Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 91, NWS Tulsa, OK
NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 30, 1996, 4:21 PM CST for Cherokee County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 39 min. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Mar 30, 1996, 4:21 PM CST (22:21 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 30, 1996, 5:00 PM CST
- In force
- 39 min
- Issued by
- NWS Tulsa, OK
- Area
- Whole counties
County Cherokee County, OK
The radar
The Tulsa radar (KINX), 59 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:21 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.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 4:25 PM CST | Thunderstorm Wind | Hulbert, OK | |
| Mar 30, 4:38 PM CST | Hail 0.75 | Peggs, OK | |
| Mar 30, 4:46 PM CST | Hail 0.75 | Tahlequah, OK |
NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in.
The nearest sounding before it
Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 154 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1434 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 27 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 75 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 69 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WUUS1 KTUL 302222 RRA SVRTUL OKC021-302300- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 421 PM CST SAT MAR 30 1996 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 500 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA ...CHEROKEE COUNTY AT 423 PM...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF HULBERT MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE APPROACHING THE PEGGS AREA AROUND 430 PM. DURING THE STORM MOVE INDOORS AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM LIGHTNING DO NOT USE THE TELEPHONE OR HAND HELD ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES...UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY. MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR WATER ON ROADWAYS AND NEVER DRIVE ONTO A FLOODED ROAD.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 severe thunderstorm warning went out at Mar 30, 3:39 PM CST, 42 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 30, 3:39 PM CST, 42 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 335 PM CST SAT MAR 30 1996 AT 2100Z MESONET SHOWS SFC LO JUST S OF TUL W/DRYLINE XTNDG TO NR MLC TO NR HUGO. RW/TRW HV DVLPG ALNG DRYLINE MAINLY N OF I-40 AS ATMOS S OF THIS AREA REMAINS CAPPED. VSBL SAT PIX HV BEEN SHOWING CU FIELD IN SE OK AND KINX RADAR SHOWED A STORM DVLPG ALNG RED RVR. SO STILL A CHC THAT TRW COULD FIRE ALNG DRYLINE IN SRN ZNS. IF THEY DO WOULD XPCT THIS TO BE THE AREA WHERE BIG STRMS DVLP AND THRIVE ALTHO LAST LOOK AT DQU PROFILER SHOWED WINDS NRLY UNIDIRECTIONAL. AM SOMEWHAT CONCERNED THAT PRECIP SHIELD AHS NOT DVLPD MORE IN VCNTY OF UPR LO. HOWEVER WL STILL GO W/HI POPS FOR NRN ZNS AS AT LEAST SOME PRECIP SHLD AFFECT THESE AREAS. FURTHER S WL STICK W/CHC POPS. LOOKS LIKE PRECIP SHLD END IN MOST ZNS BY ARND 06Z BUT PLENTY OF WRAP ARND CLDS SHLD REMAIN THRU THE NGT. SKIES SHLD THEN GRADU CLR FROM W TO E ON SUN W/WRN SCTNS SEEING PLENTY OF SUN WHILE XPCT ERN SCTN MAY HV TO WAIT TIL AFTN. MAY SEE SOME MID OR HI CLDS BRUSH NRN ZNS ON MON AS WK S/W MVS THRU MEAN UPR RDG. BUT ATTM DO NOT THINK THAT WL AMNT TO MUCH AND MSTLY SUNNY SHLD SUFFICE. LOOKS LIKE NLY WNDS SHLD PICK UP QUITE A BIT AFT SFC LO MVS BY AND PRES GRAD TIGHTENS ACRS FA SO WL ADD CAUTION ON LAKES FOR MUCH OF NRN AND WRN ZNS FOR TNGT. THIS SHLD USHER IN COLDER AIR AND WENT QUITE A BIT BLO GUIDANCE FOR TEMPS. STAYED FAIRLY CLOSE TO GUIDANCE FOR REMAINDER OF FCST...PERHAPS SHADING A LTL ON THE COOL SIDE. WL MAKE LAST MIN ADJS TO POPS BASED ON LATEST RADAR TRENDS. PRELIM NMBRS TUL 37/58 40/65 6000 FSM 42/61 37/64 5100 MLC 39/62 39/67 1000 BVO 34/58 37/65 6000 FYV 38/56 36/63 8100 IDB 45/64 38/66 3000 BYV 37/55 35/62 8100 07 .TUL... OK...NONE. AR...NONE.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 1:00 PM CST, 3 hours 21 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-029-OKZ054>077-311200- EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 100 PM CST SAT MAR 30 1996 A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND A SMALL PART OF WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS UNTIL 7 PM. A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVER EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WAS MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. AT THE SURFACE...LOW PRESSURE WAS CENTERED JUST NORTHEAST OF OKLAHOMA CITY AT 1 PM. THE SURFACE LOW WILL TRACK EAST SOUTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA THIS AFTERNOON AND THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL MOVE EAST INTO NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA. SUBSTANTIAL MID LEVEL COOLING WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE AREA. THIS WILL ALLOW THE CAP WHICH HAS BEEN IN PLACE OVER THE AREA THIS MORNING TO BREAK AND ALLOW THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS WILL FURTHER DESTABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE AND ALLOW SOME OF THE STORMS TO BECOME SEVERE. