Alert archive / Texas / Tornado Warnings in 1999

Tornado Warning 71, NWS Norman, OK

May 3, 1999Wilbarger County, Texas

NWS Norman, OK issued this tornado warning at May 3, 1999, 10:10 PM CDT for Wilbarger County, Texas. It was in force for 35 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline the Iowa Environmental Mesonet reconstructed for it; the warning itself named whole counties, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: May 3, 1999, 10:10 PM CDT (03:10 UTC)
Expired: May 3, 1999, 10:45 PM CDT
In force: 35 min
Issued by: NWS Norman, OK
Area: Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Wilbarger County, TX

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 3, 10:30 PM CDT	Thunderstorm Wind	Vernon, TX

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 nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 00:00Z, 3.2 hours before the alert went out and 211 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 2379 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -65 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 818 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 257 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 329 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 2.4
Supercell composite: 13.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

999 
WFUS1 KOKC 040313 RRA
TOROKC
TXC487-040345-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
1010 PM CDT MON MAY 3 1999

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORMAN HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WILBARGER COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH TEXAS

* UNTIL 1045 PM CDT

* AT 1010 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
  CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THE MOST DANGEROUS PORTION OF THE
  STORM WAS LOCATED 3 MILES SOUTH OF LOCKETT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45
  MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE LOCKETT...OKLAUNION AND VERNON

TORNADOES ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT BECAUSE THEY ARE HARD TO
SEE. TAKE COVER NOW. IF A BASEMENT IS NOT AVAILABLE...MOVE TO AN
INTERIOR ROOM OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. LEAVE MOBILE HOMES AND
VEHICLES FOR REINFORCED SHELTER. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

LAT...LON 3406 9946 3391 9929 3418 9899 3418 9917
          3441 9936

11

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Norman, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 3, 2:50 PM CDT, 7 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 3, 2:50 PM CDT, 7 hours 20 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
250 PM CDT MON MAY 3 1999

NEGATIVELY TILTED TROF CONTINUES TO DIG SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE
SOUTHWEST US THIS AFTERNOON. AN INITIAL S/WV NOW MOVING ACROSS NEW
MEXICO WILL CONT TO MOVE EAST NORTHEAST ACROSS THE TX PANHANDLE INTO
WESTERN OK AND SOUTHERN KS THIS EVENING. A STRONGER WAVE JUST NOW
CROSSING THE SEIRRA NEVADAS WILL QUICKLY DROP INTO THE BASE OF THE
TROF LATER TONIGHT AND MOVE ACROSS THE AREA ON TUESDAY.

AS ALL THIS IS HAPPENING A DRY LINE NEAR THE TX/OK BORDER WILL
SLOWLY WORK ITS WAY EAST FOR THE FIRST PART OF THIS EVENING. AS
STORMS BECOME ORGANIZED ALONG THE DRY LINE LATER THIS EVENING THEY
WILL MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS THE STATE OVERNIGHT. THEY WILL PROBABLY
ADVANCE AHEAD OF THE DRY LINE...WHICH SHOULD REMAIN ACROSS WESTERN
OK OR RETREAT WESTWARD LATER THIS EVENING IN ANTICIPATION OF THE
MAIN WAVE WHICH COMES OUT ON TUESDAY. AT THAT TIME THE DRY LINE
WHICH WILL BE ALIGNED ALONG THE TX/OK BORDER AND THE PACIFIC COOL
FRONT WHICH WILL BE TRAILING THE DRY LINE INITIALLY WILL MAKE THERE
WAY INTO THE CENTRAL SECTIONS OF OK BY 18Z.

AS THE OVERNIGHT AND EARLY MORNING CONVECTION CONT TO MOVE EAST
EARLY TUESDAY MOST OF WESTERN AND PERHAPS CENTRAL OKLAHOMA WILL END
UP DRY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THINK THAT BEST CHANCES FOR AFTERNOON
CONVECTION ON TUESDAY WILL BE FROM I-35 EASTWARD. WILL LIKELY KEEP
SOME CHANCES IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST TOMORROW AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE
POPS ON TUESDAY WILL BE FOR LINGERING STORMS FROM TONIGHTS ACTIVITY.

FOR THE EXTENDED MRF TRIES TO CLOSE THE UPPER CIRCULATION OFF AGAIN
OVER THE CENTRAL U.S. AND BRINGS ANOTHER S/WV AROUND THE CIRCULATION
ON THURSDAY. THINK THIS WILL JUST BRING SOME MID AND HIGH LEVEL
CLOUDS TO THE AREA. THE CLOSED LOW SLOWLY MOVES EAST AFTER THAT AND
LEAVES THE SOUTHERN PLAINS DRY WITH A WARMING TREND INTO THE
WEEKEND.

FCSTID = 30
OKC   65  77  52  70 /  70  50  10   0
HBR   61  78  48  74 /  60  30   0   0
SPS   64  81  52  77 /  60  40   0   0
GAG   55  75  45  68 /  30  20   0   0
PNC   63  77  50  68 /  70  50  10   0
DUA   65  78  53  73 /  60  50  20   0

.OUN...
OK...NONE.
TX...NONE.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 3, 6:29 PM CDT, 3 hours 41 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
626 PM CDT MON MAY  3 1999

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

0624 PM    5 S MINCO                 OK   4.50 INCH HAIL
05/03/99   GRADY

FM

Local storm report, May 3, 7:28 PM CDT, 2 hours 42 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
716 PM CDT MON MAY  3 1999

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

0717 PM    7 SS TUTTLE               OK   TORNADO
05/03/99   GRADY                          HOUSE DAMAGED
                                          MULTIPLE INJURIES

JS

Local storm report, May 3, 7:31 PM CDT, 2 hours 39 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
716 PM CDT MON MAY  3 1999

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

0717 PM    7 S TUTTLE                OK   TORNADO
05/03/99   GRADY                          HOUSE DAMAGED
                                          MULTIPLE INJURIES

JS

Local storm report, May 3, 8:31 PM CDT, 1 hour 39 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
817 PM CDT MON MAY  3 1999

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

0810 PM    NE 23RD NEAR CHOCTAW      OK   TORNADO
05/03/99   OKLAHOMA

0800 PM    BENJAMIN                  TX   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/03/99   KNOX

J

Local storm report, May 3, 9:01 PM CDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
850 PM CDT MON MAY  3 1999

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

0850 PM    1 NE PIEDMONT             OK   TORNADO
05/03/99   CANADIAN                       REPORTED BY HIGHWAY PATROL

JS

Local storm report, May 3, 9:02 PM CDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
852 PM CDT MON MAY  3 1999

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

0844 PM    WAUKOMIS                  OK   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/99   GARFIELD

JS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 3, 7:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Knox	46 min
May 3, 8:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OUN	Knox	46 min
May 3, 8:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Foard, Wilbarger	31 min
May 3, 9:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Knox	45 min
May 3, 9:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Foard, Wilbarger	51 min
May 3, 9:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Knox	29 min
May 4, 7:13 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Foard, Hardeman	47 min
May 4, 7:57 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Foard, Knox	48 min
May 4, 7:57 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Wilbarger	48 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Texas, 1999 Every tornado warning in 1999 Tornadoes in 1999

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.