Alert archive / New Mexico / Tornado Warnings in 1986

Tornado Warning 25, NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

September 4, 1986Chaves County, New Mexico

NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued this tornado warning at Sep 4, 1986, 6:55 PM MDT for Chaves County, New Mexico. It was in force for 65 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
Sep 4, 1986, 6:55 PM MDT (00:55 UTC)
Expired
Sep 4, 1986, 8:00 PM MDT
In force
65 min
Issued by
NWS Midland/Odessa, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Chaves County, NM

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
Sep 4, 6:55 PM MDTTornado F0Chaves, NM
Sep 4, 7:39 PM MDTHail 0.75Chaves, NM

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

El Paso Intl Airport, TX (KELP), launched 00:00Z, 0.9 hours before the alert went out and 251 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, El Paso Intl Airport, TX at 00:00Z on 1986-09-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 526 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, El Paso Intl Airport, TX at 00:00Z on 1986-09-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 28 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
526 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-16 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1990 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
28 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
2 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAAOO KABQ 050119 COR
TORABQ
NMC005-050200-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING /CORRECTION/
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
655 PM MDT THU SEP 4 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE
UNTIL 800 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:

IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO
          ..CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN CHAVES WHICH INCLUDES THE CITY OF
            ROSWELL

AT 655 PM MDT...A TORNADO WAS REPORTED BY THE PUBLIC 10 MILES NORTH
OF ROSWELL NEW MEXICO. THE TORNADO WAS SPAWNED BY A LINE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WHICH STRETCHED FROM 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF ROSWELL TO
30 MILES NORTHEAST OF ROSWELL AT 645 PM MDT.  THE LINE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINING THE TORNADO IS ABOUT 15 TO 20 MILES
WIDE AND IS MOVING TO THE SOUTH AT 15 TO 20 MPH.

HALF INCH HAIL AND STRONG WINDS WERE REPORTED BY THE STATE POLICE
WHEN THE THUNDERSTORM LINE WAS 20 MILES NORTH OF ROSWELL.  THE
THUNDERSTORMS HAVE STRENGTHENED SINCE THEN AND WILL MOVE INTO THE
CITY OF ROSWELL SHORTLY.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  PERSONS IN THE ROSWELL AREA SHOULD 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, Sep 4, 1:36 PM MDT, 5 hours 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
230 PM CDT THU AUG 4 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE PERMIAN BASIN TODAY...

AT 225 PM CDT..THUNDERSTORMS..SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE IN-
CREASING IN SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO..THE PECOS VALLEY..SOUTH PLAINS
PORTION OF THE CONCHO VALEEY AND THE BIG COUNTRY. SOME OF THE HEAVIER
RAIN WERE BIG SPRING TO SWEETWATER AND STERLING CITY. ALSO NEAR MENTONE.
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 10 MILES AN HOUR

MANY AREA STREETS ARE FLOODED AND SOME ARE IMPASSABLE. RAINFALL
AMONTS HAVE BEEN FROM 3 TO 5 INHES SINCE MIDNIGHT.
AREAS RECEIVING HEAVY RAIN ON TOP OF ALREADY SATURATED GROUND ARE IN
DANGER OyF FLASH FLOODING. BE ALERT FOR RISING WATER AND LISTEN FOR
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO..LOCAL RADIO
OR TV. IF FLOODING OCCURRS..MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND QUICKLY.
Special weather statement, Sep 4, 2:30 PM MDT, 4 hours 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
330 PM CDT THU AUG 4 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE PERMIAN BASIN TODAY...

AT 325 PM CDT..THUNDERSTORMS..SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE IN-
CREASING IN SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO..THE PECOS VALLEY..SOUTH PLAINS
PORTION OF THE CONCHO VALLEY AND THE BIG COUNTRY. SOME OF THE HEAVIER
RAIN WERE BIG SPRING TO SWEETWATER AND STERLING CITY. ALSO WEST OF
GOLDSMITH.MOVEMNT WAS NORTHEAST AT 10 MILES AN HOUR

DANGER OF FLASH FLOODING. BE ALERT FOR RISING WATER AND LISTEN FOR
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO..LOCAL RADIO
OR TV. IF FLOODING OCCURRS..MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND QUICKLY.
Special weather statement, Sep 4, 3:45 PM MDT, 3 hours 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
435 PM CDT THU AUG 4 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE PERMIAN BASIN..SOUTH
   PLAINS..SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS..CONCHO VALLEY AND BIG BEND COUNTRY
   FOR THIS AFTERNOON TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...

