Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1987

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

May 29, 1987Matagorda County, Wharton County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at May 29, 1987, 9:53 AM CDT for Matagorda County, Wharton County, Texas. It was in force for 67 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 29, 1987, 9:53 AM CDT (14:53 UTC)
Expired
May 29, 1987, 11:00 AM CDT
In force
67 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Matagorda County, TX, Wharton 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 12:00Z, 2.9 hours before the alert went out and 79 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 12:00Z on 1987-05-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2910 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Victoria Regiona, TX at 12:00Z on 1987-05-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 65 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
2910 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
563 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
65 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
127 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.8
Supercell composite
7.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KHOU 291453
TORHOU
TXC321-481-291600-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
953 AM CDT FRI MAY 29 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1100 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
          ...MATAGORDA
IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
          ...WHARTON
 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO NEAR WARTON TEXAS
MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
 
FUNNEL CLOUDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED NEAR BAY CITY AND EL CAMPO THESE
WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.  IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF
AVAILABLE.  OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET 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, May 29, 5:49 AM CDT, 4 hours 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
550 AM CDT FRI MAY 29 1987

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 THIS MORNING FOR
A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL TEXAS AND INCLUDES COLORADO COUNTY.

WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING COLORADO
COUNTY FROM THE WEST.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE NORTH OF SHINER AND WILL
BE MOVING INTO WESTERN COLORADO COUNTY BETWEEN 600 AND 615 THIS
MORNING.

THESE THUNDERdSTORMS MAY CONTAIN LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS..
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES AND HEAVY RAINFALL AS THEY MOVE EAST AT
15 MILES AN HOUR.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AS NEEDED.
Special weather statement, May 29, 6:57 AM CDT, 2 hours 56 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
655 AM CDT FRI MAY 29 1987

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL NOON FOR PARTS OF
SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND INCLUDES WASHINGTON...AUSTIN...
WALLER...COLORADO...WHARTON...FORT BEND...MATAGORDA AND BRAZORIA
COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM SOUTH OF BRENHAM
TO SOUTHWEST OF COLUMBUS.  THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN GUSTY WINDS...
HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES AND HEAVY RAINS AS THEY MOVE EAST.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE AREA OF RAIN MOVING INTO
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FROM THE WEST.  THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RAIN WAS FROM
CROCKETT TO MONTGOMERY TON VICTORIA.  THIS AREA OF RAIN WAS MOVING EAST
AT 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR AND SHOULD MOVE INTO THE HOUSTON AREA
BETWEEN 800 AND 900 AM.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AS NEEDED.
Special weather statement, May 29, 7:55 AM CDT, 1 hour 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
755 AM CDT FRI MAY 29 1987

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON FOR PARTS OF
SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND INCLUDES WASHINGTON...AUSTIN...
WALLER...COLORADO...WHARTON...FORT BEND...MATAGORDA AND BRAZORIA
COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM NAVASOTA TO
EAGLE LAKE.  THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY CONTAIN GUSTY WINDS...HAIL...
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES AND HEAVY RAINS AS THEY MOVE EAST.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE AREA OF RAIN MOVING THROUGH
SOUTHEAST TEXAS.  THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RAIN WAS FROM LAKE
LIVINGSTON TO MONTGOMERY TO PALACIOS.  THE AREA WAS MOVING EAST AT
15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR.  IF PRESENT MOVEMENT CONTIUES THE RAIN WILL BE
IN THE HOUSTON AREA BETWEEN 830 AND 930 AM.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AS NEEDED.
Special weather statement, May 29, 8:42 AM CDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GALVESTON TX
840 AM CDT FRI MAY 28 1987

AT 830 AM CDT...A 15 MILE WIDE LINE OF NUMEROUS VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM NEAR COLLEGE STATION TO VICTORIA...
AND EXTENDED INTO MATAGORDA BAY.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN THIS LINE WERE LOCATED NEAR
PALACIOS.

MOVEMEMT WAS SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHER SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS AND PATCHES OF RAIN COVERED MUCH OF
SOUTHCENTRAL TEXAS AND THE LOWER COASTAL PLAINS.
Special weather statement, May 29, 8:55 AM CDT, 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
855 AM CDT FRI MAY 29 1987

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON FOR PARTS OF
SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND INCLUDES WASHINGTON...AUSTIN...
WALLER...COLORADO...WHARTON...FORT BEND...MATAGORDA AND BRAZORIA
COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM EAST OF COLLEGE
STATION TO SEALY AND EL CAMPO.  THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY CONTAIN GUSTY
WINDS...HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES AND HEAVY RAINS AS THEY
MOVE EAST.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE AREA OF RAIN MOVING THROUGH
SOUTHEAST TEXAS.  THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RAIN WAS FROM LAKE
LIVINGSTON TO SUGAR LAND AND MATAGORDA.  THE AREA WAS MOVING EAST AT
15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR.  IF PRESENT MOVEMENT CONTIUES THE RAIN WILL BE
IN THE HOUSTON AREA BETWEEN 930 AND 1030 AM.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AS NEEDED.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 29, 10:32 AM CDTTornado WarningHGXHarris43 min
May 29, 1:13 PM CDTTornado WarningHGXLiberty47 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.