Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1987

Tornado Warning 18, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

November 16, 1987Bexar County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this tornado warning at Nov 16, 1987, 3:55 AM CST for Bexar County, Texas. It was in force for 65 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Nov 16, 1987, 3:55 AM CST (09:55 UTC)
Expired
Nov 16, 1987, 5:00 AM CST
In force
65 min
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Bexar 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, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 171 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 1987-11-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3472 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, Victoria Regiona, TX at 00:00Z on 1987-11-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 90 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
3472 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
728 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
90 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
95 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.2
Supercell composite
6.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSAT 160955
TORSAT
TXC029-161100-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
355 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 5 AM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH TEXAS
          ...BEXAR...INCLUDING THE SAN ANTONIO METROPOLITAN AREA...
 
AT 355 PM CST...THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED A FUNNEL
CLOUD NEAR PLEASANTON ROAD AND SOUTHCROSS...IN THE SOUTH PART OF SAN
ANTONIO.  MOVEMENT WAS UNDETERMINED...ALTHOUGH LARGE AMOUNTS OF
DEBRIS WERE REPORTED BEING BLOWN AROUND ON THE GROUND.  THE
THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING THIS FUNNEL CLOUD IS MOVING TOWARD THE
NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...GO TO A BASEMENT SHELTER OR A
CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUILDING.
ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.
 
LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL LIKELY
ACCOMPANY THIS STORM.
 
YOU SHOULD ASK THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO RELAY YOUR
SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.
 
PLEASE LISTEN TO YO=UR LOCAL RADIO...TV OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO STATION
LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS REGARDING THIS SEVERE WEATHER EVENT.

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, Nov 15, 10:49 PM CST, 5 hours 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
1045 PM CST SUN NOV 15 1987

...A TORNADO WATCH IS EFFECT FROM 8 PM TO 2 AM CST THIS SUNDAY EVEING
AND MONDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEAXS...
BURNET...BASTROP...BURLESON...HAYS...CALDWELL...FAYETTE...LEE...MILAM...
TRAVIS AND WILLIASON.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AND
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  .

AT 1040 PM CST...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED WEST OF BRYAN NEAR
MERIDIAN. WITH OTHER THUNDERSTORMS OVER EAST TEXAS. TO THE WEST SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED WEST OF JUNCTION.

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST AT NEAR 30 MPH.

CONDITIONS AT THIS TIME LOOK  FAVORABLE FOR THE THUNDERSTORMS WEST OF
THE AREA TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOPE AND MOVE EASTWARD.
 RESIDENTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION
AND BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS@.
Special weather statement, Nov 15, 11:05 PM CST, 4 hours 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
1105 PM CST SUN NOV 15 1987

...A TORNADO WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES
OF CENTRAL TEXAS
BURNET...BASTROP...BURLESON...HAYS...CALDWELL...FAYETTE...LEE...MILAM...
TRAVIS AND WILLIASON.

AT 1040 PM CST...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED WEST OF BRYAN NEAR
MERIDIAN. WITH OTHER THUNDERSTORMS OVER EAST TEXAS. TO THE WEST SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED WSEST OF JUNCTION.

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST AT NEAR 30 MPH.
Special weather statement, Nov 15, 11:50 PM CST, 4 hours 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
1150 PM CST SUN NOV 15 1987

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE DEL RIO AREA...

AT 1145 PM RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS AND RAINSHOWERS
FROM 50 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DEL RIO...NORTH TO JUNO TO LOMA ALTA AND
SOUTH TO EAGLE PASS. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS BEGINNING TO MOVE
THROUGH THE DEL RIO AREA. MOVEMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG GUSTY
WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

REMEMBER...LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS CAN OCCUR SOME DISTANCE FROM THE
MAIN THUNDERSTORM CLOUD...SO DON`T BE CAUGHT UNAWARE...ALLOW YOURSELF
PLENTYu OF TIME TO REACH A PLACE OF SAFETY IF CONDITIONS BECOME
THREATENING.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT...SO STAY
TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO...TV OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO STATIONS.
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 12:58 AM CST, 2 hours 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
1258 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

AT 1250 AM RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGHOUT NORTH AND
NORTHEASTERN VAL VERDE COUNTY...NORTH OF A LINE FROM LOMA ALTA TO
PANDALE IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS
WERE 35 NORTHEAST OF DEL RIO . MOVEMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG GUSTY
WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

REMEMBER...LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS CAN OCCUR SOME DISTANCE FROM THE
MAIN THUNDERSTORM CLOUD...SO DON`T BE CAUGHT UNAWARE...ALLOW YOURSELF
PLENTY OF TIME TO REACH A PLACE OF SAFETY IF CONDITIONS BECOME9
THREATENING.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT...SO STAY
TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO...TV OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO STATIONS.
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 1:49 AM CST, 2 hours 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
149 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR VAL VERDE COUNTY INCLUDING THE CITY
OF DEL RIO UNTIL 800 AM THIS MONDAY MORNING...

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 70 STATUTE MILES EITHER SIDE OF A
LINE FROM 70 MILES WEST OF COTULLA TEXAS TO COLLEGE STATION TEXAS.

AT 145 AM RADAR INDICATED NO PRECIPITATION IN VAL VERDE COUNTY. ISOLATED
RAINSHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DEL RIO
IN OLD MEXICO. MOVEMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 20
MPH.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREAa.
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
Local storm report, Nov 16, 2:28 AM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
225 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

TIME         EVENT
BETWEEN      POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN OR STRONG THUNDERSTORM WINDS
2 AM AND     TOOK ROOF OFF STORE IN INGRAM TEXAS.  INGRAM LOCATED JUST
205 AM CST   NORTHEAST OF KERRVILLE ON IH 10.  REPORT RECEIVED FROM
             KERR COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 15, 10:25 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXCalhoun50 min
Nov 16, 1:08 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXMaverick67 min
Nov 16, 1:21 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBandera, Kerr, Real69 min
Nov 16, 2:05 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXGillespie55 min
Nov 16, 2:31 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBandera, Uvalde59 min
Nov 16, 2:56 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBurnet, Llano64 min
Nov 16, 2:58 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXMedina62 min
Nov 16, 2:58 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKendall62 min
Nov 16, 3:20 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXMcMullen55 min
Nov 16, 3:34 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBexar56 min
Nov 16, 3:38 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXFrio67 min
Nov 16, 5:04 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKarnes56 min
Nov 16, 5:30 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXDeWitt60 min
Nov 16, 7:04 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXVictoria56 min
Nov 16, 7:36 AM CSTTornado WarningEWXJackson54 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1987Every tornado warning in 1987Tornadoes 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.