Alert archive / Indiana / Tornado Warnings in 1989

Tornado Warning 26, NWS Indianapolis, IN

July 11, 1989Shelby County, Indiana

NWS Indianapolis, IN issued this tornado warning at Jul 11, 1989, 3:36 PM EST for Shelby County, Indiana. It was in force for 39 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Jul 11, 1989, 3:36 PM EST (20:36 UTC)
Expired: Jul 11, 1989, 4:15 PM EST
In force: 39 min
Issued by: NWS Indianapolis, IN
Area: Whole counties

County Shelby County, IN

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

Dayton/James M C, OH (KDAY), launched 12:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 142 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 2772 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -29 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 904 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 34 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KIND 112038
TORIND
INC145-112115-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
336 PM EST TUE JUL 11 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN INDIANAPOLIS HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  415 PM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN CENTRAL INDIANA
          ...SHELBY
 
A TORNADO WAS REPORTED BY THE PUBLIC AT FAIRLAND...25 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF INDIANPOLIS...AT 333PM. THE TORNADO WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST TOWARD
SHELBYVILLE. PEOPLE IN SHELBYVILLE SHOULD SEEK SAFE SHELTER QUICKLY.
 
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.

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, Jul 11, 1:50 PM EST, 1 hour 46 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
150 PM EST TUE JUL 11 1989

THERE IS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NORTHEAST INDIANA UNTIL
800 PM EST.

AT 140 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER CENTRAL INDIANA...
FROM INDIANAPOLIS SOUTHWEST TO NEAR LINTON...AND FROM AROUND
BLOOMINGTON TO COLUMBUS. OTHER STORMS WERE OVER NORTHEAST INDIANA FROM
AROUND SOUTH BEND TO AROUND FORT WAYNE.

OVER CENTRAL INDIANA...THE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINED VERY
HEAVY RAINFALL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...STONG WINDS AND SMALL HAIL.
MARBLE SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN CASTLETON AND ON THE EAST SIDE OF
INDIANAPOLIS AT INTERSTATES 465 AND 70 BETWEEN 130 PM AND 145 PM.

MOVE INSIDE A BUILDING OR AN ALL METAL CAR OR TRUCK FOR PROTECTION
FROM LIGHTNING. MOTORISTS SHOULD SLOW DOWN WHEN DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN.

DS

Special weather statement, Jul 11, 2:07 PM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
205 PM EST TUE JUL 11 1989

THERE IS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NORTHEAST INDIANA UNTIL
800 PM EST.

AT 200 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER CENTRAL INDIANA...
FROM INDIANAPOLIS SOUTHWEST TO NEAR LINTON...AND FROM AROUND
BLOOMINGTON TO COLUMBUS. OTHER STORMS WERE OVER NORTHEAST INDIANA FROM
AROUND SOUTH BEND TO AROUND FORT WAYNE.

STORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...HAIL...STRONG WINDS AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING WERE FROM THE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF
INDIANAPOLIS. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL HAVE
BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE NORTHEAST AND EAST SIDE OF INDIANAPOLIS...
AROUND CASTLETON...GEIST RESERVOIR AND AT INTERSTATES 465 AND 70. HAIL
COVERD THE GROUND AT GEIST RESERVOIR.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST TOWARD FORTVILLE AND GREENFIELD. STAY INSIDE
UNTIL THESE STORMS PASS.

STORMS WERE OVER SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA FROM AROUND LINTON THROUGH
BLOOMINTON AND COLUMBUS. THEY CONTAINED HEAVY RAINFALL AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING. SMALL HAIL WAS LIKELY. CAMPERS SHOULD BE WARY OF HEAVY
RAINFALL THAT COULD LEAD TO FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS.

DS

Special weather statement, Jul 11, 2:35 PM EST, 1 hour 1 minute before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
235 PM EST TUE JUL 11 1989

THERE IS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NORTHEAST INDIANA UNTIL
800 PM EST.

AT 225 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER WEST CENTRAL AND NORTH
EAST INDIANA.

JUST EAST OF INDIANAPOLIS...THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING SMALL HAIL
AROUND EDEN AND GREENFIELD. HEAVY RAINFALL WAS ALSO OCCURRING. SMALL
HAIL WAS REPORTED ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF INDIANPOLIS. THE STORMS
WERE MOVING EAST...TOWARD KNIGHTSTON ON THE EAST SIDE OF INDIANAPOLIS
AND ACROSS THE NORTHERN PART OF INDIANAPOLIS. THERE WAS A PUBLIC REPORT
OF A FUNNEL CLOUD AT 38TH STREET AND LAFAYETTE...AND AT 10TH STREET AND
RACEWAY ROAD ON THE WEST SIDE OF INDIANAPOLIS.

