Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1987

Tornado Warning 9, NWS Fort Worth, TX

May 27, 1987Hamilton County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at May 27, 1987, 7:34 PM CDT for Hamilton County, Texas. It was in force for 21 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 27, 1987, 7:34 PM CDT (00:34 UTC)
Expired
May 27, 1987, 7:55 PM CDT
In force
21 min
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Hamilton 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
May 27, 8:05 PM CDTTornado F0Hamilton, 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, 0.6 hours before the alert went out and 57 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 1987-05-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1752 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 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 1987-05-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 90 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
1752 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
756 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
90 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
153 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.1
Supercell composite
6.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFTW 280034
TORFTW
TXC193-280130-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
734 PM CDT WED MAY 27 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  830 PM CDT AND A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  830 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
          ...HAMILTON
 
AT 730 PM...RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO 10 MILES EAST OF
HAMILTON. MOVEMENT WAS EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.
 
FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN
EVANT. THIS THUNDERSTORM HAS PRODUCED REPORTED RAINFALL AMOUNTS
OF 3.75 INCHES BEFORE ENTERING HAMILTON COUNTY AN HOUR AGO.
FLOODING CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF HAMILTON COUNTY
DURING THE NEXT HOUR.
 
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.

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 27, 3:34 PM CDT, 4 hours before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
 315 PM CDT WED MAY 27 1987

...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY...

AT 305 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS FROM JUST SOUTH OF WACO TO THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF BELL
COUNTY NEAR BARTLETT MOVING NORTH AT AROUND 15 MPH.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD MOVE INTO THE WACO AREA WITHIN THE NEXT
HOUR OR TWO.
MOSTLY LIGHT SHOWERS WERE NORTHWEST OF COLLEGE STATION.
Special weather statement, May 27, 4:47 PM CDT, 2 hours 47 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
445 PM CDT WED MAY 27 1987

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWEST SECTION OF
NORTH TEXAS...THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE SOUTH PLAINS AND PORTIONS
OF THE EDWARDS PLATEAU. THE WATCH IS ALONG AND 70 STATUE MILES EITHER
SIDE OF A LINE FROM 70 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF SAN ANGELO TO 50
MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF WICHITA FALLS. THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH
METROPLEX IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE WATCH. THE CITIES OF ABILENE...
SEYMOUR..HASKELL AND ANSON ARE IN THE WATCH AREA.

AT 440 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
ACROSS MOST OF NORTH TEXAS. A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS SOUTH OF
GATESVILLE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF CORYELL COUNTY. MOVEMENT WAS
NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AND
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE
AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THR=EATENING WEATHER AND BE PREPARED
TO TAKE QUICK ACTION.

LISTEN TO YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TV OR RADIO FOR LATER
STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 27, 5:46 PM CDT, 1 hour 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
545 PM CDT WED MAY 27 1987

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM FOR MOST OF THE LOW ROLLING
PLAINS...THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE EDWARDS PLATEAU...SOUTHEAST PART
OF THE SOUTH PLAINS..AND NORTHWEST SECTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS.
THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH METROPLEX IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE WATCH AREA.

AT 540 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
ACROSS MOST OF NORTH TEXAS. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN NORTHERN
LAMPASAS COUNTY...SOUTHWEST MCLENNAN COUNTY...AND NEAR CANTON IN
CENTRAL VAN ZANDT COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORM IN NORTH LAMPASAS COUNTY
WAS INTENSIFYING AND HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
MOVEMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WAS NORTH AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AND
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE
AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FORI THREATENING WEATHER AND BE PREPARED
TO SEEK COVER IN A REINFORCED SHELTER IF A TORNADO IS SIGHTED OR
A WARNING IS ISSUED.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TV OR RADIO FOR
LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 27, 7:04 PM CDT, 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
705 PM CDT WED MAY 27 1987

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM 645 PM CDT UNTIL 12 MIDNIGHT FOR
BELL..BOSQUE..CORYELL..FALLS..HILL..LIMESTONE AND MCLENNAN COUNTIES
OF CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 700 PM CDT THUNDERSTORMS..SOME PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN..WERE
JUST NORTH OF WACO AND 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BELLMEAD IN MCLENNAN
COUNTY AND 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GROESBECK IN LIMESTONE.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT COULD PRODUCE TORNDAOES.  PERSONS IN
MCLEANNAN AND LIMESTONE COUNTIES SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR VERY
HEAVY RAIN..GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER
RADIO OR TO LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATMENTS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 27, 7:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDStonewall61 min
May 27, 7:34 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDHamilton56 min
May 27, 8:05 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDHamilton55 min
May 27, 8:24 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDStonewall76 min
May 27, 8:36 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDBosque24 min
May 27, 9:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDKnox60 min
May 27, 9:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDStonewall45 min
May 27, 9:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDStephens68 min
May 28, 6:07 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDScurry33 min
May 28, 11:25 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDNolan65 min
May 28, 12:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDBaylor66 min
May 28, 12:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDJones60 min
May 28, 1:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDScurry67 min
May 28, 1:38 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDWichita3 hr
May 28, 1:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDDallas60 min
May 28, 3:00 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDShackelford60 min
May 28, 3:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDStephens55 min
May 28, 3:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDJones, Taylor62 min
May 28, 3:42 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDPalo Pinto63 min
May 28, 3:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDEastland60 min
May 28, 3:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCallahan54 min
May 28, 3:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDStephens65 min
May 28, 4:05 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDEastland55 min
May 28, 4:05 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDCallahan40 min
May 28, 4:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDTaylor63 min
May 28, 4:31 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDParker29 min
May 28, 4:40 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDWichita3 hr
May 28, 4:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCallahan65 min
May 28, 4:58 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDEastland47 min
May 28, 5:02 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDWise58 min
May 28, 5:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDDenton65 min
May 28, 5:45 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDBrown60 min
May 28, 5:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDParker56 min
May 28, 5:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDTarrant67 min
May 28, 6:10 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDParker2 hr
May 28, 6:10 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDDenton2 hr
May 28, 6:10 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDJones, Shackelford60 min
May 28, 6:10 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDTaylor60 min
May 28, 6:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDLamar61 min
May 28, 6:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDDenton60 min
May 28, 6:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHood, Parker60 min
May 28, 6:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCollin68 min
May 28, 6:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDJohnson, Tarrant62 min
May 28, 6:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDDallas62 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.