Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 141, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 8, 2003Latimer County, LeFlore County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 8, 2003, 5:41 AM CDT for Latimer County, LeFlore County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 49 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
May 8, 2003, 5:41 AM CDT (10:41 UTC)
Expired
May 8, 2003, 6:30 AM CDT
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Latimer County, OK, LeFlore County, OK

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 59 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:41 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.

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 8, 3:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC3 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 00:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 224 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Norman, OK at 00:00Z on 2003-05-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1026 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Norman, OK at 00:00Z on 2003-05-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 123 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

651 
WUUS54 KTSA 081041
SVRTUL
OKC077-079-081130-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
541 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN LATIMER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
  NORTHERN LE FLORE COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 630 AM CDT

* AT 541 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 6
  MILES WEST OF RED OAK...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...RED OAK...
  POTEAU...HEAVENER...FANSHAWE...HOWE...WISTER...CAMERON...PANAMA...
  BOKOSHE...SPIRO AND POCOLA.

HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS 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 3506 9526 3484 9527 3487 9449 3533 9448
          3520 9490 3506 9494

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 8, 4:53 AM CDT, 48 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 8, 4:53 AM CDT, 48 minutes before
MESOSCALE FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
453 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2003

SUPERCELL OVER PITTSBURG COUNTY REMAINS WELL ORGANIZED.  LOCAL STORM
SPECIFIC S-R HELICITY ANALYSIS DEPICTS VALUES INCREASING FROM THE
MID 200S INTO THE MID 300S AS THE CELL MOVES INTO LATIMER COUNTY.
THIS WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE STORM ROTATION.

OTHER STRONG CELLS MOVING INTO MCINTOSH COUNTY ARE IN A RELATIVE S-R
HELICITY MIN...BUT VALUES THERE ARE IN THE MID 200S.

WE ARE NOT IN CONTACT WITH ANY SPOTTERS OR OFFICIALS IN PITTSBURG
COUNTY...SO NO GROUND TRUTH AT THIS TIME.  AT THE VERY LEAST HAIL TO
PERHAPS BASEBALL SIZE MAY HAVE OCCURRED NORTH OF THE MESO TRACK.

FORECAST ID = 08

.TSA...
AR...NONE.
OK...NONE.
Hazardous weather outlook, May 7, 11:10 PM CDT, 6 hours 31 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-081100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1110 PM CDT WED MAY 7 2003

THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS
MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK

...CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT MAINLY ACROSS NORTHEAST
   OKLAHOMA...

A WARM FRONT IS LOCATED ALONG THE RED RIVER VALLEY AND WILL SLOWLY
LIFT NORTHWARD OVERNIGHT.  ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP NORTH
OF THE WARM FRONT OVERNIGHT AS THE LOW LEVEL JET STRENGTHENS.  LARGE
HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE STRONGER STORMS...
MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A MCALESTER...FORT SMITH LINE.
THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP MAY MOVE INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS EARLY
THURSDAY MORNING.

ADDITIONAL STORMS MAY CONTINUE SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT AND AFFECT
FAR SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.  THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP IN THIS REGION
WILL HAVE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER INCLUDING LARGE
HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.

WARNING PROBABILITIES FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES CAN BE
FOUND IN THE OUTLOOK SECTION AT: WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA. GIVEN
PROBABILITIES REPRESENT THE POTENTIAL FOR A WARNING TO BE ISSUED AT
YOUR LOCATION.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY
THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY AS A DRY LINE
APPROACHES THE AREA FROM THE WEST.  THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE
STORMS WILL BE ACROSS FAR NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  FURTHER SOUTH...ACROSS
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...CONVECTION MAY BE SUPPRESSED DUE TO A STRONG
CAP.  HOWEVER ANY STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP ON THURSDAY WOULD LIKELY BE
SEVERE.

