Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 166, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 5, 1998Haskell County, LeFlore County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 5, 1998, 7:30 AM CDT for Haskell County, LeFlore County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 45 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
May 5, 1998, 7:30 AM CDT (12:30 UTC)
Expired
May 5, 1998, 8:15 AM CDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Whole counties

Counties Haskell County, OK, LeFlore County, OK

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 56 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 12:32 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 5, 7:35 AM CDTHail 0.75Mc Curtain, OK

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 5, 7:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 0.5 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, Norman, OK at 12:00Z on 1998-05-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 74 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, Norman, OK at 12:00Z on 1998-05-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 104 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
74 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-464 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1092 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
104 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
291 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

395 
WUUS54 KTSA 051231 RRA
SVRTUL
OKC061-079-051315-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
730 AM CDT TUE MAY 5 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

  SOUTHEASTERN HASKELL COUNTY - SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA
  NORTHERN LE FLORE COUNTY - SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 815 AM CDT

* AT 730 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES EAST OF LEQUIRE...MOVING EAST AT 20
  MPH.


* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...
  MCCURTAIN
  BOKOSHE
  PANAMA
  SPIRO

  HAIL TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS AND WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH CAN BE
  EXPECTED IN THE WARNED AREA.



BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AS STORMS APPROACH.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH...TAKE COVER INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING.
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM LIGHTNING STAY OFF
THE PHONE AND DONT USE HAND HELD ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES. MOTORISTS
SHOULD NEVER DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

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.

NWS Tulsa, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 5, 3:20 AM CDT, 4 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 5, 3:20 AM CDT, 4 hours 10 minutes before
FPUS3 KTUL 050821
AFDTUL

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
320 AM CDT TUE MAY 5 1998

PROBLEM OF THE DAY:
FIGURING OUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THIS MORNING.

MODELS ARE OSEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
     SOUTHEAST LINCOLN COUNTY IN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 400 AM CDT

* AT 322 AM CDT DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR
PRAGUE...MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES PER HOUR.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE PRAGUE

HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF GOLFBALLS AND WIND GUSTS TO AT LEAST 60 MPH ARE
LIKELY. SEEK SHELTER INDOORS...AWAY FROM WINDOWS...AND AVOID
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AND TELEPHONES.

LAT...LON 3547 9682 3547 9667 3567 9622 3563 9664

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 5, 6:00 AM CDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-061200-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
600 AM CDT TUE MAY 5 1998

ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE EARLY THIS MORNING
SOUTHEAST OF A JAY TO OKEMAH LINE.

NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA
AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS MORNING.
THESE STORMS HAVE BEEN SLOWLY WEAKENING BUT AN ISOLATED STORM MAY
STILL PRODUCE LARGE HAIL OR DAMAGING WINDS EARLY THIS MORNING TO THE
SOUTHEAST OF A JAY TO OKEMAH LINE.

EARLY THIS MORNING A WARM FRONT EXTENDED FROM NEAR WICHITA FALLS
TEXAS TO SOUTH OF SHREVEPORT LOUISIANA. A COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM
NEAR MANHATTAN KANSAS INTO THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE.

THE WARM FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE SLOWLY NORTH TODAY WHILE THE COLD
FRONT MOVES SLOWLY SOUTH. IN ADDITION AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL
APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE WEST THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

TEMPERATURES WILL WARM INTO THE 80S THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS EASTERN
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS WITH DEWPOINTS CLIMBING INTO THE 60S.
THIS WILL RESULT IN THE AIRMASS BECOMING QUITE UNSTABLE BY MID TO
LATE AFTERNOON.

BY LATE AFTERNOON...THE COLD FRONT WILL BE NEAR THE OKLAHOMA/KANSAS
BORDER AND THE WARM FRONT WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF THE RED RIVER.
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG THE COLD FRONT LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND ALSO TO THE NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL RAPIDLY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS LIKELY. THE WIND PROFILE WILL ALSO BE FAVORABLE FOR ROTATING
STORMS SO TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. ONE POSSIBLE NEGATIVE
FACTOR FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT WILL BE A FORECAST WEAKNESS IN THE MID
LEVEL WINDS.

THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO ORGANIZE INTO A LARGE COMPLEX OF STORMS
THIS EVENING WHICH WILL THEN MOVE ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. DAMAGING WINDS WILL THEN BECOME THE MAIN SEVERE
WEATHER THREAT ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE STORMS WILL STILL PRODUCE LARGE
HAIL.

THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT SHOULD DIMINISH AFTER 2 AM AS THE STORMS
MOVE EAST OF THE AREA.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS IN EASTERN
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER
CONDITIONS AND FORECASTS AND BE READY FOR EXPECTED ACTIVATION BY LATE
THIS AFTERNOON.
Special weather statement, May 5, 6:00 AM CDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-061200-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
600 AM CDT TUE MAY 5 1998

ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE EARLY THIS MORNING
SOUTHEAST OF A JAY TO OKEMAH LINE.

NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA
AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS MORNING.
THESE STORMS HAVE BEEN SLOWLY WEAKENING BUT AN ISOLATED STORM MAY
STILL PRODUCE LARGE HAIL OR DAMAGING WINDS EARLY THIS MORNING TO THE
SOUTHEAST OF A JAY TO OKEMAH LINE.

EARLY THIS MORNING A WARM FRONT EXTENDED FROM NEAR WICHITA FALLS
TEXAS TO SOUTH OF SHREVEPORT LOUISIANA. A COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM
NEAR MANHATTAN KANSAS INTO THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE.

THE WARM FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE SLOWLY NORTH TODAY WHILE THE COLD
FRONT MOVES SLOWLY SOUTH. IN ADDITION AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL
APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE WEST THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

TEMPERATURES WILL WARM INTO THE 80S THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS EASTERN
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS WITH DEWPOINTS CLIMBING INTO THE 60S.
THIS WILL RESULT IN THE AIRMASS BECOMING QUITE UNSTABLE BY MID TO
LATE AFTERNOON.

BY LATE AFTERNOON...THE COLD FRONT WILL BE NEAR THE OKLAHOMA/KANSAS
BORDER AND THE WARM FRONT WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF THE RED RIVER.
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG THE COLD FRONT LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND ALSO TO THE NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL RAPIDLY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS LIKELY. THE WIND PROFILE WILL ALSO BE FAVORABLE FOR ROTATING
STORMS SO TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. ONE POSSIBLE NEGATIVE
FACTOR FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT WILL BE A FORECAST WEAKNESS IN THE MID
LEVEL WINDS.

THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO ORGANIZE INTO A LARGE COMPLEX OF STORMS
THIS EVENING WHICH WILL THEN MOVE ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. DAMAGING WINDS WILL THEN BECOME THE MAIN SEVERE
WEATHER THREAT ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE STORMS WILL STILL PRODUCE LARGE
HAIL.

THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT SHOULD DIMINISH AFTER 2 AM AS THE STORMS
MOVE EAST OF THE AREA.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS IN EASTERN
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER
CONDITIONS AND FORECASTS AND BE READY FOR EXPECTED ACTIVATION BY LATE
THIS AFTERNOON.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Tulsa, OK issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 5, 3:19 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOkfuskee71 min
May 5, 4:15 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACreek, Tulsa60 min
May 5, 4:23 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSAOkfuskee3 hr
May 5, 4:28 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOkfuskee, Okmulgee62 min
May 5, 4:48 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAMcIntosh72 min
May 5, 5:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSARogers, Tulsa, Wagoner40 min
May 5, 5:27 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOkmulgee33 min
May 5, 5:41 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSAMcIntosh, Okmulgee109 min
May 5, 5:53 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOkfuskee37 min
May 5, 6:15 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOkmulgee45 min
May 5, 6:33 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAMcIntosh57 min
May 5, 6:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPittsburg63 min
May 5, 7:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPushmataha63 min
May 5, 9:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAChoctaw, Pushmataha60 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Oklahoma, 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.