Alert archive / Missouri / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 48, NWS St. Louis, MO

May 16, 1990Franklin County, Jefferson County, Saint Louis County, Missouri

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 16, 1990, 5:23 PM CDT for Franklin County, Jefferson County, Saint Louis County, Missouri. It was in force for 52 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
May 16, 1990, 5:23 PM CDT (22:23 UTC)
Expired
May 16, 1990, 6:15 PM CDT
In force
52 min
Issued by
NWS St. Louis, MO
Area
Whole counties

Counties Franklin County, MO, Jefferson County, MO, Saint Louis County, MO

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
May 16, 5:32 PM CDTHail 0.75Franklin, MO
May 16, 5:35 PM CDTHail 1St. Louis, MO

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

Paducah/Barkley, KY (KPAH), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 231 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, Paducah/Barkley, KY at 12:00Z on 1990-05-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Paducah/Barkley, KY at 12:00Z on 1990-05-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 291 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
NaN m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
291 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
279 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSTL 162228
SVRSTL
MOC071-099-189-510-162315-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
523 PM CDT WED MAY 16 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  615 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI
          ...CENTRAL AND EASTERN FRANKLIN...JEFFERSON
          ...SOUTHERN ST LOUIS...SOUTHERN ST LOUIS CITY
 
AT 515 PM GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL WAS REPORTED AT VILLA RIDGE...WHICH IS
35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ST. LOUIS ON INTERSTATE 44...AND AT
SULLIVAN...WHICH IS 45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ST. LOUIS ON I-44. THE
THUNDERSTORM THAT IS GENERATING THE HAIL COVERED MUCH OF CENTRAL AND
EASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY AND IS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 40 MPH.
 
THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH FRANKLIN COUNTY BY 535 PM AND
THROUGH SOUTH ST. LOUIS CITY AND COUNTY BY 6OO PM.
 
PERONS IN PACIFIC...UNION...HIGH RIDGE...HOUSE SPRINGS AND CEDAR HILLS
PLUS THE PERSONS IN SOUTH ST. LOUIS CITY AND SOUTH ST. LOUIS COUNTY
SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR LARGE HAIL HIGH WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WITH
SOME ADDITIONAL FLOODING.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
 
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 LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO
DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
 
SJM

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, May 16, 3:12 PM CDT, 2 hours 11 minutes before
MOZ009-010-011-013-014-162130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA MO
310 PM CDT WED MAY 16 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING UNTIL 545PM FOR WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST PARTS OF CENTRAL MISSOURI TIL
8PM AND EASTERN PARTS OF CENTRAL MISSOURI UNTIL 11PM...

AT 3PM...NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND SMALL HAIL WERE
OVER CENTRAL MISSOURI AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

MANY ROADS WERE UNDER WATER OR IMPASSABLE.  MOTORISTS ARE WARNED NOT TO
TRY AND CROSS OR DRIVE THROUGH THESE ROADS.  HEAVY RAINS...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IS LIKELY FROM THESE STORMS FOR THE REST OF
THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING

LARM
Special weather statement, May 16, 3:41 PM CDT, 1 hour 42 minutes before
MOZ009-010-011-013-014-162200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA MO
345 PM CDT WED MAY 16 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING UNTIL 545PM FOR WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST PARTS OF CENTRAL MISSOURI TIL
8PM AND EASTERN PARTS OF CENTRAL MISSOURI UNTIL 11PM...

AT 3PM...NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND SMALL HAIL WERE
OVER CENTRAL MISSOURI AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

MANY ROADS WERE UNDER WATER OR IMPASSABLE.  MOTORISTS ARE WARNED NOT TO
TRY AND CROSS OR DRIVE THROUGH THESE ROADS.  HEAVY RAINS...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IS LIKELY FROM THESE STORMS FOR THE REST OF
THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING

CONTRA!RY TO A EARLIER REPORT...INTERSTATE 70 WEST OF SWEET SPRINGS IS
NOT CLOSED.  WATER FROM DAVIS CREEK IS THREATENING THE HIGHWAY BUT IT
IS NOT CLOSED AT THIS TIME.
Special weather statement, May 16, 3:45 PM CDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
MOZALL-ILZ009>012-161230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
340 PM CDT WED MAY 16 1990

..A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11PM CDT TONIGHT FOR PARTS OF
EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI..

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS POSTED TODAY FOR MOST OF MISSOURI EXCEPT
THE NORTHWEST AND BOOTHEEL...

AT 330 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL WITH
THE POSSIBLE STRONG WINDS AND HAIL NEAR JEFFERSON CITY..WARRENTON AND
WENTZVILLE MISSOURI.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE BETWEEN STOCKTON LAKE AND COLUMBIA MISSOURI
AND THE SOUTH TIP OF ILLINOIS BETWEEN MT VERNON AND PADUCAH KENTUCKY.

