Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 60, NWS Jackson, MS

December 21, 1990Carroll County, Grenada County, Mississippi

NWS Jackson, MS issued this tornado warning at Dec 21, 1990, 3:55 PM CST for Carroll County, Grenada County, Mississippi. It was in force for 50 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
Dec 21, 1990, 3:55 PM CST (21:55 UTC)
Expired
Dec 21, 1990, 4:45 PM CST
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Jackson, MS
Area
Whole counties

Counties Carroll County, MS, Grenada County, MS

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
Dec 21, 4:10 PM CSTThunderstorm Wind 0Carroll, MS
Dec 21, 4:20 PM CSTTornado F3Grenada, MS

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

Jackson, MS (KJAN), launched 12:00Z, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 145 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, Jackson, MS at 12:00Z on 1990-12-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 572 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Jackson, MS at 12:00Z on 1990-12-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 248 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
572 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-34 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
685 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
248 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
274 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.6
Supercell composite
4.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KJAN 212154
TORJAN
MSC015-043-212245-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
355 PM CST FRI DEC 21 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  445 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI
 
   ...CARROLL COUNTY
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI
 
   ...GRENADA COUNTY
 
AT 355 PM CST...A VERY DANGEROUS TORNADO WAS BEING REPORTED OVER
LEFLORE COUNTY IN AND AROUND THE GREENWOOD AREA. THIS HAS PRODUCED
CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE ACROSS SOUTHERN LEFLORE. THE STORM WILL BE MOVING
INTO WESTERN CARROLL AND GRENADA COUNTIES BY 4 PM. MOVEMENT WAS
NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
 
 
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  MOVE QUICKLY TO UNDERGROUND SHELTER IF
AVAILABLE.  OTHERWISE...GO TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.
AVOID WINDOWS.  LEAVE CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A STURDY BUILDING.
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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, Dec 21, 12:01 PM CST, 3 hours 54 minutes before
MSZALL-220000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
NOON CST FRI DEC 21 1990

...SEVERE WEATHER...INCLUDING TORNADOES...POSSIBLE AGAIN THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS MISSIS
Special weather statement, Dec 21, 12:03 PM CST, 3 hours 52 minutes before
MSZALL-220000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT              ...CORRECTED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
NOON CST FRI DEC 21 1990

...SEVERE WEATHER...INCLUDING TORNADOES...POSSIBLE AGAIN THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS MISSISSIPPI...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON FOR NORTHERN THIRD OF
MISSISSIPPI...
...ARCTIC AIR MASS TO ENTER NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI TONIGHT AND ALL BUT
EXTREME SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI ON SATURDAY...

AN EXPLOSIVE SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION IS SETTING UP OVER MISSISSIPPI
AS NEAR RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE CREATING VERY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS
OVER THE AREA.  STRONG WINDS IN THE UPPER-LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND
SEVERAL STRONG UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCES WILL FURTHER ENHANCE THE
SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL BY THIS AFTERNOON.  SEVERE WEATHER WAS
ALREADY BREAKING OUT OVER LOUISIANA AND WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO SECTIONS
OF AT LEAST WESTERN MISSISSIPPI THIS AFTERNOON.  TORNADOES
ARE A STRONG POSSIBILITY AS THIS WEATHER SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE
WEST.

PARTS OF NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI RECEIVED HEAVY RAINS YESTERDAY AND WITH
THE THREAT OF MORE HEAVY RAINS THIS AFTERNOON...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH
REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE STATE.

A VERY COLD ARCTIC AIR MASS CONTINUES TO SLIDE SOUTHEASTWARD INTO
NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS AND NORTHEASTERN TEXAS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.
THIS AIR MASS IS NOW EXPECTED TO ENTER SECTIONS OF NORTHWEST
MISSISSIPPI LATE TONIGHT...AND ALL BUT PERHAPS EXTREME SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI DURING THE DAY SATURDAY.  TEMPERATURES WILL DROP SHARPLY
INTO THE 30S AND 40S AS THE ARCTIC FRONT PLOWS THROUGH THE STATE.

LINGERING PRECIPITATION SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO SUNDAY WILL PROBABLY
BE IN THE FORM OF FREEZING RAIN AND DRIZZLE.  AT THIS TIME...THIS
FREEZING PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BE PATCHY...BUT COULD STILL
MAKE TRAVELING DIFFICULT DURING THE UPCOMING CHRISTMAS WEEKEND.
THOSE PLANNING TRIPS THIS WEEKEND ARE ADVISED TO KEEP UP WITH THE
LASTEST FORECASTS AND STATEMEDNTS.
Special weather statement, Dec 21, 3:10 PM CST, 45 minutes before
MSZ009-012-ALZ008-013-212300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MERIDIAN MS
 310 PM CST FRI DEC 21 1990

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 784 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CST AND INCLUDES
THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...JASPER...NESHOBA...
NEWTON...WINSTON...JONES.

 AT 300 PM CST RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM NEAR VICKSBURG TO NEAR UNION TO NEAR
LOUISVILLE MIQSSISSIPPI. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 30 MPH.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Jackson, MS issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 21, 1:01 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHolmes, Yazoo44 min
Dec 21, 1:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANWashington28 min
Dec 21, 1:44 PM CSTTornado WarningJANCarroll31 min
Dec 21, 1:55 PM CSTTornado WarningJANWashington35 min
Dec 21, 2:00 PM CSTTornado WarningJANSharkey30 min
Dec 21, 2:07 PM CSTTornado WarningJANClaiborne, Warren53 min
Dec 21, 2:18 PM CSTTornado WarningJANGrenada, Montgomery42 min
Dec 21, 2:31 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANSunflower29 min
Dec 21, 2:44 PM CSTTornado WarningJANCalhoun, Yalobusha31 min
Dec 21, 2:45 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANLeflore, Tallahatchie30 min
Dec 21, 2:51 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANHumphreys39 min
Dec 21, 3:00 PM CSTTornado WarningJANWarren, Yazoo45 min
Dec 21, 3:10 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHumphreys35 min
Dec 21, 3:25 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHolmes, Leflore35 min
Dec 21, 3:46 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANYazoo44 min
Dec 21, 3:46 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHolmes44 min
Dec 21, 4:02 PM CSTTornado WarningJANIssaquena13 min
Dec 21, 4:16 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANSharkey, Washington29 min
Dec 21, 4:25 PM CSTTornado WarningJANIssaquena, Sharkey, Warren50 min
Dec 21, 4:26 PM CSTTornado WarningJANClaiborne, Jefferson49 min
Dec 21, 4:32 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHolmes43 min
Dec 21, 4:47 PM CSTTornado WarningJANCalhoun, Grenada43 min
Dec 21, 4:52 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHumphreys, Sunflower53 min
Dec 21, 4:59 PM CSTTornado WarningJANWarren46 min
Dec 21, 5:07 PM CSTTornado WarningJANAttala, Carroll, Montgomery53 min
Dec 21, 5:36 PM CSTTornado WarningJANCalhoun, Webster54 min
Dec 21, 5:41 PM CSTTornado WarningJANCarroll49 min
Dec 21, 5:46 PM CSTTornado WarningJANWarren44 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Mississippi, 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.