Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1989
Tornado Warning 27, NWS Mobile, AL
NWS Mobile, AL issued this tornado warning at Nov 8, 1989, 9:44 AM CST for Houston County, Alabama. It was in force for 46 min. 1 report 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
- Nov 8, 1989, 9:44 AM CST (15:44 UTC)
- Expired
- Nov 8, 1989, 10:30 AM CST
- In force
- 46 min
- Issued by
- NWS Mobile, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Houston County, AL
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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 8, 9:50 AM CST | Tornado F0 | Houston, AL |
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
Eglin AFB/Valpar, FL (KVPS), launched 12:00Z, 3.7 hours before the alert went out and 137 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1293 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -5 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 629 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 54 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 237 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 278 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 2.2
- Supercell composite
- 13.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KMGM 081546 RRA
TORMGM
ALC069-081630-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
944 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MONTGOMERY HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1030 AM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
...HOUSTON
HOUSTON COUNTY EMA REPORTED A TORNADO IN THE CITY OF DOTHAN AT 945AM
CST AND ANOTHER TORNADO ON THE HOUSTON COUNTY GENEVA COUNTY LINE
WITHIN THE PAST 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, Nov 8, 7:47 AM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL 735 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS MORNING FOR THE NORTHERN HALVES OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA... ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 AM CST FOR NORTHWEST FLORIDA... ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE... AT 730 AM CST...THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS...WERE OVER THE NORTH HALF OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...AND OKALOOSA...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA. THE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED INTO SOUTHERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. LARGE PATCHES OF RAIN MIXED WITH THUNDERSHOWERS WERE OVER THE NORTH SECTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...SOUTH ALABAMA...SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...AND THE MISSISSIPPI COASTAL WATERS. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN... GUSTY WINDS AROUND 40 MILES AN HOUR...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES... AND FLOODING OF STREETS AND OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. PERSONS SHOULD TAKE ANY NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS FOR THESE CONDITIONS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 8:25 AM CST, 1 hour 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL 725 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM CST FOR NORTHWEST FLORIDA... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS MORNING FOR THE NORTHERN HALVES OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA... ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE... AT 825 AM CST...THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS...WERE OVER THE NORTH HALVES OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA ...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF AN EXTENSIVE RAIN PATTERN WHICH COVERED SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTH ALABAMA AND THE WEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR. SECTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...SOUTH ALABAMA...SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...AND THE MISSISSIPPI COASTAL WATERS. THE THUNDERSTORM[S ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN... GUSTY WINDS AROUND 40 MILES AN HOUR...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES... AND FLOODING OF STREETS AND OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. PERSONS SHOULD TAKE ANY NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS FOR THESE CONDITIONS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 8:32 AM CST, 1 hour 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL ...CORRECTION FOR TIME... 830 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM CST FOR NORTHWEST FLORIDA... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS MORNING FOR THE NORTHERN HALVES OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA... ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE... AT 825 AM CST...THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS...WERE OVER THE NORTH HALVES OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA ...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF AN EXTENSIVE RAIN PATTERN WHICH COVERED SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTH ALABAMA AND THE WEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN... GUSTY WINDS AROUND 40 MILES AN HOURn...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES... AND FLOODING OF STREETS AND OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. PERSONS SHOULD TAKE ANY NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS FOR THESE CONDITIONS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 9:17 AM CST, 27 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 915 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...THUNDERSTORMS HEADED FOR BALDWIN COUNTY ALABAMA... AT 910 AM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM THE MIDDLE OF MOBILE BAY TO THE WEST END OF DAUPHIN ISLAND. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL BE MOVING ONTO THE EASTERN SHORE OF MOBILE BAY IN THE NEXT 1/2 HOUR. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. THE SOUTHERN HALF OF BALDWIN COUNTY CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAINS FOR THE NEXT 2 HOURS. FLOODING OF LOWING AREAS WILL LIKELY OCCUR AND A FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL PROBABLY BE ISSUED IN THE NEXT HOUR. PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE WEATHER THIS MORNING. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WEATHER ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND T.V. STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 9:21 AM CST, 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION FOR TYPO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 915 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...THUNDERSTORMS HEADED FOR BALDWIN COUNTY ALABAMA... AT 910 AM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM THE MIDDLE OF MOBILE BAY TO THE WEST END OF DAUPHIN ISLAND. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL BE MOVING ONTO THE EASTERN SHORE OF MOBILE BAY IN THE NEXT 1/2 HOUR. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. THE SOUTHERN HALF OF BALDWIN COUNTY CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAINS FOR THE NEXT 2 HOURS. FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS WILL LIKELY OCCUR AND A FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL PROBABLY BE ISSUED IN THE NEXT HOUR. PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE WEATHER THIS MORNING. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WEATHER ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND T.V. STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 9:33 AM CST, 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL 925 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM CST FOR NORTHWEST FLORIDA... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS MORNING FOR THE NORTHERN HALVES OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...AND WALTON COUNTIES OF FLORIDA... ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE... AT 925 AM CST...THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...WERE IN A LINE STRETCHING FROM DAUPHIN ISLAND ALABAMA NORTHEAST ACROSS ESCAMBIA AND NORTH SANTA ROSA COUNTIES OF FLORIDA...AND BACK INTO SOUTH ALABAMA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF AN EXTENSIVE RAIN PATTERN WHICH COVERED SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTH ALABAMA AND THE WEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE... AND THE COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA WEST TO CHANDELEUR ISLAND LOUISIANA. THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE EAST ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN... GUSTY WINDS AROUND 40 MILES AN HOUR...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES... AND FLOODING OF STREETS...SMALL STREAMS...AND OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. PERSONS SHOULD TAKE ANY NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS FOR THESE CONDITIONS.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Mobile, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 8, 5:34 AM CST | Tornado Warning | MOB | Houston | 41 min |
| Nov 8, 6:33 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Coffee, Covington | 42 min |
| Nov 8, 7:20 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Covington, Geneva | 55 min |
| Nov 8, 7:39 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Henry, Houston | 66 min |
| Nov 8, 8:20 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Mobile | 55 min |
| Nov 8, 10:37 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | MOB | Coffee, Covington, Geneva | 3 hr |
| Nov 8, 10:37 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | MOB | Dale, Henry, Houston | 3 hr |
| Nov 8, 10:47 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB | Geneva, Houston | 58 min |
| Nov 8, 1:44 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | MOB | Coffee, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Houston | 3 hr |
| Nov 8, 1:44 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | MOB | Henry | 3 hr |
| Nov 8, 2:13 PM CST | Tornado Warning | MOB | Baldwin | 47 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 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.