Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 3, NWS Brownsville, TX

April 10, 1990Cameron County, Willacy County, Texas

NWS Brownsville, TX issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 10, 1990, 8:30 PM CDT for Cameron County, Willacy County, Texas. It was in force for 60 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 10, 1990, 8:30 PM CDT (01:30 UTC)
Expired
Apr 10, 1990, 9:30 PM CDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Brownsville, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Cameron County, TX, Willacy 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

Brownsville Intl, TX (KBRO), launched 00:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 48 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, Brownsville Intl, TX at 00:00Z on 1990-04-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1932 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, Brownsville Intl, TX at 00:00Z on 1990-04-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 15 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
1932 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
778 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
15 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
0 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 KBRO 110125 RRA
SVRBRO
TXC061-489-110230-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
830 PM CDT TUE APR 10 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BROWNSVILLE HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL  930 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTH TEXAS
 
   ...EASTERN CAMERON COUNTY...EASTERN WILLACY COUNTY
 
  AND FOR MARINE INTERESTS IN THE COASTAL WATERS FROM...
 
   ...PT MANSFIELD JETTYS  TO  MOUTH OF THE ARROYO
 
AT 830 PM CDT BROWNSVILLE WEATHER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF VERY
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER EASTERN WILLACY AND CAMERON COUNTIES OF
SOUTH TEXAS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
 
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DON'T USE TELEPHONES
OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A
STRONG BUILDING.  DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWESTD FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO
DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

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, Apr 10, 3:52 PM CDT, 4 hours 38 minutes before
TXZ042-043-044-102200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
330 PM CDT TUE APR 10 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER BROOKS AND NORTH KENEDY COUNTIES...

AT 325 PM CDT BROWNSVILLE WEATHER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER BROOKS AND NORTHERN KENEDY
COUNTIES OF SOUTH TEXAS. THIS AREA WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
STRONG WINDS...HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAINS COULD
BE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

ALSO BOATERS IN BAFFIN BAY SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS
ARE MOVING INTO THE AREA.

ELSEWHERE...SCATTERED SHOWERS DOTTED NORTHEAST MEXICO AND SOUTH
TEXAS.  MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

FLOODING IS POSSIBLE OVER LOW LYING AREA DUE TO THE INTENSITY OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS. PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE VICINITY OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS
SHOULD USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN VENTURING TO THEIR DESTINATION.
Special weather statement, Apr 10, 5:01 PM CDT, 3 hours 29 minutes before
TXZ042-043-044-102300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
500 PM CDT TUE APR 10 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING IN INTENSITY AND COVERAGE OVER DEEP SOUTH
TEXAS...

AT 432 PM CDT BROWNSVILLE WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS 15 MILES WIDE EXTENDING FROM NEAR HEBBRONVILLE EAST
NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE CORPUS CHRISTI AREA AND BEYOND INTO THE GULF
EAST OF PORT OCONNOR. VERY HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...STRONG
GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL ARE LIKELY IN THE VICINITY OF THIS THUNDERSTORM LINE.
THE LINE IS MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AROUND 15 MILES AN HOUR. PERSONS
IN NORTHERN JIM HOGG AND NORTHERN BROOKS COUNTIES SHOULD BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR THESE THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM CLUSTER WAS LOCATED OVER WESTERN KENEDY
COUNTY AND MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST NEAR 15 MILES AN HOUR. THIS THUNDERSTORM
WILL ALSO LIKELY PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...STRONG
GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLE HAIL. THIS STORM WILL BE AFFECTING CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN KENEDY COUNTY DURING THE NEXT HOUR AND COULD MOVE INTO NORTHERN
WILLACY COUNTY NEAR RAYMONDVILLE BY 6 PM.

OTHER WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER PORTIONS
OF WILLACY AND HIDALGO COUNTIES EXTENDING SOUTH INTO MEXICO ABOUT 80 MILES
SOUTH OF MCALLEN. THESE SHOWERS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Apr 10, 5:59 PM CDT, 2 hours 31 minutes before
TXZ041-042-043-044-110000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
600 PM CDT TUE APR 10 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ADVANCING SOUTHEASTWARD OVER DEEP SOUTH
TEXAS...

AT 533 PM CDT BROWNSVILLE WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS 12 MILES WIDE EXTENDING FROM NEAR ZAPATA EAST AND NORTHEAST
THROUGH HEBBRONVILLE AND INTO THE CORPUS CHRISTI AREA THEN INTO THE GULF
SOUTH OF PORT OCONNOR. ANOTHER CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED
FROM SANTA ELENA TO BAFFIN BAY AND SOUTH TO RAYMONDVILLE WITH THE HEAVIEST
RAINS OCCURRING OVER CENTRAL KENEDY COUNTY.

MOVEMENT OF ALL THIS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST NEAR 10
MILES AN HOUR. PERSONS IN ZAPATA...JIM HOGG...BROOKS AND KENEDY COUNTIES
AS WELL AS THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF STARR...HIDALGO AND WILLACY COUNTIES
SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE
TO A PLACE OF SAFETY. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINS CAUSING
LOCAL STREET FLOODING AS WELL AS STRONG WIND GUSTS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING
AND POSSIBLE HAIL.

BOATERS ON THE LAGUNA MADRE AND GULF COASTAL WATERS ESPECIALLY IN THE
KENEDY COUNTY COASTAL AREAS SHOULD S!EEK SAFE HARBOR IMMEDIATELY AS SOME
OF THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE MOVING OVER THESE AREAS SHORTLY.
Special weather statement, Apr 10, 7:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
TXZ041-042-043-044-110200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
600 PM CDT TUE APR 10 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER DEEP SOUTH TEXAS MOVING SOUTHEAST...

AT 628 PM CDT BROWNSVILLE WEATHER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF BROWNSVILLE TO THE VICINITY
OF CORPUS CHRISTI. THIS AREA WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. GUSTY WINDS
...HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAINS COULD BE ASSOCIATED
WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THIS SYSTEM LOCAL FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS
AND STREETS IS POSSIBLE AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. PERSONS
IN OR NEAR THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.

BOATERS ON THE LAGUNA MADRE AND GULF COASTAL WATERS SHOULD SEEK SAFE
HARBOR IMMEDIATELY AS SOME OF THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE MOVING
OVER THESE AREAS SHORTLY.
Special weather statement, Apr 10, 7:04 PM CDT, 1 hour 26 minutes before
TXZ041-042-043-044-110200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
655 PM CDT TUE APR 10 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER DEEP SOUTH TEXAS MOVING SOUTHEAST...

AT 628 PM CDT BROWNSVILLE WEATHER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF BROWNSVILLE TO THE VICINITY
OF CORPUS CHRISTI. THIS AREA WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. GUSTY WINDS
...HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAINS COULD BE ASSOCIATED
WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THIS SYSTEM LOCAL FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS
AND STREETS IS POSSIBLE AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. PERSONS
IN OR NEAR THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.

BOATERS ON THE LAGUNA MADRE AND GULF COASTAL WATERS SHOULD SEEK SAFE
HARBOR IMMEDIATELY AS SOME OF THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE MOVING
OVER THESE AREAS SHORTLY.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Brownsville, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 10, 7:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROWillacy61 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Texas, 1990Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1990

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.