SEVERE WEATHER WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL
SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS. DRY AND COOLER WEATHER IS
EXPECTED SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

.SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...SPOTTER
ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT OVER PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT...
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 8, 1:58 AM CDT, 3 hours 43 minutes before
ARZ001>002-010-OKZ054>058-061>063-081200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
158 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
#295 UNTIL 700 AM CDT THURSDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

IN ARKANSAS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 4 COUNTIES...
IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS:

BENTON                CARROLL               MADISON
WASHINGTON

IN OKLAHOMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 8 COUNTIES...
IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

CRAIG                 DELAWARE              MAYES
NOWATA                OSAGE                 OTTAWA
ROGERS                WASHINGTON

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BARTLESVILLE...BENTONVILLE...
BERRYVILLE...CLAREMORE...EUREKA SPRINGS...FAYETTEVILLE...
HUNTSVILLE...JAY...MIAMI...NOWATA...PAWHUSKA...PRYOR...ROGERS...
SILOAM SPRINGS...SPRINGDALE AND VINITA.
Special weather statement, May 8, 2:22 AM CDT, 3 hours 19 minutes before
OKZ061-067-080800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
222 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2003

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR ROGERS AND NORTHWEST
   WAGONER COUNTIES UNTIL 300 AM CDT...

AT 222 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES
NORTHWEST OF ONETA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.  PEA SIZE HAIL AND
WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

THE COMMUNITIES OF CLAREMORE...CATOOSA...VERDIGRIS...TIAWAH...
FOYIL...BUSHYHEAD AND ONETA WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM THROUGH
300 AM CDT.
Special weather statement, May 8, 2:29 AM CDT, 3 hours 12 minutes before
ARZ001-010-OKZ069-080815-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
229 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2003

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR BENTON...WASHINGTON
   AND NORTHERN ADAIR COUNTIES UNTIL 315 AM CDT...

AT 229 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SUMMERS TO 11 MILES WEST OF
WATTS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH.

THE COMMUNITIES OF BENTONVILLE...SILOAM SPRINGS...ROGERS...SULPHUR
SPRINGS...SPRINGDALE...LINCOLN...AND PRAIRIE GROVE WILL BE AFFECTED
BY THESE STORMS THROUGH 315 AM CDT.
Special weather statement, May 8, 3:20 AM CDT, 2 hours 21 minutes before
ARZ001-080915-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
320 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2003

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR BENTON COUNTY UNTIL 415 AM
   CDT...

AT 320 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GENTRY TO 3 MILES SOUTH OF
CAVE SPRINGS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL BE
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. THE
COMMUNITIES OF BENTONVILLE...ROGERS...GENTRY...PEA RIDGE...
SPRINGTOWN...CAVE SPRINGS...DECATUR AND BELLA VISTA WILL BE AFFECTED
BY THESE STORMS THROUGH 415 AM CDT.
Special weather statement, May 8, 3:56 AM CDT, 1 hour 45 minutes before
OKZ049-053-059>060-064>076-081200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
356 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
#296 UNTIL 700 AM CDT THURSDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

IN OKLAHOMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 17 COUNTIES...
IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA:

CHEROKEE              MUSKOGEE              OKFUSKEE
SEQUOYAH

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

ADAIR                 CREEK                 OKMULGEE
PAWNEE                TULSA                 WAGONER

IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

CHOCTAW               HASKELL               LATIMER
LE FLORE              MCINTOSH              PITTSBURG
PUSHMATAHA

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ANTLERS...BRISTOW...BROKEN ARROW...
CLAYTON...EUFAULA...HUGO...MCALESTER...MUSKOGEE...OKEMAH...
OKMULGEE...PAWNEE...POTEAU...SALLISAW...SAND SPRINGS...STIGLER...
STILWELL...TAHLEQUAH...TULSA...WAGONER AND WILBURTON.
Special weather statement, May 8, 4:57 AM CDT, 44 minutes before
OKZ071-081100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
457 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2003

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR MCINTOSH COUNTY UNTIL 600
   AM CDT...

AT 457 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 12
MILES WEST OF STIDHAM...MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. THIS STORM
IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. THE
COMMUNITIES OF CHECOTAH...STIDHAM...PIERCE AND RENTIESVILLE WILL BE
AFFECTED BY THIS STORM THROUGH 600 AM CDT.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 8, 1:55 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSATulsa50 min
May 8, 3:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPittsburg55 min
May 8, 4:20 AM CDTTornado WarningTSAPittsburg55 min
May 8, 4:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALatimer63 min
May 8, 5:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAHaskell41 min
May 8, 6:04 AM CDTTornado WarningTSALeFlore56 min
May 8, 6:56 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALeFlore34 min
May 8, 5:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage55 min
May 8, 6:01 PM CDTTornado WarningTSACreek, Okfuskee59 min
May 8, 6:06 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAOsage, Pawnee54 min
May 8, 6:53 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAOsage67 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Oklahoma, 2003Every 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.