THE STORMS WERE IN AN AREA OF RAINSHOWERS S)TRETCHING FROM WEST CENTRAL
MISSOURI INTO SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
FMD
Special weather statement, May 16, 4:40 PM CDT, 43 minutes before
MOZ007-010-011-012-017-018-ILZ009>012-162230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
440 PM CDT WED MAY 16 1990

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 11PM CDT FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL
AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS POSTED FOR MOST OF MISSOURI EXCEPT
THE NORTHWEST AND BOOTHEEL FOR TODAY...

AT 429 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH
POSSIBLE STRONG WINDS AND HAIL WERE OCCURRING IN A CLUSTER FROM 50 MILES
WEST OF ST LOUIS INTO ST LOUIS MISSOURI.
AND JUST NORTHWEST OF QUINCY TO 35 MILES NORTHEAST OF QUINCY NEAR
HAVANA ILLINOIS.
OTHER STORMS WERE OCCURRING IN MOST OF THE CENTRAL TO NORTHEAST MISSOURI
AND THE SOUTH HALF OF ILLINOIS.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 40 MPH.
Special weather statement, May 16, 4:46 PM CDT, 37 minutes before
MOZ011-012-ILZ011-162300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
433 PM CDT WED MAY 16 1990

...HEAVY RAIN IS MOVING ACROSS ST LOUIS AND WILL MAKE A MESS OF RUSH
HOUR...

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING COVERS ALL OF THE ST LOUIS METRO AREA.

HEAVY RAIN WILL PERSIST IN ST LOUIS THROUGH MUCH OF THE EVENING HOURS
WITH OVER 2 INCHES OF RAIN POSSIBLE.  THIS WILL NOT ONLY DISRUPT RUSH
HOUR BUT ALSO AGGRIVATE URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING.

A SERIES OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LINED UP TO THE WEST OF ST
LOUIS. THE FIRST STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED IN ST CHARLES
COUNTY...THE NEXT WAS 40 MILES WEST OF ST LOUIS...AND THE LAST WAS
NEAR COLUMBIA.

ALL THREE OF THESE BANDS OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE PUSHING
ACROSS THE ST LOUIS AREA BETWEEN 445 AND 9 PM THIS EVENING.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS A FLOODED CREEK OR STREAM TONIGHT.

FELDT
Special weather statement, May 16, 5:17 PM CDT, 6 minutes before
MOZ-010-011-162300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA MO
500 PM CDT WED MAY 16 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING UNTIL 545PM FOR WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST PARTS OF CENTRAL MISSOURI TIL
8PM AND EASTERN PARTS OF CENTRAL MISSOURI UNTIL 11PM...

AT 5PM...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS PASSING
THROUGH EASTERN AND SOUTHEAST PARTS OF CENTRAL MISSOURI FROM 40 MILES
EAST OF JEFFERSON CITY TO 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ROLLA MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 40 MPH.

ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS WILL PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING IN THAT PART OF
CENTRAL MISSOURI AND FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 8PM.
ADDITIONALLY...THE MISSOURI RIVER LEVEE AT RHINELAND...IN SOUTHERN
MONTGOMERY COUNTY...IS WEAKENED AND IS BEING WATCHED FOR POSSIBLE
BREAKS.  A LEVEE BREAK WOULD THREATEN THE CITY OF RHINELAND AND
EMERGENCY PLANS ARE BEING CONSIDERED.

ELSEWHERE AROUND CENTRAL MISSOURI...RAINSHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WERE DIMINISHING IN WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI BUT ROADWAYS WILL CONTINUE
TO BE UNDER WATER FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS AT LEAST.  STREAMS
WILL NOT BE DOWN FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS SWOLLEN CREEKS OR ANY ROAD WHERE WATER IS OVER
THE ROADWAY.

LARM

The office that day

Everything else NWS St. Louis, MO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 15, 11:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMarion, Ralls25 min
May 15, 11:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXPike40 min
May 15, 11:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXLincoln54 min
May 16, 1:02 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXLincoln, Warren43 min
May 16, 1:14 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXSaint Charles46 min
May 16, 3:33 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXJefferson27 min
May 16, 4:08 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXLincoln37 min
May 16, 4:45 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXLincoln, Saint Charles, Warren4 hr
May 16, 2:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXFranklin, Warren43 min
May 16, 2:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXSaint Charles14 min
May 16, 2:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXSaint Louis50 min
May 16, 3:47 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXSaint Charles7 hr
May 16, 3:47 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXLincoln, Warren7 hr
May 16, 3:47 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXFranklin, Saint Louis7 hr
May 16, 3:47 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXCity of Saint Louis7 hr
May 16, 4:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXCrawford, Phelps36 min
May 16, 4:56 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXSaint Louis22 min
May 16, 5:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXCity of Saint Louis51 min
May 16, 5:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXCity of Saint Louis52 min
May 16, 5:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXCrawford, Washington61 min
May 16, 6:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXSainte Genevieve, Saint Francois53 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Missouri, 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.