Alert archive / Indiana / Tornado Warnings in 1989

Tornado Warning 11, NWS Indianapolis, IN

April 3, 1989Vanderburgh County, Indiana

NWS Indianapolis, IN issued this tornado warning at Apr 3, 1989, 5:45 PM CDT for Vanderburgh County, Indiana. It was in force for 45 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Apr 3, 1989, 5:45 PM CDT (22:45 UTC)
Expired
Apr 3, 1989, 6:30 PM CDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Indianapolis, IN
Area
Whole counties

County Vanderburgh County, IN

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 3, 5:48 PM CDTHail 1.5Vanderburgh, IN

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Paducah/Barkley, KY (KPAH), launched 12:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 145 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, Paducah/Barkley, KY at 12:00Z on 1989-04-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 55 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, Paducah/Barkley, KY at 12:00Z on 1989-04-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 128 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
55 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-45 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
556 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
128 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
171 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KEVV 032245
TOREVV
INC051-125-163-173-032330-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EVANSVILLE IN
545 PM CDT (545 PM EST) MON APR 3 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN EVANSVILLE HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  630 PM CDT (630 PM EST)
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA
          ...SOUTHERN GIBSON...PIKE...NORTHERN VANDERBURGH...WARRICK
 
AT 538 PM CDT...A TORNADO WAS REPORTED AT HAUBSTADT INDIANA...15
MILES NORTH OF EVANSVILLE. THIS TORNADO WAS MOVING EAST AT 45 MILES
AN HOUR TOWARDS THE COMMUNITIES OF BUCKSKIN...WARRENTON...AND
WHEATONVILLE. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...TAKE COVER NOW.
 
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.  IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF
AVAILABLE.  OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.
 
SUMMY

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, Apr 3, 1:39 PM CDT, 4 hours 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
135 PM  EST MON APR  3 1987

IN INDIANA TORNADO  WATCH NUMBER 77  IS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 8 PM  EST AND INCLUDES THAT PART OF INDIANA...
SOUTH OF A LINE FROM NEWPORT TO 10 MILES WEST OF INDIANAPOLIS AND
WEST OF A LINE FROM 10 MILES WEST OF INDIANAPOLIS TO 10 MILES WEST
OF CORYDON.

SOME CITIES INCLUDED ARE... TERRE HAUTE...GREENCASTLE...BROWNSBURG
...BLOOMINGTON...BEDFORD...JASPER AND EVANSVILLE.

REMEMBER...A WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
WEATHER IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR
LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
STEIGERWALDT
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 3:37 PM CDT, 2 hours 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND CENTRAL INDIANA PRECIPITATION SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
335 PM  EST MON APR  3 1987

A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND
WESTCENTRAL INDIANA UNTIL 8 PM EST...AND A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS
IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTH HALF OF INDIANA FOR TONIGHT.

THE TORNADO WATCH INCLUES THE WESTERN INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN AREA
INCLUDING HENDRICKS AND MORGAN COUNTIES. THE CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND
MARION...BOONE...HAMILITON...HANCOCK...SHELBY AND JOHNSON COUNTIES ARE
NOT INCLUDED IN THE WATCH.

AT 330 THIS AFTENOON THERE WAS NO SEVERE WEATHER IN INDIANA.

LIGHT RAIN WAS OVER NORTHCENTRAL INDIANA BETWEEN FORT WAYNE AND
VALPARISO. AND IN EASTCENTRAL ILLINOIS FROM MATTOON THROUGH
CHAMPAIGH TO KANKAKEE.

THE RAIN WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR.

REMEMBER A WATCH MEANS CONDTIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER
TO DEVELOP AND A WARNING MEANS SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN SIGHTED.

DURING A WATCH LISTEN FOR FURTHER UPDATES ON THE WEATHER SITUATION
AND BE READY TO TAKE COVER IN THE EVENT A WARNING IS ISSUED.

CT
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 4:40 PM CDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
440 PM EST MON APR 3 1987

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED IN INDIANA AS OF 430 PM EST.

VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER PARTS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND
WERE MOVING RAPIDLY EAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR. DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL
HOURS...THE MOST LIKELY AREA IN INDIANA THAT MAY EXPERIENCE SEVERE
WEATHER WILL BE IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE STATE.

A LARGE AREA OF RAIN WITH SOME HEAVIER RAIN WAS MOVING ACROSS THE NORTH
WEST CENTRAL PARTS OF INDIANA. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE 10 MILES NORTH
AND NORTHEAST OF TERRE HAUTE.

THE LEADING EDGE OF THE PRECIPITATION AREA EXTENDED FROM JUST EAST OF
SOUTH BEND AND LAFAYETTE TO 30 MILES EAST OF TERRE HAUTE AND CONTINUING
INTO SOUTHWEST INDIANA.

THE AREA OF PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
.
A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND
WEST CENTRAL INDIANA UNTIL 8 PM ESbT.
STEIGERWALDT
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 5:21 PM CDT, 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
510 PM EST MON APR 3 1987

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED IN INDIANA AS OF 510 PM EST.

AT 515 PM EST...A DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER THE WABASH RIVER
ABOUT 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF EVANSVILLE.

RAIN AND A FEW THUNDERSHOWERS WERE OVER THE WEST PART OF INDIANA.

THE LEADING EDGE OF THE PRECIPITATION AREA WAS 10 MILES WEST OF
LOGANSPORT TO 25 MILES WEST OF INDIANAPOLIS AND 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
BLOOMINGTON...AND CONTINUING INTO SOUTHWEST INDIANA.

MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
.
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST INDIANA
UNTIL 8 PM EST AND INCLUDES THAT PART OF INDIANA...SOUTH OF A LINE FROM
NEWPORT TO 10 MILES WEST OF INDIANAPOLIS AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 10
MILES WEST OF INDIANAPOLIS TO 10 MILES WEST OF CORYDON.
STEIGERWALDT

The office that day

Everything else NWS Indianapolis, IN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 3, 4:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDGibson, Posey45 min
Apr 3, 4:57 PM CDTTornado WarningINDGibson33 min
Apr 3, 5:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDPosey46 min
Apr 3, 5:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDGibson, Vanderburgh46 min
Apr 3, 5:45 PM CDTTornado WarningINDGibson, Pike, Warrick45 min
Apr 3, 6:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDSpencer, Vanderburgh, Warrick67 min
Apr 3, 6:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDPosey67 min
Apr 3, 6:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDPerry67 min
Apr 3, 6:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDDubois, Pike45 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Indiana, 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.