Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1989

Tornado Warning 31, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

June 11, 1989Gonzales County, Karnes County, Wilson County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this tornado warning at Jun 11, 1989, 3:54 AM CDT for Gonzales County, Karnes County, Wilson County, Texas. It was in force for 66 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 11, 1989, 3:54 AM CDT (08:54 UTC)
Expired
Jun 11, 1989, 5:00 AM CDT
In force
66 min
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Gonzales County, TX, Karnes County, TX, Wilson County, TX

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

Victoria Regiona, TX (KVCT), launched 00:00Z, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 96 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, Victoria Regiona, TX at 00:00Z on 1989-06-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2703 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, Victoria Regiona, TX at 00:00Z on 1989-06-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 71 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
2703 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-22 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
931 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
71 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
138 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.0
Supercell composite
4.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSAT 110903
TORSAT
TXC177-255-493-111000-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
354 AM CDT SUN JUN 11 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 5 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN
THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTH TEXAS
          ...GONZALES...KARNES...WILSON
 
AT 350 AM CDT...THE WILSON COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT REPORTED A
TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN 2 MILES WEST OF PANDORA ON US HIGHWAY 87 IN
WILSON COUNTY.  DAMAGE TO SEVERAL BUILDINGS WAS REPORTED BY AN
OFF-DUTY SHERIFFS DEPUTY.  THE THUNDERSTORM CONTAINING THIS
TORNADO IS MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST INTO GONZALES AND KARNES
COUNTIES AT 20 TO 30 MPH.  PERSONS NEAR PANDORA IN WILSON COUNTY...
GILLETT IN KARNES COUNTY AND NIXON AND SMILEY IN GONZALES COUNTY
SHOULD SEEK SAFE SHELTER AT ONCE.
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...GO TO A BASEMENT SHELTER OR A
CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUILDING.
ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.
 
LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL LIKELY
ACCOMPANY THIS STORM.
 
YOU SHOULD ASK THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO RELAY YOUR
SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA UNTIL 10 AM CDT.
 
PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO...TV OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO STATION
FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS REGARDING THIS SEVERE WEATHER EVENT.

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, Jun 11, 2:29 AM CDT, 1 hour 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO, TX
229 AM CDT SUN JUN 11 1989

BULLETIN
URBAN FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX[
225 AM CDT SUN JUN 11 1989

AT 225 AM CDT THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EASTWARD ACROSS THE SAN
ANTONIO METROPOLITAN AREA.  THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY
HEAVY RAINS WITH FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS REPORTED OVER THE
WESTERN PARTS OF SAN ANTONIO DURING THE PAST HOUR.

MOTORISTS DRIVING IN AND AROUND SAN ANTONIO SHOULD BE ALERT FOR
RAPIDLY RISING FLOOD WATERS IN LOW WATERS CROSSINGS AND LOW
LYING AREAS FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS.  PEOPLE NEAR STREAMS...CREEKS
AND RIVERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY RISING FLOOD WATERS AND BE
PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.
Special weather statement, Jun 11, 2:31 AM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before
BULLETIN
URBAN FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
225 AM CDT SUN JUN 11 1989

AT 225 AM CDT THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EASTWARD ACROSS THE SAN
ANTONIO METROPOLITAN AREA.  THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY
HEAVY RAINS WITH FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS REPORTED OVER THE
WESTERN PARTS OF SAN ANTONIO DURING THE PAST HOUR.

MOTORISTS DRIVING IN AND AROUND SAN ANTONIO SHOULD BE ALERT FOR
RAPIDLY RISING FLOOD WATERS IN LOW WATERS CROSSINGS AND LOW
LYING AREAS FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS.  PEOPLE NEAR STREAMS...CREEKS
AND RIVERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY RISING FLOOD WATERS AND BE
PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.
Special weather statement, Jun 11, 2:35 AM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
235 AM CDT SUN 11 JUNE 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TO THE EAST OF AUSTIN...

AT 230 AM...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...20 MILES WIDE...NOW EXTENDS
FROM 45 MILES NORTHEAST OF AUSTIN TO 15 MILES EAST OF AUSTIN TO SAN
ANTONIO...INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEASTWARD AT NEAR
30 MILES PER WHILE THE AREA OF PRECIPIATION WAS MOVING EASTWARD AT 15 MPH.

HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS AND LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED FROM THESE
STORMS FOR THE NEXT ONE TO TWO HOURS. A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS
MAY FLOOD SOME LOW LYING AREAS THAT ARE PRONE TO FLOODING.

THE AUSTIN WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN HAS RECEIVED NEAR ONE INCH OF
RAIN IN THE LAST 50 MINUTES ALONG WITH WIND GUSTS TO 32 MPH.
Special weather statement, Jun 11, 3:16 AM CDT, 38 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
315 AM CDT SUN JUN 11 1989

THE 1.14 INCHES OF RAIN RECORDED AT THE SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT DURING THE PAST HOUR AND A HALFz IS THE MOST RAIN OBSERVED
AT THE WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN A SINGLE DAY SINCE 2.75 INCHES
FELL ON JULY 21 1988.  RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL SO THE TOTAL WILL
LIKELY BE HIGHER WHEN THE OFFICIAL AMOUNT IS TALLIED LATER THIS
MORNING.
Special weather statement, Jun 11, 3:30 AM CDT, 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
330 AM CDT SUN 11 JUNE 1989

...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS TO THE EAST OF AUSTIN...

AT 325 AM...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...15 MILES WIDE...NOW EXTENDS
FROM NORTH OF COLLEGE STATION TO SMITHVILLE TO EAST OF SAN ANTONIO.
INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEASTWARD AT NEAR 30 MPH
...WHILE THE AREA OF PRECIPIATION WAS MOVING EASTWARD AT 25 MPH.

HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS AND LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED FROM THESE
STORMS FOR THE NEXT ONE TO TWO HOURS. A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS
MAY FLOOD SOME LOW LYING AREAS THAT ARE PRONE TO FLOODING.

THE AUSTIN WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN HAS RECEIVED 1.02 INCHES SINCE THE
RAIN BEGAN...MOST OF IT FELL IN ONE HOUR.
Local storm report, Jun 11, 3:49 AM CDT, 5 minutes before
STORM REPORT...CORRECTED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO, TX
3450 AM CDT SUN JUN 11 1989

TIME         EVENT
106 AM CDT   MARBLE SIZED HAIL 15 MILES WEST OF BRACKETVILLE
             IN KINNEY COUNTY.

110 AM       GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL ALONG THE VAL VERDE-KINNEY
             COUNTY LINE.

205 AM       FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED BY THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT
             NEAR PEARSALL

215 AM       QUARTER SIZED HAIL IN TERRELL HILLS.

216 AM       LIGHTNING STRIKE AND POWER OUTAGE 1/4 MILE EAST
             OF THE FORECAST OFFICE IN SAN ANTONIO.

220 AM       A TREE BLOWN ON A HOUSE IN COLONIES NORTH SUBDIVISION OF
             SAN ANTONIO.

221 AM       PEA SIZED HAIL FELL AT THE FORECAST OFFICE IN SAN
             ANTONIO.

236 AM       PING PONG BALL SIZED HAIL IN ALOMO HEIGHTS.

236 AM      TORNADO REPORTED BY PUBLIC NEAR ZARZAMORA STREET IN
             SOUTHERN SAN ANTONIO.

305 AM      POSSIBLE TORNADO AT KIRBY TO THE NORTHEAST OF SAN ANTONIO
             WITH STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO MOBILE HOME...PICKED UP A SMALL
             SHED AND MOVED IT 100 YARDS.

340 AM      A FUNNEL CLOUD IN ATASCOSA COUNTY TO THE EAST OF HIGHWAY
             281.  REPORTED BY THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT.

N

The office that day

Everything else NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 10, 9:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXLlano59 min
Jun 10, 10:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXReal, Uvalde65 min
Jun 10, 10:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKerr57 min
Jun 10, 10:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXMaverick57 min
Jun 11, 12:10 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde50 min
Jun 11, 1:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKinney56 min
Jun 11, 1:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXVal Verde25 min
Jun 11, 2:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBexar67 min
Jun 11, 2:57 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde58 min
Jun 11, 3:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXVal Verde60 min
Jun 11, 3:39 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXAtascosa51 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1989Every tornado warning in 1989Tornadoes in 1989

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.