Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 39, NWS Lake Charles, LA

May 17, 1989Hardin County, Texas

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 17, 1989, 10:24 PM CDT for Hardin County, Texas. It was in force for 66 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 17, 1989, 10:24 PM CDT (03:24 UTC)
Expired
May 17, 1989, 11:30 PM CDT
In force
66 min
Issued by
NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area
Whole counties

County Hardin 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

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 00:00Z, 3.4 hours before the alert went out and 117 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 00:00Z on 1989-05-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1462 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 00:00Z on 1989-05-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 206 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
1462 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-21 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
740 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
206 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
249 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.3
Supercell composite
15.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBPT 180324
SVRBPT
TXC199-180430-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
1024 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PORT ARTHUR HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1130 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
          ...HARDIN
 
AT 1020 PM CDT RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNERSTORM ENTERING SOUTHWESTERN
HARDIN COUNTY SOUTH OF BATSON...MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
 
THIS STORM WILL MOVE  ACROSS THE COMMUNITIES OF SARATOGA...KOUNTZE
AND SILSBEE. ONE INCH HAIL WAS REPORTED EARLIER IN LIBERTY COUNTY FROM
THIS STORM.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED ARE#A.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
 
NNNN

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, 6:38 PM CDT, 3 hours 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
635 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT THIS WEDNESDAY FOR
CENTRAL LOUISIANA...AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA EXCEPT FOR
CAMERON AND VERMILLION PARISHES...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR VERNON PARISH
IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...

AT 626 PM CDT... STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE SHOWN ABOUT 15 MILES NORTH OF
LIVINGSTON TEXAS AND WEST OF MANY OR OVER CENTRAL TOLEDO BEND RESERVOIR.

ELSEWHERE ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AND PATCHES OF HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED
TO THE NORTH OF A GALVESTON...KIRBYVILLE...CENTRAL GRANT PARISH LINE.
NO RAIN OR THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOOTED IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AT THIS TIME.

ALL MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.O
Special weather statement, May 17, 7:25 PM CDT, 2 hours 59 minutes before
TTAAOO KESF 180025
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALEXANDRIA LA
725 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR RAPIDES...GRANT AND LASALLE
PARISHES OF CENTRAL LOUISIANA UNTIL 11PM TONIGHT...

AT 720 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADARS SHOWED NO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THESE PARISHES...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE
LOCATED TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF THE PARISHES AND WILL BE WATCHED
CLOSELY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND MOVEMENT...

PERSONS IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY
OF SEVERE WEATHER LATER TONIGHT IN THE WATCH AREA AND BE PREPARED TO
TAKE NECESSARY ACTION IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.
Special weather statement, May 17, 7:37 PM CDT, 2 hours 47 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
740 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT THIS WEDNESDAY FOR
CENTRAL LOUISIANA...AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA EXCEPT FOR
CAMERON AND VERMILLION PARISHES...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR VERNON PARISH
IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...

AT 726 PM CDT... STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE SHOWN OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS
FROM WEST OF HOUSTON TO OVER LAKE LIVINGSTON TO LUFKIN AND RAYBURN LAKE
NORTHEAST TO CENTRAL TOLEDO BEND TO NORTHEAST OF WINNFIELD.
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT NEAR 30 MPH.

ELSEWHERE A LARGE PATCH OF RAIN WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MIXED IN
WAS TO THE NORTHEAST OF A HOUSTON...KIRBYVILLE...NATCHITOCHES LINE.
Special weather statement, May 17, 8:41 PM CDT, 1 hour 43 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
835 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT THIS WEDNESDAY FOR
CENTRAL LOUISIANA...AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA EXCEPT FOR
CAMERON AND VERMILLION PARISHES...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR VERNON PARISH
IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...

AT 827 PM CDT... STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE SHOWN OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS
FROM NORTHWEST OF HOUSTON NORTHEASTWARD TO NORTHEAST OF NATCHITOCHES IN
NORTH LOUISIANA. HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING HAS OCCURRED IN THE LUFKIN AREA.
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT NEAR 30 MPH.

A GOOD PART OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND SOME OF NORTH LOUISIANA TO THE NORTHEAST
OF A FREEPORT...HOUSTON...LEESVILLE...JENA LINE WAS BEING AFFECTED BY
THIS LARGE MASS OF RAIN WITH THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OVER MUCH
THE SAME AREAS AS EARLIER IN THE DAY..SO BE ON THE WATCH FOR FLOODING TO
OCCUR MAINLY IN PARTS OF oSOUTHEAST TEXAS.
Special weather statement, May 17, 9:43 PM CDT, 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
945 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT THIS WEDNESDAY FOR
CENTRAL LOUISIANA...AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA EXCEPT FOR
CAMERON AND VERMILLION PARISHES...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR VERNON PARISH
IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...

AT 931 PM CDT...HEAVY RAINFALL AND WIDELY SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
WERE SHOWN FROM SOUTHWEST OF HOUSTON TO CONROE TO EAST OF LUFKIN THEN
NORTHEAST OVER TOLEDO BEND TO NORTH OF WINNFIELD.

LITTLE MOVEMENT WAS SHOWN AS REGENERATION WAS TAKING PLACE.

IN SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL LOUISIANA ONLY LIGHT RAIN WAS OCCURRING IN
NORTHWEST VERNON AND BEAUREGARDE PARISHES AND IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA IN
GRANT AND NORTHERN LASALLE PARISHES.
Special weather statement, May 17, 10:10 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
TTAAOO KESF 180310
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALEXANDRIA LA
1010 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR RAPIDES...GRANT AND LASALLE
PARISHES OF CENTRAL LOUISIANA UNTIL 400AM THIS THURSDAY
MORNING...

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF NORTHERN AND WEST CENTRAL
LOUISIANA INCLUDING RAPIDES...GRANT AND LASALLE PARISHES
FOR THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT...

AT 1010 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADARS SHOWED NO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THESE PARISHES...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE
LOCATED TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF THE PARISHES AND WERE PRODUCING
VERY HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLE STRONG WINDS AND HAIL.

PERSONS IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY
OF SEVERE WEATHER LATER TONIGHT IN THE WATCH AREA AND BE PREPARED TO
TAKE NECESSARY ACTION IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Lake Charles, LA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 17, 8:07 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHAngelina, Nacogdoches, San Augustine2 hr
May 17, 10:12 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHHardin, Jasper, Tyler3 hr
May 17, 10:12 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHNacogdoches3 hr
May 17, 10:43 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHNewton3 hr
May 18, 1:29 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHNewton2 hr
May 18, 1:29 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHHardin, Jasper2 hr
May 18, 6:20 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHHardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Newton, Orange5 hr
May 18, 6:20 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHTyler5 hr
May 18, 11:09 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHHardin2 hr
May 18, 12:07 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHJasper, Newton2 hr
May 18, 12:22 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHOrange2 hr
May 18, 1:23 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHHardin2 hr
May 18, 2:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHJasper, Newton57 min
May 18, 2:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHTyler57 min
May 18, 2:09 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHJasper, Newton2 hr
May 18, 3:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHHardin3 hr
May 18, 4:21 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHNewton3 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Texas, 1989Every severe thunderstorm warning 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.