Alert archive / Arkansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 232, NWS Tulsa, OK
NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 16, 2003, 4:35 PM CDT for Franklin County, Arkansas. It was in force for 55 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, 4:35 PM CDT (21:35 UTC)
- Expired
- May 16, 2003, 5:30 PM CDT
- In force
- 55 min
- Issued by
- NWS Tulsa, OK
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Franklin County, AR
The radar
The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 51 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:35 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, 9.6 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.
- 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.
030
WUUS54 KTSA 162135
SVRTUL
ARC047-162230-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
435 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
FRANKLIN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS
* UNTIL 530 PM CDT
* AT 435 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG
A LINE EXTENDING FROM 24 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FERN TO 15 MILES WEST
OF BRANCH TO 32 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BRANCH...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40
MPH.
* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...OZARK...
BRANCH...DENNING...ALTUS...FERN...CASS AND WIEDERKEHR VILLAGE.
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 3566 9408 3536 9410 3516 9401 3529 9356
3578 9358 3580 9376What 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, 4:33 PM CDT, 2 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 16, 4:33 PM CDT, 2 minutes before
MESOSCALE FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA 433 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY MOVING INTO WESTERN ARKANSAS IS EVOLVING INTO A LINEAR SYSTEM...WITH REMAINING EMBEDDED MESOCYCLONES. LOW-LEVEL STORM-RELATIVE HELICITY ANALYSIS SHOWES VALUES MAXIMIZED ALONG AND NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT THAT IS IN THE ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY. VALUES HAVE REACHED 429 M2/S2 IN FORT SMITH. GIVEN THE CURRENT MORE LINEAR NATURE OF THE STORMS AND THEIR PROXIMITY TO THE BACKED MID-LEVEL WINDS AHEAD OF THE UPPER LOW...THE STORMS SHOULD CONTINUE IN THEIR CURRENT LINEAR MODE WITH THE THREAT FOR BRIEF TORNADOES. THE DRY SLOT AHEAD OF THE UPPER LOW IN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HAS RESULTED IN MORE SUN...WARMING TEMPERATURES AND DESTABILIZING AIR FROM THE TULSA AREA SOUTH TO WEST OF MCALESTER. CAPE VALUES HAVE RECOVERED TO AROUND 1000 J/KG AND THIS WILL SUPPORT ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS DEVELOPING IN THESE AREAS OVER THE NEXT HOUR OR SO WITH HAIL BEING THE PRIMARY THREAT. FORECAST ID= 08 .TSA... AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT FOR ZONES ARZ001>002... ARZ010>011...ARZ019>020. OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT FOR ZONES OKZ054>064...OKZ067>069.
Hazardous weather outlook, May 16, 1:00 PM CDT, 3 hours 35 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, 11:12 AM CDT, 5 hours 23 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, 4 hours 10 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, 3 hours 52 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, 3 hours 47 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
SASpecial weather statement, May 16, 3:48 PM CDT, 47 minutes before
ARZ001>002-010>011-170247- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 348 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH #395 UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS: IN ARKANSAS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 4 COUNTIES... IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS: BENTON CARROLL MADISON WASHINGTON THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BENTONVILLE...BERRYVILLE...EUREKA SPRINGS...FAYETTEVILLE...HUNTSVILLE...ROGERS...SILOAM SPRINGS AND SPRINGDALE. IF A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA MOVE QUICKLY TO THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. STAY AWAY FROM OUTSIDE WALLS AND WINDOWS. BASEMENTS AND STORM CELLARS OFFER THE BEST PROTECTION. MOBILE HOMES SHOULD BE ABANDONED FOR NEARBY...MORE SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURES.
Special weather statement, May 16, 3:48 PM CDT, 47 minutes before
ARZ001>002-010>011-170247- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED WATCH NUMBER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 348 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH #396 UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS: IN ARKANSAS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 4 COUNTIES... IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS: BENTON CARROLL MADISON WASHINGTON THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BENTONVILLE...BERRYVILLE...EUREKA SPRINGS...FAYETTEVILLE...HUNTSVILLE...ROGERS...SILOAM SPRINGS AND SPRINGDALE. IF A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA MOVE QUICKLY TO THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. STAY AWAY FROM OUTSIDE WALLS AND WINDOWS. BASEMENTS AND STORM CELLARS OFFER THE BEST PROTECTION. MOBILE HOMES SHOULD BE ABANDONED FOR NEARBY...MORE SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURES.
The 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, 1:21 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TSA | Franklin, Madison | 54 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, 4:58 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.