Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1987
Tornado Warning 16, NWS Fort Worth, TX
NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at May 28, 1987, 4:05 PM CDT for Callahan County, Texas. It was in force for 40 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 28, 1987, 4:05 PM CDT (21:05 UTC)
- Expired
- May 28, 1987, 4:45 PM CDT
- In force
- 40 min
- Issued by
- NWS Fort Worth, TX
- Area
- Whole counties
County Callahan 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
Stephenville/Cla, TX (KSEP), launched 12:00Z, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 120 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
- 3184 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 502 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 26 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 157 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 143 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.5
- Supercell composite
- 9.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KABI 282105
TORABI
TXC059-282145-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABILENE TX
405 PM CDT THU MAY 28 1987
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 445 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
...CALLAHAN
AT 403 PM THE SHERIFFS OFFICE IN CALLAHAN COUNTY REPORTED TORNADOES
TOUCHED DOWN BRIEFLY 6 MILES NORTH OF COTTONWOOD AND 2 MILES EAST
OF COTTONWOOD. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR.
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...GO TO A BASEMENT OR
INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING.
IF YOU SEE A TORNADO...ASK THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO
RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.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 28, 11:36 AM CDT, 4 hours 29 minutes before
NORTH TEXAS SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FT WORTH TX 1130 AM CDT THU MAY 28 1987 THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTH TEXAS GENERALLY WEST OF A PARIS-ATHENS-CENTERVILLE LINE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTH TEXAS EAST OF THIS LINE FOR THE SAME PERIOD. THE UPPER AIR TROUGH THAT HAS LINGERED OVER THE SOUTHWEST US THE PAST FEW DAYS HAS BEGUN TO SHIFT EASTWARD INTO WEST TEXAS. THE DYNAMICS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL NOW INTERFACE WITH THE VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR MASS OVER NORTH TEXAS. THERE ARE IN FACT THREE DISTINCT SHORT WAVE IMPULSES THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE NORTH TEXAS AREA THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY IN 12 TO 18 HOUR INCREMENTS. EACH SHOULD TRIGGER INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS. THE FIRST SHORT WAVE WILL ENTER THE SOUTHWEST PART OF NORTH TEXAS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. TO FURTHER INTENSIFY THE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL THIS AFTERNOON IS AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY THAT HAS MOVED INTO THE NORTH PART OF THE AREA FROM LAST NIGHTS THUNDERSTORMS IN OKLAHOMA. THIS BOUNDARY WAS LOCATED AT 11030 AM ALONG A TEXARKANA...DALLAS FT WORTH...HASKELL...CHILDRESS LINE. THE BOUNDARY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OUTWARD AT ABOUT 20 MPH. THIS BOUNDARY IS SIMILAR TO A COLD FRONT...LIFTING AND COOLING THE AIR IT ENCOUNTERS AS IT MOVES. THE BEST FOCUS FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS WEST OF A VERNON...HASKELL...LAMPASAS LINE FOR EARLY AFTERNOON. THIS IS WHERE THE AIR MASS IN THE MOST UNSTABLE...THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY WILL BE MOVING THROUGH THE AREA PROVIDING LOW LEVEL LIFT AND THE UPPER AIR SHORT WAVE WILL BE PROVIDING GOOD UPPER AIR SUPPORT. THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL SLOWLY SPREAD EASTWARD AS THIS FIRST SHORT WAVE MOVES NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA ALONG WITH THE THREAT OF TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL..AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE HEAVY RAINS. THE RAIN POTENTIAL OF THREE TO FIVE INCHES IS VERY LIKELY OVER THE WESTERN 2/3 OF NORTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE BEST LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FOCUS AT THIS TIME IS A WACO...DALLAS FORT WORTH...SHERMAN LINE. ALONG AND EITHER SIDE OF THIS LINE FOR ABOUT 75 MILES IS THE GREATEST THREAT FOR EXTENDED INTENSE RAIN AND FLOODING. THIS IS A DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICES THROUGHOUT NORTH TEXAS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND POSSIBLE FLOODING FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 36 HOURS. OUTDOOR EVENTS SUCH AS GRADUATION EXERCISES DURING THIS PERIOD WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO BE MOVED INDOORS. STORM SPOTTERS OVER THE WESTERN 2/3 OF NORTH TEXAS SHOULD EXPECT ACTIVATION AT ANY TIME. THOSE OVER THE EASTERN 1/3 SHOULD EXPECT ACTIVATION BY EARLY TONIGHT.
