Alert archive / Indiana / Tornado Warnings in 1998

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Wilmington, OH

April 8, 1998Switzerland County, Indiana

NWS Wilmington, OH issued this tornado warning at Apr 8, 1998, 12:21 AM EST for Switzerland County, Indiana. It was in force for 49 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 8, 1998, 12:21 AM EST (05:21 UTC)
Expired
Apr 8, 1998, 1:10 AM EST
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Wilmington, OH
Area
Whole counties

County Switzerland County, IN

The nearest sounding before it

Cncnati-Daytn, OH (KILN), launched 00:00Z, 5.4 hours before the alert went out and 126 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, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 00:00Z on 1998-04-08Temperature 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, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 00:00Z on 1998-04-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 385 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
1470 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
68 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
385 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
517 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 KILN 080523 RRA
TORILN
INC155-080610-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
121 AM EDT (1221 AM EST) WED APR 8 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON OH HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 110 AM EST (210 AM EDT)
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...

IN SOUTHEASTERN INDIANA

   ...SWITZERLAND COUNTY

AT 1220 AM EST (120 AM EDT) WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS
INDICATING A DEVELOPING TORNADO IN EASTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY. THE
STORM PRODUCING THE TORNADO WAS MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AT 35
MPH AND WILL PASS OVER BENNINGTON...PLEASANT AND FAIRVIEW.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. YOUR QUICK REACTION TO THIS TORNADO
WARNING MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE. GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A
STRONGER SHELTER. REMEMBER...MOST TORNADO DEATHS OCCUR IN MOBILE
HOMES.

RANDALL

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.

NWS Wilmington, OH wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Apr 7, 8:00 PM EST, 4 hours 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 7, 8:00 PM EST, 4 hours 21 minutes before
FORECAST COORDINATION MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
900 PM EDT TUE APR 7 1998

FCST CHALLENGES THRU PD ARE CHC/S FOR TSTMS. LTST SFC ANLYS SHWS LO
PRES OVR SRN IA WITH WRMFNT XTNDG ESE ACRS CNTRL IL SRN IN AND ACRS
XTRM NRN KY. TSTMS HV DVLPD ALONG WRMFNT IN AREA OF GOOD MOIST FLUX
CNVRGC. WHERE INSTBY IS GREATEST ACRS CNTRL IL AND CNTRL IN...WHERE
STMS HV EXCEEDED SVR LIMITS. INSTBY HS BEEN LIMITING FACTOR OVR NRN KY
AND SRN OH. DWPT AXIS SHIFTS E INTO SRN OH BY 06Z WITH AREA IN LEFT
FRONT QUAD OF UPR JET. XPCT TSVMS TO CONT TO DVLP ESE ALONG AND N OF
WRMFNT INTO ERN IN AND WRN OH. WITH LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATG AND WITH STMS
MOVG INTO MORE STABLE AIR OVR OH WE EXPCT SOME WEAKENING TO OCCUR. SLO
MOVG WRMFNT MOVG NWD WL DIMINISH THREAT FOR TSTMS ACRS NRN KY AND SRN
OH TNGT...WHILE GREATER THREAT WL CONT ALONG AND N OF BNDRY. SUGG
TRENDING TSTM POPS THIS WAY.

XPCT A LULL IN ACTION LTR TNGT THRU FIRST PART OF WED. AMS RELOADS ON
WED EVE WITH APPRCH OF UPR LO. GREATEST THREAT FOR SVR-WX APPEARS TO
BE OVR FAR SRN OH AND NRN KY WHERE BEST DIFF. POSITIVE VORTICITY IS
EXPECTED.

CVG  054/075  338
DAY  050/073  548
CMH  051/074  447
PRT  055/075  337
AVX  050/070  646

RANDALL

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 7, 7:00 PM EST, 5 hours 21 minutes before
INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
800 PM EDT (700 PM EST) TUE APR 7 1998

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST INDIANA UNTIL
2 AM EDT (1 AM EST)...

A WARM FRONT WHICH EXTENDS FROM CENTRAL ILLINOIS THROUGH CENTRAL INDIANA
INTO SOUTHEAST INDIANA HAS BEEN THE FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT
TO OUR WEST. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH A HISTORY OF TORNADOES HAVE
DEVELOPED ALONG AND NORTH OF THIS WARM FRONT ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP OVER CENTRAL INDIANA.

THE THREAT FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WHICH MAY PRODUCE TORNADOES IS
EXPECTED TO SPREAD EAST ALONG AND JUST NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT INTO
EASTERN CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST INDIANA THIS EVENING.

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE IN A TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 2 AM EDT (1 AM EST):
WAYNE...FAYETTE...UNION...FRANKLIN...RIPLEY...DEARBORN AND OHIO.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

RANDALL
Special weather statement, Apr 7, 9:53 PM EST, 2 hours 28 minutes before
INZ073>075-080-080900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
1053 PM EDT (953 PM EST) TUE APR 7 1998

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST INDIANA UNTIL 5 AM EDT (4 AM
EST)...

A WARM FRONT WHICH EXTENDS FROM CENTRAL ILLINOIS THROUGH SOUTHEAST
INDIANA HAS BEEN THE FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT TO OUR WEST.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH A HISTORY OF TORNADOES HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG
AND NORTH OF THIS WARM FRONT ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND WEST CENTRAL
INDIANA. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS SOUTHWEST
INDIANA AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS IN THE WARM AIR SECTOR.

THE THREAT FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WHICH MAY PRODUCE TORNADOES IS
EXPECTED TO SPREAD EAST ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA OVERNIGHT.

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE IN A TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 5 AM EDT (4 AM
EST): FRANKLIN...RIPLEY...DEARBORN...OHIO AND SWITZERLAND.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

RANDALL

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 8, 12:01 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNRipley49 min
Apr 8, 12:39 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNDearborn, Ohio61 min
Apr 8, 1:11 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNSwitzerland44 min
Apr 8, 1:32 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningILNDearborn118 min
Apr 8, 1:36 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningILNOhio3 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Indiana, 1998Every tornado warning in 1998Tornadoes in 1998

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.