Alert archive / Arkansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 80, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 1, 2003Crawford County, Arkansas

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 1, 2003, 6:38 PM CDT for Crawford County, Arkansas. It was in force for 67 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 1, 2003, 6:38 PM CDT (23:38 UTC)
Expired
May 1, 2003, 7:45 PM CDT
In force
67 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Crawford County, AR

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 25 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:40 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 1, 3:45 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 12:00Z, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 161 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 12:00Z on 2003-05-01Temperature 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°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Springfield, MO at 12:00Z on 2003-05-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -340 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
816 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-340 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-135 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.

312 
WUUS54 KTSA 012338
SVRTUL
ARC033-020045-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
638 PM CDT THU MAY 1 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  CRAWFORD COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

* UNTIL 745 PM CDT

* AT 638 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 7
  MILES SOUTH OF VAN BUREN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...MULBERRY...
  MOUNTAINBURG...VAN BUREN...ALMA...CHESTER...DYER...FIGURE FIVE AND
  RUDY.

STORM SPOTTERS REPORTED PENNY SIZE HAIL IN DOWNTOWN FORT SMITH WITH 
THIS STORM. 

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 3548 9444 3534 9427 3552 9403 3571 9417

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 1, 5:40 PM CDT, 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 1, 5:40 PM CDT, 58 minutes before
MESOSCALE FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
540 PM CDT THU MAY 1 2003

SUPERCELLS CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS EAST-CENTRAL OKLAHOMA THIS
AFTERNOON. BOUNDARY THAT EXTENDS FROM JAY TO OKMULGEE WILL MERGE
WITH THE BOUNDARY THAT IS QUASI-STATIONARY FROM STILWELL TO WAGONER
WHERE THERE IS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE. AIRMASS CONTINUES TO BE
EXTREMELY UNSTABLE IN THE VICINITY OF THESE BOUNDARIES WITH SURFACE
BASED CAPE IN EXCESS OF 4000 J/KG. THE SOUTHERN STORMS WILL BE MORE
LIKELY TO BECOME TORNADIC WHERE THE STORM RELATIVE HELICITY AND
INFLOW WILL BE MORE FAVORABLE.

FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS EAST-CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
AS STORMS CONTINUE TO TRAIN ACROSS THAT AREA.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA ALONG DRYLINE/COLD FRONT THAT EXTENDS FROM EASTERN
PITTSBURG COUNTY TO NEAR HUGO. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO HAVE
THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SUPERCELLS AS THEY MOVE INTO WEST-CENTRAL
ARKANSAS.

THE THUNDERSTORMS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO DIMINISH AFTER SUNSET
WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING.

10

.TSA...
AR...NONE.
OK...NONE.
Hazardous weather outlook, May 1, 1:00 PM CDT, 5 hours 38 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-021100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CDT THU MAY 1 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 THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...
AT MID DAY A COLD FRONT WAS LOCATED NORTH TO SOUTH ACROSS CENTRAL
OKLAHOMA.  TO THE EAST OF THIS FRONT THE ATMOSPHERE WAS QUITE MOIST.
THIS MOISTURE WILL TRANSLATE INTO INSTABILITY THIS AFTERNOON AS
TEMPERATURES WARM TO THE UPPER 70S TO MID 80S.  AS TEMPERATURES WARM
THE LID ON THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPMENT IMPOSED BY A WARM LAYER OF AIR
OFF THE SURFACE MAY BE BROKEN AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY FORM.  IN
ADDITION...THE COLD FRONT COULD AID IN THIS PROCESS AS IT MOVES
SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  IF A
THUNDERSTORM DOES FORM THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE IT WOULD BECOME
SEVERE.  THE MOST LIKELY AREA FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS WHERE HEATING IS
EXPECTED TO BE MAXIMIZED.

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...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BEGIN MOVING SLOWLY NORTH LATE FRIDAY
AND LIKELY SPAWN MORE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY NIGHT AND OVER
THE WEEKEND.

.SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...SPOTTER
ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED FOR SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS TODAY.

