Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Warnings in 1989

Tornado Warning 32, NWS Jackson, MS

March 4, 1989Madison County, Mississippi

NWS Jackson, MS issued this tornado warning at Mar 4, 1989, 7:26 PM CST for Madison County, Mississippi. It was in force for 34 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
Mar 4, 1989, 7:26 PM CST (01:26 UTC)
Expired
Mar 4, 1989, 8:00 PM CST
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Jackson, MS
Area
Whole counties

County Madison County, MS

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
Mar 4, 7:35 PM CSTTornado F1Madison, MS
Mar 4, 8:00 PM CSTThunderstorm Wind 90Madison, MS

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

Jackson, MS (KJAN), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 35 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, Jackson, MS at 00:00Z on 1989-03-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1843 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, Jackson, MS at 00:00Z on 1989-03-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 239 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
1843 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-19 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
574 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
65 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
239 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
292 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
3.3
Supercell composite
15.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KJAN 050128
TORJAN
MSC089-050200-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
726 PM CST  MAR 4 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  800 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI
          ...SOUTHERN MADISON
 
AT 730 PM...A CONFIRMED TORNADO TOUCHED OVER NORTHERN HINDS COUNTY
AROUND 720 PM. THIS TORNADO WAS MOVING INTO SOUTHERN MADISON COUNTY
AND COULD BE IN THE GLUCKSTADT AROUND 735 PM. THE STORM CONTINUES TO
MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  MOVE QUICKLY TO UNDERGROUND SHELTER IF
AVAILABLE.  OTHERWISE...GO TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE{ LOWEST FLOOR.
AVOID WINDOWS.  LEAVE CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A STURDY BUILDING.
<

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, Mar 4, 4:35 PM CST, 2 hours 51 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
425 PM CST SAT MAR 4 1989

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 17 EFFECTIVE UNTIL 10:00PM...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH EFFECTIVE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING...

AT 425 PM...ONE VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS OCCURRING IN EAST
CENTRAL LOUISIANA 20 MILES NORTHEAST OF ALEXANDRIA MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHERWISE...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO DEVELOP OVER
MOST SECTIONS OF MISSISSIPPI...EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA
AND IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA

MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Mar 4, 4:45 PM CST, 2 hours 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MERIDIAN MS
 440 PM CST SAT MAR 4 1989

 TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 17 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM THIS EVENING.
     FLASH FLOOD FOR TONIGHT ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20

AT 430 PM NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS OCCURRING IN EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI OR
EXTREME WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA.  HOWEVER NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN
SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING ACROSS THE AREA.  THE THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN SHOWERS
WERE LOCATED EAST OF A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR TUPELO TO KOSCIUSKO TO NEAR
HATTISBURG.  THE THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST
AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND THESE STORMS COULD
BECOME SEVERE.  PERSONS LIVING IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND
BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF WARNINGS ARE ISSUED OR THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES. <<
Special weather statement, Mar 4, 4:48 PM CST, 2 hours 38 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MERIDIAN MS
 440 PM CST SAT MAR 4 1989

 TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 17 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM THIS EVENING.
     FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20

AT 430 PM NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS OCCURRING IN EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI OR
EXTREME WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA.  HOWEVER NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN
SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING ACROSS THE AREA.  THE THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN SHOWERS
WERE LOCATED EAST OF A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR TUPELO TO KOSCIUSKO TO NEAR
HATTISBURG.  THE THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST
AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND THESE STORMS COULD
BECOME SEVERE.  PERSONS LIVING IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND
BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF WARNINGS ARE ISSUED OR THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES. <<
Special weather statement, Mar 4, 5:07 PM CST, 2 hours 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
505 PM CST SAT MAR 4 1989

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 17 EFFECTIVE UNTIL 10:00PM...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH EFFECTIVE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING...

AT 500 PM...A VERY INTENSE AND POSSIBLE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WAS
LOCATED IN EXTREME EAST CENTRAL LOUISIANA ABOUT 20 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST
OF PORT GIBSON. THIS STORM IS MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST AND ON ITS PRESENT
TRACK..IT WILL MOVE THROUGH NORTHEAST LOUISIANA AND REMAIN WEST OF
MISSISSIPPI RIVER FOR THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. HOWEVER...THESE TYPE STORMS
CAN TURN TO THE RIGHT...SO RESIDENTS IN CLAIBORNE AND WARREN COUNTY
SHOULD STAY WEATHER CONSCIOUS DURING THE NEXT HOUR OR SO.
Special weather statement, Mar 4, 6:36 PM CST, 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
635 PM CST SAT MAR 4 1989

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 17 EFFECTIVE UNTIL 10:00PM...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH EFFECTIVE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING...

