Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Warnings in 1988

Tornado Warning 63, NWS Jackson, MS

November 26, 1988Madison County, Yazoo County, Mississippi

NWS Jackson, MS issued this tornado warning at Nov 26, 1988, 12:42 PM CST for Madison County, Yazoo County, Mississippi. It was in force for 33 min. 2 reports 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 26, 1988, 12:42 PM CST (18:42 UTC)
Expired
Nov 26, 1988, 1:15 PM CST
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Jackson, MS
Area
Whole counties

Counties Madison County, MS, Yazoo 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 26, 1:05 PM CSTThunderstorm Wind 0Madison, MS
Nov 26, 1:10 PM CSTThunderstorm Wind 0Madison, 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, 6.7 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, Jackson, MS at 12:00Z on 1988-11-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 55 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, Jackson, MS at 12:00Z on 1988-11-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 327 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
55 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-112 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
745 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
57 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
327 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
452 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KJAN 261841
TORJAN
MSC089-163-261915-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
1242 PM CST SAT NOV 26 1988
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  115 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI
          ...NORTHERN MADISON...EASTERN YAZOO
 
AT 1240 PM...JACKSON RADAR INDICATED A DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORM WITH A
POSSIBLE TORNADO LOCATED NEAR BENTONIA MOVING TOWARD VAUGHAN AT 60
MPH. ALL PERSONS NEAR THE BIG BLACK RIVER IN EASTERN YAZOO AND
NORTHERN MADISON COUNTIES SHOULD BE TAKING COVER.
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS IN AN
INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  GET UNDER STURDY FURNITURE.
USE PILLOWS OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR HEAD.
<

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 26, 8:03 AM CST, 4 hours 39 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
759 AM CST SAT NOV 26 1988

...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING WESTCENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...

A LINE OF NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WAS INDICATED BY RADAR FROM 20 MILES
NORTHWEST OF MONROE LOUISIANA TO 40 MILES WEST OF GREENVILLE.

THIS LINE IS MOVING SOUTHEAST BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MPH.

AROUND 9 AM...THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE NEARING THE
MISSISSIPPPI RIVER...ESPECIALLY THE COUNTIES OF WASHINGTON...ISSAQUENA
...AND WARREN.

VERY HEAVY RAIN AND QUITE GUSTY WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS.
Special weather statement, Nov 26, 8:32 AM CST, 4 hours 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
835 AM CST SAT NOV 26 1988

...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING GREENVILLE...AND PORTIONS OF
WESTCENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...

A LINE OF NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WAS INDICATED BY RADAR FROM 15 MILES
WEST OF GREENVILLE...TO 20 MILES NORTH OF MONROE LOUISIANA.

THIS LINE IS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 40 MPH.

THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE NEARING GREENVILLE DURING THE NEXT
15 TO 20 MINUTES.   WASHINGTON...ISSAQUENA...AND WARREN COUNTY CAN
EXPECT NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE INTO THE AREA DURING THE NEXT 30
MINUTES TO 1 HOUR.

VERY HEAVY RAIN AND QUITE GUSTY WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THESE THUNDER-
STOR(MS.
Special weather statement, Nov 26, 9:04 AM CST, 3 hours 38 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
905 AM CST SAT NOV 26 1988

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE LOWER DELTA...

A LINE OF NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WAS INDICATED BY RADAR FROM NEAR
CLEVELAND MISSISSIPPI...TO JUST NORTH OF MONROE LOUISIANA AT 9 AM.

THE LINE IS MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 40 MPH...ON THE NORTH END...AND
SOUTHEAST ABOUT 5 MPH IN LOUISIANA.

MARBLE SIZE HAIL...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS RGEPORTED IN THE CLEVELAND
AREA JUST BEFORE 9 AM.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING INTO SUNFLOWER COUNTY SHORTLY...AND
WILL LIKELY PRODUCE SMALL HAIL...ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND RATHER
GUSTY WINDS.
Special weather statement, Nov 26, 9:43 AM CST, 2 hours 59 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
930 AM CST SAT NOV 26 1988

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE LOWER DELTA...

