Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 7, NWS Fort Worth, TX

March 28, 1990Knox County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this tornado warning at Mar 28, 1990, 9:00 PM CST for Knox County, Texas. It was in force for 60 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
Mar 28, 1990, 9:00 PM CST (03:00 UTC)
Expired
Mar 28, 1990, 10:00 PM CST
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Knox 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 28, 9:30 PM CSTHail 2.5Knox, TX
Mar 28, 9:53 PM CSTHail 0.75Knox, 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

Stephenville/Cla, TX (KSEP), launched 00:00Z, 3.0 hours before the alert went out and 217 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 1990-03-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1331 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 1990-03-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 25 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1331 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1209 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
25 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
50 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSPS 290259
TORSPS
TXC275-290400-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
900 PM CST WED MAR 28 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA FALLS HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1000 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...KNOX COUNTY
 
AT 855 PM THE WICHITA FALLS RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO 7 MILES
WEST OF MUNDAY MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. RESIDENTS IN
BENJAMIN AND MUNDAY AS WELL AS OTHER RESIDENTS ACROSS SOUTHWEST AND
SOUTHERN KNOX COUNTY SHOULD TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY...
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING.  AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH
OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

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, Mar 28, 3:44 PM CST, 5 hours 16 minutes before
TXZ031-037-282245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
 340 PM CST WED MAR 28 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT THE SUN BREAKS THROUGH THE OVERCAST AFTERNOON HEATING...ABUNDANT GULF
MOISTURE AND INSTABLILITY IN THE UPPER LEVELS HAS COMBINED FOR SHOWER
AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPEMENT IN PARTS OF CENTRL AND SOUTHCENTRAL TEXAS.

AT 435PM CST WACO WEATHER RADAR SHOWED PATCHY LIGHT RAIN...SCATTERED
MODERATE SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS.  THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN BRAZOS COUNTY 5 MILES NORTH OF
BRYAN AND 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF COLLEGE STATION.  OTHER LIGHT TO MODERATE
SHOWERS WERE IN PARTS OF ROBERTSON...LEON...MADISON AND LIMESTONE COUNTIES.

THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS...SMALL
HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND FLASH FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND NORMALLY
FLOOD PRONE AREAS.  PERSON IN BRAZOS AND MADISON COUNTIES SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THESE CONDITIONS AS THESE STORMS PASS THROUGH DURING THE
NEXT HOUR OR TWO.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR T.V. STATIONS
FOR LATER STATEMENTS.06
Special weather statement, Mar 28, 3:45 PM CST, 5 hours 15 minutes before
TXZ031-037-282245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
340 PM CST WED MAR 28 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT THE SUN BREAKS THROUGH THE OVERCAST AFTERNOON HEATING...ABUNDANT GULF
MOISTURE AND INSTABLILITY IN THE UPPER LEVELS HAS COMBINED FOR SHOWER
AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPEMENT IN PARTS OF CENTRL AND SOUTHCENTRAL TEXAS.

AT 435PM CST WACO WEATHER RADAR SHOWED PATCHY LIGHT RAIN...SCATTERED
MODERATE SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS.  THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN BRAZOS COUNTY 5 MILES NORTH OF
BRYAN AND 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF COLLEGE STATION.  OTHER LIGHT TO MODERATE
SHOWERS WERE IN PARTS OF ROBERTSON...LEON...MADISON AND LIMESTONE COUNTIES.

THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS...SMALL
HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND FLASH FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND NORMALLY
FLOOD PRONE AREAS.  PERSON IN BRAZOS AND MADISON COUNTIES SHOULD REMAIN

ALERT FOR THESE CONDITIONS AS THE STORMS PASS THROUGH DURING THE NEXT
NEXT HOUR OR TWO.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR T.V. STATIONS
FOR LATER STATEMENTS.06
Special weather statement, Mar 28, 3:53 PM CST, 5 hours 7 minutes before
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
400 PM CST WED MAR 28 1990

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT FOR THE FAR
WESTERN PORTION OF NORTH TEXAS...GENERALLY WEST OF A LINE FROM
MONTAGUE TO BRADY. THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF
BROWNWOOD...ABILENE...WICHITA FALLS...BRECKENRIDGE AND VERNON.

THE ATMOSPHERE HAS BECOME MORE UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE
WESTERN PORTIONS OF TEXAS AS SKIES HAVE CLEARED AND TEMPERATURES
CLIMBED INTO THE 70S. A WARM FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE NORTHWARD ACROSS
NORTH TEXAS CONTRIBUTING TO THE INSTABILITY. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM IN THE SOUTHWESTERN U.S. IS GENERATING WEAK IMPULSES
WHICH WILL TRAVEL ACROSS THE RISK AREA TONIGHT GIVING US THE SLIGHT
CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER. THE GREATEST THREAT APPEARS TO BE FROM
LARGE HAIL AND POSSIBLY HIGH WINDS.