THE VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORM THAT MOVED THROUGH VICKSBURG LIKELY
DROPPED ONE INCH OF RAIN IN ABOUT A 30 MINUTE PERIOD. THIS HAS
RESULTED IN SOME STREETS TO FLOOD IN THE VICKSBURG AREA AND
WATER IS BACKING UP DUE TO THE HIGH LEVELS OF THE CRE6EKS. THIS WATER
SHOULD SUBSIDE DURING THE NEXT HOUR...BUT MOTORISTS IN THE VICKSBURG
AREA SHOULD AVOID AREAS THAT ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING.
Special weather statement, Mar 4, 6:59 PM CST, 27 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MERIDIAN MS
 645 PM CST SAT MAR 4 1989

 TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 17 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM THIS EVENING.
 FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20 INCLUDING
 SUMTER COUNTY IN WEST CENTAL ALABAMA.

AT 630 PM NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS OCCURRING IN EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI OR
EXTREME WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA.  HOWEVER...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN
SHOWERS CONTINUED ACROSS THE AREA.  VERY STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
HAVE MOVED INTO WEST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING
TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR.

THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL AND
SOUTHESRN MISSISSIPPI THROUGHOUT THE EVENING AND MORE OF THESE STORMS COULD
BECOME SEVERE.  PERSONS LIVING IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND
BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF WARNINGS ARE ISSUED OR THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES. <<

The office that day

Everything else NWS Jackson, MS issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 4, 6:05 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHinds25 min
Mar 4, 6:15 PM CSTTornado WarningJANClaiborne15 min
Mar 4, 6:30 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHinds30 min
Mar 4, 6:56 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHinds34 min
Mar 4, 7:04 PM CSTTornado WarningJANMadison36 min
Mar 4, 7:51 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANHinds39 min
Mar 4, 8:16 PM CSTTornado WarningJANIssaquena, Warren29 min
Mar 4, 8:29 PM CSTTornado WarningJANAttala, Leake31 min
Mar 4, 8:41 PM CSTTornado WarningJANWarren34 min
Mar 4, 8:54 PM CSTTornado WarningJANYazoo36 min
Mar 4, 9:03 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANAttala27 min
Mar 4, 9:26 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANChoctaw34 min
Mar 4, 9:35 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningJANYazoo55 min
Mar 4, 9:35 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANYazoo55 min
Mar 4, 10:25 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANAttala35 min
Mar 4, 10:49 PM CSTTornado WarningJANAttala, Choctaw26 min
Mar 4, 11:05 PM CSTTornado WarningJANWebster25 min
Mar 5, 3:56 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANLeake34 min
Mar 5, 5:00 AM CSTTornado WarningJANNeshoba45 min
Mar 5, 5:39 AM CSTTornado WarningJANCopiah, Simpson36 min
Mar 5, 5:42 AM CSTTornado WarningJANNeshoba48 min
Mar 5, 7:09 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANWalthall36 min
Mar 5, 7:41 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANMarion34 min
Mar 5, 7:52 AM CSTTornado WarningJANJefferson Davis, Marion38 min
Mar 5, 8:01 AM CSTTornado WarningJANCovington44 min
Mar 5, 8:31 AM CSTTornado WarningJANSmith29 min
Mar 5, 8:43 AM CSTTornado WarningJANJasper32 min
Mar 5, 9:08 AM CSTTornado WarningJANJones52 min
Mar 5, 9:16 AM CSTTornado WarningJANJasper29 min
Mar 5, 9:36 AM CSTTornado WarningJANSimpson, Smith39 min
Mar 5, 9:45 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANNewton45 min
Mar 5, 9:57 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANKemper48 min
Mar 5, 10:01 AM CSTTornado WarningJANScott29 min
Mar 5, 10:07 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANLauderdale53 min
Mar 5, 10:26 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANAttala34 min
Mar 5, 12:12 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningJANLauderdale4 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Mississippi, 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.