Alert archive / Arkansas / Tornado Warnings in 1998

Tornado Warning 48, NWS Little Rock, AR

October 5, 1998Polk County, Arkansas

NWS Little Rock, AR issued this tornado warning at Oct 5, 1998, 7:02 PM CDT for Polk County, Arkansas. It was in force for 33 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
Oct 5, 1998, 7:02 PM CDT (00:02 UTC)
Expired
Oct 5, 1998, 7:35 PM CDT
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Little Rock, AR
Area
Whole counties

County Polk County, AR

The nearest sounding before it

Shreveport, LA (KSHV), launched 00:00Z, 0.0 hours before the alert went out and 227 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, Shreveport, LA at 00:00Z on 1998-10-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 922 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, Shreveport, LA at 00:00Z on 1998-10-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 150 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
922 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-71 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1405 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
150 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
160 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
5.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KLIT 060001 RRA
TORLIT
ARC113-060035-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
702 PM CDT MON OCT 5 1998


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LITTLE ROCK HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  POLK COUNTY IN WESTERN ARKANSAS

* UNTIL 735 PM CDT

* AT 659 PM CDT... DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE
  TORNADO 18 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MENA OR 3 MILES SOUTH OF BIG FORK
  MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN MOSTLY IN RURAL AREAS.

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. FOR
YOUR SAFETY...GO INDOORS NOW TO AN INTERIOR ROOM AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

25

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, Oct 5, 6:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
ARZ016-024-025-031>034-038>047-050>057-059>064-066-067-070>072-
060400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
600 PM CDT MON OCT 5 1998

...TORNADO WATCH FOR CENTRAL AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS UNTIL 11
PM...  ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST
ARKANSAS UNTIL 9 PM...  ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT FOR WEST AND
CENTRAL ARKANSAS...

A TORANDO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS UNTIL 11 PM. THIS IS ROUGHLY IN AN AREA BOUNDED BY A
LINE FROM BATESVILLE TO STUTTGART TO EAST OF TEXARKANA TO DANVILLE.

COUNTIES IN THE WATCH ARE...INDEPENDENCE...JACKSON...CLEBURNE...WHITE...
WOODRUFF...CONWAY...FAULKNER...YELL...PERRY...MONTGOMERY...GARLAND...
SALINE...PULASKI...LONOKE...PRAIRIE...MONROE...HOT SPRING...GRANT...
JEFFERSON...ARKANSAS...HOWARD...PIKE....CLARK...DALLAS.....CLEVELAND...
LINCOLN...HEMPSTEAD...NEVADA...OUACHITA...AND CALHOUN.

SOME CITIES IN THE WATCH ARE...LITTLE ROCK...PINE BLUFF...HOT SPRINGS...
EL DORADO...CAMDEN...CONWAY..AND SEARCY.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE MOVING SOUTHEAST INTO ARKANSAS TONIGHT
AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. WINDS IN THE ATMOSPHERE ARE
FAVORABLE FOR ROTATION AND THUS SOME TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT.

WITH THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT...FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO BE A
THREAT TONIGHT.

IF YOU WILL BE IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL ARKANSAS TONIGHT BE PREPARED FOR
POSSIBLE SEVERE WpEATHER. TAKE QUICK ACTION SHOULD A WARNING BE ISSUED
FOR YOUR AREA.

KEEP TUNDED TO LOCAL TELEVISION...CABLE TELEVISION...LOCAL RADIO OR NOAA
WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST ON THIS WEATHER EVENT.

48
Special weather statement, Oct 5, 6:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
ARZ016-024-025-031>034-038>047-050>057-059>064-066-067-070>072-
060400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
600 PM CDT MON OCT 5 1998

...TORNADO WATCH FOR CENTRAL AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS UNTIL 11
PM...  ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST
ARKANSAS UNTIL 9 PM...  ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT FOR WEST AND
CENTRAL ARKANSAS...

A TORANDO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS UNTIL 11 PM. THIS IS ROUGHLY IN AN AREA BOUNDED BY A
LINE FROM BATESVILLE TO STUTTGART TO EAST OF TEXARKANA TO DANVILLE.

COUNTIES IN THE WATCH ARE...INDEPENDENCE...JACKSON...CLEBURNE...WHITE...
WOODRUFF...CONWAY...FAULKNER...YELL...PERRY...MONTGOMERY...GARLAND...
SALINE...PULASKI...LONOKE...PRAIRIE...MONROE...HOT SPRING...GRANT...
JEFFERSON...ARKANSAS...HOWARD...PIKE....CLARK...DALLAS.....CLEVELAND...
LINCOLN...HEMPSTEAD...NEVADA...OUACHITA...AND CALHOUN.

SOME CITIES IN THE WATCH ARE...LITTLE ROCK...PINE BLUFF...HOT SPRINGS...
EL DORADO...CAMDEN...CONWAY..AND SEARCY.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE MOVING SOUTHEAST INTO ARKANSAS TONIGHT
AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. WINDS IN THE ATMOSPHERE ARE
FAVORABLE FOR ROTATION AND THUS SOME TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT.

WITH THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT...FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO BE A
THREAT TONIGHT.

IF YOU WILL BE IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL ARKANSAS TONIGHT BE PREPARED FOR
POSSIBLE SEVERE WpEATHER. TAKE QUICK ACTION SHOULD A WARNING BE ISSUED
FOR YOUR AREA.

KEEP TUNDED TO LOCAL TELEVISION...CABLE TELEVISION...LOCAL RADIO OR NOAA
WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST ON THIS WEATHER EVENT.

48
Special weather statement, Oct 5, 6:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
ARZ016-024-025-031>034-038>047-050>057-059>064-066-067-070>072-
060400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
600 PM CDT MON OCT 5 1998

...TORNADO WATCH FOR CENTRAL AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS UNTIL 11
PM...  ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST
ARKANSAS UNTIL 9 PM...  ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT FOR WEST AND
CENTRAL ARKANSAS...

