Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Lubbock, TX

May 29, 1990Lamb County, Texas

NWS Lubbock, TX issued this tornado warning at May 29, 1990, 1:37 PM CDT for Lamb County, Texas. It was in force for 68 min. 1 report 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 29, 1990, 1:37 PM CDT (18:37 UTC)
Expired
May 29, 1990, 2:45 PM CDT
In force
68 min
Issued by
NWS Lubbock, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Lamb 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
May 29, 2:00 PM CDTTornado F2Lamb, 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

Amarillo Airport, TX (KAMA), launched 12:00Z, 6.6 hours before the alert went out and 142 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, Amarillo Airport, TX at 12:00Z on 1990-05-29Temperature 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°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Amarillo Airport, TX at 12:00Z on 1990-05-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 196 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
797 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
196 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
255 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KLBB 291838
TORLBB
TXC279-291945-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
137 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LUBBOCK HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  245 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTHWEST TEXAS
 
   ...LAMB COUNTY
 
AT 133 PM THE PUBLIC REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND...AND LUBBOCK
WEATHER RADAR CONFIRMS A TORNNADO 6 MILES WEST OF EARTH TEXAS...
MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
 
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 THfE 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 29, 8:46 AM CDT, 4 hours 51 minutes before
TXZ007>012-291530-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
845 AM CDT TUE MAY 29 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER PARTS OF THE SOUTH PLAINS...

AT 840 AM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS SCATTERED
OVER PORTIONS OF THE SOUTH PLAINS. THE HEAVIEST RAIN...AND LIKELY SOME
SMALL HAIL...WAS OVER NORTHERN HALE COUNTY NORTH OF PLAINVIEW. OTHER
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER CROSBY AND
DICKENS COUNTIES. A SMALL AREA OF LIGHTER SHOWERS HAD DEVELOPED OVER
TERRY COUNTY NEAR BROWNFIELD.

ALL PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 TO 30 MPH...AND IS EXPECTED
TO END ACROSS THE SOUTH PLAINS BY LATE MORNING. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS AN UPPER LEVEL STORM
SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. SOME OF THE STORMS LATER THIS AFTERNOON
MAY BECOME SEVERE.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY FOR THE
LATEST WEATHER INFOARMATION.

BAKER
Special weather statement, May 29, 10:34 AM CDT, 3 hours 3 minutes before
TXZ007-008-009-010-011-012-281630-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
1031 AM CDT MON MAY 28 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM SOUTH OF FLOYDADA...

AT 1025 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN SOUTHERN
FLOYD COUNTY SOUTH OF FLOYDADA.

THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH...AND IS CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...SMALL
HAIL AND BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN WITH SOME STREET FLOODING
POSSIBLE.

RESIDENTS IN THE SOUTH PLAINS SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST
WEATHER DEVELOPEMENTS AS A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
WILL WORK ITS WAY TOWARD THE SOUTH PLAINS TODAY WITH AN INCREASE
IN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THIS AFTERNOON.

STAY TUNDED TO YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...TV...OR OTHER MEDIA FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 29, 10:36 AM CDT, 3 hours 1 minute before
TXZ007>012-291630-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
1034 AM CDT MON MAY 28 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM SOUTH OF FLOYDADA...

AT 1025 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN SOUTHERN
FLOYD COUNTY SOUTH OF FLOYDADA.

THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH...AND IS CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...SMALL
HAIL AND BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN WITH SOME STREET FLOODING
POSSIBLE.

RESIDENTS IN THE SOUTH PLAINS SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST
WEATHER DEVELOPEMENTS AS A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
WILL WORK ITS WAY TOWARD THE SOUTH PLAINS TODAY WITH AN INCREASE
IN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THIS AFTERNOON.

STAY TUNDED TO YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...TV...OR OTHER MEDIA FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 29, 11:37 AM CDT, 2 hours before
TXZ001>018-051>053-291900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...WEST TEXAS SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
1135 AM CDT TUE MAY 29 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON FROM THE PECOS
VALLEY NORTHWARD THROUGH THE PANHANDLE...

THE ATMOSPHERE OVER WEST TEXAS HAS BECOME VERY UNSTABLE LATE TUESDAY
MORNING. ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE HAS WORKED INTO WESTERN TEXAS
AND EASTERN NEW MEXICO. THIS COMBINED WITH THE APPROACH OF AN
UNUSUALLY STRONG UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR POINTS TOWARD
A GOOD CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND POSSIBLY INTO
THE EVENING OVER WEST TEXAS...FROM THE PECOS VALLEY NORTHWARD.

AS THE UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM APPROACHES LATER THIS AFTERNOON...
A DRY LINE...CURRENTLY OVER EASTERN NEW MEXICO...WILL PUSH FAIRLY
RAPIDLY INTO WESTERN TEXAS. AS THE WINDS IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF
THE ATMOSPHERE INCREASE...THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES WILL EXIST
WITH ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WHICH DEVELOP. TORNADO WATCHES ARE
ALREADY IN EFFECT FROM THE WESTERN PANHANDLE SOUTH TO THE PECOS
VALLEY.

AT THIS TIME...IT APPREARS THAT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL PUSH
INTO WEST TEXAS DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS FROM EAST OF CLOVIS
NORTHWARD INTO THE WESTERN PANHANDLE. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP FURTHER SOUTH ON THE DRY LINE EARLY THIS
AFTERNOON OVER SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO. THESE STORMS SHOULD MOVE INTO
THE PERMIAN BASIN AND WESTERN SOUTH PLAINS...AND CONTINUE NORTHEAST FROM
THERE AS THE DRY LINE PUSHES INTO WEST TEXAS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY
OCCUR IN THIS AREA AS WELL...ALONG WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ISOLATED
TORNADOES.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION CON.CERNING
THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS WEST TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON.
UPDATED FORECASTS...ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS...AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS WILL
BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS REQUIRE.

BAKER
Special weather statement, May 29, 12:25 PM CDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before
TXZ007-008-009-010-011-012-291830-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
1222 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 1990

...TORNADO WATCH FOR BAILEY...LAMB...HALE...FLOYD..COCHRAN...
HOCKLEY...LUBBOCK...CROSBY...YOAKUM...TERRY...LYNN...AND GARZA
COUNTIES UNTIL 5 PM CDT...

AT 1215 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN EASTERN
YOAKUM COUNTY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. RESIDENTS IN
EASTERN YOAKUM COUNTY AND TERRY COUNTY CAN EXPECT STRONG GUSTY WINDS
...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...SMALL HAIL...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLY
CAUSING SOME LOCALIZED STREET FLOODING.

ALSO A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING INTO THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF
BAILY COUNTY IN THE SOUTH PLAINS. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 25 MPH...AND WILL CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND BRIEF
HEAVY RAIN.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR NAA WEATHER RADIO...TV...OR OTHER MEDIA FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 29, 12:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLUBBailey63 min
May 29, 1:08 PM CDTTornado WarningLUBYoakum67 min
May 29, 2:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLUBLubbock58 min
May 29, 3:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLUBHale60 min
May 29, 3:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLUBDickens64 min
May 29, 4:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLUBKent56 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.