Alert archive / Delaware / Tornado Warnings in 1992

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Wilmington, NC

August 28, 1992Sussex County, Delaware

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this tornado warning at Aug 28, 1992, 7:04 PM EDT for Sussex County, Delaware. It was in force for 41 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 28, 1992, 7:04 PM EDT (23:04 UTC)
Expired
Aug 28, 1992, 7:45 PM EDT
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Wilmington, NC
Area
Whole counties

County Sussex County, DE

The nearest sounding before it

Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 84 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, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 1992-08-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 688 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 1992-08-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -10 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 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
688 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-14 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
619 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
7 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-10 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
1 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KILG 282305
TORILG
DEC005-282345-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON DE
704 PM EDT FRI AUG 28 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  745 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS......
 
IN SOUTH DELAWARE
 
   ...SOUTHERN SUSSEX COUNTY
 
DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A POSSIBLE TORNADO EAST OF SALISBURY MARYLAND
MOVING NORTH TO NORTHEAST. THIS STORM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO TRAP
POND STATE PARK DELAWARE SHORTLY. THIS STORM COULD POSSIBLY AFFECT THE
GEORGETOWN DELAWARE AREA WITHIN A HALF AN HOUR TO 45 MINUTES.
 
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.  IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF
AVAILABLE.  OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.

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, Aug 28, 3:47 PM EDT, 3 hours 17 minutes before
NCZ015-016-017-282100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
345 PM EDT FRI AUG 28 1992

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS TIL 9PM...

AT 325 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED FROM NORTH OF GREENVILLE
NORTH CAROLINA SOUTHWEST INTO NORTH COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA. THE STORMS
ARE MOVING TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST BETWEEEN 30 AND 35 MPH. STRONG GUSTY
WINDS WHICH DOWNED TREES WERE REPORTED IN EAST CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
SHORTLY AFTER 3 PM. A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS INDICATED IN NORTHERN
DUPLIN COUNTY. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AROUND 25 MILES AN HOUR MAY
PRODUCE STRONG WIND GUSTS AND HAIL.

DOWNBURST WINDS FROM A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAN EXCEED 60 MPH AND CAN
SOMETIMES REACH 100 MPH. THESE WINDS BLOW DOWN TREES...POWER LINES...
CAN OVERTURN MOBILE HOMES...AND DAMAGE BUILDINGS.
A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NORTHEAST NORTH
CAROLINA TO JUST NORTH OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA. THEY WERE MOVING
NORTHEAST AROUND 35 MILES AN HOUR.

TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER COMES NEAR. ALSO...MARINERS IN
SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR VERY HEAVY RAIN...
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS NEAR THUNDERSTORMS.

PEOPLE IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD LISTEN TO LOCAL RADIO...T.V.
OR NOAA WEATHER FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
PLEASE RELAY ANY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 3:59 PM EDT, 3 hours 5 minutes before
NCZ015-016-017-282100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...COR 2ND PARAGRAPH...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
345 PM EDT FRI AUG 28 1992

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS TIL 9PM...

AT 325 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED FROM NORTH OF GREENVILLE
NORTH CAROLINA SOUTHWEST INTO NORTH COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA. THE STORMS
ARE MOVING TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST BETWEEEN 30 AND 35 MPH. STRONG GUSTY
WINDS WHICH DOWNED TREES WERE REPORTED IN EAST CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
SHORTLY AFTER 3 PM. A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS INDICATED IN NORTHERN
DUPLIN COUNTY. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AROUND 25 MILES AN HOUR AND
MAY PRODUCE STRONG WIND GUSTS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND HAIL.

DOWNBURST WINDS FROM A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAN EXCEED 60 MPH AND CAN
SOMETIMES REACH 100 MPH. THESE WINDS BLOW DOWN TREES...POWER LINES...
CAN OVERTURN MOBILE HOMES...AND DAMAGE BUILDINGS.
A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NORTHEAST NORTH
CAROLINA TO JUST NORTH OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA. THEY WERE MOVING
NORTHEAST AROUND 35 MILES AN HOUR.

TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER COMES NEAR. ALSO...MARINERS IN
SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR VERY HEAVY RAIN...
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS NEAR THUNDERSTORMS.

PEOPLE IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD LISTEN TO LOCAL RADIO...T.V.
OR NOAA WEATHER FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
PLEASE RELAY ANY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 4:03 PM EDT, 3 hours 1 minute before
NCZ001-002-003-017-282045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CAPE HATTERAS NC
355 PM EDT FRI AUG 28 1992

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
UNTIL 900 PM EDT.

