Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1986

Tornado Warning 39, NWS Fort Worth, TX

April 19, 1986Limestone County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 19, 1986, 3:50 PM CST for Limestone County, Texas. It was in force for 40 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Apr 19, 1986, 3:50 PM CST (21:50 UTC)
Expired
Apr 19, 1986, 4:30 PM CST
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Limestone County, TX

The radar

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

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 19, 4:17 PM CSTTornado F1Limestone, TX

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Stephenville/Cla, TX (KSEP), launched 12:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 162 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, Stephenville/Cla, TX at 12:00Z on 1986-04-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1071 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Stephenville/Cla, TX at 12:00Z on 1986-04-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 82 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 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
1071 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-31 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
595 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
82 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
136 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.3
Supercell composite
2.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KACT 192156
TORACT
TXC293-217-192230-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
350 PM CST SAT APR 19 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE
UNTIL 4:30 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OF..

LIMESTONE..IN CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 3:50 PM CST A TORNADO WAS REPORTED TO BE IN EXTREME NORTHWEST
LIMESTONE COUNTY MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 4:30 PM ALSO FOR HILL
COUNTY. THE TORNADO WARNING FOR MCLENNAN COUNTY HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO..GO TO A BASEMENT SHELTER OR
A CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM AT ONCE.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 19, 11:31 AM CST, 4 hours 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
1125 AM CST SAT APR 19 1986

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM FOR MUCH OF NORTH
TEXAS INCLUDING THE COUNTIES OF BOSQUE..HILL..AND MCLENNAN...

AT 11:20 PM CST..RADAR SHOWED INCREASING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS
ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF BOSQUE AND HILL COUNTIES. OTHER
LIGHT SHOWERS WERE BECOMING MORE NUMEROUS WITHIN A 60 MILE WIDE
RADIUS OF WACO.

FURTHER NORTH AND WEST..RADAR SHOWED A BAND OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS
FROM NORTH OF THE MINERAL WELLS AREA SOUTHWEST TO SOUTH OF ABILENE.
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

PERSONS IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER
RADIO OR LOCAL TV/RADIO STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS
                           (PAGE 02 AVAIL. DELETE THIS)
SHOULD THEY BE NEEDED.
Special weather statement, Apr 19, 11:32 AM CST, 4 hours 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
1125 AM CST SAT APR 19 1986

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM FOR MUCH OF NORTH
TEXAS INCLUDING THE COUNTIES O
Special weather statement, Apr 19, 11:34 AM CST, 4 hours 16 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION FOR TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
1125 AM CST SAT APR 19 1986

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM FOR MUCH OF NORTH
TEXAS INCLUDING THE COUNTIES OF BOSQUE..HILL..AND MCLENNAN...

AT 11:20 AM CST..RADAR SHOWED INCREASING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS
ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF BOSQUE AND HILL COUNTIES. OTHER
LIGHT SHOWERS WERE BECOMING MORE NUMEROUS WITHIN A 60 MILE WIDE
RADIUS OF WACO.

FURTHER NORTH AND WEST..RADAR SHOWED A BAND OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS
FROM NORTH OF THE MINERAL WELLS AREA SOUTHWEST TO SOUTH OF ABILENE.
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

PERSONS IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER
RADIO OR LOCAL TV/RADIO STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS
SHOULD THEY BE NEEDED.
Special weather statement, Apr 19, 12:46 PM CST, 3 hours 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
1240 PM CST SAT APR 19 1986

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM FOR LARGE PORTIONS
OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 12:30 PM CST..WACO RADAR SHOWED A BAND OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSHOWERS FORMING WEST OF THE WACO AREA BETWEEN LAMPASAS
AND WALNUT SPRINGS. OTHER LIGHT SHOWERS WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT
THE MCLENNAN AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST.

NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED NORTH OF A LINE FROM SOUTH OF ABILENE
TO SOUTH OF DALLAS/FORT WORTH METROPLEX..AND SOUTHEAST TO NEAR
PALESTINE. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE FROM SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST OF
MINERAL WELLS TO DENTON WITH MOST MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA ARE ADVISED TO LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO
OR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS FOR CONTINUING UPDATES IN THE EVENT
WARNINGS ARE NEEDED.
Special weather statement, Apr 19, 1:44 PM CST, 2 hours 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
140 PM CST SAT APR 19 1986

...LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING WACO FROM THE WEST...

AT 1:35 PM CST...RADAR SHOWED AN INCREASING LINE OF SHOWERS AND
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.15 MILES WIDE..FROM LAKE TRAVIS NORTHWEST
OF AUSTIN..NORTH TO JUST OF WACO NEAR CLIFTON..AND NORTHEAST TO
DALLAS AND BEYOND.  THE LINE WAS INCREASING IN INTENSITY AND MOVING
EAST.

STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS IN THE LINE WERE JUST WEST OF VALLEY MILLS
AND NORTHWEST OF ITALY.

THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS INCREASING BY THE MINUTE. IF YOU
ARE IN THE WATCH AREA..LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO
AND TV STATIONS FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS WITHIN T;HE NEXT HOUR.

