Alert archive / Arkansas / Tornado Warnings in 1994
Tornado Warning 50, NWS Memphis, TN
NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at Jul 16, 1994, 6:41 PM CDT for Crittenden County, Arkansas. It was in force for 19 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 16, 1994, 6:41 PM CDT (23:41 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 16, 1994, 7:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 19 min
- Issued by
- NWS Memphis, TN
- Area
- Whole counties
County Crittenden County, AR
The nearest sounding before it
Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 53 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
- 845 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -37 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 804 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 4 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 22 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 15 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KMEM 162342 TORMEM ARC035-170000- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 641 PM CDT SAT JUL 16 1994 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 700 PM CDT FOR PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...... IN EAST ARKANSAS ...CRITTENDEN COUNTY THE CRITTENDEN COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTS A TORNADO ON THE GROUND NEAR INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 40 NEAR THE CRITTENDEN - ST.FRANCIS COUNTY LINE. THE THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH THAT AREA WAS MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH TO 20 MPH. THAT MOVEMENT WILL TAKE THE STORM SOUTH OF THE WEST MEMPHIS AREA AS IT MOVES TOWARD THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 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, Jul 16, 4:26 PM CDT, 2 hours 15 minutes before
TNZ088-ARZ009-018-026-027-028-035-036-048-049-058-162230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 427 PM CDT SAT JUL 16 1994 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH POSTED FOR MOST OF ARKANSAS... ...STRONG STORMS HEADED FOR NORTHEAST ARKANSAS... A SEVERE THUNDESTORM WATCH HAS BEEN POSTED FOR MOST OF ARKANSAS, EFFECTIVE UNTIL 9:00 PM TONIGHT. AT 4:15 PM DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR IN MEMPHIS LOCATED A BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR POCAHONTAS SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE NEWPORT AND LONOKE AREAS. MOVING TOWARD THE EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 MPH, THE STRONGER OF THESE STORMS HAVE PRODUCED DAMAGING WIND AND LARGE HAIL ACROSS SECTIONS OF CENTRAL AND NORTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO WEST PARTS OF NORTHEAST ARKANSAS BEFORE 5:00 PM. BY THAT TIME, THE STORMS WILL HAVE MOVED OVER THE WEST PARTS OF GREENE, CRAIGHEAD, POINSETT, AND CROSS COUNTIES. HEAVY RAIN WILL ACCOMPANY THE THUNDERSTORMS, AS WELL. MORE THAN AN INCH OF RAIN MAY ACCUMULATE IN LESS THAN AN HOUR FROM THE HEAVIER STORMS. WATER PONDS QUICKLY IN LOW SPOTS, POORLY DRAINED AREAS, AND ON CURBED STREETS WHEN IT RAINS THAT HARD. MOTORISTS SHOULD DRIVE VERY CAREFULLY AND REDUCE SPEED WHEN PASSING BENEATH HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS. STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 4:27 PM CDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before
TNZ088-ARZ009-018-026-027-028-035-036-048-049-058-162230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 427 PM CDT SAT JUL 16 1994 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH POSTED FOR MOST OF ARKANSAS... ...STRONG STORMS HEADED FOR NORTHEAST ARKANSAS... A SEVERE THUNDESTORM WATCH HAS BEEN POSTED FOR MOST OF ARKANSAS, EFFECTIVE UNTIL 9:00 PM TONIGHT. AT 4:15 PM DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR IN MEMPHIS LOCATED A BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR POCAHONTAS SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE NEWPORT AND LONOKE AREAS. MOVING TOWARD THE EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 MPH, THE STRONGER OF THESE STORMS HAVE PRODUCED DAMAGING WIND AND LARGE HAIL ACROSS SECTIONS OF CENTRAL AND NORTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO WEST PARTS OF NORTHEAST ARKANSAS BEFORE 5:00 PM. BY THAT TIME, THE STORMS WILL HAVE MOVED OVER THE WEST PARTS OF GREENE, CRAIGHEAD, POINSETT, AND CROSS COUNTIES. HEAVY RAIN WILL ACCOMPANY THE THUNDERSTORMS, AS WELL. MORE THAN AN INCH OF RAIN MAY ACCUMULATE IN LESS THAN AN HOUR FROM THE HEAVIER STORMS. WATER PONDS QUICKLY IN LOW SPOTS, POORLY DRAINED AREAS, AND ON CURBED STREETS WHEN IT RAINS THAT HARD. MOTORISTS SHOULD DRIVE VERY CAREFULLY AND REDUCE SPEED WHEN PASSING BENEATH HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS. STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 5:23 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
ARZ009-018-026-027-028-035-036-048-049-058-162330-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
523 PM CDT SAT JUL 16 1994
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN
ARKANSAS UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO EXTREME EASTERN ARKANSAS...
