Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 1986

Tornado Warning 45, NWS Norman, OK

October 2, 1986Logan County, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

NWS Norman, OK issued this tornado warning at Oct 2, 1986, 10:16 AM CDT for Logan County, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 59 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
Oct 2, 1986, 10:16 AM CDT (15:16 UTC)
Expired
Oct 2, 1986, 11:15 AM CDT
In force
59 min
Issued by
NWS Norman, OK
Area
Whole counties

Counties Logan County, OK, Oklahoma 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 2, 10:22 AM CDTThunderstorm Wind 61Oklahoma, OK
Oct 2, 11:12 AM CDTTornado F0Logan, 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

Ok Cty/Will Rgrs, OK (KOKC), launched 12:00Z, 3.3 hours before the alert went out and 41 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, Ok Cty/Will Rgrs, OK at 12:00Z on 1986-10-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 44 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Ok Cty/Will Rgrs, OK at 12:00Z on 1986-10-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 14 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
44 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-188 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1213 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
14 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
88 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 
TTAAOO KOKC 021516
TOROKC
OKC083-109-021615-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
1016 AM CDT THU OCT  2 1986
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1115 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:
 
IN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
          ..SOUTHERN LOGAN..NORTHERN OKLAHOMA

SEVERAL REPORTS OF TORNADOES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM CIVIL DEFENSE
UNITS IN THE NORTH PART OF OKLAHOMA CITY. THES TORNAODOES ARE MOVING
IN A GENERAL NORTHERLY DIRECTION.
 
GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE, SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROFOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE 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, Oct 2, 4:42 AM CDT, 5 hours 34 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
405 AM CDT THU OCT 2 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WICHITA FALLS AND AREAS
TO THE WEST FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT...

THE WICHITA FALLS RADAR SHOWED A LARGE AREA OF VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS
ALONG AND NORTH OF THE RED RIVER FROM EAST OF ALTUS TO COMANCHE AND
EXTENDING NORTH TO HOBART AND OKALHOMA CITY. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
PRECIPITATION WITHIN THIS AREA PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WAS NOTED
FROM FREDRICK..NORTHEAST..INTO THE LAWTON VICINITY AND BEYOND. THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE SHOWING ONLY A SLOW NORTHEAST DRIFT IN THE PAST
HOUR.

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS RESIDENTS HEADING NORTH INTO THE GSOONER STATE
EARLY THIS MORNING SHOULD EXPECT PERIODS OF EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN
REDUCING VISIBILITIES WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF WATER ON HIGHWAYS.
USE YOUR USUAL CAUTION ON AREA ROADS EARLY THIS MORNING.
Special weather statement, Oct 2, 5:21 AM CDT, 4 hours 55 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
510 AM CDT THU OCT 2 1986

...THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL
TEXAS HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

SHORTLY AFTER 5AM CDT..VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED IN SOUTH
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA. WHILE ONLY A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS WERE NOTED OVER
PORTIONS OF HARDEMAN AND FOARD COUNTIESIN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS.

AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS WERE ON THE RISE EARLY THIS MORNING FROM
SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL ON WEDNESDAY MORNING AND WEDNESDAY EVENING.

STREAMS IN AND NEAR THE CITY OF GRAHAM IN YOUNG COUNTY WERE RISING
SHARPLY THIS MORNING..RESIDENTS IN THE NORMAL FLOOD PRONE AREAS
SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY ALERT. MOREz SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL IN EXPECTED
ACROSS THE REGION IN THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS. RISING WATERS WILL
LIKELY BE EXPERIENCE IN THE SURROUNDING COUNTY AREA..INCLUDING
WICHITA FALLS..BE PREPARED TO MOVE VALUABLES TO HIGHER GROUND.
Special weather statement, Oct 2, 5:49 AM CDT, 4 hours 27 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
510 AM CDT THU OCT 2 1986

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL
TEXAS HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

SHORTLY AFTER 5AM CDT..VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED IN SOUTH
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA..WHILE ONLY A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS WERE NOTED OVER
PORTIONS OF HARDEMAN AND FOARD COUNTIES IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS.

AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS WERE ON THE RISE EARLY THIS MORNING FROM
SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL WEDNESDAY MORNING AND EVENING.

STREAMS IN AND NEAR THE CITY OF GRAHAM IN YOUNG COUNTY WERE RISING
SHARPLY THIS MORNING..RESIDENTS IN THE NORMAL FLOOD PRNE AREAS
SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY ALERT IN YOUNG COUNTY.

MORE SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL IS EXPECTED ACROS THE REGION IN THE NEXT
24 TO 48 HOURS. RISING WATERS WILL LIKELY BE EXPERIENCED IN THE
SURROUNDING CONTY AREA..INCLUDING WICHITA FALLS AS UNSTABLE CONDITIONS
PERSIST IN PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS ACTIVITY..BE PREPARED TO MOVE
VALUABLES TO HIGHER GROUND IN THE EVENT ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT RAINS
DEVELOP.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 1, 8:00 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNHarmon40 min
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, 10:29 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.