Alert archive / Florida / Tornado Warnings in 1987

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Jacksonville, FL

February 22, 1987Putnam County, Florida

NWS Jacksonville, FL issued this tornado warning at Feb 22, 1987, 6:23 PM EST for Putnam County, Florida. It was in force for 37 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 22, 1987, 6:23 PM EST (23:23 UTC)
Expired
Feb 22, 1987, 7:00 PM EST
In force
37 min
Issued by
NWS Jacksonville, FL
Area
Whole counties

County Putnam County, FL

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

Jacksonville, FL (KAYS), launched 12:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 99 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, Jacksonville, FL at 12:00Z on 1987-02-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Jacksonville, FL at 12:00Z on 1987-02-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 289 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
534 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
63 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
289 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
467 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 KJAX 222323
TORJAX
FLC107-230000-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
623 PM EST SUN FEB 22 1987

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 700 PM EST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OF

NORTHEAST FLORIDA...PUTNAM

 AT 620 PM EST A PUBLIC REPORT OF A POSSIBLE TORNADO MOVING EAST
 INTO PUTNAM COUNTY NEAR MELROSE FROM ALACHUA COUNTY.

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

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY !

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 22, 2:12 PM EST, 4 hours 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
210 PM EST SUN FEB 22 1987

 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 15 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EST FOR THE
FOLLOWING NORTHEAST FLORIDA COUNTIES...ALACHUA..BAKER..BRADFORD..
CLAY..COLUMBIA..DUVAL..FLAGLER..GILCHRIST..HAMILTON..LAFAYETTE..
NASSAU..PUTNAM..ST. JOHNS..SUWANNEE..UNION.

IN THE PAST HOUR...A LARGE AREA OF RAIN CONTINUED TO MOVE OVER MOST
OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ISOLATED HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS
THIS MORNING IN CLAY AND ST. JOHNS COUNTIES AND MORE THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE PERIODS OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN..GUSTY
WINDS..FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES 	AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL.
Special weather statement, Feb 22, 2:31 PM EST, 3 hours 52 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
210 PM EST SUN FEB 22 1987

 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 15 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EST FOR THE
FOLLOWING NORTHEAST FLORIDA COUNTIES...ALACHUA..BAKER..BRADFORD..
CLAY..COLUMBIA..DUVAL..FLAGLER..GILCHRIST..HAMILTON..LAFAYETTE..
NASSAU..PUTNAM..ST. JOHNS..SUWANNEE..UNION.

IN THE PAST HOUR...A LARGE AREA OF RAIN CONTINUED TO MOVE OVER MOST
OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ISOLATED HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS
THIS MORNING IN CLAY AND ST. JOHNS COUNTIES AND MORE THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE PERIODS OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN..GUSTY
WINDS..FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL.
Special weather statement, Feb 22, 3:26 PM EST, 2 hours 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
325 PM EST SUN FEB 22 1987

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 15 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EST FOR THE
FOLLOWING NORTHEAST FLORIDA COUNTIES...ALACHUA..BAKER..BRADFORD..
CLAY..COLUMBIA..DUVAL..FLAGLER..GILCHRIST..HAMILTON..LAFAYETTE..
NASSAU..PUTNAM..ST. JOHNS..SUWANNEE..UNION.

IN THE PAST HOUR...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER
NORTHEAST FLORIDA WITHIN A LARGE AREA OF RAIN. THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN THE JACKSONVILLE AREA AND BETWEEN CROSS CITY
AND LAKE CITY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE PERIODS OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN..GUSTY
WINDS..FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL.

BOATERS OPERATI1NG ALONG THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA COAST BE ALERT FOR
BUILDING SEAS...GUSTY WINDS...AND VISIBILITY LESS THAN ONE MILE IN
FOG AND HEAVY RAINS AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE OFF THE COAST WITHIN
THE NEXT HOUR OR SO.
Special weather statement, Feb 22, 3:29 PM EST, 2 hours 54 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
325 PM EST SUN FEB 22 1987

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 15 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EST FOR THE
FOLLOWING NORTHEAST FLORIDA COUNTIES...ALACHUA..BAKER..BRADFORD..
CLAY..COLUMBIA..DUVAL..FLAGLER..GILCHRIST..HAMILTON..LAFAYETTE..
NASSAU..PUTNAM..ST. JOHNS..SUWANNEE..UNION.

IN THE PAST HOUR...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER
NORTHEAST FLORIDA WITHIN A LARGE AREA OF RAIN. THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN THE JACKSONVILLE AREA AND BETWEEN CROSS CITY
AND LAKE CITY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE PERIODS OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN..GUSTY
WINDS..FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL.

BOATERS OPERATING ALONG THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA COAST BE ALERT FOR
BUILDING SEAS...GUSTY WINDS...AND VISIBILITY LESS THAN ONE MILE IN
FOG AND HEAVY RAINS AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE OFF THE COAST WITHIN
THE NEXT HOUR OR SO.

MOVEMENT OF THIS ACTIVITY WAS EAST 7AT 40 MPH.
Special weather statement, Feb 22, 5:19 PM EST, 1 hour 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
515 PM EST SUN FEB 22 1987

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 15 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EST FOR THE
FOLLOWING NORTHEAST FLORIDA COUNTIES...ALACHUA..BAKER..BRADFORD..
CLAY..COLUMBIA..DUVAL..FLAGLER..GILCHRIST..HAMILTON..LAFAYETTE..
NASSAU..PUTNAM..ST. JOHNS..SUWANNEE..UNION.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS WERE OVER NORTHEAST FLORIDA
BETWEEN GAINESVILLE AND LAKE CITY AND FROM NEAR MIDDLEBURG TO
ORANGE PARK...OTHERWISE...MUCH OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA WAS UNDER LIGHT
TO MODERATE RAIN. AT JACKSONVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WE HAVE
RECEIVED A LITTLE LESS THAN ONE INCH SO FAR.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE PERIODS OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN..GUSTY
WINDS..FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL.

BOATERS OPERATING ALONG THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA COAST FROM ST AUGUSTINE
TO JACKSONVILLE BE ALERT FOR BUILDING SEAS...GUSTY WINDS...AND
VISIBILITY LESS THAN ONE MILE IN FOGp AND HEAVY RAINS AS THESE
THUNDERSTORMS MOVE OFF THE COAST WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR OR SO.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 30 MPH.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Jacksonville, FL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 22, 4:07 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJAXAlachua, Bradford, Clay, Putnam53 min
Feb 22, 4:07 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJAXSaint Johns53 min
Feb 22, 6:00 PM ESTTornado WarningJAXSaint Johns30 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Florida, 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.