A TORANDO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS UNTIL 11 PM. THIS IS ROUGHLY IN AN AREA BOUNDED BY A
LINE FROM BATESVILLE TO STUTTGART TO EAST OF TEXARKANA TO DANVILLE.

COUNTIES IN THE WATCH ARE...INDEPENDENCE...JACKSON...CLEBURNE...WHITE...
WOODRUFF...CONWAY...FAULKNER...YELL...PERRY...MONTGOMERY...GARLAND...
SALINE...PULASKI...LONOKE...PRAIRIE...MONROE...HOT SPRING...GRANT...
JEFFERSON...ARKANSAS...HOWARD...PIKE....CLARK...DALLAS.....CLEVELAND...
LINCOLN...HEMPSTEAD...NEVADA...OUACHITA...CALHOUN...MILLER...LAFAYETTE
...AND COLUMBIA.

SOME CITIES IN THE WATCH ARE...LITTLE ROCK...PINE BLUFF...HOT SPRINGS...
EL DORADO...CAMDEN...CONWAY..AND SEARCY.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE MOVING SOUTHEAST INTO ARKANSAS TONIGHT
AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. WINDS IN THE ATMOSPHERE ARE
FAVORABLE FOR ROTATION AND THUS SOME TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT.

WITH THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT...FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO BE A
THREAT TONIGHT.

IF YOU WILL BE IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL ARKANSAS TONIGHT BE PREPARED FOR
POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER. TAKE QUICK ACTION SHOULD A WARNING BE ISSUED
FOR YOUR AREA.

KEEP TUNDED TO LOCAL TELEVISION...CABLE TELEVISION...LOCAL RADIO OR NOAA
WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST ON THIS WEATHER EVENT.

48
Special weather statement, Oct 5, 6:54 PM CDT, 8 minutes before
ARZ016-024-025-031>034-038>047-050>057-059>064-066-067-070>072-
060400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
600 PM CDT MON OCT 5 1998

...TORNADO WATCH FOR CENTRAL AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS UNTIL 11
PM...  ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST
ARKANSAS UNTIL 9 PM...  ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT FOR WEST AND
CENTRAL ARKANSAS...

A TORANDO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS UNTIL 11 PM. THIS IS ROUGHLY IN AN AREA BOUNDED BY A
LINE FROM BATESVILLE TO STUTTGART TO EAST OF TEXARKANA TO DANVILLE.

COUNTIES IN THE WATCH ARE...INDEPENDENCE...JACKSON...CLEBURNE...WHITE...
WOODRUFF...CONWAY...FAULKNER...YELL...PERRY...MONTGOMERY...GARLAND...
SALINE...PULASKI...LONOKE...PRAIRIE...MONROE...HOT SPRING...GRANT...
JEFFERSON...ARKANSAS...HOWARD...PIKE....CLARK...DALLAS.....CLEVELAND...
LINCOLN...HEMPSTEAD...NEVADA...OUACHITA...CALHOUN...MILLER...LAFAYETTE
...AND COLUMBIA.

SOME CITIES IN THE WATCH ARE...LITTLE ROCK...PINE BLUFF...HOT SPRINGS...
EL DORADO...CAMDEN...CONWAY..AND SEARCY.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE MOVING SOUTHEAST INTO ARKANSAS TONIGHT
AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. WINDS IN THE ATMOSPHERE ARE
FAVORABLE FOR ROTATION AND THUS SOME TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT.

WITH THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT...FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO BE A
THREAT TONIGHT.

IF YOU WILL BE IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL ARKANSAS TONIGHT BE PREPARED FOR
POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER. TAKE QUICK ACTION SHOULD A WARNING BE ISSUED
FOR YOUR AREA.

KEEP TUNDED TO LOCAL TELEVISION...CABLE TELEVISION...LOCAL RADIO OR NOAA
WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST ON THIS WEATHER EVENT.

48

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 5, 7:54 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKPolk3 hr
Oct 5, 8:43 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKYell3 hr
Oct 5, 9:40 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKPope3 hr
Oct 5, 10:41 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKConway3 hr
Oct 5, 11:03 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKVan Buren3 hr
Oct 5, 11:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKConway, Faulkner33 min
Oct 5, 11:43 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKStone3 hr
Oct 6, 12:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKCleburne, Faulkner, White50 min
Oct 6, 12:14 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKIzard, Sharp4 hr
Oct 6, 12:21 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKMontgomery, Polk3 hr
Oct 6, 12:21 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKYell3 hr
Oct 6, 12:27 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKFaulkner, Pulaski48 min
Oct 6, 12:41 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKCleburne, Independence49 min
Oct 6, 12:52 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKScott3 hr
Oct 6, 1:07 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKPope3 hr
Oct 6, 1:45 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKConway, Perry4 hr
Oct 6, 1:45 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKPulaski, Saline4 hr
Oct 6, 1:45 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKGarland4 hr
Oct 6, 2:05 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKCleburne, Van Buren3 hr
Oct 6, 2:05 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKFulton3 hr
Oct 6, 2:45 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKStone3 hr
Oct 6, 2:47 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKDallas33 min
Oct 6, 3:25 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKMontgomery, Yell4 hr
Oct 6, 3:25 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKPolk4 hr
Oct 6, 3:58 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKIzard, Sharp4 hr
Oct 6, 3:58 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKPope4 hr
Oct 6, 3:58 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKScott4 hr
Oct 6, 4:10 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKPulaski95 min
Oct 6, 4:33 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKFaulkner, Lonoke, White3 hr
Oct 6, 5:10 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLZKVan Buren2 hr

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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.