Alert archive / Kentucky / Tornado Warnings in 1989

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Louisville, KY

April 4, 1989Spencer County, Kentucky

NWS Louisville, KY issued this tornado warning at Apr 4, 1989, 12:59 AM EDT for Spencer County, Kentucky. It was in force for 46 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 4, 1989, 12:59 AM EDT (04:59 UTC)
Expired
Apr 4, 1989, 1:45 AM EDT
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Louisville, KY
Area
Whole counties

County Spencer County, KY

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 00:00Z, 5.0 hours before the alert went out and 229 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, Dayton/James M C, OH at 00:00Z on 1989-04-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Dayton/James M C, OH at 00:00Z on 1989-04-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 65 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1436 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
65 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
215 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 KSDF 040500
TORSDF
KYC215-040545-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
1259 AM EDT TUE APR 4 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  145 AM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY
          ...SPENCER
 
STATE POLICE REPORT A TORNADO MOVING NORTHEAST THROUGH NELSON COUNTY
AT 1:00 AM EDT. THIS STORM WILL MOVE INTO SPENCER WITHIN THE NEXT 10
MINUTES.
 
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, Apr 3, 11:06 PM EDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KENTUCKY
1045 PM EDT MON APR 3 1989

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY UNTIL 1 AM EDT...

AT 1030PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A INTENSE THUNDERSTORM IN WESTERN
SHELBY COUNTY MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL ENTER THE
WESTERN PART OF FRANKLIN COUNTY SHORTLY AFTER 11PM EDT.

DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..HEAVY RAIN..HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY SURFACE
WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM AS IT CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE
EAST.

NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN EAST CENTRAL
KENTUCKY IN THE PAST HOUR.
SZAPPANOS
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 11:49 PM EDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KENTUCKY
1145 PM EDT MON APR 3 1989

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY UNTIL 1 AM EDT...

AT 1143 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN WESTERN
SHELBY COUNTY AND SOUTHEASTERN HENRY COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE
MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THEY WILL BE ENTERING FRANKLIN
COUNTY SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT.

DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..HEAVY RAIN..HAIL .AND STRONG GUSTY SURFACE
WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM AS IT CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE
NORTHEAST.

NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN EAST CENTRAL
KENTUCKY DURING THE PAST HOUR.
SZAPPANOS
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 11:53 PM EDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KENTUCKY...CORRECTION...
1145 PM EDT MON APR 3 1989

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY UNTIL 1 AM EDT...

AT 1143 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN EASTERN
SHELBY COUNTY AND SOUTHEASTERN HENRY COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE
MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THEY WILL BE ENTERING FRANKLIN
COUNTY SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT.

DANGEROUS LIGHTNIN5G..HEAVY RAIN..HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY SURFACE
WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM AS IT CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE
NORTHEAST.

NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN EAST CENTRAL
KENTUCKY DURING THE PAST HOUR.
SZAPPANOS
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 12:11 AM EDT, 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
1210 AM EDT TUE APR 4 1989

AS OF 12 MIDNIGHT EDT NO SEVERE WEATHER WARNING WERE IN EFFECT
FOR KENTUCKY.

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 79 AND 81 WHICH INCLUDE A LARGE PORTION OF
SOUTHERN INDIANA AND KENTUCKY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT WEST OF A
LINE FROM 30 MILES EAST OF OWENSBORO TO HOPKINSVILLE.  THESE
WATCHES WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT EAST OF THAT LINE UNTIL EXPIRATION
AT 1AM EDT.

THE LEADING EDGE OF THE MAIN AREA OF PRECIPITATION EXTENDED FROM
NEAR CINCINNATI THROUGH BARDSTOWN AND SOUTH TO THE TENNESSEE BORDER
NEAR SCOTSVILLE..15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BOWLING GREEN.

THESE STORMS REMAIN CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN..LARGE HAIL AND
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS THEY MOVE EAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR THROUGH
1AM EDT.

THESE STORMS CAN AND DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.
IF YOU ARE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS. IF MTHE WEATHER BECOMES UNUSUALLY THREATENING..SEEK
SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IN A SAFE LOCATION.

KLEIN
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 12:18 AM EDT, 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KENTUCKY...CORRECTION...
1145 PM EDT MON APR 3 1989

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY UNTIL 1 AM EDT...

AT 1143 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN EASTERN
SHELBY COUNTY AND SOUTHEASTERN HENRY COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE
MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THEY WILL BE ENTERING FRANKLIN
COUNTY SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT.

DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..HTEAVY RAIN..HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY SURFACE
WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM AS IT CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE
NORTHEAST.

NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN EAST CENTRAL
KENTUCKY DURING THE PAST HOUR.
SZAPPANOS
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 12:51 AM EDT, 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KENTUCKY
1250AM  EDT TUE APR 4 1989

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY EXPIRES AT 1AM EDT...

AT 1250AM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS REDEVELOPING
FROM NEAR LAGRANGE IN OLDHAM COUNTY NORTHEAST OF LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY..
SOUTHEAST TO NEAR SPRINGFIELD IN WASHINGTON COUNTY SOUTHWEST OF LEXINGTON
THEN SOUTHWEST TO THE TENNESSEE BORDER SOUTH OF GLASCOW IN BARREN COUNTY
KENTUCKY. THIS LINE OF STORMS IS WEST OF THE CENTRAL BLUE GRASS REGION BUT
WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST.
HEAVIEST STORMS IN THE LINE WERE APPROACHING MERCER AND BOYLE COUNTIES 20
TO 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LEXINGTON KENTUCKY.{
HAIL AND POSSIBLE DAMAGING WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY SOME OF THE STRONGER
STORMS THIS EARLY TUESDAY MORNING AS THEY SWEEP ACROSS CENTRAL KENTUCKY.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Louisville, KY issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 3, 8:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKMeade52 min
Apr 3, 8:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBreckinridge52 min
Apr 3, 9:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBullitt, Hardin, Jefferson59 min
Apr 3, 9:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKOldham59 min
Apr 3, 9:53 PM EDTTornado WarningLMKBullitt, Jefferson37 min
Apr 3, 10:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKNelson67 min
Apr 3, 10:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKHenry, Shelby, Spencer67 min
Apr 4, 12:28 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningLMKJefferson3 hr
Apr 4, 12:39 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKHardin, Nelson36 min
Apr 4, 12:39 AM EDTTornado WarningLMKHardin, Nelson36 min
Apr 4, 1:07 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKCasey, Marion, Taylor53 min
Apr 4, 1:07 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKWashington53 min
Apr 4, 1:09 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBoyle51 min
Apr 4, 1:26 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKLincoln, Pulaski, Rockcastle49 min
Apr 4, 1:31 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKFayette, Garrard, Madison59 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kentucky, 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.