Alert archive / Arkansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 11, NWS Tulsa, OK
NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 8, 2002, 9:55 PM CST for Franklin County, Arkansas. It was in force for 50 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Mar 8, 2002, 9:55 PM CST (03:55 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 8, 2002, 10:45 PM CST
- In force
- 50 min
- Issued by
- NWS Tulsa, OK
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Franklin County, AR
The radar
The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 43 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 8, 9:55 PM CST | Thunderstorm Wind 61 E | Cecil, AR | Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew a tree down. |
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.
Did it verify
Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 8, 9:30 PM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 00:00Z, 3.9 hours before the alert went out and 164 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
- 217 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -139 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 955 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 54 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 282 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 414 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.2
- Supercell composite
- 0.9
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WUUS54 KTSA 090355 SVRTUL ARC047-090445- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 954 PM CST FRI MAR 8 2002 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... SOUTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS * UNTIL 1045 PM CST * AT 954 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF BRANCH TO 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BRANCH...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. * SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...OZARK... BRANCH...DENNING...ALTUS AND WIEDERKEHR VILLAGE. HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS AND WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE WARNED AREA. A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT. TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP SUDDENLY FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS. LAT...LON 3544 9409 3514 9407 3538 9369 3576 9368
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 Mar 8, 3:30 PM CST, 6 hours 25 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 8, 3:30 PM CST, 6 hours 25 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 330 PM CST FRI MAR 8 2002 A FEW BREAKS SHOWING UP IN THE CLOUD DECK THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS WESTERN SECTIONS OF THE CWA. WINDS HAVE KEPT UP THIS AFTERNOON AND SHOULD INCREASE THIS EVENING. WILL ISSUE A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHWEST HALF OF THE CWA FOR TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. WILL LIKELY NEED TO EXTEND THE ADVISORY FURTHER SOUTH THIS EVENING. FRONT WILL BE MOVING THROUGH THE AREA FROM ROUGHLY 10 PM THROUGH 6 AM SATURDAY. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AHEAD OF THE FRONT WITH A SQUALL LINE MOVING THROUGH WITH THE FRONT TONIGHT. WILL CONTINUE WITH LIKELY POPS FOR THE CWA TONIGHT. FRONT SHOULD BE EAST OF THE AREA BY MORNING. SKIES SHOULD CLEAR QUICKLY ACCORDING TO MODELS AND WILL CONTINUE WITH MOSTLY SUNNY TO PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES FOR SATURDAY WITH COOLER TEMPERATURES. NEXT CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION STILL LOOKS TO BE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY WITH NEXT SYSTEM. SCALED BACK TEMPS IN EXTENDED A BIT BUT KEPT A WARMING TREND GOING THROUGH THURSDAY. NEXT SYSTEM GETTING CLOSE TO AREA ON FRIDAY AND MAY NEED SOME POPS FOR FRIDAY BUT KEEP DRY FOR NOW PENDING ANOTHER RUN OR TWO. HOWIESON FCSTID = 44 TUL 37 51 27 63 / 60 10 0 0 FSM 45 55 25 59 / 70 10 0 0 MLC 43 56 27 62 / 60 10 0 0 BVO 34 48 25 62 / 60 10 0 0 FYV 41 50 22 58 / 70 10 0 0 BYV 41 50 22 58 / 70 10 0 0 MIO 38 46 25 61 / 70 10 0 0 MKO 40 52 27 62 / 70 10 0 0 F10 37 51 27 63 / 60 10 0 0 HHW 45 59 29 63 / 60 10 0 0 .TSA... AR...WIND ADVISORY FOR TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR ZONES ARZ001>002...ARZ010>011. OK...WIND ADVISORY FOR TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR ZONES OKZ054>071.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Mar 8, 9:00 PM CST, 55 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-091200- EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 900 PM CST FRI MAR 8 2002 ...SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED ACROSS NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS... A STRONG COLD FRONT...WHICH WAS LOCATED ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS BY LATE EVENING...WILL MOVE ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS DEVELOPED ALONG THIS FRONT AND WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF THE AREA AS THE FRONT PASSES. THE STRONGEST STORMS ARE EXPECTED OVER FAR NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO AN AREA OF SURFACE LOW PRESSURE. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE IN COVERAGE FURTHER SOUTHWARD ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. SOME OF THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE...WITH THE MAIN THREAT DAMAGING WINDS. STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE...THEREFORE A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN POSTED FOR ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA /NPWTUL/ FOR MORE INFORMATION. .SPOTTER ACTIVATION... STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED OVER FAR NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA AROUND 9 PM. