Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 1999
Tornado Warning 48, NWS Tulsa, OK
NWS Tulsa, OK issued this tornado warning at May 4, 1999, 3:11 AM CDT for Adair County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 34 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
- May 4, 1999, 3:11 AM CDT (08:11 UTC)
- Expired
- May 4, 1999, 3:45 AM CDT
- In force
- 34 min
- Issued by
- NWS Tulsa, OK
- Area
- Whole counties
County Adair County, OK
The radar
The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 71 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:14 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 4, 3:11 AM CDT | Tornado F1 | Proctor, OK | A brief F1 tornado touchdown caused many trees to be uprooted and broken. |
| May 4, 3:15 AM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Proctor, OK | Numerous large tree limbs were blown down. |
| May 4, 3:45 AM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Westville, OK | There was a swath of tree damage stretching across Adair County from roughly Eldon in Cherokee County to Westville in Adair County. |
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 3, 11:30 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 00:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 137 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
- 635 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -48 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1366 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 35 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 43 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 148 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.1
- Supercell composite
- 3.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
999 WFUS54 KTSA 040813 RRA TORTUL OKC001-040845- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 311 AM CDT TUE MAY 4 1999 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR ADAIR COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA * UNTIL 345 AM CDT * AT 311 AM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG ROTATION 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF PROCTOR. MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH...THIS DANGEROUS STORM COULD PRODUCE A TORNADO AT ANY TIME. * SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE... WATTS... PROCTOR AND CHRISTIE 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 HOMES AND VEHICLES SHOULD BE ABANDONED FOR MORE SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. AVOID WINDOWS NIGHTTIME TORNADOES ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS - TAKE COVER NOW IF YOU WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE
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 May 3, 4:05 PM CDT, 11 hours 6 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 3, 4:05 PM CDT, 11 hours 6 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 405 PM CDT MON MAY 3 1999 PROBLEM(S) OF THE DAY: WILL THE CONVECTION BE SCATTERED OR NUMEROUS? WILL THERE BE SEVERE CONVECTION? ETA MUCH SLOWER BRINGING DRY LINE INTO C/E OKLAHOMA WITH AVN/NGM SIMILAR IN BRINGING BEST CHANCE FOR PRECIP INTO THE AREA LATE TONIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING. NOGAPS/MM5 DATA SUPPORT NGM/AVN SOLUTION. ETA ALSO KEEPS UPPER LOW CLOSED AND FARTHER SOUTH THAN OTHER MODELS AND WOULD KEEP CHANCE FOR CONVECTION ASSOC WITH SYSTEM IN NORTHERN ZONES THROUGH 48 HOURS. AM GOING WITH NGM/AVN/NOGAPS/MM5 SOLUTION BRINGING DRYLINE EAST WITH INITIAL NEG TILT SHORT WAVE LATE TONIGHT EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. COULD EASILY BE SCATTERED CONVECTION WELL AHEAD OF DRY LINE CONVECTION AND COULD STILL YET SEE CONVECTION FIRE IN SW OKLAHOMA THAT COULD MOVE INTO THE AREA LATE THIS EVE. WILL WORD LIKELY POPS AS MAINLY LATE/AFTER MIDNIGHT IN E OK WITH CHANCE POPS ELSEWHERE OVERNIGHT. POPS HIT VERY HARD TUESDAY WITH 90-100% AND MENTION OF SEVERE. THREAT MAY BE GONE BY AFTERNOON...BUT WITH ETA SOLN LIRKING WILL DELAY ENDING PRECIP A BIT. WILL KEEP LOW POPS IN NE ZONES TUE EVE AND A MENTION OF POSSIBLE COLD POOL SHOWERS IN FAR NORTHERN ZONES ON WED. REST FCST THROUGH SATURDAY LEFT DRY...FAVORING ECMWF SOLN WITH RIDGING IN THE PLAINS. FOLLOWED FWC TEMPS FAIRLY CLOSELY. FCSTID = 13 TUL 63 76 52 75 / 70 90 10 10 FSM 62 76 51 75 / 50 90 30 20 MLC 63 77 51 76 / 60 90 10 10 BVO 63 76 52 70 / 70 90 10 20 FYV 62 73 51 70 / 50 100 40 20 IDB 64 79 53 77 / 60 90 10 10 BYV 62 73 51 70 / 50 100 40 20 MIO 63 74 51 70 / 50 100 30 20 MKO 63 77 51 76 / 60 90 10 10 F10 63 76 52 75 / 70 90 10 10 HHW 64 79 53 77 / 60 90 10 10 .TUL... AR...NONE. OK...NONE. -------------------- EXPERIMENTAL OUTPUT: HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED NEXT 24 HOURS: CHANCE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NGM CONFIDENCE: 7 ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 10 ETA CONFIDENCE: 5 ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 10 AVN CONFIDENCE: 7 ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 10 FCST CONFIDENCE: 7 ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 10
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 3, 10:23 PM CDT, 4 hours 48 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1023 PM CDT MON MAY 03 1999
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1022 PM SHAMROCK OK 1 INCH HAIL
05/03/99 CREEK DIME TO QUARTER SIZE HAILLocal storm report, May 3, 10:24 PM CDT, 4 hours 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1024 PM CDT MON MAY 03 1999
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1022 PM SHAMROCK OK 1 INCH HAIL
05/03/99 CREEK DIME TO QUARTER SIZE HAILLocal storm report, May 3, 10:24 PM CDT, 4 hours 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1024 PM CDT MON MAY 03 1999
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1022 PM SHAMROCK OK 1 INCH HAIL
05/03/99 CREEK DIME TO QUARTER SIZE HAILLocal storm report, May 3, 10:59 PM CDT, 4 hours 12 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1059 PM CDT MON MAY 03 1999
