Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 1988

Tornado Warning 7, NWS Green Bay, WI

August 17, 1988Calumet County, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin

NWS Green Bay, WI issued this tornado warning at Aug 17, 1988, 5:07 PM CDT for Calumet County, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 38 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 17, 1988, 5:07 PM CDT (22:07 UTC)
Expired
Aug 17, 1988, 5:45 PM CDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Green Bay, WI
Area
Whole counties

Counties Calumet County, WI, Manitowoc County, WI

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

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 12:00Z, 10.1 hours before the alert went out and 45 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, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 12:00Z on 1988-08-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 402 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, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 12:00Z on 1988-08-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 46 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
402 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-206 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
954 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
46 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
133 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
3.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KGRB 172207
TORGRB
WIC015-071-172245-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
507 PM CDT WED AUG 17 1988

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO AND SPECIAL 
MARINE WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 545 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE 
FOLLOWING COUNTIES

   IN THE EAST CENTRAL PART OF WISCONSIN
      EASTERN CALUMET...MANITOWOC

...THIS WARNING ALSO INCLUDES THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS FOR THE
COUNTIES JUST MENTIONED

AT 458 PM CDT A TORNADO WAS REPORTED IN THE CITY OF HILBERT.
A TORNADO WAS REPORTED TO HAVE BLOWN THE ROOF OFF AN APARTMENT
BUILDING AND LARGE TREE LIMBS WERE BROKEN OFF. THE TORNADO IS
MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE IS IN
A BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...FIND SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET pON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO PROTECT YOUR BODY FROM FLYING DEBRIS. AVOID WINDOWS.

BB

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, Aug 17, 11:28 AM CDT, 5 hours 39 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
1125 AM CDT WED AUG 17 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 5PM CDT FOR MUCH
   OF NORTHEAST WISCONSIN...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN FOREST AND MARINETTE COUNTIES...

AT 1120 AM CDT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS FOREST AND
CENTRAL MARINETTE COUNTIES.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED ABOUT
10 TO 15 MILES WEST OF CRANDON IN FOREST COUNTY AND ABOUT 15 MILES WEST
OF CRIVITZ IN MARINETTE COUNTY.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 TO 40 MPH.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED AT THIS TIME..PERSONS IN
PATH OF THESE STORMS CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAIN..POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL
STRONG WINDS.

BRUSKY
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 1:29 PM CDT, 3 hours 38 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
125 PM CDT WED AUG 17 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 5PM CDT FOR MUCH
   OF NORTHEAST WISCONSIN...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHERN MARINETTE NORTH HALF
OF THE BAY OF GREEN BAY AND NORTHERN DOOR COUNTY EXPIRES...

AT 120 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED THAT THAT THE VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
THAT HAD MOVED ACROSS THE ABOVE MENTIONED COUNTIES HAVE MOVED OVER LAKE
MICHIGAN AND NO LONGER POSE A THREAT TO THE AREA.

HOWEVER RADAR INDICATED NEW STORMS WERE FORMING OVER PARTS OF MARINETTE
OCONTO AND MENOMINEE COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST WISCONSIN MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED AT THIS TIME..PERSONS IN
PATH OF THESE STORMS CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAIN..POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL
AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.
BRUSKY
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 2:26 PM CDT, 2 hours 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
215 PM CDT WED AUG 17 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 5PM CDT FOR MUCH
   OF NORTHEAST WISCONSIN...

AT 215 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
OVER NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. THE EASTERN PART OF THE LINE WAS OVER LAKE
MICHIGAN AND EXTENDED WEST THROUGH THE DOOR PENINSULA THEN OVER THE
BAY OF GREEN BAY AND THEN INTO NORTHERN OCONTO COUNTY
AND SOUTHERN MARINETTE COUNTY THEN WEST THROUGH MENOMINEE
COUNTY AND THEN THROUGH SOUTHERN LANGLADE COUNTY.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED AT THIS TIME...PERSONS IN
THE PATH OF THESE STORMS CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAIN...POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL
AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. BOATERS ON THE BAY OF GREEN BAY SHOULD BE ALERT
FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE SAFE HARBOR.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
BB
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 3:13 PM CDT, 1 hour 54 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
300 PM CDT WED AUG 17 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 5PM CDT FOR MUCH
   OF NORTHEAST WISCONSIN...

AT 300 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
OVER NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. THE LINE HAS MOVED VERY LITTLE IN THE LAST
HOUR. IT STILL EXTENDED FROM OVER LAKE MICHIGAN ON THE EAST TO SOUTHERN
LANGLADE COUNTY ON THE WEST. IT WAS OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF DOOR
COUNTY...OVER THE CENTRAL PART OF THE BAY OF GREEN BAY...OVER CENTRAL
OCONTO COUNTY...OVER MOST OF MENOMINEE COUNTY AND THEN OVER SOUTHERN
LANGLADE COUNTY. AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED DURING THE LAST
HOUR OVER SHAWANO COUNTY. THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST
AT 40 MPH WHILE THE LINE ITSELF WAS SPREADING SLOWLY SOUTH.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED AT THIS TIME...PERSONS IN
THE PATH OF THESE STORMS CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAIN...POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL!
AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. BOATERS ON THE BAY OF GREEN BAY SHOULD BE ALERT
FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE SAFE HARBOR.
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 4:23 PM CDT, 44 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
415 PM CDT WED AUG 17 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 11PM CDT FOR MUCH
   OF EASTCENTRAL WISCONSIN...

AT 410 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
OVER NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. THE LINE HAS MOVED VERY SLOW TO THE SOUTHEAST.
THE LINE EXTENDS FROM SOUTHERN LANGLADE COUNTY THRU MUCH OF MENOMINEE
COUNTY AND NORTHERN SHAWANO COUNTY..OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF OCONTO
COUNTY..OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE BAY..TO SOUTHERN DOOR COUNTY.

AT 405 PM CDT A HAM RADIO OPERATOR IN THE CITY OF SHAWANO REPORTED HEAVY
RAINS..PEA SIZE HAIL..AND INTENSE FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

AT 410 PM CDT BONDUEL REPORTED HEA-VY RAINS AND ALSO FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

PERSONS IN NORTHEAST WISCONSIN SHOULD LISTEN TO LATER STATEMENTS.
HELMAN

The office that day

Everything else NWS Green Bay, WI issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 17, 12:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRBMarinette61 min
Aug 17, 12:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRBDoor61 min
Aug 17, 4:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRBBrown, Calumet, Outagamie, Shawano57 min
Aug 17, 4:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRBManitowoc59 min
Aug 17, 4:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRBKewaunee61 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Wisconsin, 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.