Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Norman, OK

April 2, 1994Pontotoc County, Oklahoma

NWS Norman, OK issued this tornado warning at Apr 2, 1994, 7:09 PM CST for Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 36 min.

The area

The outline the Iowa Environmental Mesonet reconstructed for it; the warning itself named whole counties.

The facts

Issued: Apr 2, 1994, 7:09 PM CST (01:09 UTC)
Expired: Apr 2, 1994, 7:45 PM CST
In force: 36 min
Issued by: NWS Norman, OK
Area: Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Pontotoc County, OK

The radar

The Norman radar (KTLX), 94 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:10 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 00:00Z, 1.2 hours before the alert went out and 94 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1249 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -40 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1451 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 61 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 118 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 147 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.7
Supercell composite: 4.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KOKC 030111
TOROKC
OKC123-030145-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
709 PM CST SAT APR 02 1994

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OKLAHOMA CITY HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 745 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES

IN SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA
     PONTOTOC

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
     STONEWALL

AT 709 PM CST A TORNADO WAS REPORTED BY A COUNTY DEPUTY 3 MILES 
SOUTHEAST OF ADA.

THE TORNADO WAS MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES PER HOUR.

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 A SMALL INTERIOR
ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...
PILLOWS...OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.
ABANDON MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A
DITCH OR CULVERT.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN OKLRAHOMA AND
NORTHERN TEXAS UNTIL 900PM CST.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND
EASTERN OKLAHOMA UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST.

LAT...LON 3464  9651 3463  9673 3489  9658 3491  9640

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.

NWS Norman, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Apr 2, 4:49 PM CST, 2 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 2, 4:49 PM CST, 2 hours 20 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OKLAHOMA
415 PM CST SAT APR 2 1994

THE 12Z MODELS INITIALIZED QUITE WELL ON UA SYS MOVG INTO FA THIS AFTN.
DIFFS WERE IN STRENGTH OF CIRCULATION DEPICTED BY VORT FIELDS. THE NGM
WAS STRONGEST THE AVN WEAKEST. THE SHAPE OF THE SYS ON SAT IMAGERY
SUPPORTS THE NGM BUT MAYBE NOT AS STRONG A VORT MAX. THE ETA INITIALIZED
BEST ON THE SFC LOW IN THE TX PNHNDL.

THE NGM AND ETA AGREE ON PHASING NRN AND SRN STRM SYS BY 24 HRS AS THEY
EXIT FA WHILE THE AVN PHASES MUCH FASTER, LOSING THE IDENTITY OF THE S/W
CIRC TOO SOON. THE NGM IS MORE CORRECT TAKING SFC LOW ON A MORE EWD
PATH THIS AFTN AND TONITE. THE ETA IS A LTL DEEPER WITH DVLPG SYS IN WRN
U.S. BY 48 HRS. 12Z UA ANAL DID NOT HELP INDC A PREFERENCE HERE EXCEPT
FOR PERHAPS A 100 KT JET MOVG EWD FM CNTRL PAC AT 25H. OTHER MODEL DIFFS
AT THAT POINT WILL NOT HAVE SIG IMPACT ON WX OVR FA.

LATEST VIS IMAGERY INDCD TRW DVLPG IN SW OK. KFDR 88D INDCD BNDRY
INTERSECTION/TRIPLE PT JUST W OF KFDR FOR FAVORABLE TRW FORMATION.
EXPECTING SVR TRW IN CNTRL OK, WRN PTNS N TX THIS EVE AND SE OK LATER
TONITE. SOME TRW PSBL BHND CDFNT UNDER 50H COLD POOL. WX WILL BE DRY ON
SUNDAY THRU MON NITE. NEXT PRECIP IN EXTENDED PD ON TUES. WL GO A LTL
BLO MOS TEMPS TIL MON WHERE WARMER FWC NMBRS LOOK BEST.

FCSTID=#22/BT

HBR   40  63  45  78 / 20  0   0   0
OKC   39  60  43  75 / 60  0   0   0
SPS   41  65  45  80 / 60  0   0   10
G.AG   32  63  43  78 / 30  0   0   0
PNC   35  59  41  75 / 60  0   0   10
DUA   41  63  41  75 / 80  0   0   10

.OKC...CAUTION ON AREA LAKES TONIGHT ZNS 04>53.
.TX...CAUTION ON AREA LAKES TONIGHT ZNS 83>90.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 2, 4:49 PM CST, 2 hours 20 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
448 PM CST SAT APR 02 1994

TIME               COUNTY               LOCATION/EVENT

434 PM             GRADY               DINE TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL IN
                                       NINNEKAH.

437 PM             GRADY               QUARTER SIZE HAIL 8 MILES SE OF
                                       CHICKASHA.

445 PM             GRADY               GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL 3 M,ILES SE OF
                                       ALEX.
ALA

Local storm report, Apr 2, 4:59 PM CST, 2 hours 10 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
458 PM CST SAT APR 02 1994

TIME               COUNTY               LOCATION/EVENT

449 PM             OKLAHOMA            DIME TO GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL
                                       REPORTED AT NICKEL HILLS FIRE
                                       DEPARTMENT.

