Alert archive / Arkansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 142, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 8, 2003Sebastian County, Arkansas

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 8, 2003, 6:37 AM CDT for Sebastian County, Arkansas. It was in force for 53 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, 6:37 AM CDT (11:37 UTC)
Expired
May 8, 2003, 7:30 AM CDT
In force
53 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Sebastian County, AR

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 11 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 11:38 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.

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, 6:20 AM CDTTornado WatchSPC3 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 00:00Z, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 196 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, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 2003-05-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 2003-05-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 44 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1810 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
65 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
44 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
178 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.

499 
WUUS54 KTSA 081137
SVRTUL
ARC131-081230-

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR
  SEBASTIAN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS

* UNTIL 730 AM CDT

* AT 636 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A DANGEROUS SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM 15 MILES WEST OF HARTFORD...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.    
  RADAR INDICATED SOME ROTATION WITH THIS STORM NEAR WISTER. 

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...  HARTFORD...
  HACKETT...GREENWOOD...BARLING...LAVACA...HUNTINGTON...MIDLAND...
  BURNVILLE...EXCELSIOR...MANSFIELD...BONANZA...JENNY LIND AND
  BLOOMER.

HAIL TO THE SIZE OF GOLFBALLS AND WIND GUSTS TO 65 MPH CAN BE 
EXPECTED IN THE WARNED AREA. IF YOU ARE IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS 
STORM...TAKE COVER NOW

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. TORNADOES CAN
DEVELOP SUDDENLY FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. IF YOU ARE NEAR THE PATH
OF THIS STORM...YOU SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER
CONDITIONS AND BE READY TO ACT QUICKLY.

LAT...LON 3535 9443 3494 9445 3496 9423 3536 9408

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, 5:50 AM CDT, 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 8, 5:50 AM CDT, 47 minutes before
MESOSCALE FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
550 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2003

SUPERCELL STORM PREVIOUSLY IN PITTSBURG COUNTY LOST ITS ORGANIZATION
AS THE MESOCYCLONE SEPARATED FROM THE THUNDERSTORM.  THE ORPHANED
MESO IS TRACKING NORTHEAST THROUGH EASTERN PITTSBURG COUNTY AS OFF
545 AM...WHILE THE THUNDERSTORM IS MOVING MORE EAST THROUGH LATIMER
COUNTY.

LATIMER COUNTY CELL MAY BE TRYING REORGANIZE SOME...WITH A BROAD
ROTATION.  WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT FOR ROTATION POTENTIAL.

FORECAST ID = 08

.TSA...
AR...NONE.
OK...NONE.
Hazardous weather outlook, May 8, 6:00 AM CDT, 37 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-091100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
600 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK

...THERE IS A CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EARLY THIS MORNING AND
AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON...

ONGOING CONVECTION THIS MORNING OVER SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA WILL
CONTINUE TO PRODUCE A LARGE HAIL AND WIND THREAT INTO WEST CENTRAL
ARKANSAS EARLY THIS MORNING. A FEW ELEVATED CELLS STILL MAY DEVELOP
OVER NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA DURING THE MORNING AS A STRONG LOW LEVEL JET
REMAINS IN PLACE...HOWEVER THE SEVERE THREAT APPEARS TO BE
DIMINISHING OVER NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS UNTIL 7 AM CDT.

CHANCES FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL ONCE AGAIN BE ON THE INCREASE OVER
MUCH OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. A SURFACE LOW CONTINUES TO
INTENSIFY IN THE LEE OF THE ROCKIES THIS MORNING AND WILL FURTHER
DEEPEN AS IT MOVES INTO CENTRAL KANSAS BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THE
DRY LINE WAS LOCATED ACROSS THE WESTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE EARLY THIS
MORNING...WHILE A WARM FRONT CONTINUES TO LIFT ACROSS EASTERN
OKLAHOMA AND WILL BE NORTH OF THE AREA BY THIS AFTERNOON. THE DRY
LINE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS EAST AND IS EXPECTED TO BE IN
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA BY MID AFTERNOON.

DEW POINTS ARE ALREADY IN THE LOW TO MID 70S THROUGH MOST OF EASTERN
OKLAHOMA. THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE CAPPED FOR A GOOD PART OF THE
DAY...ESPECIALLY OVER SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA WHERE MID LEVEL
TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO WARM. SURFACE HEATING MAY BE LIMITED EARLY
ON BY CLOUD COVER...HOWEVER ENOUGH CLEARING SHOULD TAKE PLACE THIS
AFTERNOON TO ALLOW ADEQUATE SURFACE HEATING ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE
DRY LINE FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP...WITH MOST LIKELY INITIATION
BY AROUND 4 PM. SOME UNCERTAINTY REMAINS AS TO WHETHER THE CAP CAN
BE BROKEN OVER SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.

ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY BECOME SEVERE DUE TO THE VERY
HIGH INSTABILITY AND FAVORABLE WIND SHEAR. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL
FOR LONG LIVED SUPERCELLS OVER NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA...WITH THE
POSSIBILITY OF VERY LARGE HAIL AND 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...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY AS THE DRY LINE
REMAINS TO OUR WEST AND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINS IN PLACE...BUT IT
APPEARS A THIS TIME THAT THE ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN CAPPED ENOUGH TO
REDUCE THE CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING
ACROSS THE PLAINS SATURDAY WILL CAUSE THE DRY LINE TO PUSH EAST...
BRINGING YET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR SEVERE WEATHER TO MUCH OF THE
AREA. DRIER AND COOLER WEATHER WILL FINALLY PREVAIL SUNDAY AND
MONDAY...THEN THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS RETURNS TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY OFFICIALS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR
THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS VERY CLOSELY TODAY.

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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 8, 2:22 AM CDT, 4 hours 15 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, 4 hours 8 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, 3 hours 17 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, 2 hours 41 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, 1 hour 40 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.
Special weather statement, May 8, 6:35 AM CDT, 2 minutes before
ARZ019>020-029-OKZ072-074>076-081400-

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
#298 UNTIL 900 AM CDT THURSDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

IN ARKANSAS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 3 COUNTIES...
IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS:

CRAWFORD

IN WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS:

FRANKLIN              SEBASTIAN

IN OKLAHOMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 4 COUNTIES...
IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA:

SEQUOYAH

IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

HASKELL               LATIMER               LE FLORE

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF CEDARVILLE...FORT SMITH...MOUNTAINBURG...
NATURAL DAM...OZARK...POTEAU...SALLISAW...STIGLER...VAN BUREN AND
WILBURTON.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 8, 7:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAFranklin39 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arkansas, 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.