Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Norman, OK

March 21, 1991Hughes County, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma

NWS Norman, OK issued this tornado warning at Mar 21, 1991, 4:47 PM CST for Hughes County, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 28 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 21, 1991, 4:47 PM CST (22:47 UTC)
Expired
Mar 21, 1991, 5:15 PM CST
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Norman, OK
Area
Whole counties

Counties Hughes County, OK, Pontotoc County, OK

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 93 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 12:00Z on 1991-03-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 279 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 12:00Z on 1991-03-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -11 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156Sfc1 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
279 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-194 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1274 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-11 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-29 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 
TTAA00 KOKC 212248
TOROKC
OKC063-123-212315-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
447 PM CST THU MAR 21 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OKLAHOMA CITY HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  515 PM CST
FOR THE FOLLOWING OKLAHOMA LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
 
   ...SOUTHERN HUGHES COUNTY...NORTHEASTERN PONTOTOC COUNTY
 
AT 447 PM A TORNADO WAS INDICATED BY RADAR NEAR STEEDMAN IN NORTHEAST
PONTOTOC COUNTY. THIS TORNADO HAS PRODUCED DAMAGE IN ADA. PEOPLE IN
THE WARNED AREA SHOULD TAKE SHELTER NOW.
 
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.

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 21, 1:01 PM CST, 3 hours 46 minutes before
TXZ020-019-212045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
1245 PM CST THU MAR 21 1991

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND SOUTHERN
OKLAHOMA UNTIL 6PM CST...

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6PM CST FOR
ARCHER..BAYLOR..CLAY..FOARD..HARDEMAN..JACK..KNOX..MONTAGUE..WICHITA
..WILBARGER AND YOUNG COUNTIES OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND INCLUDES
COTTON COUNTY OF SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA.

AT 1240 PM CST RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING ALONG
A LINE FROM ABILENE TEXAS TO VERNON NORTHEASTWARD TO EAST OF
OKLAHOMA CITY. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
ACROSS THIS PORTION OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND INTENSITY ...POSSIBLY
PRODUCING TORNADOES.

STAY ALERT FOR CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE
COVER IMMEDIATELY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED OR THREATENING WEATHER IS
SIGHTED.
Special weather statement, Mar 21, 1:09 PM CST, 3 hours 38 minutes before
OKZ004>021-221200-

OKLAHOMA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
110 PM CST THU MAR 21 1991

THIS THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK IS VALID ONLY FOR OKLAHOMA ZONES 4 THROUGH
21. A THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK FOR THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES IS
AVAILABLE UNDER LBBSPSAMA...AND A THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK FOR EASTERN
OKLAHOMA IS AVAILABLE UNDER OKCSPSTUL.

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 39 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM FOR SOUTHWEST THROUGH CENTRAL
OKLAHOMA...AND TORNADO WATCH 40 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM FOR EASTERN OKLAHOMA.
THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY
EVENING. THE GREATEST THREAT IS TO THE RIGHT OF A ALTUS-PONCA CITY LINE
THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES ARE THE GREATEST THREAT FROM THIS
SYSTEM.
THIS AFTERNOON A STRONG LOW PRESSURE AREA WAS DEVELOPING IN WESTERN KANSAS.
A DRY LINE WAS DEVELOPING FROM WEST OF ALTUS TO JUST WEST OF PONCA CITY. SOME
STORMS HAVE ALREADY BEEN FIRING IN SEVERAL LINES ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
BETWEEN HUGHES AND TILLLMAN COUNTIES. STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN MOVING INTO
OR DEVELOPING INTO THE CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE STATE BETWEEN THE NEXT
1 TO 2 HOURS. AS THE DRYLINE ADVANCES EAST THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE
RAPIDLY NORTHEAST AND POSSIBLY AFFECT NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA BY MID AFTERNOON.

LOOKING AHEAD...THE DRYLINE PASSAGE WILL END THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
FOR MID EVENING INTO TOMORROW MORNING.

WE RECOMMEND SPOTTER GROUPS ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
BE ACTIVATED NOW .
Special weather statement, Mar 21, 3:31 PM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes before
TXZ020-019-212230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
330 PM CST THU MAR 21 1991

TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST FOR THIS PORTION OF
NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR CLAY COUNTY EXPIRED AT 330 PM CST.

AT 330 PM CST RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSHOWERS IN CLAY CLUNTY
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH AND WILL BE MOVING INTO OKLAHOMA.

BETWEEN 1PM AND 3PM HAIL FROM DIME TO GOLF BALL SIZE FELL ON
WILBARGER..ARCHER..WICHITA AND CLAY COUNTIES.
Local storm report, Mar 21, 3:39 PM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes before
LATE STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
3:40 PM CST THU MAR 22 1991

1:44 PM CST DIME SIZE HAIL- OKLAUNION (WILBARGER CO.)