STORMS WERE OVER SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA FROM JUST EAST OF LINTON THROUGH
BLOOMINGTON TO AROUND COLUMBUS. THEY WERE MOVING SLOWLY EAST. OVER WEST
CENTRAL INDIANA STORMS WERE OVER SHADES AND TURKEY RUN STATE PAR2KS
NORTHEAST OF ROCKVILLE. CAMPERS SHOULD GET INTO A BUILDING...OR ALL
METAL CAR OR TRUCK FOR PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING. BE WARY OF HEAVY
RAIN LEADING TO FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS.

DS

Special weather statement, Jul 11, 2:40 PM EST, 56 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION...KNIGHTSTOWN 3RD PAR.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
235 PM EST TUE JUL 11 1989

THERE IS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NORTHEAST INDIANA UNTIL
800 PM EST.

AT 225 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER WEST CENTRAL AND NORTH
EAST INDIANA.

JUST EAST OF INDIANAPOLIS...THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING SMALL HAIL
AROUND EDEN AND GREENFIELD. HEAVY RAINFALL WAS ALSO OCCURRING. SMALL
HAIL WAS REPORTED ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF INDIANPOLIS. THE STORMS
WERE MOVING EAST...TOWARD KNIGHTSTOWN ON THE EAST SIDE OF INDIANAPOLIS
AND ACROSS THE NORTHERN PART OF INDIANAPOLIS. THERE WAS A PUBLIC REPORT
OF A FUNNEL CLOUD AT 38TH STREET AND LAFAYETTE...AND AT 10TH STREET AND
RACEWAY ROAD ON THE WEST SIDE OF INDIANAPOLIS.

STORMS WERE OVER SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA FROM JUST EAST OF LINTON THROUGH
BLOOMINGTON TO AROUND COLUMBUS. THEY WERE MOVING SLOWLY EAST. OVER WEST
CENTRAL INDIANA STORMS WERE9 OVER SHADES AND TURKEY RUN STATE PARKS
NORTHEAST OF ROCKVILLE. CAMPERS SHOULD GET INTO A BUILDING...OR ALL
METAL CAR OR TRUCK FOR PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING. BE WARY OF HEAVY
RAIN LEADING TO FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS.

DS

Special weather statement, Jul 11, 2:56 PM EST, 40 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
255 PM EST TUE JUL 11 1989

AT 245 PM EST...A WIND GUST OF 55 MPH OCCURRED IN DOWNTOWN
INDIANAPOLIS.

DS

Special weather statement, Jul 11, 3:09 PM EST, 27 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
305 PM EST TUE JUL 11 1989

THE ARE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES FOR NORTHERN INDIANA UNTIL 800
PM EST.

AT 300 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER CENTRAL AND NORTHERN
INDIANA.

EAST OF INDIANPOLIS...STORMS WERE FROM AROUND MUNCIE TO KNIGHTSTOWN
...MOVING TOWARD WINCHESTER AND CAMBRIDGE CITY. THE STORMS WERE
PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND HAVE PRODUCED SMALL HAIL.

IN INDIANPOLIS...THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST
PART OF THE CITY. WINDS OF 55 MPH WERE REPORTED WHEN THE STORMS
MOVED THROUGH DOWNTOWN. THE STORMS WILL BE MOVING EAST BETWEEN
GREENFIELD AND SHELBYVILLE. SMALL HAIL WAS REPORTED AT ACTON AT 300
PM.

STORMS WERE OVER SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AROUND BLOOMINGTON...COLUMBUS
...SOUTH OF LINTON AND NORTH OF BEDFORD. THEY WERE MOVING SLOWLY
SOUTHEAST.

OVER WEST CENTRAL INDIANA...STORMS WERE SCATTERED FROM SOUTHWEST OdF
LAFAYETTE TO AROUND CRAWFORDSVILLE TO AROUND LEBANON. THEY WERE
MOVING SOUTHEAST.

DS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 11, 1:08 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IND	Saint Joseph	22 min
Jul 11, 1:22 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IND	Cass	23 min
Jul 11, 1:30 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IND	Kosciusko	45 min
Jul 11, 1:45 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IND	Elkhart	45 min
Jul 11, 3:22 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IND	Shelby	38 min
Jul 11, 4:52 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IND	Newton	53 min
Jul 11, 5:19 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IND	Benton, Jasper, White	41 min
Jul 11, 5:31 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IND	Clay, Vigo	29 min
Jul 11, 5:51 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IND	Parke	39 min
Jul 11, 6:02 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IND	Clay, Vigo	43 min
Jul 11, 6:06 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IND	Carroll, Tippecanoe	54 min
Jul 11, 6:36 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IND	Montgomery, Parke	54 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Indiana, 1989 Every tornado warning in 1989 Tornadoes 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.