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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 1, 4:00 PM CDT, 2 hours 38 minutes before
ARZ001>002-010>011-019>020-029-OKZ049-053-060>063-066>076-020200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
400 PM CDT THU MAY 1 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH
#202 UNTIL 900 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

IN ARKANSAS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 7 COUNTIES...
IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS:

BENTON                CARROLL               CRAWFORD
MADISON               WASHINGTON

IN WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS:

FRANKLIN              SEBASTIAN

IN OKLAHOMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 17 COUNTIES...
IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA:

CHEROKEE              MUSKOGEE              SEQUOYAH

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

ADAIR                 DELAWARE              MAYES
OKMULGEE              ROGERS                TULSA
WAGONER

IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

CHOCTAW               HASKELL               LATIMER
LE FLORE              MCINTOSH              PITTSBURG
PUSHMATAHA

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ANTLERS...BENTONVILLE...BERRYVILLE...
BROKEN ARROW...CEDARVILLE...CLAREMORE...CLAYTON...EUFAULA...EUREKA
SPRINGS...FAYETTEVILLE...FORT SMITH...HUGO...HUNTSVILLE...JAY...
MCALESTER...MOUNTAINBURG...MUSKOGEE...NATURAL DAM...OKMULGEE...
OZARK...POTEAU...PRYOR...ROGERS...SALLISAW...SAND SPRINGS...SILOAM
SPRINGS...SPRINGDALE...STIGLER...STILWELL...TAHLEQUAH...TULSA...VAN
BUREN...WAGONER AND WILBURTON.
Local storm report, May 1, 4:46 PM CDT, 1 hour 52 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
0446 PM CDT THU MAY 01 2003

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

0442 PM    4 W TAHLEQUAH             OK   0.88 IN HAIL
05/01/03   CHEROKEE                       REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGER

0437 PM    5 W TAHLEQUAH             OK   1.75 IN HAIL
05/01/03   CHEROKEE                       REPORTED BY SPOTTER

0430 PM    1 NE HULBERT              OK   1.25 IN HAIL
05/01/03   CHEROKEE                       REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
                                          OPERATOR

0430 PM    4 W TAHLEQUAH             OK   1.00 IN HAIL
05/01/03   CHEROKEE                       REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
                                          OPERATOR

BAS
Local storm report, May 1, 5:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
0500 PM CDT THU MAY 01 2003

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

0448 PM    10 S CHLOETA              OK   1.75 IN HAIL
05/01/03   DELAWARE                       REPRTED BY TV STATION

BAS
Local storm report, May 1, 6:07 PM CDT, 31 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
0607 PM CDT THU MAY 01 2003

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

0555 PM    OKAY                      OK   FX TORNADO
05/01/03   WAGONER                        MOBILE HOME DESTROYED,
                                          OUTBUILDING DESTROYED,
                                          POWERLINES DOWN. REPORTED
                                          BY SPOTTER

0542 PM    4 W TAHLEQUAH             OK   1.75 IN HAIL
05/01/03   CHEROKEE                       REPORTED BY SPOTTER

0521 PM    HULBERT                   OK   2.75 IN HAIL
05/01/03   CHEROKEE                       REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGER

0519 PM    3 N WAGONER               OK   1.00 IN HAIL
05/01/03   WAGONER                        REPORTED BY SPOTTER

BAS
Local storm report, May 1, 6:19 PM CDT, 19 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
0619 PM CDT THU MAY 01 2003

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

0611 PM    3 W PANAMA                OK   0.75 IN HAIL
05/01/03   LE FLORE                       REPORTED BY SEBASTIAN
                                          COUNTY E.O.C.

0610 PM    MUSKOGEE                  OK   FX TORNADO
05/01/03   MUSKOGEE                       NORTH OF HIHWAY 62.
                                          REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGER

0605 PM    3 N FORT GIBSON           OK   1.75 IN HAIL
05/01/03   CHEROKEE                       REPORTED BY PUBLIC

0559 PM    3 N JAY                   OK   1.75 IN HAIL
05/01/03   DELAWARE                       REPORTED BY SPOTTER

BAS
Local storm report, May 1, 6:37 PM CDT, 1 minute before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
0637 PM CDT THU MAY 01 2003

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

0634 PM    FORT SMITH                AR   0.75 IN HAIL
05/01/03   SEBASTIAN                      WEST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
                                          REPORTED BY SPOTTER

0631 PM    3 E PANAMA                OK   0.88 IN HAIL
05/01/03   LE FLORE                       REPORTED BY SPOTTER

0630 PM    7 S FORT SMITH            AR   1.00 IN HAIL
05/01/03   SEBASTIAN                      REPORTED BY SPOTTER

BAS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 1, 9:26 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAFranklin79 min
May 1, 6:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSASebastian60 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.