Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Warnings in 1988
Tornado Warning 49, NWS Jackson, MS
NWS Jackson, MS issued this tornado warning at Nov 19, 1988, 6:04 PM CST for Sunflower County, Mississippi. It was in force for 26 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 19, 1988, 6:04 PM CST (00:04 UTC)
- Expired
- Nov 19, 1988, 6:30 PM CST
- In force
- 26 min
- Issued by
- NWS Jackson, MS
- Area
- Whole counties
County Sunflower 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 19, 6:25 PM CST | Tornado F3 | Sunflower, 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
Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 00:00Z, 0.1 hours before the alert went out and 149 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 3614 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 79 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 119 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 313 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KJAN 200005
TORJAN
MSC133-200030-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
604 PM CST NOV 19 1988
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 640 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI
...NORTHERN SUNFLOWER
AT 603 PM...A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL AND A
TORNADO NEAR SKENE WILL SKIRT ACROSS THE EXTREME NORHWEST PORTION OF
SUNFLOWER COUNTY DURING THE NEXT 15 TO 30 MINUTES. TAKE COVER IN THE
AREA NEAR AND WEST OF PARCHMAN.
DO NOT USE YOUR CAR TO TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO. IF YOU ARE IN THE
PATH OF A TORNADO...LEAVE THE CAR AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING. IF
NO STRUCTURE IS NEARBY...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT.
<
SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME
OR APARTMENT. AVOID WINDOWS AND PROTECT YOUR HEAD FROM FLYING
DEBRIS WITH CUSHIONS OR PILLOWS.
<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 19, 2:45 PM CST, 3 hours 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED MS TO AR LINE 5 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 240 PM CST SAT NOV 19 1988 ...SEVERE WEATHER TO INCREASE ACROSS MISSISSIPPI THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN MISSISSIPPI GENERALLY ALONG AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 55 UNTIL 800PM... NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED FROM SOUTHEAST TEXAS INTO NORTHWEST LOUISIANA AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CONTINUING TO GROW IN SIZE AND NUMBER AS THEY MOVE RAPIDLY EASTWARD. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY ARE LOCATED ACROSS MOST OF MISSISSIPPI...BUT AT THE PRESENT TIME...THE STORMS ARE NOT VERY STRONG. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME OF THESE STORMS BECOMING SEVERE. HOOWEVER...THE BULK OF THE SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECCTED TO BEGIN UNTIL THE ACTIVITY IN LOUISIANA AND ARKANSAS MOVES INTO MISSISSIPPI...PROBABLY AROUND 500 OR 600 PM THIS EVENING. ALL MISSISSIPPIANS SHOULD LISTEN TO THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF VERY DAMAGING TORNADOES. ALL PEOPLE ARE ADVISED TO SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED OR IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.
Local storm report, Nov 19, 2:50 PM CST, 3 hours 14 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MERIDIAN MS
250 PM CST SAT NOV 19 1988
1:55 PM CST....NEWTON COUNTY S.O. REPORTED A TORNADO TOUCH DOWN
8 MILES NORTHWEST OF DECATUR MISSISSIPPI. MANY
TREE DOWN AND ROOF DAMAGE TO HOUSE AND BARN.Local storm report, Nov 19, 3:03 PM CST, 3 hours 1 minute before
STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 300 PM CST SAT NOV 19 1988 900-1000AM...SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IN SUMMIT (PIKE COUNTY). REPORT FROM CIVIL DEFENSE. 1100AM-NOON...MAJOR FLOODING IN AND AROUND MAGEE AND MENDENHALL (SIMPSON COUNTY). MANY ROADS FLOODED. WATER GOT INTO HOMES AND A NURSING HOME. CO-OP OBSERVER REPORT 5.32 INCHED FROM 700 AM-NOON. REPORT FORM SHERIFF. 1148PM...TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN SIMPSON COUNTY WEST AND NORTH OF MAGEE. ONE CHICKEN HOUSE DESTROYED. EXTENSIVE TREE AND POWER LINE DAMAGE. SOME ROOF DAMAGE TO SOME HOMES. NO INJURIES REPORTED. REPORT FROM SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND CIVIL DEFENSE. 1220PM...POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN BETWEEN LEMON AND SYLVARENA IN NORTHERN SMITH COUNTY OR ABOUT 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF RALEIGH. REPORT FROM SOUTHERN PINE ELECTRIC. <<
