Alert archive / Arkansas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1996

Flash Flood Warning 28, NWS Tulsa, OK

September 26, 1996Washington County, Arkansas; Adair County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this flash flood warning at Sep 26, 1996, 11:29 AM CDT for Washington County, Arkansas; Adair County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 26, 1996, 11:29 AM CDT (16:29 UTC)
Expired
Sep 26, 1996, 2:00 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Whole counties

Counties Washington County, AR, Adair County, OK

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 279 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 1996-09-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 1996-09-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -123 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
617 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-123 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-28 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KTUL 261629
FFWTUL
ARC143-OKC001-261900-
 
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1129 AM CDT THU SEP 26 1996
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  200 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
 
   ...WASHINGTON COUNTY
 
 
IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
 
   ...SOUTHERN ADAIR COUNTY
 
AT 1125 AM...RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY
HEAVY RAIN MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN ADAIR AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES. MANY
PARTS OF THESE AREAS HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED IN EXCESS OF 3 INCHES OF
RAIN. THE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE THE THREAT OF FLOODING.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS LIKELY OR HAS BEEN
REPORTED.  STAY ALERT AND WATCH FOR RAPIDLY RISING WATER.
REMEMBER...IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE RELATIVE TO THE
NEAREST STREAM...CREEK OR RIVER WHICH CAN BECOME A KILLER DURING
PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN.
 
MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT DRIVE YOUR
VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY.  THE WATER
MAY BE TOO DEEP TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY.  IF YOUR
VEHICLE GETS CAUGHT IN RISING WATER...ABANDO<NED IT QUICKLY.  THEN
MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
KEEP TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER BULLETINS.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Tulsa, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Sep 26, 10:29 AM CDT, 1 hour earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 26, 10:29 AM CDT, 1 hour before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1025 AM CDT THU SEP 26 1996

A BUSY NIGHT HAS TURNED INTO A BUSY DAY. RAINFALL REPORTS IN EXCESS
OF 6 INCHES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE MESONET AT WESTVILLE AND
FROM COOP OBSERVER AT TAHLEQUAH. ANLYS OF MRNG UA DATA SHOWS WNDS
AOA 700 MB ALL PARALLEL TO CURRENT LINE OF CONVECTION.
THEREFORE...SLOW MOVEMENT WL STILL BE THE RULE THROUGH THIS MRNG.
WV IMGRY SHOWS ANOTHER S/W NOW OVR TX PNHDL AND WRN OK THAT WL
SWING EWD THIS AFTN. IT MAY FINALLY SHIFT ACTIVITY TO THE EAST AND
END TRAINING OF CELLS AND REDUCE THE FLOODING THREAT. HOWEVER...THE
ASSOC MID LVL DRYING ALONG WITH 50+ KT MID-LVL JET STREAK WL BE THE
IMPETUS FOR MORE SVR WX. AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE FSM AREA WHERE LOW-
TOPPED CONVECTION HAS BEEN FIRING UP AHEAD OF MAIN TSRA LINE. AS
S/W APPROACHES...AND MSTR INFLOW CONTS WITH INCRG DIRECTIONAL WIND
SHEAR...THIS CUD BE WHERE MORE SVR WX GETS STARTED THIS AFTN.

WL NOT CHANGE AREAL COVERAGE OF FFA. THE NRN COUNTIES IN THE WATCH
AREA MAY NOT NECESSARILY RECEIVE ANY MORE HEAVY RAIN...BUT AFTER 2-
3 INCHES...IT WUD NOT TAKE MUCH MORE RAIN TO CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS.
WL ISSUE FFS TO UPDATE THE SITUATION. SE OK WL LIKELY SEE EXCESSIVE
RAINFALL THIS AFTN AS FWD HAD A 12Z 850 MB DWPT OF 17C AND
IMPRESSIVE INSTABILITY PARAMETERS. WELL-DEFINED THETA-E AXIS WAS
LOCATED ALONG 40-KT LO-LVL JET AXIS STRETCING THROUGH FWD INTO SE
OK AND W-CENTRALH AR. ZNS MAY BE ABOUT 10-15 MINS LATE.

22

.TUL...
.OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH ZNS 62/63/65>77.
.AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH ZNS 1/2/10/11/19/29.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 26, 6:01 AM CDT, 5 hours 28 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-029-OKZ054>077-271200-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
600 AM CDT THU SEP 26 1996

A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER MUCH OF EASTERN
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TODAY AND TONIGHT.  THE SEVERE
WEATHER WILL OCCUR MAINLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 44...BUT THE
PRIMARY THREAT LATER TODAY WILL BE SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40.

NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVED THROUGH PARTS OF NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS DURING THE LATE NIGHTTIME HOURS.
HOWEVER...THE STORMS WEAKENED AROUND 300 AM AND HAVE NOT BEEN
SEVERE DURING THE PREDAWN HOURS.  NEVERTHELESS VERY HEAVY RAINS
HAVE ACCOMPANIED THE STORMS.  ALTHOUGH SOME HIGH WIND GUSTS AND
LARGE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
...THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE THE POTENTIAL OF FLASH FLOODING.

ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATER
TODAY AS A POWERFUL UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE WEST.
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS...THE ATMOSPHERE
REMAINS QUITE UNSTABLE AS IT HAS NOT BEEN AFFECTED BY THE LATE
NIGHTTIME THUNDERSTORMS WHICH DEVELOPED FARTHER NORTH.  STORMS
DEVELOPING IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS MAY
INTENSIFY QUICKLY AND BECOME SEVERE.

THE PRIMARY THREAT IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS
WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS.  THE VERTICAL WIND
PROFILE THERE IS ALSO CONDUCIVE FOR ISOLATED SUPERCELLS AND POSSIBLE
TORNADOES.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD MONITOR
WEATHER CONDITIONS CLOSELY AND BE READY FOR ACTIVATION TODAY
THROUGH TONIGHT.

THIS IS A SPECIAL ISSUANCE OF THE EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK.  THESE OUTLOOKS ARE ISSUED DAILY
FROM MID MARCH TO MID JUNE.  DURING THE REST OF THE YEAR...THEY
WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 26, 6:26 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSABenton3 hr
Sep 26, 8:46 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSAWashington3 hr
Sep 26, 9:32 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSABenton3 hr
Sep 26, 10:37 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSACarroll, Madison3 hr
Sep 26, 12:22 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSACrawford, Sebastian3 hr
Sep 26, 12:46 PM CDTTornado WarningTSASebastian29 min
Sep 25, 11:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage55 min
Sep 26, 12:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAWashington41 min
Sep 26, 12:14 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage46 min
Sep 26, 12:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSANowata55 min
Sep 26, 12:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACraig60 min
Sep 26, 1:34 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOttawa41 min
Sep 26, 1:36 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPawnee39 min
Sep 26, 2:10 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPawnee50 min
Sep 26, 4:27 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSAOsage, Rogers, Tulsa3 hr
Sep 26, 4:27 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSADelaware, Mayes3 hr
Sep 26, 6:26 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSACherokee, Wagoner3 hr
Sep 26, 6:26 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSATulsa3 hr
Sep 26, 8:46 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSACherokee, Muskogee3 hr
Sep 26, 9:15 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSAMcIntosh, Okmulgee3 hr
Sep 26, 9:32 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSACherokee3 hr
Sep 26, 10:48 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSAHaskell, Latimer, Pittsburg, Sequoyah3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Arkansas, 1996Flash Flood Warnings in Oklahoma, 1996Every flash flood warning in 1996

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.