Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 204, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 14, 2003Pittsburg County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 14, 2003, 12:03 PM CDT for Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 42 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 14, 2003, 12:03 PM CDT (17:03 UTC)
Expired
May 14, 2003, 12:45 PM CDT
In force
42 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Pittsburg County, OK

The radar

The Norman radar (KTLX), 148 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:05 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 nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 5.1 hours before the alert went out and 153 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 12:00Z on 2003-05-14Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 104 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 12:00Z on 2003-05-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -139 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
104 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-358 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1435 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
61 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-139 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-223 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

559 
WUUS54 KTSA 141703
SVRTUL
OKC121-141745-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1203 PM CDT WED MAY 14 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN PITTSBURG COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 1245 PM CDT

* AT 1203 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER
  ASHLAND...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...KIOWA...BLANCO
  AND ASHLAND.

HAIL TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES 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 3459 9579 3460 9588 3469 9589 3469 9609
          3485 9609 3484 9601 3482 9593 3470 9552
          3460 9552

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 14, 11:55 AM CDT, 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 14, 11:55 AM CDT, 8 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
1155 AM CDT WED MAY 14 2003

MAIN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA BUT
ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.
WILL CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS SOUTH AND SLIGHT CHANCE NORTH FOR THE
AFTERNOON. SEEING QUITE A BIT OF SUNSHINE SO WILL ADJUST SKY
CONDITION TO PARTLY CLOUDY AND WILL ALSO UP MAXIMUMS A BIT AS A
RESULT.

NO CHANGES TO LATER PERIODS AT THIS TIME.

UPDATE WILL BE OUT SHORTLY.

.TSA...
AR...NONE.
OK...NONE.

PLATE
Hazardous weather outlook, May 14, 6:00 AM CDT, 6 hours 3 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-151100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
600 AM CDT WED MAY 14 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK

...CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY...

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING THIS MORNING...WITH
THE MOST INTENSE STORMS REMAINING IN A MODERATE TO HIGH INSTABILITY
AXIS THAT EXTENDED FROM WESTERN TO SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA. REDEVELOPMENT
OF STORMS ACROSS SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA HAS ALSO OCCURRED ALONG THE NOSE
OF A 40 TO 50 KNOT LOW LEVEL JET.  THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS ALL OF THE
OUTLOOKED AREA WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE AS AN UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. HOWEVER...SLIGHTLY HIGHER
CHANCES FOR SEVERE STORMS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE ACROSS
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA WHERE SURFACED BASED INSTABILITY IS HIGHER AND
WHERE LIFT FROM THE LOW LEVEL JET AND SURFACE FRONT WILL BE
MAXIMIZED.

ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THIS MORNING ACROSS
NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS IN A MID LEVEL CONVERGENCE
ZONE. WHILE MORE SIGNIFICANT LIFT WILL REMAIN ACROSS SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA...ELEVATED INSTABILITY WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT A
CHANCE OF SEVERE STORMS INTO THE EARLY PART OF THE AFTERNOON. LARGE
HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT WITH SEVERE STORMS ACROSS ALL OF
EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TODAY.

AS THE SURFACE FRONT AND OUTFLOW MOVES SOUTH INTO TEXAS THIS
AFTERNOON...THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS EXPECTED TO DIMINISH ACROSS
THE ENTIRE AREA. LEFTOVER LOCALIZED SURFACE BOUNDARIES MAY INITIATE
ADDITIONAL CONVECTION LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. HOWEVER
LIMITED LOW LEVEL JET DYNAMICS WILL LIKELY KEEP COVERAGE OF ANY
SEVERE STORMS ISOLATED AT BEST.

.OTHER HAZARDS...
LOCALIZED FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE AS HEAVY RAINFALL WILL RESULT
FROM SLOWLY MOVING OR THUNDERSTORMS THAT REDEVELOP OVER THE SAME
AREAS.

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...WEDNESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY
THUNDERSTORM CHANCES INCREASE LATE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AS SURFACE
LOW PRESSURE WILL REORGANIZE...HELPING TO ESTABLISH A WARM FRONT
ACROSS NORTHERN TEXAS OVERNIGHT THURSDAY. A STRONG UPPER DISTURBANCE
MOVING ACROSS THE REGION WILL PUSH A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA ON
FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT.  HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN BEHIND THE
FRONT OVER THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST
STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN TULSA.

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

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 14, 11:00 AM CDT, 1 hour 3 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1100 AM CDT WED MAY 14 2003

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

0540 AM    7 N KINGSTON              AR   0.75 IN HAIL
05/14/03   MADISON                        REPORTED BY PUBLIC

BM
Local storm report, May 14, 11:16 AM CDT, 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1116 AM CDT WED MAY 14 2003

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

0625 PM    13 E OCTAVIA              OK   WIND DAMAGE
05/13/03   LE FLORE                       TREE LIMBS BLOWN DOWN NEAR
                                          ZAFRA.
                                          REPORTED BY PUBLIC

0500 PM    OZARK                     AR   FLASH FLOOD
05/13/03   FRANKLIN                       11TH ST. NEAR HWY 64
                                          TEMPORARILY IMPASSABLE.
                                          REPORTED BY S.O.

0420 PM    VAN BUREN                 AR   0.75 IN HAIL
05/13/03   CRAWFORD                       REPORTED BY NWS EMPLOYEE

0358 PM    5 NW COOKSON              OK   WIND DAMAGE
05/13/03   CHEROKEE                       TREES BLOWN DOWN NEAR
                                          HORSESHOE BEND.
                                          REPORTED BY S.O.

0330 PM    TAHLEQUAH                 OK   FLASH FLOOD
05/13/03   CHEROKEE                       SEVERAL BUSINESSES ALONG
                                          MAIN STREET FLOODED.
                                          REPORTED BY STREET
                                          DEPARTMENT

BM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 14, 2:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPushmataha67 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.