Alert archive / Oregon / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 7, NWS Medford, OR

August 6, 2003Klamath County, Oregon

NWS Medford, OR issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 6, 2003, 6:51 PM PDT for Klamath County, Oregon. It was in force for 39 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Aug 6, 2003, 6:51 PM PDT (01:51 UTC)
Expired: Aug 6, 2003, 7:30 PM PDT
In force: 39 min
Issued by: NWS Medford, OR
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Klamath County, OR

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 nearest sounding before it

Medford/Jackson, OR (KMFR), launched 00:00Z, 1.9 hours before the alert went out and 82 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: 203 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -68 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1974 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 50 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 160 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

210 
WUUS56 KMFR 070151
SVRMFR
ORC035-070230-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
651 PM PDT WED AUG 6 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEDFORD HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  WEST CENTRAL KLAMATH COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF CRATER LAKE

* UNTIL 730 PM PDT

* AT 650 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER CRATER LAKE...OR ABOUT 5 MILES WEST OF
  CRATER LAKE...MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE...
  OVER RURAL WESTERN KLAMATH COUNTY AT 710 PM PDT

HAIL...INTENSE RAIN AND STRONG DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY WITH THIS
STORM. TAKE COVER IN A SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM PASSES.

VERY LARGE HAIL IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THE STORM...PUT YOUR CAR IN A GARAGE AND MOVE TO A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER.

HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS AS THEY
MAY BE WASHED OUT. WATER LEVELS OF SMALL STREAMS AND RIVERS MAY ALSO
RISE...THEREFORE SEEK HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS.

REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY
WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE IN MEDFORD.

LAT...LON 4286 12228 4283 12214 4306 12204 4306 12210
          4306 12228 4299 12228

$$

SVEN

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 Medford, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Aug 6, 1:45 PM PDT, 5 hours 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 6, 1:45 PM PDT, 5 hours 6 minutes before

SOUTHWEST OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD, OR
145 PM PDT WED AUG 6 2003

AS EXPECTED SATELLITE PICTURE INDICATES ONLY INNOCUOUS CUMULUS
CLOUDS HAVE DEVELOPED TO THIS POINT. THE AIR MASS OVER MUCH OF OUR
INLAND REGION WILL DE-STABILIZE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A
SHORTWAVE NEAR CAPE MENDOCINO MOVES EAST-NORTHEAST INTO SISKIYOU
COUNTY AND THEN CONTINUES ACROSS KLAMATH AND NORTHERN LAKE COUNTIES
THIS EVENING. CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE HIGHEST OVER THE
CASCADES WITH ETA INDICATING BOUNDARY LAYER CAPE VALUES OF 200-1000
J/KG AND LI OF -1 TO -3.

THE AIR MASS WILL STABILIZE BEHIND THE TROUGH WITH A PERSISTENT
PATTERN SETTING UP FOR THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY. A CLOSED LOW WILL
REMAIN OFFSHORE FROM NORTHERN OREGON AND WASHINGTON WITH COOL
ONSHORE FLOW. A VERY WEAK SHORTWAVE WILL DEEPEN THE MARINE LAYER
THURSDAY NIGHT FOR A CHANCE OF MIST/LIGHT SHOWERS AT THE COAST AFTER
MIDNIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING ALONG WITH LOW CLOUDS SPREADING INTO
THE UMPQUA BASIN. SIMILAR SITUATION SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY MORNING WITH
A STRONGER MARINE PUSH AS THE UPPER LOW MOVES EAST TOWARD THE COAST.

THE UPPER LOW IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN AND MOVE INLAND TUESDAY FOR
SLIGHT COOLING AND JUST A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS WEST OF CASCADES.
THERE IS A VERY SMALL POSSIBILITY OF A SOUTHWARD VARIATION IN THE
PROJECTED LOW TRACK...WHICH WOULD WARRANT MENTION OF THUNDERSTORMS
EAST OF THE CASCADES ON TUESDAY. DRY AND A LITTLE WARMER WEDNESDAY
AS HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC BUILDS IN BEHIND THE
TROUGH.

.MFR...NONE

DW

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 6, 6:30 AM PDT, 12 hours 21 minutes before

ORZ021>031-CAZ080>085-071330-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
630 AM PDT WED AUG 06 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN OREGON AND
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

.DAY ONE...TODAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

HESS

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 6, 5:17 PM PDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OREGON
517 PM PDT WED AUG 06 2003

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

0512 PM    ASHLAND                   OR   1.25 INCH HAIL
08/06/03   JACKSON                        SPOTTER JA58 REPORTS HAIL
                                          WITH THE LARGEST THE SIXE
                                          OF A GOLF BALL.

0514 PM    MEDFORD                   OR   .75 INCH HAIL
08/06/03   JACKSON                        SPOTTER JA40 NE MEDFORD
                                          REPORTS 3/4 INCH HAIL AND
                                          HEAVY RAIN FROM TSTM.

0515 PM    MEDFORD                   OR   .75 INCH HAIL
08/06/03   JACKSON                        THAI BISTRO REPORTS 3/4
                                          INCH HAIL COVERING THE
                                          GROUND AT STEVENS AND
                                          BIDDLE.

0516 PM    MEDFORD                   OR   .75 INCH HAIL
08/06/03   JACKSON                        SPOTTER JA61 IN NE MEDFORD
                                          REPORTS 3/4 INCH HAIL.

Local storm report, Aug 6, 5:31 PM PDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OREGON
531 PM PDT WED AUG 06 2003

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

0529 PM    MEDFORD                   OR   .5 INCH HAIL
08/06/03   JACKSON                        SPOTTER JA10 REPORTS 1/2
                                          INCH HAIL AND .30 IN RAIN
                                          IN 10 MINUTES.

Local storm report, Aug 6, 5:36 PM PDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OREGON
536 PM PDT WED AUG 06 2003

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

0534 PM    MEDFORD                   OR
08/06/03   JACKSON                        DIANE SANDLER REPORTS THE
                                          INTERSECTION OF MCANDREWS
                                          AND BIDDLE FLOODED WITH
                                          THE WATER UP TO THE TOPS
                                          OF CAR TIRES.

Local storm report, Aug 6, 6:16 PM PDT, 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OREGON
616 PM PDT WED AUG 06 2003

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

0614 PM                              OR   .5 INCH HAIL
08/06/03   JACKSON                        SPOTTER JA05 4N OF EAGLE
                                          POINT REPORTED 1/2 INCH
                                          HAIL.

Local storm report, Aug 6, 6:51 PM PDT, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OREGON
651 PM PDT WED AUG 06 2003

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

0650 PM    TALENT                    OR   .5 INCH HAIL
08/06/03   JACKSON                        SPOTTER JA41 REPORTS 1/2
                                          IN HAIL AND MDT-HVY RAIN.
                                          GUST OF WIND TO 45 MPH.
                                          ESTIMATES ABOUT A HALF
                                          INCH OF RAIN SO FAR.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Medford, OR issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 6, 5:39 PM PDT	Flash Flood Warning	MFR	Jackson	3 hr
Aug 6, 6:02 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MFR	Jackson	43 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Oregon, 2003 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003

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.