21, Blaton Street, and Putnam Avenue. Damage included shifting a single family home off of its foundation and significant roof damage to another home on Quincy Avenue. Several other homes sustained structural damage as the tornado tracked across the west side of Alto and then crossed Highway 69. The tornado then moved across the Alto Independent School District (ISD) and damaged its gymnasium and roofs to structures on the campus. It was near the Alto ISD where a second stronger tornado crossed paths with this tornado as it tore through the western and northern sections of Alto just over an hour later.

Thunderstorm Wind in HARRISON, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 03:40:00 to 13-APR-19 03:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: SCOTTSVILLE
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A tree fell on a car on Highway 80 near FM 2199.

Thunderstorm Wind in HARRISON, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 03:50:00 to 13-APR-19 03:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: JONESVILLE
Magnitude: 65.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Numerous trees down on FM 1998, as well as Highway 80 near Scottsville. At least ten power poles were downed near Scottsville as well. Trees were also downed on the roadways near Karnack.

Hail in SMITH, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 08:50:00 to 13-APR-19 08:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: WHITEHOUSE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Quarter size hail fell in the Antioch community.

Tornado in CHEROKEE, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 12:20:00 to 13-APR-19 12:47:00 (CST-6)
Location: MORRILL
Tornado F-scale: EF3
Property damage: 10.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF-3 tornado with maximum estimated winds near 160 mph that originally touched down in Houston County about 9 miles northeast of Crockett crossed the Neches River into Southwest Cherokee County, where it snapped and uprooted thousands of trees along its path. The tornado paralleled Highway 21 before reaching the city of Alto, where it severely damaged or destroyed approximately 20 homes. Included along the damage path southwest of Alto was the Caddo Mounds Sate Historic Site building, which had its roof torn off, nearly all of its exterior walls removed, and was left to only a few interior rooms in the building. Several people were outside running to get inside for safety when the building was destroyed, resulting in one fatality and a number of serious injuries. Multiple cars in the parking lot were thrown 150 yards into trees and across Highway 21. The tornado then went on to lift and destroy a double wide mobile home, throwing it 50 yards. As the tornado continued along Highway 21, its most significant damage was at a single family home and the St. Thomas Chapel which saw their roofs and exterior walls collapsed. Winds were estimated at 150 mph at this point.
As the tornado neared Alto, it destroyed three homes along Highway 294 and Singletary Street, recording high end EF-3 damage as it wiped the lower level of a two story home off of its foundation and left the top story of the home 20 yards away from the foundation. This damage was reviewed by tornado damage experts from the National Weather Service (NWS) Southern Region Headquarters, NWS Norman, and the Warning Decision Training Division who all agreed it was high end EF-3 damage (with maximum estimated winds near 160 mph) based off how the home walls were separated from the bolts which anchored them to the foundation. Surrounding damage indicators also validated the EF-3 tornado determination.
The storm then went on to destroy several homes and mobile homes at nearby Alto Elementary School and Alto High School. It also snapped a metal power pole before crossing Highway 69, where it went on to snap and debark several trees in rural Cherokee County north of Alto before crossing FM 343 and into extreme Northwest Nacogdoches County.

Thunderstorm Wind in ANGELINA, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 13:15:00 to 13-APR-19 13:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: PROSSER
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

A tree was snapped off at the top and damaged the nearby roof of a building in South Lufkin. Other large limbs were downed in the area as well.

Tornado in NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 12:47:00 to 13-APR-19 12:54:00 (CST-6)
Location: SACUL
Tornado F-scale: EF3
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This is a continuation of the Cherokee County EF-3 tornado that tore through the Alto community. This tornado continued to track northeast across extreme Northwest Nacogdoches County, where numerous trees were snapped and uprooted along County Road 898 and FM 1648 as it approached the Sacul community. The tornado moved through the southeast sections of Sacul, where additional trees were snapped and uprooted, headstones were shifted off their foundations in a cemetery, a metal flag pole was bent at a 45 degree angle, and a tree fell on a home on Highway 204. The tornado continued northeast crossing County Road 988 and just east of County Road 991 near the Rusk County line, where numerous trees were snapped and uprooted, and a large section of a metal roof was torn off of a home, before crossing over into Southern Rusk County. The damage to the home here was the strongest in Northwest Nacogdoches County, with maximum estimated winds near 120 mph.

Tornado in NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 13:38:00 to 13-APR-19 13:39:00 (CST-6)
Location: CHIRENO
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF-1 tornado with maximum estimated winds near 95 mph touched down along County Road 442 a few miles southwest of Chireno, where numerous trees were snapped or uprooted in a heavily wooded area, while continuing northeast along and across County Road 443. The tornado lifted just east of County Road 443, although the rear flank downdraft from this storm tore off a 100 foot section of tin roofing from a vacant chicken house just off of County Road 442. Portions of the roofs from three other adjacent vacant chicken houses were partially lifted up about two inches. Damaging straight line winds of 80-85 mph from this same storm uprooted a tree in front of the Chireno ISD Building on Main Street in Chireno, with numerous trees downed in a north northeasterly direction along Highway 27 about 1-2 miles east of Chireno near the San Augustine County line.

Tornado in CHEROKEE, TEXAS
From 13-APR-19 10:46:00 to 13-APR-19 10:48:00 (CST-6)
Location: MORRILL
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF-2 tornado with maximum estimated winds near 120 mph touched down in a rural field approximately 2 miles north of the Neches River. It initially snapped several hundred hardwood and softwood trees at their trunks before destroying two single wide mobile homes and ripping the roof off of a single family home at the end of FM 220 near County Road 2806. There, winds were estimated to be at their strongest at approximately 120 mph. The tornado also tossed several antique vehicles near the home and then went on to snap another 20 trees before lifting along FM 220.