Special weather statement, Nov 19, 4:02 PM CST, 2 hours 2 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 400 PM CST SAT NOV 19 1988 ...SEVERE WEATHER TO INCREASE ACROSS MISSISSIPPI THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN MISSISSIPPI GENERALLY ALONG AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 55 UNTIL 800 PM... NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXTEND FROM SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS ACROSS NORTHWEST LOUISIANA INTO EXTREME SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS AND TORNADOES. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN NUMBER AND REMAIN VERY STRONG AS THEY MOVE INTO MISSISSIPPI TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS EASTERN MISSISSIPPI...BUT ARE NOT VERY STRONG AT THIS TIME. THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO NOW DEVELOPING OVER PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE RAPIDLY AND MOVE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH INTO THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA BETWEEN VICKSBURG AND MEMPHIS DURING THE NEXT 1 TO 2 HOURS. ALL MISSISSIPPIANS SHOULD LISTEN TO THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION THROUGHOUT THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF VERY DAMAGING TORNADOES. ALL PEOPLE ARE! ADVISED TO SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED OR IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. TORNADO WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED LATER TONIGHT THAT WILL PROBABLY INCLUDE MORE OF MISSISSIPPI.
Special weather statement, Nov 19, 4:37 PM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 435 PM CST SAT NOV 19 1988 ...THUNDERSTORM INCREASING ACROSS LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS... TONIGHT...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN MISSISSIPPI GENERALLY ALONG AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 55 UNTIL 800 PM... INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED IN SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS FROM SOUTHEAST OF PINE BLUFF TO NEAR CROSSETT. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. OTHER VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ACROSS NORTHERN LOUISIANA MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS EASTERN AND SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI ...BUT ARE NOT VERY STRONG AT THIS TIME. TGHIS PRECIPITATION IS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
Special weather statement, Nov 19, 4:55 PM CST, 1 hour 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
450 PM CST SAT NOV 19 1988
...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS HEADING TOWARD NORTH-
WEST MISSISSIPPI...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
WESTERN MISSISSIPPI GENERALLY ALONG AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 55 UNTIL
800 PM...
AT 450 PM...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING RAPIDLY OVER THE
EXTREME SOUTHEAST CORNER OF ARKANSAS. THESE STORMS WERE STILL 10 TO 20
MILES WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER...WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF GREENVILLE.
THESE STORMS WERE NOT SEVERE AT THE PRESENT TIME...BUT ARE CAPABLE OF
BECOMING SEVERE AS THEY HEAD INTO PARTS OF NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI DURING
THE NEXT HOUR. PEOPSLE OVER NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI ARE ADVISED TO BE
READY TO TAKE COVER IF WARNINGS ARE ISSUED OR IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES.The office that day
Everything else NWS Jackson, MS issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 19, 6:09 PM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Yazoo | 36 min |
| Nov 19, 6:46 PM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Hinds | 29 min |
| Nov 19, 6:46 PM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Copiah, Rankin | 19 min |
| Nov 19, 6:47 PM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Holmes, Yazoo | 28 min |
| Nov 19, 7:32 PM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Warren | 43 min |
| Nov 19, 7:38 PM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Leake | 37 min |
| Nov 19, 8:02 PM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Sharkey | 43 min |
| Nov 19, 8:16 PM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Leake | 29 min |
| Nov 19, 8:18 PM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Winston | 42 min |
| Nov 19, 8:20 PM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Amite, Franklin | 25 min |
| Nov 19, 8:34 PM CST | Tornado Warning | JAN | Humphreys | 26 min |
| Nov 19, 9:47 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Lawrence | 28 min |
| Nov 19, 10:07 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Jasper | 53 min |
| Nov 19, 10:33 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Lauderdale | 42 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.