Alert archive / Missouri / Tornado Warnings in 1995

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Springfield, MO

May 17, 1995Barton County, Missouri

NWS Springfield, MO issued this tornado warning at May 17, 1995, 7:28 PM CDT for Barton County, Missouri. It was in force for 47 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 17, 1995, 7:28 PM CDT (00:28 UTC)
Expired
May 17, 1995, 8:15 PM CDT
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Springfield, MO
Area
Whole counties

County Barton County, MO

The radar

The Springfield radar (KSGF), 89 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:30 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

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 0.5 hours before the alert went out and 201 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, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 1995-05-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 1995-05-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 158 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
2 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
525 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
85 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
158 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
299 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSGF 180029
TORSGF
MOC011-180115-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
728 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1995
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPRINGFIELD HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  815 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI
 
   ...BARTON COUNTY
 
AT 728 PM...SPRINGFIELD DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO 2
MILES SOUTHWEST OF MINDEMINES MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THIS STORM
WILL AFFECT LIBERAL BY 740 AND IRWIN BY 750 PM.  PERONS IN THE
PATH OF THIS STORM...ESPECIALLY THOSE NORTH AND WEST OF LAMAR...SHOULD
TAKE COVER NOW!
 
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT. H 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.
 
 
RIDDLE

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, May 17, 1:44 PM CDT, 5 hours 44 minutes before
MOZ082-096>098-105>108-162200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
143 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1995

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL
   MISSOURI UNTIL 500 PM CDT...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN AND
   CENTRAL MISSOURI TODAY...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL
MISSOURI UNTIL 5 PM CDT.

THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
SHANNON...TEXAS...HOWELL...OREGON AND CARTER.

THE CITIES OF WEST PLAINS AND HOUSTON ARE IN THIS SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  PERSONS IN THESE AREAS
SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND
LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL
MISSOURI TODAY AND TONIGHT.  ANOTHER ROUND OF POWERFUL THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER WESTERN MISSOURI...EASTERN KANSAS AND
NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA.  THESE STORMS WILL MOVE SLOWLY EAST TODAY AND
TONIGHT ACROSS ALL OF MISSOURI CAUSING HEAVY FLOOD PRODUCING RAINFALL.
SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BE SEVERE PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORMS WINDS.

A URBAN AND SMALL STREAM ADVISORY IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR VERNON...BARTON
...CEDAR...JASPER...DADE...POLK...DALLAS AND LACLEDE COUNTIES UNTIL*
500 PM CDT.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION
STATIONS FOR LATER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

DAVIS
Local storm report, May 17, 1:49 PM CDT, 5 hours 39 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
150 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1995

TIME (CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....   ST   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

...REPORT FROM THE MORNING OF WEDNESDAY MAY 17...UPDATE...

0835 AM    LAMAR                     MO   GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL
           BARTON                         SKYWARN REPORT

0934 AM    NEVADA                    MO   NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
           VERNON                         15 HOMES WITH SVR
                                          DAMAGE...TOWN SQUARE
                                          HAS SVR DAMAGE ALL DUE
                                          TO EXTREMELY STRONG
                                          WINDS

0947 AM    DEDERICK                  MO   TORNADO
           VERNON                         DOWNED SEVERAL TREES
                                          AND DAMAGED SOME
                                          BUI8LDINGS AND ROOFS

0830 AM    5N OSKALOOSA              MO   PINGPONG SIZE HAIL
                                          SPOTTER REPORT

DAVIS
Special weather statement, May 17, 2:03 PM CDT, 5 hours 25 minutes before
MOZ066-077>082-088>098-101>108-172005-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
201 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1995

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING BACK INTO EXTREME SOUTHWEST
MISOURI...

AT 2 PM...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG WINDS
AND POSSIBLY HAIL WERE MOVING OUT OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS...NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS AND NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA INTO EXTREME SOUTHWEST MISSOURI.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED FROM NOEL MISSOURI TO KIMBERLING
CITY. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH AND WILL EXTEND FROM
OZARK TO MONETT BY 3 PM.

OTHER STORMS...WHICH EXTEND FROM MARSHFIELD TO GREENFIELD...WILL
EXTEND FROM HUMANSVILLE TO LEBENON BY 3 PM.

IN ADDITION T`O THE POSSIBILTY OF HAIL AND STRONG WINDS...THESE STORMS
WILL ALSO PRODUCE HEAVY DOWNPOURS WHICH MAY CAUSE SOME LOCALIZED
FLOODING.

