Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1990
Tornado Warning 11, NWS Fort Worth, TX
NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at Apr 5, 1990, 5:17 PM CDT for Cooke County, Grayson County, Texas. It was in force for 58 min. 2 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
- Apr 5, 1990, 5:17 PM CDT (22:17 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 5, 1990, 6:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 58 min
- Issued by
- NWS Fort Worth, TX
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Cooke County, TX, Grayson County, TX
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 5, 5:50 PM CDT | Hail 1.75 | Cooke, TX | |
| Apr 5, 6:02 PM CDT | Hail 0.75 | Grayson, TX |
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
Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 181 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1416 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 38 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 180 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 243 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KFTW 052216 TORFTW TXC097-181-052315- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 517 PM CDT THU APR 5 1990 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 615 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS ...EASTERN COOKE COUNTY...GRAYSON COUNTY AT 515 PM...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IN EASTERN COOKE COUNTY NEAR VALLEYVIEW. THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF VERY LARGE HAIL AND VERY HIGH WINDS. THE STORM IS MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 10 TO 15 MILES AN HOUR. 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 5, 11:34 AM CDT, 5 hours 43 minutes before
TXZ019>033-061200- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 1130 AM CDT THU APR 5 1990 THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER ALL OF NORTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND AN ISOLATED TORNADO. A WELL DEFINED UPPER AIR DISTURBANCE...OVER WESTERN NEW MEXICO AT MID MORNING...WILL CONTINUE MOVING EASTWARD AND BY FRIDAY MORNING SHOULD BE OVER NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS. THIS UPPER AIR DISTURBANCE SHOULD INITIATE THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL THEN MOVE INTO THE WESTERN PART OF NORTH TEXAS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. IN ADVANCE OF THE UPPER AIR DISTURBANCE...LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY FLOW IS SLOWLY INCREASING OVER NORTH TEXAS...GRADUALLY INCREASING THE AMOUNT AND DEPTH OF THE MOISTURE. WITH AMPLE SUNSHINE WARMING THE AIR AND THE INCREASING MOISTURE...THE AIR MASS WILL CONTINUE TO DESTABILIZE. INSTABILITY INDICES...WHICH ARE A MEASURE OF ATMOSPHERIC INSTABILITY SHOULD REACH VALUES THIS AFTERNOON THAT EQUAL OR EXCEED THE THRESHHOLD FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...HENCE THE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THE LAST FEATURE SUPPORTING THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH TEXAS IS A QUASISTATIONARY COLD FRONT ALONG THE RED RIVER. THIS FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE LITTLE THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL SERVE AS A FOCUS FOR LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE. FURTHER UPLIFT SUPPORT WILL OCCUR EARLY THIS EVENING WHEN A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS OKLAHOMA MERGES WITH THE RED RIVER FRONT. WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT THROUGH NORTH TEXAS TONIGHT THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD END. THE MOST LIKELY AREA FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO INITIALLY BECOME SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON IS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN QUARTER OF THE AREA...WHERE THE AIR MASS IS THE MOST UNSTABLE. FURTHER...THE PRESENCE OF MID LEVEL DRY AIR AND A VERY FAVORABLE VERTICAL WIND SHEAR WILL ASSIST THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY REACH SEVERE LIMITS. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD BE ON AN INCREASED STATE OF READINESS...ESPECIALLY OVER THE WESTERN 1/2 OF NORTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND OVER ALL OF NORTH TEXAS TONIGHT.
