Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 124, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 25, 1997Latimer County, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 25, 1997, 8:28 AM CDT for Latimer County, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 62 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 25, 1997, 8:28 AM CDT (13:28 UTC)
Expired
May 25, 1997, 9:30 AM CDT
In force
62 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Whole counties

Counties Latimer County, OK, Pittsburg County, OK

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 177 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 1997-05-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 491 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 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 1997-05-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 115 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
491 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-51 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
928 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
115 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
133 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 251328 RRA
SVRTUL
OKC077-121-251430-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
828 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  930 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
 
   ...LATIMER COUNTY...EASTERN PITTSBURG COUNTY
 
AT 826 AM...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING
FROM 3 MILES WEST OF BLOCKER TO 3 MILES EAST OF MCALESTER TO 6 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF THE TOWN OF PITTSBURG. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 30 MPH.
 
WILBURTON...HARTSHORNE...AND HAILEYVILLE ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM.
 
WIND GUSTS TO 65 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE WARNED AREA.
 
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.
 
KEEP TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER BULLETINS.

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 May 25, 4:09 AM CDT, 4 hours 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 25, 4:09 AM CDT, 4 hours 19 minutes before
FPUS3 KTUL 250907
AFDTUL

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
409 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 1997

SCTD TSRA CONT TO DVLP AND MOVE NE ACRS PARTS OF ERN OKLA EARLY
THIS MORN. MOST ACTIVITY FORMED ALG OUTFLO FROM CONVECTION WELL
WEST OF THE AREA LAST NITE. A STG/SVR CELL WAS IN CNTRL OKLA...
WHERE CONVERGENCE MAXIMIZED ALG OUTFLO BNDRY. WITH UNSTABLE AIR AND
NO CAP OVR FA...XPCT THIS ACTIVITY TO CONTINUE THIS MORN...ESPLY
OVR XTRM NW ARK AND NE CORNER OKLA.

FCST BECOMES DIFFICULT LATER TODAY INTO MEMORIAL DAY AS COMPLEX UPR
PATN EVOLVES ACRS CNTRL U.S. MODELS AGREE ON GENL DEVELOPMENTS IN
BRINGING ONE STG SHORTWV OUT INTO SRN KS THIS AFTN AND A CLOSED LOW
INTO WRN KS BY LATE MONDAY. HOWEVER...THERE ARE BIG DIFFERENCES IN
MODEL HANDLING OF SFC FEATURES...WITH ETA MODEL LOOKING MOST
REASONABLE WITH RESPECT TO SFC LO AND SFC BNDRIES.

SFC DRYLINE SHUD PUSH INTO CNTRL OKLA EARLY THIS AFTN...BEFORE
STALLING NEAR OR WEST OF A TUL/MLC LINE BY THIS EVE. NGM PUSHES SFC
DRYLINE TOO FAR EAST...ALTHO I AGREE THAT LO LVL MSTR LIKELY TO BE
SHALLOWED OUT AS LOW LVL WINDS VEER AND SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE FIRST
WAVE DRIES THINGS OUT. SFC DRYLINE SHUD THEN GET ANOTHER EWD PUSH
ON MONDAY AS LO LVL MSTR MIXES OUT...WITH DRYLINE XPCTD TO BE ACRS
EXTRM ERN OKLA BY MON EVE.

XPCT ROUND OF SVR WEATHER ACRS ERN OKLA/NW ARK LATE THIS MORN INTO
THIS EVE AS FIRST WAVE APCHS AND SFC DRYLINE DVLPS INTO CNTRL OKLA.
STG/SVR STORMS LIKELY TO DEVELOP ALG/AHEAD OF DRYLINE...WITH STGST
STORMS LIKELY TO MOVE EAST OF DRYLINE THIS AFTN OR THIS EVE. WL GO
WITH LIKELY POPS ACRS MOST OF ERN OKLA TODAY... WITH HIEST POPS
SPREADING INTO NW ARK TONITE. WL CONT WITH A SVR THREAT INTO
MONDAY...ESPLY ALG/AHD OF EXPCTD DRYLINE POSN ACRS NW ARK AND EXTRM
ERN OKLA.

