Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1988

Tornado Warning 29, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

September 17, 1988Bexar County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this tornado warning at Sep 17, 1988, 5:14 PM CDT for Bexar County, Texas. It was in force for 31 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 17, 1988, 5:14 PM CDT (22:14 UTC)
Expired
Sep 17, 1988, 5:45 PM CDT
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Bexar 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

Victoria Regiona, TX (KVCT), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 171 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, Victoria Regiona, TX at 12:00Z on 1988-09-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 5804 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Victoria Regiona, TX at 12:00Z on 1988-09-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 154 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
5804 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
485 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
154 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
176 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
3.9
Supercell composite
22.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSAT 172215
TORSAT
TXC029-172245-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
514 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 1988
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  545 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH TEXAS
          ...BEXAR
 
AT 5 05 PM CDT SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED A TORNADO IN THE
VICINITY OF THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER. THE TORNADO WAS MOVING TOWARD
THE NORTHWEST 20 MPH. WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN
NORTHWEST SAN ANTONIO AREA.
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...GO TO A BASEMENT SHELTER OR A
CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUILDING.
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, Sep 17, 12:13 PM CDT, 5 hours 1 minute 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, 4 hours 7 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, 3 hours 13 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, 2 hours 20 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
Special weather statement, Sep 17, 4:16 PM CDT, 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
415 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 1988

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS UNTIL 500 PM...
...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND ADJACENT
SECTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS UNTIL 800 PM...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WEST AND CENTRAL SECTIONS OF
SOUTH TEXAS THROUGH SUNDAY...

SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WERE INDICATED BY WEATHER SERVICE
RADAR AT 410 PM THIS AFTERNOON OVER CENTRAL TEXAS. THE MOST CONCENTRATED
AREA WAS BETWEEN JUNCTION...AUSTIN...SAN ANTONIO...EAGLE PASS AND BACK
TO JUNCTION.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHWEST AT 25 MPH.

A THREAT OF ISOLATED TORNADOES CONTINUES THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR MOST
OF CENTRAL TEXAS.  THE SIGHTINGS OF TORNADOES HAVE DECREASED SINCE NOON
TODAY...A VERY UNSTABLE AIRMASS AND DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE CONTINUE THE
POSSIBILITY FOR A FEW HOURS YET.  THESE THUNDERtSTORMS ARE ALSO QUITE
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF BUT VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.  WITH THE SOIL IN
MANY SECTIONS OF THE WATCH AREA ALREADY SATURATED...THERE WILL BE A
THREAT OF FLOODING AS WELL THROUGH TONIGHT.
Special weather statement, Sep 17, 4:49 PM CDT, 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
4:45 PM CDT SAT SEPT 17 1988

...FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT INTO SUNDAY FOR GILLSIPIE...
LLANO...LAMPASAS...SAN SABA AND MILLS COUNTY.

...TORNADO WATCHES NUMBER 424 IS IN EFFECT UNTILL 9 PM...WITH NUMBER
423 IN EFFECT UNTILL 8 PM FOR SOUTHWEST..CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL
TEXAS. THESE INCLUDE TRAVIS AND ALL COUNTIES SURROUNDING TRAVIS COUNTY.

AUSTIN RADAR CONTINUES TO INDICATE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WEST OF BUDA...
NORTH OF GEORGETOWN AND WEST OF HARPER AND LAKE BUCHANAN.

NUMEROUS LIGHT TO MODERATE BANDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS WERE
NOTED WITHIN 100 MILES OF AUSTIN MOSTLY TO THE SOUTHWEST THROUGH NORTH OF
AUSTIN MOVING TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST AT 20 TO 25 MPH.

WITH EXTREMELY UNSTABLE AIR ACOSS CENTRAL TEXAS...RESIDENTS SHOULD

 KEEP ALERT TO THE THREAT OF SEVERE STORMS AS WELL AS HEAVY RAINS AND
FLOODING.

MOSTLY LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS WERE NOTED NORTHEAST THROUGH SOUTHEAST
OF AUSTIN AND THESE WERE WIDELY SCATTERED.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 17, 5:51 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXBexar69 min
Sep 17, 6:03 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXKarnes, Wilson57 min
Sep 17, 7:34 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXBandera, Bexar, Medina41 min
Sep 17, 7:34 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXKarnes, Wilson41 min
Sep 17, 8:08 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXAtascosa, Medina67 min
Sep 17, 8:44 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXComal46 min
Sep 17, 8:57 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXBexar48 min
Sep 17, 9:42 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXBexar63 min
Sep 17, 10:16 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXKendall, Kerr59 min
Sep 17, 10:23 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXUvalde67 min
Sep 17, 11:01 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXEdwards59 min
Sep 17, 11:09 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBandera, Medina, Uvalde3 hr
Sep 17, 11:15 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde60 min
Sep 17, 12:20 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXKinney55 min
Sep 17, 12:40 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde80 min
Sep 17, 1:44 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXKendall46 min
Sep 17, 2:20 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde55 min
Sep 17, 2:45 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde60 min
Sep 17, 4:10 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde50 min
Sep 17, 5:40 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde60 min
Sep 17, 6:40 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde60 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.