Alert archive / Florida / Tornado Warnings in 1989

Tornado Warning 9, NWS Tallahassee, FL

June 8, 1989Franklin County, Florida

NWS Tallahassee, FL issued this tornado warning at Jun 8, 1989, 5:22 PM EDT for Franklin County, Florida. It was in force for 38 min. 3 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
Jun 8, 1989, 5:22 PM EDT (21:22 UTC)
Expired
Jun 8, 1989, 6:00 PM EDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Tallahassee, FL
Area
Whole counties

County Franklin County, FL

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
Jun 8, 5:30 PM EDTTornado F0Franklin, FL
Jun 8, 6:00 PM EDTTornado F2Franklin, FL
Jun 8, 6:05 PM EDTTornado F0Franklin, FL

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

Apalachicola Mun, FL (KAQQ), launched 12:00Z, 9.4 hours before the alert went out and 21 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, Apalachicola Mun, FL at 12:00Z on 1989-06-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 16 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, Apalachicola Mun, FL at 12:00Z on 1989-06-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 61 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
16 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-123 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1038 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
61 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
138 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KAQQ 082124
TORAQQ
FLC037-082200-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE APALACHICOLA FL
522 PM EDT THU JUN 8 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN APALACHICOLA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  600 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA
          ...FRANKLIN
 
AT 520 PM EDT A TORNADO WAS MOVING OVER THE BRIDGE AT APALCHICOLA
FLORIDA. THE TORNADO WAS MOVING NORTHEAST.
 
 
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, 1:44 PM EDT, 3 hours 38 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE APALACHICOLA FL
143 PM EDT THU JUN 8 1989

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 438 IS IN EFFECT FOR GULF COUNTY UNTIL 300 PM EDT.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR GULF AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL
1100 PM EDT.

AT 129 PM EDT...NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE 5 TO 20
MILES NORTH OF PENSACOLA...AND EXTENDED EAST TO DE FUNIAK SPRINGS.
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND LARGE AREAS OF RAIN WERE OVER THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE...SOUTHWEST GEORGIA...AND SOUTHEAST ALABAMA.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE OVER THE GULF FROM 5
TO 70 MILES OFFSHORE BETWEEN DESTIN AND APALACHICOLA.

ISOLATED SHOWERS AND LARGE PATCHES OF RAIN WERE OVER THE NORTHEAST GULF
FROM CEDAR KEY TO 100 MILES SOUTHWEST OF APALACHICOLA.

MOVEVENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 2:43 PM EDT, 2 hours 39 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE APALACHICOLA FL
243 PM EDT THU JUN 8 1989

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 439 IS IN EFFECT FOR GULF AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES
UNTIL 900 PM EDT.
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR GULF AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL
1100 PM EDT.

AT 231 PM EDT...NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE 5 TO 20
MILES NORTH OF MILTON...EXTENDED EAST TO CRESTVIEW...NORTHEAST TO
ENTERPRISE ALABAMA...AND SOUTH TO FREEPORT.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND LARGE AREAS OF RAIN WERE OVER THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE...SOUTHWEST GEORGIA...AND SOUTHEAST ALABAMA.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE OVER THE GULF WITHIN
60 MILES OF SHORE BETWEEN P[ANAMA CITY AND APALACHICOLA.
ISOLATED SHOWERS AND LARGE PATCHES OF RAIN WERE ALSO OVER THE GULF.

MOVEVENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 3:28 PM EDT, 1 hour 54 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
438 PM EDT THU JUN 8 1989

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 439 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...

 A 325 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADARS SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING EAST THROUGH JACKSON COUNTY AT 25 MPH AND INTO SEMINOLE COUNTY
GA DURING THE NEXT HOUR. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE
STRONG GUSTY WINDQS...VERY HEAVY RAIN...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND
POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE AREA DURING THE NEXT
COUPLE OF HOURS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADION FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS ON THESE
THUNDERSTORMS.
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 3:51 PM EDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE APALACHICOLA FL
340 PM EDT THU JUN 8 1989

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 439 IS IN EFFECT FOR GULF AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES
UNTIL 900 PM EDT.
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR GULF AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL
1100 PM EDT.

AT 326 PM EDT...SCATTERED CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
WERE OVER THE GULF FROM 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF APALACHICOLA TO 35 MILES
SOUTH OF CAPE SAN BLAS. OTHER SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER HOLMES
AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES OR ROUGHLY AMOUNG DE FUNIAK SPRINGS...BONIFAY...
AND GRACEVILLE.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND LARGE AREAS OF RAIN WERE OVER THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE...SOUTHWEST GEORGIA...AND SOUTHEAST ALABAMA.

MOVEVENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 4:38 PM EDT, 44 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
438 PM EDT THU JUN 8 1989

...TORDAOD WATCH NUMBER 439 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...

 A 325 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADARS SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING EAST THROUGH JACKSON COUNTY AT 25 MPH AND INTO SEMINOLE COUNTY
GA DURING THE NEXT HOUR. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE
STRONG GUSTY WINDOS...VERY HEAVY RAIN...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND
POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE AREA DURING THE NEXT
COUPLE OF HOURS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADION FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS ON THESE
THUNDERSTORMS.
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 4:46 PM EDT, 36 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE APALACHICOLA FL
443 PM EDT THU JUN 8 1989

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 439 IS IN EFFECT FOR GULF AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES
UNTIL 900 PM EDT.
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR GULF AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL
1100 PM EDT.

AT 229 PM EDT...SCATTERED CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
WERE OVER THE GULF FROM JUST SOUTH THROUGH 25 MILES SOUTH OF CAPE SAN
BLAS AND FROM 25 TO 50 MILES SOUTHEAST OF APALACHICOLA. OTHER SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE OCCURRING FROM WESTVILLE IN
HOLMES COUNTY TO 20 MILES EAST OF CAMBELLTON IN JACKSON COUNTY.

WATERSPOUTS MAY DEVELOP IN THE BAYS AND COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE SAN
BLAS TO CARRABELLE. DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND LARGE AREAS OF RAIN WERE OVER THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE...SOUTHWEST GEORGIA...AND SOUTHEAST ALABAMA.
>
MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAS@T AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Tallahassee, FL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 7, 9:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTAEOkaloosa, Santa Rosa55 min
Jun 8, 5:51 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTAEEscambia, Santa Rosa69 min
Jun 8, 6:44 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTAEOkaloosa, Santa Rosa61 min
Jun 8, 7:16 AM EDTTornado WarningTAEEscambia59 min
Jun 8, 10:26 AM EDTTornado WarningTAEEscambia, Santa Rosa49 min
Jun 8, 11:13 AM EDTTornado WarningTAEEscambia, Santa Rosa47 min
Jun 8, 12:01 PM EDTTornado WarningTAEEscambia, Santa Rosa44 min
Jun 8, 1:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTAEEscambia, Santa Rosa48 min
Jun 8, 2:10 PM EDTTornado WarningTAEOkaloosa, Walton50 min
Jun 8, 3:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTAEEscambia44 min
Jun 8, 3:21 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningTAESanta Rosa2 hr
Jun 8, 5:29 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningTAEEscambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa3 hr
Jun 8, 6:10 PM EDTTornado WarningTAEFranklin50 min
Jun 8, 6:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTAEEscambia, Santa Rosa47 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Florida, 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.