Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 334, NWS Tulsa, OK

October 25, 1997Latimer County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Oct 25, 1997, 2:03 PM CDT for Latimer County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 27 min. 4 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
Oct 25, 1997, 2:03 PM CDT (19:03 UTC)
Expired
Oct 25, 1997, 2:30 PM CDT
In force
27 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Whole counties

County Latimer County, OK

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Oct 25, 2:25 PM CDTHail 1Wilburton, OK
Oct 25, 2:25 PM CDTThunderstorm WindWilburton, OK
Oct 25, 2:29 PM CDTHail 0.75Wilburton, OK
Oct 25, 2:30 PM CDTThunderstorm WindWilburton, 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Oct 25, 1:30 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 7.1 hours before the alert went out and 199 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 1997-10-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 12 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, Norman, OK at 12:00Z on 1997-10-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 224 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
12 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-513 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1538 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
224 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
270 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KTUL 251904 RRA
SVRTUL
OKC077-251930-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
203 PM CDT SAT OCT 25 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  230 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
 
   ...LATIMER COUNTY
 
AT 2 PM...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS INDICATED BY DOPPLER RADAR MOVING
INTO SOUTHWEST LATIMER COUNTY JUST SOUTHWEST OF HIGGINS. THE STORM WAS
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL AFFECT HIGGINS AND DAMON BY 230 PM.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER...
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH|
LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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 Oct 25, 11:00 AM CDT, 3 hours 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 25, 11:00 AM CDT, 3 hours 3 minutes before
FPUS3 KTUL 251600
AFDTUL
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1100 AM CDT SAT OCT 25 1997

UPDATED TO REMOVE FOG FROM NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND TO REMOVE
REFERENCES TO THIS AFTERNOON IN ALL ZONES.  PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE
INCREASED POPS AS KTLX RADAR SHOWS PLENTY ACTIVITY EITHER INTO OR
HEADED INTO OUR WESTERN ZONES.  DO HAVE HIGH POPS SO FORECAST NOT TOO
BAD.  LEFT OUT SKY CONDITION WITH HIGH POPS DUE TO QUIRK IN IFP AND
THE UNCERTAINTY THAT THE CLOUDS MAY BREAK IN SOME PLACES DURING THE
AFTERNOON.  TEMPERATURES WISE KEPT THINGS PRETTY MUCH AS IS ALTHOUGH
DID LOWER A FEW DEGREES IN THE SOUTH.

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

ABBAS

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Oct 25, 1:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 3 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-029-OKZ054>076-261200-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CDT SAT OCT 25 1997

*** STRONG POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND TORNADOES THIS
AFTERNOON AND EARLY TONIGHT ***

NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND WESTCENTRAL ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVER NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

A POWERFUL STORM SYSTEM WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN AND
CENTRAL PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SEVERE WEATHER IS
EXPECTED...WITH THE GREATEST THREAT OVER SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA... AND
WEST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA...GENERALLY SOUTH OF I-40.  LARGE HAIL...
DAMAGING WINDS ARE EXPECTED. SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES
ARE LIKELY AS WELL.

INSTABILITY CONTINUES TO INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA THIS
AFTERNOON...AND WAS APPROACHING EXTREME LEVELS OVER SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA.  THE VERTICAL WIND SHEAR WAS ALSO VERY STRONG THIS
AFTERNOON INDICATING THAT SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES ARE
LIKELY WITH THESE STORMS.  SOUTH WINDS ABOVE THE GROUND CONTINUE TO
BRING INCREASING MOISTURE TO NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS AS WELL. THESE FACTORS POINT TO AN OUTBREAK OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS...PARTICULARLY OVER AREAS SOUTH OF I-40.

EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE FROM
WEST OF TULSA TO WEST OF MCALESTER.  THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE
MOVING NORTHEAST AND WILL LIKELY BECOME SEVERE BY MID AFTERNOON.
OTHER STORMS MAY FORM FURTHER WEST...CLOSER TO THE DRY LINE WHICH
WAS LOCATED FURTHER WEST FROM ENID TO OKLAHOMA CITY TO DALLAS
TEXAS.  ACROSS NORTHWEST ARKANSAS...THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO
BEGIN AFTER 4 PM.  AGAIN...THE GREATEST THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER
WILL BE SOUTH OF I-40 BUT ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS IS AT RISK.

THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS EXPECTED TO END AFTER MIDNIGHT AS
INSTABILITY DECREASES AND A COLD FRONT BEGINS TO SWEEP ACROSS THE
AREA.

EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND SPOTTER ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE FINALIZING
THERE PREPARATIONS FOR ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

UPDATED THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOKS MAY BE ISSUED LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT
AS THIS WEATHER SYSTEM EVOLVES.
Special weather statement, Oct 25, 1:15 PM CDT, 48 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-029-OKZ054>076-261200-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CDT SAT OCT 25 1997

*** STRONG POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND TORNADOES THIS
AFTERNOON AND EARLY TONIGHT ***

NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND WESTCENTRAL ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVER NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

A POWERFUL STORM SYSTEM WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN AND
CENTRAL PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SEVERE WEATHER IS
EXPECTED...WITH THE GREATEST THREAT OVER SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA... AND
WEST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA...GENERALLY SOUTH OF I-40.  LARGE HAIL...
DAMAGING WINDS ARE EXPECTED. SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES
ARE LIKELY AS WELL.

INSTABILITY CONTINUES TO INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA THIS
AFTERNOON...AND WAS APPROACHING EXTREME LEVELS OVER SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA.  THE VERTICAL WIND SHEAR WAS ALSO VERY STRONG THIS
AFTERNOON INDICATING THAT SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES ARE
LIKELY WITH THESE STORMS.  SOUTH WINDS ABOVE THE GROUND CONTINUE TO
BRING INCREASING MOISTURE TO NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS AS WELL. THESE FACTORS POINT TO AN OUTBREAK OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS...PARTICULARLY OVER AREAS SOUTH OF I-40.

EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE FROM
WEST OF TULSA TO WEST OF MCALESTER.  THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE
MOVING NORTHEAST AND WILL LIKELY BECOME SEVERE BY MID AFTERNOON.
OTHER STORMS MAY FORM FURTHER WEST...CLOSER TO THE DRY LINE WHICH
WAS LOCATED FURTHER WEST FROM ENID TO OKLAHOMA CITY TO DALLAS
TEXAS.  ACROSS NORTHWEST ARKANSAS...THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO
BEGIN AFTER 4 PM.  AGAIN...THE GREATEST THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER
WILL BE SOUTH OF I-40 BUT ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS IS AT RISK.

THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS EXPECTED TO END AFTER MIDNIGHT AS
INSTABILITY DECREASES AND A COLD FRONT BEGINS TO SWEEP ACROSS THE
AREA.

EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND SPOTTER ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE FINALIZING
THERE PREPARATIONS FOR ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

UPDATED THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOKS MAY BE ISSUED LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT
AS THIS WEATHER SYSTEM EVOLVES.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 25, 1:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOkfuskee, Okmulgee38 min
Oct 25, 2:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAMcIntosh, Muskogee29 min
Oct 25, 2:06 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAMcIntosh, Muskogee39 min
Oct 25, 2:11 PM CDTTornado WarningTSALatimer34 min
Oct 25, 2:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALatimer38 min
Oct 25, 2:40 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAMuskogee35 min
Oct 25, 2:47 PM CDTTornado WarningTSACherokee28 min
Oct 25, 2:58 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAHaskell, Latimer, LeFlore47 min
Oct 25, 3:44 PM CDTTornado WarningTSALeFlore31 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.