Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 1999

Tornado Warning 18, NWS Tulsa, OK

April 14, 1999Latimer County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this tornado warning at Apr 14, 1999, 6:35 PM CDT for Latimer County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 25 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
Apr 14, 1999, 6:35 PM CDT (23:35 UTC)
Expired
Apr 14, 1999, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
25 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Whole counties

County Latimer County, OK

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 14, 6:44 PM CDTHail 1.75Panola, 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 nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 199 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 1999-04-14Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 1999-04-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 258 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
650 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
63 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
258 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
244 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 142336
TORTUL
OKC077-150000-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
635 PM CDT WED APR 14 1999

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR
  EASTERN LATIMER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 700 PM CDT

* AT 635 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG
  ROTATION 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF RED OAK. MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25
  MPH...THIS DANGEROUS STORM COULD PRODUCE A TORNADO AT ANY TIME.

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...  RED OAK

IF YOU ARE IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM...TAKE COVER NOW! IF NO
UNDERGROUND SHELTER IS AVAILABLE MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR. MOBILE H\OMES AND VEHICLES SHOULD BE ABANDONED FOR MORE
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. AVOID WINDOWS!

TORNADOES IN HILLY OR MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS -
TAKE COVER NOW! YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO
COMING.

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 Tulsa, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Apr 14, 3:58 PM CDT, 2 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 14, 3:58 PM CDT, 2 hours 37 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
358 PM CDT WED APR 14 1999

PROBLEM(S) OF THE DAY:
STRONG WINDS (GUSTS > 35 MPH)
WILL THE CONVECTION BE SCATTERED OR NUMEROUS?
TEMPERATURES

NOT MUCH TIME TO WRITE SO WILL KEEP IT SHORT AND SIMPLE. UPPER LOW
VISIBLE IN VISIBLE...IR...AND WATOR VAPOR NEAR THE RED RIVER IN
SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA.  THIS FEATURE TO TRACK EAST ACROSS FORECAST AREA
THIS EVENING AND THEN ITS VORTICITY MAXIMUM TRACKS NORTHEAST TO
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS BY 12Z THURSDAY.  HOWEVER...FLY IN OINTMENT IS THAT
AN UPPER LOW CONSOLIDATES BETWEEN NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN STREAM
SEGMENTS OF THE JET OVER THE CENTRAL U.S. THURSDAY.  THUS...MAY NOT
GET OF THE CLOUDS AND RAIN AS QUICKLY AS MIGHT EXPECT.  WILL CARRY
RAIN INTO TOMORROW MORNING USING BEST MEAN RH'S AS GUIDANCE.  WILL
CARRY CLOUDS THROUGH THE DAY TOMORROW BEFORE BREAKING THEM OUT FOR
TOMORROW NIGHT.

BIG STORY WILL BE THE WIND THOUGH.  SURFACE LOW REALLY CRANKS UP AS
IT TRACKS NORTHEAST FROM CENTRAL OKLAHOMA.  GIVEN GRADIENT SHOULD
EASILY MEET WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA OF 20 TO 30 MPH AND GUSTY.  LATER
SHIFTS MAY HAVE TO UPDATE FOR TIMING AND TO MAKE THEM EVEN STRONGER.

TEMPERATURES ALSO A PROBLEM.  WIND AND CLOUDS SHOULD KEEP TEMPS FROM
DROPPING TOO MUCH TONIGHT AND FROM RISING TOO MUCH TOMORROW.
TOMORROW NIGHT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING.  IF CLOUDS BREAK UP AS
EXPECTED AND WIND WOULD DIE DOWN COULD HAVE A HARD FREEZE.  WILL PLAY
IT THAT THE WIND WILL STAY UP ENOUGH TO JUST BARELY KEEP THAT FROM
HAPPENING.

FCSTID = 17
TUL   44  50  35  55 /  60  30   0   0
FSM   46  53  36  55 /  60  30   0   0
MLC   46  53  36  57 /  70  20   0   0
BVO   42  48  33  53 /  60  30   0   0
FYV   44  50  32  50 /  60  30   0   0
IDB   48  57  37  60 /  60   0   0  10
BYV   44  50  32  50 /  60  30   0   0
MIO   43  50  33  52 /  60  30   0   0
MKO   44  50  35  55 /  60  30   0   0
F10   44  50  35  55 /  60  30   0   0
HHW   48  57  37  60 /  60   0   0  10

.TUL...
OK...WIND ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY FOR ZONES
OKZ049...OKZ053>077.

