Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 62, NWS Fort Worth, TX

May 18, 1990McLennan County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at May 18, 1990, 8:23 PM CDT for McLennan County, Texas. It was in force for 67 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 18, 1990, 8:23 PM CDT (01:23 UTC)
Expired
May 18, 1990, 9:30 PM CDT
In force
67 min
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties

County McLennan 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

Stephenville/Cla, TX (KSEP), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 113 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, Stephenville/Cla, TX at 00:00Z on 1990-05-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1878 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, Stephenville/Cla, TX at 00:00Z on 1990-05-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 225 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
1878 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
619 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
225 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
376 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
3.4
Supercell composite
21.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KACT 190125
TORACT
TXC309-190230-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
823 PM CDT FRI MAY 18 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WACO HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  930 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...MCLENNAN COUNTY
 
AT 823 PM CDT A POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS INDICATED BY RADAR BETWEEN MOODY
AND EDDY MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS
REPORTED BY KCEN TV 3 MILES WEST OF EDDY.
 
THE TORNADO WARNING IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR BELL COUNTY.
 
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, May 18, 3:42 PM CDT, 4 hours 41 minutes before
TXZ031-037-182140-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
340 PM CDT FRI MAY 18 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT FOR BELL...BOSQUE...
BRAZOS...CORYELL...FALLS...HILL...MCLENNAN...ROBERTSON...GRIMES...
WASHINGTON AND MILAM COUNTIES OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHCENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 335 PM CDT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED NORTH AND EAST OF A
LINE FROM NORTHWEST OF HOUSTON TO NEAR GEORGETOWN TO 15 MILES EAST OF
COMANCHE.  THE AREA EXTENDED TO A LINE FROM NORTH OF HOUSTON TO
NORTHWEST OF CROCKETT TO NEAR WAXAHACHIE.  THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS
OCCURRING  OVER ROBERTSON COUNTY NEAR FRANKLIN...OVER MCLENNAN COUNTY
10 MILES WEST OF WACO AND OVER NORTHEAST LEON COUNTY 20 MILES NORTHEAST
OF CENTERVILLE.  MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS IN MCLENNAN...ROBERSTON AND LEON COUNTIES SHOULD BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEUATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST IN WEATHER
INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, May 18, 5:09 PM CDT, 3 hours 14 minutes before
TX026>027-031-182300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
505 PM CDT FRI MAY 18 1990

AT 500 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A WIDESPREAD AREA OF SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS...WERE OCCURRING
OVER A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS.  THIS AREA OF
PRECIPITATION STRETCEHED FROM NEAR BROWNWOOD TO PALESTINE AND FROM AUSTIN
...NORTHWARD TO THE TEXAS-OKLAHOMA BORDER EAST OF SHERMAN.  THE STRONGER
THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER THE SOUTHEAST PART OF HILL COUNTY AND
IN THE WESTERN PART OF NAVARRO COUNTY BETWEEN NAVARRO MILLS LAKE...SILVER
CITY AND DAWSON.  MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

A TORNADO WAS SIGHTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE NORTHERN
PART OF MCLENNAN COUNTY ON THE NORTH EDGE OF CHALK BLUFF AROUND 425 PM
FROM THIS SAME COMPLEX OF STORMS MOVING INTO NAVARRO COUNTY.  HOWEVER...THE
THUNDERSTORMS APPEAR TO BE IN THEIR DISSIPATING STAGE AND ONLY PRODUCING
HEAVY RAIN AT THE PRESENT TIME.

PERSONS IN THE AREA ARE REMINDED THAT THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS ARE
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAINS...STRONG GUSTY SURFACE WINDS...
DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND PERHAPS SOME SMALL HAIL.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO OR T.V. FOR THE LATEST
WEATHER INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, May 18, 6:43 PM CDT, 1 hour 40 minutes before
TXZ031-037-190040-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
645 PM CDT FRI MAY 18 1990

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR BOSQUE COUNTY IS NO LONGER IN
EFFECT...

