Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1989
Tornado Warning 41, NWS Fort Worth, TX
NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at May 17, 1989, 9:00 AM CDT for McLennan County, Texas. It was in force for 30 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 17, 1989, 9:00 AM CDT (14:00 UTC)
- Expired
- May 17, 1989, 9:30 AM CDT
- In force
- 30 min
- Issued by
- NWS Fort Worth, TX
- Area
- Whole counties
County McLennan 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
Stephenville/Cla, TX (KSEP), launched 12:00Z, 2.0 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 39 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -239 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 760 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 47 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 166 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 412 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 2.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KACT 171402
TORACT
TXC309-309-171430-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
900 AM CDT WED MAY 17 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WACO HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 930 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
...CITY OF WACO...MCLENNAN
A TORNADO WAS INDICATED BY RADAR JUST SOUTH OF WACO MOVING NORTH
NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
DO NOT USE YOUR CAR TO TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO. CARS ARE EASILY
TOSSED AROUND BY TORNADO WINDS. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF
A TORNADO...LEAVE THE CAR AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING. IF NO
STRUCTURE IS NEARBY...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT.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, May 17, 3:47 AM CDT, 5 hours 13 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX 345AM CDT WED MAY 17 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4AM CDT THIS MORNING FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL TEXAS... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS MORNING FOR MOST OF CENTRAL AND EAST TEXAS... AT 335AM CDT WACO WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN IN NORTHWEST HILL COUNTY 15 MILES WEST OF ITASCA. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE IN WESTERN CORYELL...NORTHERN BOSQUE AND SOUTHERN BELL COUNTIES. OTHER LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS WERE THROUGH MUCH OF THE WESTERN SECTIONS OF CENTRAL TEXAS INCLUDING CORYELL...BOSQUE HILL...BELL...FALLS AND MCLENNAN COUNTIES. MOVEMENT OF ALL THE PRECIPITATION WAS EAST AT 25 MPH. IT IS LIKELY ANOTHER WATCH WILL BE ISSUED FOR THE AREA BEGINNING AT 4AM CDT. THIS IS DUE TO THE DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA. THE STORMS NOW IN PARTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS... DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND NORMALLY FLOOD PRONE AREAS. WITH THE GENERAL MOVEMENT OF THE PRECIPITATION AREADY RAINSOAKED GROUNDS LY INTHE PATH OF THE ONCOMING RAINS. PERSONS IN OR NEAR THE STRONGER STROMS SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF SEVERE WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR T.V. STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENNTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.06
Special weather statement, May 17, 4:44 AM CDT, 4 hours 16 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX 445 AM CDT WED MAY 17 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOOD CDT TODAY FOR PERSONS IN BELL BOSQUE...CORYELL...HILL AND MCLENNAN COUNTIES OF CENTRAL TEXAS... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TIS MORNING FOR MOST OF EAST AND CENTRAL TEXAS... AT 435AM CDT WACO WEATHER RADAR SHOWED NUMEROUS MODERATE SHOWERS AND SCATTERED STRONG THUNDESTORMS THROUG MUCH OF CENTRAL TEXAS. THE HEAVIEST RAINS WERE IN PARTS OF MCLENNAN...BOSQUE...CORYELL...BELL AND FALLS COUNTIES. OTHER SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN PARTS OF LIMESTONE...ROBERTSON...BRAZOS AND HILL COUNTIES. ALL THE PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THE STRONGER STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...FLASH FLOODING...GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND HAIL. PERSONS IN OR NEAR THESE STORMS ARE URGED TO REMAIN ALERT AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF SEVERE WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED. STAY TUED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.06
Special weather statement, May 17, 5:48 AM CDT, 3 hours 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX 545AM CDT WED MAY 17 1989 ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR BOSQUE COUNTY HAS BEEN CANCELLED THE THUNDERSTORM HAS BECOME LESS INTENSE AND IS NO LONGER SEVERE... ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CDT TODAY FOR PART OF CENTRAL TEXAS... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TODAY FOR MOST OF CENTRAL AND NORTH TEXAS... AT 535AM CDT WACO WEATHR RADAR SHOWED NUMEROUS SHOWERS...SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AND A FEW VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN THROUGH MUCH OF CENTRAL TEXAS. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WERE OCCURRING IN HILL COUNTY 15 MILES NORTHWEST AND 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HILLSBORO AND IN MCLENNAN COUNTY 10 MILES EAST AND 18 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF WACO. MOVEMENT OF ALL THE PRECIPITATION WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THE STRONGER STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAINS...FLASH FLOODING DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND HAIL. THE ALREADY RAINSOAKED GROUNDS ARE CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH THE ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL NOW OCCURRING OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS. IN BOSQUE COUNTY BRIDGES ARE REPORTED TO BE UNDER WATER ON FM 927 BETWEEN MORGAN AND LAKESIDE. PERSONS IN OR NEAR THE HEAVIER RAINFALL ARE URGED TO NOT TO ATTEMPT TO CROSS HIGH WATER AREAS. ROADWAYS AND BRIDGES COULD BE DAMAGED OR WASHED AWAY...SO DO NOT ASSUME THE AREA WOULD BE SAFE TO CROSS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR T.V. STATIONS) FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.06
