Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Warnings in 1989

Tornado Warning 15, NWS Mobile, AL

June 8, 1989Hancock County, Mississippi

NWS Mobile, AL issued this tornado warning at Jun 8, 1989, 12:21 PM CDT for Hancock County, Mississippi. It was in force for 39 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 8, 1989, 12:21 PM CDT (17:21 UTC)
Expired
Jun 8, 1989, 1:00 PM CDT
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Hancock County, MS

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

Slidell Radar S, LA (KSIL), launched 12:00Z, 5.4 hours before the alert went out and 27 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, Slidell Radar S, LA at 12:00Z on 1989-06-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2984 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Slidell Radar S, LA at 12:00Z on 1989-06-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 217 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
2984 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
522 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
217 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
324 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
4.9
Supercell composite
26.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KMOB 081722
TORMOB
MSC045-081800-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1221 PM CDT THU JUN 8 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  100 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI
          ...SOUTHERN HANCOCK
 
AT 1218 PM THE HANCOCK SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED A LARGE FUNNEL CLOUD
CROSSING THE BEACH AT WAVELAND. IT IS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST NORTHEAST
AT 25 MPH AND WILL MOVE NEAR ST LOUIS BAY DURING THE NEXT FEW 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, Jun 8, 7:35 AM CDT, 4 hours 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
730 AM CDT THU JUN 8 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM CDT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH
ALABAMA...NORTHWEST FLORIDA...AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. THE
WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA. ESCAMBIA...
SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...WALTON...BAY...WASHINGTON...AND HOLMES.

AT 730 AM CDT...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF AN EXTENSIVE RAIN
AREA WHICH BLANKETED MUCH OF THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST STATES AND
THE ADJACENT GULF OF MEXICO. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND FREQUENT
LIGHTNING.
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 8:52 AM CDT, 3 hours 29 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
840 AM CDT THU JUN 8 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM CDT FOR BALDWIN AND MOBILE
COUTIES ALABAMA AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

AT 830 AM CDT...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF AN EXTENSIVE RAIN
AREA WHICH COVERS MUCH OF EXTREME SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTH ALABAMA
...THE WEST 2/3 OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND ADJACENT COSATAL WATERS.

SOME OF THE HEAVIER STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH SOME
STREET FLOODING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 9:15 AM CDT, 3 hours 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND MARINE STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
915 AM CDT THU JUN 8 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND
   SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND THE MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA COASTAL
   WATERS UNTIL 2 PM CDT...

AT 910 PM THE MOBILE RADAR INDICATED NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS COVERING ALL OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.  THUNDERSTORMS
WERE MORE SCATTERED OVER SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.  ALL THE STORMS
WERE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

FURTHER TO THE WEST...OVER LOUISIANA AND SOUTH MISSISSIPPI...A VERY
INTENSE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM JUST EAST OF MCCOMB MISSISSIPPI
TO THE COAST EAST OF LAKE CHARLES WAS MOVING TOWARD TH;E EAST.
SEVERAL TORNADOES HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS LINE.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POSSIBLITY OF SEVERE WEATHER TODAY.
Local storm report, Jun 8, 10:56 AM CDT, 1 hour 25 minutes before
ATTN SELS
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1055 AM CDT THU JUN 8 1989

TIME      CO/STATE         EVENT
951AM     BALDWIN/AL       TORNADO REPORTED AT BEAR POINT IN ORANGE
                           BEACH WITH PROPERTY DAMAGE.  REPORTED BY
                           GULF SHORES PD.

955AM     BALDWIN/AL       TORNADO REPORTED AT LILLIAN.  MOBILE HOME
                           UNROOFED...OTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE.
                           UNCONFIRMED REPORT OF INJURIES.  BALDWIN
                           EMA IS ENROUTE TO THE SCENE.
Local storm report, Jun 8, 11:55 AM CDT, 26 minutes before
ATTN SELS
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1155 AM CDT THU JUN 8 1989

TIME      CO/STATE         EVENT
955AM     BALDWIN/AL       UPDATE ON TORNADO AT LILLIAN...BALDWIN EMA
                           REPORTS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WITH INJURIES AT
                           BEAR POINT MOBILE HOME PARK.  RESIDENTS ARE
                           NOW BEING EVACUATED TO SHELTERS AND THE MAYOR
                           HAS REQUESTED ASSISTANCE.  THE NUMBER AND
                           SEVEREITY OF INJURIES IS NOT KNOWN AT THIS
                           TIME BUT INDICATIONS ARE THERE WERE NO
                           SERIOUS.   WILL SEND UPDATES AS INFORMAMTION
             z              BECOMES AVAILABLE.
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 12:13 PM CDT, 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
12 NOON CDT THU JUN 8 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND
   SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND THE MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA COASTAL
   WATERS UNTIL 2 PM CDT...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...

WHILE NO WARNINGS ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT...THE ATMOSPHERE IS VERY
UNSTABLE AND A WARNING MAY BE REQUIRED AT ANY TIME.

WEATHER SERVICE RADARS INDICATE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY OVER
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...WITH A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER
SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA MOVING TOWARD HANCOCK COUNTY MISSISSIPPI.  A
WARNING MAY BE REQUIRED FOR THIS COUNTY WITHIN THE HOUR.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

RAINFALL AMOUNTS HAVE TOTALLED 2 TO 3 INCHES SINCE MIDNIGHT...HENCE
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED.  RESIDENTS SHOULD WATCH FOR
RISING WATER AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A SAFE LOCATION QUICKLY.
SOME AREAS MAY RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAINFALL THIS
AFTERNOON.

AS A RESULT OF STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS...TIDES HAVE RISEN ALONG THE
ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI COASTS.  THE TIDE IS NOW 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL
AT THE MOUTH OF MOBILE RIVER.  SOME TIDAL FLOODING MAY OCCUR ALONG
COASTAL HIGHWAYS AND ROADS.  THE HIGH TIDES WILL ALSO RETARD DRAINAGE
OF THE HEAVY RAINFALL.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT FOR WEATHER EVENTS THIS AFTERNOON.  THIS IS A STRONG WEATHER
SYSTEM AND THERE IS A RATHER HIGH PROBABILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Mobile, AL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 7, 11:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBLamar32 min
Jun 7, 11:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBForrest27 min
Jun 8, 2:52 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBHancock, Harrison, Pearl River, Stone68 min
Jun 8, 1:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBJackson42 min

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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.