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT FOR BELL...BOSQUE...
BRAZOS...CORYELL...FALLS...HILL...MCLENNAN...ROBERTSON...GRIMES...
WASHINGTON AND MILAM COUNTIES OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHCENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 640 PM CDT THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER EXTREME
EASTERN LIMESTONE COUNTY NORTHEAST OF MEXIA AND OVER EXTREME NORTHERN
BOSQUE COUNTY 15 MILES NORTH OF MERIDIAN.  ELSEWHERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE
PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF AUSTIN TO 15 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF JOHNSON CITY TO 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF BURNET.  MOVEMENT
EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.
<
PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THUNDERSTORMS THAT COULD PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND
HAIL.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST IN WEATHER
INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, May 18, 6:48 PM CDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
TX027-032-033-190100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
645 PM CDT FRI MAY 18 1990

AT 640 PM...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY
RAINS...WERE OVER PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND MUCH OF NORTHEAST TEXAS
GENERALLY EAST OF A SHERMAN TO FORT WORTH TO WACO LINE.  THE STRONGER
THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER NORTHWEST FREESTONE COUNTY BETWEEN STREETMAN AND
FAIRFIELD...AND IN ANDERSON COUNTY NORTH OF PALESTINE.  ANOTHER STRONG
THUNDERSTORM HAD DEVELOPED OVER THE SOUTHWEST PART OF VAN ZANDT COUNTY EAST
OF MABANK.  MOVEMENT OF ALL THE PRECIPITATION WAS GENERALLY TO THE NORTHEAST
OF 35 MILES AN HOUR.

THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS NOW OVER THE SOUTHEAST PART OF NORTHEAST TEXAS
ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS...STRONG GUSTY SURFACE WINDS
...DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND PERHAPS SOME SMALL HAIL.

MOST OF THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD START TO DISSIPATE OR DECREASE
IN INTENSITY AND AREAL COVERAGE AROUND SUNSET.  IN THE MEAN TIME...STAY
TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO OR T.V. FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, May 18, 6:55 PM CDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
TX027-032-033-190100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT               ...CORRECTION FIRST PARAGRAPH...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
645 PM CDT FRI MAY 18 1990

AT 640 PM...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY
RAINS...WERE OVER PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND MUCH OF NORTHEAST TEXAS
GENERALLY EAST OF A SHERMAN TO FORT WORTH TO WACO LINE.  THE STRONGER
THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER NORTHWEST FREESTONE COUNTY BETWEEN STREETMAN AND
FAIRFIELD...AND IN ANDERSON COUNTY NORTH OF PALESTINE.  ANOTHER STRONG
THUNDERSTORM HAD DEVELOPED OVER THE SOUTHWEST PART OF VAN ZANDT COUNTY EAST
OF MABANK.  MOVEMENT OF ALL THE PRECIPITATION WAS GENERALLY TO THE NORTHEAST
AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS NOW OVER THE SOUTHEAST PART OF NORTHEAST TEXAS
ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS...STRONG GUSTY SURFACE WINDS
...DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND PERHAPS SOME SMALL HAIL.

MOST OF THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORM$S SHOULD START TO DISSIPATE OR DECREASE
IN INTENSITY AND AREAL COVERAGE AROUND SUNSET.  IN THE MEAN TIME...STAY
TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO OR T.V. FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, May 18, 7:30 PM CDT, 53 minutes before
TXZ031-037-190230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
728 PM CDT FRI MAY 18 1990

...THE TORNADO WATCH FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHCENTRAL TEXAS WILL EXPIRE AT
800PM CDT....

AT 715 PM CDT WACO WEATHER RADAR SHOWED NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND VERY
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER A LARGE PORTION OF NORTHEAST TEXAS.
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

OTHER MODERATE SHOWERS AND SCATTERED STRONG TO VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE NOTED THROUGH PARTS OF THE
TEXAS HILL COUNTRY NORTH AND WEST OF AUSTIN.  ONE VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WAS IN BELL COUNTY BETWEEN TEMPLE AND KILLEEN.  MOVEMENT
OF THESE STORMS WAS NORTH AT 25 MPH.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED OR DETECTED BY RADAR DURING THE
PAST HOUR OR SO...HOWEVER THE STORMS IN THE HILL COUNTRY ARE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WIND...HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
AND POSSIBLE BRIEF FLASH FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND NORMALLY FLOOD
PRONE AREAS SUCH AS LOW WATER CROSSINGS.  PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THE
STRONG STORMS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE
WEATHER FORMATION AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF SEVERE WEATHER IS
SIGHTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEAfTHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR T.V. STATIONS
FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.06

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 18, 7:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDFreestone45 min
May 18, 7:43 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDBell, McLennan47 min
May 18, 10:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCherokee63 min
May 18, 10:52 PM CDTTornado WarningFWDCherokee38 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.