Alert archive / Arkansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 243, NWS Tulsa, OK

July 9, 1997Benton County, Arkansas

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 9, 1997, 5:32 PM CDT for Benton County, Arkansas. It was in force for 43 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: Jul 9, 1997, 5:32 PM CDT (22:32 UTC)
Expired: Jul 9, 1997, 6:15 PM CDT
In force: 43 min
Issued by: NWS Tulsa, OK
Area: Whole counties

County Benton County, AR

The nearest sounding before it

Lamont, OK (KLMN), launched 12:00Z, 10.5 hours before the alert went out and 290 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 305 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -228 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1132 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 91 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 162 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 5.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

623 
WUUS1 KTUL 092233 RRA
SVRTUL
ARC007-092315-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
532 PM CDT WED JUL 9 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  615 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
 
   ...BENTON COUNTY
 
AT 530 PM...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF
GENTRY...DRIFTING EAST AT 5 TO 10 MPH.
 
HAIL TO THE SIZE OF DIME AND WIND GUSTS TO 65 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED
IN THE WARNED AREA.
 
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 Jul 9, 3:20 PM CDT, 2 hours 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 9, 3:20 PM CDT, 2 hours 12 minutes before

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
32 PM CDT WED JUL 9 1997

APPEARS ANOTHER MCS MAY DVLP LATER AGAIN TONIGHT.  MANUAL PROGS
SEEM TO HAVE ADJUSTED THE NUM MODELS FARTHER SOUTH AND ARE PLACING
THE MAJOR AXIS OF PCPN OVR SERN KS AND NERN OK INTO NWRN AR.
HOWEVER...GIVEN AFTN SFC PATTERN AND MODEL VVEL FIELD...FEEL PCPN
MORE LIKELY TO START FARTHER NORTH AND THEN STAY MORE NORTH AND
EAST OF THE MANUALLY PROGD AXIS.  THIS SCENARIO FITS MORE CLOSELY
WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT.  WILL MENTION HEAVY RAIN...BUT HAVE
CHOSEN TO LEAVE FLASH FLOOD WATCH OUT SINCE MOST ZONES ARE
RELATIVELY DRY...AND PRECIP WATER VALUES ARE RATHER MARGINAL.
THE MCS MAY LAST AFTER DAWN AND WILL LEAVE SOME POPS IN FOR MAINLY
THE MORNING.

ANOTHER ROUND OF PCPN MAY DVLP AGAIN ON THU NIGHT..LASTING INTO
EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.  THIS SHOULD BE SIMILAR TO THE ONE LATER
TONIGHT...SO WILL KEEP SIMILAR POPS.

XPC CLDS TO DISSIPATE EACH DAY...WHICH SHOULD ALLOW PLENTY OF
HEATING FOR WARM AFTN HIGHS.  MOS TEMPS LOOK REASONABLE. /02

TUL BB 071/092 072/092 072 025353
FSM BB 072/092 072/092 073 023254
MLC BB 073/093 073/093 074 021233
BVO BB 070/092 070/092 070 025353
FYV BB 068/089 068/088 068 024354
IDB BB 069/094 069/094 070 021212
BYV BB 066/088 067/088 067 024354

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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 9, 1:10 PM CDT, 4 hours 22 minutes before

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-029-OKZ054>076-101200-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CDT WED JUL 9 1997

ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

AT EARLY AFTERNOON A VERY WEAK SURFACE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE
EXTENDED FROM CENTRAL ARKANSAS TO CENTRAL OKLAHOMA...NEAR A LITTLE
ROCK...MCALESTER...OKLAHOMA CITY LINE.  LIFT ALONG THIS BOUNDARY IS
WEAK...HOWEVER THE ATMOSPHERE WAS BECOMING VERY UNSTABLE AND THE
CAP WAS BEING WEAKENED BY THE STRONG SURFACE HEATING.  AN ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORM COULD FORM ALONG THE TROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.  IF A
STORM DOES FORM THE DEGREE OF INSTABILITY SUGGESTS THAT PULSE
SEVERE WEATHER IS LIKELY WITH LARGE HAIL AND DOWNBURST WINDS.
WINDS ALOFT ARE WEAK SO STORM MOTIONS WILL BE SLOW TOWARD THE EAST
OR SOUTHEAST.

IN ADDITION...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM OVER NEBRASKA...
EASTERN KANSAS AND WESTERN MISSOURI DURING THE AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.  THESE STORMS WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST AND MAY REACH NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA LATE TONIGHT AND FAR NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TOWARD MORNING.
ISOLATED REPORTS OF HAIL AND STRONG WIND WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
ACTIVITY...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAINS.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS OVER
NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHOULD BE PREPARED  FOR
POSSIBLE ACTIVATION LATER TODAY THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT.

Special weather statement, Jul 9, 2:34 PM CDT, 2 hours 58 minutes before

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-029-OKZ054>076-101200-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
235 PM CDT WED JUL 9 1997

ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

AT 2PM REMNANTS OF A THUNDERSTORM BOUNDARY EXTENDED ACROSS
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS INTO EXTREME NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA FROM JUST SOUTH
OF HARRISON TO ROGERS TO MIAMI.  THE ATMOSPHERE HAS BECOME VERY
UNSTABLE ALONG THE BOUNDARY AND THE CAP WAS BEING BROKEN BY STRONG
HEATING AND LOCALLY ENHANCED LIFT IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE
OZARKS.  THUNDERSTORMS WERE FORMING IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ALONG THE
BOUNDARY AND MAY DEVELOP INTO EXTREME NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA DURING THE
AFTERNOON.  THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO SHIFT SOUTHEAST DEEPER
INTO ARKANSAS THIS EVENING.

