Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 2004

Tornado Warning 16, NWS Norman, OK

March 27, 2004Custer County, Oklahoma

NWS Norman, OK issued this tornado warning at Mar 27, 2004, 5:13 PM CST for Custer County, Oklahoma. 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: Mar 27, 2004, 5:13 PM CST (23:13 UTC)
Expired: Mar 27, 2004, 5:45 PM CST
In force: 32 min
Issued by: NWS Norman, OK
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Custer County, OK

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado 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
Mar 27, 12:30 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 11.2 hours before the alert went out and 128 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 44 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -218 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 665 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 171 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 201 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

132 
WFUS54 KOUN 272313
TOROKC
OKC039-272345-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
512 PM CST SAT MAR 27 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORMAN HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN CUSTER COUNTY IN WESTERN OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 545 PM CST

* AT 512 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
  CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WEATHERFORD...
  MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE WEATHERFORD AND INTERSTATE 40   
  BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 75 AND 85.

PEOPLE IN WEATHERFORD SHOULD TAKE COVER NOW. LEAVE MOBILE HOMES AND 
VEHICLES. IF POSSIBLE...MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR STORM SHELTER. 
OTHERWISE MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. 
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND OUTSIDE WALLS.

DO NOT STOP UNDER BRIDGES OR HIGHWAY OVERPASSES SINCE THEY OFFER NO
PROTECTION FROM TORNADO WINDS. STOPPING UNDER BRIDGES WILL BLOCK THE
ROAD AND PREVENT YOU AND OTHERS FROM REACHING SAFE SHELTER.

LAT...LON 3547 9890 3547 9876 3548 9862 3570 9864

$$

...SPEG.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Norman, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Mar 27, 3:45 PM CST, 1 hour 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 27, 3:45 PM CST, 1 hour 28 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
345 PM CST SAT MAR 27 2004

MUST BE BRIEF...
SEVERE WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WITH
TORNADO POTENTIAL EXPECTED TO DECREASE EARLY THIS EVENING. SQUALL
LINE EVOLUTION EXPECTED TO TAKE OVER THIS EVENING THROUGH THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS. ISALLOBARIC TENDENCIES ARE EXPECTED TO KEEP WINDS
NEAR ADVISORY LEVELS NEAR AND AHEAD OF DRYLINE/COLD FRONT.
THEREFORE...WILL KEEP WIND ADVISORY GOING THROUGH AT LEAST THE
EVENING HOURS.

PERIODIC WEAK FROPAS PROGD THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH SOME
RECOVERY EXPECTED OVER MAINLY THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN AREAS TOWARD
MIDWEEK. COULD SEE RAINY PERIOD LATE WEEK INTO NEXT WEEKEND AS
MOISTURE FLOWS NORTHWARD AND LONG WAVE TROUGH DOMINATES TO OUR SW.

FCSTID = 11

OKC  51 67 42 69 / 70 20 00 00
HBR  48 66 41 71 / 30 00 00 00
SPS  55 68 44 73 / 30 10 00 00
GAG  40 66 38 70 / 20 00 00 00
PNC  48 66 40 67 / 90 10 10 00
DUA  60 69 47 71 / 40 40 00 00

.OUN...
OK...WIND ADVISORY THRU EVENING ZONES
OKZ006-007-011-012-015>019-022>025-027>029-035>038-044.
TX...WIND ADVISORY THRU EVENING ZONES TXZ085-086-088>090.

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 27, 1:20 PM CST, 3 hours 53 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
120 PM CST SAT MAR 27 2004

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-281300-

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK COVERS NORTHERN...WESTERN...
CENTRAL...AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA...AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...
THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT OVER NORTHERN AND PARTS OF WESTERN OKLAHOMA. A SLIGHT RISK
AREA WILL EXIST OUTSIDE OF THE MODERATE RISK AREA.

LOCATION...
THE MODERATE RISK AREA COVERS LOCATIONS NORTH OF A LINE THAT EXTENDS
FROM ERICK AND SAYRE...TO GUTHRIE...TO CUSHING. THE SLIGHT RISK AREA
COVERS THE REST OF OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.

TIMING...
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER...WHICH INCLUDES VERY LARGE HAIL
AND TORNADOES...WILL BE FROM EARLY THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY
EVENING IN THE MODERATE RISK AREA. THE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WILL CONTINUE INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WITH THE PRIMARY CONCERN
SHIFTING TO DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS...
STORM SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL ACROSS THE
RISK AREAS SHOULD PLAN FOR SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS FROM THIS
AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT.

DISCUSSION...
SEVERE WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS WESTERN AND
NORTHERN OKLAHOMA. THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE AHEAD OF A
DRYLINE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO WESTERN OKLAHOMA THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON. A COLD FRONT WILL ALSO MOVE INTO NORTHERN OKLAHOMA BY
LATE THIS AFTERNOON...PROVIDING ANOTHER FOCUS FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS. THROUGH THIS EVENING...THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME
WIDESPREAD ALONG BOTH FEATURES...WITH THE GREATEST COVERAGE EXPECTED
OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF OKLAHOMA. THIS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP INTO A SQUALL LINE THIS EVENING AND SPREAD EAST
AND SOUTH OVERNIGHT.

PROBABILITY TABLE...
VALID THROUGH 700 AM CST SUNDAY MAR 28.
PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING IN THE
              NWS NORMAN COUNTY WARNING AREA...100 PERCENT.
PROBABILITY OF SEVERE STORMS IF STORMS OCCUR...100 PERCENT.

OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS
TO THE SOUTH OF THE COLD FRONT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...

THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...
THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTINUE BEYOND 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING IN PORTIONS OF
SOUTHERN... CENTRAL AND EASTERN OKLAHOMA. HOWEVER THE RISK OF SEVERE
WEATHER WILL BE DECREASING. THUNDERSTORMS RETURN TO THE FORECAST
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.

OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
NONE.

...SPEG & 11

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 27, 4:39 PM CST, 34 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
439 PM CST SAT MAR 27 2004

OKZ005-010-272300-
WOODS OK-WOODWARD OK-
439 PM CST SAT MAR 27 2004

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...

THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS FOR WOODS AND WOODWARD COUNTIES.

A DEVELOPING LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS REACHING TO 18 MILES
NORTH OF FREEDOM AT 439 PM CST...BUILDING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

STORM INTENSITY IS INCREASING AND SEVERE WEATHER MAY DEVELOP
RAPIDLY. THIS LINE IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TO THE SOUTH AND AFFECT A
LARGE PART OF NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA THROUGH 6 PM.

PEOPLE IN WOODS AND WOODWARD COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER
SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR WARNINGS AND REMAIN ALERT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

11

Local storm report, Mar 27, 4:41 PM CST, 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
441 PM CST SAT MAR 27 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0355 PM     HAIL             5 NNW FAY               35.88N 98.69W
03/27/2004  0.88 INCH        DEWEY              OK   PUBLIC

&&

JLP

Local storm report, Mar 27, 4:53 PM CST, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
453 PM CST SAT MAR 27 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0445 PM     HAIL             OKEENE                  36.12N 98.32W
03/27/2004  0.88 INCH        BLAINE             OK   BROADCAST MEDIA

            REPORTED BY RADIO STATION ON NORTH SIDE OF OKEENE.

&&

JLP

Local storm report, Mar 27, 5:02 PM CST, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
502 PM CST SAT MAR 27 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0500 PM     HAIL             WEATHERFORD             35.53N 98.71W
03/27/2004  0.88 INCH        CUSTER             OK   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

JLP

Special weather statement, Mar 27, 5:05 PM CST, 8 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
505 PM CST SAT MAR 27 2004

OKZ005-010-272315-
WOODS OK-WOODWARD OK-
505 PM CST SAT MAR 27 2004

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...

THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS FOR WOODS AND WOODWARD COUNTIES.

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS DEVELOPING LOCATED FROM 14 MILES
NORTH OF FREEDOM...TO 6 MILES SOUTH OF ALABASTER CAVERNS STATE PARK
AT 505 PM CST...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

STORM INTENSITY IS INCREASING AND SEVERE WEATHER MAY DEVELOP RAPIDLY.

PEOPLE IN WOODS AND WOODWARD COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER
SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR WARNINGS AND REMAIN ALERT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Local storm report, Mar 27, 5:08 PM CST, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
508 PM CST SAT MAR 27 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0450 PM     HAIL             2 S CLINTON             35.48N 98.97W
03/27/2004  2.75 INCH        CUSTER             OK   PUBLIC

            GOLFBALL TO BASEBALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED ON HWY 183.

&&

JLP

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 27, 12:26 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Beckham	49 min
Mar 27, 12:30 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Ellis	45 min
Mar 27, 12:50 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Woodward	40 min
Mar 27, 1:00 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Carter, Johnston, Love, Marshall	45 min
Mar 27, 1:11 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Beckham	49 min
Mar 27, 1:14 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Dewey, Ellis	31 min
Mar 27, 1:17 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OUN	Dewey, Woodward	28 min
Mar 27, 1:44 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OUN	Woodward	31 min
Mar 27, 1:46 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Custer, Roger Mills	44 min
Mar 27, 1:48 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Dewey	42 min
Mar 27, 1:57 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Beckham, Washita	33 min
Mar 27, 2:13 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OUN	Woodward	32 min
Mar 27, 2:27 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Custer	48 min
Mar 27, 2:45 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OUN	Major, Woods, Woodward	30 min
Mar 27, 2:53 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OUN	Custer	37 min
Mar 27, 2:56 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Greer	49 min
Mar 27, 3:11 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Coal, Hughes	49 min
Mar 27, 3:14 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OUN	Woods	31 min
Mar 27, 3:19 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Washita	41 min
Mar 27, 3:30 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OUN	Custer, Dewey	30 min
Mar 27, 3:39 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OUN	Alfalfa	51 min
Mar 27, 4:00 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Washita	45 min
Mar 27, 4:00 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OUN	Blaine, Dewey	45 min
Mar 27, 4:02 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Washita	43 min
Mar 27, 4:31 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OUN	Washita	29 min
Mar 27, 4:44 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Blaine, Kingfisher	46 min
Mar 27, 4:49 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OUN	Custer	26 min
Mar 27, 5:14 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Woods, Woodward	46 min
Mar 27, 5:15 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Garfield	45 min
Mar 27, 5:26 PM CST	Tornado Warning	OUN	Blaine, Caddo	49 min
Mar 27, 5:57 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Alfalfa, Major, Woods, Woodward	48 min
Mar 27, 5:58 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN	Garfield	47 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Oklahoma, 2004 Every tornado warning in 2004 Tornadoes in 2004

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.