Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 1996
Tornado Warning 25, NWS Tulsa, OK
NWS Tulsa, OK issued this tornado warning at Apr 22, 1996, 12:36 AM CDT for McIntosh County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 39 min. 1 report 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
- Apr 22, 1996, 12:36 AM CDT (05:36 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 22, 1996, 1:15 AM CDT
- In force
- 39 min
- Issued by
- NWS Tulsa, OK
- Area
- Whole counties
County McIntosh County, OK
The radar
The Tulsa radar (KINX), 90 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:35 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 22, 12:40 AM CDT | Hail 0.75 | Checotah, 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
Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 00:00Z, 5.6 hours before the alert went out and 158 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
- 392 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -36 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1442 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 74 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 295 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 484 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.3
- Supercell composite
- 2.5
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KTUL 220537 TORTUL OKC091-220615- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 1236 AM CDT MON APR 22 1996 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 115 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA ...NORTHERN MCINTOSH COUNTY AT 1235 AM RADAR INDICATED A DEVELOPING TORNADO 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF HITCHITA. THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH TOWARD RENTIESVILLE. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SEEK SHELTER NOW! THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION. ACT QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF AVAILABLE. OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. STAY AWAY FROM OUTSIDE WALLS AND AVOID WINDOWS. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET IN A GROUND DEPRESSION. WATCH FOR SIGNS OF DEVELOPING STORMS. LARGE HAILSTONES AND UNUSUALLY LOW SWIRLING CLOUDS ARE MANY TIMES SEEN NEAR DEVELOPING TORNADOES. STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES OFTEN PRODUCE A LOUD ROARING SOUND THAT CAN BE HEARD IN THE VICINITY OF STORMS. FREQUENT AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING OCCURS WITH MOST SEVERE THUNDER$STORMS.
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 Tulsa, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Apr 21, 9:21 PM CDT, 3 hours 15 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 21, 9:21 PM CDT, 3 hours 15 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 920 PM CDT SUN APR 21 1996 WATER VAPOR SHOWS A SHORTWAVE MOVING SLOWLY EAST ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS...WESTERN OKLAHOMA AND INTO WEST TEXAS. MEANWHILE...SURFACE MAPS SHOW A COLD FRONT FROM JUST WEST OF A TOP-ICT-GAG-DHT LINE WITH DEW POINTS BETWEEN 60 TO 65 TO ITS SOUTHEAST ACROSS MUCH OF OKLAHOMA AND INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. MOISTURE AT 8H SHOULD ALSO BE PLENTIFUL WITH 12C DEW POINTS AT FTW AND SHV. KTLX AND KINX 88- D'S SHOW SCT STRONG TRW ACROSS THE REGION AND EXPECT THIS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE COLD FRONT PASSES LATER TONIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING. THINK FLASH FLOOD THREAT IS MARGINAL BUT WILL KEEP IT WITH ALL THE STORMS AROUND AND SOME STORMS HAVING THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE A QUICK INCH AND A HALF OR TWO INCHES ON TOP OF PLACES WHICH MAY HAVE ALREADY HAD STORMS. THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING WILL END AS THE COLD FRONT PASSES WITH ONLY LINGERING PATCHES OF LIGHT RAIN REMAINING. RAIN SHOULD END FROM THE NORTHWEST TOMORROW AS THE COLD FRONT PUSHES FURTHER SOUTH AND EAST AWAY FROM THE AREA. .TUL... OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH ZNS 54>76 TONIGHT. AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH ZNS 1/2/10/11/19/29 TONIGHT. ABBAS
In the hours before
Local storm report, Apr 21, 7:30 PM CDT, 5 hours 6 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA, OK
730 PM CDT SUN APR 21 1996
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0728 PM 7 W WELCH ( OK 1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/96 CRAIGSpecial weather statement, Apr 21, 9:51 PM CDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before
OKZ054>076-ARZ001-002-010-011-019-029-221245- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 950 PM CDT SUN APR 21 1996 ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TONIGHT... A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING EASTERN OKLAHOMA COUNTIES TONIGHT... OSAGE...WASHINGTON...PAWNEE...NOWATA...CRAIG...OTTAWA... DELAWARE...MAYES...ROGERS...TULSA...CREEK....OKFUSKEE.... OKMULGEE...MUSKOGEE...MCINTOSH...WAGONER...ADAIR...CHEROKEE... HASKELL...LATIMER...LE FLORE...PITTSBURG AND SEQUOYAH. THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH ALSO INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING NORTHWEST ARKANSAS COUNTIES... BENTON...CARROLL...CRAWFORD...MADISON...SEBASTIAN AND WASHINGTON. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR FLASH FLOODING. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE OCCURRED OVER PARTS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND SHOULD SPREAD INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS DURING THE NIGHT. WITH AN UPPER ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCE MOVING INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST AND A COLD FRONT APPROACHING THE AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST...THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER AND MOVE ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TONIGHT. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL FEED UPON AIR THAT IS RICH IN MOISTURE AND WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS. THUS...FLASH FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WHICH HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED HEAVY RAINS EARLIER IN THE DAY. PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA NEED TO MAKE PLANS FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF FLASH FLOODING TONIGHT...PARTICULARLY IF YOU LIVE IN A FLOOD PRONE AREA. IF YOU SHOULD ENCOUNTER FLOODED ROADWAYS...PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE INTO THE WATER AS THE ROAD UNDERNEAT(H MAY HAVE BEEN WASHED OUT. KEEP TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR THE LOCAL MEDIA FOR POSSIBLE FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Apr 21, 10:53 PM CDT, 1 hour 43 minutes before
OKZ054>056-059-220415- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 1050 PM CDT SUN APR 21 1996 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 218 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA COUNTIE0S... PAWNEE...OSAGE...WASHINGTON...AND NOWATA. THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER HAS SHIFTED TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF THESE COUNTIES. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE REST OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA UNTIL 3 AM.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Tulsa, OK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 7:05 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Craig, Nowata | 40 min |
| Apr 21, 7:09 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Washington | 36 min |
| Apr 21, 7:22 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Nowata | 53 min |
| Apr 21, 7:32 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Craig, Ottawa | 43 min |
| Apr 21, 7:43 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Nowata | 32 min |
| Apr 21, 7:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Craig | 21 min |
| Apr 21, 8:08 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Ottawa | 37 min |
| Apr 21, 8:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | McIntosh, Pittsburg | 55 min |
| Apr 21, 8:57 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | McIntosh, Pittsburg | 48 min |
| Apr 21, 9:30 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Haskell | 45 min |
| Apr 21, 9:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Okfuskee | 41 min |
| Apr 21, 9:39 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Pittsburg | 21 min |
| Apr 21, 10:05 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Haskell | 40 min |
| Apr 21, 10:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Okmulgee | 45 min |
| Apr 21, 10:22 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | LeFlore, Sequoyah | 53 min |
| Apr 21, 10:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | McIntosh | 50 min |
| Apr 21, 10:37 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | Cherokee | 3 hr |
| Apr 21, 11:17 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Okfuskee | 43 min |
| Apr 21, 11:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Rogers, Tulsa, Wagoner | 47 min |
| Apr 21, 11:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | McIntosh, Okmulgee | 50 min |
| Apr 21, 11:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Okfuskee | 46 min |
| Apr 22, 12:25 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | McIntosh, Muskogee, Okmulgee | 50 min |
| Apr 22, 12:41 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Cherokee, Wagoner | 49 min |
| Apr 22, 12:46 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Pittsburg | 44 min |
| Apr 22, 12:55 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Muskogee | 35 min |
| Apr 22, 12:59 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Sequoyah | 46 min |
| Apr 22, 1:19 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Sequoyah | 41 min |
| Apr 22, 1:24 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Adair, Cherokee | 51 min |
| Apr 22, 1:28 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Pittsburg | 32 min |
| Apr 22, 1:36 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Haskell, Latimer | 54 min |
| Apr 22, 1:45 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Latimer, Pittsburg | 45 min |
| Apr 22, 1:50 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Adair | 40 min |
| Apr 22, 2:18 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | Latimer, Pittsburg | 3 hr |
| Apr 22, 2:22 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Haskell, LeFlore | 53 min |
| Apr 22, 2:34 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | Haskell | 3 hr |
| Apr 22, 7:16 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | Latimer, Pittsburg | 119 min |
| Apr 22, 7:16 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | LeFlore | 119 min |
| Apr 22, 8:37 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | Haskell | 2 hr |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Oklahoma, 1996Every tornado warning in 1996Tornadoes 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.