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS...STORM SPOTTER GROUPS...AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD MONITOR THE SITUATION CLOSELY. .DISCUSSION... THE COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AS IT PROGRESSES EASTWARD. THE SURFACE LOW OVER THE OKLAHOMA/KANSAS BORDER WILL MAXIMIZE LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE OVER NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA...WHILE AREAS FURTHER SOUTH WILL CONTINUE TO BE INHIBITED BY A WARM LAYER ALOFT. STRONG STRAIGHT LINE WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS AS STRONG WINDS ALOFT OVERSPREAD THE AREA. THREAT TABLE VALID THROUGH 1200 UTC SATURDAY AREA 1...NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 THUNDERSTORM PROBABILITY...100 SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...70 SIGNIFICANT SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...30 AREA 2...SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40 THUNDERSTORM PROBABILITY...80 SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...40 SIGNIFICANT SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...10 THREAT AREAS DEFINE THE GREATEST RISK. PROBABILITIES ARE IN PERCENT. SIGNIFICANT SEVERE IS DEFINED AS F1 OR GREATER WIND/TORNADO DAMAGE AND/OR GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL OR LARGER. RELATED GRAPHICAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA
Special weather statement, Mar 8, 9:25 PM CST, 30 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-091200- EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 925 PM CST FRI MAR 8 2002 ...SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED ACROSS NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WHICH HAVE FORMED OVER EXTREME SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING ISOLATED TORNADOES PRIOR TO THE PASSAGE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY SHIFT EASTWARD INTO CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS THE COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THE COLD FRONT...WHICH WAS LOCATED ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS BY LATE EVENING...WILL MOVE ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS DEVELOPED ALONG THIS FRONT AND WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF THE AREA AS THE FRONT PASSES. THE STRONGEST STORMS ARE EXPECTED OVER FAR NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO AN AREA OF SURFACE LOW PRESSURE. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE IN COVERAGE FURTHER SOUTHWARD ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. SOME OF THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE...WITH THE MAIN THREAT DAMAGING WINDS. STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE...THEREFORE A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN POSTED FOR ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA /NPWTUL/ FOR MORE INFORMATION. .SPOTTER ACTIVATION... STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED OVER FAR NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA AROUND 9 PM. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS...STORM SPOTTER GROUPS...AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD MONITOR THE SITUATION CLOSELY. .DISCUSSION... THE COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AS IT PROGRESSES EASTWARD. THE SURFACE LOW OVER THE OKLAHOMA/KANSAS BORDER WILL MAXIMIZE LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE OVER NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA...WHILE AREAS FURTHER SOUTH WILL CONTINUE TO BE INHIBITED BY A WARM LAYER ALOFT. STRONG STRAIGHT LINE WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS AS STRONG WINDS ALOFT OVERSPREAD THE AREA. THREAT TABLE VALID THROUGH 1200 UTC SATURDAY AREA 1...NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 THUNDERSTORM PROBABILITY...100 SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...70 SIGNIFICANT SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...30 AREA 2...SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40 THUNDERSTORM PROBABILITY...80 SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...40 SIGNIFICANT SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...10 THREAT AREAS DEFINE THE GREATEST RISK. PROBABILITIES ARE IN PERCENT. SIGNIFICANT SEVERE IS DEFINED AS F1 OR GREATER WIND/TORNADO DAMAGE AND/OR GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL OR LARGER. RELATED GRAPHICAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA
The office that day
Everything else NWS Tulsa, OK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 9, 1:00 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Benton, Washington | 60 min |
| Mar 9, 1:51 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Crawford, Sebastian | 69 min |
| Mar 9, 1:57 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Benton, Washington | 48 min |
| Mar 9, 2:10 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Carroll, Franklin, Madison | 65 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arkansas, 2002Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2002
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.