Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 1986

Tornado Warning 7, NWS Norman, OK

April 26, 1986Caddo County, Oklahoma

NWS Norman, OK issued this tornado warning at Apr 26, 1986, 7:55 PM CST for Caddo County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 45 min. 5 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
Apr 26, 1986, 7:55 PM CST (01:55 UTC)
Expired
Apr 26, 1986, 8:40 PM CST
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Norman, OK
Area
Whole counties

County Caddo 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
Apr 26, 7:56 PM CSTHail 0.75Caddo, OK
Apr 26, 7:56 PM CSTHail 0.75Caddo, OK
Apr 26, 8:15 PM CSTHail 1Caddo, OK
Apr 26, 8:15 PM CSTHail 1Caddo, OK
Apr 26, 8:30 PM CSTHail 1Caddo, 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 00:00Z, 1.9 hours before the alert went out and 75 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 00:00Z on 1986-04-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1471 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 00:00Z on 1986-04-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 171 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1471 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-82 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1080 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
171 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
155 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.9
Supercell composite
5.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KOKC 270155
TOROKC
OKC015-270240-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
755 PM CST SAT APR 26 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
FOR PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST
OKLAHOMA IN EFFECT UNTIL 840 PM

SOUTHERN CADDO

AT 755 PM..RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO 8 MILES SOUTH OF
CARNEGIE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR. PERSONS IN
CARNEGIE AND FORT COBB ARE IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM
AND SHOULD TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.

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, Apr 26, 2:54 PM CST, 5 hours 1 minute before
OKLAHOMA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
300 PM CST FRI APR 25 1986

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF OKLAHOMA. THE AREA IS WEST OF A LINE
FROM PONCA CITY TO OKLAHOMA CITY TO WAURIKA, BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE
OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE INTO TONIGHT OVER
ALL BUT THE EXTREME SOUTHEAST PART OF THE STATE.

LITTLE CHANGE HAS OCCURRED IN THE GENERAL WEATHER PATTERN ACROSS
OKLAHOMA SINCE YESTERDAY. MOISTURE CONTINUES TO INCREASE OVER MOST OF
THE STATE, TO THE EAST OF A NEARLY STATIONARY DRY LINE NEAR THE WESTERN
BORDER OF OKLAHOMA. DEW POINT TEMPERATURES HAVE RISEN INTO THE MID 60S
OVER MOST OF THE STATE. THIS MOISTURE HAS CONTRIBUTED TO FURTHER
DESTABILIZATION, RESULTING IN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON OVER MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA. HOWEVER
CLOUD COVER HAS HELD DOWN AFTERNOON HEATING, AND SO FAR HAS PREVENTED
THE AIR FROM BECOMING UNSTABLE ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT. AT UPPER LEVELS, A WEAK SYSTEM LIES OVER EASTERN COLORADO.
THIS SYSTEM IS MOVING NORTHEASTWARD AND WILL PASS NORTH OF OKLAHOMA
TONIGHT.

ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AGAIN LATER THIS
AFTERNOON NEAR THE DRY LINE IN FAR WESTERN OKLAHOMA. THE MOST LIKELY
AREA FOR INITIAL SEVERE DEVELOPMENT IS IN NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA, DUE TO
THE PROXIMITY OF THE UPPER SYSTEM IN COLORADO AND A SLIGHTLY STRONGER
UPPER WIND FIELD. THE STRONGER WINDS ALOFT AND HIGHER DEW POINT
TEMPERATURES INDICATE A BETTER CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SPREADING INTO
EASTERN OKLAHOMA LATER TONIGHT. HOWEVER THE ACTIVITY SHOULD DECREASE
IN INTENSITY AFTER DARK.

THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA COULD
PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS, BUT THEY ARE NOT EXPECTED
TO BECOME SEVERE.

INTERESTS IN WESTERN OKLAHOMA ARE ADVISED TO STAY TUNED FOR LATER
WEATHER INFORMATION. SPOTTER NETORKS MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON.

A STRONGER UPPER STORM SYSTEM OVER THE ROCKIES WILL MOVE CLOSER TO
OKLAHOMA ON SUNDAY, BRINGING WITH IT AN INCREASING CHANCE OF SEVERE
WEATHER IN OKLAHOMA. THOSE WITH PLANS FOR SUNDAY AR(E ADVISED TO
KEEP UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST WEATHER FORECASTS.
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 2:58 PM CST, 4 hours 57 minutes before
OKLAHOMA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK ...CORRECTION TO DATE...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
300 PM CST SAT APR 26 1986

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF OKLAHOMA. THE AREA IS WEST OF A LINE
FROM PONCA CITY TO OKLAHOMA CITY TO WAURIKA, BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE
OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE INTO TONIGHT OVER
ALL BUT THE EXTREME SOUTHEAST PART OF THE S,TATE.

...REST UNCHANGED...
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 5:15 PM CST, 2 hours 40 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
510 PM CST SAT APR 26

RAINSHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOW BEING DETECTED WEST FO THE
WICHITA FALLS AREA FROM SNYDER TEXAS TO ABOUT 30 MILES WEST OF THE
WICHITA FALLS AREA. THIS AREA EXTENDS INTO OKLAHOMA TO NEAR BUTLER.

SOME OF THE HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN NORTHWESTERN HARDEMAN
COUNTY, ALSO IN CENTRAL WILBARGER COUNTY AND NORTHEAST OF CROWELL IN
FOARD COUNTY.

MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 20 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR.

LISTEN TO COMMERCIAL RADIO AND T.V. STATIONS OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO
FOR ANY UPDATED INFORMATION

RAMIREZ

                                                                      .
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 6:50 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
640 PM CST SAT APR 26 1986

A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR A LARGE PORTION OF NORTH CENTRAL
TEXAS. COUNTIES INCLUDE ARCHER BAYLOR CLAY FOARD HARDEMAN KNOX WICHITA
WILBARGER YOUNG AND JACK AND YOUNG COUNTIES OF TEXAS.
COUNTY COUNTY OF OKLAHOMA IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS AREA.

AT 615PM NO SEVERE WEATHER IS INDICATED ON RADAR FOR ANY OF THE ABOVE
COUNTIES. VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE INDICATED IN STONEWALL COTLE
AND HARDEMAN COUNTIES OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS.

AT 646 PM QUANNAH EOC CALLED AND REPORTED VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DIME TO
GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL COVERING ABOUT 2/3 OF THE GROUND.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

RAMIREZ

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 26, 6:25 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNWashita45 min
Apr 26, 6:40 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNHarmon40 min
Apr 26, 6:50 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNKiowa40 min
Apr 26, 6:50 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCuster30 min
Apr 26, 7:04 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNDewey36 min
Apr 26, 7:05 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNKiowa35 min
Apr 26, 7:29 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNWashita41 min
Apr 26, 7:29 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNKiowa46 min
Apr 26, 7:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNBlaine, Major42 min
Apr 26, 7:47 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNGreer, Jackson43 min
Apr 26, 8:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNKiowa43 min
Apr 26, 8:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCaddo, Washita38 min
Apr 26, 8:44 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCuster, Dewey36 min
Apr 26, 8:48 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNKiowa42 min
Apr 26, 8:53 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCanadian47 min
Apr 26, 9:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCanadian42 min
Apr 26, 10:47 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNWashita43 min
Apr 26, 11:06 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCuster, Dewey44 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.