Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1988

Tornado Warning 24, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

September 17, 1988Val Verde County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this tornado warning at Sep 17, 1988, 12:40 PM CDT for Val Verde County, Texas. It was in force for 80 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Sep 17, 1988, 12:40 PM CDT (17:40 UTC)
Expired: Sep 17, 1988, 2:00 PM CDT
In force: 80 min
Issued by: NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area: Whole counties

County Val Verde 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

Del Rio, TX (KDRT), launched 12:00Z, 5.7 hours before the alert went out and 66 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 453 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 612 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 279 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 313 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.5
Supercell composite: 5.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDRT 171742
TORDRT
TXC465-171900-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
1240 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 1988

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE
UNTIL 200 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY IN

SOUTHCENTRAL TEXAS...VAL VERDE.

AT 1240 PM CDT A TORNADO WAS REPORTED BY THE BORDER PATROL IN 
WESTERN KINNEY COUNTY MOVING NORTHWEST AT 25 MPH TOWARD VAL VERDE
COUNTY. THE PATH OF THE TORNADO BEARING STORM WILL TAKE IT INTO   
SOUTHERN VAL VERDE COUNTY AND THE DEL RIO AREA WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR.  

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION. ACT QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE IN THE
PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON
THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. AVOID WINDOWS AND PROTECT YOU BODY WITH
CUSHIONS...BLANKETS OR PILLOWS.

IF THREATENING CONDITIONS ARE SIGHTED..BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A
PLACE OF SAFETY IMMEDIATELY.  TO REPORT A TORNADO OR OTHER SEVERE
WEATHER..ASK TH!E NEAREST LAW ENFORECEMENT AGENCY TO RELAY YOUR
REPORT TO THE NEAREST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

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

Local storm report, Sep 17, 7:59 AM CDT, 4 hours 41 minutes before

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
750 AM CDT SAT SEP 17 1988

TIME         EVENT

545 AM       2 TORNADOES REPORTED VICINITY MOGFORD ROAD AND US 281
             SOUTHERN BEXAR COUNTY...1 MOBILE HOME DEMOLISHED...1
             INJURY.
550 AM       TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR KARNES CITY IN KARNES COUNTY
640 AM       TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN LACKLAND AFB NEAR SOUTH GATE
645 AM       ROOFS RIPPED OFF...MARBACH AND TIMBERIDGE...WEST SA<N
             ANTONIO
700 AM       TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN KELLY AFB
735 AM       HARDY AND I37...MOBILE HOME DESTROYED BY TORNADO
750 AM       DPS CONFIRMED TORNADO NEAR 410 AND CALLAGHAN ROAD HEADED
             TOWARD MEDICAL CENTER.

Special weather statement, Sep 17, 9:45 AM CDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
945 AM CDT SAT SEPT 17 1988

TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR PORTIONS
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...THIS IS TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST OF AUSTIN.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SAME GENERAL AREA FOR TODAY AND
TONIGHT.

BETWEEN 7:30 AND 7:455 CDT THIS MORNING A POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS SIGHTED
IN FAYETTE COUNTY.  THERE WAS SOME MINOR DAMAGE IN THE AREA.

AT 8:45 AM CDT A MAN IN SOUTHERN TRAVIS COUNTY...NEAR ELROY... REPORTED
A POSSIBLE FUNNEL CLOUD.  THIS DID NOT TOUCHDOWN.  NO DAMAGE REPORTED.

AT 9:45 AM CDT THE AUSTIN RADAR INDICATED SEVERAL BANDS OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHCENTRAL TEXAS.  MOST OF THE RAIN IS
LIGHT...HOWEVER THERE ARE SOME ISOLATED HEAVY SHOWERS THROUGH
THE AREA.  IN SOUTH AUSTIN NEAR CHERRY CREEK 0.52 OF RAIN WAS REPORTED
TO HAVE FALLEN IN 15 MINUTES.

THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING TO THE NORTHWEST AT ABOUT
20 MPH.

Local storm report, Sep 17, 9:50 AM CDT, 2 hours 50 minutes before

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
940 AM CDT SAT SEP 17 1988

TIME         EVENT

545 AM       2 TORNADOES REPORTED VICINITY MOGFORD ROAD AND US 281
             SOUTHERN BEXAR COUNTY...1 MOBILE HOME DEMOLISHED...1
             INJURY.
550 AM       TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR KARNES CITY IN KARNES COUNTY
640 AM       TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN LACKLAND AFB NEAR SOUTH GATE
645 AM       ROOFS RIPPED OFF...MARBACH AND TIMBERIDGE...WEST SAN
             ANTONIO
700 AM       TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN KELLY AFB
735 AM       HARDY AND I37...MOBILE HOME DESTROYED BY TORNADO
750 AM       DPS CONFIRMED TORNADO NEAR 410 AND CALLAGHAN ROAD HEADED
             TOWARD MEDICAL CENTER.
800 AM       TORNADO REPORTED NEAR THE MEDICAL COMPLEX ON THE NORTHWEST
             SIDE OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THE MURPHY VA HOSPITAL HAD
             WINDOWS BLOWN OUT. ALSO JUST NORTH OF THE HOSPITAL...ROOFS
             WERE BLOWN OFF SOME APT COMPLEXES. ONE CAR OVERTURNED IN
             IN THE AREA. APPARENTLY THE SAME TORNADO HIT THE OXBOW AREA
             WHICH IS AT BABCOCK AND DE ZAVALA. HOMES WERE UNROOFED IN
             THAT AREA WITH DAMAGE TO CARS.
803 AM       TORNADO HEADED NORTH ON HWY TO DEVINE
840 AM       TORNADO NEAR JOURDANTON IN ATASCOSA COUNTY MOVG NORTH.
841 AM       TORNADO JUST NORTH OF CANYON LAKE DAMAGE NOT REPORTED
850 AM       TORNADO REPORTED BY THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS AT CAYON LAKE
850 AM       TORNADO HIT ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE CITY NEAR HEB
             FOOD STORE AT 5400MBLK OF BABCOCK AT 8 AM.
853 AM       TORNADO REPORTED IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF BEXAR COUTNFY
855 AM       TORNADO REPORTED AT NEAR DEVINE IN WESTERN BEXAR CO
859 AM       SEVERAL FUNNEL CLUDS OBSRVED AT KELLY AFB.
930 AM       FUNNEL CLOUD ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CITY AT THE
             INTERSECTION OF HWY 90 AND 1604.
940 AM       A TORNADO REPORTED SEEN BY KELLY AFB PERSONNEL TWO AND ONE
             HALF MILES NORTHWEST OF THE BASE.

