Alert archive / Arkansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 225, NWS Tulsa, OK
NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 16, 2003, 1:21 PM CDT for Franklin County, Madison County, Arkansas. It was in force for 54 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 16, 2003, 1:21 PM CDT (18:21 UTC)
- Expired
- May 16, 2003, 2:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 54 min
- Issued by
- NWS Tulsa, OK
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
Counties Franklin County, AR, Madison County, AR
The radar
The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 78 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:22 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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 12:45 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 12:00Z, 6.4 hours before the alert went out and 128 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
- 189 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -176 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 777 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 36 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 178 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 168 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.9
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WUUS54 KTSA 161821 SVRTUL ARC047-087-161915- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 121 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... EASTERN MADISON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NORTHEASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS * UNTIL 215 PM CDT * AT 121 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF WIEDERKEHR VILLAGE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. * SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...CASS... WIEDERKEHR VILLAGE...PETTIGREW...KINGSTON...BOSTON...WITTER AND MARBLE. HAIL TO THE SIZE OF NICKLES AND WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE WARNED AREA. STAY INDOORS AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP SUDDENLY FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AS STORMS APPROACH. LAT...LON 3553 9391 3547 9376 3601 9341 3620 9357
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 16, 11:55 AM CDT, 1 hour 26 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 16, 11:55 AM CDT, 1 hour 26 minutes before
MESOSCALE FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA 1155 AM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 STRONG UPPER LOW MOVING INTO CENTRAL OK AT THIS TIME WITH LARGE PRECIP SHIELD SHIFTING INTO AR/MO. AIRMASS OVER EASTERN OK/WESTERN AR UNDERGOING RECOVERY OF INSTABILITY AS COLD ADVECTION INCREASES IN MID LEVELS. WIND SHEAR OVER THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA ARE SOMEWHAT SUSPECT FOR ORGANIZED DISCRETE CELLS...HOWEVER IMPROVING INSTABILITY AND GOOD DIRECTIONAL LOW LEVEL SHEAR WILL MAINTAIN ISOLATE THREAT OF TORNADOES. FURTHER SOUTH...WHERE SOLAR HEATING WILL FURTHER CONTRIBUTE TO INSTABILITY...WIND SHEAR DRAMATICALLY INCREASES BOTH AT MID AND LOW LEVELS. THIS AREA WILL MAINTAIN A HIGHER THREAT OF TORNADOES...SOME POSSIBLY SIGNIFICANT. CONVECTIVE INITIATION IS UNDERWAY ACROSS CENTRAL OK AND WILL SPREAD EASTWARD WITH TIME. FORECAST ID= 07 .TSA... AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR ZONES ARZ001>002... ARZ010>011...ARZ019>020...ARZ029. OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR ZONES OKZ049... OKZ053>076.
Hazardous weather outlook, May 16, 1:00 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-171100- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 100 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... IN THE WAKE OF STRONG EARLY MORNING STORMS...CONDITIONS WILL AGAIN BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. A POTENT UPPER LOW WILL MOVE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS DURING THE AFTERNOON WHILE A SURFACE LOW TRACKS EASTWARD ACROSS OKLAHOMA. CONVERGENCE AHEAD OF THE LOW WILL INITIATE THUNDERSTORMS BY EARLY AFTERNOON WHICH WILL QUICKLY BECOME SEVERE. STORMS PRODUCING TORNADOES AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE MOST LIKELY IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN ARKANSAS WHERE SHEAR PROFILES ARE MOST FAVORABLE. ELSEWHERE...BANDS OF SUPERCELLS OR STRONG MULTICELLS WITH BOWING SEGMENTS WILL BE MOST LIKELY. THESE WILL HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF PRODUCING DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS ALONG WITH LARGE HAIL. GIVEN THE RAINFALL THIS MORNING AND THE EXPECTED MAGNITUDE OF THE RAIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...FLASH FLOODING MAY BECOME A PROBLEM. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. 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...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WHICH HAS AND WILL PRODUCE STORMINESS WILL HEAD OFF TO THE EAST OF THE AREA SATURDAY BRINGING AN END TO THE RISK OF THUNDERSTORMS FOR A DAY OR TWO. AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL BRING THUNDERSTORMS BACK INTO THE FORECAST LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN BEHIND THE FRONT FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. .SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA. ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT... WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 16, 8:06 AM CDT, 5 hours 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
0806 AM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0545 AM POCOLA OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 LE FLORE TREES DOWN
0515 AM SALINA OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 MAYES TREES DOWN POWER OUT
GMSpecial weather statement, May 16, 8:49 AM CDT, 4 hours 32 minutes before
OKZ049-161430- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 849 AM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR PUSHMATAHA COUNTY UNTIL 930 AM CDT... AT 849 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES WEST OF NASHOBA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF CLAYTON...CLOUDY...NASHOBA...TUSKAHOMA...KIAMICHI AND ALBION WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM THROUGH 930 AM CDT. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE WARNINGS ARE ISSUED.
