Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 33, NWS Tulsa, OK

April 6, 2003Choctaw County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 6, 2003, 2:52 PM CDT for Choctaw County, Oklahoma. 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
Apr 6, 2003, 2:52 PM CDT (19:52 UTC)
Expired
Apr 6, 2003, 3:45 PM CDT
In force
53 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Choctaw County, OK

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 181 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:54 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
Apr 6, 9:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Fort Worth, TX (KFWD), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 205 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, Fort Worth, TX at 12:00Z on 2003-04-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1494 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Fort Worth, TX at 12:00Z on 2003-04-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 210 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
1494 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-51 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
662 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
210 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
292 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.0
Supercell composite
8.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

211 
WUUS54 KTSA 061952
SVRTUL
OKC023-062045-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
252 PM CDT SUN APR 6 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  CHOCTAW COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 345 PM CDT

* AT 252 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 4
  MILES SOUTHWEST OF SOPER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...HUGO...
  GOODLAND...SAWYER...FORT TOWSON...BOSWELL...SOPER AND MESSER.

HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS AND WIND GUSTS TO 65 MPH CAN BE
EXPECTED IN THE WARNED AREA. STAY INDOORS AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL
THE STORM HAS PASSED.

LAT...LON 3402 9590 3388 9576 3396 9515 3418 9523

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 Apr 6, 2:45 PM CDT, 7 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 6, 2:45 PM CDT, 7 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
245 PM CDT SUN APR 6 2003

A DRYLINE/COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE SWEEPING EASTWARD ACROSS THE
REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT...AS A POTENT UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM
AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW MOVES OFF TOWARD THE NORTHEAST. A WARM
FRONT EXTENDING SOUTHEASTWARD FROM THE SURFACE LOW ACROSS EASTERN
OKLAHOMA WILL SLOWLY DRIFT NORTHWARD.

IN THE SHORT TERM...A NARROW AXIS OF 60 DEGREE PLUS DEWPOINT AIR
WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ITS WAY NORTHWARD ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE
SURFACE LOW...FUELING ONGOING CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY. CONDITIONS WILL
REMAIN MODERATELY UNSTABLE IN THIS AREA...THEREFORE STRONG/SEVERE
STORMS WILL BE A POSSIBILITY ACROSS EXTREME EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NW
ARKANSAS INTO THE EVENING HOURS. AS THE BEST UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS
SLOWLY TRANSLATE TO THE EAST...AND THE DRYLINE TRACKS EASTWARD AS
WELL...ONGOING CONVECTION WILL DECREASE FROM WEST TO EAST AS THE
EVENING PROGRESSES.

DRY WEATHER WILL RETURN TO THE AREA ON MONDAY...AS THE LARGE UPPER
LEVEL SYSTEM MOVES OFF TO THE NORTHEAST AND SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS
INTO THE REGION. COOLER AND DRYER AIR WILL FILTER IN BEHIND THE
SYSTEM...PROVING A RETURN TO TRANQUIL...ALBEIT SOMEWHAT
CHILLY...SPRINGTIME WEATHER FOR EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NW ARKANSAS.

THE EXTENDED PERIOD...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...CONTINUES TO
APPEAR REMARKABLY UNEVENTFUL. UPPER RIDGING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN
PLAINS WITH HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE SHOULD EQUATE TO A
PERIOD OF DRY AND RELATIVELY CALM WEATHER. GFS DOES TRY TO CONJURE
UP A LITTLE PRECIP ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CWA ON
TUESDAY...ALTHOUGH ETA DOES NOT AGREE. WILL LEAVE FORECAST DRY FOR NOW.
AFTER AN UNSEASONABLY COLD MORNING ON WEDNESDAY THE REGION SHOULD
EXPERIENCE A WARMING TREND INTO THE WEEKEND.

TUL   43   59   34   50  / 10   10   10   10
FSM   46   68   39   54  / 30   10   10   10
MLC   45   65   37   52  / 10   10   10   10
BVO   40   58   32   48  / 10   10   10   10
FYV   39   62   33   50  / 30   10   10   10
BYV   38   60   31   49  / 30   10   10   10
MIO   38   57   31   49  / 30   10   10   10
F10   45   60   35   51  / 10   10   10   10
HHW   50   69   40   56  / 10   10   10   10

FORECAST ID= 06

.TSA...
AR...NONE.
OK...NONE.
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 6, 1:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 52 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-071100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CDT SUN APR 6 2003

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

.DAY ONE...THROUGH TONIGHT

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK

...TORNADO THREAT IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE IN MUCH OF THE AREA...

SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA THIS
AFTERNOON ALONG AND SOUTH OF A WARM FRONT AND AHEAD OF DRY LINE THAT
IS MOVING IN FROM THE WEST.  THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADIC
STORMS THIS AFTERNOON IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA..ESPECIALLY ALONG AND
SOUTH OF A MCALESTER TO PAGE LINE.

FURTHER NORTH ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS...UNSTABLE AIR WAS RIDING OVER THE TOP OF THE COOL AIR NEAR
THE GROUND AND AREAS OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON AND
EARLY TONIGHT AS THE MAIN UPPER-LEVEL SYSTEM APPROACHES.  A FEW OF
THESE STORMS WILL BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL BEING IN THE PRIMARY
THREAT.

THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS
THE AREA BY MIDNIGHT AS DRY LINE AND A COLD FRONT SWEEP THROUGH.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO WARNING PROBABILITIES 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...MON THROUGH SAT
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SHOULD ALREADY BE ACTIVELY MONITORING THE PROGRESS
OF THIS EVENT.  SPOTTERS SHOULD BE READY FOR IMMEDIATE ACTIVATION...
ESPECIALLY IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.

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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 6, 9:15 AM CDT, 5 hours 37 minutes before
OKZ060-064-061445-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
915 AM CDT SUN APR 6 2003

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR TULSA AND CREEK COUNTIES
   UNTIL 945 AM CDT...

AT 914 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
KIEFER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN AS IT MOVES THROUGH
THE TULSA METROPOLITAN AREA.  THE HEAVY RAIN WILL CAUSE PONDING OF
WATER AND LOCALIZED FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS AND POOR DRAINAGE
AREAS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 6, 7:18 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOkfuskee57 min
Apr 6, 7:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOkmulgee39 min
Apr 6, 8:26 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAMuskogee, Wagoner64 min
Apr 6, 10:25 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAMayes50 min
Apr 6, 1:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPittsburg48 min
Apr 6, 1:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPushmataha44 min
Apr 6, 2:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAHaskell, Pittsburg50 min
Apr 6, 2:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALeFlore, Pushmataha61 min
Apr 6, 3:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPushmataha48 min
Apr 6, 3:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALeFlore28 min
Apr 6, 3:21 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAPushmataha24 min
Apr 6, 3:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALeFlore41 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.