Special weather statement, Apr 5, 11:42 AM CDT, 5 hours 35 minutes before
TXZ019>033-061200- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 1130 AM CDT THU APR 5 1990 ...PARA FIVE...LAST LINE...CHANGED ...MAY... TO READ ...TO... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER ALL OF NORTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND AN ISOLATED TORNADO. A WELL DEFINED UPPER AIR DISTURBANCE...OVER WESTERN NEW MEXICO AT MID MORNING...WILL CONTINUE MOVING EASTWARD AND BY FRIDAY MORNING SHOULD BE OVER NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS. THIS UPPER AIR DISTURBANCE SHOULD INITIATE THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL THEN MOVE INTO THE WESTERN PART OF NORTH TEXAS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. IN ADVANCE OF THE UPPER AIR DISTURBANCE...LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY FLOW IS SLOWLY INCREASING OVER NORTH TEXAS...GRADUALLY INCREASING THE AMOUNT AND DEPTH OF THE MOISTURE. WITH AMPLE SUNSHINE WARMING THE AIR AND THE INCREASING MOISTURE...THE AIR MASS WILL CONTINUE TO DESTABILIZE. INSTABILITY INDICES...WHICH ARE A MEASURE OF ATMOSPHERIC INSTABILITY SHOULD REACH VALUES THIS AFTERNOON THAT EQUAL OR EXCEED THE THRESHHOLD FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...HENCE THE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THE LAST FEATURE SUPPORTING THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH TEXAS IS A QUASISTATIONARY COLD FRONT ALONG THE RED RIVER. THIS FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE LITTLE THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL SERVE AS A FOCUS FOR LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE. FURTHER UPLIFT SUPPORT WILL OCCUR EARLY THIS EVENING WHEN A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS OKLAHOMA MERGES WITH THE RED RIVER FRONT. WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT THROUGH NORTH TEXAS TONIGHT THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD END. THE MOST LIKELY AREA FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO INITIALLY BECOME SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON IS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN QUARTER OF THE AREA...WHERE THE AIR MASS IS THE MOST UNSTABLE. FURTHER...THE PRESENCE OF MID LEVEL DRY AIR AND A VERY FAVORABLE VERTICAL WIND SHEAR WILL ASSIST THE THUNDERSTORMS TO REACH SEVERE LIMITS. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD BE ON AN INCREASED STATE OF READINESS...ESPECIALLY OVER THE WESTERN 1/2 OF NORTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND OVER ALL OF NORTH TEXAS TONIGHT.
Special weather statement, Apr 5, 2:12 PM CDT, 3 hours 5 minutes before
TXZ021-022-052000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 215 PM CDT THU APR 05 1990 AT 210 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM OVER THE LAKE TEXOMA AREA. THIS THUNDERSTORM HAS CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN INTENSITY DURING THE PAST 15 MINUTES. IT IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND HIGH WINDS. BOATERS AND CAMPERS IN THE LAKE TEXOMA AREA SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONARY ACTION IMMEDIATELY. THE THUNDERSTORM IS MOVING EASTNORTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Fort Worth, TX issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 5, 3:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Fannin | 52 min |
| Apr 5, 3:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Montague | 61 min |
| Apr 5, 3:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Young | 66 min |
| Apr 5, 3:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Cooke | 64 min |
| Apr 5, 4:12 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Fannin | 48 min |
| Apr 5, 4:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Grayson | 64 min |
| Apr 5, 4:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Lamar | 64 min |
| Apr 5, 4:53 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Young | 22 min |
| Apr 5, 4:53 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Jack | 67 min |
| Apr 5, 5:01 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Haskell | 44 min |
| Apr 5, 5:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Cooke | 42 min |
| Apr 5, 5:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Red River | 67 min |
| Apr 5, 5:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Fisher, Jones, Stonewall | 66 min |
| Apr 5, 5:33 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Cooke, Denton, Grayson | 57 min |
| Apr 5, 5:33 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Fisher | 57 min |
| Apr 5, 5:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Haskell, Throckmorton | 63 min |
| Apr 5, 5:47 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Wise | 58 min |
| Apr 5, 6:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Young | 67 min |
| Apr 5, 6:17 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Fannin, Grayson | 58 min |
| Apr 5, 6:17 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Jones | 58 min |
| Apr 5, 6:19 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Young | 56 min |
| Apr 5, 6:42 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FWD | Jones, Taylor | 63 min |
| Apr 5, 6:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Palo Pinto | 64 min |
| Apr 5, 6:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Shackelford | 64 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1990Every tornado warning in 1990Tornadoes 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.