GOOD CHC OF SVR WEATHER OVR ENTIRE FA TDA AND EARLY TONITE AS
ADVERTISED IN SPC MODT RISK AREA. STG INSTBY AND INCRG SHEAR WL
LEAD TO A THREAT OF SVR TSRA ALL AREAS...BUT BIGGEST THREAT OF
SUPERCELL TORNADOES APPRS TO BE ACRS MLC/FSM/MKO CORRIDOR THIS AFTN
AND INTO FYV AREA LATE THIS AFTN/EARLY THIS EVE.
                                                        /9

TUL 84/66/90/61 7432        MLC 86/66/92/63 7432
BVO 83/64/90/60 7532        IDB 86/67/92/65 4432
FYV 84/63/88/57 4743        FSM 86/63/90/63 4642

.TUL...
OK...NONE.
AR...NONE.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 25, 6:00 AM CDT, 2 hours 28 minutes before
OKZ054>076-ARZ001-002-010-011-019-029-261200-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
600 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 1997

NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA
TODAY...AND INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS BY THE EVENING HOURS TONIGHT.

SOUTHERLY WINDS IN THE LOWEST LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE CONTINUE TO
BRING ABUNDANT MOISTURE NORTHWARD INTO EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TODAY...WITH INCREASING UPPER LEVEL ATMOSPHERIC
SUPPORT TAKING SHAPE FOR AN INCREASED THREAT OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS THE REGION.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE GRADUALLY EASTWARD
THROUGH EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS MORNING
ALONG NUMEROUS OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES SPAWNED BY OVERNIGHT
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS WESTERN OKLAHOMA.  ATMOSPHERIC INSTABILITY
WILL REMAIN FAIRLY LIMITED ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS THIS MORNING.  HOWEVER...WITH THE PRESENCE OF AN UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING THROUGH THE REGION...THERE MAY BE ENOUGH
SUPPORT FOR A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA THROUGH
MID DAY.  THE PRIMARY THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS.

BY THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS...A SURFACE DRYLINE IS FORECAST TO
MOVE INTO CENTRAL OKLAHOMA.  THIS DRYLINE WILL HELP FOCUS ORGANIZED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AT THAT
TIME.  THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE QUICKLY INTO EASTERN
OKLAHOMA DURING THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON HOURS AS DAYTIME HEATING
MAKES THE ATMOSPHERE VERY UNSTABLE.

THE WIND PROFILES IN THE LOWEST LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE ARE
FORECAST TO BECOME INCREASINGLY FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS BY MID AFTERNOON.  THIS MEANS THE THREAT
FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT WILL ALSO BE ON THE INCREASE AS THE STORMS
PROPAGATE EASTWARD INTO THE REGION.

BY THE EARLY EVENING HOURS...THE DRYLINE IS EXPECTED TO BE JUST
WEST OF A TULSA...MCALESTER LINE WITH NUMEROUS STRONG TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA ALONG AND EAST OF
THE DRYLINE.  THESE STORMS WILL QUICKLY MOVE INTO NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS EARLY TONIGHT BRINGING AN INCREASED THREAT OF SEVERE
WEATHER TO THAT REGION.

AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THAT EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS COULD SEE A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SETUP LATER
TODAY AND INTO TONIGHT.  PERSONS ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ARE URGED TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES.
STAY TUNED TO LOCAL TELEVISION...RADIO...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS...UPDATED FORECASTS...AS WELL AS ANY WATCHES
AND WARNINGS WHICH MAY FOLLOW.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS ACROSS
EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE
WEATHER PATTERN TODAY...AND MAINTAIN A HIGH STATE OF READINESS.

AN UPDATED THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 1 PM CDT.
Special weather statement, May 25, 6:02 AM CDT, 2 hours 26 minutes before
OKZ054>076-ARZ001-002-010-011-019-029-261200-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
600 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 1997

NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA
TODAY...AND INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS BY THE EVENING HOURS TONIGHT.

SOUTHERLY WINDS IN THE LOWEST LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE CONTINUE TO
BRING ABUNDANT MOISTURE NORTHWARD INTO EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TODAY...WITH INCREASING UPPER LEVEL ATMOSPHERIC
SUPPORT TAKING SHAPE FOR AN INCREASED THREAT OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS THE REGION.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE GRADUALLY EASTWARD
THROUGH EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS MORNING
ALONG NUMEROUS OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES SPAWNED BY OVERNIGHT
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS WESTERN OKLAHOMA.  ATMOSPHERIC INSTABILITY
WILL REMAIN FAIRLY LIMITED ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS THIS MORNING.  HOWEVER...WITH THE PRESENCE OF AN UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING THROUGH THE REGION...THERE MAY BE ENOUGH
SUPPORT FOR A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA THROUGH
MID DAY.  THE PRIMARY THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS.

