Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Warnings in 1988

Tornado Warning 39, NWS Jackson, MS

November 12, 1988Hinds County, Mississippi

NWS Jackson, MS issued this tornado warning at Nov 12, 1988, 4:43 PM CST for Hinds County, Mississippi. It was in force for 32 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
Nov 12, 1988, 4:43 PM CST (22:43 UTC)
Expired
Nov 12, 1988, 5:15 PM CST
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Jackson, MS
Area
Whole counties

County Hinds County, MS

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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Nov 12, 5:00 PM CSTThunderstorm Wind 52Hinds, MS

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

Jackson, MS (KJAN), launched 12:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 35 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, Jackson, MS at 12:00Z on 1988-11-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Jackson, MS at 12:00Z on 1988-11-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 222 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1122 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
222 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
302 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KJAN 122254
TORJAN
MSC049-122315-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
443 PM CST SAT NOV 12 1988

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  515 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...

IN CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI
          ...HINDS

AT 440 PM CST...A POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS MOVING INTO CLINTON.
THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

TAKE COVER IN JACKSON >AND CLINTON 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, Nov 12, 1:29 PM CST, 3 hours 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
130 PM CST SAT NOV 12 1988

...SOME SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE OVER MISSISSIPPI LATER THIS AFTERNOON...

A RATHER COMPLEX WEATHER PATTERN IS CURRENTLY LOCATED OVER THE SOUTH
CENTRAL UNITED STATES. A COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM WESTERN ARKANSAS
TO A LOW PRESSURE CENTER NEAR SHREVEPORT AND THEN EXTENDS SOUTHWEST
INTO CENTRAL TEXAS.

A WARM FRONT EXTENDS EAST FROM THE LOW ALONG A SHREVEPORT-MONROE-
MCCOMB LINE. THE WARM FRONT IS MOVING SLOWLY NORTHWARD AS THE COLD
FRONT AND LOW PRESSURE AREA ADVANCES EASTWARD.

THE COMBINATION OF THESE SYSTEMS IS BRING A VERY WARM MOIST AIRMASS
INTO MISSISSIPPI FROM THE GULF.

AN AREA OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY EXTENDS FROM THE
MISSISSIPPI DELTA SOUTHWEST TO NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA. THIS RAIN HAS
COOLED THE AIR IN PORTIONS OF THE DELTA AND LESSENED THE THREAT OF
SEVERE WEATHER IN THAT AREA.

HOWEVER...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY OVER EASTERN
LOUISIANA DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS AND THEN RACE EASTWARD
INTO WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI AFTER 300 PM THIS
AFTERNOON. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME LATER THIS AFTERNOON
AND EARLY EVENING.

THE STORMS WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS EASTERN MISSISSIPPI TONIGHT...BUT AS
THE COOLING OF THE NIGHT SETS IN...THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN
IN INTENSITY.
Special weather statement, Nov 12, 1:33 PM CST, 3 hours 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED TO ADD "SEVERE" TO 5TH PARA.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
130 PM CST SAT NOV 12 1988

...SOME SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE OVER MISSISSIPPI LATER THIS AFTERNOON...

A RATHER COMPLEX WEATHER PATTERN IS CURRENTLY LOCATED OVER THE SOUTH
CENTRAL UNITED STATES. A COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM WESTERN ARKANSAS
TO A LOW PRESSURE CENTER NEAR SHREVEPORT AND THEN EXTENDS SOUTHWEST
INTO CENTRAL TEXAS.

A WARM FRONT EXTENDS EAST FROM THE LOW ALONG A SHREVEPORT-MONROE-
MCCOMB LINE. THE WARM FRONT IS MOVING SLOWLY NORTHWARD AS THE COLD
FRONT AND LOW PRESSURE AREA ADVANCES EASTWARD.

THE COMBINATION OF THESE SYSTEMS IS BRING A VERY WARM MOIST AIRMASS
INTO MISSISSIPPI FROM THE GULF.

AN AREA OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY EXTENDS FROM THE
MISSISSIPPI DELTA SOUTHWEST TO NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA. THIS RAIN HAS
COOLED THE AIR IN PORTIONS OF THE DELTA AND LESSENED THE THREAT OF
SEVERE WEATHER IN THAT AREA.

HOWEVER...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY OVER EASTERN
LOUISIANA DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS AND THEN RACE EASTWARD
INTO WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI AFTER 300 PM THIS
AFTERNOON. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE LATER THIS
AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

THE STORMS WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS EASTERN MISSISSIPPI TONIGHT...BUT AS
THE COOLING OF THE NIGHT SETS IN...THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN
IN INTENSITY.
Special weather statement, Nov 12, 3:32 PM CST, 1 hour 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
332 PM CST SAT NOV 12 1988

...TORNADO WATCH 475 IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 9 PM...

AT 330 PM...A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM MONROE LA TO
THE GRENADA RESERVOIR IN NORTH CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI.  THE STRONGEST
STORMS IN THIS LINE WERE BETWEEN MONROE AND BELZONI.

ALSO A STRONG THUNDERSTORM HAD DEVELOPED AHEAD OF THE THUNDERSTORM LINE
OVER NORTHEAST LOUISIANA JUST WEST OF NEWELLTON.  THIS STORM WILL BE
APPROACHING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BETWEEN PORT GIBSON AND VICKSBURG
DURING THE NEXT 60 MINUTES.

THESE STORMS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS OF 30/ TO 40 MILES AN HOUR
AS THEY MOVE TO THE EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Nov 12, 4:43 PM CST, 0 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MERIDIAN MS
 445 PM CST SAT NOV 12 1988

 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI..

AT 440 PM CST RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM AMORY TO LOUISVILLE TO PORT
GIBSON.  THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT 30
MPH.

PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE WEATHER ALERT
AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHE4LTER IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES. <<

The office that day

Everything else NWS Jackson, MS issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 12, 3:11 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANIssaquena49 min
Nov 12, 3:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANWarren48 min
Nov 12, 3:59 PM CSTTornado WarningJANWarren23 min
Nov 12, 4:10 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHinds35 min
Nov 12, 4:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANWarren38 min
Nov 12, 5:06 PM CSTTornado WarningJANRankin39 min
Nov 12, 5:39 PM CSTTornado WarningJANCopiah51 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Mississippi, 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.