Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2001

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 137, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 20, 2001McIntosh County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 20, 2001, 4:30 PM CDT for McIntosh County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 60 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 20, 2001, 4:30 PM CDT (21:30 UTC)
Expired
May 20, 2001, 5:30 PM CDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County McIntosh County, OK

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 92 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:32 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
May 20, 4:50 PM CDTTornado F1Hanna, OKThis tornado started in Hughes County and entered McIntosh county 7 miles northwest of Hanna. The tornado lifted 5 miles north of Hanna. As the tornado crossed the Indian Nation Turnpike near Highway 9 it did damage to a McDonalds restaurant and three Transpo

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
May 20, 3:30 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 9.5 hours before the alert went out and 148 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 2001-05-20Temperature 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 2001-05-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -20 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
796 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-20 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
7 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.

238 
WUUS54 KTSA 202129
SVRTUL
OKC091-202230-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
430 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 2001

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  MCINTOSH COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 530 PM CDT

* AT 428 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 7
  MILES NORTHWEST OF HANNA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...STIDHAM...
  VIVIAN...RAIFORD...HANNA...CHECOTAH AND EUFAULA.

HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS AND WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH CAN BE 
EXPECTED IN THE WARNED AREA. 

DOPPLER RADAR HAS INDICATED ROTATION WITH THIS STORM. BE ALERT FOR 
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AS STORMS APPROACH.

A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT. TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP SUDDENLY 
FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. 

LAT...LON 3537 9598 3517 9598 3534 9535 3557 9559

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 May 20, 3:17 PM CDT, 1 hour 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 20, 3:17 PM CDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
317 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 2001

TORNADO WATCH JUST ISSUED FOR A LARGE PART OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA.
EXPECT SCATTERED SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP ALONG NORTHWARD
MOVING WARM FRONT CURRENTLY ANALYZED ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.
DEGREE OF INSTABILITY AND STRENGTH OF WIND FIELDS SUGGEST HIGH
POTENTIAL FOR ROTATING STORMS...WITH A FEW TORNADOES POSSIBLE
ESPECIALLY FROM ANY RIGHT-MOVING STORMS. EXPECT ACTIVITY TO EVOLVE
INTO ANOTHER COMPLEX THIS EVENING AND MOVE EAST ACROSS AREA
OVERNIGHT. WILL GO WITH LIKELY POPS ALL ZONES...WITH FROPA LATE
TONIGHT BRINGING A RAPID END TO SIGNIFICANT CONVECTION.

WINDY AND COOLER WILL BE THE MAIN WEATHER STORY ON MONDAY...WITH A
FEW SHOWERS POSSIBLE AS COLD AIR ALOFT SWINGS ACROSS AREA. MAY SEE
FALLING OR STEADY AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES IN MANY ZONES.

SKIES SHOULD CLEAR MONDAY NIGHT...WITH VERY COOL NIGHT EXPECTED.
NEAR RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES POSSIBLE IN SOME AREAS...ESPECIALLY IF
WINDS DIE OFF MORE THAN EXPECTED.

MOSTLY CLEAR AND DRY WEATHER EXPECTED ON TUESDAY AS TEMPERATURES
REBOUND INTO THE 60S AND 70S.

IN EXTENDED...DRY WEATHER WITH NEAR OR SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL
TEMPERATURES EXPECTED FOR MOST OF THE WEEK AS LARGE CUTOFF DEVELOPS
OVER EASTERN U.S. UPPER RIDGING DEVELOPS BY LATE IN THE WEEK AND
NEXT WEEKEND...WITH WARMING TEMPERATURES AND CONTINUED DRY WEATHER
EXPECTED.

FCSTID = 9
TUL   56  62  44  68 /  60  40  10   0
FSM   63  67  45  72 /  70  50  10  10
MLC   60  66  45  72 /  60  40  10  10
BVO   54  60  43  68 /  60  30  10   0
FYV   59  62  41  64 /  70  50  10  10
BYV   58  61  40  63 /  70  50  10  10
MIO   57  61  42  66 /  60  40  10   0
MKO   60  65  45  70 /  60  40  10  10
F10   57  63  44  69 /  60  40  10   0
HHW   67  70  48  74 /  60  30  10   0

.TSA...
AR...NONE.
OK...NONE.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 20, 1:05 PM CDT, 3 hours 25 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-211100-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
105 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 2001

...NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS...