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS EXPECTED TO BE LARGE HAIL. THE COLDER AIR ALOFT MOVING INTO THE AREA WILL CAUSE THE STORMS TO BE EFFICIENT HAIL PRODUCERS. CONDITIONS DO NOT APPEAR FAVORABLE AT THIS TIME FOR DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES AS THE BETTER WIND PROFILES FOR THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY WILL BE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA. THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT SHOULD END BY 10 PM. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS IN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ACTIVATING NOW. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS IN THE REST OF THE AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 1:11 PM CST, 3 hours 10 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-029-OKZ054>077-311200- EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 100 PM CST SAT MAR 30 1996 A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND A SMALL PART OF WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS UNTIL 7 PM. A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVER EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WAS MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. AT THE SURFACE...LOW PRESSURE WAS CENTERED JUST NORTHEAST OF OKLAHOMA CITY AT 1 PM. THE SURFACE LOW WILL TRACK EAST SOUTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA THIS AFTERNOON AND THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL MOVE EAST INTO NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA. SUBSTANTIAL MID LEVEL COOLING WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE AREA. THIS WILL ALLOW THE CAP WHICH HAS BEEN IN PLACE OVER THE AREA THIS MORNING TO BREAK AND ALLOW THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS WILL FURTHER DESTABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE AND ALLOW SOME OF THE STORMS TO BECOME SEVERE. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS EXPECTED TO BE LARGE HAIL. THE COLDER AIR ALOFT MOVING INTO THE AREA WILL CAUSE THE STORMS TO BE EFFICIENT HAIL PRODUCERS. CONDITIONS DO NOT APPEAR FAVORABLE AT THIS TIME FOR DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES AS THE BETTER WIND PROFILES FOR THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY WILL BE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA. THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT SHOULD END BY 10 PM. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS IN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ACTIVATING NOW. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS IN THE REST OF THE AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 4:15 PM CST, 6 minutes before
OKZ068-302245- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 415 PM CST SAT MAR 30 1996 ...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH CHEROKEE COUNTY... AT 414 PM...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH WESTERN CHEROKEE COUNTY. THE STRONGEST STORM WITHIN THIS LINE WAS NEAR HULBERT. PEA SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN THE HULBERT AREA. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH MAY OCCUR JUST AHEAD OF THIS THUNDERSTORM LINE. THE LINE SHOULD MOVE INTO THE TAHLEQUAH AREA BEFORE 430 PM. PEOPLE AHEAD OF THIS THUNDERSTORM LINE SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER IN CASE THE STORMS INTENSIFY.
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 4:16 PM CST, 5 minutes before
OKZ068-302245- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 415 PM CST SAT MAR 30 1996 ...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH CHEROKEE COUNTY... AT 414 PM...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH WESTERN CHEROKEE COUNTY. THE STRONGEST STORM WITHIN THIS LINE WAS NEAR HULBERT. PEA SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN THE HULBERT AREA. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH MAY OCCUR JUST AHEAD OF THIS THUNDERSTORM LINE. THE LINE SHOULD MOVE INTO THE TAHLEQUAH AREA BEFORE 430 PM. PEOPLE AHEAD OF THIS THUNDERSTORM LINE SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER IN CASE THE STORMS INTENSIFY.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Tulsa, OK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 1:35 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Creek | 40 min |
| Mar 30, 2:12 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Creek | 48 min |
| Mar 30, 2:35 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Okmulgee | 40 min |
| Mar 30, 2:56 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Muskogee, Wagoner | 49 min |
| Mar 30, 4:41 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Delaware | 49 min |
| Mar 30, 5:24 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Cherokee, Muskogee | 51 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Oklahoma, 1996Every severe thunderstorm 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.