OTHERWISE A TORNADO WATCH  CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM TODAY.
Special weather statement, Apr 19, 2:36 PM CST, 1 hour 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
230 PM CST SAT APR 19 1986

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 101 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE FOLLOWING
   CENTRAL TEXAS COUNTIES FROM 2:30 PM UNTIL 9:00 PM THIS SATURDAY
   AFTERNOON AND EVENING...BELL..BOSQUE..LIMESTONE..CORYELL..HILL..
   LEON..MCLENNAN..FALLS..ROBERTSON..MADISON..AND BRAZOS..
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO APPROACH WACO FROM THE WEST...

AT 2:20 PM CST..RADAR SHOWED A BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM
NEAR KILLEEN IN BELL COUNTY..TO JUST WEST OF WACO..TO SOUTHEAST OF
WHITNEY IN HILL COUNTY. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS WILL PASS OVER
THE CITY OF WACO DURING THE NEXT HALF HOUR.

STRONG GUSTY WINDS..HAIL..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..AND VERY HEAVY RAIN
ARE LIKELY WITHIN THE STRONGER STORMS. IN ADDITION..THE POSSIBILITY
THAT OF A TORNADO COULD OCCUR SHOULD BE KEPT IN MIND.
SMALL HAIL WAS REPORTED AT 2:28 PM NEAR WHITNEY IN HILL COUNTY.

OTHERWISE..SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED FROM BROWNWOOD..
NORTHEAST ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH METROPLEX
AND BEYOND INTO NORTHEAST TEXAS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS
FOR THE LATEST ON THE WEATHER SYSTEM.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Fort Worth, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 18, 6:14 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDComanche61 min
Apr 18, 6:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDMontague63 min
Apr 18, 6:45 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCollin, Denton60 min
Apr 18, 7:10 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCooke50 min
Apr 18, 7:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDErath63 min
Apr 18, 8:50 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDComanche55 min
Apr 18, 9:05 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDMontague65 min
Apr 19, 7:00 AM CSTTornado WarningFWDThrockmorton60 min
Apr 19, 7:15 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDArcher45 min
Apr 19, 7:20 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDFisher, Jones, Nolan60 min
Apr 19, 7:37 AM CSTTornado WarningFWDNolan53 min
Apr 19, 7:40 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDThrockmorton60 min
Apr 19, 7:50 AM CSTTornado WarningFWDFisher, Jones85 min
Apr 19, 8:00 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDArcher, Young45 min
Apr 19, 8:45 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDArcher, Young45 min
Apr 19, 9:05 AM CSTTornado WarningFWDJones55 min
Apr 19, 9:42 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDThrockmorton48 min
Apr 19, 9:55 AM CSTTornado WarningFWDStephens65 min
Apr 19, 10:13 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDShackelford47 min
Apr 19, 10:15 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDYoung45 min
Apr 19, 10:28 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDPalo Pinto, Stephens62 min
Apr 19, 10:50 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDJack55 min
Apr 19, 10:55 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDTaylor80 min
Apr 19, 11:37 AM CSTTornado WarningFWDPalo Pinto68 min
Apr 19, 11:56 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDWise49 min
Apr 19, 12:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDTaylor18 min
Apr 19, 12:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCallahan78 min
Apr 19, 12:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDDenton58 min
Apr 19, 12:45 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDJohnson, Tarrant45 min
Apr 19, 12:50 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDCallahan55 min
Apr 19, 12:54 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDSmith, Van Zandt56 min
Apr 19, 12:58 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCollin, Grayson62 min
Apr 19, 1:01 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDEastland59 min
Apr 19, 1:10 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDBrown60 min
Apr 19, 1:14 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDSmith, Van Zandt61 min
Apr 19, 1:20 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDComanche55 min
Apr 19, 1:31 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDFannin, Grayson59 min
Apr 19, 1:36 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDWood59 min
Apr 19, 1:48 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDErath57 min
Apr 19, 1:49 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHopkins56 min
Apr 19, 1:50 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDCallahan55 min
Apr 19, 2:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCamp, Upshur63 min
Apr 19, 2:12 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDComanche63 min
Apr 19, 2:24 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDFranklin, Titus66 min
Apr 19, 2:24 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDMorris66 min
Apr 19, 2:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDDelta, Lamar60 min
Apr 19, 2:35 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDCamp, Morris, Upshur55 min
Apr 19, 2:37 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDEllis53 min
Apr 19, 2:44 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDComanche, Hamilton61 min
Apr 19, 3:00 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDHamilton60 min
Apr 19, 3:04 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDRed River56 min
Apr 19, 3:06 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDEllis3 hr
Apr 19, 3:19 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDKaufman56 min
Apr 19, 3:24 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCamp, Franklin, Wood66 min
Apr 19, 3:24 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDTitus66 min
Apr 19, 3:35 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDMcLennan35 min
Apr 19, 3:35 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDHill55 min
Apr 19, 4:01 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDBosque, Coryell59 min
Apr 19, 4:15 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDFalls25 min
Apr 19, 4:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHill, Limestone57 min
Apr 19, 5:11 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDMcLennan64 min
Apr 19, 5:35 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDBell60 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1986Every tornado warning in 1986Tornadoes 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.