454 PM             OKLAHOMA            11/2 INCH HAIL NE SIDE OF
                                       OKLAHOMA `CITY.

457 PM             NOBLE               QUARTER SIZE IN PERRY.

ALA

Local storm report, Apr 2, 5:12 PM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
512 PM CST SAT APR 02 1994

TIME               COUNTY               LOCATION/EVENT

510 PM             PAYNE               QUARTER HAIL N SzIDE OF STILLWATER
                                       ALSO ESTIMATED 70 MPH WINDS.

CBW

Local storm report, Apr 2, 5:41 PM CST, 1 hour 28 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
530 PM CST SAT APR 02 1994

TIME               COUNTY               LOCATION/EVENT

457 PM             NOBLE                QUARTER SIZE HAIL IN PERRY.

500 PM             E. GARFIELD          60+ MPH WINDS 6 MILES SOUTH
                                        OF COVINGTON.

520 PM             LINCOLN              QUARTER SIZE HAIL 6 MILES
                                        NORTHWEST OF CANEY.

515 PM             MCCLAIN              HALF DALLOR SIZE HAIL 5 MILES
                                        SW OF PURCELL.

525 PM             S. CLEVELAND         GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL IN
                                        LEXINGTON.

535 PM             LINCOLN              QUARTER SIZE HAIL IN AGRA.

Local storm report, Apr 2, 6:13 PM CST, 56 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
615 PM CST SAT APR 02 1994

TIME               COUNTY               LOCATION/EVENT

438 PM             GRADY                QUARTER SIZE HAIL 3 MILES
                                        SOUTHEAST OF CHICKASHA.

445 PM             OKLAHOMA             GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL NORTH
                                        SIDE OF EDMOND.

445 PM             LOGAN                3 MILES SSE OF MARSHALL WINDS
                                        61 MPH REPORTED BY OKLAHOMA
                                        MESONET.

454 PM             NE OKLAHOMA          11/2 INCH HAIL NE OKLAHOMA
                                        CITY.

502 PM             OKLAHOMA             GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL IN ARCADIA.

520 PM             GRANT                NICKEL SIZE HAIL IN CANEY.

525 PM             PAYNE                GOLFBALL HAIL 6 MILES SOUTH
                                        OF STILLWATER.

526 PM             MCCLAIN              TENNIS BALL HAIL 1 MILE EAST
                                        OF WAYNE.

530 PM             PAYNE                2 MILES WEST OF STILLWATER WINDS
                                        61 MPH REPORTED BY OKLAHOMA
                                        MESONET.

535 PM             CLEVELAND            DIME SIZE HAIL 4 MILES EAST OF
                                        LEXINGTON.

538 PM             MCCLAIN              HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL 2 MILES
                                        WEST OF BYARS.

540 PM             PAYNE                HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL IN
                                        CUSHING.

550 PM             GRANT                NICKEL SIZE HAIL 1 MILE SW
                                        OF JEFFERSON.

555 PM             POTTAWATOMIE      d   DIME SIZE HAIL 1 MILE SOUTH
                                        EASON.

ALA

Local storm report, Apr 2, 6:38 PM CST, 31 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
645 PM CST SAT APR 02 1994

TIME               COUNTY               LOCATION/EVENT

555 PM             LINCOLN              DIME SIZE HAIL 5 MILES NORTH
                                        7 MILES WEST OF CARNEY ON COUNTY
                                        LINE ROAD.

606 PM             GARVIN               BASEBALL SIZE HAIL IN STRAFORD.

617 PM             CARTER               DIME SIZE HAIL 4 MILES NORTH OF
                                        LONE GROVE.

617 PM             CARTER               DIME SIZE HAIL 1 MILE NORTH OF
                                        ARDMORE.

623 PM             KAY                  QUARTER SIZE HAIL 1 MILE WEST OF
                                        I-35 ON HIGHWAY 11.

620 PM             SEMINOLE             DIME SIZE HAIL AT 4 MILES
                                        ESE OF KONAWA.

628 PM             PAYNE                DIME SIZE HAIL IN CUSHING.

ALA

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 2, 6:08 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Kay	52 min
Apr 2, 6:15 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Love	45 min
Apr 2, 6:20 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Seminole	40 min
Apr 2, 6:21 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Payne	39 min
Apr 2, 6:26 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Carter, Johnston, Marshall	49 min
Apr 2, 6:44 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OUN	Hughes, Pontotoc	31 min
Apr 2, 6:49 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Pontotoc	41 min
Apr 2, 7:18 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Hughes	42 min
Apr 2, 7:36 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Coal	24 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Oklahoma, 1994 Every tornado warning in 1994 Tornadoes 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.