Local storm report, May 16, 11:12 AM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1112 AM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0615 AM PEA RIDGE AR WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 BENTON HUNDREDS OF TREES DOWNED
BLOCKING MANY ROADS AND
HIGHWAYS.
0600 AM CROWDER OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 PITTSBURG TREE BLOWN DOWN
0600 AM WESTVILLE OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 ADAIR BARN DESTROYED AND TREES
DOWN
0557 AM 1 E GORE OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 SEQUOYAH TREE BLOWN ONTO MOONSHINE
ROAD
0550 AM LEE CREEK AR WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 CRAWFORD MULTIPLE TREES DOWN ALONG
HIGHWAY 220
0450 AM MUSKOGEE OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 MUSKOGEE TREES BLOWN DOWN
0445 AM CHECOTAH OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 MCINTOSH SEVERAL LARGE LIMBS BLOWN
DOWN
0430 AM ONAPA OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 MCINTOSH SHINGLES BLOWN OFF AND OUT
BUILDINGS DAMAGED. POWER
LINES AND POWER POLES
DOWNED. MOBLE HOME BLOWN
OFF FOUNDATION.
0400 AM 2 W OKEMAH OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 OKFUSKEE TREES DOWN AND OUT
BUILDINGS DAMAGED
0400 AM WELTY OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 OKFUSKEE OUT BUILDINGS DESTROYED
AND TREES DOWNED
0355 AM 5 E BIXBY OK 60 MPH TSTORM WIND
05/16/03 TULSA
0300 AM RALSTON OK 60 MPH TSTORM WIND
05/16/03 PAWNEE
XXXSpecial weather statement, May 16, 12:25 PM CDT, 56 minutes before
OKZ054>072-162300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 1225 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH #392 UNTIL 600 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS: IN OKLAHOMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 19 COUNTIES... IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA: CHEROKEE MUSKOGEE OKFUSKEE SEQUOYAH IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA: ADAIR CRAIG CREEK DELAWARE MAYES NOWATA OKMULGEE OSAGE OTTAWA PAWNEE ROGERS TULSA WAGONER WASHINGTON IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA: MCINTOSH THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BARTLESVILLE...BRISTOW...BROKEN ARROW... CLAREMORE...EUFAULA...JAY...MIAMI...MUSKOGEE...NOWATA...OKEMAH... OKMULGEE...PAWHUSKA...PAWNEE...PRYOR...SALLISAW...SAND SPRINGS... STILWELL...TAHLEQUAH...TULSA...VINITA AND WAGONER.
Special weather statement, May 16, 12:43 PM CDT, 38 minutes before
ARZ019>020-029-OKZ049-053-073>076-162300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 1243 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH #393 UNTIL 600 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING 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 6 COUNTIES... IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA: CHOCTAW HASKELL LATIMER LE FLORE PITTSBURG PUSHMATAHA THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ANTLERS...CEDARVILLE...CLAYTON...FORT SMITH...HUGO...MCALESTER...MOUNTAINBURG...NATURAL DAM...OZARK... POTEAU...STIGLER...VAN BUREN AND WILBURTON.
Local storm report, May 16, 12:48 PM CDT, 33 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1248 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0455 AM 4 E OKAY OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 WAGONER
0455 AM BIG CABIN OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 CRAIG TREE DAMAGE
0418 AM OOLOGAH OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 ROGERS SEVERAL TREES BLOWN DOWN
SAThe office that day
Everything else NWS Tulsa, OK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 5:28 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Benton, Crawford, Sebastian, Washington | 62 min |
| May 16, 5:56 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Carroll, Franklin, Madison | 79 min |
| May 16, 6:45 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Crawford, Sebastian | 75 min |
| May 16, 6:52 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Carroll, Franklin, Madison | 23 min |
| May 16, 4:04 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Crawford, Sebastian | 56 min |
| May 16, 4:27 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Washington | 63 min |
| May 16, 4:35 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Franklin | 55 min |
| May 16, 4:58 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TSA | Crawford | 47 min |
| May 16, 5:34 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TSA | Madison | 4 hr |
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.