Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Watches in 2003
Tornado Watch 293
The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at May 7, 2003, 10:35 PM CDT for 19 counties in Oklahoma; 9 counties in Texas. It was in force for 5 hr.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- May 7, 2003, 10:35 PM CDT (03:35 UTC)
- Expired
- May 8, 2003, 4:00 AM CDT
- In force
- 5 hr
- Issued by
- the Storm Prediction Center
All 28 counties
Beckham County, OK, Bryan County, OK, Carter County, OK, Coal County, OK, Comanche County, OK, Cotton County, OK, Garvin County, OK, Greer County, OK, Harmon County, OK, Jackson County, OK, Jefferson County, OK, Johnston County, OK, Kiowa County, OK, Love County, OK, Marshall County, OK, Murray County, OK, Pontotoc County, OK, Stephens County, OK, Tillman County, OK, Clay County, TX, Cooke County, TX, Fannin County, TX, Foard County, TX, Grayson County, TX, Hardeman County, TX, Montague County, TX, Wichita County, TX, Wilbarger County, TX
The radar
The Altus AFB radar (KFDR), 55 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:38 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.
Warnings issued inside it
24 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 10:35 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Clay | 40 min |
| May 7, 10:43 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | OUN | Tillman | 47 min |
| May 7, 11:02 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Comanche, Cotton | 43 min |
| May 7, 11:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Clay | 44 min |
| May 7, 11:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Cotton, Stephens | 45 min |
| May 7, 11:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Clay, Wichita | 38 min |
| May 7, 11:59 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | OUN | Cotton | 31 min |
| May 8, 12:29 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Stephens | 46 min |
| May 8, 12:37 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Jefferson | 23 min |
| May 8, 1:02 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Jefferson | 43 min |
| May 8, 1:12 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Carter, Garvin, Stephens | 48 min |
| May 8, 1:16 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OUN | Jefferson | 29 min |
| May 8, 1:20 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OUN | Stephens | 25 min |
| May 8, 1:31 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OUN | Carter, Garvin, Murray | 44 min |
| May 8, 2:06 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OUN | Carter, Love | 39 min |
| May 8, 2:11 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Garvin | 49 min |
| May 8, 2:42 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OUN | Carter, Love, Marshall | 33 min |
| May 8, 2:44 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Pontotoc | 31 min |
| May 8, 2:52 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FWD | Cooke, Grayson | 53 min |
| May 8, 2:59 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Coal | 31 min |
| May 8, 3:12 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OUN | Marshall | 48 min |
| May 8, 3:26 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN | Johnston | 49 min |
| May 8, 3:34 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OUN | Bryan, Johnston | 26 min |
| May 8, 3:59 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | OUN | Atoka, Johnston | 46 min |
Discussions around it
SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.
The nearest sounding before it
Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 00:00Z, 3.6 hours before the alert went out and 120 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
- 1026 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -80 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1110 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 75 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 123 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 300 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.0
- Supercell composite
- 5.9
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WWUS20 KWNS 080330
SEL3
SPC WW 080335
OKZ000-TXZ000-080900-
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 293
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1035 PM CDT WED MAY 7 2003
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA
NORTHERN TEXAS
EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING FROM 1035 PM
UNTIL 400 AM CDT.
TORNADOES...HAIL TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 50 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND
SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES WEST OF ALTUS OKLAHOMA TO 20 MILES
EAST OF DURANT OKLAHOMA.
REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...THIS TORNADO WATCH REPLACES TORNADO
WATCH NUMBER 290. WATCH NUMBER 290 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER
1035 PM CDT. CONTINUE...WW 291...
DISCUSSION...SUPERCELLS HAVE RAPIDLY DEVELOPED SWRN OK AND NWRN TX
VICINITY RED RIVER AS 50KT LLJ ADVECTS VERY UNSTABLE AIRMASS NWD
INTO AREA. WITH STRONG VEERING SHEAR PROFILES THESE SUPERCELLS
ALONG WITH VERY LARGE HAIL POSE A TORNADO THREAT. STORMS WILL
PROPAGATE E/ENE VICINITY WARM FRONT LIFTING NWD INTO SRN OK.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 3 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 600.
