Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 225, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 24, 1998Nowata County, Washington County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 24, 1998, 11:25 PM CDT for Nowata County, Washington County, Oklahoma. 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
May 24, 1998, 11:25 PM CDT (04:25 UTC)
Expired
May 25, 1998, 12:15 AM CDT
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Whole counties

Counties Nowata County, OK, Washington County, OK

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 67 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:26 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 24, 11:25 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 52Copan, OK
May 25, 12:10 AM CDTThunderstorm Wind 52Nowata, 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 24, 8:15 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 00:00Z, 4.4 hours before the alert went out and 175 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, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 1998-05-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 895 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, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 1998-05-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 117 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
895 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-85 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1916 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
117 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
247 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
5.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

053 
WUUS54 KTSA 250427 RRA
SVRTUL
OKC105-147-250515-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1125 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

  NOWATA COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA
  WASHINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 1215 AM CDT

* AT 1123 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES EAST OF COPAN...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...
  WANN
  DEWEY
  BARTLESVILLE
  DELAWARE

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

A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT. TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP SUDDENLY
FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER
CONDITIONS.

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 24, 11:11 PM CDT, 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 24, 11:11 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
FPUS3 KTUL 250415
AFDTUL

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1111 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 1998

UPDATED ZNS TO ISSUE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NE OK OVERNIGHT.
SLOW MVNG TSRA EXPECTED TO CONT TO TRAIN OVER SAME AREAS N
OF SFC FNT. ZNS ALREADY ISSUED. FFA OUT SOON.
FCSTID = 13

.TUL...
OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT FOR ZONES OKZ054>063...OKZ067>069.

AR...NONE.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 24, 8:45 PM CDT, 2 hours 40 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-251200-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
845 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 1998

NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT ACROSS PARTS OF
NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA...GENERALLY NORTH OF A PAWNEE TO TAHLEQUAH LINE.
A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT ACROSS
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.

A WARM FRONT WAS LOCATED ACROSS EXTREME NORTHERN OKLAHOMA THIS EVENING.
ALONG AND TO THE SOUTH OF THE FRONT...VERY HIGH AMOUNTS OF LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE HAVE RESULTED IN VERY HIGH INSTABILITY. IN ADDITION...WINDS
ALONG AND JUST SOUTH OF THE FRONT WERE FROM THE SOUTHEAST OR EAST
RESULTING IN A VERTICAL WIND PROFILE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF SUPERCELLS AND POSSIBLY TORNADOES.

ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA...THERE WILL BE A THREAT FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THE GREATEST THREAT
OF TORNADIC ACTIVITY WILL BE BETWEEN 9 PM AND 1 AM TONIGHT MAINLY
NORTH OF A PAWNEE TO TAHLEQUAH LINE.

ACROSS NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA THERE WILL BE A
CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE
STORMS CONTINUE MOVING EAST AND SOUTHEAST. THE GREATEST THREAT IN
THESE AREAS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WINDS...ALTHOUGH BRIEF
TORNADOES MAY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHWEST ARKANSAS LATE TONIGHT.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS ACROSS NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA SHOULD QUICKLY COMPLETE PREPARATIONS FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND
SPOTTER ACTIVATION. ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED ACROSS SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
Local storm report, May 24, 10:52 PM CDT, 33 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA, OK
1052 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 1998

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

0935 PM    SOUTH COFFEYVILLE         OK   0.88 INCH HAIL
05/24/98   NOWATA
Local storm report, May 24, 10:52 PM CDT, 33 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA, OK
1052 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 1998

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

0935 PM    SOUTH COFFEYVILLE         OK   0.88 INCH HAIL
05/24/98   NOWATA
Local storm report, May 24, 10:55 PM CDT, 30 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA, OK
1055 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 1998

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

1005 PM    FORAKER                   OK   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/24/98   NOWATA
Local storm report, May 24, 10:55 PM CDT, 30 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA, OK
1055 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 1998

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

1005 PM    FORAKER                   OK   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/24/98   NOWATA
Local storm report, May 24, 11:21 PM CDT, 4 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA, OK
1120 PM CST SUN MAY 24 1998

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

1106 PM    5 NW PAWHUSKA     B        OK   70 MPH WIND GUST
05/24/98   OSAGE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 24, 8:53 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAOsage52 min
May 24, 9:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSANowata63 min
May 24, 9:34 PM CDTTornado WarningTSANowata41 min
May 24, 9:40 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAOsage65 min
May 24, 9:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACraig37 min
May 24, 10:43 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAOsage62 min
May 24, 10:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACraig48 min
May 24, 11:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage44 min
May 25, 12:13 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSAOsage2 hr
May 25, 12:19 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACraig41 min
May 25, 12:32 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage43 min
May 25, 12:43 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSADelaware, Ottawa47 min
May 25, 1:12 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage, Washington48 min
May 25, 1:31 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSANowata, Rogers44 min
May 25, 2:25 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAMayes50 min
May 25, 2:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSADelaware36 min
May 25, 4:10 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage, Pawnee50 min
May 25, 4:59 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage, Pawnee46 min
May 25, 6:01 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSATulsa44 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.