Alert archive / Oklahoma / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 82, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 1, 2003LeFlore County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 1, 2003, 6:56 PM CDT for LeFlore County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 64 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, 6:56 PM CDT (23:56 UTC)
Expired
May 1, 2003, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
64 min
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County LeFlore County, OK

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 37 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:57 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, 11.9 hours before the alert went out and 219 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°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.

725 
WUUS54 KTSA 012356
SVRTUL
OKC079-020100-

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR
  NORTHERN LE FLORE COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 800 PM CDT

* AT 656 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A DANGEROUS SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES WEST OF POTEAU TO
  6 MILES NORTHEAST OF HOWE...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. RADAR INDICATED
  SOME ROTATION WITH THIS STORM. PEOPLE NEAR ITS PATH SHOULD MOVE TO
  A SAFE PLACE NOW

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...  POTEAU...
  HOWE...WISTER...CAMERON AND PANAMA.

STORM SPOTTERS REPORTED QUARTER SIZE WITH THIS STORM.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD PREPARE FOR VERY LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING WINDS. TAKE COVER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR IN AN INTERIOR
ROOM AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

LAT...LON 3518 9479 3492 9479 3487 9445 3516 9450

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, 6:40 PM CDT, 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 1, 6:40 PM CDT, 16 minutes before
MESOSCALE FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
640 PM CDT THU MAY 1 2003

TORNADIC SUPERCELL OVER EASTERN MUSKOGEE AND SOUTHERN CHEROKEE WILL
MOVE INTO SEQUOYAH COUNTY. THIS IS A RIGHT MOVING STORM AND IS
MOVING INTO A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR CONTINUED TORNADIC ACTIVITY.
AIRMASS IS STABLIZING SOME AS THE PEAK HEATING OF THE DAY HAS PASSED
AND THE CANOPY OF CLOUDS HAS ALSO REDUCING HEATING. ACTIVITY IS
EXPECTED TO DIMINISH EVEN FURTHER AFTER SUNSET.

10

.TSA...
AR...NONE.
OK...NONE.
Hazardous weather outlook, May 1, 1:00 PM CDT, 5 hours 56 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

Local storm report, May 1, 4:46 PM CDT, 2 hours 10 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 56 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, 49 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, 37 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, 19 minutes 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
Local storm report, May 1, 6:55 PM CDT, 1 minute before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
0655 PM CDT THU MAY 01 2003

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

0648 PM    3 E PANAMA                OK   1.75 IN HAIL
05/01/03   LE FLORE                       REPORTED BY SPOTTER

0644 PM    FORT SMITH                AR   1.00 IN HAIL
05/01/03   SEBASTIAN                      NUMEROUS LOCATIONS
                                          THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
                                          REPORTED BY SPOTTERS

0640 PM    FORT SMITH                AR   1.00 IN HAIL
05/01/03   SEBASTIAN                      3 MILES NORTH OF FORT
                                          SMITH AIRPORT. REPORTED BY
                                          RETIRED NWS EMPLOYEE.

BAS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 30, 11:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage, Washington64 min
May 1, 12:46 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAOsage59 min
May 1, 4:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACherokee54 min
May 1, 4:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAMayes37 min
May 1, 4:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSADelaware45 min
May 1, 4:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAWagoner37 min
May 1, 5:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACherokee53 min
May 1, 5:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSADelaware50 min
May 1, 5:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAWagoner45 min
May 1, 5:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAPushmataha44 min
May 1, 5:55 PM CDTTornado WarningTSACherokee, Muskogee, Wagoner50 min
May 1, 5:57 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTSACherokee3 hr
May 1, 6:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALeFlore59 min
May 1, 6:12 PM CDTTornado WarningTSAPushmataha48 min
May 1, 6:29 PM CDTTornado WarningTSASequoyah46 min
May 1, 6:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACherokee17 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.