Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 145, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 12, 2002Tulsa County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 12, 2002, 6:24 PM CDT for Tulsa County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 51 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: May 12, 2002, 6:24 PM CDT (23:24 UTC)
Expired: May 12, 2002, 7:15 PM CDT
In force: 51 min
Issued by: NWS Tulsa, OK
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Tulsa County, OK

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 55 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:25 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 12, 6:44 PM CDT	Hail 0.88	Bixby, 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.

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
May 12, 1:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 143 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1526 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -267 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 652 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 487 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 518 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 
WUUS54 KTSA 122324
SVRTUL
OKC143-130015-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
624 PM CDT SUN MAY 12 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN TULSA COUNTY IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 715 PM CDT

* AT 623 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 12
  MILES SOUTHWEST OF GLENPOOL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...BIXBY AND
  GLENPOOL.

HAIL TO THE SIZE OF DIMES AND WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED IN
THE WARNED AREA. STAY INDOORS AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED.

LAT...LON 3582 9616 3576 9612 3585 9581 3605 9591

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 12, 3:25 PM CDT, 2 hours 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 12, 3:25 PM CDT, 2 hours 59 minutes before

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
325 PM CDT SUN MAY 12 2002

COLD FRONT AT 20Z WAS LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF I-44.  BOUNDARY WAS
ROUGHLY ALONG A LINE FROM GROVE...TO THE EXTREME SOUTHEAST CORNER OF
TULSA COUNTY...THEN SOUTHWARD ACROSS OKMULGEE AND OKFUSKEE
COUNTIES.  FRONT HAS REMAINED VERY SLOW MOVING THROUGH THE DAY AND A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CURRENTLY IN EFFECT ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE
FRONT.  WILL WATCH TRENDS TILL ZONES TIME...THEN MAY BE ABLE TO TRIM
JUST A FEW COUNTIES ON THE WESTERN FRINGE OF THE AREA FROM THE WATCH.
DO SEE ADDED DEVELOPMENT BACK TO THE NORTHWEST THOUGH...SO WILL
LIKELY LEAVE AS IS FOR NOW.

DO EXPECT THE FRONT TO DEVELOP A STRONGER PUSH TO THE SOUTHEAST
LATER TONIGHT AS SHORTWAVE NOW OVER CO/NM CONTINUES TO MOVE EASTWARD.
WILL CONFINE POPS TO THE FIRST PERIOD ONLY...WITH LIKELY POPS ALONG
AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND CHANCE POPS BEHIND THE FRONT.

ONCE THE FRONT CLEARS THE AREA SHOULD HAVE A FEW PLEASANT DAYS
THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF THE WEEK.  NEXT MENTION OF PRECIP WILL BE
THURSDAY/FRIDAY...THEN DRY ONCE AGAIN FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND.

FCSTID = 4
TUL   50  69  45  74 /  40   0   0   0
FSM   55  70  44  74 /  70  10   0   0
MLC   54  71  46  76 /  70   0   0   0
BVO   48  69  44  74 /  30   0   0   0
FYV   52  67  40  69 /  70  10   0   0
BYV   52  67  40  69 /  70  10   0   0
MIO   51  68  43  72 /  70   0   0   0
MKO   53  70  46  75 /  70   0   0   0
F10   53  70  46  75 /  70   0   0   0
HHW   58  73  47  78 /  70  10   0   0

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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 12, 1:15 PM CDT, 5 hours 9 minutes before

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-131100-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA / NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
115 PM CDT SUN MAY 12 2002

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT
ACROSS MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS...

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG THE COLD FRONT THIS
AFTERNOON. THE FRONT IS CURRENTLY LOCATED FROM MIAMI TO TULSA TO
BRISTOW AND WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY MOVE SOUTHEAST DURING THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS.

THE COMBINATION OF THE COLD FRONT AND AN UPPER LEVEL STORM MOVING
INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST WILL RESULT IN WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT.  A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BE
SEVERE WITH HAIL UP TO 1.75 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND DAMAGING WINDS UP
TO 65 MILES AN HOUR.

.SPOTTER ACTIVATION...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT ACROSS
EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

.DISCUSSION...
THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AS AN UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE APPROACHES THE AREA.  THE ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF THE
SURFACE COLD FRONT REMAINS MODERATELY UNSTABLE AND SHOULD CONTINUE
TO DESTABILIZE AS THE UPPER SYSTEM APPROACHES.  LARGE HAIL UP TO THE
SIZE OF GOLFBALLS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS.
IF THE STORMS BECOME SURFACE BASED...DAMAGING WINDS MAY ALSO BE
POSSIBLE.  THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL LIKELY END BY MIDNIGHT AS
DRIER MORE STABLE AIR PUSHES SOUTH INTO THE AREA.

THREAT TABLE
VALID THROUGH 1200 UTC MONDAY

AREA 1...MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
THUNDERSTORM PROBABILITY...90
SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...70
SIGNIFICANT SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...20

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.

.OTHER HAZARDS...
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT WITH A FEW
LOCATIONS LIKELY TO RECEIVE GREATER THAN 2 INCHES OF RAIN.

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

Local storm report, May 12, 3:43 PM CDT, 2 hours 41 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
343 PM CDT SUN MAY 12 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0311 PM    2 NORTH PETTIT            OK   .88 INCH HAIL 05/12/02
           CHEROKEE                       DIME TO NICKEL HAIL

Local storm report, May 12, 3:50 PM CDT, 2 hours 34 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
350 PM CDT SUN MAY 12 2002

...CORRECTION FOR DATE GROUP...

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0311 PM    2 NORTH PETTIT            OK   .88 INCH HAIL
05/12/02   CHEROKEE                       DIME TO NICKEL HAIL

Local storm report, May 12, 4:07 PM CDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
407 PM CDT SUN MAY 12 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0400 PM    5 N CHOUTEAU              OK   .75 INCH HAIL
05/12/02   MAYES                          REPORTED BY EMA

0404 PM    PRYOR                     OK   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/12/02   MAYES                          REPORTED BY EMA

Local storm report, May 12, 6:18 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
618 PM CDT SUN MAY 12 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0417 PM    KETCHUM                   OK   .75 INCH HAIL
05/12/02   CRAIG                          REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT

0509 PM    1 E GROVE                 OK   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/12/02   DELAWARE                       REPORTED BY EMA

0530 PM    9 NNW TAHLEQUAH           OK   WIND DAMAGE
05/12/02   CHEROKEE                       POWER LINES BLOWN DOWN.
                                          REPORTED BY SPOTTERS

0511 PM    3 NE GROVE                OK   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/12/02   DELAWARE                       REPORTED BY SPOTTERS

0528 PM    1 W WESTVILLE             OK   WIND DAMAGE
05/12/02   ADAIR                          LARGE TREE BLOWN DOWN.
                                          REPORTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT

0539 PM    STILWELL                  OK   .75 INCH HAIL
05/12/02   ADAIR                          REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT

0540 PM    5 WNW WESTVILLE           OK   59 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
05/12/02   ADAIR                          REPORTED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 12, 3:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Cherokee	45 min
May 12, 3:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Mayes	37 min
May 12, 4:05 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Craig	40 min
May 12, 4:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Delaware	45 min
May 12, 4:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Muskogee	39 min
May 12, 4:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Cherokee	53 min
May 12, 5:09 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Delaware	66 min
May 12, 5:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Adair	57 min
May 12, 5:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Cherokee	49 min
May 12, 6:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Okfuskee	42 min
May 12, 6:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Okfuskee	31 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Oklahoma, 2002 Every 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.