Alert archive / Arkansas / Tornado Warnings in 1998
Tornado Warning 4, NWS Little Rock, AR
NWS Little Rock, AR issued this tornado warning at Mar 31, 1998, 12:23 AM CST for Van Buren County, Arkansas. It was in force for 47 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
- Mar 31, 1998, 12:23 AM CST (06:23 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 31, 1998, 1:10 AM CST
- In force
- 47 min
- Issued by
- NWS Little Rock, AR
- Area
- Whole counties
County Van Buren County, AR
The radar
The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 86 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:25 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 12:30 AM CST | Thunderstorm Wind 50 | Clinton, AR | Thunderstorm winds downed some large tree limbs. |
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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 11:00 PM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 00:00Z, 6.4 hours before the alert went out and 186 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 368 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -25 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1388 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 52 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 247 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 389 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.5
- Supercell composite
- 5.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
211 WFUS1 KLIT 310622 RRA TORLIT ARC141-310710- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 1223 AM CST TUE MAR 31 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LITTLE ROCK AR HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 110 AM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN NORTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS ...VAN BUREN COUNTY AT 1222 AM CST...A DEVELOPING TORNADO WAS DETECTED BY DOPPLER RADAR 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CLINTON OR 14 MILES WEST OF BEVERAGE TOWN MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO INCLUDE... BEVERAGE TOWN AROUND 1240 AM CST ... SCOTLAND AROUND 1240 AM CST ... CULPEPPER AROUND 1245 AM CST ... CRABTREE AROUND 1245 AM CST ... CLINTON AROUND 1255 AM CST ... A DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED TORNADO MEANS THAT THERE IS STRONG ROTATION WITHIN A STORM. THE STORM MAY NOT BE PRODUCING A TORNADO AT THE MOMENT...BUT IS EXPECTED TO DURING THE WARNING PERIOD. THE STORM MAY ALSO BE ACCOMPANIED BY HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WIND. THOSE IN THE PATH OF THE STORM ARE ADVISED TO SEEK SHELTER RIGHT AWAY. 16/38
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
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 7:01 PM CST, 5 hours 22 minutes before
ARZ003-004-012-013-021-022-030-031-037>042-050>054-059>061-310700- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION ON LOCATION OF STORMS IN 3D NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR PARAGRAPH 701 PM CST MON MAR 30 1998 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR 29 COUNTIES IN WESTERN ARKANSAS UNTIL 100 AM CST. A STRONG STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES MOVING CLOSER TO ARKANSAS. WARM AND HUMID AIR IS IN PLACE ALONG WITH STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE. A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED MOVING EAST THROUGH EASTERN OKLAHOMA AT 645 PM CST AND WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST...REACHING WESTERN ARKANSAS AS THE EVENING CONTINUES. SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED IN NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS. WESTERN ARKANSAS CAN EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING... BRIEF HEAVY RAIN WHICH MAY CAUSE TEMPORARY FLOODING OF LOW LYING OR POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...POSSIBLE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND. TORNADOES MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLE. PEOPLE IN WESTERN ARKANSAS SHOULD REVIEW THEIR THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO SAFETY RULES AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE SHOULD SEVERE STORMS APPROACH OR A WARNING IS ISSUED. 29
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 7:01 PM CST, 5 hours 22 minutes before
ARZ003-004-012-013-021-022-030-031-037>042-050>054-059>061-310700- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 701 PM CST MON MAR 30 1998 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR 29 COUNTIES IN WESTERN ARKANSAS UNTIL 100 AM CST. A STRONG STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES MOVING CLOSER TO ARKANSAS. WARM AND HUMID AIR IS IN PLACE ALONG WITH STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE. A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED MOVING EAST THROUGH EASTERN OKLAHOMA AT 645 PM CST AND WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST...REACHING WESTERN ARKANSAS AS THE EVENING CONTINUES. SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED IN NORTHEASTERN ARKANSAS. WESTERN ARKANSAS CAN EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING... BRIEF HEAVY RAIN WHICH MAY CAUSE TEMPORARY FLOODING OF LOW LYING OR POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...POSSIBLE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND. TORNADOES MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLE. PEOPLE IN WESTERN ARKANSAS SHOULD REVIEW THEIR THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO SAFETY RULES AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE SHOULD SEVERE STORMS APPROACH OR A WARNING IS ISSUED. 29
