Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1987
Tornado Warning 5, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this tornado warning at May 4, 1987, 12:09 AM CDT for Gonzales County, Texas. It was in force for 66 min. 1 report 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 4, 1987, 12:09 AM CDT (05:09 UTC)
- Expired
- May 4, 1987, 1:15 AM CDT
- In force
- 66 min
- Issued by
- NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
- Area
- Whole counties
County Gonzales County, TX
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 4, 12:45 AM CDT | Hail 1.75 | Gonzales, TX |
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
Victoria Regiona, TX (KVCT), launched 00:00Z, 5.2 hours before the alert went out and 89 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
- 3052 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -39 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 743 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 42 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -11 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -9 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.1
- Supercell composite
- 0.5
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KSAT 040509
TORSAT
TXC177-040615-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
1209 AM CDT MON MAY 4 1987
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 115 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN SOUTH TEXAS
...GONZALES
THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTED A TORNADO NEAR LULING. THIS
STORM WAS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AND WILL BE CROSSING NORTHERN
GONZALES COUNTY DURING THE NEXT HOUR. THE TOWNS OF HARWOOD...WAELDER
AND GONZALES WILL BE NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION. ACT QUICKLY.
LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL LIKELY
ACCOMPANY THIS STORM.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, May 3, 6:33 PM CDT, 5 hours 36 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX 630 PM CDT SUN MAY 3 1987 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR THE SAN ANTONIO AREA IS CANCELLED... THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ISSUED EARLIER FOR THE SAN ANTONIO AREA HAS BEEN CANCELLED. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA...NOR TO THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF SAN ANTONIO. HOWEVER FOR THOSE TRAVELING EAST...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FO9R THE HOUSTON AREA UNTIL 8 PM. ALSO A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR THE AREA FROM AUSTIN UP I35 INTO SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA.
Special weather statement, May 3, 6:54 PM CDT, 5 hours 15 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX 650 PM CDT SUN MAY 3 1987 A NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED AND INCLUDES ALL THE COUNTIES AROUND THE AUSTIN AND CENTRAL TEXAS AREA EXCEPT FAYETTE CALDWELL AND GILLESPIE. THE NEW WATCH IS UNTIL MIDNIGHT. AT 640 PM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING FROM NORTH OF TAYLOR NORTH NORTHEAST TO NORTHEAST OF WACO. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. SOME NEWLY DEVELOPED LIGHT SHOWERS WERE SCATTERED OVER THE AREA NEAR BRENHAM GIDDINGS AND CALDWELL. PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA...SHOULD STAY ON THE ALERT AND CHECK FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION OFTEN. ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS WILL BE ISS_UED AS CONDITION WARRENT.
Local storm report, May 3, 7:24 PM CDT, 4 hours 45 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
740 PM CDT SUN MAY 3 1987
TIME EVENT
1058 AM PEA SIZED HAIL 8 MILES WSW OF FREDERICKSBURG.
1250 PM PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN 6 MILES WEST OF
HUNT.
110 PM GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL 8 MILES SW OF KERRVILLE.
135 PM GRAPEFRUIT SIZED HAIL AT CENTER POINT.
135 PM HEAVY RAIN AND 3/4 INCH HAIL AT KERRVILLE.
1PM-2PM MARBLE AND GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL AT CAMP VERDE WITH 1.04
INCHES OF RAIN IN 35 MINUTES.
2PM-220PM GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL AT CENTER POINT WITH 1.10 INCHES OF
RAIN.
430 PM PEA SIZED HAIL IN EAST CENTRAL REAL COUNTY.
450 PM MARBLE SIZED HAIL IN EAST CENTRAL REAL COUNTY WITH BRIEF WIND
GUSTS ESTIMATED BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MILES AN HOUR.
455 PM MARBLE SIZED HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAIN IN REAL COUNTY.Special weather statement, May 3, 9:03 PM CDT, 3 hours 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX 855 PM CDT SUN MAY 3 1987 A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR THE COUNTIES AROUND THE AUSTIN AND CENTRAL TEXAS AREA. AT 845 PM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS NEAR LOTT AND ABOUT 25 EAST OF WACO. THIS WAS IN AN AREA OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR LA GRANGE NORTH THROUGH THE ROCKDALE AND CAMERON AREA. ALSO FROM NEAR TEMPLE TO NORTH OF WACO THEN EAST TO NEAR PALESTINE. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 25 MPH. PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA...SHOULD STAY ON THE ALERT AND CHECK FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION OFTEN. ADDITIONAL STAT)EMENTS AND WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITION WARRENT.
Special weather statement, May 3, 10:07 PM CDT, 2 hours 2 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX 1005 PM CDT SUN MAY 3 1987 A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR THE COUNTIES AROUND THE AUSTIN AND CENTRAL TEXAS AREA. AT 950 PM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN AND NEAR THE AUSTIN AREA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE FROM SOUTH AUSTIN TO NEAR SAN MARCOS AND BETWEEN LAKE TRAVIS AND LIBERTY HILL. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM NEAR TEMPLE TO NORTH OF WACO EAST TO NEAR PALESTINE. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT NEAR 20 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS NEAR THE AUSTIN AREA HAVE BEEN PRODUCING SOME MARLE SIZE. PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA...SHOULD STAY ON THE ALERT AND CHECK FOR THE LATEST WEAhTHER INFORMATION OFTEN. ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITION WARRENT.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 10:12 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Travis | 63 min |
| May 3, 10:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Williamson | 68 min |
| May 3, 11:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Caldwell | 65 min |
| May 3, 11:44 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | EWX | Caldwell | 61 min |
| May 4, 12:56 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Lavaca | 64 min |
| May 4, 1:39 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Edwards | 66 min |
| May 4, 2:47 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Bandera, Edwards, Kerr, Real, Uvalde | 58 min |
| May 4, 2:47 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Kinney | 58 min |
| May 4, 3:47 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Bandera, Medina, Uvalde | 58 min |
| May 4, 3:47 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Kendall, Kerr | 58 min |
| May 4, 4:39 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Bandera, Medina | 66 min |
| May 4, 5:59 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Bexar | 61 min |
| May 4, 6:21 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Guadalupe, Wilson | 69 min |
| May 4, 6:39 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Maverick | 66 min |
| May 4, 7:37 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Zavala | 68 min |
| May 4, 10:17 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Dimmit | 73 min |
| May 4, 11:49 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Webb | 56 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.