Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 1999

Tornado Warning 59, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 5, 1999Latimer County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this tornado warning at May 5, 1999, 6:11 PM CDT for Latimer County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 49 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 5, 1999, 6:11 PM CDT (23:11 UTC)
Expired
May 5, 1999, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Whole counties

County Latimer County, OK

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 11.2 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 1999-05-05Temperature 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 1999-05-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -62 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1741 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
76 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-62 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
156 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.

999 
WFUS54 KTSA 052314 RRA
TORTUL
OKC077-060000-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
611 PM CDT WED MAY 5 1999

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR
  SOUTHERN LATIMER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 700 PM CDT

* AT 611 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG
  ROTATION 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HIGGINS. MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH...THIS
  DANGEROUS STORM COULD PRODUCE A TORNADO AT ANY TIME.

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...  DAMON...
  BENGAL...HIGGINS AND YANUSH

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

MOTORISTS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD ABANDON VEHICLES FOR MORE
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER TAKE COVER IN A NEARBY STURDY BUILDING. AS A
LAST RESORT...TAKE COVER IN A DITCH OR CULVERT. PROTECT YOUR HEAD AND
BODY FROM FLYING DEBRIS

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 5, 3:30 PM CDT, 2 hours 41 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 5, 3:30 PM CDT, 2 hours 41 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
330 PM CDT WED MAY 5 1999

PROBLEM(S) OF THE DAY:
POPS
WILL THERE BE SEVERE CONVECTION?

CLOSED UPPER-LEVEL LOW NORTH OF THE AREA SHOULD SLOWLY MOVE
NORTHEASTWARD TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES REGION OVER THE NEXT 48 HOURS.
IN THE MEANTIME...A COUPLE OF TROUGHS ROTATING AROUND IT WILL SWING
ACROSS THE AREA WITH VERY COLD AIR ALOFT AND VERY STEEP LAPSE RATES.
THIS SHOULD RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING AND AGAIN TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. DUE TO THE EXTREMELY COLD AIR ALOFT...SOME OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL. THE EFFECTS OF THE
UPPER-LOW AND ASSOCIATED COLD POOL SHOULD MOVE OFF TO THE NORTHEAST
OF THE AREA BY FRIDAY.

OTHERWISE WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS AND PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES SHOULD
BE THE RULE. TEMPERATURES WILL BE SLIGHTLY WARMER THAN GUIDANCE
TONIGHT DUE TO STRONGER WINDS THAN GUIDANCE SUGGESTS. A COMPROMISE
OF AVAILABLE GUIDANCE WAS USED FOR LATER PERIODS.

THE MRF IS LESS AMPLIFIED AND MUCH QUICKER WITH THE NEXT STORM
SYSTEM WHICH WOULD BRING A CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION TO THE REGION BY
LATE SUNDAY OR MONDAY.  HOWEVER...THIS SCENARIO IS NOT VERY WELL
SUPPORTED BY OTHER AVAILABLE GUIDANCE.  THEREFORE WILL EXPECT THE
FORECAST AREA TO REMAIN BETWEEN STORM SYSTEMS AT LEAST THROUGH EARLY
NEXT WEEK AND WILL KEEP EXTENDED FORECAST DRY.

FCSTID = 19
TUL   51  70  49  74 /  20  20  20  10
FSM   50  73  50  76 /  20  20  20  10
MLC   50  74  46  77 /  20  20  20  10
BVO   48  70  46  73 /  20  20  20  10
FYV   47  69  45  70 /  20  20  20  10
IDB   52  77  48  79 /  20  20  20  10
BYV   47  69  45  70 /  20  20  20  10
MIO   48  69  46  71 /  20  20  20  10
MKO   51  70  49  74 /  20  20  20  10
F10   51  70  49  74 /  20  20  20  10
HHW   52  77  48  79 /  20  20  20  10

.TUL...
AR...NONE.
OK...NONE.

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

HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED NEXT 24 HOURS: CHANCE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
NGM CONFIDENCE:  8 ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 10
ETA CONFIDENCE:  7 ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 10
AVN CONFIDENCE:  8 ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 10
FCST CONFIDENCE: 8 ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 10

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 5, 1:00 PM CDT, 5 hours 11 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-051100-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CDT WED MAY 5 1999

A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

.SYNOPSIS...
AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WAS CENTERED OVER NORTHEAST
NEBRASKA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE EXTENDED
SOUTHWEST FROM THIS LOW INTO THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. THE LOW WILL MOVE
ONLY VERY SLOWLY EAST THROUGH TONIGHT BUT THE DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE
EAST ACROSS OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.

.DISCUSSION...
VERY COLD AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL
SPREAD ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. WITH SURFACE TEMPERATURES RISING THROUGH THE 70S...VERY
STEEP LAPSE RATES WILL BE PRESENT RESULTING IN MODERATE INSTABILITY.
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP BY MID AFTERNOON IN NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO THE SOUTH AND EAST WILL OCCUR
THROUGH THIS EVENING.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE VERY EFFICIENT HAIL PRODUCERS DUE TO THE
VERY COLD AIR ALOFT. DIME TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL WILL BE COMMON WITH
THE STRONGER STORMS. STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE DUE TO
DRY AIR IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE. THE DRY LOW LEVEL AIR
WILL ALSO KEEP MOST RAINFALL AMOUNTS QUITE LIGHT.

AS SURFACE TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO FALL THIS EVENING...THE AIRMASS
WILL BECOME MORE STABLE AND THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL END BY
MIDNIGHT AND SKIES WILL CLEAR.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND SPOTTER ACTIVATION...
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTERS IN EASTERN
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MAY NEED TO BE ACTIVATED LATER THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
Special weather statement, May 5, 1:00 PM CDT, 5 hours 11 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-051100-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CDT WED MAY 5 1999

A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

.SYNOPSIS...
AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WAS CENTERED OVER NORTHEAST
NEBRASKA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE EXTENDED
SOUTHWEST FROM THIS LOW INTO THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. THE LOW WILL MOVE
ONLY VERY SLOWLY EAST THROUGH TONIGHT BUT THE DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE
EAST ACROSS OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.

.DISCUSSION...
VERY COLD AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL
SPREAD ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. WITH SURFACE TEMPERATURES RISING THROUGH THE 70S...VERY
STEEP LAPSE RATES WILL BE PRESENT RESULTING IN MODERATE INSTABILITY.
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP BY MID AFTERNOON IN NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO THE SOUTH AND EAST WILL OCCUR
THROUGH THIS EVENING.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE VERY EFFICIENT HAIL PRODUCERS DUE TO THE
VERY COLD AIR ALOFT. DIME TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL WILL BE COMMON WITH
THE STRONGER STORMS. STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE DUE TO
DRY AIR IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE. THE DRY LOW LEVEL AIR
WILL ALSO KEEP MOST RAINFALL AMOUNTS QUITE LIGHT.

AS SURFACE TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO FALL THIS EVENING...THE AIRMASS
WILL BECOME MORE STABLE AND THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL END BY
MIDNIGHT AND SKIES WILL CLEAR.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND SPOTTER ACTIVATION...
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTERS IN EASTERN
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MAY NEED TO BE ACTIVATED LATER THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 4, 7:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage, Pawnee42 min
May 4, 8:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage, Washington51 min
May 4, 8:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSANowata42 min
May 5, 6:06 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAPittsburg24 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.