Alert archive / Missouri / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 44, NWS St. Louis, MO

May 2, 1997Madison County, Missouri

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 2, 1997, 1:06 PM CDT for Madison County, Missouri. It was in force for 39 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 2, 1997, 1:06 PM CDT (18:06 UTC)
Expired
May 2, 1997, 1:45 PM CDT
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS St. Louis, MO
Area
Whole counties

County Madison County, MO

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 139 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:05 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

Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 12:00Z, 6.1 hours before the alert went out and 297 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, Little Rock, AR at 12:00Z on 1997-05-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 496 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Little Rock, AR at 12:00Z on 1997-05-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 534 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
496 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-404 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
733 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
534 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
701 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSTL 021806 RRA
SVRSTL
MOC123-021845-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
106 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  145 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
 
   ...MADISON COUNTY
 
TOWNS IN THE PATH INCLUDE FREDERICKTOWN AND MARQUAND.
 
AT 105 PM RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTH OF
FREDERICKTOWN MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM! BE PREPARED FOR DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING. STAY INSIDE AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
 
JPK

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.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 2, 7:15 AM CDT, 5 hours 51 minutes before
MOZ042-041-050-010-048-072-062-059-084-018-019-052-085-027-047-
051-034-049-036-035-099-061-075-074-063-064-009-026-060-073-ILZ095-
064-096-098-069-065-058-099-059-100-070-102-060-097-079-101-074-
MOZ065-021600-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
615 AM CST FRI MAY 2 1997

THIS OUTLOOK COVERS THE COUNTY WARNING AREA OF THE NWS OFFICE
IN ST LOUIS.  AREAS INCLUDED ARE PARTS OF CENTRAL...NORTHEAST AND
EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI...AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
CENTRAL...NORTHEAST...AND EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI...AND SOUTHWEST
ILLINOIS...THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY TONIGHT.

A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BE MOVING FROM EASTERN KANSAS INTO
NORTHERN MISSOURI TODAY.  SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN ADVANCE OF
THIS SYSTEM WILL BLANKET THE AREA THIS MORNING...AND ALTHOUGH SOME
OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAINS THEY ARE NOT EXPECTED
TO BE SEVERE.

THE GREATEST THREAT LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THIS
AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING...AS THE WARM AND MOIST AIR MOVING
INTO THE REGION BECOMES UNSTABLE BY THE HEAT OF THE DAY.  THIS
DESTABILIZATION...COMBINED WITH THE APPROACH OF A VIGOROUS UPPER
LEVEL SYSTEM...COULD LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS.

STORM SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD MONITOR LATER
FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS FOR POSSIBLE SKYWARN ACTION.

TRUETT
Special weather statement, May 2, 10:58 AM CDT, 2 hours 8 minutes before
MOZ042-041-050-010-048-072-062-059-084-018-019-052-085-027-047-
051-034-049-036-035-099-061-075-074-063-064-009-026-060-073-ILZ095-
064-096-098-069-065-058-099-059-100-070-102-060-097-079-101-074-
MOZ065-021600-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1100 AM CST FRI MAY 2 1997

THIS OUTLOOK COVERS THE COUNTY WARNING AREA OF THE NWS OFFICE
IN ST LOUIS.  AREAS INCLUDED ARE PARTS OF CENTRAL...NORTHEAST AND
EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI...AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHERN
PORTIONS OF THE NWS ST LOUIS WARNING AREA...GENERALLY SOUTH OF A
LINE FROM SALEM MISSOURI TO POTOSI TO BELLEVILLE TO VANDALIA
ILLINOIS.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS COVERING THE
REMAINDER OF THE NWS ST LOUIS WARNING AREA OVER CENTRAL...
NORTHEAST...AND EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI...AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.

A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE FROM NORTHWEST MISSOURI INTO
NORTHERN ILLINOIS BY MID-EVENING...PUSHING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE
AREA.  GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DRAW WARM MOIST AIR
NORTHWARD IN ADVANCE OF THIS LOW PRESSURE AREA.  THE COMBINATION OF
AFTERNOON HEATING...AND COOL DRY AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE
APPROACH OF A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM...WILL RESULT IN
MODERATELY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON OVER MUCH OF
MISSOURI AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.  THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO THEN REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AS THE COLD FRONT
INTERACTS WITH THIS UNSTABLE AIR MASS.

THE GREATEST SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS...HOWEVER OVER SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF THE AREA...THE WIND
PROFILE AND SHEAR WILL BE ALSO BE SUPPORTIVE OF POSSIBLE TORNADOES.

STORM SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD MONITOR LATER
FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS AND BE PREPARED FOR SKYWARN ACTION THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

GLASS
Special weather statement, May 2, 12:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
MOZ042-041-050-010-048-072-062-059-084-018-019-052-085-027-047-
051-034-049-036-035-099-061-075-074-063-064-009-026-060-073-ILZ095-
064-096-098-069-065-058-099-059-100-070-102-060-097-079-101-074-
MOZ065-021600-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1100 AM CST FRI MAY 2 1997

THIS OUTLOOK COVERS THE COUNTY WARNING AREA OF THE NWS OFFICE
IN ST LOUIS.  AREAS INCLUDED ARE PARTS OF CENTRAL...NORTHEAST AND
EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI...AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHERN
PORTIONS OF THE NWS ST LOUIS WARNING AREA...GENERALLY SOUTH OF A
LINE FROM SALEM MISSOURI TO POTOSI TO BELLEVILLE TO VANDALIA
ILLINOIS.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS COVERING THE
REMAINDER OF THE NWS ST LOUIS WARNING AREA OVER CENTRAL...
NORTHEAST...AND EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI...AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.

A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE FROM NORTHWEST MISSOURI INTO
NORTHERN ILLINOIS BY MID-EVENING...PUSHING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE
AREA.  GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DRAW WARM MOIST AIR
NORTHWARD IN ADVANCE OF THIS LOW PRESSURE AREA.  THE COMBINATION OF
AFTERNOON HEATING...AND COOL DRY AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE
APPROACH OF A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM...WILL RESULT IN
MODERATELY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON OVER MUCH OF
MISSOURI AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.  THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO THEN REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AS THE COLD FRONT
INTERACTS WITH THIS UNSTABLE AIR MASS.

THE GREATEST SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS...HOWEVER OVER SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF THE AREA...THE WIND
PROFILE AND SHEAR WILL BE ALSO BE SUPPORTIVE OF POSSIBLE TORNADOES.

STORM SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD MONITOR LATER
FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS AND BE PREPARED FOR SKYWARN ACTION THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

GLASS

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Missouri, 1997Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997

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.