Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 182, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 6, 1998Cherokee County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 6, 1998, 6:36 PM CDT for Cherokee County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 54 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 6, 1998, 6:36 PM CDT (23:36 UTC)
Expired
May 6, 1998, 7:30 PM CDT
In force
54 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Whole counties

County Cherokee County, OK

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 6, 7:18 PM CDTHail 0.75Tahlequah, 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 6, 3:00 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 230 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 1998-05-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 213 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 1998-05-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -116 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
213 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-295 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1070 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
62 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-116 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
32 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

572 
WUUS54 KTSA 062337 RRA
SVRTUL
OKC021-070030-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
636 PM CDT WED MAY 6 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

  CHEROKEE COUNTY - EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 730 PM CDT

* AT 635 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR FORT GIBSON...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...
  LAKE TENKILLER

  HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS 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 6, 3:10 PM CDT, 3 hours 26 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 6, 3:10 PM CDT, 3 hours 26 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
310 PM CDT WED MAY 6 1998

MADE A QUICK UPDATE TO GOING AFTN ZONE PACKAGE TO REFLECT INCREASING
THREAT OF SVR TSTMS ALG KS BORDER.  UPR JET SWINGING IN LATE TODAY
IN ADDITION TO INCRSG SHORTWAVE ENERGY AND WKNG CAP.  RAISED POPS A
BIT NRN AREAS FOR TONIGHT AS MODELS IN BETTER AGREEMENT IN DVLPG
CONVECTION ACRS ERN KS/SWRN MO LATE TONIGHT AND CLIPPING OUR NRN
ZONE GROUPS.

IN AFTN PACKAGE...WL KEEP TREND OF SLIGHTLY HIR POPS IN THE NRN
ZONES (CLOSER TO BETTER UPR SUPPORT AND ENERGY)...HOWEVER CIRCLN
ARND SHORTWAVE SHUD SHOVE LLVL BNDRY A BIT FARTHER TO THE SE
TONIGHT.  CAP STRONGER DOWN SOUTH...HOWEVER BNDRY MAY FOCUS ACTIVITY
IN THE OVERNIGHT HRS...SO WL INTRODUCE SOME LOW POPS SWD.

SHORTWAVE SHUD PASS TO THE EAST EARLY IN THE MORNING...WITH SFC
BNDRY SETTLING INTO THE SERN ZONES.  BY MIDDAY...BNDRY SHUD MOVE INTO
SERN TX WITH LLVL MSTR SHALLOWING OUT ACRS FCST AREA.  HOWEVER...WITH
MIDLVL CAP WEAKENING A BIT (IN RESPONSE TO MIDLVL COOLING BY PASSING
SHORTWAVE TONIGHT) MAY MENTION ISOLD TSTMS TOMORROW AFTN AS WE
WARM IN AFTN SUNSHINE.

NEXT REAL SGFNT SHOT AT RAIN TO COME FRI INTO SAT.  CANNOT ARGUE
MUCH WITH AVN/MRF SOLNS OF EJECTING LOW FROM SWRN US ACRS FCST AREA
SAT MORNING.  LLVL REFLECTION WL FORM ALG STALLED SFC BNDRY ACRS
NRN TX FRI AFTN...PULLING MSTR ACRS SFC BNDRY INTO ERN OK/WRN AR.
SFC-850 MB FIELDS FROM MRF SUGGEST ISENTROPIC LIFT WL BE THE
STRONGEST FRI NIGHT...ENDING MIDDAY SAT.  BNDRY SHUD RETREAT SE OF
AREA LATE SAT AFTN WITH CLEARING SKIES EXPECTED SUNDAY.

UPDATED FCST ALREADY OUT.  REGULAR PACKAGE TO COME BETWEEN 4 AND 430 PM.

FCSTID = 14

SORRY FOLKS...DON`T HAVE TIME TO COMPUTE PRELIM NUMBERS ATTM.

.TUL...
OK...NONE.
AR...NONE.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 6, 1:00 PM CDT, 5 hours 36 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-071100-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CDT WED MAY 6 1998

A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF
A MCALESTER TO FORT SMITH LINE.

EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...A SURFACE LOW WAS LOCATED OVER SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA
WITH A STATIONARY FRONT THROUGH EASTERN OKLAHOMA INTO NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS.  AREAS OF CLOUDS REMAIN ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA...ALTHOUGH
SOME BREAKS HAVE BEEN OCCURING...ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.
WITH AFTERNOON HEATING AND SURFACE DEWPOINTS IN THE MID 60S TO LOWER
70S...THE ATMOSPHERE IS EXPECTED TO BECOME VERY UNSTABLE.  HOWEVER...A
CAP OF WARM AIR ALOFT ACROSS NORTHERN TEXAS WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA WHICH MAY PREVENT THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT FOR MUCH OF THE
AFTERNOON.

AT THIS TIME...IT IS UNCERTAIN WHETHER THE CAP WILL BE BROKEN.  IF THE
CLOUDS CLEAR MORE...SUFFICIENT HEATING MAY BREAK THE CAP AND A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE BY LATE AFTERNOON MAINLY ACROSS PARTS OF
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS.  ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT
FORM IN THIS AREA WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY EVENING BEFORE WEAKENING
SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET.

IN ADDITION...THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON
ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AS AN UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE APPROACHES.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD THEN MOVE EAST-
SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS EVENING
AND OVERNIGHT.

GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF INSTABILITY FORECAST ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS...ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO DEVELOP MAY BECOME SEVERE
WITH LARGE HAIL BEING THE MAIN THREAT.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS IN NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHOULD LISTEN FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS
AND BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT.
Special weather statement, May 6, 1:00 PM CDT, 5 hours 36 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-071100-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CDT WED MAY 6 1998

A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF
A MCALESTER TO FORT SMITH LINE.

EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...A SURFACE LOW WAS LOCATED OVER SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA
WITH A STATIONARY FRONT THROUGH EASTERN OKLAHOMA INTO NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS.  AREAS OF CLOUDS REMAIN ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA...ALTHOUGH
SOME BREAKS HAVE BEEN OCCURING...ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.
WITH AFTERNOON HEATING AND SURFACE DEWPOINTS IN THE MID 60S TO LOWER
70S...THE ATMOSPHERE IS EXPECTED TO BECOME VERY UNSTABLE.  HOWEVER...A
CAP OF WARM AIR ALOFT ACROSS NORTHERN TEXAS WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA WHICH MAY PREVENT THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT FOR MUCH OF THE
AFTERNOON.

AT THIS TIME...IT IS UNCERTAIN WHETHER THE CAP WILL BE BROKEN.  IF THE
CLOUDS CLEAR MORE...SUFFICIENT HEATING MAY BREAK THE CAP AND A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE BY LATE AFTERNOON MAINLY ACROSS PARTS OF
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS.  ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT
FORM IN THIS AREA WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY EVENING BEFORE WEAKENING
SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET.

IN ADDITION...THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON
ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AS AN UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE APPROACHES.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD THEN MOVE EAST-
SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS EVENING
AND OVERNIGHT.

GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF INSTABILITY FORECAST ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS...ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO DEVELOP MAY BECOME SEVERE
WITH LARGE HAIL BEING THE MAIN THREAT.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS IN NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHOULD LISTEN FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS
AND BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT.
Special weather statement, May 6, 3:00 PM CDT, 3 hours 36 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-071100-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
300 PM CDT WED MAY 6 1998

A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF
A MCALESTER TO FORT SMITH LINE.

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING FOR PORTIONS OF
NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA...ALONG AND NORTH OF A BRISTOW TO TULSA TO WAGONER TO
JAY LINE.

A WEAK EAST TO WEST SURFACE BOUNDARY WAS LOCATED ACROSS FAR SOUTHERN
KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON.  AFTERNOON HEATING COMBINED WITH SURFACE
DEWPOINTS IN THE LOWER TO MID 60S HAVE RESULTED IN THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT ACROSS SOUTHERN KANSAS AND NORTHERN OKLAHOMA.  THESE STORMS
WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN AND MAY REACH PORTIONS OF PAWNEE AND OSAGE
COUNTIES AFTER 4 PM.  THE STORMS SHOULD EVENTUALLY SPREAD THROUGH
NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS EVENING...POSSIBLY MOVING INTO NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS BY MID TO LATE EVENING.  GIVEN THE DEGREE OF
INSTABILITY...LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.
HOWEVER...WIND PROFILES ALSO SUGGEST SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS ARE
POSSIBLE...SO AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT.

ELSEWHERE...THE CAP OF WARM AIR ALOFT CONTINUES TO SUPPRESS THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS.  THE
CAP HAS BEENING WEAKENING...HOWEVER...SO ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ARE STILL POSSIBLE THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS IN NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHOULD LISTEN FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS
AND BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT.
Local storm report, May 6, 3:59 PM CDT, 2 hours 37 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA, OK
359 PM CDT WED MAY 06 1998

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

0321 AM    HEAVENER                  OK   .88 INCH HAIL
05/06/98   LE FLORE

0400 AM    POTEAU                    OK   FLOODING
05/06/98   LE FLORE                       HIGH WATER TEMPORARILY
                                          COVERED DEWEY AVENUE
                                          TOWARDS HOSPITAL
Local storm report, May 6, 3:59 PM CDT, 2 hours 37 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA, OK
359 PM CDT WED MAY 06 1998

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

0321 AM    HEAVENER                  OK   .88 INCH HAIL
05/06/98   LE FLORE

0400 AM    POTEAU                    OK   FLOODING
05/06/98   LE FLORE                       HIGH WATER TEMPORARILY
                                          COVERED DEWEY AVENUE
                                          TOWARDS HOSPITAL

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 6, 1:56 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAAdair49 min
May 6, 2:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALeFlore48 min
May 6, 3:26 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALeFlore34 min
May 6, 3:56 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSALeFlore2 hr
May 6, 3:59 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALeFlore46 min
May 6, 4:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOkfuskee49 min
May 6, 5:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACreek, Okmulgee53 min
May 6, 5:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAMuskogee64 min
May 6, 5:41 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAOkmulgee49 min
May 6, 5:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAWagoner56 min
May 6, 5:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACreek, Tulsa65 min
May 6, 6:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAMuskogee24 min
May 6, 6:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage, Washington64 min
May 6, 6:14 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAMuskogee46 min
May 6, 6:20 PM CDTTornado WarningTSANowata, Washington40 min
May 6, 6:29 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAMcIntosh61 min
May 6, 6:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACraig52 min
May 6, 6:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAMayes, Rogers, Wagoner77 min
May 6, 6:54 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSATulsa3 hr
May 6, 6:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACreek61 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.