Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1987

Tornado Warning 39, NWS Fort Worth, TX

July 16, 1987Dallas County, Denton County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at Jul 16, 1987, 7:32 PM CDT for Dallas County, Denton County, Texas. It was in force for 58 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
Jul 16, 1987, 7:32 PM CDT (00:32 UTC)
Expired
Jul 16, 1987, 8:30 PM CDT
In force
58 min
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Dallas County, TX, Denton 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 16, 7:40 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 52Dallas, 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

Stephenville/Cla, TX (KSEP), launched 00:00Z, 0.5 hours before the alert went out and 138 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, Stephenville/Cla, TX at 00:00Z on 1987-07-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1172 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Stephenville/Cla, TX at 00:00Z on 1987-07-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 22 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
1172 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1217 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
7 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
22 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
77 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFTW 170038 COR
TORFTW
TXC113-121-170130-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING ... CORRECTED TO INCLUDE TIME PSBL TORNADO WAS LOCATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
732 PM CDT THU JUL 16 1987

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 830 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...NORTHWEST DALLAS AND DENTON

AT 730 PM, A POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS LOCATED JUST EAST OF DFW AIRPORT
MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH. THE DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING
THIS POSSIBLE TORNADO WILL BE MOVING INTO EXTREME NORTHWEST
AND SOUTHEAST DENTON COUNTY DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL MINUTES.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...GOK TO A BASEMENT SHELTER
OR A CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. ABANDON CARS AND
MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GEET INTO A DITCH OR
CULVERT.

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, Jul 16, 4:00 PM CDT, 3 hours 32 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
325 PM CDT THU JUL 16 1987

AT 320 PM CDT THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER MADISON COUNTY FROM MADISONVILLE
TO THE TRINITY RIVER.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 6:05 PM CDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
605 PM CDT THU JUL 16 1987

AT 600 PM CDT THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN 5 MILES
WEST OF HILLSBORO IN HILL COUNTY..5 MILES SOUTH OF FRANKLIN IN
ROBERTSON COUNTY AND 10 MILES NORTH OF MADISONVILLE IN MADISON COUNTY.
OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS EXTENDED FROM 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
HILLSBORO TO 15 MILES SOUTH OF GROESBECK.  AN ISOLATED SHOWER WAS
ALSO OCCURRING NEAR HEARNE IN ROBERTSON COUNTY.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN
HOUR.

PERSONS IN THE PATHS OF THE HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR VERY HEAVY RAIN..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..GUSTY WINDS AND
SMALL HAIL.  THE THUNDERSTORM OVER MADISON COUNTY WILL BE MOVING
INTO LEON COUNTY IN THE NEXT 30 MINUTES.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR TO LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION
STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 6:36 PM CDT, 56 minutes before
162332AL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
635 PM CDT THU JUL 16 1987

  ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO PARTS OF THE METROPLEX...

AT 630 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF TARRANT AND DALLAS
COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF
DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH. THUNDERSTORM MOVEMENT WAS NORTH AT 25 MILES AN
HOUR.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN OBSERVED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS
...RESIDENTS IN THE DALLAS FORT WORTH AREA CAN EXPECT BRIEF HEAVY
RAINS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY SMALL
HAIL TO ACCOMPANY THESE THUNDERSTORMS. MOTORISTS SHOULD ALSO ANTICIPATE
REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLE WATER STANDING ON SOME
ROADWAYS.

KEEP INFORMED OF DEVELOPING WEATHER IN YOUR AREA BY TUNING TO YOUR
NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO..OR TV FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 6:49 PM CDT, 43 minutes before
SPECIALL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
645 PM CDT THU JUL 16 1987

AT 645 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
OVER A LARGE PORTION OF NORTH TEXAS. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE
LOCATED NEAR FORT WORTH...WEST OF CORSICANA...AND ALONG THE RED RIVER
NORTHWEST OF SHERMAN. THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN
PORTIONS OF NORTH TEXAS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH WHILE THOSE
THUNDERSTORMS IN EAST TEXAS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN OBSERVED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS
...RESIDENTS CAN EXPECT BRIEF HEAVY RAINS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...
STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL TO ACCOMPANY THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORMS. MOTORISTS SHOULD SHOULD ALSO BE PREPARED FOR REDUCED
VISIBILITIES IN HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLY WATER STANDING ON SOME
ROADWAYS.

KEEP INFORMED OF DEVELOPING WEATHER IN YOUR AREA BY TUNING TO YOUR
NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO.."OR TV FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 7:19 PM CDT, 13 minutes before
SPECIALL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
720 PM CDT THU JUL 16 1987

AT 715 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDER-
STORMS OVER A LARGE PORTION OF NORTH TEXAS.  THE STRONGEST THUNDER-
STORMS WERE LOCATED IN THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH AREA NEAR THE DALLAS/FORT
WORTH AIRPORT...TO SOUTHERN ELLIS COUNTY NEAR WAXAHACHIE TO NAVARRO
COUNTY NEAR CORSICANA.  OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED  THROUGHOUT
NORTH AND EAST TEXAS.  MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS WAS NORTH AT 25 MILES AN
HOUR.

AT 715 PM...ESTIMATED GUSTS TO 50 MILES AN HOUR WERE REPORTED IN THE
BEDFORD AREA OF TARRANT COUNTY.  VERY HEAVY RAINS HAVE ALSO BEEN
REPORTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL.  ALSO...THERE COULD
BE SOME FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW-LYING AREAS.  MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED
TO EXERCISE CAUTION WHIL;E ON THE ROAD.  HEAVY RAIN COULD REDUCE
VISIBILITIES.

TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST INFORMATION REGARDING THIS WEATHER
SITUATION...STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO OR
YOUR TELEVISION.
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 7:19 PM CDT, 13 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
720 PM CDT THU JUL 16 1987

AT 715 PM CDT LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING OVER LIMESTONE
COUNTY NORTH OF GROESBECK AND EAST OF MEXIA.  A MODERATE SHOWER WAS
20 MILES EAST OF CENTERVILLE OVER EXTREME EASTERN LEON COUNTY.
THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM 30 MILES
NORTHWEST OF CORSICANA TO THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH METROPLEX.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS PLANNING TO DRIVE TOWARD DALLAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THE THUNDERSTORMS IN THAT AREA.  THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS.
REMEMBER..DRIVING INTO= VERY HEAVY RAIN CAN GREATLY REDUCE VISIBILITY
AND CAUSE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR TO LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION
STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Fort Worth, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 16, 8:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCooke, Grayson60 min
Jul 17, 8:13 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDGrayson47 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.