AT MIDDAY...A LOW PRESSURE TROUGH EXTENDED SOUTH FROM A LOW PRESSURE
SYSTEM LOCATED IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA INTO THE TEXAS PANHANDLE.
AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM THIS MORNINGS THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED
ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.  SOUTHERLY WINDS WERE INCREASING ACROSS
THE AREA AHEAD OF THE TROUGH WHICH WILL HELP TO MOVE THE OUTFLOW
BOUNDARY NORTHWARD THIS AFTERNOON.

IN ADDITION...AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE CURRENTLY LOCATED IN
NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EASTWARD INTO ARKANSAS BY
TONIGHT.  THIS UPPER SYSTEM IN CONJUNCTION WITH FAVORABLE UPPER
LEVEL WINDS WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ALONG THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY THIS
AFTERNOON.  THE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD THEN EVOLVE INTO A LINE AND
MOVE EAST INTO ARKANSAS BY TONIGHT.

.SPOTTER ACTIVATION...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED BEFORE 4 PM ACROSS
PORTIONS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

.DISCUSSION...
OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM THIS MORNINGS CONVECTIVE COMPLEX IS CURRENTLY
POSITIONED ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA FROM NEAR IDABEL TO HUGO ON
INTO SOUTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA.  DEWPOINTS SOUTH OF THE BOUNDARY ARE IN
THE MID 70S WITH UPPER 60S TO NEAR 70 DEGREE DEWPOINTS NORTH OF THE
BOUNDARY.  LATEST FORECAST CAPE VALUES OF 3000 TO 4000 J/KG WILL BE
IN PLACE ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING
HOURS.  SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO HELP MOVE THE OUTFLOW
BOUNDARY FURTHER NORTH THIS AFTERNOON INTO EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
AROUND 4 PM.  THIS BOUNDARY SHOULD PROVIDE THE FOCUS FOR
THUNDERSTORM INITIATION.  LARGE HAIL OF GOLFBALL SIZE OR LARGER WILL
BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.  ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE A
THREAT MAINLY ALONG THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY
EVENING BEFORE THE SYSTEM EVOLVES INTO LINE AND MOVES EAST INTO
ARKANSAS.

THREAT TABLE
VALID THROUGH 1200 UTC MONDAY

AREA 1...MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
THUNDERSTORM PROBABILITY...95
SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...90
SIGNIFICANT SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...40

THREAT AREAS DEFINE THE GREATEST RISK.  PROBABILITIES ARE IN
PERCENT.  SIGNIFICANT SEVERE IS DEFINED AS F1 OR GREATER
WIND/TORNADO DAMAGE AND /OR GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL OR LARGER.

RELATED GRAPHICAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT: WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA

AN UPDATED HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 1 PM
TODAY.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 20, 4:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage58 min
May 20, 4:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOkfuskee, Okmulgee51 min
May 20, 4:31 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAMcIntosh29 min
May 20, 4:56 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAMcIntosh49 min
May 20, 5:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage61 min
May 20, 5:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACreek52 min
May 20, 5:32 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAOsage43 min
May 20, 5:45 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAMcIntosh60 min
May 20, 5:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSATulsa44 min
May 20, 5:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSARogers, Wagoner39 min
May 20, 6:02 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAPittsburg58 min
May 20, 6:11 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAHaskell, Muskogee64 min
May 20, 6:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage48 min
May 20, 6:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPawnee62 min
May 20, 6:16 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAOsage44 min
May 20, 6:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACraig, Mayes, Rogers57 min
May 20, 6:41 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAWashington49 min
May 20, 6:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACreek, Tulsa62 min
May 20, 6:56 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAMayes49 min
May 20, 6:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage46 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Oklahoma, 2001Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2001

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.