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1054 PM 1 SW MILFAY OK TORNADO
05/03/99 CREEKLocal storm report, May 3, 11:04 PM CDT, 4 hours 7 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1104 PM CDT MON MAY 03 1999
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1102 PM SAPULPA OK .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/99 CREEKLocal storm report, May 3, 11:51 PM CDT, 3 hours 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1151 PM CDT MON MAY 03 1999
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1145 PM 7 WNW KELLYVILLE OK TORNADO
05/03/99 CREEK NEAR HEYBURN LAKEThe office that day
Everything else NWS Tulsa, OK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 9:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Creek | 46 min |
| May 3, 10:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Creek | 61 min |
| May 3, 10:37 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Creek | 53 min |
| May 3, 11:08 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Osage, Pawnee | 37 min |
| May 3, 11:11 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Tulsa | 49 min |
| May 3, 11:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Okfuskee, Okmulgee | 41 min |
| May 3, 11:32 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Creek, Tulsa | 43 min |
| May 3, 11:40 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Osage | 50 min |
| May 3, 11:43 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Nowata, Washington | 47 min |
| May 3, 11:43 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Osage | 47 min |
| May 3, 11:52 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Pawnee | 38 min |
| May 3, 11:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Craig, Mayes, Rogers | 47 min |
| May 4, 12:10 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Tulsa | 50 min |
| May 4, 12:18 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Rogers | 57 min |
| May 4, 12:25 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Osage, Pawnee | 35 min |
| May 4, 1:01 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Osage, Pawnee | 44 min |
| May 4, 1:24 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Muskogee, Wagoner | 51 min |
| May 4, 1:42 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Osage | 33 min |
| May 4, 1:47 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Cherokee | 43 min |
| May 4, 1:51 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Muskogee | 39 min |
| May 4, 1:57 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Cherokee | 33 min |
| May 4, 2:04 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Okfuskee | 41 min |
| May 4, 2:28 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Muskogee | 32 min |
| May 4, 2:36 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Okfuskee, Okmulgee | 39 min |
| May 4, 2:38 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Wagoner | 52 min |
| May 4, 2:46 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Delaware | 44 min |
| May 4, 7:26 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Osage | 34 min |
| May 4, 7:35 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Latimer | 40 min |
| May 4, 7:54 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | LeFlore | 66 min |
| May 4, 8:37 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Pawnee | 38 min |
| May 4, 9:04 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Osage | 56 min |
| May 4, 10:17 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Nowata | 43 min |
| May 4, 10:24 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Pittsburg, Pushmataha | 51 min |
| May 4, 10:56 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Latimer, Pittsburg, Pushmataha | 49 min |
| May 4, 11:05 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Creek, Tulsa | 60 min |
| May 4, 11:13 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Choctaw, Pushmataha | 47 min |
| May 4, 11:23 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | Creek, Rogers, Tulsa, Washington | 4 hr |
| May 4, 11:23 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | Craig, Nowata | 4 hr |
| May 4, 11:29 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Latimer | 46 min |
| May 4, 11:48 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Rogers | 57 min |
| May 4, 11:48 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Haskell, LeFlore | 42 min |
| May 4, 11:57 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Creek, Tulsa | 48 min |
| May 4, 12:21 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Haskell, Sequoyah | 54 min |
| May 4, 12:59 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Adair | 46 min |
| May 4, 1:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Cherokee, Muskogee | 51 min |
| May 4, 1:22 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | Haskell, McIntosh, Muskogee, Pittsburg | 3 hr |
| May 4, 1:22 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | Adair, Cherokee, LeFlore, Sequoyah | 3 hr |
| May 4, 1:22 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | Mayes, Wagoner | 3 hr |
| May 4, 1:22 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | Latimer | 3 hr |
| May 4, 1:22 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | Delaware, Ottawa | 3 hr |
| May 4, 1:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Haskell, Latimer | 46 min |
| May 4, 1:50 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Pushmataha | 40 min |
| May 4, 1:53 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Choctaw | 67 min |
| May 4, 2:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Adair, Cherokee | 39 min |
| May 4, 2:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Haskell, Latimer | 46 min |
| May 4, 2:39 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Sequoyah | 51 min |
| May 4, 2:39 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | LeFlore | 51 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.