Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 1986

Tornado Warning 39, NWS Norman, OK

October 1, 1986Harmon County, Oklahoma

NWS Norman, OK issued this tornado warning at Oct 1, 1986, 8:00 PM CDT for Harmon County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 40 min. 3 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
Oct 1, 1986, 8:00 PM CDT (01:00 UTC)
Expired
Oct 1, 1986, 8:40 PM CDT
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Norman, OK
Area
Whole counties

County Harmon County, OK

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
Oct 1, 8:15 PM CDTTornado F1Harmon, OK
Oct 1, 8:20 PM CDTHail 0.75Harmon, OK
Oct 1, 8:20 PM CDTHail 0.75Harmon, OK

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

Fort Sill, OK (KFSI), launched 00:00Z, 1.0 hours before the alert went out and 133 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, Fort Sill, OK at 00:00Z on 1986-10-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Fort Sill, OK at 00:00Z on 1986-10-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 96 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1957 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
96 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
168 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 
TTAAOO KOKC 020100
TOROKC
OKC057-020140-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
800 PM CDT WED OCT  1 1986
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL  840 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:
 
IN SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA
          ..NORTHERN HARMON

AT 8PM A TORNADO WAS REPORTED BY THE HIWAY PATROL 8 MILES WEST OF
MCKNIGHT OKLAHOMA MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. VINSON IS IN THE PATH
OF THIS TORNADO.
 
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, Oct 1, 4:53 PM CDT, 3 hours 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER AND FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
440 PM CDT WED OCT 1 1986

...THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR OKLAHOMA...

THE HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WHICH PROMPTED THE ISSUANCE OF THE FLASH FLOOD
WATCH TODAY FOR PORTIONS OF THE STATE HAVE ENDED OVER ALL BUT THE
EXTREME SOUTHEAST. ALTHOUGH THE HEAVY RAINS HAVE ENDED OVER MOST OF THE
STATE MANY RIVERS AND STREAMS REMAIN AT OR NEAR FLOOD STAGE FROM THE
HEAVY RAINFALL OF THE PAST FEW DAYS.

THIS RESPITE FROM THE HEAVY RAINFALL MAY TURN OUT TO BE BRIEF. AN UPPER
LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL BE APPROACHING THE STATE FROM THE SOUTHWEST
THURSDAY AND THIS MAY BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS TO THE STATE.
THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN WILL BE ENHANCED AS MOISTURE FROM THE REMNANTS
OF HURRICANE MOVE NORTHEASTWARD TOWARD THE STATE.
Special weather statement, Oct 1, 5:13 PM CDT, 2 hours 47 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER AND FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
440 PM CDT WED OCT 1 1986

...THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR OKLAHOMA...

THE HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WHICH PROMPTED THE ISSUANCE OF THE FLASH FLOOD
WATCH TODAY FOR PORTIONS OF THE STATE HAVE ENDED OVER ALL BUT THE
EXTREME SOUTHEAST. ALTHOUGH THE HEAVY RAINS HAVE ENDED OVER MOST OF THE
STATE MANY RIVERS AND STREAMS REMAIN AT OR NEAR FLOOD STAGE FROM THE
HEAVY RAINFALL OF THE PAST FEW DAYS.

THIS RESPITE FROM THE HEAVY RAINFALL MAY TURN OUT TO BE BRIEF. AN UPPER
LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL BE APPROACHING THE STATE FROM THE SOUTHWEST
THURSDAY AND THIS MAY BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS TO THE STATE.
THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN WILL BE ENHANCED AS MOISTURE FROM THE REMNANTS
OF HURRICANE PAINE MOVE NORTHEASTWARD TOWARD THE STATE.
Special weather statement, Oct 1, 5:40 PM CDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
540 PM CDT WED OCT 1 1986

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR FOARD...KNOX...HARDEMAN
BAYLOR AND WILBARGER COUNTIES OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS FROM 6PM TO
11 PM CDT...

AT 535 PM CDT NO PRECIPITATION WAS OCCURRING IN ANY OF THE ABOVE
COUNTIES. HOWEVER VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING IN
THE TEXAS SOUTH PLAINS NEAR LUBBOCK. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED THROUGHOUT THE EVENING.
Special weather statement, Oct 1, 6:26 PM CDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
620 PM CDT WED OCT 1 1986

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA
THIS AFTERNOON HAVE PRODUCED VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. RADAR ESTIMATES
IMPLY THAT TOTALS OF 4 TO 5 INCHES MAY HAVE OCCURRED IN A 10 TO
15 MILE WIDE BAND EXTENDING FROM NEAR COLBERT IN SOUTHWEST
BRYAN COUNTY TO 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ATOKA IN SOUTHEAST ATOKA
COUNTY. DURANT REPORTED 4.7 INCHES OF RAIN TODAY...MOST OF WHICH FELL
BETWEEN 2 PM AND 4 PM.

THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA HAVE DIMINISHED IN
INTENSITY DURING THE PAST TWO HOURS...AND ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL
IN THAT AREA DOES NOT APPEAR LIKELY.

PERSONS PLANNING TRAVEL IN THE AREA AFFECTED BY THE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL
SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR SOME SMALL STREAM FLOODING AND PONDING OF WATER
IN LOW LYING AREAS. WATER MAY BE FLOWING OVER SOME SECONDARY ROADS...
AND MOTORISTS SHOULD AVOID DRIVING INTO WATER OF UN+KNOWN DEPTH.
Local storm report, Oct 1, 7:05 PM CDT, 55 minutes before
STORM REPORT...ADDITONAL REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
710 PM CDT WED OCT 1 1986

DELAYED REPORTS FROM MONDAY NIGHT SEPT 29TH

TIME(CDT)  COUNTY      REPORT
1900       CUSTER      60 MPH WIND 5 S. OF LEEDY
1905       WOODWARD    WIND DAMAGE TO ROOF, BARN, TREES 12 ENE OF VICI
1910       DEWEY       80 TO 90 MPH WIND DAMAGED A BARN 11 S OF VICI
1930       MAJOR       HAIL GREATER THAN NICKLE SIZE 8 E OF BOISE JCT
2200       GRAQNT       DIME SIZE HAIL 3 S. OF LAMONT
2200       KINGFISHER  60 MPH WIND 4 WEST OF LOYAL
Local storm report, Oct 1, 7:15 PM CDT, 45 minutes before
STORM REPORT...ADDITONAL REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
710 PM CDT WED OCT 1 1986

DELAYED REPORTS FROM TUESDAY NIGHT SEPT 30TH AND WEDNESDAY MORNING
OCTOBER 1ST.

TIME(CDT)  COUNTY      REPORT
2240(30TH) CADDO       NICKLE SIZE HAIL AT BINGER
0000(1ST)  OKLAHOMA    PALM SIZE HAIL 29TH AND EASTERN(OKC)
0006       OKLAHOMA    80 MPH WIND SE 89TH AND SUNNEYLANE(OKC)
0020       LINCOLN     60 MPH WIND AT PRAGUE
0023       OKLAHOMA    OUT BUILDINGS OVERTURNED 21ST AND MACARTHER(OKC)
0030       POTTAWATOMIE 60 TO 65 MPH WIND BLEW TREES DOWN, POWER OUTAGE
                       AT SHAWNEE.
0110       SEMINOLE    60-65 MPH WIND BLEW DOWN TREES, ROOF DAMAGE SW OF
              W         SEMINOLE.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Norman, OK issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 1, 8:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNBeckham56 min
Oct 1, 8:18 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNBeckham27 min
Oct 1, 8:37 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNBeckham, Greer38 min
Oct 1, 9:06 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNGreer34 min
Oct 1, 9:27 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNCuster, Washita33 min
Oct 1, 9:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNEllis, Woodward47 min
Oct 1, 9:59 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNKiowa, Washita41 min
Oct 2, 9:04 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningOUNCanadian, Logan, Oklahoma116 min
Oct 2, 9:04 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningOUNCleveland116 min
Oct 2, 10:16 AM CDTTornado WarningOUNLogan, Oklahoma59 min
Oct 2, 10:29 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningOUNKingfisher2 hr
Oct 2, 10:36 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningOUNGrady54 min
Oct 2, 11:08 AM CDTTornado WarningOUNLogan, Payne37 min
Oct 2, 11:27 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningOUNGarfield93 min
Oct 2, 1:31 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOUNCanadian, Kingfisher119 min
Oct 2, 1:51 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOUNKay, Noble2 hr
Oct 2, 2:49 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOUNLogan, Oklahoma3 hr
Oct 2, 3:28 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOUNCanadian, Kingfisher3 hr
Oct 2, 4:12 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNLogan33 min
Oct 2, 4:27 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOUNGrady93 min
Oct 2, 5:03 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNLogan32 min
Oct 2, 5:35 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOUNCleveland, McClain115 min
Oct 2, 5:35 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNCleveland, McClain30 min
Oct 2, 6:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNLincoln, Pottawatomie40 min
Oct 2, 6:28 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNLincoln, Pottawatomie32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Oklahoma, 1986Every tornado warning in 1986Tornadoes in 1986

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.