Alert archive / Missouri / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1988

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 63, NWS St. Louis, MO

November 15, 1988City of Saint Louis, Missouri

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Nov 15, 1988, 9:01 PM CST for City of Saint Louis, Missouri. It was in force for 44 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Nov 15, 1988, 9:01 PM CST (03:01 UTC)
Expired
Nov 15, 1988, 9:45 PM CST
In force
44 min
Issued by
NWS St. Louis, MO
Area
Whole counties

County City of Saint Louis, MO

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

Salem-Leckrone, IL (KSLO), launched 00:00Z, 3.0 hours before the alert went out and 113 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, Salem-Leckrone, IL at 00:00Z on 1988-11-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 169 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, Salem-Leckrone, IL at 00:00Z on 1988-11-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 602 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
169 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-171 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
664 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
61 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
602 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
631 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSTL 160302
SVRSTL
MOC071-099-189-510-160345-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
901 PM CST TUE NOV 15 1988
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  945 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI
          ...EASTERN FRANKLIN...JEFFERSON...ST LOUIS...ST LOUIS CITY
 
AT 900 PM CST...RADAR INDICATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NEAR PACIFIC IN
EASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY...AND NEAR POTOSI IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AROUND 45 MPH.
 
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO
DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 15, 4:28 PM CST, 4 hours 33 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
528 PM CST TUE NOV 15 1988

...TORNADO WATCH CLEARED ALONG THE MISSOURI...KANSAS LINE...

TORNADO WATCHES REMAIN IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST...
NORTH CENTRAL...CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MISSOURI.  BUT THE TORNADO WATCH
ISSUED EARLIER TODAY IN WESTERN MISSOURI HAS BEEN CLEARED ALONG
THE MISSOURI...KANSAS LINE...FROM AROUND MARYVILLE...SOUTH THROUGH
KANSAS CITY...THEN SOUTH THROUGH NEVADA...NEOSHO AND JOPLIN.

SURFACE WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG AND GUSTY OVER MOST OF MISSOURI
TONIGHT...AT LEAST DURING THE EVENING HOURS...BUT THE THREAT OF
SEVERE WEATHER IN THE FAR WEST PART OF THE STATE HAS ENDED.

JUST BEFORE 430 PM THE STRONGEST STORMS IN MISSOURI WERE IN A BAND
FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL COUNTIES...THROUGH JUST WEST OF SEDALIA...
TO THE AREA BETWEEN JOPLIN AND SPRINGFIELD.

MCCARTHY
Special weather statement, Nov 15, 4:56 PM CST, 4 hours 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA MO
455 PM CST TUE NOV 15 1988

...TORNADO WATCH FOR CENTRAL AND WESTERN MISSOURI UNTIL 8PM...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO CENTRAL MISSOURI...

AT 453 PM A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PEA TO
MARBLE SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 50 MPH WAS CENTERED FROM ABOUT
40 MILES NORTH OF MARSHALL NEAR SUMNER TO 20 MILES WEST OF MARSHALL
TO 15 MILES WEST OF SEDALIA TO WARSAW. THE STORMS WERE MOVING
EAST AT 45 MPH AND WILL SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL MISSOURI
THIS EVENING.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS YET BEEN REPORTED FROM THESE STORMS
THEY MAY CONTIUE TO INCREASE IN INTENSITY AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
AND ISOLATED TORNADOES REMAIN POSSIBLE OVER CENTRAL MISSOURI UNITL
8PM. RESIDENTS SHOULD STAY ABREAST OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN
FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
HAGEMEYER
Special weather statement, Nov 15, 7:12 PM CST, 1 hour 49 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS  MO
713 PM CST TUE NOV 15 1988

...WESTERN HALF OF MISSOURI CLEARED FROM TORNADO WATCHES...

TORNADO WATCHES ISSUED EARLIER TODAY INCLUDING WESTERN MISSOURI HAVE
BEEN CANCELLED WEST OF A LINE FROM KIRKSVILLE MISSOURI...THROUGH
COLUMBIA...THROUGH THE LAKE OF THE OZARKS...TO LEBANON...AND SOUTH
TO THE ARKANSAS LINE AT THE TANEY...OZARK COUNTY LINE.

TORNADO WATCHES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN MISSOURI.

MCCARTHY
Local storm report, Nov 15, 8:47 PM CST, 14 minutes before
ATTN SELS
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA MO
8 PM CST TUE NOV 15 1988

...PRELIMINARY REPORTS FROM SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK OVER CENTRAL
MISSOURI...DETAILS AND TIMES ARE SKETCHY AT THIS TIME...

