Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 1995

Tornado Warning 16, NWS Norman, OK

April 17, 1995Pontotoc County, Oklahoma

NWS Norman, OK issued this tornado warning at Apr 17, 1995, 8:29 PM CDT for Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 31 min.

The area

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

The facts

Issued: Apr 17, 1995, 8:29 PM CDT (01:29 UTC)
Expired: Apr 17, 1995, 9:00 PM CDT
In force: 31 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), 76 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:31 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, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 72 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: 1006 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 605 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 86 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 182 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 77 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.4
Supercell composite: 2.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KOKC 180134 COR
TOROKC
OKC123-180200-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING...CORRECTED FOR EXPIRATION TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
829 PM CDT MON APR 17 1995

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OKLAHOMA CITY HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES

IN SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA
     PONTOTOC

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
     ADA...AHLOSO

AT 827 PM CDT DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A DEVELOPING TORNADO 4
MILES WEST OF ADA. ADA AND AHLOSO ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM.

THE TORNADO WAS MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.  

TAKE COVER NOW. THE SAFEST PLACE IS A BASEMENT UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.  OTHERWISE...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 LIE FLAT IN A DITCH OR CULVERT.

LAT...LON 3463  9678 3465  9706 3486  9700 3490  9676
MT

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 17, 2:52 PM CDT, 5 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 17, 2:52 PM CDT, 5 hours 37 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OKLAHOMA
255 PM CDT MON APR 17 1995

I HAVE KEPT THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
THROUGH THE EVENING.  STORMS WILL LIKELY RACE NORTHEAST ALONG THE
LOW-LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE NOW MOVING SLOWLY TO THE NORTH ACROSS
OKLAHOMA.  THESE STORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH AREAS THAT RECEIVED 1 TO 2
INCH RAINFALLS YESTERDAY AND OVERNIGHT.  ADDITIONALLY, WHEN THE
PACIFIC COLD FRONT MOVES EAST LATER THIS EVENING, ANOTHER ROUND OF
STORMS IS LIKELY FOR THE SAME AREA.  (REFER TO SHORT TERM FORECASTS AND
THE OKLAHOMA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK FOR PRESENT SEVERE WEATHER EVENT
DISCUSSIONS).

ALTHOUGH THE MODELS CONTINUE TO BE TOO FAST WITH THE SOUTHERN PLAINS
SYSTEM, OBSERVATIONS AND SATELLITE INFORMATION INDICATE THAT THE UPPER
SYSTEM WILL LIFT INTO EASTERN COLORADO THIS EVENING, BRINGING THE
SURFACE FRONT THROUGH WESTERN OKLAHOMA.  WITH RAPDILY FALLING PRESSURES
IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS, THE EXPECTED INTENSITY OF THE SURFACE LOW JUSTIFIES
INCLUDING GUSTY WINDS THIS EVENING BEHIND THE FRONT.  MY TIMING PLACES
THE FRONT IN THE VICINITY OF I-35 THROUGH THE STATE AROUND MIDNIGHT.
RAPID CLEARING AND DRYING SHOULD SHORTLY FOLLOW ITS PASSAGE.

THE NEXT SYSTEM ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY HAS SOME SIMILAR
CHARACTERISTICS TO THE ONE TODAY.  THIS TIMING REFLECTS THE FACT THAT
THE LAST SEVERAL RUNS OF THE AVN HAVE BEEN TO QUICK TO MOVE IT THROUGH.
I WILL PUSH BACK THE CHANCE FOR RAIN FOR EASTERN ZONES UNTIL WEDNESDAY
NIGHT AND THURSDAY.

HBR   51  71  45  71 / 60  0   0   20
OKC   56  74  49  73 / 70  0   0   0
SPS   57  76  51  75 / 70  0   0   20
GAG   48  67  40  67 / 30  0   0   0
PNC   49  69  42  67 / 70  0   0   0
DUA   58  76  52  75 / 70  10  0   0

.OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN OKLAHOMA FOR AREAS SOUTHEAST OF A CHEYENE TO
MEDFORD LINE AND WEST OF A SEMINOLE TO MARIETTA LINE FOR THIS EVENING.
.TX...FLASH FLOOD WATCH ZONES 86, 89, 90.

WR

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 17, 2:33 PM CDT, 5 hours 56 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
230 PM CDT MON APR 17 1995

TIME             COUNTY           EVENT

APPROX. 240 AM   CARTER           LIGHTNING STRIKE AND RESULTING FIRE
                                  DID $7500.00 IN DAMAGE TO MOTEL IN
                                  ARDMORE
PM

Local storm report, Apr 17, 4:16 PM CDT, 4 hours 13 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
410 PM CDT MON APR 17 1995

...DELAYED REPORTS FROM SUNDAY APRIL 16TH...

TIME/DATE        COUNTY           EVENT

845 PM/16TH      JEFFERSON OK     QUARTER SIZE HAIL 2 MILES E OF
                                  RINGLING

845 PM/16TH      CARTER OK        QUARTER SIZE HAIL 9 MILES W OF WILSON

850 PM/16TH      PAYNE OK         NICKEL SIZE HAIL IN STILLWATER

922 PM/16TH      CARTER OK        3/4 INCH HAIL JUST N OF ARDMORE

935 PM/16TH      MURRAY OK        NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND 50 MPH WINDS 4
                                  MILES W OF DAVIS

940 PM/16TH      CARTER OK        NICKEL SIZE HAIL 4 MILES E OF ARDMORE

945 PM/16TH      CARTER OK        4.5 MILES NORTH OF LONE GROVE: 3 BARNS
                                  AND A WELLHOUSE BLOWN AWAY; HALF OF A
                                  ROOF GONE ON ONE HOUSE; SLIGHT
                                  STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO 3 OTHER HOUSES.

