Alert archive / Indiana / Tornado Warnings in 1989
Tornado Warning 20, NWS Indianapolis, IN
NWS Indianapolis, IN issued this tornado warning at May 25, 1989, 6:57 PM EST for Hendricks County, Marion County, Indiana. It was in force for 33 min. 2 reports 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
- May 25, 1989, 6:57 PM EST (23:57 UTC)
- Expired
- May 25, 1989, 7:30 PM EST
- In force
- 33 min
- Issued by
- NWS Indianapolis, IN
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Hendricks County, IN, Marion 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25, 7:05 PM EST | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Marion, IN | |
| May 25, 7:20 PM EST | Hail 2 | Marion, 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
Dayton/James M C, OH (KDAY), launched 12:00Z, 12.0 hours before the alert went out and 182 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
- 798 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -105 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 811 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 34 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 311 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 304 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 2.7
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KIND 252358
TORIND
INC063-097-260030-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
657 PM EST THU MAY 25 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN INDIANAPOLIS HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 730 PM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN CENTRAL INDIANA
...NORTHEASTERN HENDRICKS...NORTHERN MARION
AT 655 PM...RADAR SHOWED A POSSIBLE TORNADO NEAR BROWNSBURG...15 MILES
NORTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS. THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST AND WILL
CROSS THE NORTH SIDE OF INDIANAPOLIS BY 730 PM.
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 BASEMEENT 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.
DSWhat 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 25, 1:22 PM EST, 5 hours 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...TORNADO WATCH 329 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 120 PM EST THU MAY 25 1989 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF INDIANA UNTIL 700PM EST. PERSONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN INDIANA SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES. REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS... LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES. THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL INDIANA WERE SCATTERED FROM KOKOMO TO INDIANAPOLIS TO RUSHVILLE. THE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS IN NORTHEAST BOONE COUNTY ABOUT 35 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF INDIANAPOLIS. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE NEAR TIPTON AND MUNCIE. A SMALL THUNDERSHOWER HAD DEVELOPED NEAR TERRE HAUTE AT 117 PM EST. OTHER THUNDERSSHOWERS IN EASTERN ILLINOIS APPEARED TO BE WEAKENING AT 115 PM EST. THE WEATHER RADAR FROM SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS INDICATES INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR SPRINGFIELD DOWN TOWARDS ST. LOUIS. THE POTENTIAL REMAINS FOR INTENSE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT OVER MUCH OF INDIANA THIS AFTERNOON. PEOPLE SHOULD MONITOR RADIO AND TV THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON AND STAY ALERT FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES. EDWARDS
Special weather statement, May 25, 1:52 PM EST, 5 hours 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...TORNADO WATCH 329 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 152 PM EST THU MAY 25 1989 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF INDIANA UNTIL 700PM EST. PERSONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN INDIANA SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES. REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS... LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES. THUNDERSTORMS WERE CLUSTERD NORTH OF MUNCIE AT 145 PM EST. THESE THUNDERTORMS WERE DRIFTING NORTH INTO GRANT COUNTY AND ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. A LARGE AREA OF RAIN WAS FROM JUST WEST OF LAFAYETTE TO DECATUR ILLINOIS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS SOUTH OF SPRINGFIELD. ALL OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER THERE IS A LIKELIHOOD FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL THROUGH CENTRAL INDIANA THROUGH TONIGHT. PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN INDIANA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING THUNDERSTORMS...TORNADOES AND HEAVY RAINS THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTEROON AND THIS LEVENING. EDWARDS
Special weather statement, May 25, 2:34 PM EST, 4 hours 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...TORNADO WATCH 329 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 233 PM EST THU MAY 25 1989 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF INDIANA UNTIL 700PM EST. PERSONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN INDIANA SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES. REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS... LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES. WHILE A LARGE AREA OF RAIN WAS ENTERING WEST CENTRAL INDIANA NEAR LAFAYETTE DOWN TO DANVILLE ILLINOIS...DANGEROUS THUNDRSTORMS WERE SOUTH OF SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS. A TORNADO WAS REPORTED 1 MILE NORTH OF VANDALIA ILLINOIS AT 225 PM EST. THIS INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING EAST. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING THE TORNADO AT VANDALIA ILLINOIS MAY REACH TO NEAR TERRE HAUTE BY 4PM EST. PEOPLE IN INDIANA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. IF A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR LOCATION MOVE TO THE LOWEST LEVEL OF A STURDY STRUCTURE. MOBILE HOMES SHOULD BE ABANDONED DURING WARNINGS AND SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDIER BUILDING. EDWARDS
Special weather statement, May 25, 3:22 PM EST, 3 hours 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...TORNADO WATCH 329 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 325 PM EST THU MAY 25 1989 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF INDIANA UNTIL 700PM EST. REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PEOPLE IN WEST CENTRAL INDIANA FROM NEAR TERRE HAUTE TO SOUTH OF SULLIVAN SHOULD PREPARE TO MOVE TO SHELTER BETWEEN 345 PM AND 415 PM EST AS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM MOVES IN FROM ILLINOIS. AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM THAT HAS PRODUCED LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WAS ABOUT 45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TERRE HAUTE AND WAS MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AND HOUR. MEANWHILE A SMALLER THUNDERSTORM WAS JUST NORTH OF TERRE HAUTE AND A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS ABOUT 10 MILES NORTH OF MUNCIE IN EASTERN INDIANA. THERE IS A STRONG POTENTIAL FOR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN INDIANA THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. PEOPLE SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO SHELTER QUICKLY AS THE STORMS WILL MOVE AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. EDWARDS
Special weather statement, May 25, 5:10 PM EST, 1 hour 47 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...TORNADO WATCH 329 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 510 PM EST THU MAY 25 1989 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF INDIANA UNTIL 700PM EST. REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. A LARGE AREA OF RAIN WAS OVER NORTHWEST INDIANA FROM LAFAYETTE TO RENSSELAER. NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER CENTRAL INDIANA. SCATTERED STRONG STORMS WERE ABOUT 30 MILES WEST OF INDIANAPOLIS IN PUTNAM COUNTY AND ABOUT 15 MILES NORTH OF TERRE HAUTE. A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS ALSO IN EASTERN INDIANA NEAR AND NORTH OF RICHMOND. THIS STORM COULD PRODUCE HAIL NORTH OF RICHMOND BETWEEN 510 PM AND 520 PM EST. THUNDERSHOWERS SCATTERED ABOUT THE INDIANAPOLIS METRO AREA. EDWARDS
The office that day
Everything else NWS Indianapolis, IN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 25, 2:48 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | IND | LaPorte, Saint Joseph | 47 min |
| May 25, 2:59 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | IND | Jasper | 31 min |
| May 25, 3:01 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | IND | Elkhart, Marshall | 44 min |
| May 25, 4:17 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | IND | Fulton, Kosciusko | 43 min |
| May 25, 6:18 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | IND | Montgomery, Parke, Putnam | 3 hr |
| May 25, 3:55 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | IND | Sullivan | 35 min |
| May 25, 4:09 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | IND | Knox | 41 min |
| May 25, 4:49 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | IND | Greene | 26 min |
| May 25, 5:19 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | IND | Parke, Vermillion | 41 min |
| May 25, 6:00 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | IND | Montgomery, Parke, Putnam | 45 min |
| May 25, 6:35 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | IND | Boone, Hendricks | 50 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.