Alert archive / Arkansas / Tornado Warnings in 1997
Tornado Warning 2, NWS Little Rock, AR
NWS Little Rock, AR issued this tornado warning at Mar 1, 1997, 12:53 PM CST for Newton County, Arkansas. It was in force for 62 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 1, 1997, 12:53 PM CST (18:53 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 1, 1997, 1:55 PM CST
- In force
- 62 min
- Issued by
- NWS Little Rock, AR
- Area
- Whole counties
County Newton County, AR
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 12:55 PM CST | Thunderstorm Wind 50 | Deer, AR | |
| Mar 1, 12:55 PM CST | Hail 0.75 | Nail, AR | |
| Mar 1, 1:05 PM CST | Hail 0.75 | Western Grove, AR |
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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 12:00 PM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 12:00Z, 6.9 hours before the alert went out and 121 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
- 1533 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 63 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 2 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 117 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KLIT 011853 RRA TORLIT ARC101-011955- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 1253 PM CST SAT MAR 1 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LITTLE ROCK AR HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 155 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN NORTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS ...NEWTON COUNTY AT 1252 PM CST...A DEVELOPING TORNADO WAS DETECTED BY DOPPLER RADAR 18 MILES SOUTH OF JASPER OR 7 MILES SOUTH OF DEER MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO INCLUDE... JASPER AROUND 105 PM CST ... IF YOU ARE AT HOME AND IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A BASEMENT. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. AS A LAST RESORT...LAY IN A BATHTUB. COVER YOUR BODY WITH A MATTRESS...PILLOWS OR CUSHIONS. THOSE IN MOBILE HOMES SHOULD MOVE TO A STRONG BUILDING OR UNDERGROUND SHELTER. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS.@..AND NO BUILDINGS ARE AVAILABLE...LAY IN A DITCH OR CULVERT TO AVOID FLYING DEBRIS. BUT BEWARE OF RISING WATER. 16/28
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, Mar 1, 9:59 AM CST, 2 hours 54 minutes before
ARZ003>009-012>018-020>028-030>073-011800- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 1000 AM CST SAT MAR 1 1997 ...SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS PARTS OF ARKANSAS... A WARM FRONT WAS LOCATED OVER NORTH-CENTRAL AND WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS THIS MORNING. THIS BOUNDARY WAS THE DIVIDING LINE BETWEEN UNSEASONABLY WARM AIR TO THE SOUTH AND SOMEWHAT COOLER AIR TO THE NORTH. TEMPERATURES BY MID-MORNING RANGED FROM THE MID 60S TO THE MID 70S OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF THE STATE. MEANWHILE...READINGS IN THE 50S WERE COMMON OVER NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO APPROACH ARKANSAS FROM WEST LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. ALSO...A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL ALSO BE MOVING INTO WESTERN ARKANSAS LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THESE SYSTEMS...ALONG WITH THE RATHER WARM AND UNSTABLE AIR ALREADY IN PLACE OVER THE STATE...WILL COMBINE TO SET OFF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REACH SEVERE LEVELS AS THE DAY GOES ON. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS...AS WELL AS ISOLATED TORNADOES. CURRENTLY...IT APPEARS THAT THE GREATEST THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF ARKANSAS. ARKANSANS ARE URGED TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST FORECASTS THROUGH TODAY AND TONIGHT ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION. SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED LATER TODAY FOR PARTS OF ARKANSAS AS WELL. STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE TELEVISION...LOCAL CABLE TELEVISION OUTLET...RADIO STATION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 44
Special weather statement, Mar 1, 10:00 AM CST, 2 hours 53 minutes before
ARZ003>009-012>018-020>028-030>073-011800- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 1000 AM CST SAT MAR 1 1997 ...SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS PARTS OF ARKANSAS... A WARM FRONT WAS LOCATED OVER NORTH-CENTRAL AND WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS THIS MORNING. THIS BOUNDARY WAS THE DIVIDING LINE BETWEEN UNSEASONABLY WARM AIR TO THE SOUTH AND SOMEWHAT COOLER AIR TO THE NORTH. TEMPERATURES BY MID-MORNING RANGED FROM THE MID 60S TO THE MID 70S OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF THE STATE. MEANWHILE...READINGS IN THE 50S WERE COMMON OVER NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO APPROACH ARKANSAS FROM WEST LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. ALSO...A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL ALSO BE MOVING INTO WESTERN ARKANSAS LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THESE SYSTEMS...ALONG WITH THE RATHER WARM AND UNSTABLE AIR ALREADY IN PLACE OVER THE STATE...WILL COMBINE TO SET OFF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REACH SEVERE LEVELS AS THE DAY GOES ON. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS...AS WELL AS ISOLATED TORNADOES. CURRENTLY...IT APPEARS THAT THE GREATEST THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF ARKANSAS. ARKANSANS ARE URGED TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST FORECASTS THROUGH TODAY AND TONIGHT ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION. SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED LATER TODAY FOR PARTS OF ARKANSAS AS WELL. STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE TELEVISION...LOCAL CABLE TELEVISION OUTLET...RADIO STATION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 44
