Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1986

Tornado Warning 70, NWS Fort Worth, TX

May 16, 1986Wichita County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at May 16, 1986, 11:20 PM CDT for Wichita County, Texas. It was in force for 60 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
May 16, 1986, 11:20 PM CDT (04:20 UTC)
Expired
May 17, 1986, 12:20 AM CDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Wichita 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
May 17, 12:25 AM CDTHail 0.75Wichita, 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 text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSPS 170423
TORSPS
TXC485-170525-

BULLETIN-EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
1120 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE
UNTIL 1220 PM CDT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NORTH
CENTRAL TEXAS...WICHITA.

AT 1120PM RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO JUST WEST OF BURKBURNETT
MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

RESIDENTS IN NORTHERN WICHITA COUNTY SHOULDF TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.

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, May 16, 10:35 PM CDT, 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1035 PM CDT  FRI MAY 17 1986

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR STEPHENS AND PALO PINTO COUNTIES
OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS UNTIL 230 AM TONIGHT.

AT 1030 PM..WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS OVER DENTON AND BETWEEN SHERMAN AND PARIS NEAR
BONHAM. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

ALTHOUGH NO THUNDERSTORMS WERE NEAR THE TORNADO WATCH AREA WEST OF
FORT WORTH..CONDITIONS DO REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. RESIDENTS OF
STEPHENS AND PALO PINTO COUNTY ARE URGED TO KEEP INFORMED OF DEVELOPING
WEATHER IN YOUR AREA AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING
WEATHER DEVELOPES.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 16, 7:00 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDFoard, Hardeman60 min
May 16, 8:00 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDFoard, Hardeman60 min
May 16, 9:00 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDFoard, Hardeman, Wilbarger60 min
May 16, 9:50 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDFoard, Wilbarger60 min
May 16, 9:50 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDHardeman35 min
May 16, 10:48 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDWilbarger62 min
May 16, 11:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDWichita45 min
May 16, 11:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDClay60 min
May 17, 12:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDWichita30 min
May 17, 2:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDBaylor60 min
May 17, 6:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDEastland, Stephens56 min
May 17, 6:39 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDPalo Pinto, Stephens66 min
May 17, 9:10 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDBosque, Coryell2 hr
May 17, 9:15 AM CDTTornado WarningFWDBrown60 min
May 17, 9:52 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHamilton38 min
May 17, 10:00 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDBosque, Hill3 hr
May 17, 10:20 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDSmith3 hr
May 17, 10:45 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDHenderson3 hr
May 17, 11:05 AM CDTTornado WarningFWDMcLennan55 min
May 17, 11:28 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDBell32 min
May 17, 11:55 AM CDTTornado WarningFWDFalls35 min
May 17, 12:04 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDLimestone, Robertson56 min
May 17, 1:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDBrazos55 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.