Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 39, NWS Tulsa, OK

March 30, 1998Muskogee County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 30, 1998, 6:14 PM CST for Muskogee County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 46 min. 3 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
Mar 30, 1998, 6:14 PM CST (00:14 UTC)
Expired
Mar 30, 1998, 7:00 PM CST
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Whole counties

County Muskogee County, OK

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 64 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:14 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
Mar 30, 6:44 PM CSTThunderstorm Wind 52Muskogee, OK
Mar 30, 6:46 PM CSTHail 0.88Warner, OK
Mar 30, 7:00 PM CSTHail 0.88Keefeton, 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
Mar 30, 1:00 PM CSTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 00:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 188 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 00:00Z on 1998-03-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 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 00:00Z on 1998-03-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -325 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
672 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
92 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-325 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-26 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KTUL 310014 RRA
SVRTUL
OKC101-310100-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
614 PM CST MON MAR 30 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 700 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...

IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA

   ...MUSKOGEE COUNTY

AT 610 PM...DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED TWO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. ONE STORM
WAS JUST NORTHWEST OF EUFAULA AND THE OTHER 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
EUFAULA. BOTH STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

WARNER...WEBBERS FALLS AND GORE ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS.

HAIL TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS AND WIND GUSTS TO 65 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED
IN THE WARNED AREA.

A T@ORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. REMEMBER...
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT FOR
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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 Mar 30, 3:30 PM CST, 2 hours 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 30, 3:30 PM CST, 2 hours 44 minutes before
FPUS3 KTUL 302130
AFDTUL

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
330 PM CST MON MAR 30 1998

PARAMETERS IN PLACE FOR SEVERE WEATHER TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT
OVER MOST AREAS. INSTABILITY IS HIGHER THAN WEVE SEEN SO FAR THIS
MONTH ABOUT 1500 J/KG...THIS AND 100+ KT H5 WINDS IN PLACE SUGGEST
SUPERCELL STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE EVEN THOUGH CURRENT ACTIVITY IS
MOSTLY LINEAR AND MULTICELLULAR. STORMS SE OF KOKC SHOWING SIGNS OF
MORE EWD MOVEMENT AND APPEAR LESS LINEAR...THESE STORMS HAVE ALSO HAD
THE HIGHEST REFLECTIVITIES/VILS AND LIKELY HAVE STRONGER UPDAFTS.
AROUND SUNSET...SFC WINDS SHOULD BACK...ESP E AND NE OF SFC LOW WHICH
IS CURRENTLY SW OF KOKC. WILL CONT TO MONITOR SITUATION CLOSELY.

NEAR CAT POPS EXPECTED TONIGHT...MUCH MORE THAN WOEFUL FWC GUID WHICH
HAS A 13 POP FOR KMLC. OBVIOUSLY SIDING WITH ETA AND CURRENT RADAR
TRENDS FOR THIS PKG. STORMS SHOULD END OVER WRN ZONES A LITTLE AFTER
MIDNIGHT AND BY MID MORNING OVER FAR ERN ZONES. COULD SEE LINGERING
LT OR ELEVATED PRECIP DURING THE DAY TOMORROW OVER NRN ZONES AS UPR
S/W LIFTS OUT TO OUR N BUT OTHERWISE...POPS FOR TUE ONLY FOR
LINGERING SHRA IN THE MORNING OVER ERN ZONES IF ANY. AFTER THIS SYS
GOES BY...LOOKS CLEAR FOR A FEW DAYS.

NEXT CHC OF SHRA/TSRA LOOKS LIKE THUR WITH UPR LOW MOVING ACROSS
PLAINS. THIS SYS DOES NOT LOOK AS STRONG AND SHOULD PASS WELL TO OUR
N...MOISTURE MAY BE HARDER TO GET AND DRY SLOTTING ALWAYS COMMON WITH
SYSTEMS MOVING WELL N OF US. WILL LEAVE POPS IN CHC CAT.

FCSTID = 26
TUL   51  65  40  73 / 100   0   0   0
FSM   55  69  40  75 / 100  30   0   0
MLC   53  71  39  73 / 100  10   0   0
BVO   46  62  38  72 / 100   0   0   0
FYV   53  65  39  69 /  80  20   0   0
IDB   55  73  40  74 /  80  30   0   0
BYV   53  65  39  69 /  80  20   0   0
MIO   52  65  40  71 / 100  10   0   0
MKO   52  68  40  74 / 100  10   0   0
F10   51  65  40  73 / 100   0   0   0
HHW   55  73  40  74 /  80  30   0   0

.TUL...
OK...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 800 PM CST FOR ZONES OKZ049...OKZ053>068...
OKZ070>071...OKZ073>075.

AR...NONE.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 30, 1:00 PM CST, 5 hours 14 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-311200-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CST MON MAR 30 1998

A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  A TORNADO WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA UNTIL 800 PM.

SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WAS CENTERED OVER CENTRAL OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS
AFTERNOON.  A DRYLINE TRAILED SOUTH FROM THE LOW INTO NORTH CENTRAL
TEXAS.  IN THE MEANTIME...A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM CENTERED
OVER THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES THIS MORNING WILL MOVE SLOWLY NORTHEASTWARD
INTO WESTERN KANSAS THIS EVENING.

