Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1988

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

June 2, 1988Caldwell County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this tornado warning at Jun 2, 1988, 11:29 PM CDT for Caldwell County, Texas. It was in force for 46 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 2, 1988, 11:29 PM CDT (04:29 UTC)
Expired
Jun 3, 1988, 12:15 AM CDT
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Caldwell 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 00:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 130 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 00:00Z on 1988-06-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2917 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, Victoria Regiona, TX at 00:00Z on 1988-06-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 3 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
2917 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-41 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1158 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
3 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
113 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
1.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KAUS 030430
TORAUS
TXC055-030515-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
1129 PM CDT THU JUN 2 1988
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1215 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
          ...CALDWELL
 
THE SHERIFFS OFFICE IN CALDWELL COUNTY REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE
GROUND EAST OF MCMAHAN..NORTH OF LULING.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.  IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF
AVAILABLE.  OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFO RCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.

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, Jun 2, 6:05 PM CDT, 5 hours 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
600 PM CDT THU JUN 2 1988

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH
   CENTRAL TEXAS...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT FOR PARTS OF SOUTH
CENTRAL AND WEST TEXAS THIS EVENING...INCLUDING THE COUNTIES OF COMAL..
EDWARDS..GUADALUPE..KENDALL..AND KERR.

AT 600 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING JUST SOUTH OF
BRADY AND NORTHWEST OF LAMPASAS.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE PRODUCED
SEVERE WEATHER AND WERE MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.  OTHER
THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING BETWEEN BLANCO AND MENARD.

THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO OR DEVELOPING IN THE
ABOVE MENTIONED COUNTIES CONTINUES THIS EVENING.  PERSONS IN AND CLOSE
TO THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMIAN ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND BE
PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.

STAY TUNED TO LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS REGARDING THIS
SEVERE WEATHER EVENT THIS EVENING.
Local storm report, Jun 2, 6:50 PM CDT, 4 hours 39 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
650 PM CDT THU JUNE 1988

CHANNEL 6 T.V. IN TEMPLE RELAYED A REPORT FROM LOMETA...327/66 FM AUS.
IN LAMPASAS COUNTY.  THE OLD ROUND HOUSE TRAIN STATIO)N WAS DESTROYED.
THE BUS SHED IS GONE AND MANY TREES UPROOTED.  EYE WITNESS TO FUNNEL
IN DOWNTOWN LOMETA BETWEEN 550 AND 610 PM.

AUS/JVD.
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 7:09 PM CDT, 4 hours 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
705 PM CDT THU JUN 2 1988

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH
   CENTRAL TEXAS...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT FOR PARTS OF SOUTH
CENTRAL AND WEST TEXAS THIS EVENING...INCLUDING THE COUNTIES OF COMAL..
EDWARDS..GUADALUPE..KENDALL..AND KERR.

AT 700 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING FROM NEAR JOHNSON
CITY...TO EAST OF MENARD TO LLANO.  THUNDERSTORMS HAVE PRODUCED
SEVERE WEATHER IN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL TEXAS THIS EVENING.  THE STORMS
WERE MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO OR DEVELOPING IN THE
ABOVE MENTIONED COUNTIES CONTINUES THIS EVENING.  PERSONS IN AND CLOSE
TO THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMIAN ALERT FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND BE
PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES
OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMEUNTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS REGARDING THIS
SEVERE WEATHER EVENT.
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 8:30 PM CDT, 2 hours 59 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
830 PM CDT THU JUN 2 1988

...TORNADO WATCH NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM TONIGHT AND EXPANDED TO COVER
   MOST OF CENTRAL TEXAS...INCLUDING THE SAN ANTONIO METROPLITAN AREA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS REVISED THE TORNADO WATCH TO INCLUDE
MUCH OF CENTRAL TEXAS.  THE WATCH IS WITHIN AN AREA 80 MILES EITHER SIDE
OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF SAN ANGELO TO 20 MILES
EAST-NORTHEAST OF VICTORIA...AND IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM TONIGHT.

AT 830 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING FROM NORTHWEST OF
AUSTIN...TO JUST NORTHEAST OF KERRVILLE...TO SOUTH OF MASON.  MOVEMENT
OF THE STORMS WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

THE STORM NORTHEAST OF KERRVILLE WILL BE MOVING TO NEAR THE KERR/
KENDALL COUNTY LINE NORTH OF COMFORT TEXAS. STRONG GUSTY WINDS...
HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAINS...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH %AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER
AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN SEVERE WEATHER
APPROACHES OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS REGARDING THIS
SEVERE WEATHER EVENT.
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 10:55 PM CDT, 34 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
1055 PM CDT THU JUN 2 1988

AT 1050 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
WERE DEVELOPING IN NORTHERN VAL VERDE COUNTY AND WERE LOCATED
FROM JUNO ALONG THE VAL VERDE COUNTY LINE TO AND EAST TO JUNCTION.
MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG
GUSTY WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

REMEMBER...LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS CAN OCCUR SOME DISTANCE FROM
THE MAIN THUNDERSTORM CLOUD...ALLOW YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO
REACH SAFETY IF CONDITIONS BECOME THREATENING.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS
WARRANT...4SO PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO
AND TV STATIONS.
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 11:20 PM CDT, 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
1120 PM CDT THU JUN 2 1988

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1130 PM CDT UNTIL
400 AM CDT FRIDAY MORNING FOR VAL VERDE COUNTY TEXAS...

AT 1115 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE
LOCATED FROM LANGTRY IN WESTERN VEL VERDE COUNTY TO LOMA ALTA AND EAST
TO JUNCTION. MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND DAMAGING THUNDESTORM WINDS ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS
WARRANT...SO PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO
AND TV STATIONS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 2, 7:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXWilliamson55 min
Jun 2, 7:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXGillespie66 min
Jun 2, 7:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXTravis66 min
Jun 2, 8:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXWilliamson32 min
Jun 2, 8:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKendall61 min
Jun 2, 10:24 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXKerr66 min
Jun 2, 10:39 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXKendall66 min
Jun 2, 11:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBexar, Comal61 min
Jun 2, 11:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXAtascosa, Medina61 min
Jun 2, 11:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXWilson61 min
Jun 3, 12:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXFrio55 min
Jun 3, 12:52 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXDeWitt38 min
Jun 3, 12:57 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXVal Verde63 min
Jun 3, 2:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXLavaca69 min
Jun 3, 3:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXJackson47 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.