A LINE OF NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WAS INDICATED BY RADAR FROM NEAR
RULEVILLE MISSISSIPPI...TO JUST SOUTHWEST OF MONROE LOUISIANA AT 930 AM.

THE LINE IS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 45 MPH...ON THE NORTH END...AND
SOUTHEAST ABOUT 5 MPH IN LOUISIANA.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MO\VING INTO LEFLORE COUNTY SHORTLY...AND
WILL LIKELY PRODUCE SMALL HAIL...ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND RATHER
GUSTY WINDS.
Special weather statement, Nov 26, 11:38 AM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
1139 AM CST SAT NOV 26 1988

...THUNDERSTORMS HEADED FOR CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP BETWEEN VICKSBURG...
AND JACKSON AT 1130 AM.  IN ADDITION...A LINE OF THUNDERSTROMS WAS
INDICATED WEST OF VICKSBURG IN LOUISIANA.

WITH THE PRESENT CONDITIONS...IT APEARS THAT THUNDERSTROMS WILL BE IN
THE JACSKON AREA DURING THE OLE MIS...MISSISSIPPI STbATE GAME.  SOME
RATHER HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO MOVE INTO JACKSON DURING THE
GAME.  WINDS WILL BEOME EVEN MORE GUSTY NEAR THUNDERSTORMS.

RAIN GEAR IS ADVISED FOR THOSE GOING TO THE GAME.
Special weather statement, Nov 26, 12:32 PM CST, 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
1235 PM CST SAT NOV 26 1988

AT 1230 PM...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
EXTENDED FROM NEAR GRENADA TO YAZOO CITY TO VICKSBURG SOUTHWEST TO
NEAR ALEXANDRIA LOUISIANA. THIS LINE IS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25 MPH
WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS MOVE NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH.

THIS LINE WILL PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS...TORRENTIAL RAINS DURING THE
NEXT HOUR AS IT MOVE NEAR A BRUCE...CANTON...PORT GIBSON LINE BY
100 PM.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM ARE DEVELOPING ACROSS PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTH MISSISSIPPI IN ADVANCE OF THE LINE.

RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS COVER MUCH OF NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI BEHIND
THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 26, 9:38 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANLeflore, Sunflower37 min
Nov 26, 10:13 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANYalobusha32 min
Nov 26, 10:30 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANIssaquena, Sharkey30 min
Nov 26, 11:00 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANSharkey, Washington30 min
Nov 26, 11:28 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANHumphreys, Yazoo32 min
Nov 26, 11:38 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANSharkey37 min
Nov 26, 11:44 AM CSTTornado WarningJANIssaquena, Warren46 min
Nov 26, 12:11 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHinds, Madison, Yazoo34 min
Nov 26, 1:01 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHinds, Madison29 min
Nov 26, 1:10 PM CSTTornado WarningJANAttala35 min
Nov 26, 1:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANHinds33 min
Nov 26, 1:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANMadison30 min
Nov 26, 2:01 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANRankin29 min
Nov 26, 2:09 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANWinston51 min
Nov 26, 2:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANFranklin, Wilkinson33 min
Nov 26, 2:26 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANCopiah34 min
Nov 26, 2:44 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANRankin, Simpson46 min
Nov 26, 3:00 PM CSTTornado WarningJANRankin30 min
Nov 26, 3:05 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANNeshoba25 min
Nov 26, 3:06 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANFranklin39 min
Nov 26, 3:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANLincoln38 min
Nov 26, 3:22 PM CSTTornado WarningJANCopiah28 min
Nov 26, 3:28 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANNeshoba47 min
Nov 26, 3:45 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANSimpson45 min
Nov 26, 3:48 PM CSTTornado WarningJANKemper27 min
Nov 26, 3:59 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANLawrence, Lincoln46 min
Nov 26, 4:02 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANAmite28 min
Nov 26, 4:28 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANAmite, Pike47 min
Nov 26, 4:37 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANJefferson Davis38 min
Nov 26, 4:47 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANCovington, Smith43 min
Nov 26, 5:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANCovington33 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.