Alert archive / Oklahoma / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004

Flash Flood Warning 1, NWS Tulsa, OK

March 4, 2004Osage County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this flash flood warning at Mar 4, 2004, 7:40 AM CST for Osage County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 2 hr. 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 4, 2004, 7:40 AM CST (13:40 UTC)
Expired
Mar 4, 2004, 10:00 AM CST
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Osage County, OK

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 77 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:40 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 flash flood 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

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 191 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, Norman, OK at 12:00Z on 2004-03-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Norman, OK at 12:00Z on 2004-03-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 439 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
441 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
439 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
531 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 
WGUS54 KTSA 041340
FFWTUL
OKC113-041600-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
740 AM CST THU MAR 4 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR
  OSAGE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 1000 AM CST

* AT 739 AM CST RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN 
  MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST OVER OSAGE COUNTY. RADAR INDICATES THAT    
  2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN HAS ALREADY FALLEN OVER THE WARNED AREA.     
  ANOTHER INCH OR TWO WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH 1000 AM CST.          
  FLOODING OF HIGHWAY 99 NORTH OF HOMINY IS OCCURRING.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD TO
UNKNOWN DEPTHS. IT ONLY TAKES TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER TO CARRY AWAY
MOST SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUPS. TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE TO
REACH YOUR DESTINATION OR WAIT UNTIL THE WATER RECEDES. REMEMBER...
MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.

LAT...LON 3655 9639 3642 9624 3666 9599 3700 9600

$$
1 follow-up statement
000 
WGUS74 KTSA 041519
FFSTUL
OKC113-041600-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
915 AM CST THU MAR 4 2004

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR OSAGE COUNTY UNTIL 1000 AM
   CST...

AT 910 AM CST...RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND 
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF OSAGE 
COUNTY.  THE PRECIPITATION WAS DIMINISHING AND MOVING NORTH AT 
ABOUT 30 MPH.  

FROM 6 AM TO 9 AM ...RADAR INDICATED THAT THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION 
OCCURRED FROM NEAR CLEVELAND AND WESTPORT TO NEAR BARTLESVILLE 
...WHERE AS MUCH AS 3 INCHES OF RAIN MAY HAVE OCCURRED.  LITTLE 
ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED IN THIS AREA THROUGH 10 AM. 

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD TO 
UNKNOWN DEPTHS. REMEMBER...MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN 
AUTOMOBILES.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR IS
OCCURRING. RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS...CREEKS AND DRAINAGE
DITCHES SHOULD BE READY TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION IF FLOODING IS 
OBSERVED. 

LAT...LON 3667 9700 3620 9629 3622 9604 3699 9601
          3699 9673

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 flash flood warning went out at Mar 4, 2:05 AM CST, 5 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 4, 2:05 AM CST, 5 hours 35 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
205 AM CST THU MAR 4 2004

FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL BE EXTENDED THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR ALL
ZONES. IMPRESSIVE UPPER STORM SYSTEM...CURRENTLY MOVING EAST OF
BAJA  MEXICO WILL LIFT NORTHEAST INTO AREA TODAY WITH THE POTENTIAL
FOR SEVERE WX/FLOODING ACROSS A LARGE PORTION OF THE CWA TODAY.
WARM FRONT LOCATED NEAR THE RED RIVER EARLY THIS MORNING WITH DWPTS
IN THE UPPER 60S SOUTH OF BOUNDARY. SEVERAL CLUSTERS OF ELEVATED
TSTMS HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED IN STRONG CONVERGENT ZONE OF 50 KT LOW
LEVEL JET. THIS ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP...SPREADING
INTO EASTERN OKLAHOMA THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS...WITH THE THREAT
FOR LARGE HAIL IN THE STRONGER STORMS. PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED A BAND OF THREE TO FOUR INCHES OF
RAINFALL AND ANY ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY LEAD TO
SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING.

STILL SOME QUESTION MARK CONCERNING THE SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL FOR
THIS AFTERNOON GIVEN EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER AND MARGINAL INSTABILITY.
SHEAR PROFILES HOWEVER WILL REMAIN VERY STRONG/FAVORABLE THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS FOR SMALL SCALE BOW ECHOS/LEWP STRUCTURE
WITH CONVECTION THAT DEVELOPS ALONG THE DRY LINE/COLD FRONT.  WARM
SECTOR WILL NEED TO BE CLOSELY MONITORED THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS
FOR ANY BREAKS IN CLOUD COVER/ADDITIONAL DESTABILIZATION.  IF THIS
OCCURS ANY DISCRETE CELLS THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY BE SUPERCELLULAR
IN NATURE WITH THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES...PRIMARILY OVER FAR
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA/WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS. MAIN SEVERE THREAT HOWEVER
WILL LIKELY BE HAIL/WIND DAMAGE AS THE MAIN CONVECTIVE LINE MOVES
THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING.

SHOWERS/TSTMS EXPECTED TO SWEEP EAST OF THE AREA AROUND MIDNIGHT
WITH THE SEVERE/FLOODING THREAT ENDING. KEPT THE SLIGHT CHANCE FOR
SHOWERS IN FOR FRIDAY AS SECONDARY UPPER WAVE MOVES THROUGH.  PRECIP
HOWEVER SHOULD REMAIN LIGHT WITH LIMITED COVERAGE. NO MAJOR CHANGES
TO THE EXTENDED ANTICIPATED.

