Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Warnings in 1988

Tornado Warning 76, NWS Jackson, MS

December 27, 1988Carroll County, Mississippi

NWS Jackson, MS issued this tornado warning at Dec 27, 1988, 10:46 PM CST for Carroll County, Mississippi. It was in force for 29 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Dec 27, 1988, 10:46 PM CST (04:46 UTC)
Expired
Dec 27, 1988, 11:15 PM CST
In force
29 min
Issued by
NWS Jackson, MS
Area
Whole counties

County Carroll County, MS

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

Jackson, MS (KJAN), launched 00:00Z, 4.8 hours before the alert went out and 126 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 00:00Z on 1988-12-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 79 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 00:00Z on 1988-12-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 239 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
79 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
836 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
239 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
328 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 280447
TORJAN
MSC015-280515-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
1046 PM CST TUE DEC 27 1988
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1115 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI
          ...CARROLL
 
AT 1045 PM..THE THUNDERSTORM THAT WAS LOCATED IN SOUTHERN LEFLORE
COUNTY HAS MADE AN ABRUPT TURN TO THE RIGHT AND IS NOW LOCATED IN
SOUTHWEST CARROLL COUNTY. THE STORM IS MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH
AND WILL MOVE NEAR OR A LITTLE SOUTH OF CARROLLTON. THE WARNING FOR
LEFLORE COUNTY HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
 
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.
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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, Dec 27, 7:39 PM CST, 3 hours 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECT LINE 10
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
735 PM CST TUE DEC 27 1988

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI UNTIL
   1000 PM AND FOR PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI
   UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 730 PM...THE THUNDERSTORM IN BOLIVAR COUNTY HAS WEAKENED CONSIDERABLY AND
HAD DECREASED TO A RAINSHOWER IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE COUNTY.

HOWEVER...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS INTENSIFIED ACROSS SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
AND NORTHERN LOUISIANA.

THIS LINE EXTENDED FROM NEAR 10 MILES WEST OF ROSEDALE MISSISSIPPI TO
WINNFIELD LOUISIANA. THE LINE IS MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL MOVE INTO
BOLIVAR COUNTY WITHIN THE  HOUR AND WASHINGTON COUNTY IN ABOUT AN HOUR.
THE MOST INTENSE STORM WAS LOCATED IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA NEAR WINNFIELD.
THE LINE WILL MOVE INTO WEST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI IN ABOUT 2 HOURS.
Special weather statement, Dec 27, 8:08 PM CST, 2 hours 38 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
810 PM CST TUE DEC 27 1988

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI UNTIL
   1000 PM AND FOR PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI
   UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 805 PM...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM ARKANSAS CITY
TO LAKE VILLAGE ARKANSAS AND THEN SOUTHWEST INTO NORTHEAST LOUISIANA
SOUTH OF MONROE. THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED SOUTH OF
MONORE. ANOTHER INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED IN SOUTHEAST
ASHLEY COUNTY IN ARKANSAS.

THE LINE IS MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL MOVE INTO AND THROUGH
BOLIVAR AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES DURING THE NEXT HOUR.
Special weather statement, Dec 27, 8:32 PM CST, 2 hours 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
835 PM CST TUE DEC 27 1988

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI UNTIL
   1000 PM AND FOR PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI
   UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 830 PM...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM WEST OF
CLEVELAND TO NEAR MONROE.

THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE GUSTY NORTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...
FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN AS THE LINE MOVES EAST AT 30 MPH.
THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN NORTHERN LOUISIANA
FROM NEAR BASTROP TO MONROE.

THE LINE WILL MOVE INTO WASHINGTON COUNTY DURING THE HOUR AND INTO
ISSAQUENA COUNTY IN ABOUT 1 HOUR.
Special weather statement, Dec 27, 9:00 PM CST, 1 hour 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
900 PM CST TUE DEC 27 1988

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI UNTIL
   1000 PM AND FOR PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI
   UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 855 PM...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR BATESVILLE
TO GREENVILLE TO NEAR RAYVILLE LOUISIANA. THIS LINE IS PRODUCING GUSTY
NORTHWESTERLY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY
RAIN AS IT MOVES EAST AT 30 MPH.

THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM EAST OF BASTROP TO
RAYVILLE IN NORTHEAST LOUISIANA. THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE
INTO WEST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI DURING THE NEXT 1 TO 2 HOURS.

IN ADVANCE OF THE LINE ACROSS MUCH OF MISSISSIPPI...GUSTY SOUTH WINDS OF
25 TO 35 MPH ARE COMMON WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THESE WINDS WILL CONTINUE
STRONG UNTIL A COLD FRONT IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI MOVES THROUGH THE
STATE LATER TONIGHT.
Special weather statement, Dec 27, 9:38 PM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
928 PM CST TUE DEC 27 1988

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 400AM...

AT 928 PM A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER BETWEEN GREENVILLE MISSISSIPPI AND DELHI LOUISIANA. THE LINE IS
DRIFTING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL PRODUCE STRONG
GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MILES AN HOUR...VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND
FREQUENT LIGHTNING AS IT PASSES. PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THIS LINE
OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER AS IT APPROACHES.

COVERAGE AND INTENSITIES CONTINUED TO SPREAD AND INCREASE FROM THE
WEST DURING THE PAST HOUR.
STATE LATER TONIGHTL.
Special weather statement, Dec 27, 9:39 PM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
928 PM CST TUE DEC 27 1988

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 400AM...

AT 928 PM A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER BETWEEN GREENVILLE MISSISSIPPI AND DELHI LOUISIANA. THE LINE IS
DRIFTING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL PRODUCE STRONG
GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MILES AN HOUR...VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND
FREQUENT LINGHTNING AS IT PASSES. PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THIS LINE
OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER AS IT APPROACHES.

COVERAGE AND INTENSITIES CONTINUED TO SPREAD AND INCREASE FROM THE
WEST DURING THE PAST HOUR.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 27, 9:14 PM CSTTornado WarningJANTallahatchie31 min
Dec 27, 9:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANWashington33 min
Dec 27, 9:32 PM CSTTornado WarningJANIssaquena28 min
Dec 27, 9:51 PM CSTTornado WarningJANSharkey24 min
Dec 27, 10:10 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHumphreys35 min
Dec 27, 10:15 PM CSTTornado WarningJANIssaquena, Sharkey45 min
Dec 27, 10:33 PM CSTTornado WarningJANCarroll27 min
Dec 27, 10:33 PM CSTTornado WarningJANLeflore13 min
Dec 27, 10:56 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHumphreys, Yazoo34 min
Dec 27, 11:11 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHolmes49 min
Dec 27, 11:17 PM CSTTornado WarningJANGrenada28 min
Dec 27, 11:22 PM CSTTornado WarningJANYazoo38 min
Dec 27, 11:36 PM CSTTornado WarningJANMontgomery24 min
Dec 27, 11:47 PM CSTTornado WarningJANCalhoun28 min
Dec 28, 12:03 AM CSTTornado WarningJANHolmes, Yazoo27 min
Dec 28, 12:14 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANHinds, Madison46 min
Dec 28, 12:59 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANCopiah31 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.