Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1987

Tornado Warning 9, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

November 16, 1987Brazoria County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this tornado warning at Nov 16, 1987, 6:17 AM CST for Brazoria County, Texas. It was in force for 58 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Nov 16, 1987, 6:17 AM CST (12:17 UTC)
Expired
Nov 16, 1987, 7:15 AM CST
In force
58 min
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Brazoria 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, 0.3 hours before the alert went out and 147 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 1987-11-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3540 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 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 1987-11-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 91 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
3540 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
539 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
91 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.2
Supercell composite
6.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KHOU 161217
TORHOU
TXC039-161315-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
617 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL  715 AM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
          ...BRAZORIA
 
AT 614 AM CST THE PUBLIC REPORTED A TORNADO HAD JUST TOUCHED DOWN ON
COUNTY RD 435 ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ALVIN.  A BARN WAS
DEMOLISED.
RADAR SHOWS THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA MOVING NORTHEAST 30 MPH.
 
DO NOT USE YOUR CAR TO TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO.  CARS ARE EASILY
TOSSED AROUND BY TORNADO WINDS.  IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF
A TORNADO...LEAVE THE CAR AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING.  IF NO
STRUCTURE IS NEARBY...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT.
 
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, Nov 16, 1:48 AM CST, 4 hours 29 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
145 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

...THE TORNADO WATCH FOR BRAZORIA...GRIMES...HARRIS...MONTGOMERY...
POLK...SAN JACINTO AND WALKER COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 200 AM.

...A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED...IN EFFECT FROM 145 AM UNTILL 800
AM CST FOR AUSTIN...COLORADO..FORT BEND...WALLER...WASHINGTON...AND
WHARTON COUNTIES.

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING OVER THE EDWARDS PLATEAU AND
ARE EX]PECTED TO MOVE EASTWARD INTO THE AREA LATER THIS MORNING.

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH
TONIGHT INCLUDING THE HOUSTON...GALVESTON METROPOLITAN AREA...
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 2:04 AM CST, 4 hours 13 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GALVESTON TX
200 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

 ....THE TORNADO WATCH FOR GALVESTON AND CHAMBERS COUNTIES AND THE
ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS HAS EXPIRED...

WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATES THAT THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE
MOVED NORTHEAST AND OUT OF THE AREA...HOWEVER OTHER THUNDERSTORMS ARE
DEVELOPINAG WELL TO THE WEST AND COULD MOVE INTO THE AREA LATER TODAY.

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FzOR GALVESTON AND CHAMBERS COUNTIES REMAINS IN
EFFECT THROUGH TODAY...
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 2:06 AM CST, 4 hours 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GALVESTON TX
200 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

 ....THE TORNADO WATCH FOR GALVESTON AND CHAMBERS COUNTIES AND THE
ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS HAS EXPIRED...

WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATES THAT THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE
MOVED NORTHEAST AND OUT OF THE AREA...HOWEVER OTHER THUNDERSTORMS ARE
DEVELOPINAG WELL TO THE WEST AND COULD MOVE INTO THE AREA LATER TODAY
.

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR GALVESTON AND~ CHAMBERS COUNTIES REMAINS IN
EFFECT THROUGH TODAY...
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 3:08 AM CST, 3 hours 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
310 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

...A TORANDO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF SOUTH TEXAS
WEST OF HOUSTON UNTIL 800 AM CST...

THE TORNADO WATCH US ALONG AND 70 MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM
70 MILES WEST OF COTULLA TO COLLEGE STATION AND INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...AUSTIN...COLORADO..FORT BEND...WALLER...WASHINGTON...AND
WHARTON.

NO THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN THE ABOVE COUNTIES AT THIS TIME BUT NUMEROUS
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE WATCH
AREA.  THEY ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE EASTWARD AND WILL THREATEN THESE
COUNTIES LATER THIS MORNING.

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS...INCLUDING
THE HOUSTON...GALVESTON METROPOLITAN AREA...THROUGH TODAY.
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 4:27 AM CST, 1 hour 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
424 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

...A TORANDO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF SOUTH TEXAS
WEST OF HOUSTON UNTIL 800 AM CST...

THE TORNADO WATCH US ALONG AND 70 MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM
70 MILES WEST OF COTULLA TO COLLEGE STATION AND INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...AUSTIN...COLORADO..FORT BEND...WALLER...WASHINGTON...AND
WHARTON.

RADAR SHOWS THAT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED WEST OF COLORADO
COLORADO.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MONITORED CLOSELY AS THEY
MOVE NORTH NORTHEASTWARD ALONG THE WESTERN EDGES OF COLORADO AUSTIN
AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES.

NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN AND AROU[ND THE
SAN ANTONIO AREA.
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 4:32 AM CST, 1 hour 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON TX
425 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

...A TORANDO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF SOUTH TEXAS
WEST OF HOUSTON UNTIL 800 AM CST...

THE TORNADO WATCH IS ALONG AND 70 MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM
70 MILES WEST OF COTULLA TO COLLEGE STATION AND INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...AUSTIN...COLORADO..FORT BEND...WALLER...WASHINGTON...AND
WHARTON.

RADAR SHOWS THAT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED WEST OF COLORADO
COUNTY.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MONITORED CLOSELY AS THEY
MOVE NORTH NORTHEASTWARD ALONG THE WESTERN EDGES OF COLORADO AUSTIN
AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES.

NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN AND ARaOUND THE
SAN ANTONIO AREA THIS MORNING.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 16, 6:35 AM CSTTornado WarningHGXGalveston30 min
Nov 16, 8:19 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHarris56 min
Nov 16, 8:35 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXBrazoria55 min
Nov 16, 8:45 AM CSTTornado WarningHGXGalveston30 min
Nov 16, 9:06 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXChambers, Galveston2 hr
Nov 16, 9:08 AM CSTTornado WarningHGXChambers30 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.