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26030.
...HALES
352,0995 343,0960 331,0960 335,0995
WWUS20 KWNS 080330
SEL3
SPC WW 080335
OKZ000-TXZ000-080900-
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 293
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1035 PM CDT WED MAY 7 2003
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA
NORTHERN TEXAS
EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING FROM 1035 PM
UNTIL 400 AM CDT.
TORNADOES...HAIL TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 50 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND
SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES WEST OF ALTUS OKLAHOMA TO 20 MILES
EAST OF DURANT OKLAHOMA.
REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...THIS TORNADO WATCH REPLACES TORNADO
WATCH NUMBER 290. WATCH NUMBER 290 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER
1035 PM CDT. CONTINUE...WW 291...
DISCUSSION...SUPERCELLS HAVE RAPIDLY DEVELOPED SWRN OK AND NWRN TX
VICINITY RED RIVER AS 50KT LLJ ADVECTS VERY UNSTABLE AIRMASS NWD
INTO AREA. WITH STRONG VEERING SHEAR PROFILES THESE SUPERCELLS
ALONG WITH VERY LARGE HAIL POSE A TORNADO THREAT. STORMS WILL
PROPAGATE E/ENE VICINITY WARM FRONT LIFTING NWD INTO SRN OK.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 3 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 600.
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26030.
...HALES
352,0995 343,0960 331,0960 335,0995SPC that day
Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 8:01 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Beckham, Caddo, Comanche, Cotton, Greer, Harmon and 4 more | 59 min |
| May 7, 10:35 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Alfalfa, Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Cherokee, Cleveland and 29 more | 55 min |
| May 7, 10:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Adair, Alfalfa, Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Canadian and 39 more | 5 hr |
| May 7, 11:51 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Beckham, Bryan, Carter, Coal, Comanche, Cotton and 13 more | 54 min |
| May 8, 1:18 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adair, Blaine, Cherokee, Craig, Custer, Delaware and 19 more | 3 hr |
| May 8, 1:55 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Craig, Delaware, Grant, Kay, Nowata, Osage and 2 more | 5 hr |
| May 8, 1:57 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Atoka, Beckham, Bryan, Carter, Coal, Comanche and 14 more | 2 hr |
| May 8, 3:50 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Adair, Atoka, Bryan, Cherokee, Choctaw, Coal and 25 more | 3 hr |
| May 8, 3:51 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Ottawa | 3 hr |
| May 8, 5:02 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adair, Atoka, Cherokee, Choctaw, Coal, Creek and 24 more | 2 hr |
| May 8, 6:20 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Haskell, Latimer, LeFlore, Sequoyah | 3 hr |
| May 8, 12:49 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Alfalfa, Blaine, Garfield, Grant, Kingfisher, Kiowa and 1 more | 3 hr |
| May 8, 1:35 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Alfalfa, Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cleveland and 24 more | 7 hr |
| May 8, 3:34 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Alfalfa, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cleveland, Comanche and 25 more | 116 min |
| May 8, 4:47 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Canadian, Cleveland, Grady, Lincoln, Logan, McClain and 3 more | 58 min |
| May 8, 5:31 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adair, Cherokee, Coal, Craig, Creek, Delaware and 17 more | 59 min |
| May 8, 5:45 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Adair, Cherokee, Coal, Craig, Delaware, Haskell and 17 more | 5 hr |
| May 8, 6:38 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adair, Carter, Cherokee, Cleveland, Coal, Craig and 35 more | 2 hr |
| May 7, 8:15 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Bosque, Coryell, Ellis, Erath, Freestone, Hamilton and 7 more | 6 hr |
| May 8, 2:43 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Archer, Bosque, Brown, Burnet, Callahan, Clay and 28 more | 62 min |
| May 8, 3:40 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Archer, Brown, Callahan, Clay, Coleman, Comanche and 18 more | 5 hr |
Nearby
Tornado Watches in Oklahoma, 2003Tornado Watches in Texas, 2003Every tornado watch 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.