Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1987

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 5, NWS Mobile, AL

February 28, 1987Baldwin County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 28, 1987, 10:30 AM CST for Baldwin County, Alabama. It was in force for 60 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 28, 1987, 10:30 AM CST (16:30 UTC)
Expired
Feb 28, 1987, 11:30 AM CST
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Baldwin County, AL

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 28, 10:35 AM CSTThunderstorm Wind 0Baldwin, AL

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

Boothville, LA (KBVE), launched 12:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 217 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, Boothville, LA at 12:00Z on 1987-02-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1216 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, Boothville, LA at 12:00Z on 1987-02-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 461 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156Sfc1 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
1216 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-25 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
592 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
461 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
472 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
3.7
Supercell composite
18.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAAOO KMOB 281630
SVRMOB
ALC003-281730-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1030 AM CST SAT FEB 28 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1130 AM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:
 
IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA
          ..BALDWIN

AT 1030 AM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT MOBILE SHOWED A LINE
OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM SOUTH OF BAY MINETTE TO LOXLEY TO MOBILE
POINT. THE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. THESE STORMS
WILL PRODUCE WINDS OVER 60 MPH.
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARpNED AREA.  REMEMBER,
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 28, 6:31 AM CST, 3 hours 59 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
630 AM CST SAT FEB 28 1987

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 22 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM FOR ALL COUNTIES
IN SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA FOR TODAY...

WEATHER SERVICE RADARS AT 625 AM SHOWED A LINE OF DEVELOPING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS JUST EAST OF BATON ROUGE LOUISIANA SOUTHWARD TO THE
COAST WEST OF HOUMA AND INTO THE GULF BEYOND 150 MILES.  THE LINE WAS
MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH WHILE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT
60 MPH.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY
OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS MORNING INCLUDIJNG FLASH FLOODING INDUCED BY THE
HEAVY RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS.
Special weather statement, Feb 28, 8:24 AM CST, 2 hours 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
830 AM CST SAT FEB 28 1987

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 22 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM FOR ALL COUNTIES
IN SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA FOR TODAY...

WEATHER SERVICE RADARS AT 830 AM SHOWED A 20 MILE MIDE LINE OF VERY
HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR BAY SPRINGS MISSISSIPPI TO SLIDELL
LOUISIANNA THEN INTO THE GULF 150 MILES. THE LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT
25 MPH WHILE INDIVIDUAL STORMS ARE MOVING NORTH AT 60 MPH.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY
OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS MORNING INCLUDING FLASH FLOODING INDUCED BY THE
HEAVY RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS.
Special weather statement, Feb 28, 8:27 AM CST, 2 hours 3 minutes before
KMOB 281427 COR

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
830 AM CST SAT FEB 28 1987

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 22 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM FOR ALL COUNTIES
IN SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA FOR TODAY...

WEATHER SERVICE RADARS AT 830 AM SHOWED A 20 MILE WIDE LINE OF VERY
HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR BAY SPRINGS MISSISSIPPI TO SLIDELL
LOUISIANNA THEN INTO THE GULF 150 MILES. THE LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT
25 MPH WHILE INDIVIDUAL STORMS ARE MOVING NORTH AT 60 MPH.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY
OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS MORNING INCLUDING FLASH FLOODING INDUCED BY THE
HEAVY RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS.
Special weather statement, Feb 28, 9:40 AM CST, 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
940 AM CST SAT FEB 28 1987

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR EXTREME SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI
AND ALL OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA FOR TODAY...

AT 930 AM CST THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT MOBILE SHOWED A
LINE OF VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR MERIDIAN MISSISSIPPI TO
PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI THEN INTO THE GULF FORM 100 MILES. THE LINE
WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 40 MPH. THESE STORMS ARE PRODUC
Special weather statement, Feb 28, 9:44 AM CST, 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
945 AM CST SAT FEB 28 1987

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR EXTREME SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI
AND ALL OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA FOR TODAY...

AT 930 AM CST THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT MOBILE SHOWED A
LINE OF VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR MERIDIAN MISSISSIPPI TO
PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI THEN INTO THE GULF FORM 100 MILES. THE LINE
WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 40 MPH. THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING STRONG
GUSTY WINDS...SEVERE LIGHTNING...AND BLINDING RAIN.

THE LINE WILL MOVE INTO THE MOBILE DURING THE NEXT HOUR. RESIDENTS
OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT
FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Feb 28, 9:45 AM CST, 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
1040 AM CST SAT FEB 28 1987

AT 1030 AM CST...A LINE OF VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS LAY ALONG THE
EASTERN EDGE OF MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWARD OVER THE CHANDELEUR ISL.
OFF THE LOUISIANNA COAST. THIS LINE CONSISTED OF POTENTIALLY SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS AND WAS MOVING RAPIDLY EAST. AT THE PRESENT SPEED...
THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL BE NEAR PENSACOLA AND THE WESTERN END OF
THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AROUND NOON. THE PUBLIC SHOULD WATCH FOR
WORSENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR
WARNINGS.

SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE OVER THE WESTER PANHANDLE AT THIS TIME.

SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST% AT 55 TO
60 MILES AN HOUR.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Mobile, AL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 28, 9:55 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMobile, Washington75 min
Feb 28, 12:26 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBDallas64 min
Feb 28, 1:16 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBAutauga, Montgomery59 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 1987Every severe thunderstorm warning 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.