Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1987

Tornado Warning 20, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

December 19, 1987Burleson County, Lee County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this tornado warning at Dec 19, 1987, 11:59 AM CST for Burleson County, Lee County, Texas. It was in force for 61 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Dec 19, 1987, 11:59 AM CST (17:59 UTC)
Expired
Dec 19, 1987, 1:00 PM CST
In force
61 min
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Burleson County, TX, Lee 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 12:00Z, 6.0 hours before the alert went out and 173 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 12:00Z on 1987-12-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 35 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Victoria Regiona, TX at 12:00Z on 1987-12-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 216 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
35 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-152 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
599 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
216 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
359 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KAUS 191759
TORAUS
TXC051-287-191900-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
1159 AM CST SAT DEC 19 1987

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 100 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF

TEXAS...BURLESON AND LEE

AT 1150 AM CST  A TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR 5 TO 6 MILES
EAST OF ELGIN MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY !

THIS STORM MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG DAMAGING WINDS..HAIL AND
FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

  DAMAGE REPORTED EAST OF ELGIN...DPS IS CHECKING AMOUNT OF DAMAGE.

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, Dec 19, 7:29 AM CST, 4 hours 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
725 AM CST SAT DEC 19 1987

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 569 IS IN EFFECT UNTILL 12 NOON
FOR A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL TEXAS...IT INCLUDES TRAVIS AND SOURROUNDING
COUNTIES.

AUSTIN RADAR INDICATES A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR DEL RIO
TO LAKE BUCHANAN TO STEPHENVILLE WITH MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE EAST
AND NORTHEAST AT NEAR 30 MPH. THIS LINE IS EXPECTED TO INTENSITY
THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS AS ITS MOVES EASTWARD.

A LARGE PORTION OF CENTRAL TEXAS CONTINUES UNDER A LIGHT RAIN
AREA...BUT THE EXPECTED SEVERE WEATHER MAY DEVELOPE ALONG THE LINE
OF THUNDERSTORMS NOW TO THE NORTHWEST OF AUSTIN.

REMEMBER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE
FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
Special weather statement, Dec 19, 7:42 AM CST, 4 hours 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
0740 CST SAT DEC 19 1987

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 NOON FOR
THE NORTHERN PART OF THE HILL COUNTRY.

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS MOVING EAST ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR
WITH THE LEADING EDGE NEAR A LINE FROM KERRVILLE SOUTHWEST TO
NEAR UVALDE AND SOUTH TO EAGLE PASS.  BRIEF HEAVY RAINS AND GUSTY
WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS AS THEY
MOVE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE HILL COUNTRY THIS MORNING.

BASED ON PRESENT MOVEMENT THIS LINE SHOULD BE IN THE SAN ANTONIO
AREA AROUND 10 AM.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.
Special weather statement, Dec 19, 8:52 AM CST, 3 hours 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
850 AM CST SAT DEC 19 1987

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 NOON FOR
THE NORTHERN PART OF THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY. THE SAN ANTONIO
METROPOLITAN AREA IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.

A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS MOVED THROUGH THE SAN
ANTONIO AREA DURINT THE PAST HOUR THIS LINE IS NOW IN FAR EASTERN BEXAR
COUNTY MOVING VERY RAPIDLY TO THE EAST. WIND GUST TO 32 MILES AN HOUR
AND 0.23 INCHES OF RAIN WERE MEASURED AT THE SAN ANTONIO WEATHER SERVICE
BETWEEN 8 AND 830 AM THIS MORNING.

HONDO RADAR INDICATES ANOTHER LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE
WEST OF SAN ANTONIO MOVING TO THE EAST WHICH SHOULD BE IN THE SAN
ANTONIO WITHIN THE NEXT HALF HOUR. MORE STRONG GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40
MPH AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

INDICATTIONS ARE THAT THE WEATHER WILL IMPROVE IN THE SAN ANTONIOO
AREA BY THIS AFTERNOON.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.
Special weather statement, Dec 19, 8:54 AM CST, 3 hours 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
855 AM CST SAT DEC 19 1987

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 NOON FOR
THE NORTHERN PART OF THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY. THE SAN ANTONIO
METROPOLITAN AREA IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.

A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS MOVED THROUGH THE SAN
ANTONIO AREA DURING THE PAST HOUR. THIS LINE IS NOW IN FAR EASTERN BEXAR
COUNTY MOVING VERY RAPIDLY TO THE EAST. WIND GUST TO 32 MILES AN HOUR
AND 0.23 INCHES OF RAIN WERE MEASURED AT THE SAN ANTONIO WEATHER SERVICE
BETWEEN 8 AND 830 AM THIS MORNING.

HONDO RADAR INDICATES ANOTHER LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE
WEST OF SAN ANTONIO MOVING TO THE EAST WHICH SHOULD BE IN THE SAN
ANTONIO WITHIN THE NEXT HALF HOUR. MORE STRONG GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40
MPH AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

INDICATTIONS ARE THAT THE WEATHER WILL IMPROVE IN THE SAN ANTONITO
AREA BY THIS AFTERNOON.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.
Special weather statement, Dec 19, 9:06 AM CST, 2 hours 53 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
900 AM CST SAT DEC 19 1987

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 569 IS IN EFFECT UNTILL 12 NOON
FOR A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL TEXAS...IT INCLUDES TRAVIS AND SOURROUNDING
COUNTIES.

AT 855 AM CST RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 5 TO 8
MILES WIDE FROM 15 MILES NORTHEAST OF ADAMSVILLE...LAMPASAS...10 MILES
WEST OF MARBLE FALLS...10 MILES WEST OF FREDERICKSBURG...KERRVILLE. THE
STORMS ARE MOVING NE AT 35 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR. THE LINE IS MOVING EAST
AT 45 MPH.
THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS...STRONG WINDS
WITH GUST IN ECESS OF 50 MILES AN HOUR AND DEADLY LIGHTNING.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DESTRfUCTIVE WEATHER. FOR YOUR PROCTION MOVE
TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN YOUR HOMES OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS
AND LOW LYING AREAS QUICKLY...SO DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER
COVERS THE ROADS.
Special weather statement, Dec 19, 9:31 AM CST, 2 hours 28 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
930 AM CST SAT DEC 19 1987

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED TO INCLUDE PORTIONS
OF SOUTH CENTRAL...EAST AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL 3 PM THIS
AFTERNOON.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ISSUED EARLIER FOR THE TEXAS HILL
COUNTRY HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THAT PORTION OF SOUTH CENTRAL
EAST AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS ALONG AND 60 MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM
20 MILES EAST OF PARIS TEXAS TO 60 MILES EAST OF SAN ANTONIO TEXAS.

THE AUSTIN AND BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION METROPOLITAN AREAS ARE WITHIN
THE WATCH AREA.

HONDO RADAR INDICATES A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING
FROM NORTH OF LAMPASAS TO SOUTH OF EAGLE PASS THIS LINE IS MOVING
VERY RAPIDLY TO THE NORTHEAST. OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
EXTEND FROM NEAR LAKE BUCHANAN SOUTHWARD INTO THE SAN ANTONIO
METROPOLITAN AREA.

AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE TO THE EAST...CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE
FOR THESE THUNDERSTORMS TO GAIN INTENSITY AS THEY MOVE EASTWARD.
BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS
CAN BE EXPECTED.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 19, 10:16 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXTravis, Williamson59 min
Dec 19, 12:07 PM CSTTornado WarningEWXLavaca53 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.