TIME                   REPORT

505 PM          TRAILERS DAMAGED IN TRAILER COURT IN WARSAW IN BENTON
COUNTY.
515 PM          HOUSE DAMAGED BY HIGH WINDS 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF WARSAW
IN BENTON COUNTY.
5PM TO 530 PM   THREE TORNADO TOUCHDOWNS IN PETTIS COUNTY...
1. NORTH OF GREENRIDGE ON HIGHWAY 127 POWER LINES AND TREES
DOWN...HIGHWAY 127 BLOCKED. 2 FARM STRUCTURES DAMAGED AND A ROOF TORN
OFF A HOUSE.
2. WEST OF SEDALIA 1/2 MILES SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 50 TWO 20 BY 40 FEET POLE
BARNS DESTROYED.
3. EAST OF SEDALIA NORTH OF HIGHWAY 50 NEAR ROUTE O. TORNADO CONFIRMED
ON THE GROUND BY HIGHWAY PATROL AND CITIZENS - NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.

525 PM          ROOF OFF OF HOUSE AND POLE BARN DESTROYED 2 MILES NORTH
OF LAMONTE IN PETTIS COUNTY.

545 TO 555 PM   WIDESPREAD TREE AND WINDOW DAMAGE IN BOONVILLE IN COOPER
COUNTY. POWER LINES DOWN. FALLING TREES DAMAGED HOUSES AND CARS. WINDOWS
BLOWN OUT OF HOUSES. NO INIDCATION AT THIS TIME DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY
TORNADO.
545 PM          GARAGE TORN FROM HOUSE AND OUTBUILDING DESTROYED IN
FAYETTE IN HOWARD COUNTY.
546 PM          60 MPH WINDS AT VERSAILLES IN MORGAN COUNTY
6PM             60 PLUS MPH WINDS AT JAMESTOWN IN MONITEAU COUNTY.
610 PM          HIGH WIND AT OMAR BRADLEY AIRPORT IN MOBERLY. HANGER
DOORS BLOWN ON TOP OF AIRCRAFT.
610             60 TO 70 MPH WINDS AT MIDWAY IN BOONE COUNTY.
620 PM          61 MPH WIND RECORDED AT COLUMBIA EOC
621 PM          80 MPH WINDS IN MACON...MACON COUNTY...POWER LINES DOWN.
615 TO 630 PM   NORTH OF MOBERLY IN RANDOLPH COUNTY...A ROOF WAS BLOWN
OFF A HOUSE AND A TRAILER OVERTURNED IN MOBERLY AND CAIRO. NUMEROUS
REPORTS OF WIND DAMAGE REPORTED ALONG HIGHWAY 63 BETWEEN MACON AND
MOBERLY.
645 PM          50 KNOT GUSTS AT JEFFERSON CITY AIRPORT IN CALLAWAY
COUNTY.
645 PM          51 KNOT GUSTS AT FORT LEONARD WOOD IN PULASKI COUNTY.
653 PM          CENTRALIA AND STURGEON WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES
                POWER LINE DOWN.
655 PM          60 MPH WINDS IN FULTON IN CALLAWAY COUNTY.
700 PM          BARN DESTROYED 1 MILES EAST OF FREEBURG IN OSAGE COUNTY
730 PM          ST ROBERTS...NEAR WAYNESVILLE IN PULASKI COUNTY...MOBILE
HOMES OVERTURNED AND SOME BUSINESSES DAMAGED.
730 PM          APPARENT TORNADO TOUCHDOWN 4 MILES EAST OF LINN IN OSAGE
COUNTY. POWER LINES AND TREES DOWN.
730 PM          POWER LINES AND TREES DOWN...MINOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IN
JUDGE IN OSAGE COUNTY...EAST OF LINN ON ROUTE CC.
746 PM          ROOF DAMAGE TO A HOUSE ONE MILE SOUTH OF I-70 ON ROUTE
19...10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MONTGOMERY CITY.

The office that day

Everything else NWS St. Louis, MO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 15, 6:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXAdair, Schuyler, Scotland33 min
Nov 15, 6:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMonroe, Shelby33 min
Nov 15, 6:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXKnox33 min
Nov 15, 6:52 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXPhelps38 min
Nov 15, 7:02 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMarion, Ralls43 min
Nov 15, 7:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXPike45 min
Nov 15, 7:38 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXFranklin, Warren67 min
Nov 15, 7:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXDent48 min
Nov 15, 8:04 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXLincoln, Saint Charles41 min
Nov 15, 8:19 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXSaint Charles41 min
Nov 15, 8:31 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXCrawford, Washington44 min
Nov 15, 8:34 PM CSTTornado WarningLSXSaint Charles41 min
Nov 15, 9:01 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXFranklin, Jefferson, Saint Louis44 min
Nov 15, 10:29 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXSainte Genevieve46 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Missouri, 1988Every severe thunderstorm warning 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.