AT THE PRESENT TIME...CONDITIONS ARE ONLY MARGINAL FOR SEVERE
WEATHER..BUT AS THESE IMPULSES MOVE THROUGH...AND MORE WARM MOIST AIR
IS ADVECTED INTO THE REGION...THE ATMOSPHERE MAY BECOME UNSTABLE
ENOUGH TO PRODUCE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

TOMORROW MAY SEE A GREATER RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER OVER MOST OF NORTH
TEXAS AS THE MAIN DYNAMICS OF THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM PUSH INTO THE
REGION. IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER...HEAVY RAINS
WILL ALSO BE A POSSIBILITY.

SPOTTERS OVER THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF NORTH TEXAS MAY BE ACTIVATED
TONIGHT. OVER THE REMAINDER OF NORTH TEXAS...SPOTTERS WILL NEED TO
KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON THE WEATHER FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION THURSDAY.
Special weather statement, Mar 28, 5:16 PM CST, 3 hours 44 minutes before
TXZ031-037-290045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
510 PM CST WED MAR 28 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING SOUTH OF THE WACO AREA...

AT 5:00 PM RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHERN MCLENNAN COUNTY
SOUTH OF WACO...EXTENDING SOUTH ACROSS FALLS COUNTY INTO NORTHWEST
ROBERTSON COUNTY. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS JUST SOUTHEAST OF LOTT IN
FALLS COUNTY.

FURTHER SOUTH...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAD BECOME NUMEROUS OVER
AN AREA FROM BRENHAM AND SOMERVILLE NORTHEAST TO EAST OF CROCKETT.
THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED EAST OF SOMERVILLE AND WILL LIKELY
MOVE INTO SOUTHERN BRAZOS COUNTY SHORTLY. THIS STORM MAY CONTAIN
STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND SMALL^ HAIL ALONG WITH
VERY HEAVY RAIN.

MOVEMENT WAS TOWARD THE EAST AND NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
<
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER WEATHER INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, Mar 28, 6:43 PM CST, 2 hours 17 minutes before
TXZ031-037-290145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
635 PM CST WED MAR 28 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS DECREASING OVER CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 6:25 PM SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM SOUTH
OF GROESBECK TO NEAR CALDWELL. A FEW OF THESE STORMS WERE ACCOMPANIED
BY HEAVY RAINFALL ALTHOUGH SOME DECREASE IN INTENSITY AND COVERAGE
OF THE THUNDERSTORMS HAS OCCURRED IN THIS AREA DURING THE PAST HOUR.
MOVEMENT WAS TOWARD THE EAST AT 20 MPH.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN...WERE STILL NUMEROUS
OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS FROM NORMANGEE IN SOUTHWEST
MADISON COUNTY...TO SOUTHEAST BRAZOS COUNTY...AND EASTWARD INTO
SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED JUST NORTH OF
NAVASOTA NEAR THE BRAZOS COUNTY LINE. HOWEVER...THIS PARTICULAR STORM
WAS MOVING EAST AND SHOULD NOT AFFECT BRAZOS COUNTY. OTHER
THUNDERSTORMS TO THE WEST OF THE BRAZOS RIVER WILL BE TRACKING ACROSS
<BRAZOS COUNTY DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

PERSONS IN THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...AS WELL
AS FALLS AND LIMESTONE COUNTIES SHOULD CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION DURING THE NEXT
FEW HOURS.
Special weather statement, Mar 28, 8:04 PM CST, 56 minutes before
TXZ031-037-290330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
800 PM CST WED MAR 28 1990

AT 8:00 PM RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER
THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS FROM BREMOND IN
NORTHWEST ROBERTSON COUNTY...EAST AND SOUTHEAST ACROSS MADISON
AND NORTHERN BRAZOS COUNTIES INTO SOUTHEAST TEXAS. MOST OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING FROM MADISON COUNTY EASTWARD.

MOVEMENT WAS EASTWARD AT 25 MPH.D

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 28, 8:34 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDKnox56 min
Mar 28, 9:56 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHaskell, Throckmorton64 min
Mar 28, 9:59 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDBaylor, Knox61 min
Mar 28, 11:31 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDYoung59 min
Mar 29, 12:14 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDMontague61 min
Mar 29, 12:29 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDJack, Young61 min
Mar 29, 12:55 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDWise50 min
Mar 29, 1:38 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDWise3 hr
Mar 29, 4:22 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDDelta, Franklin, Hopkins, Red River4 hr
Mar 29, 4:22 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDFannin, Hunt4 hr

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.