Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1989

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

April 29, 1989Jackson County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 29, 1989, 11:29 PM CDT for Jackson County, Texas. It was in force for 46 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 29, 1989, 11:29 PM CDT (04:29 UTC)
Expired
Apr 30, 1989, 12:15 AM CDT
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Jackson 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, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 33 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 1989-04-30Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2723 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 1989-04-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -34 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
2723 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-40 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1061 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-34 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-6 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.1
Supercell composite
-0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KVCT 300435
TORVCT
TXC239-300515-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VICTORIA TX
1129 PM CDT  APR 29 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN VICTORIA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1215 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
          ...JACKSON
 
AT 1130 PM CDT JACKSON COUNTY SHERIFF REPORTED FUNNEL SOUTH OF HIWAY
11 MOVING NORTH.
 
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.
 
IF THREATING WEATHER APPROACHES YOU SHOULD GO TO A SAFE PLACE
IMMEDIATELY...YOU SHOULD ASK THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
TO RELAY YOUR SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE LOCAL NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

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

Local storm report, Apr 29, 7:58 PM CDT, 3 hours 31 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
757 PM CDT SAT APR 29 1989

745 PM...HAMS REPORTED A MEASURED WIND GUST TO 62 MPH AT LAGO VISTA
         OR 304/20 FROM AUSTIN.

AUS/JVD.
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 8:04 PM CDT, 3 hours 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
805 PM CDT THU APR 29 1989

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR VAL VERDE COUNTY HAS BEEN
CANCELED...

AT 800 PM RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTOfRMS ALONG THE NORTHERN EDGE OF
THE VAL VERDE COUNTY LINE. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING  TO THE EAST
SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
Local storm report, Apr 29, 8:24 PM CDT, 3 hours 5 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
820 PM CDT SAT APR 29 1989

TIME     EVENT

1845   WSO 44 KTS...51 MPH.
1910   WSO 42 KTS...48 MPH.
1945   HAMS REPORTED A MEASURED WIND GUST TO 62 MPH AT LAGO VISTA
       OR 304/20 FROM AUSTIN.

2013   RELAYED REPORTS FROM STORM TEAM...
       AUSTIN...STECK AND MOPAC...WIND GUST TO 43 MPH.
1935   LOCHART...2 INCH HAIL.
1935   VOLENTE...311/15 AUS...EST. 60 MPH WIND.
1945   SOUTH AUSTIN AT BARTON SPRINGS/SOUTH 1ST. STREET FUNNEL
       CLOUDS OR CBMAM.

AUS/JVD.
Local storm report, Apr 29, 10:15 PM CDT, 1 hour 14 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
945 PM CDT SAT APR 29 1989

TIME CDT   EVENT

1845       WSO AUS 44 KTS...51 MPH.
1910       WSO AUS 42 KTS...48 MPH.
1945       HAMS REPORTED A MEASURED WIND GUST TO 62 MPH AT LAGO VISTA
           OR 304/20 FROM AUSTIN.

2013       RELAYED REPORTS FROM STORM TEAM...
           AUSTIN...STECK AND MOPAC...WIND GUST TO 43 MPH.
1935       LOCHART...2 INCH HAIL.
1935       VOLENTE...311/15 AUS...EST. 60 MPH WIND.
1945       SOUTH AUSTIN AT BARTON SPRINGS/SOUTH 1ST. STREET FUNNEL
           CLOUDS OR CBMAM.
2038       11E AUS...3/8 IN. HAIL.
2105       GARFIELD...5SE AUS...ONE INCH HAIL.
.
ADDITIONAL REPORTS FROM HAMS...

2011       CITY OF AUSTIN...45TH/LAMAR...MARBLE SIZE HAIL.
2023       10NE AUSTIN...DESSAU ESTATES...ROOF OFF MOBILE HOME.
2024       12N LOCKHART...HAIL AND HIGH WINDS/HEAVY RAINS.
2028       12N LOCKHART...PEA-MARBLE SIZE HAIL.
2205       REPORT RELAYED FROM WSO WACO...1/2 INCH HAIL AND WIND
           WINDS TO 45 MPH AT CRESTMAN IN BURLESON COUNTY AROUND
           930 PM.

