Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 1988
Tornado Warning 2, NWS Norman, OK
NWS Norman, OK issued this tornado warning at Mar 28, 1988, 4:53 PM CST for 4 counties in Oklahoma. It was in force for 37 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
- Mar 28, 1988, 4:53 PM CST (22:53 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 28, 1988, 5:30 PM CST
- In force
- 37 min
- Issued by
- NWS Norman, OK
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Canadian County, OK, Cleveland County, OK, Grady 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 5:00 PM CST | Thunderstorm Wind 61 | Canadian, OK | |
| Mar 28, 5:09 PM CST | Hail 1.5 | Oklahoma, OK | |
| Mar 28, 5:20 PM CST | Tornado F1 | Cleveland, OK | |
| Mar 28, 5:26 PM CST | Hail 1.75 | Oklahoma, OK | |
| Mar 28, 5:27 PM CST | Hail 1 | Oklahoma, 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, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 9 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 560 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -288 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 734 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 47 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 300 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 285 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.6
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KOKC 282254
TOROKC
OKC017-027-051-109-282330-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
453 PM CST MON MAR 28 1988
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OKLAHOMA CITY HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 530 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
...SOUTHEASTERN CANADIAN...NORTHWESTERN CLEVELAND
...NORTHEASTERN GRADY...SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA
AT 450 PM DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO NEAR MUSTANG
MOVING ALMOST DUE EAST AT 25 MPH. PERSONS IN THE WARNED AREA ARE
ADVISED TO TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. FUNNEL CLOUDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED
WITH THIS STORM.
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK lSHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH
OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.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
Local storm report, Mar 28, 4:01 PM CST, 52 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
401 PM CST MON MAR 28 1988
TIME CST COUNTY REPORT
400 PM LOGAN GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL 5 WEST AND 1 NORTH
OF GUTHRIESpecial weather statement, Mar 28, 4:18 PM CST, 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX 420 PM CST MON MAR 28 1988 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR WICHITA AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES UNTIL 9 PM CST... AT 415 PM CST THE WICHITA FALLS RADAR SHOWED A VERY STRONG THUNDER STORM JUST SOUTH OF OKLAUNION IN EAST-CENTRAL WILBARGER COUNTY. THIS WAS THE ONLY THUNDERSTORM LOCATED WITHIN THIS PORTION OF NORTH TEXAS AS OF THIS REPORT. THIS THUNDERSTORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS...STRONG WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. OTHER SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS SOME VERY STRONG WERE LOCATED JUST NORTH OF THE RED RIVER IN SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA BETWEEN TIPTON AND RINGLING. ALL PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. THE AIRMASS OVER THE AREA IS HIGHLY UNSTABLE AND WITH A COLD FRONT LOCATED TO THE WEST...THE PROBABILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER DOES EXIST. RESIDENTS ACROSS THIS PORTION OF NORTH TEXAS ARE ADVISED TO STAY ABREAST OF THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER BE SIGHTED OR IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. STAYED TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Local storm report, Mar 28, 4:30 PM CST, 23 minutes before
STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK 430 PM CST MON MAR 28 1988 TIME CST COUNTY REPORT 428 PM STEPHENS 1 TO 2 INCH HAIL REPORTED IN DUNCAN VIA ; AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS.
Local storm report, Mar 28, 4:39 PM CST, 14 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
437 PM CST MON MAR 28 1988
TIME CST COUNTY REPORT
437 PM LOGAN QUARTER TO HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL
I REPORTED JUST SOUTH OF GUTHRIE VIA
OKLAHOMA COUNTY CIVIL DEFENSE RADIO
NETWORKSpecial weather statement, Mar 28, 4:44 PM CST, 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX 445 PM CST MON MAR 28 1988 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR WICHITA AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES UNTIL 9 PM CST... AT 435 PM CST GTHE WICHITA FALLS RADAR SHOWED A CLUSTER OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHING FROM JUST SOUTH OF OKLAUNION TO NEAR ELECTRA. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY STRONG WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...STRONG WINDS AND SOME POSSIBLE HAIL.
Special weather statement, Mar 28, 4:47 PM CST, 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX 445 PM CST MON MAR 28 1988 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR WICHITA AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES UNTIL 9 PM CST... AT 435 PM CST THE WICHITA FALLS RADAR SHOWED A CLUSTER OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHING FROM JUST SOUTH OF OKLAUNION TO NEAR ELECTRA. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY STRONG WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND SOME POSSIBLE HAIL. OTHER SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS SOME VERY STRONG WERE LOCATED JUST NORTH OF THE RED RIVER IN SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA BETWEEN DAVIDSON TO JUST NORTHEAST OF RYAN. ALL PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. THE AIRMASS OVER THE AREA IS HIGHLY UNSTABLE AND WITH A COLD FRONT LOCATED TO THE WEST...THE PROBABILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER DOES EXIST. RESIDENTS ACROSS THIS PORTION OF NORTH TEXAS ARE ADVISED TO STAY ABREAST OF THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WE ATHER BE SIGHTED OR IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. STAYED TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Norman, OK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 2:02 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Blaine, Kingfisher | 43 min |
| Mar 28, 2:10 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Canadian | 50 min |
| Mar 28, 2:44 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Kingfisher | 31 min |
| Mar 28, 3:00 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Canadian | 45 min |
| Mar 28, 3:07 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Logan | 53 min |
| Mar 28, 3:15 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Caddo | 30 min |
| Mar 28, 3:27 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Kingfisher | 33 min |
| Mar 28, 3:40 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Caddo | 65 min |
| Mar 28, 3:52 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Noble, Payne | 53 min |
| Mar 28, 3:57 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Logan | 48 min |
| Mar 28, 4:11 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Stephens | 64 min |
| Mar 28, 4:25 PM CST | Tornado Warning | OUN | Canadian | 35 min |
| Mar 28, 4:46 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Lincoln, Logan, Payne | 44 min |
| Mar 28, 5:01 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Comanche, Kiowa, Tillman | 59 min |
| Mar 28, 5:17 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Garvin, Grady, Stephens | 43 min |
| Mar 28, 5:36 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Cleveland, Grady, McClain | 69 min |
| Mar 28, 5:36 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Oklahoma | 69 min |
| Mar 28, 5:51 PM CST | Tornado Warning | OUN | Oklahoma | 39 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Oklahoma, 1988Every tornado warning in 1988Tornadoes in 1988
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.