1:50 PM CST 1 INCH HAIL- SCOTLAND (ARCHER CO)

2:02 PM CST DIME SIZE HAIL- IOWA PARK (WICHITA CO)

2:03 PM CST DIME SIZE HAIL- 6 S. HENRIETTA (CLAY CO)

2:08 PM CST GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL- HORSESHOE BEND (S. WICHITA CO)

2:08 PM CST DIME SIZE HAIL- JUST S OF HENRIETTA (CLAY CO)

2:12 PM CST QUARTER SIZEz HAIL- HENRIETTA (CLAY CO)

2:14 PM CST DIME SIZE HAIL- JUST S OF LAKE WICHITA (ARCHER CO)
2:35 PM CST GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL- JUST S OF LAKE WICHITA (ARCHER CO)
Special weather statement, Mar 21, 4:01 PM CST, 46 minutes before
TXZ020-019-212300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
400 PM CST THU MAR 21 1991

TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST FOR THIS PORTION OF
NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA. A TORNADO WATCH FOR
CLAY...JACK...MONTAGUE AND YOUNG COUNTIES WILL BE IN EFFECT UNTIL
9PM CST THIS THURSDAY EVENING.

AT 400 PM...THE WICHITA FALLS RADAR SHOWED A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS
OVER PORTIONS OF YOUNG AND JACK COUNTIES. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT
40 MPH. THUNDERSTORMS THAT AFFECTED PORTIONS OF CLAY AND MONTAGUE
COUNTIES EARLIER HAVE MOVED INTO OKLAHOMA.

HOWEVER...PERSONS IN CLAY AND MONTAGUE COUNTIES SHOULD EXPECT
ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN THE NEXT HOUR. BRIEF PERIODS
OF VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY SURFACE WIND AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL
SHOULD BE EXPECTED. SCOTLAND IN EASTERN ARCHER COUNTY REPORTED
.62 HUNDREDS WITH SIGNIFICANT HAIL EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON.
Special weather statement, Mar 21, 4:32 PM CST, 15 minutes before
TXZ020-019-212330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA FALLS TX
430 PM CST THU MAR 21 1991

TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST FOR THIS PORTION OF
NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA. A TORNADO WATCH FOR
CLAY...JACK...MONTAGUE AND YOUNG COUNTIES WILL BE IN EFFECT UNTIL
9PM CST THIS THURSDAY EVENING.

AT 430 PM...THE WICHITA FALLS RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS IN PROGRESS
PRODUCING LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WIND AND POSSIBLE SMALL
HAIL OVER PORTIONS OF CLAY AND MONTAGUE COUNTIES. THE HEAVIEST PORTION
WAS LOCATED ALONG THE CLAY/MONTAGUE BORDER JUST SOUTH OF THE RED RIVER.

ELSEWHERE...ANOTHER DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORM WAS NOTED NEAR OLNEY
ALONG THE YOUNG/ARCHER COUNTY LINE. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 40
MPH.

TODAYS HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS 82 DEGREES.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 21, 11:55 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNJefferson50 min
Mar 21, 12:10 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNJohnston50 min
Mar 21, 12:16 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCarter29 min
Mar 21, 12:20 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNStephens25 min
Mar 21, 12:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCarter27 min
Mar 21, 12:50 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCleveland, Pottawatomie40 min
Mar 21, 12:51 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNGrady44 min
Mar 21, 12:52 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNGarvin53 min
Mar 21, 12:53 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNJefferson52 min
Mar 21, 12:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCoal, Johnston, Pontotoc48 min
Mar 21, 1:02 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNComanche43 min
Mar 21, 1:06 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNTillman69 min
Mar 21, 1:14 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCarter46 min
Mar 21, 1:20 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNMcClain40 min
Mar 21, 1:25 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNHughes, Seminole50 min
Mar 21, 1:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCleveland48 min
Mar 21, 1:48 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNPontotoc, Pottawatomie, Seminole42 min
Mar 21, 2:05 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNComanche, Cotton, Grady40 min
Mar 21, 2:15 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCleveland, McClain45 min
Mar 21, 2:19 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNJefferson41 min
Mar 21, 2:38 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNJefferson, Stephens52 min
Mar 21, 2:40 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNHughes, Pontotoc, Seminole50 min
Mar 21, 2:52 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNOklahoma38 min
Mar 21, 3:02 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNGarvin, Grady, Stephens43 min
Mar 21, 3:11 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCarter49 min
Mar 21, 3:24 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNJefferson36 min
Mar 21, 3:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCleveland, McClain43 min
Mar 21, 3:40 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNLove35 min
Mar 21, 3:43 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNGarvin47 min
Mar 21, 3:48 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNLincoln42 min
Mar 21, 3:59 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCarter, Johnston61 min
Mar 21, 4:08 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNPontotoc, Pottawatomie, Seminole52 min
Mar 21, 4:08 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNMcClain52 min
Mar 21, 4:39 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNJohnston, Marshall36 min
Mar 21, 4:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNLove48 min
Mar 21, 4:55 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNAtoka35 min
Mar 21, 5:15 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCarter, Love45 min
Mar 21, 5:20 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNCarter, Love25 min
Mar 21, 5:26 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNAtoka34 min
Mar 21, 5:36 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNMarshall39 min
Mar 21, 5:52 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNPushmataha68 min
Mar 21, 5:58 PM CSTTornado WarningOUNJohnston32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Oklahoma, 1991Every tornado warning in 1991Tornadoes in 1991

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.