Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1987

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

May 19, 1987Bexar County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this tornado warning at May 19, 1987, 8:28 PM CDT for Bexar County, Texas. It was in force for 62 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 19, 1987, 8:28 PM CDT (01:28 UTC)
Expired
May 19, 1987, 9:30 PM CDT
In force
62 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, 1.5 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 1987-05-20Temperature 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°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 KSAT 200128
TORSAT
TXC029-200230-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
828 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL  930 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH TEXAS
          ...BEXAR
 
THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE REPORTED THAT A POSSIBLE
TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER SOUTHWEST SAN ANTONIO NEAR LACKLAND AIR FORCE
IS MOVING NORTHEAST ABOUT 20 MPH. THIS IS A DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORM
AND THE POSSIBILITY OF A TORNADO IS REAL.  RESIDENTS OF BEXAR COUNTY
SHOULD BE ALERT FOR A TORNADO AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER IF YOU
SHOULD HEAR A LOUD ROARING NOISE.
 
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.
 
YOU SHOULD ASK THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO RELAY YOUR
SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.
 
PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO...TV OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO STATION
LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS REGARDING THIS SEVERE WEATHERk 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, May 19, 3:17 PM CDT, 5 hours 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
315 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 1987

AT 310 PM CDT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS  HAD DEVELOPED SOUTH OF
COMSTOCK AND EXTENDED TO THE NORTHERN VAL VERDE COUNTY LINE.
OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN NORTHEASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY. THE
LARGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR COMSTOCK. THE STORMS WERE MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG
GUSTY WIND|S ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE STORMS.
Special weather statement, May 19, 3:23 PM CDT, 5 hours 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
320 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 1987

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL HAIL SCATTERED AROUND CENTRAL TEXAS...

NUMEROUS SMALL... BUT QUITE INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO
DEVELOP AND MOVE NORTHWARD AT 20 MPH OVER CENTRAL TEXAS.  THE
HEAVIEST RAINS WERE ALONG A 30 MILE WIDE BAND FROM CENTRAL BELL
COUNTY TO LAKE TRAVIS... NEW BRAUNFELS AND ON SOUTH OF SAN ANTONIO.
Special weather statement, May 19, 4:20 PM CDT, 4 hours 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
420 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 1987

AT 415 PM CDT LOCAL WEATHER RADAR SHOWED WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS
OVER NEARLY ALL OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA. VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE LOCATED IN SOUTHWEST HAYS COUNTY AND IN EASTERN HAYS COUNTY. THESE
INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING NORTH AT 20 TO 30 MPH AND WILL BE
MOVING ACROSS HAYS COUNTY AND INTO TRAVIS COUNTY BY 5 PM.

OTHER INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF BURNET AND NEAR
JOHNSON CITY.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL
UNTIL 9 PM THIS TUESDAY EVENING.

RUSH HOUR MOTORISTS IN AUSTIN SHOULD ANTICIPATE SOME HEAVY RAIN AND
POSSIBLE SMAALL HAIL ALONG WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS WHILE DRIVING HOME.
Special weather statement, May 19, 6:18 PM CDT, 2 hours 10 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, 16 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, 14 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

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, 8:50 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 19, 11:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXDeWitt55 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

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.