The office that day
Everything else NWS Fort Worth, TX issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 7:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Johnson, Parker, Tarrant | 69 min |
| May 16, 7:13 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Hood | 17 min |
| May 16, 7:23 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Hopkins, Hunt, Rains | 67 min |
| May 16, 7:23 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Van Zandt | 67 min |
| May 16, 7:31 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Johnson, Tarrant | 59 min |
| May 16, 7:37 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Johnson | 38 min |
| May 16, 7:48 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Callahan | 57 min |
| May 16, 8:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Ellis | 57 min |
| May 16, 8:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Wood | 57 min |
| May 16, 8:16 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Ellis | 44 min |
| May 16, 8:42 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Dallas, Ellis | 2 hr |
| May 16, 8:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Dallas, Ellis, Kaufman | 65 min |
| May 16, 9:11 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Collin, Hunt, Kaufman, Rockwall | 2 hr |
| May 16, 9:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Hopkins, Rains, Wood | 53 min |
| May 16, 9:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Upshur | 53 min |
| May 16, 9:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Henderson, Van Zandt | 56 min |
| May 16, 10:11 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Hopkins, Rains, Wood | 3 hr |
| May 16, 10:11 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Henderson, Van Zandt | 3 hr |
| May 16, 10:18 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Henderson, Rains, Smith, Van Zandt, Wood | 57 min |
| May 16, 10:46 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Fisher | 59 min |
| May 16, 11:16 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Smith, Wood | 119 min |
| May 16, 11:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Knox | 61 min |
| May 16, 11:34 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Tarrant | 2 hr |
| May 16, 11:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Haskell, Jones | 65 min |
| May 16, 11:57 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Camp, Upshur | 3 hr |
| May 17, 4:55 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Bosque | 50 min |
| May 17, 5:19 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Dallas, Johnson, Tarrant | 5 hr |
| May 17, 6:09 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Collin, Hunt, Rockwall | 4 hr |
| May 17, 6:22 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | McLennan | 38 min |
| May 17, 6:53 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Fannin | 3 hr |
| May 17, 7:36 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Hill, Limestone, McLennan | 4 hr |
| May 17, 7:36 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Bosque | 4 hr |
| May 17, 7:50 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Coryell | 25 min |
| May 17, 8:15 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Coryell | 45 min |
| May 17, 8:34 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Freestone | 3 hr |
| May 17, 8:57 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Anderson, Cherokee | 33 min |
| May 17, 8:57 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Smith | 33 min |
| May 17, 9:31 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Cherokee, Smith | 29 min |
| May 17, 9:37 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Anderson, Henderson, Navarro, Smith | 113 min |
| May 17, 9:48 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Bell | 57 min |
| May 17, 9:56 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Smith | 49 min |
| May 17, 10:01 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Henderson | 59 min |
| May 17, 10:11 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Henderson | 64 min |
| May 17, 10:25 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Upshur | 65 min |
| May 17, 10:32 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Falls | 58 min |
| May 17, 11:31 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Anderson, Freestone, Henderson, Navarro | 3 hr |
| May 17, 11:31 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Smith | 3 hr |
| May 17, 11:46 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Hill, Limestone, McLennan | 3 hr |
| May 17, 11:46 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Coryell | 3 hr |
| May 17, 11:46 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Falls | 3 hr |
| May 17, 1:04 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Upshur, Wood | 3 hr |
| May 17, 2:29 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Smith | 3 hr |
| May 17, 2:29 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Anderson, Freestone | 3 hr |
| May 17, 2:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Anderson | 63 min |
| May 17, 2:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Freestone | 43 min |
| May 17, 3:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Cherokee, Smith | 60 min |
| May 17, 4:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Knox | 56 min |
| May 17, 4:48 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Smith | 42 min |
| May 17, 5:16 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Smith | 3 hr |
| May 17, 5:16 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FWD | Anderson | 3 hr |
| May 17, 5:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Smith | 46 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.