AT 425 PM...VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN GLASSCOCK COUNTY
NEAR GARDEN CITY AND JUST WEST OF HOBBS. THUNDERSHOWERS WERE SCATTERED
FROM LAMESA NORTH TO LUBBOCK..FROM STERLING CITY TO SWEETWATER AND
FROM MARFA TO FORT STOCKTON.

THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING WILL CONTINUE TO FRIDAY WITH THE REMNANTS
OF A TROPICAL SYSTEM MOVING INTO THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF WEST TEXAS.
THE ALREADY SATURATED SOILS FROM ABOVE NORMAL RAINS OF THE PAST FEW DAYS
WILL INCREASE THE THREAT OF FLOODING. RAPID RUNOFF MAY OCCUR WITH LESSER
AMOUNTS THAN USUAL.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO..LOCAL RADIO AND TV FOR UPDATES AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Sep 4, 4:36 PM MDT, 2 hours 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
540 PM CDT THU AUG 4 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE PERMIAN BASIN..SOUTH
   PLAINS..SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS..CONCHO VALLEY AND BIG BEND COUNTRY
   FOR THIS AFTERNOON TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...

AT 525 PM...VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE NEAR GARDEN CITY AND TAHOKA.
THUNDERSHOWERS WERE SCATTERED ACROSS WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO.

THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING WILL CONTINUE TO FRIDAY WITH THE REMNANTS
OF A TROPICAL SYSTEM MOVING INTO THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF WEST TEXAS.
THE ALREADY SATURATED SOILS FROM ABOVE NORMAL RAINS OF THE PAST FEW DAYS
WILL INCREASE THE THREAT OF FLOODING. RAPID 	RUNOFF MAY OCCUR WITH LESSER
AMOUNTS THAN USUAL.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO..LOCAL RADIO AND TV FOR UPDATES AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Sep 4, 5:44 PM MDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
640 PM CDT THU AUG 4 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE PERMIAN BASIN..SOUTH
   PLAINS..SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS..CONCHO VALLEY AND BIG BEND COUNTRY
   FOR THIS AFTERNOON TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...

AT 625 PM...VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED FROM BAKERSFIELD
NORTH TO RANKIN AND GARDEN CITY. THUNDERSHOWERS WERE SCATTERED IN
EASTERN NEW MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS.

THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING WILL CONTINUE TO FRIDAY WITH THE REMNANTS
OF A TROPICAL SYSTEM MOVING INTO THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF WEST TEXAS.
THE ALREADY SATURATED SOILS FROM ABOVE NORMAL RAINS OF THE PAST FEW DAYS
WILL INCREASE THE 'THREAT OF FLOODING. RAPID RUNOFF MAY OCCUR WITH LESSER
AMOUNTS THAN USUAL.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO..LOCAL RADIO AND TV FOR UPDATES AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Sep 4, 6:38 PM MDT, 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
735 PM CDT THU AUG 4 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE PERMIAN BASIN..SOUTH
   PLAINS..SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS..CONCHO VALLEY AND BIG BEND COUNTRY
   TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...

AT 725 PM...VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM RANKIN NORTH TO
GARDEN CITY. NO MOVEMENT WAS DETECTED IN THE PAST HOUR.

THUNDERSTORMS WERE EAST OF MARATHON AND WEST OF POST.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE AND THAT THE
CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE. SATURATED GROUND AND OVERFLOWING STREAMS WILL
PRODUCE RAPID RUNOFF WITH ANY ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATION.

MANY FLASH FLOOD DEATHS RESULT FROM MOPTORIST DRIVING INTO WATER-COVERED
CROSSINGS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 4, 8:00 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFChaves60 min
Sep 4, 8:30 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFChaves, Eddy60 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in New Mexico, 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.