Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Warnings in 1987

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Jackson, MS

February 15, 1987Jones County, Mississippi

NWS Jackson, MS issued this tornado warning at Feb 15, 1987, 1:55 PM CST for Jones County, Mississippi. It was in force for 57 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
Feb 15, 1987, 1:55 PM CST (19:55 UTC)
Expired
Feb 15, 1987, 2:52 PM CST
In force
57 min
Issued by
NWS Jackson, MS
Area
Whole counties

County Jones County, MS

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
Feb 15, 2:20 PM CSTThunderstorm Wind 0Jones, MS

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

Jackson, MS (KJAN), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 116 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, Jackson, MS at 12:00Z on 1987-02-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Jackson, MS at 12:00Z on 1987-02-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 63 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
NaN m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
63 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
96 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 KMEI 151955
TORMEI
MSC067-152052-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MERIDIAN MS
155 PM CST SUN FEB 15 1987

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 252 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OF

EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...JONES


  AT 153 PM CST RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO 15 MILES SOUTH
  WEST OF LAUREL MISSISSIPPI MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

 THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM THAT ALREADY HAS A HISTORY OF SEVERE
 WEATHER. PERSONS IN THE THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD SEEK
 IMMEDIATE SHELTER IN A REINFORCED BUILDING.

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

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, Feb 15, 12:19 PM CST, 1 hour 36 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
1210 PM CST SUN FEB 15 1987

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 10 IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM FOR CENTRAL AND
   SOUTH MISSISSIPPI...

AT NOON...A SOLID LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS CONTINUING TO MOVE
EAST THROUGH SOUTH AND CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. AT NOON IT WAS LOCATED FROM
JUST EAST OF VICKSBURG TO JUST WEST OF MCCOMB.{}
THE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE LINE WERE PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS WITH
PEAK GUSTS IN THE 30 TO 40 MPH RANGE. SMALL HAIL IS POSSIBLE WITH
THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING THROUGH MCCOMB IN THE NEXT 20
MINUTES. ALSO...IT WILL MOVE  THROUGH CRYSTAL SPRINGS...HAZELHURST...
AND BROOKHAVEN IN THcE NEXT 45 MINUTES. IT SHOULD ARRIVE IN JACKSON
AROUND 115 PM.

...AM CHANGED TO PM IN THE DATE/TIME LINE...
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 12:22 PM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MERIDIAN MS
1220 PM CST SUN FEB 15 1987

A TORNADO WATCH WHICH INCLUDES THE COUNTIES OF JASPER..CLARKE..
LAUDERDALE..NEWTON..JONES AND WAYNE IN EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI
COUNTIES IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CST.

AT 1215 RADAR SHOWED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHWEST
CLARKE AND SOUTHWEST JONES COUNTIES MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
ELSEWHERE..A 70 MILE WIDE AREA OF SHOWERS AND HEAVY RAIN
EXTENDdED FROM NEAR KOSCIUSKO TO BILOXI.

PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR DANGEROUS WEATHER
CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. <<
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 12:33 PM CST, 1 hour 22 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MERIDIAN MS
1220 PM CST SUN FEB 15 1987

A TORNADO WATCH WHICH INCLUDES THE COUNTIES OF JASPER..CLARKE..
LAUDERDALE..NEWTON..JONES AND WAYNE IN EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI
CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CST.

AT 1215 RADAR SHOWED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHWEST
CLARKE AND SOUTHWEST JONES COUNTIES MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
ELSEWHERE..A 70 MILE WIDE AREA OF SHOWERS AND HEAVY RAIN
EXmTENDED FROM NEAR KOSCIUSKO TO BILOXI.

PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR DANGEROUS WEATHER
CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 1:07 PM CST, 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
105 PM CST SUN FEB 15 1987

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 130 PM FOR RANKIN
   COUNTY.
...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 10 IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM FOR CENTRAL AND
   SOUTH MISSISSIPPI...

AT 1 PM THE LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL
MISSISSIPPI EXTENDED FROM JACKSON SOUTH TO NEAR COLUMBIA.

THUNDERSTORMS IN THE LINE WERE PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL
TO MEDIUM SIZED HAIL. WIND GUSTS WERE BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH. BRIEF
VERY HEAVY RAINS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.
1 1/2 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN SOUTHERN JACKSON BETWEEN 1230 AND 1240 PM.

BY 2PM...THE LINE SHOULD BE LOCATED FROM CARTHAGE TO HATTIESBURG.
PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR
THE WEATHER UNTIL THESE THUNDERSTORMS PASS.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 1:30 PM CST, 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MERIDIAN MS
125 PM CST SUN FEB 15 1987

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 10 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CST.

AT 120 PM CST RADAR SHOWED A 6 MILE WIDE LINE OF INTENSE
THUNDERSTORMS FROM NORTHERN MADISON TO NORTHERN PEARL RIVER
COUNTIES MOVING EASTNORTHEAST AT 38 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS
WILL MOVE INTO NESHOBA..NEWTON..JASPER AND JONES COUNTIES
BEFORE 230 PM.

PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD STAY ALERT FOR DANGEROUS
WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE
QUICK ACTION IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. <<
Local storm report, Feb 15, 1:40 PM CST, 15 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
 140 PM CST SUN FEB 15 1987

 1215 PM MARBLE SIZED HAIL REPORTED IN MCCOMB.
 1222 PM HEAVY RAIN...NO HAIL AT BOLTON.
 1235 PM MEMA REPORTS LOW LYING AREAS FLOODED BY HEAVY RAIN.
 1237 PM MARBLE SIZED HAIL REPORTED IN WEST JACKSON
 1245 PM PEA SIZED HAIL REPORTED AT FLORENCE
 1248 PM BROOKHAVEN PD REPORTS WIND GUSTS 40 TO 45 MPH.
 1250 PM 1 1/2 INCHES RAIN IN 10 MINUTE PERIOD IN SOUTH JACKSON.
 105  PM SEVERAL LARGE TREES SNAPPED NEAR PELAHATCHIE. PUBLIC ALSO
         REPORTED FUNNEL CLOUD.

 LATE REPORT...1240 PM...POSSIBLE TORNADO REPORTED BY PUBLIC AT LEXIE
         (5 MI SOUTHWEST OF TYLERTOWN). A HOUSE WAS MOVED FROM ITS
         FOUNDATION. <<

The office that day

Everything else NWS Jackson, MS issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 15, 12:47 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANRankin43 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Mississippi, 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.