Alert archive / Arkansas / Tornado Warnings in 1998

Tornado Warning 16, NWS Little Rock, AR

May 6, 1998Pope County, Arkansas

NWS Little Rock, AR issued this tornado warning at May 6, 1998, 10:25 PM CDT for Pope County, Arkansas. It was in force for 50 min. 2 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
May 6, 1998, 10:25 PM CDT (03:25 UTC)
Expired
May 6, 1998, 11:15 PM CDT
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Little Rock, AR
Area
Whole counties

County Pope County, AR

The radar

The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 98 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:25 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
May 6, 10:30 PM CDTHail 1Oak Grove, AR
May 6, 10:35 PM CDTHail 1Atkins, ARHail up to one inch in diameter damaged the roofs of several buildings and also damaged a few vehicles.

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
May 6, 8:00 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 00:00Z, 3.4 hours before the alert went out and 175 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 00:00Z on 1998-05-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1358 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 00:00Z on 1998-05-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 26 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
1358 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1166 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
26 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
178 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.5
Supercell composite
2.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

973 
WFUS1 KLIT 070326 RRA
TORLIT
ARC115-070415-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1025 PM CDT WED MAY 6 1998


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LITTLE ROCK HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN POPE COUNTY IN CENTRAL ARKANSAS

* UNTIL 1115 PM CDT

* AT 1024 PM CDT... DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE
  TORNADO IN THE VICINITY OF RUSSELLVILLE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35
  MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO INCLUDE...
POTTSVILLE                   AROUND 1030 PM CDT...
ATKINS                       AROUND 1040 PM CDT...

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...HEAD INDOORS NOW. GO TO
AN INTERIOR ROOM AWAY FROM WINDOWS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. PUT AS
MANY WALLS BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE OUTDOORS AS YOU CAN. ABANDON
MOBILE HOMES NOW. MOVE TO A STRONG BUILDING OR UNDERGROUND SHELTER.
IF THERE ARE NO BUILDINGS NEARBY...LAY IN A DITCH TO AVOID FLYING
DEBRIS. BUT BEWARE OF RISING WATER.

44/48

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

Local storm report, May 6, 4:46 PM CDT, 5 hours 39 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
446 PM CDT WED MAY 6 1998

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

0345 PM    PYATT                     AR   .88 INCH HAIL
05/06/98   MARION                         HAIL LASTED ABOUT 5
                                          MINUTES. REPORT FROM THE
                                          PUBLIC.

0433 PM    CLARKRIDGE                AR   .75 INCH HAIL
05/06/98   BAXTER                         REPORT FROM THE PUBLIC.

44
Local storm report, May 6, 4:46 PM CDT, 5 hours 39 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
446 PM CDT WED MAY 6 1998

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

0345 PM    PYATT                     AR   .88 INCH HAIL
05/06/98   MARION                         HAIL LASTED ABOUT 5
                                          MINUTES. REPORT FROM THE
                                          PUBLIC.

0433 PM    CLARKRIDGE                AR   .75 INCH HAIL
05/06/98   BAXTER                         REPORT FROM THE PUBLIC.

44
Special weather statement, May 6, 7:59 PM CDT, 2 hours 26 minutes before
ARZ003>008-012>017-021>025-030>034-037>041-070700-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
759 PM CDT WED MAY 6 1998

...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 2 AM FOR WEST AND NORTH ARKANSAS...

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 297 IS IN EFFECT FOR A GOOD PART OF WEST AND NORTH
ARKANSAS TONIGHT UNTIL 2 AM CDT. VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE
TO MOVE INTO THE STATE FROM OKLAHOMA AND MISSOURI...SOME PRODUCING LARGE
AND DANGEROUS HAIL AND THE POSSIBILITY OF TORNADOES.

THE AREA OF STRONG STORMS WILL MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH THE NORTHERN PART
OF THE STATE UNTIL PAST MIDNIGHT.

EVERYONE IN THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN PART OF THE STATE SHOULD KEEP
MONITORING RADIO...TV...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR UP TO DATE WARNINGS.
BE PREPARED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION AND COVER SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER
THREATEN.

16
Special weather statement, May 6, 7:59 PM CDT, 2 hours 26 minutes before
ARZ003>008-012>017-021>025-030>034-037>041-070700-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
759 PM CDT WED MAY 6 1998

...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 2 AM FOR WEST AND NORTH ARKANSAS...

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 297 IS IN EFFECT FOR A GOOD PART OF WEST AND NORTH
ARKANSAS TONIGHT UNTIL 2 AM CDT. VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE
TO MOVE INTO THE STATE FROM OKLAHOMA AND MISSOURI...SOME PRODUCING LARGE
AND DANGEROUS HAIL AND THE POSSIBILITY OF TORNADOES.

THE AREA OF STRONG STORMS WILL MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH THE NORTHERN PART
OF THE STATE UNTIL PAST MIDNIGHT.

EVERYONE IN THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN PART OF THE STATE SHOULD KEEP
MONITORING RADIO...TV...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR UP TO DATE WARNINGS.
BE PREPARED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION AND COVER SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER
THREATEN.

16

The office that day

Everything else NWS Little Rock, AR issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 6, 8:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKBoone48 min
May 6, 9:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKScott64 min
May 6, 9:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKMarion47 min
May 6, 9:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKJohnson46 min
May 6, 9:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKBaxter50 min
May 6, 9:28 PM CDTTornado WarningLZKScott47 min
May 6, 9:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKFulton65 min
May 6, 9:38 PM CDTTornado WarningLZKMontgomery47 min
May 6, 9:46 PM CDTTornado WarningLZKFulton49 min
May 6, 9:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKJohnson, Logan, Pope64 min
May 6, 9:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKYell64 min
May 6, 9:58 PM CDTTornado WarningLZKYell47 min
May 6, 10:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKConway51 min
May 6, 10:44 PM CDTTornado WarningLZKGarland, Perry, Saline36 min
May 6, 10:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKMontgomery47 min
May 6, 11:04 PM CDTTornado WarningLZKConway36 min
May 6, 11:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKSharp48 min
May 6, 11:17 PM CDTTornado WarningLZKFaulkner48 min
May 6, 11:22 PM CDTTornado WarningLZKGarland48 min
May 6, 11:28 PM CDTTornado WarningLZKSaline47 min
May 6, 11:36 PM CDTTornado WarningLZKPulaski49 min
May 6, 11:56 PM CDTTornado WarningLZKHot Spring49 min
May 7, 12:15 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKGrant, Saline35 min
May 7, 12:15 AM CDTTornado WarningLZKGrant, Saline35 min
May 7, 12:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKPulaski, Saline47 min
May 7, 12:33 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKWhite62 min
May 7, 12:37 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKFaulkner33 min
May 7, 12:52 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKJefferson48 min
May 7, 12:56 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKJackson34 min
May 7, 1:21 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKPulaski34 min
May 7, 2:03 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKPrairie32 min
May 7, 2:07 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKMonroe48 min
May 7, 5:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKClark47 min
May 7, 6:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKClark, Dallas51 min
May 7, 6:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKPike50 min
May 7, 6:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKClark48 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Arkansas, 1998Every tornado warning in 1998Tornadoes 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.