Alert archive / Arkansas / Tornado Warnings in 1998
Tornado Warning 26, NWS Memphis, TN
NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at Apr 16, 1998, 11:05 AM CDT for Poinsett 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
- Apr 16, 1998, 11:05 AM CDT (16:05 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 16, 1998, 11:55 AM CDT
- In force
- 50 min
- Issued by
- NWS Memphis, TN
- Area
- Whole counties
County Poinsett County, AR
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 11:20 AM CDT | Tornado F0 | Greenfield, AR | A tornado briefly touched down in Greenfield knocking down a few trees. |
| Apr 16, 11:25 AM CDT | Hail 1.75 | Judd Hill, AR |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 7:30 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
| Apr 16, 10:00 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 12:00Z, 4.1 hours before the alert went out and 105 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
- 708 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -5 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 497 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 69 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 119 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 223 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.8
- Supercell composite
- 2.8
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KMEM 161605 RRA TORMEM ARC111-161655- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1105 AM CDT THU APR 16 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... POINSETT COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN ARKANSAS * UNTIL 1155 AM CDT * AT 1104 AM... SPOTTERS INDICATED A TORNADO JUST WEST OF WALDENBURG MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. * THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... WEINER BY 1110 AM CDT TRUMANN BY 1135 AM CDT .IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SAFETY IN AN INTERIOR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY. AVOID WINDOWS. &
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, Apr 16, 5:16 AM CDT, 5 hours 49 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TENNESSEE
516 AM CDT THU APR 16 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0210 AM JONESBORO AR WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98 CRAIGHEAD 3 TRAILERS AND AN
OUTBUILDING WERE DESTROYED
IN JONESBORO. ONE TRAILER
WAS MOVED OFF ITS
FOUNDATION 2 MILES NE OF
JONESBORO.
0235 AM TIPTONVILLE TN .75 INCH HAIL
04/16/98 LAKE DIME SIZE HAIL
0305 AM MANILA AR TORNADO
04/16/98 MISSISSIPPI *** 2 DEAD ***
EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN
MANILA. TREES DOWN. MOBILE
HOMES DAMAGED.
0325 AM BLYTHEVILLE AR TORNADO
04/16/98 MISSISSIPPI TREES DOWN. DAMAGE TO
BUILDINGS.
0405 AM RO ELLEN TN TORNADO
04/16/98 DYER *** 2 DEAD ***
MOBILE HOME DESTROYED.
SEVERAL HOMES DAMAGED.
SOME POWER LINES AND TREES
DOWN.
0420 AM MAURY CITY TN WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98 CROCKETT SEVERAL TREES WERE BLOWN
DOWN.Special weather statement, Apr 16, 6:45 AM CDT, 4 hours 20 minutes before
ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-MSZ001>017-
020>024-030-031-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>054-088>092-162320-
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
645 AM CDT THU APR 16 1998
...SEVERE WEATHER LIKELY OVER THE MID SOUTH TODAY...
THIS OUTLOOK COVERS THE ENTIRE COUNTY WARNING AREA OF THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN MEMPHIS TENNESSEE..INCLUDING WEST
TENNESSEE..NORTHEAST ARKANSAS..NORTH MISSISSIPPI..AND THE MISSOURI
BOOTHEEL.
THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI
AND A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHEAST ARKANSAS AND
WEST TENNESSEE TODAY.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST AND MIDDLE TENNESSEE
UNTIL 10 AM CDT THIS MORNING.
A COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM A LOW PRESSURE AREA OVER INDIANA
SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND CENTRAL ARKANSAS TO
TEXAS WILL MOVE SLOWLY EASTWARD TODAY.
THE FRONT WILL INTERACT WITH WARM AND VERY HUMID AND UNSTABLE AIR
AHEAD OF IT OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND SOUTHEASTERN
STATES. IN ADDITION...UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES AND STRONG WINDS
ALOFT WILL MAKE THE ATMOSPHERE VERY FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT COULD PRODUCE TORNADOES..LARGE HAIL..AND
DAMAGING WINDS..ESPECIALLY IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES..EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS..STORM
SPOTTER GROUPS..AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD MONITOR THIS
WEATHER SITUATION AND BE READY FOR SEVERE WEATHER EMERGENCIES TODAY.Special weather statement, Apr 16, 10:45 AM CDT, 20 minutes before
ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-MSZ001>017-
020>024-030-031-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>054-088>092-162320-
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
1045 AM CDT THU APR 16 1998
...SEVERE WEATHER LIKELY OVER THE MID SOUTH TODAY...
