Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1987

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 89, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

May 19, 1987DeWitt County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 19, 1987, 11:20 PM CDT for DeWitt County, Texas. It was in force for 55 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 19, 1987, 11:20 PM CDT (04:20 UTC)
Expired
May 20, 1987, 12:15 AM CDT
In force
55 min
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

County DeWitt 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

Victoria Regiona, TX (KVCT), launched 00:00Z, 4.3 hours before the alert went out and 51 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, Victoria Regiona, TX at 00:00Z on 1987-05-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1600 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Victoria Regiona, TX at 00:00Z on 1987-05-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 57 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
1600 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-16 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
870 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
130 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.5
Supercell composite
2.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KVCT 200420 RRA
SVRVCT
TXC123-200515-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VICTORIA TX
1120 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1215 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
          ...DEWITT
 
AT 1100 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 15 MILES
NORTHWEST OF YORKTOWN AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
 
REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.
REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE
WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
 
IF THREATING WEATHER APPROACHES YOU SHOULD GO TO A SAFE PLACE
IMMEDIATELY...YOU SHOULD ASK THE NE-AREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
TO RELAY YOUR SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE LOCAL NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

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, May 19, 6:18 PM CDT, 5 hours 2 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
615 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 1987

AT 6 PM CDT LOCAL WEATHER RADAR SHOWED WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS
OVER NEARLY ALL OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA. AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS
LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF AUSTIN OVER SOUTHERN TRAVIS COUNTY AND NORTHERN
CALDWELL COUNTY MOVING TOWARDS BASTROP COUNTY. THIS THUNDERSTORM MAY
PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL...GUSTY WINDS TO NEAR 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL
AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING AS IT MOVES TOWARDS AND INTO BASTROP COUNTY.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL
UNTIL 9 PM THIS TUESDAY EVENING.
Local storm report, May 19, 8:12 PM CDT, 3 hours 8 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
800 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 1987

TIME         EVENT

 330 PM      PEA SIZE HAIL 5 MILE SOOUTH OF INTERSECTION OF US281 AND
             LOOP 1604...BEXAR COUNTY
 315 PM      PEA SIZE HAIL AT POTEET...ATASCOSA COUNTY
 410 PM      PEA SIZE HAIL NE SAN ANTONIO...BEXAR COUNTY
 503 PM      POSSIBLE FUNNEL CLOUD SPOTTED BY PATROLMAN 6 MILES SOUTH OF
             SEGUIN...GUADALUPE COUNTY.
 523 PM      PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...GUADALUPE COUNTY
 544 PM      MARBLE SIZE HAIL SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO...BEXAR COUNTY
 613 PM      PEA SIZE HAIL AT STINSON FIELD...BEXAR COUTY
 630 PM      TREE TOPS TWISTED OFF...WILSON COUTY ON JOLLY ROAD 1/Z2
             MILE SOUTHEAST OF LOOP 1604
 635 PM      ROOF LIFTED OFF HOUSE TOWN OF ADKINS OFF US87...WILSON COUTY
 705 PM      1/2 INCH HAIL AT KELLY AIR FORCE BASE...BEXAR COUNTY
 706 PM      MARBLE SIZE HAIL DESTROYED VEGETATION IN LOSOYA
Local storm report, May 19, 8:14 PM CDT, 3 hours 6 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
800 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 1987

TIME         EVENT

 330 PM      PEA SIZE HAIL 5 MILE SOOUTH OF INTERSECTION OF US281 AND
             LOOP 1604...BEXAR COUNTY
 315 PM      PEA SIZE HAIL AT POTEET...ATASCOSA COUNTY
 410 PM      PEA SIZE HAIL NE SAN ANTONIO...BEXAR COUNTY
 503 PM      POSSIBLE FUNNEL CLOUD SPOTTED BY PATROLMAN 6 MILES SOUTH OF
             SEGUIN...GUADALUPE COUNTY.
 523 PM      PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...GUADALUPE COUNTY
 544 PM      MARBLE SIZE HAIL SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO...BEXAR COUNTY
 613 PM      PEA SIZE HAIL AT STINSON FIELD...BEXAR COUTY
 630 PM      TREE TOPS TWISTED OFF...WILSON COUTY ON JOLLY ROAD 1/2
             MILE SOUTHEAST OF LOOP 1604
 635 PM      ROOF LIFTED OFF HOUSE TOWN OF ADKINS OFF US87...WILSON COUTY
 705 PM      1/2 INCH HAIL AT KELLY AIR FORCE BASE...BEXAR COUNTY
 706 PM      MARBLE SIZE HAIL DESTROYED VEGETATION IN LOSOYA
  725 PM     4 F\UNNEL CLOUDS REPORTED BY PUBLIC...ONE BLOWING UP SHACK
             BEHIND A HOUSE IN SUTHERLAND SPRINGS...WILSON COUNTY
Special weather statement, May 19, 8:44 PM CDT, 2 hours 36 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
840 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 1987

AT 825 PM AUSTIN RADAR INDICATES INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS FROM 20 MILES
SOUTH OF AUSTIN TO WEST OF SEGUIN MOVING TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAINFALL AND SMALL HAIL.

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL IN A BAND 10 TO 20 MILES WIDE FROM
NORTH OF COLLEGE STATION TO CALDWELL AND SMITHVILLE.
MOVEMENT IS TOWARDS THE EAST.
|
THESE ARE PART OF A LARGE RAIN AREA THAT EXTENDS EAST OF A LINE FROM
80 MILES NORTHWEST OF AUSTIN TO JOHNSON CITY TO SOUTH OF SAN ANTONIO.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTILL MIDNIGHT FOR A LARGE PORTION
OF CENTRAL TEXAS EASTWARD.
Special weather statement, May 19, 9:45 PM CDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
940 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 1987

AT 925 PM AUSTIN RADAR INDICATES INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS FROM 20 MILES
SOUTH OF AUSTIN TO 10 MILES WEST OF LULING MOVING TOWARDS THE
NORTHEAST. HEAVY RAINFALL OVER PORTIONS OF CALDWELL AND BASTROP COUNTIES
FOR THE PAST TWO TO THREE HOURS HAS BEEN INDICATED BY RADAR AND FLOODING
OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS AND LOW LYING AREAS COULD OCCUR. MOTORIST SHOULD
NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS ROADWAYS THAT ARE UNDER WATER.

STRONG THUNDESTORMS CONTINUE FROM NORTH OF BASTROP TO SOUTH OF ROCKDALE.
MOVEMENT IS TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTILL MIDNIGHT FOR A LARGE PORTION
OF CENTRAL TEXAS EASTWARD.
Local storm report, May 19, 10:15 PM CDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
1010 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 1987

TIME         EVENT

 825 PM      WALL CLOUD AT US90 AND MILITARY DRIVE..SOUTHWEST SAN
             ANTONIO...BEXAR COUNTY
 955 PM      DELAYED REPORT OF PEA SIZE OCCASSIONAL GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL
             US281 SOUTH AND BEXAR COUNTY LINE

The office that day

Everything else NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 19, 7:26 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBexar3 hr
May 19, 8:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBexar60 min
May 19, 8:09 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXGuadalupe3 hr
May 19, 8:28 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXBexar62 min
May 19, 8:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXMcMullen55 min
May 19, 9:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXGuadalupe59 min
May 19, 9:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXWilson66 min
May 19, 10:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXGonzales, Karnes65 min
May 20, 12:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXLavaca55 min
May 20, 5:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXFrio61 min
May 20, 6:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBexar2 hr
May 20, 6:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXFrio66 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Texas, 1987Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1987

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.