Alert archive / Indiana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1986
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 61, NWS Indianapolis, IN
NWS Indianapolis, IN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 15, 1986, 8:25 PM EST for Fountain County, Vermillion County, Indiana. It was in force for 35 min. 2 reports 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 15, 1986, 8:25 PM EST (01:25 UTC)
- Expired
- May 15, 1986, 9:00 PM EST
- In force
- 35 min
- Issued by
- NWS Indianapolis, IN
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Fountain County, IN, Vermillion County, IN
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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 8:45 PM EST | Tornado F0 | Vermillion, IN | |
| May 15, 8:55 PM EST | Tornado F0 | Fountain, IN |
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
Salem-Leckrone, IL (KSLO), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 200 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1239 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -5 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 892 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 39 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 127 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 192 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.9
- Supercell composite
- 5.8
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KIND 160124 SVRIND INC165-045-160200- BULLETIN...IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 825 PM EST THU MAY 15 1986 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 900 PM EST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF WEST CENTRAL INDIANA...VERMILLION AND FOUNTAIN. AT 820 PM EST A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS INDICATED BY RADAR IN NORTHERN VERMILLION COUNTY. THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR. THE STORM WAS ABOUT 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LAFAYETTE. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOACTED NEAR PARIS ILLINIOS AT 820 PM EST. THIS STORM HAS PRODUCED DAMAGE 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF TERRE HAUTE PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCES DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MILES AN HOUR..LARGE HAIL..FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE HEAVY RAIN THAT CAN QUICKLY FLOOD LOW AREAS. THESE STORMS IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A SMALL TORNADO WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE POLICE..SHERIFF..OR STATE POLICE FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. GERY
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
Local storm report, May 15, 6:29 PM EST, 1 hour 56 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
630 PM EST THU MAY 15 1986
330PM EST LAWRENCE COUNTY...NEAR MITCHELL SEVERAL LARGE TREE
LIMBS DOWN. REPORTED BY SHERIFF.
420PM EST HAMILTON COUNTY...NEAR ARCADIA COUPLE LARGE TREES
BLOWN DOWN. REPORTED BY AMATEUR
425PM EST SOUTHEAST HAMILTON COUNTY LARGE TREE DOWN. REPORTED
BY AMATEUR.
450PM EST HENRY COUNTY...NEAR NEW CASTLE...ONE TREE DOWN. REPORTED
BY AMATEUR.
525PM EST RANDOLPH COUNTY NEAR CARTHAGE...METAL LIGHT POLE BENT
OVER. REPORTED BY SHERIFF.
525PM EST WAYNE COUNTY...SEVERAL TREES AND SOME POWER LINES DOWN
IN RICHMOND. REPORT ED BY THE SHERIFF.
GERY/EDWARDSSpecial weather statement, May 15, 6:44 PM EST, 1 hour 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA 646 PM EST THU MAY 15 1986 IN INDIANA THIS .......TORNADO....... WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM EST AND INCLUDES THAT PART OF INDIANA... NORTH OF A LINE FROM ROCKVILLE TO FORT WAYNE. SOME CITIES INCLUDED ARE... SOUTH BEND...LAFAYETTE..GARY.. ROCHESTER AND FORT WAYNE
Local storm report, May 15, 6:48 PM EST, 1 hour 37 minutes before
STORM REPORT CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
647 PM EST THU MAY 15 1986
525PM EST RANDOLPH COUNTY NEAR SAROTOGA...METAL LIGHT POLE BENT
OVER. REPORTED BY SHERIFF.
ADD
615PM EST ONE INCH DIAMETER NEAR LIBERY IN UNION COUNTY OF EAST
CENTRAL INDIANA.
GERY/EDWARDSSpecial weather statement, May 15, 6:59 PM EST, 1 hour 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA 659 PM EST THU MAY 15 1986 TORNADO WATCHES NOW COVER MOST OF INDIANA. THE WATCH FOR SOUTHERN AND PART OF CENTRAL INDIANA WILL EXPIRE AT 9PM EST. THE TORNADO WATCH FOR NORTHERN INDIANA EXPIRES AT 1AM EST. PERSONS IN THE HOOSIER STATE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF TORNADOES THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. STAY ALERT AND PLAN YOUR ACTIONS NOW IN THE EVENT YOU MUST MOVE TO SHELTER QUICKLY. NUMEROUS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DRENCHING RAINS WERE EXTENDING FROM JUST NORTH OF COLUMBUS TO ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTH OF TERRE HAUTE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE 3AREA FROM 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF TERRE HAUTE THROUGH MARTINSVILLE TO ABOUT SHELBYVILLE BETWEEN 655PM AND 800 PM EST. EDWARDS
Special weather statement, May 15, 8:05 PM EST, 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA 805 PM EST THU MAY 15 1986 TORNADO WATCHES CONTINUE TO COVER MOST OF INDIANA. THE WATCH FOR SOUTHERN AND PART OF CENTRAL INDIANA IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9PM EST. THE TORNADO WATCH FOR NORTHERN INDIANA EXPIRES AT 1AM EST. AT 750 PM EST THUNDERSTORMS WERE STRENGTHING ALONG A LINE FROM LAFAYETTE SOUTH THROUGH 20 MILES WEST OF TERRE HAUTE. MOST OF THE STRONG STORMS WERE STILL OVER EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS NEAR THE CITIES OF DANVILLE AND ABOUT 15 MILES EAST OF MATTOON. AT 745 PM EST A TORNADO WAS REPORTED AT CHARLESTON WHICH IS ABOUT 40 MILES WEST OF TERRE HAUTE. THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DRENCHING RAINS EXTENDED FROM RICHMOND THROUGH INDIANAPOLIS TO BLOOMFIELD. PERSONS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE ALERT FOR RAPID CHANGE IN WEATHER CONDITIONS. SEEK SHELTER WHEN SEVERE WEATHER THREATS. GERY
Special weather statement, May 15, 8:15 PM EST, 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA 815 PM EST THU MAY 15 1986 A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS ABOUT 15 MILES NORTH OF LAFAYETTE MOVING EAST TOWARDS LOGANSPORT AT 810PM EST. ANOTHER STORM THAT HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING A TORNADO WAS IN EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS ABOUT 25 MILES WEST OF TERRE HAUTE. THIS STORM WILL MOVE EAST NORTHEAST AND ENTER INDIANA BETWEEN CLINTON AND TERRE HAUTE. PERSON IN WEST CENTRAL INDIANA SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO SHELTER QUICKLY IF SEVERE WEATHER APPROACHES. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM ABOUT 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF LOGANSPORT TOWARDS LAFAYETTE TO DANVILLE ILLINIOS. THIS LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL FROM JUST SOUTH AND EAST OF INDIANAPOLIS TO ABOUT BLOOMINGTON. PONDING OF WATER IN LOW SPOTS CAN BE EXPECTED. EDWARDS
The office that day
Everything else NWS Indianapolis, IN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 7:53 PM EST | Tornado Warning | IND | Daviess, Martin | 37 min |
| May 15, 8:50 PM EST | Tornado Warning | IND | Parke | 30 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Indiana, 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.