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING INTO NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA
FROM NEWPORT NEWS VIRGINIA...TO HERTFORD COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA...TO
WILLIAMSTON...GREENVILLE...KINSTON...AND WALLACE.

THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED SOME WIND DAMAGE AS THEY MOVED ACROSS WEST PITT
COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOW IN MARTIN COUNTY NEAR WILLIAMSTON.
OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN HERTFORD COUNTY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE RAPIDLY MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN
HOUR...AS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM PUSHED EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

MARINERS ON AREA SOUNDS...ESPECIALLY ON THE WESTERN ALBEMARLE SOUND...
SHOULD SEEK SAFE HARBOR AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS RAPIDLY APPROACH THE
AREA.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE WINDS OF 58 MILES AN HOUR OR GREATER
AND/OR HAIL OF 3/4 INCH OR GREATER.
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 4:37 PM EDT, 2 hours 27 minutes before
NCZ001-002-003-017-282145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CAPE HATTERAS NC
435 PM EDT FRI AUG 28 1992

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
UNTIL 900 PM EDT.

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING ACROSS NORTHEAST NORTH
CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA. THE LINE EXTENDED FROM NEWPORT NEWS
VIRGINIA...INTO NORTH CAROLINA NEAR SUNBURY...TO PLYMOUTH...AND
WASHINGTON.

THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCED DAMAGING WINDS
FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES...AND HAIL.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE RAPIDLY MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN
HOUR...AS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM PUSHED EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

MARINERS ON THE AR<EA SOUNDS...ESPECIALLY THE ALBEMARLE SOUND...SHOULD
SEEK SAFE HARBOR AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS RAPIDLY APPROACH.

OFFSHORE...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS AND SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE 50 TO 75
MILES OFF THE COAST.
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 5:36 PM EDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
NCZ001-002-003-017-282245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CAPE HATTERAS NC
535 PM EDT FRI AUG 28 1992

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
UNTIL 900 PM EDT.

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING ACROSS NORTHEAST NORTH
CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA. THE LINE EXTENDED FROM THE CHESAPEAKE
BAY BRIDGE...INTO NORTH CAROLINA AT ELIZABETH CITY...TO COLUMBIA...TO
NEW BERN. AS THE THUNDERSTORMS MOVED OVER PLYMOUTH IN WASHINGTON COUNTY
AROUND 445 THIS AFTERNOON...ALMOST CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING WAS REPORTED
ALONG WITH WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR...AND HEAVY RAINFALL. THE
GUSTY WINDS BLEW NUMEROUS SMALL TREE LIMBS DOWN ONTO THE HIGHWAY.

THE STRONGEST AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS NORTH OF THE ALBEMARLE SOUND
...THROUGH PERQUIMANS...PASQUOTANK...CAMDEN...AND CURRITUCK COUNTIES.

MARINERS ON THE AREA SOUNDS...ESPECIALLY THOSE ON THE CURRITUCK SOUND
...SHOULD SEEK SAFE HARBOR AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS RAPIDLY APPROACH.

OFFSHORE...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS AND SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE 50 TO 75
MILES OFF THE COAST.

THE INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES
AN HOUR...AS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM PUSHED EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 6:40 PM EDT, 24 minutes before
NCZ001-002-003-017-282345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CAPE HATTERAS NC
635 PM EDT FRI AUG 28 1992

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED MOVING ACROSS EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA. AT 630 PM EDT...THE LINE EXTENDED FROM OFFSHORE VIRGINIA
BEACH...ACROSS THE OUTER BANKS AT KITTY HAWK...TO MANTEO...AND ALONG
THE WEST BANK OF THE PAMLICO SOUND TO BAYBORO.

NO FURTHER REPORTS OF HIGH WINDS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED...BUT THESE
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED FREQUENT WIND GUSTS AROUND 60 MILES AN HOUR OVER
PARTS OF NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA. COASTAL
RESIDENTS AND MARINERS ON THE PAMLICO SOUND SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR
THESE THUNDERSTORMS. BE PREPARED FOR DAMAGING WINDS...FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL.

OFFSHORE...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS AND SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE 30 TO 100
MILES OFF THE COAST.

THE INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES
AN HOUR...AS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM PUSHED EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 28, 6:18 PM EDTTornado WarningILMSussex27 min
Aug 28, 6:41 PM EDTTornado WarningILMKent, Sussex34 min
Aug 28, 6:55 PM EDTTornado WarningILMNew Castle50 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Delaware, 1992Every tornado warning in 1992Tornadoes in 1992

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.