Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1988
Tornado Warning 28, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this tornado warning at Sep 17, 1988, 4:10 PM CDT for Val Verde County, Texas. It was in force for 50 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Sep 17, 1988, 4:10 PM CDT (21:10 UTC)
- Expired
- Sep 17, 1988, 5:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 50 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, 9.2 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.
- 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
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KDRT 172107 TORDRT TXC465-172200- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX 410 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 1988 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 500 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY IN SOUTHCENTRAL TEXAS...VAL VERDE. AT 400 PM CDT SHERIFF DEPUTY HAS REPORTED 3 SEPERATE FUNNEL CLOUDS WITH ONE LOW TO THE GROUND ABOUT 31/2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LAUGHLIN AFB MOVING WEST NORTHWEST. NUMEROUS SHORT LIVED TORNADOES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN EASTERN VAL VERDE TODAY. IF THREATENING CONDITIONS ARE SIGHTED..BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IMMEDIATELY. TO REPORT A TORNADO OR OTHER SEVERE WEATHER..ASK THE NEAREST LAW ENFORECEME_NT AGENCY TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NEAREST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT TONIGHT. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY.
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, Sep 17, 10:48 AM CDT, 5 hours 22 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, 4 hours 27 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, 3 hours 57 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.
Special weather statement, Sep 17, 1:07 PM CDT, 3 hours 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX 110 PM CDT SAT SEPT 17 1988 TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR A LARGE PORTION OF CENTRAL TEXAS. THIS WATCH AREA DOES INCLUDE TRAVIS COUNTY AND ALL SURROUNDING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL TEXAS. AT 105 PM CDT AUSTIN RADAR INDICATED NURMEROUS BANDS OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALL THROUGH CENTRAL TEXAS. THE STRONGEST AND MOST PERSISENT THUNDSTORM ACTIVITY WAS IN A BAND FROM JUST SOUTHEAST OF KYLE NORTHWESTWARD TO NEAR MARBLE FALLS. ALL RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHWEST AT 20 TO 25 MPH. OVER AN HALF INCH OF RAIN WAS REPORTED AT LULING...IN CLADWELL COUNTY. MOTORISTS SHOULD APPROACH LOWJ WATER CROSSINGS WITH CAUTION SINCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS MAY CAUSE RAPIDLY RISING WATERS IN LOCAL STREAMS AND CREEKS.
Special weather statement, Sep 17, 2:01 PM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX 200 PM CDT SAT SEPT 17 1988 TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR A LARGE PORTION OF CENTRAL TEXAS. THIS WATCH AREA DOES INCLUDE TRAVIS COUNTY AND ALL SURROUNDING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL TEXAS. AT 155 PM CDT AUSTIN RADAR INDICATED NURMEROUS BANDS OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALL THROUGH CENTRAL TEXAS. THE STRONGEST AREAS OF ACTIVITY ARE JUST NORTH OR MARBLE FALLS...IN BURNET COUNTY... AND NEAR LIBERTY HILL IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY. ALL RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH NORTHWEST AT 25 MPH. MOTORISTS SHOULD APPROACH LOW WATER CROSSINGS WITH CAUTION SINCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS MAY CAUSE RAPIDLY RISING WATERS IN LOCAL STREAMS AND CREEKS.
Special weather statement, Sep 17, 2:54 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX 255 PM CDT SAT SEPT 17 1988 TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR A LARGE PORTION OF CENTRAL TEXAS. THIS WATCH AREA DOES INCLUDE TRAVIS COUNTY AND ALL SURROUNDING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL TEXAS. AT 250 PM CDT AUSTIN RADAR INDICATED NURMEROUS BANDS OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALL THROUGH CENTRAL TEXAS. THE STRONGEST AREAS OF ACTIVITY ARE BETWEEN AUSTIN AND MARBLE FALLS...JUST SOUTH OF BLANCO...AND JUST EAST OF FREDERICKSBURG. ALL RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH NORTHWEST AT 25 MPH. MOTORISTS SHOULD APPROACH LOW WATER CROSSINGS WITH CAUTION SINCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS MAY CAUSE RAPIDLY RISING WATERS IN LOCAL STREAMS AND CREEKS. PM
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, 12:40 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | EWX | Val Verde | 80 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, 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, 1988Every tornado warning in 1988Tornadoes 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.