BY THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS...A SURFACE DRYLINE IS FORECAST TO
MOVE INTO CENTRAL OKLAHOMA.  THIS DRYLINE WILL HELP FOCUS ORGANIZED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AT THAT
TIME.  THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE QUICKLY INTO EASTERN
OKLAHOMA DURING THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON HOURS AS DAYTIME HEATING
MAKES THE ATMOSPHERE VERY UNSTABLE.

THE WIND PROFILES IN THE LOWEST LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE ARE
FORECAST TO BECOME INCREASINGLY FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS BY MID AFTERNOON.  THIS MEANS THE THREAT
FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT WILL ALSO BE ON THE INCREASE AS THE STORMS
PROPAGATE EASTWARD INTO THE REGION.

BY THE EARLY EVENING HOURS...THE DRYLINE IS EXPECTED TO BE JUST
WEST OF A TULSA...MCALESTER LINE WITH NUMEROUS STRONG TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA ALONG AND EAST OF
THE DRYLINE.  THESE STORMS WILL QUICKLY MOVE INTO NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS EARLY TONIGHT BRINGING AN INCREASED THREAT OF SEVERE
WEATHER TO THAT REGION.

AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THAT EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS COULD SEE A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SETUP LATER
TODAY AND INTO TONIGHT.  PERSONS ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ARE URGED TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES.
STAY TUNED TO LOCAL TELEVISION...RADIO...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS...UPDATED FORECASTS...AS WELL AS ANY WATCHES
AND WARNINGS WHICH MAY FOLLOW.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS ACROSS
EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE
WEATHER PATTERN TODAY...AND MAINTAIN A HIGH STATE OF READINESS.

AN UPDATED THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 1 PM CDT.
Special weather statement, May 25, 7:17 AM CDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
OKZ072-076-ARZ001-002-010-011-019-029-251600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
718 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 1997

...PATCHY DENSE FOG OVER NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND EXTREME EASTERN
OKLAHOMA...

LIGHT WINDS AND HIGH HUMIDITIES RESULTED IN AREAS OF DENSE FOG ACROSS
PARTS OF NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND EXTREME EASTERN OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS
MORNING.  AT 700 AM...VISIBILITIES AS LOW AS 1/4 MILE WERE REPORTED
IN THE FORT SMITH AREA. THE FOG WAS NOT QUITE AS THICK IN THE
FAYETTEVILLE AREA.

AREAS OF DENSE FOG WILL CONTINUE UNTIL ABOUT MID MORNING...WITH
VISIBILITIES IMPROVING RAPIDLY AFTER 900 AM.

DRIVERS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING THROUGH AREAS OF FOG.
VISIBILITIES MAY "BE REDUCED TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY NEAR
INTERSTATE 40 AROUND SALLISAW AND FORT SMITH.
Special weather statement, May 25, 7:18 AM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
OKZ072-076-ARZ001-002-010-011-019-029-251600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
718 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 1997

...PATCHY DENSE FOG OVER NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND EXTREME EASTERN
OKLAHOMA...

LIGHT WINDS AND HIGH HUMIDITIES RESULTED IN AREAS OF DENSE FOG ACROSS
PARTS OF NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND EXTREME EASTERN OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS
MORNING.  AT 700 AM...VISIBILITIES AS LOW AS 1/4 MILE WERE REPORTED
IN THE FORT SMITH AREA. THE FOG WAS NOT QUITE AS THICK IN THE
FAYETTEVILLE AREA.

AREAS OF DENSE FOG WILL CONTINUE UNTIL ABOUT MID MORNING...WITH
VISIBILITIES IMPROVING RAPIDLY AFTER 900 AM.

DRIVERS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING THROUGH AREAS OF FOG.
VISIBILITIES MAY BE REDUCED TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY NEAR
INTERSTATE 40 AROUND SALLISAW AND FORT SMITH.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 25, 7:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPittsburg45 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Oklahoma, 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.