Alert archive / Missouri / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 55, NWS St. Louis, MO

April 15, 1998Osage County, Missouri

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 15, 1998, 3:52 PM CDT for Osage County, Missouri. It was in force for 48 min. 1 report 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
Apr 15, 1998, 3:52 PM CDT (20:52 UTC)
Expired
Apr 15, 1998, 4:40 PM CDT
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS St. Louis, MO
Area
Whole counties

County Osage County, MO

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 106 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:56 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 15, 3:55 PM CDTHail 0.75Freeburg, MO3/4 inch hail fell for about 10 minutes in Freeburg.

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
Apr 15, 1:00 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 12:00Z, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 243 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, Springfield, MO at 12:00Z on 1998-04-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 557 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, Springfield, MO at 12:00Z on 1998-04-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 280 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156Sfc1 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
557 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-28 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
846 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
280 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
315 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.1
Supercell composite
4.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

846 
WUUS1 KSTL 152051 RRA
SVRSTL
MOC151-152140-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
352 PM CDT WED APR 15 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN OSAGE COUNTY IN CENTRAL MISSOURI

* UNTIL 440 PM CDT

* AT 345 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM JUST WEST OF FREEBURG... MOVING EAST AT 25
MPH.

* LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED...
  FREEBURG



THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM BE PREPARED FOR DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING. STAY INDOORS AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE
WARNING.

ECKBERG

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, Apr 15, 11:00 AM CDT, 4 hours 52 minutes before
ILZ058>060-064-065-069-070-074-079-095>102-MOZ009-010-018-019-026-
027-034>036-041-042-047>052-059>065-072>075-084-085-099-152200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1100 AM CDT WED APR 15 1998

THIS OUTLOOK COVERS THE COUNTY WARNING AREA OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN ST LOUIS.  AREAS INCLUDED ARE PORTIONS OF
NORTHEAST...CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AS WELL AS
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
ACROSS THE SOUTHEERN PART OF THE WARNING AREA...GENERALLY SOUTH OF
A LINE FROM TIPTON MISSOURI IN MONITEAU COUNTY TO WASHINGTON MISSOURI IN
FRANKLIN COUNTY TO CENTRALIA ILLINOIS IN MARION COUNTY.

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT OVER THE REST OF THE WARNING AREA.

STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON.

THIS AFTERNOON DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES WILL BE A
WIDESPREAD THREAT ACROSS MUCH OF THE SEVERE OUTLOOK AREA.

THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. PERSONS IN THE
THREATENED AREAS ARE URGED TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES...AND
LISTEN TO RADIO...TV...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER WATCHES...
WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS.

AMS
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 11:00 AM CDT, 4 hours 52 minutes before
ILZ058>060-064-065-069-070-074-079-095>102-MOZ009-010-018-019-026-
027-034>036-041-042-047>052-059>065-072>075-084-085-099-152200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1100 AM CDT WED APR 15 1998

THIS OUTLOOK COVERS THE COUNTY WARNING AREA OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN ST LOUIS.  AREAS INCLUDED ARE PORTIONS OF
NORTHEAST...CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AS WELL AS
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
ACROSS THE SOUTHEERN PART OF THE WARNING AREA...GENERALLY SOUTH OF
A LINE FROM TIPTON MISSOURI IN MONITEAU COUNTY TO WASHINGTON MISSOURI IN
FRANKLIN COUNTY TO CENTRALIA ILLINOIS IN MARION COUNTY.

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT OVER THE REST OF THE WARNING AREA.

STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON.

THIS AFTERNOON DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES WILL BE A
WIDESPREAD THREAT ACROSS MUCH OF THE SEVERE OUTLOOK AREA.

THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. PERSONS IN THE
THREATENED AREAS ARE URGED TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES...AND
LISTEN TO RADIO...TV...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER WATCHES...
WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS.

AMS
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 2:55 PM CDT, 57 minutes before
MOZ049-059-062-065-072>074-084-099-152155-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
255 PM CDT WED APR 15 1998

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 214 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT...

THE TORNADO WATCH ISSUED FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MISSOURI
REMAINS IN EFFECT.  ONLY ONE WARNING IS IN EFFECT...FOR SOUTHEAST
COLE AND SOUTHERN OSAGE COUNTY...HOWEVER CONDITIONS REMAIN VERY
FAVORABLE FOR ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
ACROSS THE AREA.

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OKLAHOMA IS FORECASTING A
HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS A GOOD PORTION OF SOUTHERN
MISSOURI THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

THOUGH THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS...THE
POTENTIAL REMAINS VERY HIGH...KEEP ABREAST OF LATEST STATEMENTS
FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS
LATER ON...

THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.  REVIEW SEVERE
WEATHER SAFETY RULES...AND LISTEN TO RADIO...TV...OR NOAA WEATHER
RADIO FOR LATEST WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS.

PEDIGO
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 2:55 PM CDT, 57 minutes before
MOZ049-059-062-065-072>074-084-099-152155-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
255 PM CDT WED APR 15 1998

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 214 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT...

THE TORNADO WATCH ISSUED FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MISSOURI
REMAINS IN EFFECT.  ONLY ONE WARNING IS IN EFFECT...FOR SOUTHEAST
COLE AND SOUTHERN OSAGE COUNTY...HOWEVER CONDITIONS REMAIN VERY
FAVORABLE FOR ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
ACROSS THE AREA.

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OKLAHOMA IS FORECASTING A
HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS A GOOD PORTION OF SOUTHERN
MISSOURI THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

THOUGH THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS...THE
POTENTIAL REMAINS VERY HIGH...KEEP ABREAST OF LATEST STATEMENTS
FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS
LATER ON...

THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.  REVIEW SEVERE
WEATHER SAFETY RULES...AND LISTEN TO RADIO...TV...OR NOAA WEATHER
RADIO FOR LATEST WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS.

PEDIGO

The office that day

Everything else NWS St. Louis, MO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 15, 7:11 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXIron, Reynolds44 min
Apr 15, 2:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXCole, Osage47 min
Apr 15, 3:26 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXFranklin, Gasconade49 min
Apr 15, 4:06 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXFranklin49 min
Apr 15, 4:25 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXJefferson65 min
Apr 15, 6:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXJefferson, Saint Louis61 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Missouri, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.