Alert archive / Arkansas / Tornado Watches in 2003
Tornado Watch 342
The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at May 10, 2003, 4:00 PM CDT for 28 counties in Arkansas; 5 counties in Illinois; 28 counties in Missouri. It was in force for 5 hr.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- May 10, 2003, 4:00 PM CDT (21:00 UTC)
- Expired
- May 10, 2003, 9:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 5 hr
- Issued by
- the Storm Prediction Center
All 61 counties
Baxter County, AR, Boone County, AR, Clay County, AR, Cleburne County, AR, Conway County, AR, Craighead County, AR, Cross County, AR, Faulkner County, AR, Franklin County, AR, Fulton County, AR, Greene County, AR, Independence County, AR, Izard County, AR, Jackson County, AR, Johnson County, AR, Lawrence County, AR, Logan County, AR, Marion County, AR, Newton County, AR, Poinsett County, AR, Pope County, AR, Randolph County, AR, Searcy County, AR, Sharp County, AR, Stone County, AR, Van Buren County, AR, White County, AR, Woodruff County, AR, Franklin County, IL, Jackson County, IL, Perry County, IL, Randolph County, IL, Union County, IL, Bollinger County, MO, Butler County, MO, Cape Girardeau County, MO, Carter County, MO, Crawford County, MO, Dent County, MO, Douglas County, MO, Howell County, MO, Iron County, MO, Madison County, MO, Maries County, MO, Oregon County, MO, Ozark County, MO, Perry County, MO, Phelps County, MO, Pulaski County, MO, Reynolds County, MO, Ripley County, MO, Saint Francois County, MO, Sainte Genevieve County, MO, Scott County, MO, Shannon County, MO, Stoddard County, MO, Taney County, MO, Texas County, MO, Washington County, MO, Wayne County, MO, Wright County, MO
The radar
The Springfield radar (KSGF), 159 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:02 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
28 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 4:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Carroll, Franklin, Madison | 56 min |
| May 10, 4:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Johnson, Newton | 53 min |
| May 10, 4:33 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Boone | 42 min |
| May 10, 4:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Marion | 31 min |
| May 10, 4:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Pope | 36 min |
| May 10, 5:04 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | SGF | Howell, Oregon, Shannon | 41 min |
| May 10, 5:07 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Searcy | 53 min |
| May 10, 5:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | SGF | Laclede, Wright | 35 min |
| May 10, 5:12 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Franklin | 33 min |
| May 10, 5:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Johnson, Logan | 49 min |
| May 10, 5:35 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Pope, Van Buren | 40 min |
| May 10, 5:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | SGF | Texas | 38 min |
| May 10, 5:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | SGF | Phelps | 50 min |
| May 10, 5:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | SGF | Oregon, St. Clair | 49 min |
| May 10, 5:51 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Stone | 44 min |
| May 10, 6:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LSX | Crawford | 37 min |
| May 10, 6:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Izard | 40 min |
| May 10, 6:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | SGF | Oregon | 51 min |
| May 10, 6:35 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Independence, Stone | 50 min |
| May 10, 6:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Carter | 34 min |
| May 10, 6:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Baxter | 27 min |
| May 10, 7:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Pope | 35 min |
| May 10, 7:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Fulton | 30 min |
| May 10, 7:33 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | SGF | Howell, Oregon | 42 min |
| May 10, 7:50 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Searcy, Stone, Van Buren | 25 min |
| May 10, 7:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Searcy, Stone, Van Buren | 23 min |
| May 10, 8:11 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Ripley | 34 min |
| May 10, 8:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LZK | Logan | 34 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
Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 12:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 171 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
- 1867 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -15 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 689 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 53 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 296 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 300 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 3.5
- Supercell composite
- 12.5
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WWUS20 KWNS 102058
SEL2
SPC WW 102100
ARZ000-ILZ000-MOZ000-110200-
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 342
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
400 PM CDT SAT MAY 10 2003
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
NORTHERN ARKANSAS
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
SOUTHERN MISSOURI
EFFECTIVE THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 400 PM UNTIL
900 PM CDT.
...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...
DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER...
THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 90 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE
POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 95 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 70 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF CARBONDALE ILLINOIS TO
90 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF HARRISON ARKANSAS.
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...CONTINUE...WW 336...WW 337...WW 338...WW
339...WW 340...WW 341...
DISCUSSION...STRONG FORCING IS LIFTING NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE AREA
AND STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO EXPAND INTO THE AREA. STRONG LOW/MID
LEVEL SHEAR AND INSTABILITY INDICATES A POTENTIAL FOR STRONG
TORNADOES WITH VERY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 3 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 80 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 550.
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24045.
...IMY
380,0884 350,0905 350,0941 380,0921SPC that day
Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 10:54 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Fulton, Izard and 7 more | 66 min |
| May 10, 11:55 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Madison, Sebastian, Washington | 7 hr |
| May 10, 1:59 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Franklin, Madison, Sebastian and 1 more | 2 hr |
| May 10, 3:30 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Baxter, Boone, Cleburne, Fulton, Izard, Johnson and 8 more | 2 hr |
| May 9, 7:47 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Calhoun, Greene, Morgan, Pike, Scott | 88 min |
| May 9, 8:40 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bond, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clinton, Coles and 18 more | 2 hr |
| May 9, 10:04 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adams | 26 min |
| May 9, 10:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Brown, Cass, Champaign, DeWitt, Ford, Fulton and 22 more | 5 hr |
| May 10, 5:43 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Christian, Fulton and 15 more | 92 min |
| May 10, 5:50 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Adams, Bond, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Christian and 25 more | 5 hr |
| May 10, 8:30 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Champaign, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland and 9 more | 6 hr |
| May 10, 9:25 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson and 14 more | 2 hr |
| May 10, 10:39 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas and 5 more | 2 hr |
| May 10, 12:38 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Clay, Crawford, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland | 97 min |
| May 10, 3:17 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Hancock, Henderson, Mercer, Rock Island | 58 min |
| May 10, 3:50 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Bureau, Carroll, Fulton, Henderson, Henry, Jo Daviess and 14 more | 6 hr |
| May 10, 4:48 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adams, Bond, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Christian and 25 more | 87 min |
| May 10, 5:40 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Adams, Bond, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Christian and 21 more | 5 hr |
| May 10, 6:41 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adams, Bond, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Christian and 14 more | 64 min |
| May 9, 11:00 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Adair, Barton, Bates, Benton, Caldwell, Carroll and 36 more | 6 hr |
| May 10, 1:15 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Andrew | 5 hr |
| May 10, 1:22 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Newton | 83 min |
| May 10, 2:28 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Andrew, Buchanan | 92 min |
| May 10, 3:05 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Barton, Bates, Benton, Cedar, Dade, Henry and 7 more | 5 hr |
| May 10, 3:15 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Carroll and 25 more | 5 hr |
| May 10, 5:27 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Barton, Bates, Benton, Cass, Cedar, Dade and 9 more | 93 min |
| May 10, 7:06 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Carroll and 25 more | 54 min |
| May 10, 10:58 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adair, Andrew, Audrain, Barton, Bates, Benton and 42 more | 2 hr |
| May 10, 11:35 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Adair, Audrain, Bates, Benton, Boone, Caldwell and 38 more | 7 hr |
| May 10, 1:42 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adair, Audrain, Bates, Benton, Boone, Caldwell and 38 more | 2 hr |
Nearby
Tornado Watches in Arkansas, 2003Tornado Watches in Missouri, 2003Tornado Watches in Illinois, 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.