Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 221, NWS Tulsa, OK
NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 15, 1998, 7:38 AM CDT for Osage County, Washington County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 37 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
- May 15, 1998, 7:38 AM CDT (12:38 UTC)
- Expired
- May 15, 1998, 8:15 AM CDT
- In force
- 37 min
- Issued by
- NWS Tulsa, OK
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Osage County, OK, Washington County, OK
The radar
The Tulsa radar (KINX), 76 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 12:41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 7:45 AM CDT | Hail 0.75 | Bowring, OK | |
| May 15, 7:55 AM CDT | Hail 0.75 | Copan, 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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 5:50 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 0.6 hours before the alert went out and 197 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1890 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 64 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -142 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 43 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
788 WUUS54 KTSA 151239 RRA SVRTUL OKC113-147-151315- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 738 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... NORTHEASTERN OSAGE COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA NORTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA * UNTIL 815 AM CDT * AT 732 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF COPAN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH. * SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE... COPAN HULAH HAIL TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS AND WIND GUSTS TO 65 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 15, 3:50 AM CDT, 3 hours 48 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 15, 3:50 AM CDT, 3 hours 48 minutes before
FPUS3 KTUL 150851 AFDTUL EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 350 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 1998 VIGOROUS SHORWAVE TO MOVE TO OUR WEST AND NORTH TODAY. SHORTWAVE HAS HELPED TO TRIGGER A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS ALONG DRY LINE/PACIFIC COLD FRONT IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE AND WESTERN OKLAHOMA THIS MORNING. EXPECT STORMS TO CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST NORTHEAST AND EVENTUALLY EFFECT THE FORECAST AREA. HAVE GONE LIKELY POPS NORHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND GOOD CHANCE POPS FOR AREAS TO THE SOUTH. MAIN CHANCE FOR RAIN TO BE THIS MORNING...BUT WILL NOT GET CUTE WITH WORDING AS DRY LINE/PACIFIC COLD FRONT TO MAKE ITS WAY ACROSS THE AREA LATER TODAY AND COULD TRIGGER ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HAVE KEPT SLIGHT CHANCE POPS IN FOR THE EASTERN ZONES THIS EVENING FOR THIS REASON AS WELL. TEMPERATURE WISE HAVE BASICALLY FOLLOWED THE FWC NUMBERS WITH ONLY A FEW SLIGHT VARIATIONS. TONIGHT TO BE COOLER THAN THIS MORNING DUE TO LOWER DEW POINTS AND LESS WIND...BUT HIGHS SHOULD STAY IN THE 80S AS COOLING BEHIND FRONT IS NOT SIGNIFICANT. LOOKING AHEAD IT APPEARS THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD WILL BE QUIET AND WARM AS AN UPPER RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE AREA AND REMAINS IN PLACE. FCSTID = 17 TUL 87 60 88 65 / 60 10 0 0 FSM 87 60 88 59 / 50 20 0 0 MLC 87 62 89 63 / 50 10 0 0 BVO 86 58 87 63 / 60 10 0 0 FYV 85 57 85 56 / 60 20 0 0 IDB 87 61 89 62 / 40 20 0 0 BYV 84 56 84 55 / 60 20 0 0 MIO 86 58 86 60 / 60 10 0 0 MKO 87 60 88 65 / 60 10 0 0 F10 87 61 88 64 / 60 10 0 0 HHW 87 62 89 63 / 40 20 0 0 .TUL... OK...NONE. AR...NONE. ABBAS
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 15, 6:00 AM CDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-161200- EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 600 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 1998 STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA THIS MORNING...MAINLY TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF I-44. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE OVER THE REMAINDER OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS MORNING. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR OSAGE AND PAWNEE COUNTIES UNTIL 8 AM. A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOPED OVER THE TEXAS PANHANDLE AROUND MIDNIGHT HAS BEEN RACING EASTWARD ACROSS OKLAHOMA DURING THE NIGHT. THE STORMS WILL MOVE RAPIDLY ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS MORNING...BEFORE MOVING OFF TO THE EAST BY LATE THIS MORNING OR EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORMS ARE THE RESULT OF A STRONG UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM MOVING NORTHEASTWARD FROM NEW MEXICO TOWARD THE CENTRAL PLAINS INTERACTING WITH A DRYLINE AND PACIFIC COLD FRONT AT THE SURFACE OFF TO THE WEST. WITH A VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF THESE SYSTEMS THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN STRONG TO SEVERE AS THEY MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. THE GREATEST THREAT WILL BE ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA...CLOSER TO THE UPPER SYSTEM...BUT AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR TWO WITHIN THE LINE MAY ALSO OCCUR ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. STRONG DAMAGING WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE THE PRIMARY THREAT...BUT LARGE HAIL MAY ALSO ACCOMPANY A FEW OF THE STORMS. WITH THE UPPER SYSTEM PULLING AWAY...AND THE RAPID MOVEMENT OF THE LINE...THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO END BY AROUND MIDDAY AS THE STORMS RACE OFF TO THE EAST ACROSS ARKANSAS AND MISSOURI AND WEAKEN. CIVIL DEFENSE ORGANIZATIONS AND SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD EXPECT TO BE ACTIVATED THIS MORNING IF NOT ALREADY ACTIVATED...ESPECIALLY OVER NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA.
Special weather statement, May 15, 6:00 AM CDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-161200- EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 600 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 1998 STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA THIS MORNING...MAINLY TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF I-44. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE OVER THE REMAINDER OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS MORNING. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR OSAGE AND PAWNEE COUNTIES UNTIL 8 AM. A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOPED OVER THE TEXAS PANHANDLE AROUND MIDNIGHT HAS BEEN RACING EASTWARD ACROSS OKLAHOMA DURING THE NIGHT. THE STORMS WILL MOVE RAPIDLY ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS MORNING...BEFORE MOVING OFF TO THE EAST BY LATE THIS MORNING OR EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORMS ARE THE RESULT OF A STRONG UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM MOVING NORTHEASTWARD FROM NEW MEXICO TOWARD THE CENTRAL PLAINS INTERACTING WITH A DRYLINE AND PACIFIC COLD FRONT AT THE SURFACE OFF TO THE WEST. WITH A VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF THESE SYSTEMS THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN STRONG TO SEVERE AS THEY MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. THE GREATEST THREAT WILL BE ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA...CLOSER TO THE UPPER SYSTEM...BUT AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR TWO WITHIN THE LINE MAY ALSO OCCUR ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. STRONG DAMAGING WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE THE PRIMARY THREAT...BUT LARGE HAIL MAY ALSO ACCOMPANY A FEW OF THE STORMS. WITH THE UPPER SYSTEM PULLING AWAY...AND THE RAPID MOVEMENT OF THE LINE...THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO END BY AROUND MIDDAY AS THE STORMS RACE OFF TO THE EAST ACROSS ARKANSAS AND MISSOURI AND WEAKEN. CIVIL DEFENSE ORGANIZATIONS AND SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD EXPECT TO BE ACTIVATED THIS MORNING IF NOT ALREADY ACTIVATED...ESPECIALLY OVER NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Tulsa, OK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 5:31 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Osage | 59 min |
| May 15, 5:50 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Pawnee | 55 min |
| May 15, 6:23 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Osage | 52 min |
| May 15, 6:23 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Osage | 67 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.