Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 18, NWS Norman, OK

April 24, 1990Ellis County, Oklahoma

NWS Norman, OK issued this tornado warning at Apr 24, 1990, 9:58 PM CDT for Ellis County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 32 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
Apr 24, 1990, 9:58 PM CDT (02:58 UTC)
Expired
Apr 24, 1990, 10:30 PM CDT
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Norman, OK
Area
Whole counties

County Ellis 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 24, 10:23 PM CDTTornado F2Ellis, OK
Apr 24, 10:28 PM CDTHail 2Ellis, 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

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 00:00Z, 3.0 hours before the alert went out and 173 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, Dodge City, at 00:00Z on 1990-04-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1446 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, Dodge City, at 00:00Z on 1990-04-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 152 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
1446 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-32 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1164 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
152 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
281 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.3
Supercell composite
12.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KOKC 250300
TOROKC
OKC045-250330-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
958 PM CDT TUE APR 24 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OKLAHOMA CITY HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1030 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING OKLAHOMA LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA
 
   ...ELLIS COUNTY
 
AT 958 PM RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO ON THE TEXAS-OKLAHOMA
STATE LINE 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ARNETT MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
PERSONS IN THE TOWN OF GOODWIN ARE NEAR THE PROJECTED PATH
OF THIS STORM.
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.
 
DO NOT USE YOUR CAR TO TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO.  CARS ARE EASILY
TOSSED AROUND BY TOR'NADO WINDS.  IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF
A TORNADO...LEAVE THE CAR AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING.  IF NO
STRUCTURE IS NEARBY...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT.

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 24, 4:14 PM CDT, 5 hours 44 minutes before
TXZ019-019-242230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
410 PM CDT TUE APR 24 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR FOARD AND HARDEMAN COUNTIES UNTIL
11 PM CDT...

AT 405 PM WICHITA FALLS RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING
FROM GAGE OKLAHOMA TO 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF CHILDRESS. INDIVIDUAL
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN THIS LINE WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST
AT 25 MPH.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
NORTHWEST AND SOUTHEAST OF MCALESTER OKLAHOMA.

ELSEWHERE IN TEXAS SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM
WEST OF TYLER TO EAST OF WACO.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS!.
Special weather statement, Apr 24, 5:05 PM CDT, 4 hours 53 minutes before
TXZ019-019-242330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
505 PM CDT TUE APR 24 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR FOARD AND HARDEMAN COUNTIES UNTIL
11 PM CDT...

AT 500 PM WICHITA FALLS RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME VERY
STRONG STRETCHING ACROSS THE EASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE FROM LIPSCOMB TO 25
MILES NORTHWEST OF WELLINGTON.

ELSEWHERE A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING BETWEEN
BRECKENRIDGE AND FORT WORTH. OTHER SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUED TO THE EAST OF A BONHAM-CORSICANA LINE.

IN OKLAHOMA...A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED AROUND THE
MCALESTER AREA.

ALL PRECIPITATION MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 M\PH.
Special weather statement, Apr 24, 5:59 PM CDT, 3 hours 59 minutes before
TXZ019-020-250015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
555 PM CDT TUE APR 24 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR FOARD AND HARDEMAN COUNTIES UNTIL
11 PM CDT...

AT 550 PM WICHITA FALLS RADAR SHOWED A FEW VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
ACROSS THE EASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE FROM LIPSCOMB TO 30 MILES NORTHWEST
OF WELLINGTON.

ELSEWHERE A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED EAST OF A LAKE TEXOMA
...CORSICANA LINE. OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED AROUND THE
MCALESTER OKLAHOMA AREA.

MOVEMENT...NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
Special weather statement, Apr 24, 7:01 PM CDT, 2 hours 57 minutes before
TXZ019-020-250115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
700 PM CDT TUE APR 24 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR FOARD AND HARDEMAN COUNTIES UNTIL
11 PM CDT...

AT 655 PM WICHITA FALLS RADAR SHOWED AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
LOCATED NEAR MCLEAN IN WHEELER COUNTY OF THE EASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE.
MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST 20 MPH.

ELSEWHERE A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED BETWEEN ARDMORE
AND MCALESTER IN OKLAHOMA.
Special weather statement, Apr 24, 7:58 PM CDT, 2 hours before
TXZ019-020-250215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
800 PM CDT TUE APR 24 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR FOARD AND HARDEMAN COUNTIES UNTIL
11 PM CDT...

ATT 755 PM RADAR SHOWED A COUPLE OF SMALL SHOWERS HAVING DEVELOPED IN
SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA BETWEEN FREDERICK AND ROOSEVELT. THIS WAS THE ONLY
PRECIPITATION BEING DETECTED WITHIN 125 MILES OF WICHITA FALLS.

NO MOVEMENT HAS BEEN DETERMINED.
Special weather statement, Apr 24, 8:59 PM CDT, 59 minutes before
TXZ019-020-250315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
900 PM CDT TUE APR 24 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR FOARD AND HARDEMAN COUNTIES UNTIL
11 PM CDT...

AT 855 PM CDT RADAR SHOWED AN ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORM HAD DEVELOPED
35 MILES WEST OF CHILDRESS. OTHER VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED
ACROSS THE NORTHEASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE.

PRECIPITATION MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 24, 9:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNEllis59 min
Apr 24, 10:29 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNEllis31 min
Apr 24, 10:58 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNEllis32 min
Apr 24, 11:27 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNEllis, Harper33 min
Apr 24, 11:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNWoodward42 min
Apr 24, 11:58 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNHarper32 min
Apr 25, 12:09 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNEllis51 min
Apr 25, 12:14 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNWoodward46 min
Apr 25, 12:21 AM CDTTornado WarningOUNEllis24 min
Apr 25, 12:27 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNWoods63 min
Apr 25, 12:39 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNHarper36 min
Apr 25, 1:36 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNEllis54 min
Apr 25, 12:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNGarvin, McClain42 min
Apr 25, 12:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCarter43 min
Apr 25, 6:28 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOUNBryan3 hr
Apr 25, 6:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCotton46 min
Apr 25, 6:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNMarshall39 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Oklahoma, 1990Every tornado warning in 1990Tornadoes in 1990

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.