Special weather statement, Mar 1, 12:05 PM CST, 48 minutes before
ARZ003>009-012>018-020>026-030>033-037>045-050>055-059>062-070-071- 012000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 1205 PM CST SAT MAR 1 1997 ...TORNADO WATCH ISSUED FOR MUCH OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL ARKANSAS UNTIL 600 PM CST... A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR A LARGE PART OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL ARKANSAS AND WILL BE IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CST. THE WATCH COVERS THAT PART OF THE STATE GENERALLY NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM LEWISVILLE TO SHERIDAN TO JONESBORO. RATHER WARM AND VERY UNSTABLE AIR IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE ACROSS ARKANSAS. A COLD FRONT WILL ENTER WESTERN ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. AS THE FRONT PUSHES FURTHER EASTWARD...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND INTENSIFY AHEAD OF IT. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REACH SEVERE LEVELS AS THE AFTERNOON GOES ON. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH SOME OF THE STORMS...AS WELL AS ISOLATED TORNADOES. PERSONS ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL ARKANSAS ARE URGED TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST FORECASTS THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON AND INTO TONIGHT ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION. STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE TELEVISION...LOCAL CABLE TELEVISION OUTLET...RADIO STATION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 44
The office that day
Everything else NWS Little Rock, AR issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 6:22 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Monroe | 33 min |
| Mar 1, 12:04 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Johnson | 46 min |
| Mar 1, 12:16 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Newton | 49 min |
| Mar 1, 12:42 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Johnson | 48 min |
| Mar 1, 1:04 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Franklin | 66 min |
| Mar 1, 1:09 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Marion | 46 min |
| Mar 1, 1:36 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Saline | 49 min |
| Mar 1, 1:44 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Marion, Searcy | 51 min |
| Mar 1, 1:56 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Clark, Pike | 64 min |
| Mar 1, 1:58 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Baxter | 52 min |
| Mar 1, 2:04 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Baxter | 51 min |
| Mar 1, 2:09 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Franklin, Johnson | 51 min |
| Mar 1, 2:14 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Clark | 66 min |
| Mar 1, 2:22 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Fulton | 48 min |
| Mar 1, 2:29 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Logan | 51 min |
| Mar 1, 2:36 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Faulkner, Lonoke, Pulaski, White | 49 min |
| Mar 1, 2:42 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Hot Spring | 48 min |
| Mar 1, 2:47 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Johnson, Newton | 48 min |
| Mar 1, 2:58 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Newton, Pope, Searcy | 47 min |
| Mar 1, 3:02 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Logan, Yell | 48 min |
| Mar 1, 3:05 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Saline | 65 min |
| Mar 1, 3:16 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Independence, Jackson | 64 min |
| Mar 1, 3:31 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Pulaski | 49 min |
| Mar 1, 3:35 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Baxter, Marion | 50 min |
| Mar 1, 3:38 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Conway, Pope, Van Buren | 62 min |
| Mar 1, 3:54 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Lonoke | 61 min |
| Mar 1, 4:17 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Montgomery | 33 min |
| Mar 1, 4:19 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Stone | 66 min |
| Mar 1, 4:24 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | White | 66 min |
| Mar 1, 4:41 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Izard | 64 min |
| Mar 1, 4:50 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Woodruff | 50 min |
| Mar 1, 4:54 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Independence | 36 min |
| Mar 1, 5:03 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Conway | 47 min |
| Mar 1, 5:07 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Sharp | 48 min |
| Mar 1, 5:11 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Jackson | 19 min |
| Mar 1, 5:23 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Ouachita | 47 min |
| Mar 1, 5:50 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Calhoun | 50 min |
| Mar 1, 5:55 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Dallas | 50 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Arkansas, 1997Every tornado warning in 1997Tornadoes 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.