RUNNELS
Special weather statement, May 17, 4:00 PM CDT, 3 hours 28 minutes before
MOZ081-077-078-079-080-082-088-089-090-091-092-093-094-095-096-
097-098-101-102-103-104-105-106-107-108-066-180000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
355 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1995

AT 355 PM CDT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO MARCH ACROSS SOUTHWEST
MISSOURI. THESE STORMS WERE MAINLY NORTH OF LINE FROM JUST NORTH OF
JOPLIN TO NEAR SPRINGFIELD TO WEST PLAINS. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO
THE NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.  ONLY SCATTERED LIGHT SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING TO
THE SOUTH OF THIS AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS.

THE JOPLIN...SPRINGFIELD...BRANSON AND WEST PLAINS AREA WILL REMAIN
MOSTLY CLOUDY THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON WITH ONLY A SLIGHT CHANCE OF
A SHOWER.  HEAVIER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY MOVE BACK INTO
SOUTHWEST MISSOURI AFTER 6 PM.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 421 ISSUED FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL
MISSOURI HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS&
FOR LATER STATMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

JOHNSON
Special weather statement, May 17, 4:36 PM CDT, 2 hours 52 minutes before
MOZ066-077>082-088>098-101>108-180340-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
435 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1995

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS A GOOD POSSIBILITY THIS EVENING AND
OVERNIGHT...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH ALSO IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHWEST AND
SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI TONIGHT...

AT 430 PM...RADAR INDICATED ONE BATCH OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS EXITING
SOUTHWEST MISSOURI.  SOME THINNING OF THE CLOUDS WERE NOTED OVER
PARTS OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO WARM INTO
THE MIDDLE 70S.

THUNDERSTORMS WERE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING OVER OKLAHOMA AND THESE STORMS
WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND MOVE NORTHEAST INTO SOUTHWEST MISSOURI
THIS EVENING.  SOME OF THE STORMS ARE LIKELY TO BE SEVERE PRODUCING
LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WINDS.  THERE IS EVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES.

A WATCH MAY BE ISSUED THIS EVENING FOR THE AREA SO SPOTTERS AND HAM
RADIO OPERATORS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVIATION.

ALSO...THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH COMBINED
WITH THE EARLIER RAIN FROM THIS MORNING WILL CREATE VERY DANGEROUS
FLOODING CONDITIONS OVER MUCH OF THE AREA.

PERSONS LIVING IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS...NEAR CREEKS AND RIVERS...AND
IN LOW LYING AREAS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RISING WATER AND BE PREPARED
TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

RIDDLE
Special weather statement, May 17, 6:28 PM CDT, 1 hour before
MOZ066-077>082-088>098-101>108-180530-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
626 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1995

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 425 IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST MISSOURI UNTIL
MIDNIGHT...

TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES
VERNON...BARTON...JASPER...NEWTON...MCDONALD...CEDAR...DADE...LAWRENCE..
BARRY...POLK...GREENE...CHRISTIAN...STONE...TANEY...OZARK...WEBSTER...
WRIGHT...DOUGLAS...DALLAS...AND LACLEDE.

CITIES OF SPRINGFIELD...JOPLIN...BRANSON...BOLIVAR...NEVADA...NEOSHO...
LEBANON...AND MARSHFIELD ARE IN THE WATCH AREA.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
AT 625 FROM FROM NEAR PARSONS KANSAS TO THE TULSA/VINITA AREA IN
OKLAHOMA.  MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH AND THESE STORMS WILL
ENTER WESTERN MISSOURI BETWEEN 7 AND 730 PM AND THEN TRACK ACROSS
THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR DAMAGING STRAIGHT LIFNES IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...
LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES IN THE WATCH AREA.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ALERT AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE
SHELTER IF A WARNING IS ISSUED.

RIDDLE

The office that day

Everything else NWS Springfield, MO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 17, 7:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFBarton, Vernon59 min
May 17, 7:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFJasper52 min
May 17, 7:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFCedar, Dade37 min
May 17, 9:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFPolk12 min
May 18, 8:47 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFGreene43 min
May 18, 9:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFWebster25 min
May 18, 9:17 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFLaclede43 min
May 18, 9:17 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFDallas32 min
May 18, 10:53 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFHowell, Texas37 min
May 18, 11:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFShannon37 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Missouri, 1995Every tornado warning in 1995Tornadoes 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.