PRELIM NUMBERS:

TUL    62   48   56   38 / 100   70   20   10
FSM    69   51   64   38 / 100   80   20   10
MLC    69   51   63   39 / 100   50   20   10
BVO    57   44   54   34 / 100   70   20   10
FYV    66   51   58   37 / 100   80   20   10
BYV    66   50   60   36 / 100   90   20   10
MKO    67   50   60   36 / 100   70   20   10
MIO    59   44   56   35 / 100   90   20   10
F10    66   48   59   38 / 100   50   20   10
HHW    72   55   66   41 / 100   40   20   10

FORECAST ID= 12

.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR ZONES
ARZ001>002...ARZ010>011...ARZ019>020...ARZ029.

OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR ZONES
OKZ049...OKZ053>076.
Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 4, 4:30 AM CST, 3 hours 10 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
430 AM CST THU MAR 4 2004

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-051200-
ADAIR OK-BENTON AR-CARROLL AR-CHEROKEE OK-CHOCTAW OK-CRAIG OK-
CRAWFORD AR-CREEK OK-DELAWARE OK-FRANKLIN AR-HASKELL OK-LATIMER OK-
LE FLORE OK-MADISON AR-MAYES OK-MCINTOSH OK-MUSKOGEE OK-NOWATA OK-
OKFUSKEE OK-OKMULGEE OK-OSAGE OK-OTTAWA OK-PAWNEE OK-PITTSBURG OK-
PUSHMATAHA OK-ROGERS OK-SEBASTIAN AR-SEQUOYAH OK-TULSA OK-WAGONER OK-
WASHINGTON OK-WASHINGTON AR-

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY THROUGH THIS EVENING ACROSS SOUTHEAST
   OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS...

...CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND
   NORTHWEST ARKANSAS...

...FLASH FLOODING LIKELY ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA...

A WARM FRONT EXTENDED FROM SOUTHERN ARKANSAS INTO NORTHEAST TEXAS
EARLY THIS MORNING. A POTENT UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM LOCATED OVER
NORTHERN OLD MEXICO WILL OPEN UP AND RAPIDLY MOVE NORTHEAST TODAY.
PIECES OF ENERGY WILL CONTINUE TO EJECT FROM THE LOW AND TRAVERSE
THE AREA.  INTERACTION WITH THE WARM FRONT WILL RESULT IN ADDITIONAL
SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON.
STRONG LIFT IN THE VICINITY OF THE FRONT COMBINED WITH A 30 TO 40
KNOT LOW LEVEL JET MAY RESULT IN SOME STORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
LARGE HAIL...MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT.

PREVIOUS HEAVY RAINFALL HAS RESULTED IN 3 TO 4 INCH TOTALS IN THE
VICINITY OF THE INTERSTATE 44 CORRIDOR. AS THE SURFACE FOCUS SHIFTS
NORTH TODAY...IN RESPONSE TO THE APPROACHING UPPER SYSTEM...
ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO SET UP ACROSS THE AREA WHICH
MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING...ESPECIALLY ACROSS AREAS OF NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA THAT WERE AFFECTED BY PREVIOUS RAINFALL.

CHANCES FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER
SYSTEM PUSHES THE WARM FRONT NORTH INTO KANSAS BY THIS AFTERNOON
WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 60S SURGING NORTH. FORECASTED
INSTABILITIES REMAIN MARGINAL AND MAY BE A LIMITING FACTOR FOR
SEVERE WEATHER DESPITE STRONG SHEAR. HOWEVER ANY BREAKS IN CLOUD
COVER WILL QUICKLY DESTABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE. IF THIS OCCURS...
CAPES OF UP TO 1000 J/KG AND HELICITIES IN EXCESS OF 300 M2/S2 MAY
RESULT IN DISCRETE SUPERCELLS OUT AHEAD OF THE DRYLINE THIS
AFTERNOON ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS.
FURTHER WEST...CONVECTION WILL FIRE AND MOVE OFF THE DRYLINE...
MOVING INTO EASTERN OKLAHOMA BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. BOW SEGMENTS
WITHIN THE SQUALL LINE WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS.
EMBEDDED SUPERCELLS WILL MAINTAIN THE TORNADO POTENTIAL ACROSS
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA WHERE SHEAR AND INSTABILITY WILL BE MAXIMIZED.

THE SEVERE WEATHER AND FLASH FLOOD POTENTIAL WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH
BY LATE EVENING ONCE THE SQUALL LINE MOVES EAST OF THE AREA. DRIER
AND STABLE AIR WILL SETTLE OVER THE REGION BEHIND THE DRY LINE.

SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON.

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...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
ONCE THE MAIN TROUGH AXIS MOVES EAST OF THE AREA FRIDAY...
SETTLED WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE OUTLOOKED
PERIOD.

WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA CONTAINS ADDITIONAL TABULAR
AND GRAPHICAL INFORMATION.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 4, 8:25 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningTSANowata, Washington4 hr
Mar 4, 2:34 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningTSANowata, Osage, Pawnee, Washington4 hr
Mar 4, 3:31 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAChoctaw, Latimer, McIntosh, Pittsburg, Pushmataha74 min
Mar 4, 4:05 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAHaskell, Muskogee55 min
Mar 4, 4:39 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningTSARogers111 min
Mar 4, 4:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAAdair, Cherokee, LeFlore, Sequoyah78 min
Mar 4, 4:51 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALatimer, Pushmataha39 min
Mar 4, 4:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAHaskell33 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Oklahoma, 2004Every flash flood warning 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.