Special weather statement, May 28, 12:33 PM CDT, 3 hours 32 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 1230 PM CDT THU MAY 28 1987 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM FOR THE FOLLOWING NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNTIES...EASTLAND...PALO PINTO...PARKER...ERATH... STEPHENS. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ISSUED EARLIER HAS BEEN CANCELLED. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FOR THAT PART OF NORTH TEXAS GENERALLY WEST OF A CLARKSVILLE TO CENTERVILLE LINE. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE CITIES OF DALLAS FORT WORTH ...SHERMAN...GAINESVILLE...AND PARIS. AT 1230 PM RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS GENERALLY NORTH OF A MARSHALL..WACO..ABILENE LINE. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER DENTON AND MINERAL WELLS. MOVEMENT OF THESE THESE THUNDERSTORMS WAS NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AT THIS OFFICE DURING THE PAST HOUR. HOWEVER THERE IS A LINE OF VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM WICHITA FALLS SOUTHWESTWARD THROUGH ABILENE. THE LINE WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. AT THIS RATE THE LINE COULD BE MOVING INTO STEPHENS AND EASTLAND COUNTIES IN TWO TO THREE HOURS. THE WEATHER SITUATION IS BEING CLOSELY MONITOTRED. LISTEN TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR UPDATES.
Special weather statement, May 28, 1:36 PM CDT, 2 hours 29 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 135 PM CDT THU MAY 28 1987 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM FOR THE FOLLOWING NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNTIES...EASTLAND...PALO PINTO...PARKER...ERATH... STEPHENS. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FOR THAT PART OF NORTH TEXAS GENERALLY WEST OF A CLARKSVILLE TO CENTERVILLE LINE. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE CITIES OF DALLAS...FORT WORTH ...SHERMAN...GAINESVILLE...AND PARIS. AT 130 PM...RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF NORTH TEXAS. INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED BETWEEN WICHITA FALLS...THROCKMORTON AND ABILENE. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER THE DALLAS FORT WORTH METROPLEX. MOVEMENT OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. GAINESVILLE REPORTED ALMOST 4 INCHES OF RAIN THIS MORNING. MOTORIST SHOULD NOT DRIVE THROUGH WATER COVERING THE ROAD AS THIS HOW MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR. WATER CAN RISE RAPIDLY AND ALLOW YOU NO ESCAPE. THE WEATHER SITUATION IS BEING CLOSELY MONITORED. STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 28, 2:10 PM CDT, 1 hour 55 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 210 PM CDT THU MAY 28 1987 A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR DALLAS COUNTY UNTIL 245 PM. A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM FOR THE FOLLOWING NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNTIES...EASTLAND...PALO PINTO...PARKER...ERATH... STEPHENS. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FOR THAT PART OF NORTH TEXAS GENERALLY WEST OF A CLARKSVILLE TO CENTERVILLE LINE. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE CITIES OF DALLAS...FORT WORTH ...SHERMAN...GAINESVILLE...AND PARIS. AT 210 PM...RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF NORTH TEXAS. A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDER- STORMS WERE LOCATED BETWEEN WICHITA FALLS...THROCKMORTON AND ABILENE. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF STEPHENS COUNTY. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER DALLAS AND PALO PINTO COUNTY. MOVEMENT OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. MOTORIST SHOULD NOT DRIVE THROUGH WATER COVERING THE ROAD AS THIS HOW MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR. WATER CAN RISE RAPIDLY AND ALLOW YOU NO ESCAPE. THE WEATHER SITUATION IS BEING CLOSELY MONITORED. STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 28, 3:19 PM CDT, 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX 310 PM CDT THU MAY 28 1987 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.. THE WATCH INCLUDES MCLENNAN...HILL AND BOSQUE COUNTIES... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FOR MUCH OF NORTH TEXAS...INCLUDING MCLENNAN...LEON...HILL...LIMESTONE AND BOSQUE... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED ALONG A LINE FROM WEST OF WACO NEAR HAMILTON SOUTHWARD TO GATESVILLE AND KILLEEN MOVING NORTHEAST 15 MPH. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED NORTH OF THE WACO AREA FROM NEAR CLEBURNE NORTHWEST TO ABILENE ALSO MOVING NORTHEAST AROUND 15 TO 20 MPH. REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH ME<ANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TORNADOS IN THE WATCH AREA. ALL PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE IF THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.