AT 515 PM THIS AFTERNOON AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING
INTO EXTREME EASTERN ARKANSAS FROM JONESBORO SOUTH TO NEAR WYNNE...
FORREST CITY...AND WESTERN PORTIONS OF LEE AND PHILLIPS COUNTIES.
THE STORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE VICINITY OF THE TOWNS OF MARIANNA AND
MARVELL BEFORE 6 PM.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALREADY PRODUCED GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL...
FUNNEL CLOUDS AND WIND DAMAGE IN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS EARLIER
THIS AFTERNOON WITH AREAS OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALLS.
PERSONS LIVING IN EXTREME EASTERN ARKANSAS SHOULD STAY ALERT FOR
DANGEROUS WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING INCLUDING
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...HAIL AND HIGH WINDS. THE STORMS MAY
PRODUCE OVER AN INCH OF RAIN IN LESS THAN AN HOUR WITH FLOODING
OVER LOW LYING AREAS AND ALONG SMALLER RIVERS AND STREAMS.
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH TAKE SHELTER IN A STRONGER HOME OR
BUILDING. REMEMBER NEVER TO WALK OR DRIVE WHERE ROADS ARE FLOODED
BUT INSTEAD FIND A SAFER ROUTE OF TRAVEL.Special weather statement, Jul 16, 5:23 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
ARZ009-018-026-027-028-035-036-048-049-058-162330-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
523 PM CDT SAT JUL 16 1994
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN
ARKANSAS UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO EXTREME EASTERN ARKANSAS...
AT 515 PM THIS AFTERNOON AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING
INTO EXTREME EASTERN ARKANSAS FROM JONESBORO SOUTH TO NEAR WYNNE...
FORREST CITY...AND WESTERN PORTIONS OF LEE AND PHILLIPS COUNTIES.
THE STORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE VICINITY OF THE TOWNS OF MARIANNA AND
MARVELL BEFORE 6 PM.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALREADY PRODUCED GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL...
FUNNEL CLOUDS AND WIND DAMAGE IN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS EARLIER
THIS AFTERNOON WITH AREAS OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALLS.
PERSONS LIVING IN EXTREME EASTERN ARKANSAS SHOULD STAY ALERT FOR
DANGEROUS WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING INCLUDING
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...HAIL AND HIGH WINDS. THE STORMS MAY
PRODUCE OVER AN INCH OF RAIN IN LESS THAN AN HOUR WITH FLOODING
OVER LOW LYING AREAS AND ALONG SMALLER RIVERS AND STREAMS.
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH TAKE SHELTER IN A STRONGER HOME OR
BUILDING. REMEMBER NEVER TO WALK OR DRIVE WHERE ROADS ARE FLOODED
BUT INSTEAD FIND A SAFER ROUTE OF TRAVEL.The office that day
Everything else NWS Memphis, TN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 16, 5:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | St. Francis | 26 min |
| Jul 16, 5:48 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Lee, St. Francis | 42 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Arkansas, 1994Every tornado warning in 1994Tornadoes in 1994
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.