Alert archive / Arkansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 88, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 3, 2003Franklin County, Arkansas

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 3, 2003, 5:43 PM CDT for Franklin County, Arkansas. It was in force for 32 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 3, 2003, 5:43 PM CDT (22:43 UTC)
Expired
May 3, 2003, 6:15 PM CDT
In force
32 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), 72 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:44 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 nearest sounding before it

Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 12:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 147 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 2003-05-03Temperature 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 2003-05-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -60 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1091 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-60 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
59 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.

000 
WUUS54 KTSA 032243
SVRTUL
ARC047-032315-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
541 PM CDT SAT MAY 3 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS

* UNTIL 615 PM CDT

* AT 541 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 5
  MILES SOUTHWEST OF CASS...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

* THIS STORM WILL MOVE SOUTH OF REDDING STATE PARK AND TOWARD THE 
TOWN OF MOUNTAINTOP.

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.

BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AS STORMS APPROACH.

LAT...LON 3569 9385 3562 9391 3534 9338 3557 9326

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 3, 4:15 PM CDT, 1 hour 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 3, 4:15 PM CDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
415 PM CDT SAT MAY 3 2003

WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS NORTHEAST TX IS EXPECTED TO PROVIDE
LIFT FOR CONVECTION LATER THIS AFTERNOON WITH MOVEMENT/DEVELOPMENT
TO THE EAST AND NORTHEAST.  PLENTY OF INSTABILITY AND MOISTURE FOR
THAT...BUT H5 RIDGE PROGGED TO STAY OVER THE AREA THROUGH MOST OF
THE NIGHT...SHIFTING EAST AROUN 12Z SUNDAY.  STILL KEPT POPS
SLIGHTLY ABOVE GUIDANCE...IN COORDINATION WITH ADJACENT OFFICES.

ON SUNDAY...THE RIDGE MOVES EAST...AND A SIGNICANT SHORTWAVE SWINGS
INTO OK DURING THE DAY. EXPECT CONVECTION TO DEVELOP WITH THE
ASSOCIATED SURFACE FRONT/DRY LINE.  FAR EASTERN OK AND WESTERN AR
SHOULD REMAIN IN THE DEEP MOISTURE ALL DAY AND WILL HAVE BEST
CHANCES OF CONVECTION.  STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY HOW FAR WEST STORMS
WILL DEVLEOP...SO KEPT CHANCE POPS OVER WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE
FORECAST AREA.  SHORTWAVE MOVES THROUGH RAPIDLY...EVEN THOUGH AVN
PROG BRINGS THE FRONT THROUGH MORE SLOWLY.  EXPECT DRY AIR AND MORE
STABLE CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL MONDAY...SO WILL TAKE MENTION OF RAIN
OUT.

THE TAIL END OF THE FRONT NEVER GETS VERY FAR SOUTH...AND BY
TUESDAY...ANOTHER WARMFRONT IS OVER NORTHEAST TEXAS. A SHORTWAVE IS
EXPECTED TO MOVE ALONG THE BOUNDARY AND SPREAD PRECIP NORTHWARD INTO
EASTERN OK AND WESTERN AR. SOME PRECIP COULD BE HEAVY TUESDAY NIGHT.
WILL WATCH THAT SITUATION CLOSELY.

TUL   67   82   61   80  / 50   50   20    0
FSM   63   80   64   82  / 50   60   50   10
MLC   69   83   63   81  / 60   50   30    5
BVO   66   83   58   80  / 50   50   10    0
FYV   61   77   60   80  / 50   60   40   10
BYV   58   76   63   81  / 50   60   50   10
MKO   65   83   60   81  / 50   50   20    5
MIO   61   78   59   80  / 50   60   20    0
F10   67   83   61   81  / 50   50   20    5
HHW   68   83   66   82  / 60   50   40   10

FORECAST ID= 2

.TSA...
AR...NONE.
OK...NONE.
Hazardous weather outlook, May 3, 5:15 PM CDT, 28 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-041200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
515 PM CDT SAT MAY 3 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 LIKELY OVER FAR SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA THROUGH
   THE EVENING HOURS...CHANCE OF SEVERE STORMS ELSEWHERE OVERNIGHT...

A WARM FRONT CONTINUES TO LIFT SLOWLY NORTHEAST ACROSS NORTH TEXAS
LATE THIS AFTERNOON.  THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INITIATE ALONG
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND RAPIDLY BECOME SEVERE BY EARLY EVENING.  A
TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PUSHMATAHA AND CHOCTAW COUNTIES
THROUGH 800 PM.  THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE VERY
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...HOWEVER AN ISOLATED TORNADO WILL
ALSO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS FAR SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.

ADDITIONAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP LATER TONIGHT OVER
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA...SPREADING EAST ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.  LARGE HAIL WILL BE PRIMARY THREAT WITH THESE
STORMS.

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...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
CONDITIONS ARE COMING TOGETHER FOR A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER
EVENT SUNDAY FOR A LARGE PORTION OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL JET WILL SHIFT EAST INTO THE SOUTHERN
PLAINS ON SUNDAY.  IN RESPONSE...SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP
NORTH OF THE AREA PUSHING A DRY LINE EAST INTO EASTERN OKLAHOMA
SUNDAY AFTERNOON.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP
ALONG THE DRY LINE BY LATE AFTERNOON...QUICKLY FORMING A COMPLEX OF
SEVERE STORMS AND MOVING EAST INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS DURING THE
EVENING HOURS.  LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS TO 70 MPH
WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE STRONGER BOW SEGMENTS.  THE SEVERE THREAT
WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE SEVERE STORMS SHIFT
EAST OF THE REGION.

.SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS EVENING OR OVERNIGHT.

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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 3, 1:50 PM CDT, 3 hours 53 minutes before
OKZ049-053-040100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
150 PM CDT SAT MAY 3 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH #220 UNTIL 800
PM CDT SATURDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

IN OKLAHOMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 2 COUNTIES...
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

CHOCTAW               PUSHMATAHA

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ANTLERS...CLAYTON AND HUGO.
Local storm report, May 3, 1:53 PM CDT, 3 hours 50 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
0153 PM CDT SAT MAY 03 2003

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

0725 PM    9 ENE HEAVENER            OK   F0 TORNADO
05/01/03   LE FLORE                       BRIEF TOUCHDOWN NUMEROUS
                                          TRESS DAMAGED
                                          REPORTED BY NWS EMPLOYEE

NK
Special weather statement, May 3, 5:25 PM CDT, 18 minutes before
ARZ020-032315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
525 PM CDT SAT MAY 3 2003

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR FRANKLIN COUNTY UNTIL 615
   PM CDT...

AT 525 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES
NORTHEAST OF FERN...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF
TAFT...WATALULA...JETHRO...MOUNTAIN TOP...FERN...PARADISE...BARNES...
TURNERS BEND...CASS AND REDDING WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM
THROUGH 615 PM CDT.

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.