FINAL/AUS/JVD.
Local storm report, Apr 29, 10:27 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
STORM REPORT...UPDATED TO INCLUDE LATEST INFORMATION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
1025 PM CDT SAT APR 29 1989

TIME(CDT)    EVENT                LOCATION

428 PM   MARBLE SIZE HAIL     SOUTHWEST KERR COUNTY ALONG TX HWY 39
428 PM   MARBLE SIZE HAIL     HYW 29 IN SOUTHWEST KERR COUNTY.
517 PM   WIND   40-50 MPH     EAGLE PASS...MAVERICK COUNTY
525 PM   .75 INCH HAIL        EAGLE PASS... MAVERICK COUNTY
527 PM   MARBLE SIZE HAIL     10 WEST OF CITY OF MEDINA...MEDINA COUNTY
530 PM   WIND   60 MPH        TREES BREAKING OFF EAGLE PASS...MAVERICK
                               COUNTY.
530 PM   PING-PONG SIZE HAIL  9 WEST MEDINA...BANDERA COUNTY
530 PM   TENNIS-GOLF BALL
          SIZE HAIL           12 MI WEST OF BANDERA...BANDERA COUNTY
546 PM   MARBLE SIZE HAIL     JUST NORTH LAREDO...WEBB COUNTY
545 PM   MAJOR DAMAGE IN EAGLE PASS...MAVERICK COUNTY  CARS BLOWN
            OVER...TRAILERS TURNED OVER...TREES DOWN...HOUSE PUSHED INTO
            STREET... FIRES TO HOUSES AND EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.
710 PM   GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL  2 MI EAST BANDERA...BANDERA COUNTY
717 PM   QUARTER SIZE HAIL    ENCINAL...LA SALLE COUNTY
717 PM   WIND GUST 62 MPH     HONDO...MEDINA COUNTY
725 PM   GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL  BROKEN WINDSHEILDS 17 MI NORTH LAREDO
                              WEBB COUNTY
735 PM   FUNNEL CLOUD         ST MARY STREET DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO
740 PM   WIND GUST 40 MPH     DEVINE...MEDINA COUNTY
749 PM   PEA SIZE HAIL        LEON SPRINGS...NORTHWEST SAN ANTONIO
750 PM   PEA SIZE HAIL        JUST WEST OF INGRAM MALL NORTHWEST OF
                              SAN ANTONIO
752 PM   WIND GUST 55 MPH     LA COSTE...BEXAR COUNTY
812 PM   GUM DROP SIZE HAIL   LAREDO..MEDINA COUNTY
817 PM   TORNADO ON GROUND    ELMENDORF...BEXAR COUNTY MOVING TOWARD
              BY PUBLIC       FLORESVILLE...WILSON COUNTY
818 PM   TREES/POWER LINES DOWN SOUTH SAN ANTONIO
832 PM   MARBLE SIZE HAIL     ELMENDORF...BEXAR COUNTY
833 PM   TREES/ POWER LINES DOWN  ATASCOSA COUNTY
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 10:32 PM CDT, 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
1031 PM CDT SAT APR 29 1989

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR THE
EASTERN PORTION OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN...CONTINUED ACROSS AN
AREA FROM NEAR COLLEGE STATION TO VICTORIA TO CORPUS CHRISTI TO LAREDO
TO SAN ANTONIO AND BACK TO COLLEGE STATION AT 1025 PM.  THE STORMS WERE
GENERALLY MOVING TO THE EAST AT 20 MPH.

VERY INTENSE AND BRILLIANT LIGHTNING DISPLAYS CONTINUED LATE THIS
EVENING OVER THE GREATER SAN ANTONIO METROPOLITAN AREA.  HOWEVER...ONLY
WIND GUSTS TO 25 AND 30 MPH AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN WERE REPORTED IN THE
THUNDERSTORMS.

NO S:EVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS WITHIN
THE PAST HOUR.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 29, 7:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBexar, Medina62 min
Apr 29, 7:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXFrio57 min
Apr 29, 7:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXLa Salle, Webb54 min
Apr 29, 7:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXCaldwell58 min
Apr 29, 7:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBastrop, Travis, Williamson41 min
Apr 29, 7:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXAtascosa67 min
Apr 29, 7:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXGuadalupe47 min
Apr 29, 8:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXFrio34 min
Apr 29, 8:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBexar34 min
Apr 29, 8:18 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXWilson42 min
Apr 29, 8:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXGuadalupe52 min
Apr 29, 8:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXWilson55 min
Apr 29, 9:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBurleson, Lee, Milam60 min
Apr 29, 10:32 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXGoliad58 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.