ALSO...A VERY WEAK SURFACE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE EXTENDED FROM
CENTRAL ARKANSAS TO CENTRAL OKLAHOMA...NEAR A LITTLE ROCK...
MCALESTER...OKLAHOMA CITY LINE.  LIFT ALONG THIS BOUNDARY IS
WEAK...HOWEVER THE ATMOSPHERE WAS BECOMING VERY UNSTABLE AND THE
CAP WAS BEING WEAKENED BY THE STRONG SURFACE HEATING.  AN ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORM COULD FORM ALONG THE TROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND PERSIST
INTO THE EVENING.

ANY STORMS THAT FORM THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING MAY BECOME BREIFLY
SEVERE DUE TO THE DEGREE OF INSTABILITY WITH LARGE HAIL AND
DOWNBURST WINDS THE MAIN THREAT.  WINDS ALOFT ARE WEAK SO STORM
MOTIONS WILL BE SLOW AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WILL OCCUR.

IN ADDITION...THUNDERSTORMS WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO FORM OVER
NEBRASKA... EASTERN KANSAS AND WESTERN MISSOURI DURING THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST AND MAY REACH NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA LATE TONIGHT AND FAR NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TOWARD MORNING.
ISOLATED REPORTS OF HAIL AND STRONG WIND WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
ACTIVITY...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAINS.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS OVER
NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHOULD BE PREPARED  FOR
POSSIBLE ACTIVATION LATER TODAY THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT.

Special weather statement, Jul 9, 2:35 PM CDT, 2 hours 57 minutes before

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-029-OKZ054>076-101200-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
235 PM CDT WED JUL 9 1997

ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

AT 2PM REMNANTS OF A THUNDERSTORM BOUNDARY EXTENDED ACROSS
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS INTO EXTREME NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA FROM JUST SOUTH
OF HARRISON TO ROGERS TO MIAMI.  THE ATMOSPHERE HAS BECOME VERY
UNSTABLE ALONG THE BOUNDARY AND THE CAP WAS BEING BROKEN BY STRONG
HEATING AND LOCALLY ENHANCED LIFT IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE
OZARKS.  THUNDERSTORMS WERE FORMING IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ALONG THE
BOUNDARY AND MAY DEVELOP INTO EXTREME NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA DURING THE
AFTERNOON.  THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO SHIFT SOUTHEAST DEEPER
INTO ARKANSAS THIS EVENING.

ALSO...A VERY WEAK SURFACE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE EXTENDED FROM
CENTRAL ARKANSAS TO CENTRAL OKLAHOMA...NEAR A LITTLE ROCK...
MCALESTER...OKLAHOMA CITY LINE.  LIFT ALONG THIS BOUNDARY IS
WEAK...HOWEVER THE ATMOSPHERE WAS BECOMING VERY UNSTABLE AND THE
CAP WAS BEING WEAKENED BY THE STRONG SURFACE HEATING.  AN ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORM COULD FORM ALONG THE TROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND PERSIST
INTO THE EVENING.

ANY STORMS THAT FORM THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING MAY BECOME BREIFLY
SEVERE DUE TO THE DEGREE OF INSTABILITY WITH LARGE HAIL AND
DOWNBURST WINDS THE MAIN THREAT.  WINDS ALOFT ARE WEAK SO STORM
MOTIONS WILL BE SLOW AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WILL OCCUR.

IN ADDITION...THUNDERSTORMS WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO FORM OVER
NEBRASKA... EASTERN KANSAS AND WESTERN MISSOURI DURING THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST AND MAY REACH NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA LATE TONIGHT AND FAR NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TOWARD MORNING.
ISOLATED REPORTS OF HAIL AND STRONG WIND WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
ACTIVITY...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAINS.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS OVER
NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHOULD BE PREPARED  FOR
POSSIBLE ACTIVATION LATER TODAY THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT.

Local storm report, Jul 9, 3:18 PM CDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
318 PM CDT WED JUL 09 1997

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0305 PM    1 N ROGERS                AR   WIND DAMAGE
07/09/97   BENTON                         LARGE TREE LIMB DOWNED BY
                                          THUNDERSTORMS WINDS

Local storm report, Jul 9, 4:35 PM CDT, 57 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
435 PM CDT WED JUL 09 1997

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0345 PM    BEAVER                    AR   WIND DAMAGE
07/09/97   CARROLL                        SEVERAL LARGE LIMBS DOWNED
                                          BY THUNDERSTORM WINDS

Local storm report, Jul 9, 4:40 PM CDT, 52 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
440 PM CDT WED JUL 09 1997

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0215 AM    MIAMI                     OK   WIND DAMAGE
07/09/97   OTTAWA                         SEVERAL LARGE LIMBS DOWNED
                                          BY THUNDERSTORM WINDS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 9, 3:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Carroll	53 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arkansas, 1997 Every 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.