AR...WIND ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY FOR ZONES
ARZ001>002...ARZ010>011...ARZ019>020...ARZ029.

ABBAS

--------------------
EXPERIMENTAL OUTPUT:

HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED NEXT 24 HOURS: SLIGHT CHANCE NONE
NGM CONFIDENCE:  7 ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 10
ETA CONFIDENCE:  8 ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 10
AVN CONFI4DENCE:  7 ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 10
FCST CONFIDENCE: 9 ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 10

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 14, 1:00 PM CDT, 5 hours 35 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-151200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CDT WED APR 14 1999

...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND
WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

.SYNOPSIS...
EARLY THIS AFTERNOON A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WAS LOCATED NEAR THE RED
RIVER IN FAR SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA.  A DRYLINE TRAILED SOUTH FROM THE LOW
INTO NORTHERN TEXAS.  THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL TRACK ACROSS SOUTHERN
OKLAHOMA THROUGH THIS EVENING...THEN INTO ARKANSAS EARLY TONIGHT.

.DISCUSSION...
A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING
MAINLY ALONG AND TO THE SOUTH OF I-40.  SUNSHINE HAD RETURNED TO MUCH OF
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA THIS AFTERNOON AS DRIER AIR WRAPPED
INTO AN UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM LOCATED ALONG THE RED RIVER.  THE ADDED
SUNSHINE WARMED SURFACE TEMPERATURES TO AROUND 70 DEGREES.  THE WARMER
SURFACE TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH COLDER AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE
UPPER LOW WILL CAUSE THE ATMOSPHERE TO BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE OVER
SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA AS THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM DRAWS CLOSER.  SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN THE VICINITY OF THE SURFACE LOW
AND TRAILING DRYLINE AS IT MOVES EASTWARD THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS
EVENING.  GIVEN ENOUGH INSTABILITY A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME
SEVERE OVER SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS WITH LARGE HAIL
AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS THE PRIMARY THREAT.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND SPOTTER ACTIVATION...
STORM SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR
POSSIBLE ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING MAINLY IN AREAS TO
ALONG AND TO THE SOUTH OF I-40.
Special weather statement, Apr 14, 1:00 PM CDT, 5 hours 35 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-151200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CDT WED APR 14 1999

...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND
WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

.SYNOPSIS...
EARLY THIS AFTERNOON A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WAS LOCATED NEAR THE RED
RIVER IN FAR SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA.  A DRYLINE TRAILED SOUTH FROM THE LOW
INTO NORTHERN TEXAS.  THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL TRACK ACROSS SOUTHERN
OKLAHOMA THROUGH THIS EVENING...THEN INTO ARKANSAS EARLY TONIGHT.

.DISCUSSION...
A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING
MAINLY ALONG AND TO THE SOUTH OF I-40.  SUNSHINE HAD RETURNED TO MUCH OF
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA THIS AFTERNOON AS DRIER AIR WRAPPED
INTO AN UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM LOCATED ALONG THE RED RIVER.  THE ADDED
SUNSHINE WARMED SURFACE TEMPERATURES TO AROUND 70 DEGREES.  THE WARMER
SURFACE TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH COLDER AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE
UPPER LOW WILL CAUSE THE ATMOSPHERE TO BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE OVER
SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA AS THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM DRAWS CLOSER.  SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN THE VICINITY OF THE SURFACE LOW
AND TRAILING DRYLINE AS IT MOVES EASTWARD THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS
EVENING.  GIVEN ENOUGH INSTABILITY A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME
SEVERE OVER SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS WITH LARGE HAIL
AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS THE PRIMARY THREAT.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND SPOTTER ACTIVATION...
STORM SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR
POSSIBLE ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING MAINLY IN AREAS TO
ALONG AND TO THE SOUTH OF I-40.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 14, 6:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALatimer29 min
Apr 14, 6:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAMuskogee, Wagoner50 min
Apr 14, 6:55 PM CDTTornado WarningTSALatimer, LeFlore50 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Oklahoma, 1999Every tornado warning in 1999Tornadoes 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.