Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Norman, OK

March 13, 1990Jefferson County, Stephens County, Oklahoma

NWS Norman, OK issued this tornado warning at Mar 13, 1990, 6:01 PM CST for Jefferson County, Stephens County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 29 min. 1 report 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 13, 1990, 6:01 PM CST (00:01 UTC)
Expired
Mar 13, 1990, 6:30 PM CST
In force
29 min
Issued by
NWS Norman, OK
Area
Whole counties

Counties Jefferson County, OK, Stephens 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
Mar 13, 6:01 PM CSTTornado F1Jefferson, 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

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 00:00Z, 0.0 hours before the alert went out and 110 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, Norman, OK at 00:00Z on 1990-03-14Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1624 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, Norman, OK at 00:00Z on 1990-03-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 115 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
1624 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-9 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
695 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
115 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
128 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.8
Supercell composite
4.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KOKC 140004
TOROKC
OKC067-137-140030-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
601 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OKLAHOMA CITY HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  630 PM CST
FOR THE FOLLOWING OKLAHOMA LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA
 
   ...NORTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY...SUTHERN STEPHENS COUNTY
 
AT 601 PM A TORNADO WAS INDICATED BY RADAR 5 MILES WEST OF WAURIKA
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. GOLFBALL HAIL HAS BEEN REPORTED IN
WAURIKA.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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, Mar 13, 2:05 PM CST, 3 hours 56 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
200 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

AT 155 PM CST THE WICHITA FALLS RADAR SHOWED VERY STRONG THUNDER
STORMS DEVELOPING RAPIDLY OVER WESTERN WICHITA AND CENTRAL WILBARGER
COUNTIES.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED SOUTH OF ELECTRA AND TO THE SOUTH
WEST OF OKLAUNION. THESE STORMS ARE INTENSIFYING RAPIDLY. THESE STORMS
ARE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS AND ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONGh
WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND HAIL.

MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 2:33 PM CST, 3 hours 28 minutes before
OKZALL-132200-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
230 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...TORNADO WATCH CENTRAL AND WESTERN OKLAHOMA UNTIL 9 PM...

AT 230 PM STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA
NEAR FREDERICK AND WEST OF WALTERS. THESE STORMS DEVELOPED EXPLOSIVELY
DURING THE PAST 30 MINUTES AND WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

THE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA IS EXTREMELY UNSTABLE
AND THE POTENTIAL EXIST FOR THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
THROUGH THE EVENING. THE WIND STRUCTURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE IS ALSO
FAVORABLE FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT WITH A FEW OF THE SEVERE STORMS.

PERSONS OVER WESTERN AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND
BE ALERT FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS FROM THE NATINAL WEATHER
SERVICE.
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 2:34 PM CST, 3 hours 27 minutes before
TXZ019-20-132130-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
225 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...TORNADO WATCH FOR WICHITA AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES UNTIL 9PM
CST THIS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

AT 220 PM CST THUNDERSTORMS WERE RADIDLY DEVELOPING AND INCREASING IN
INTENSITY ACROSS WESTERN WICHITA AND WILBARGER COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORMS WERE WEST OF BURKBURNETT AND NEAR VERNON. MOVEMENT WAS
NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES TO
DEVELOP IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. DAMAGING WIND..LARGE HAIL..VERY
HEAVY RAIN AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE HEAVIER THUNDER-
STORMS.

BE ALERT TO CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER
IMMEDIATELY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED OR SEVERE WEATHER IS SIGHTED.
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 3:20 PM CST, 2 hours 41 minutes before
TXZ019-20-132230-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
320 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...TORNADO WATCH FOR WICHITA AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES UNTIL 9PM
CST THIS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

AT 320 PM CST A THUNDERSTORM HAD DEVELOPED SOUTHWEST OF LAKE KICKAPOO...
NEAR MEGARGEL. THIS STORM WAS BUILDING RAPIDLY AND MAY CONTAIN SOME HAIL
STRONG WINDS ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 35
MILES AN HOUR.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS...SOME SEVERE WERE IN OKLAHOMA SOUTH OF LAWTON AND
NORTHEAST OF FREDERICK. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES TO
DEVELOP IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. DAMAGING WIND..LARGE HAIL..VERY
HEAVY RAIN AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE HEAVIER THUNDER-
STORMS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 13, 6:23 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNLincoln, Pottawatomie37 min
Mar 13, 6:26 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNJefferson, Stephens34 min
Mar 13, 6:45 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCotton, Stephens60 min
Mar 13, 6:57 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNJefferson, Stephens33 min
Mar 13, 7:04 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNPottawatomie, Seminole41 min
Mar 13, 7:04 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNLincoln41 min
Mar 13, 7:10 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCarter, Garvin, Murray65 min
Mar 13, 7:18 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNLincoln, Oklahoma57 min
Mar 13, 7:31 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNCarter29 min
Mar 13, 7:34 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNComanche, Cotton, Stephens56 min
Mar 13, 7:52 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNGarvin38 min
Mar 13, 8:18 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNGarvin42 min
Mar 13, 8:42 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNGarvin, McClain48 min
Mar 13, 8:42 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNPottawatomie48 min
Mar 13, 8:53 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNJackson, Kiowa, Tillman67 min
Mar 13, 9:20 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNPontotoc, Pottawatomie, Seminole55 min
Mar 13, 9:36 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCaddo, Kiowa, Washita69 min
Mar 13, 9:48 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNHughes57 min
Mar 13, 10:26 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNBlaine, Garfield, Kingfisher, Major64 min
Mar 13, 10:26 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCuster64 min
Mar 13, 10:26 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNGrant64 min
Mar 13, 11:43 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNGarfield, Noble47 min
Mar 14, 12:52 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNJackson53 min
Mar 14, 1:38 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNLogan37 min
Mar 14, 2:00 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNPayne30 min
Mar 14, 2:34 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCanadian, Grady26 min
Mar 14, 4:50 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCoal, Pontotoc35 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.