Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1986

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 14, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

April 4, 1986Frio County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 4, 1986, 4:50 AM CST for Frio County, Texas. It was in force for 50 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 4, 1986, 4:50 AM CST (10:50 UTC)
Expired
Apr 4, 1986, 5:40 AM CST
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Frio County, TX

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Del Rio, TX (KDRT), launched 00:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 177 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Del Rio, TX at 00:00Z on 1986-04-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 584 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Del Rio, TX at 00:00Z on 1986-04-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 64 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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.
Mixed-layer CAPE
584 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-145 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1949 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
63 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
64 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
169 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KSAT 041051 COR
SVRSAT
TXC163-041140-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
450 AM CST FRI APR 4 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 540 AM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
COUNTY OF

SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...FRIO

AT 445 AM CST A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS INDICATED IN NORTHWEST
FRIO COUNTY JUST TO THE NORTHWEST OF PEARSALL.  THE PUBLIC
REPORTED GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL ALONG WITH DAMAGING WINDS.

 THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CONTINUE PRODUCING DAMAGE FROM THE
 WINDS AND HAIL AS IT MOVES SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE COUNTY AT NEAR
 35 MILES AN HOUR.
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES..YOU SHOULD GO TO A SAFE PLACE
IMMEDIATELY.  YOU SHOULD ASK THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
TO RELAY YOUR SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE.

PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO..TV OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FO{R
LATER STATEMENTS REGARDING THIS SEVERE WEATHER EPISODE.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 3, 10:50 PM CST, 6 hours before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
1050 PM CST THU APR 3 1986

 ...THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN VAL VERDE COUNTY...

AT 1045 PM CST RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM 40 MILES
WEST NORTHWEST OF DEL RIO TO 60 MILES NORTHEAST OF DEL RIO. THE THE
EDGE OF THE LINE CLOSEST TO DEL RIO WAS 22 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST. THE
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST SOUTHEAST AT 10 MILES
AN HOUR. PEOPLE IN DEL RIO AQND VAL VERDE COUNTY CAN ANTICIPATE
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY DURING THE NEXT TWO HOURS.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING..HEAVY RAIN..STRONG GUSTY SURFACE WINDS AND SMALL
HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 11:19 PM CST, 5 hours 31 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
1115 PM CST THU APR 4 1986

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING EASTWARD THROUGH THE HILL COUNTRY...

AT 1110 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND
A FEW HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS FROM JUST EAST OF JUNCTION SOUTHWEST INTO
OLD MEXICO WEST OF DEL RIO.  A SINGLE VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORM WAS
LOCATED OVER EXTREME NORTHERN VAL VERDE COUNTY.

THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE MONITORED CLOSoELY AND ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 12:17 AM CST, 4 hours 33 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
1216 AM CST FRI APR 4 1986

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE EASTWARD INTO SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 1210 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND
A FEW HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR BLANCO SOUTHWESTWARD TO NEAR DEL
RIO.  ADDITIONAL STORMS WERE INDICATED FROM JUST NORTH OF JUNCTION
SOUTHWESTWARD INTO VAL VERDE COUNTY.  THE LINE WAS MOVING TO THE
SOUTHEAST AT NEAR 20 MPH WITH THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS MOVING TO THE EAST
AT 35 MPH.

THESE STORMS ARE LIKELY TO PRODUCE BRIEF PERIODS OF SMALL HAIL..DAMAGING
WINDS..HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  MOTORISTS AND
CAMPERS IN THE AREA ARE URGED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR A SOURCE OF WEATHER
INFORMATION UNTIL THE STORMS HAVE PASSED.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 1:24 AM CST, 3 hours 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
124 AM CST FRI APR 4 1986

AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS..SOME VERY HEAVY..WAS INDICATED BY RADAR AT
115 AM FROM JUNCTION TO BLANCO..SOUTHWEST TO UVALDE..WEST TO DEL RIO AND
BACK TO JUNCTION.  THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH..AND
ARE LIKELY TO PRODUCE BRIEF BUT VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
AS THEY MOVE ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE AT THIS TIME..SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO LIKELY IN THE
STORMS.  MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION AS VISIBILITY MAY BE VERY
POOR IN AND AROUND THE HEAVIER STORMS.  ROADS AND STREETS MAY ALSO BE
VERY SLICK AND HAZARDOUS.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 2:22 AM CST, 2 hours 28 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
220 AM CST FRI APR 4 1986

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AT 215 AM
ACCORDING TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR.  THE ACTIVITY WAS LOCATED
FROM NEAR BLANCO TO HONDO TO DEL RIO AND NORTHWARD TO JUNCTION.  THE
ACTIVITY WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH.  HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE
INDICATED JUST WEST OF HONDO AND NORTHWEST OF THE CITG OF UVALDE IN
THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF UVALDE COUNTY.

THESE STORMS ARE MOVING RAPIDLY..BUT MAY STILL PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN
AS WELL AS SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS.  SO FAR..NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS
BEEN REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE..BUT OBSERVERS HAVE BEEN
REPORTING A GREAT AMOUNT OF LIGHTNING.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 3:30 AM CST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
328 AM CST FRI APR 4 1986

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT 320 AM INDICATED SCATTERED SHOWERS
WITH A FEW HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS WEST OF A
LINE FROM AUSTIN TO SAN ANTONIO TO COTULLA.  THE HEAVIEST STORM HAD
JUST MOVED PAST THE CITY OF UVALDE..WHERE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY
WINDS WERE REPORTED.  THE TOWN OF KNIPPA IN UVALDE COUNTY REPORTED HEAVY
RAIN AND MARBLE SIZED HAIL AT 320 PM.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE
EAST AT 35 MPH.

ALTHOUGH NO RAIN HAS YET BEEN REPORTED IN THE GREATER SAN ANTONIO AREA..
LIGHTNING HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THE AREA AND RAINFALL IS LIKELY TO BEGIN
SOON.

ALTHOU[GH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THESE STORMS..THEY WILL
LIKELY CONTINUE TO PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN..GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL.
FREQUENT AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING HAS ALSO BEEN INDICATED IN THE STORMS.

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Texas, 1986Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.