Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1988
Tornado Warning 31, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this tornado warning at Sep 17, 1988, 6:40 PM CDT for Val Verde County, Texas. 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
- Sep 17, 1988, 6:40 PM CDT (23:40 UTC)
- Expired
- Sep 17, 1988, 7:40 PM CDT
- In force
- 60 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.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 17, 6:52 PM CDT | Tornado F0 | Val Verde, TX |
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
Del Rio, TX (KDRT), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 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.
- 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 172341 TORDRT TXC465-180037- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX 640 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 1988 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 740 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY IN SOUTHCENTRAL TEXAS...VAL VERDE. AT 640 A POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS FORMING ALONG THE RIO GRANDE RIVER 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF DEL RIO MOVING TOWARD LAKE AMISTAD. ANOTHER TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN 5 NORTH9 OF ROUGH CANYON MOVING TO THE NORTHWEST. PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE TORNADOES SHOULD TAKE COVER NOW IN AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE BOTTOM FLOOR NOW.
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, 2:01 PM CDT, 4 hours 39 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, 3 hours 46 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, 2 hours 24 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, 1 hour 51 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.
Local storm report, Sep 17, 6:02 PM CDT, 38 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX 600 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 1988 540 PM CDT SEP 17...TORNADOES ON GROUND WITH 10 HOMES PLUS DAMAGED. 3 HOMES AND UNKNOWN MOBILE HOMES DESTROYED. INJURIES KNOWN BUT DO NOT KNO TO WHAT EXTEND.
Special weather statement, Sep 17, 6:39 PM CDT, 1 minute before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX 6:30 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....NUMBER 423 IS IN EFFECT UNTILL 8 PM..FOR SOUTHWEST..CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS. THESE INCLUDE TRAVIS AND ALL SURROUNDING COUNTIES. AUSTIN RADAR INDICATES STRONG THUNDERSTORMS NORTHWEST OF LAKE BUCHANAN AND NORTH OF MULLIN. THESE MAY PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAINS AND GUSTY WINDS. NUMEROUS LIGHT TO MODERATE BANDS OF SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSHOWERS WERE NOTED WEST THROUGH NORTH OF AUSTIN. MOVEMENT WAS TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST AT 20 TO 25 MPH. ONLY WIDELY SCATTERED MOSTLY LIGHT SHOWERS WERE INDICATED NORTH THROUGH EAST THROUGH SOUTH OF AUSTIN. WITH EXTREMELY UNSTABLE AIR ACROSS CENTRAL TEXAS...RESIDENTS SHOULD KEEP ALERT TO THE THREAT OF SEVERE STORMS AS WELL AS HEA5VY RAINS AND FLOODING. ...NO SEVERE WEATHER OR FLOODING WAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE AUSTIN WEATHER SERVICE WITHIN THE PAST HOUR....
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, 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 |
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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.