Special weather statement, May 28, 3:20 PM CDT, 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 320 PM CDT THU MAY 28 1987 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM FOR MOST OF NORTH TEXAS. THE DALLAS FORT WORTH METROPLEX IS INCLUDED IN THE TORNADO WATCH AREA. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FOR THAT PART OF NORTH TEXAS GENERALLY WEST OF A CLARKSVILLE TO CENTERVILLE LINE. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE CITIES OF DALLAS...FORT WORTH ...SHERMAN...GAINESVILLE...AND PARIS. AT 320 PM...RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF NORTH TEXAS. AN AREA OF INTENSE THUNDER- STORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR MONTAGUE...JACKSBORO...BRECKENRIDGE AND ON TO NEAR ABILENE. THIS AREA OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SLOWLY TO THE EAST. OTHER SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE BETWEEN DALLAS AND WEATHERFORD. MOTORIST SHOULD NOT DRIVE THROUGH WATER COVERING THE ROAD AS THIS IS HOW MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR. WATER CAN RI>SE RAPIDLY AND ALLOW YOU NO ESCAPE. THE WEATHER SITUATION IS BEING CLOSELY MONITORED. STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Fort Worth, TX issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 7:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Stonewall | 61 min |
| May 27, 7:34 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Hamilton | 56 min |
| May 27, 7:34 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Hamilton | 21 min |
| May 27, 8:05 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Hamilton | 55 min |
| May 27, 8:24 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Stonewall | 76 min |
| May 27, 8:36 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Bosque | 24 min |
| May 27, 9:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Knox | 60 min |
| May 27, 9:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Stonewall | 45 min |
| May 27, 9:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Stephens | 68 min |
| May 28, 6:07 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Scurry | 33 min |
| May 28, 11:25 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Nolan | 65 min |
| May 28, 12:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Baylor | 66 min |
| May 28, 12:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Jones | 60 min |
| May 28, 1:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Scurry | 67 min |
| May 28, 1:38 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Wichita | 3 hr |
| May 28, 1:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Dallas | 60 min |
| May 28, 3:00 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Shackelford | 60 min |
| May 28, 3:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Stephens | 55 min |
| May 28, 3:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Jones, Taylor | 62 min |
| May 28, 3:42 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Palo Pinto | 63 min |
| May 28, 3:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Eastland | 60 min |
| May 28, 3:51 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Callahan | 54 min |
| May 28, 3:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Stephens | 65 min |
| May 28, 4:05 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Eastland | 55 min |
| May 28, 4:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Taylor | 63 min |
| May 28, 4:31 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Parker | 29 min |
| May 28, 4:40 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Wichita | 3 hr |
| May 28, 4:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Callahan | 65 min |
| May 28, 4:58 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Eastland | 47 min |
| May 28, 5:02 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Wise | 58 min |
| May 28, 5:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Denton | 65 min |
| May 28, 5:45 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Brown | 60 min |
| May 28, 5:49 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Parker | 56 min |
| May 28, 5:53 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Tarrant | 67 min |
| May 28, 6:10 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Parker | 2 hr |
| May 28, 6:10 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Denton | 2 hr |
| May 28, 6:10 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Jones, Shackelford | 60 min |
| May 28, 6:10 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Taylor | 60 min |
| May 28, 6:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Lamar | 61 min |
| May 28, 6:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Denton | 60 min |
| May 28, 6:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Hood, Parker | 60 min |
| May 28, 6:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Collin | 68 min |
| May 28, 6:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Johnson, Tarrant | 62 min |
| May 28, 6:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Dallas | 62 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.