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 7:01 PM CST, 5 hours 22 minutes before
ARZ003-004-012-013-021-022-030-031-037>042-050>054-059>061-310700- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION ON LOCATION OF STORMS IN 3D NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR PARAGRAPH 701 PM CST MON MAR 30 1998 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR 29 COUNTIES IN WESTERN ARKANSAS UNTIL 100 AM CST. A STRONG STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES MOVING CLOSER TO ARKANSAS. WARM AND HUMID AIR IS IN PLACE ALONG WITH STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE. A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED MOVING EAST THROUGH EASTERN OKLAHOMA AT 645 PM CST AND WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST...REACHING WESTERN ARKANSAS AS THE EVENING CONTINUES. SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED IN NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS. WESTERN ARKANSAS CAN EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING... BRIEF HEAVY RAIN WHICH MAY CAUSE TEMPORARY FLOODING OF LOW LYING OR POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...POSSIBLE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND. TORNADOES MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLE. PEOPLE IN WESTERN ARKANSAS SHOULD REVIEW THEIR THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO SAFETY RULES AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE SHOULD SEVERE STORMS APPROACH OR A WARNING IS ISSUED. 29
Local storm report, Mar 30, 10:47 PM CST, 1 hour 36 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1047 PM CST MON MAR 30 1998
TIME(CST) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1028 PM COVE AR .5 INCH HAIL
03/30/98 POLK
1028 PM VANDERVOORT AR .5 INCH HAIL
03/30/98 POLK
1030 PM LAMAR AR 2.75 INCH HAIL
03/30/98 JOHNSON BASEBALL SIZE HAIL.
1030 PM KNOXVILLE AR .75 INCH HAIL
03/30/98 JOHNSON
28Local storm report, Mar 30, 10:47 PM CST, 1 hour 36 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1047 PM CST MON MAR 30 1998
TIME(CST) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1028 PM COVE AR .5 INCH HAIL
03/30/98 POLK
1028 PM VANDERVOORT AR .5 INCH HAIL
03/30/98 POLK
1030 PM LAMAR AR 2.75 INCH HAIL
03/30/98 JOHNSON BASEBALL SIZE HAIL.
1030 PM KNOXVILLE AR .75 INCH HAIL
03/30/98 JOHNSON
28Special weather statement, Mar 31, 12:00 AM CST, 23 minutes before
ARZ003>008-012>017-021>025-030>034-038-039-041>047-050>057-059>064- 066>073-310900- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR 1200 AM CST TUE MAR 31 1998 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF ARKANSAS UNTIL 4 AM CST... A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH ARKANSAS TONIGHT. SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BE SEVERE WITH THE CAPABILITY OF PRODUCING TORNADOES. AROUND MIDNIGHT...THIS THUNDERSTORM LINE WAS LOCATED FROM NEAR TEXARKANA ALL THE WAY THROUGH NORTH ARKANSAS INTO MISSOURI. A COLD FRONT ENTERED WESTERN ARKANSAS AROUND 9 PM AND WILL PUSH TO EASTERN ARKANSAS BY SUNRISE. THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL DIMINISH BEHIND THE FRONT. IN THE MEANTIME...KEEP ADVISED OF WEATHER IN YOUR AREA AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS BE ISSUED. 16
The office that day
Everything else NWS Little Rock, AR issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 8:47 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Polk, Scott | 63 min |
| Mar 30, 9:51 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Scott | 49 min |
| Mar 30, 9:57 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Johnson | 63 min |
| Mar 30, 10:01 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Polk | 64 min |
| Mar 30, 10:09 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Scott | 46 min |
| Mar 30, 10:17 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Logan | 48 min |
| Mar 30, 10:23 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LZK | Logan | 62 min |
| Mar 30, 10:45 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Newton | 65 min |
| Mar 30, 11:38 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Pike | 62 min |
| Mar 31, 1:05 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Faulkner | 50 min |
| Mar 31, 1:19 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Pulaski, Saline | 46 min |
| Mar 31, 1:29 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Cleburne | 51 min |
| Mar 31, 2:23 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Lonoke | 47 min |
| Mar 31, 2:27 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | White | 48 min |
| Mar 31, 3:50 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Lonoke | 35 min |
| Mar 31, 4:00 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Prairie | 50 min |
| Mar 31, 4:35 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Woodruff | 35 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.