Special weather statement, Sep 17, 10:48 AM CDT, 1 hour 52 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
1045 AM CDT SAT SEPT 17 1988

TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR PORTIONS
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...THIS IS TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST OF AUSTIN.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SAME GENERAL AREA FOR TODAY AND
TONIGHT.

AT 10:45 AM CDT HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAD MOVED IN HAYS
COUNTY.  RADAR INDICATED THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY JUST TO THE EAST AND
THE NORTHWEST OF SAN MARCOS.

THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST AT
20 TO 25 MPH AND WILL MOVE INTO BLANCO COUNTY IN THE NEXT HOUR.

OTHER BANDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COVER A LARGE PORTION OF
CENTRAL TEXAS.  ALL: THESE BANDS ARE MOVING NORTHWEST.

Local storm report, Sep 17, 11:43 AM CDT, 57 minutes before

STORM REPORT...ADDITIONAL REPORTS...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
1140 AM CDT SAT SEP 17 1988

TIME         EVENT

940 AM      A TORNADO REPORTED SEEN BY KELLY AFB PERSONNEL TWO AND ONE
             HALF MILES NORTHWEST OF THE BASE.
1013 AM      FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED NEAR BOERNE REPORTED BY THE KENDALL
             COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE. IT WAS MOVING NORTHWEST.
1018 AM      TEX DEPT OF PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD IN UVALDE
             COFUNTY NEAR KNIPPA
1025 AM      FUNNEL CLOUD 3 MI SOUTHWEST OF SABINAL
1030 AM      A TORNADO DESTROYED A MOBILE HOME AND DAMAGED A SHED NEAR
             THE INTERSECTION OF IH10 AND HARDY RD ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF
             SAN ANTONIO. THIS APPARENTLY WAS FROM A EARLIER
             OCCURANCE.
1032 AM      REPORT FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT 18 HOMES DAMAGED IN
             SAN ANTONIO
1030 AM      FROM A RADIO STATION IN KERRVILLE...POSSIBLE FUNNEL CLOUD
             NEAR BOERNE.
1050 AM      TORNADO REPORTED JUST INSIDE THE EDWARDS COUNTY LINE IN THE
             NORTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY. REPORTED BY A RAINFALL
             NETWORK OBSERVER TO THE DEL RIO WSO.

Special weather statement, Sep 17, 12:13 PM CDT, 27 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
1210 PM CDT SAT SEPT 17 1988

TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
FOR A A LARGE PORTION OF CENTRAL TEXAS.  THIS WATCH AREA DOES INCLUDE
TRAVIS COUNTY AND ALL SURROUNDING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL TEXAS.

AT 1205 PM CDT AUSTIN RADAR INDICATED NURMEROUS BANDS OF HEAVY
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALL THROUGH CENTRAL TEXAS.  THE STRONGEST AND
MOST PERSISENT RAIN WAS IN A BAND FROM LULING...IN CALWELL COUNTY...
NORTHWESTWARD OVER SAN MARCOS AND KYLE TO JOHNSON CITY.

ALL RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHWEST AT 20 TO 25 MPH.

NEARLY AN INCH OF RAIN HAS BEEN REPORTED AT SAN MARCOS IN THE PAST HOUR.

MOTORISTS SHOULD APPROACH LOW WATER CROSSINGS WITH CAUTION SINCE LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINS MAY CAUSE RAPIDLY RISING WATERS IN LOCAL STREAMS AND
CREEKS.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Sep 17, 5:51 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Bexar	69 min
Sep 17, 6:03 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Karnes, Wilson	57 min
Sep 17, 7:34 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Bandera, Bexar, Medina	41 min
Sep 17, 7:34 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Karnes, Wilson	41 min
Sep 17, 8:08 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Atascosa, Medina	67 min
Sep 17, 8:44 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Comal	46 min
Sep 17, 8:57 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Bexar	48 min
Sep 17, 9:42 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Bexar	63 min
Sep 17, 10:16 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Kendall, Kerr	59 min
Sep 17, 10:23 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Uvalde	67 min
Sep 17, 11:01 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Edwards	59 min
Sep 17, 11:09 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	EWX	Bandera, Medina, Uvalde	3 hr
Sep 17, 11:15 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Val Verde	60 min
Sep 17, 12:20 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Kinney	55 min
Sep 17, 1:44 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Kendall	46 min
Sep 17, 2:20 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Val Verde	55 min
Sep 17, 2:45 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Val Verde	60 min
Sep 17, 4:10 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Val Verde	50 min
Sep 17, 5:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Bexar	31 min
Sep 17, 5:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Val Verde	60 min
Sep 17, 6:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	EWX	Val Verde	60 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1988 Every tornado warning in 1988 Tornadoes in 1988

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.