THIS OUTLOOK COVERS THE ENTIRE COUNTY WARNING AREA OF THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN MEMPHIS TENNESSEE..INCLUDING WEST
TENNESSEE..NORTHEAST ARKANSAS..NORTH MISSISSIPPI..AND THE MISSOURI
BOOTHEEL.
THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI..AND
MUCH OF WEST TENNESSEE ALONG AND EAST OF A PARIS TO MEMPHIS LINE.
THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHEAST
ARKANSAS..THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL AND EXTREME NORTHWEST TENNESSEE THIS
AFTERNOON.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTH
MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON.
A COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM A LOW PRESSURE AREA OVER INDIANA
SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND NORTHEAST ARKANSAS TO
TEXAS WILL MOVE SLOWLY EASTWARD THIS AFTERNOON.
THE FRONT WILL INTERACT WITH WARM AND VERY HUMID AND UNSTABLE AIR
AHEAD OF IT OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND SOUTHEASTERN
STATES. IN ADDITION...UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES AND STRONG WINDS
ALOFT WILL MAKE THE ATMOSPHERE VERY FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT COULD PRODUCE TORNADOES..LARGE HAIL..AND
DAMAGING WINDS..ESPECIALLY IN WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES..EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS..STORM
SPOTTER GROUPS..AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD CONTINUE TO
MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION AND BE READY FOR SEVERE WEATHER
EMERGENCIES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY.Special weather statement, Apr 16, 10:45 AM CDT, 20 minutes before
ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-MSZ001>017-
020>024-030-031-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>054-088>092-162320-
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
1045 AM CDT THU APR 16 1998
...SEVERE WEATHER LIKELY OVER THE MID SOUTH TODAY...
THIS OUTLOOK COVERS THE ENTIRE COUNTY WARNING AREA OF THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN MEMPHIS TENNESSEE..INCLUDING WEST
TENNESSEE..NORTHEAST ARKANSAS..NORTH MISSISSIPPI..AND THE MISSOURI
BOOTHEEL.
THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI..AND
MUCH OF WEST TENNESSEE ALONG AND EAST OF A PARIS TO MEMPHIS LINE.
THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHEAST
ARKANSAS..THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL AND EXTREME NORTHWEST TENNESSEE THIS
AFTERNOON.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTH
MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON.
A COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM A LOW PRESSURE AREA OVER INDIANA
SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND NORTHEAST ARKANSAS TO
TEXAS WILL MOVE SLOWLY EASTWARD THIS AFTERNOON.
THE FRONT WILL INTERACT WITH WARM AND VERY HUMID AND UNSTABLE AIR
AHEAD OF IT OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND SOUTHEASTERN
STATES. IN ADDITION...UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES AND STRONG WINDS
ALOFT WILL MAKE THE ATMOSPHERE VERY FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT COULD PRODUCE TORNADOES..LARGE HAIL..AND
DAMAGING WINDS..ESPECIALLY IN WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES..EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS..STORM
SPOTTER GROUPS..AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD CONTINUE TO
MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION AND BE READY FOR SEVERE WEATHER
EMERGENCIES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY.The office that day
Everything else NWS Memphis, TN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15, 11:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Randolph | 50 min |
| Apr 16, 12:03 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Lawrence | 47 min |
| Apr 16, 2:16 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | MEG | Greene | 29 min |
| Apr 16, 2:36 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Craighead, Mississippi | 49 min |
| Apr 16, 2:42 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | MEG | Mississippi | 33 min |
| Apr 16, 3:15 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | MEG | Mississippi | 20 min |
| Apr 16, 6:19 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Randolph | 36 min |
| Apr 16, 7:00 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Clay | 35 min |
| Apr 16, 9:19 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | St. Francis | 46 min |
| Apr 16, 9:56 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Crittenden | 34 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.