1029 PM/16TH     JOHNSTON OK      3/4 INCH HAIL 4 MILES E OF TISHIMINGO

  _
SPEG

Local storm report, Apr 17, 8:23 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
820 PM CDT MON APR 17 1995

...PRELIMINARY REPORTS OF STORMS FROM TODAY...

TIME             COUNTY           EVENT

415 PM           WILBARGER TX     TORNADO 3-6 MILES SOUTH OF LOCKETT
                                  OVER RANGELAND.  NO DAMAGE. GOLFBALL
                                  SIZE HAIL ALSO REPORTED

437 PM           WILBARGER TX     TORNADO REPORTED JUST W OF GRAYBACK

443 PM           TILLMAN          80 MPH WINDS REPORTED IN FREDERICK

455 PM           WILBARGER TX     VERY BRIEF TORNADO 1-2 MILES NE OF
                                  HARROLD

515 PM           WICHITA TX       AMATUER RADIO REPORT OF TORNADO 10
                                  MILES WNW OF BURKBURNETT ALONG THE RED
                                  RIVER

515 PM           TILLMAN          AMATUER RADIO REPORTS TORNADO 6 MILES
                                  SW OF GRANDFIELD ALONG THE RED RIVER

528 PM           COTTON           TORNADO REPORTED ALONG RIVER 4 MILES
                                  SW OF DEVOL

535 PM           COTTON           TORNADO REPORTED JUST SE OF DEVOL

543 PM           COTTON           GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL 5 W OF WALTERS

550 PM           COTTON           MESONET MEASURMENT OF 61 MPH WIND GUST
                                  1 MILE NW OF WALTERS

553 PM           COTTON           HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL AT WALTERS

556 PM           COTTON           VORTEX RESEARCH PROJECT REPORTED
                                  TORNADO 2 MILES NORTH OF TEMPLE
                                  POWER LINES DOWNED NORTH OF TEMPLE

600 PM           COTTON           2 INCH HAIL 5 MILES SE OF WALTERS

611 PM           COTTON/STEPHENS  TORNADO REPORTED 3 MILES WEST OF
                                  CORUM WITH SOME DEBRIS

615 PM           STEPHENS         VORTEX PROJECT REPORTED DAMAGE NEAR
                                  CORUM.  ROOF DAMAGE REPORTED AS WELL
                                  AS TREES...SIGNS...BARNS DAMAGED OR
                                  DESTORYED.  A SEMI TRAILER WAS ALSO
                                  TURNED OVER NEAR CORUM

615 PM           STEPHENS         REPORTS OF GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                  2 MILES W OF CORUM; IN DUNCAN; AND 5
                                  MILES WEST OF DUNCAN

626 PM           STEPHENS         TORNADO REPORTED 2 MILES S OF
                                  COMANCHE.  A BEAUTY AND GIFT SHOP WERE
                                  DESTROYED W OF COMANCHE AND SOME HOMES
                                  DAMAGED WEST AND SOUTH OF COMANCHE.

555-630 PM       COTTON/STEPHENS  ONE REPORT INDICATED CONTINUOUS AT
                                  LEAST MINOR DAMAGE FROM N OF TEMPLE TO
                                  CORUM TO COMANCHE.  NUMEROUS REPORTS
                                  OF POWER LINE DAMAGE.

647 PM           GRADY            58 MPH WINDS REPORTED AT RUSH SPRINGS

721 PM           COMANCHE         NICKEL SIZE HAIL AT CACHE

740 PM           WOODS            GOLFBALL HAIL 8 MILES SW OF ALVA

745 PM           MURRAY/GARVIN    VORTEX PROJECT REPORTED A TORNADO
                                  7 MILES NW OF JOY

800 PM           STEPHENS         60-70 MPH WINDS REPORTES 2 MILES EAST
                                  OF CORUM

821 PM           GRADY            QUARTER SIZE HAIL 2 MILES NE OF RUSH~
                                  SPRINGS
  _
SPEG

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 17, 7:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Grady, Stephens	47 min
Apr 17, 7:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Comanche, Cotton, Tillman	36 min
Apr 17, 7:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Major, Woods	46 min
Apr 17, 7:35 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OUN	Garvin, Murray	25 min
Apr 17, 8:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Grady, McClain	57 min
Apr 17, 8:05 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OUN	Garvin, Murray, Pontotoc	25 min
Apr 17, 8:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Cotton, Jefferson, Stephens	42 min
Apr 17, 8:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Cleveland, Oklahoma	67 min
Apr 17, 8:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Jefferson	61 min
Apr 17, 9:25 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OUN	Hughes	35 min
Apr 17, 9:38 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Bryan, Johnston, Marshall	67 min
Apr 17, 9:38 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Atoka	67 min
Apr 17, 9:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Seminole	28 min
Apr 17, 9:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Hughes	31 min
Apr 17, 10:50 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Choctaw	55 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Oklahoma, 1995 Every tornado warning in 1995 Tornadoes in 1995

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.