THE AIRMASS EAST OF THE DRYLINE HAS BECOME VERY UNSTABLE EARLY THIS
AFTERNOON.  AT THE SAME TIME...THE LAYER OF WARM AIR ALOFT WHICH HAD
BEEN CAPPING ANY CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT HAS WEAKENED.  DUE TO THE
STRENGTH OF THE APPROACHING STORM SYSTEM...A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER
EVENT APPEARS POSSIBLE.

EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAD ALREADY DEVELOPED IN
PARTS OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA.  THERE IS A CHANCE OF SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT
THIS AFTERNOON WEST OF HIGHWAY 75 IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA.  LATER THIS
EVENING...THE STORMS WILL ORGANIZE INTO A LINE.  IF THEY ORGANIZE INTO
A SOLID LINE...THE CHANCES FOR A SUPERCELL WOULD DECREASE.

NEVERTHELESS...THERE IS A MODERATE TO HIGH POTENTIAL FOR THESE STORMS TO
BECOME SEVERE.  DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES WILL ALL BE
POSSIBLE WITH THE STORMS GIVEN THE FORECAST WIND PROFILES.

DURING THE NIGHTTIME HOURS...INSTABILITY WILL BE LESSENING DUE TO THE
LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING AND WEAKENING OF THE DRYLINE.  HOWEVER...A FEW
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL STILL LIKELY OCCUR IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND
EXTREME EASTERN OKLAHOMA.  AGAIN THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING
WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.

THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT SHOULD END BEFORE 300 AM AS THE UPPER LEVEL
STORM LIFTS NORTHEAST AWAY FROM THE AREA.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS IN EASTERN
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHOULD PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE
WEATHER SITUATION THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 1:00 PM CST, 5 hours 14 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-311200-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CST MON MAR 30 1998

A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  A TORNADO WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA UNTIL 800 PM.

SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WAS CENTERED OVER CENTRAL OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS
AFTERNOON.  A DRYLINE TRAILED SOUTH FROM THE LOW INTO NORTH CENTRAL
TEXAS.  IN THE MEANTIME...A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM CENTERED
OVER THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES THIS MORNING WILL MOVE SLOWLY NORTHEASTWARD
INTO WESTERN KANSAS THIS EVENING.

THE AIRMASS EAST OF THE DRYLINE HAS BECOME VERY UNSTABLE EARLY THIS
AFTERNOON.  AT THE SAME TIME...THE LAYER OF WARM AIR ALOFT WHICH HAD
BEEN CAPPING ANY CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT HAS WEAKENED.  DUE TO THE
STRENGTH OF THE APPROACHING STORM SYSTEM...A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER
EVENT APPEARS POSSIBLE.

EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAD ALREADY DEVELOPED IN
PARTS OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA.  THERE IS A CHANCE OF SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT
THIS AFTERNOON WEST OF HIGHWAY 75 IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA.  LATER THIS
EVENING...THE STORMS WILL ORGANIZE INTO A LINE.  IF THEY ORGANIZE INTO
A SOLID LINE...THE CHANCES FOR A SUPERCELL WOULD DECREASE.

NEVERTHELESS...THERE IS A MODERATE TO HIGH POTENTIAL FOR THESE STORMS TO
BECOME SEVERE.  DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES WILL ALL BE
POSSIBLE WITH THE STORMS GIVEN THE FORECAST WIND PROFILES.

DURING THE NIGHTTIME HOURS...INSTABILITY WILL BE LESSENING DUE TO THE
LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING AND WEAKENING OF THE DRYLINE.  HOWEVER...A FEW
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL STILL LIKELY OCCUR IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND
EXTREME EASTERN OKLAHOMA.  AGAIN THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING
WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.

THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT SHOULD END BEFORE 300 AM AS THE UPPER LEVEL
STORM LIFTS NORTHEAST AWAY FROM THE AREA.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS IN EASTERN
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHOULD PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE
WEATHER SITUATION THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 30, 6:23 PM CSTTornado WarningTSAMcIntosh37 min
Mar 30, 6:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPushmataha43 min
Mar 30, 6:40 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAHaskell, Latimer50 min
Mar 30, 6:46 PM CSTTornado WarningTSACherokee, Muskogee44 min
Mar 30, 6:51 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSASequoyah39 min
Mar 30, 6:53 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPittsburg52 min
Mar 30, 6:54 PM CSTTornado WarningTSASequoyah51 min
Mar 30, 7:26 PM CSTTornado WarningTSAAdair, Cherokee49 min
Mar 30, 7:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALatimer, LeFlore, Pushmataha45 min
Mar 30, 7:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAHaskell45 min
Mar 30, 7:33 PM CSTTornado WarningTSASequoyah42 min
Mar 30, 7:38 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSADelaware52 min
Mar 30, 7:58 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOttawa32 min
Mar 30, 8:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALeFlore48 min
Mar 30, 8:53 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALeFlore22 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.