Alert archive / Missouri / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 171, NWS Springfield, MO

September 11, 2008Douglas County, Ozark County, Taney County, Missouri

NWS Springfield, MO issued this tornado warning at Sep 11, 2008, 4:59 PM CDT for Douglas County, Ozark County, Taney County, Missouri. It was in force for 46 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: Sep 11, 2008, 4:59 PM CDT (21:59 UTC)
Expired: Sep 11, 2008, 5:45 PM CDT
In force: 46 min
Issued by: NWS Springfield, MO
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Douglas County, MO, Ozark County, MO, Taney County, MO

The radar

The Springfield radar (KSGF), 81 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:58 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 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 nearest sounding before it

Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 12:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 103 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: 336 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -31 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 627 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 107 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 108 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS53 KSGF 112159
TORSGF
MOC067-153-213-112300-
/O.NEW.KSGF.TO.W.0171.080911T2159Z-080911T2300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
459 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPRINGFIELD HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN TANEY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI...
  NORTHWESTERN OZARK COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI...
  SOUTH CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI...

* UNTIL 600 PM CDT.

* AT 458 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO 13 MILES EAST OF TANEYVILLE...OR 16 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
  AVA...MOVING EAST AT 17 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF NORTHEASTERN
  TANEY...NORTHWESTERN OZARK AND SOUTH CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTIES...
  INCLUDING THE TOWNS OF SQUIRES...NOBLE AND WASOLA.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

LAT...LON 3694 9252 3672 9243 3671 9288 3680 9289
TIME...MOT...LOC 2159Z 258DEG 14KT 3676 9279

$$

HATCH

3 follow-up statements

000 
WWUS53 KSGF 112210
SVSSGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
510 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

MOC213-112220-
/O.CAN.KSGF.TO.W.0171.000000T0000Z-080911T2300Z/
TANEY MO-
510 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN TANEY COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

LAT...LON 3674 9278 3680 9278 3681 9278 3681 9280
      3693 9253 3672 9243
TIME...MOT...LOC 2210Z 249DEG 11KT 3678 9277

$$

MOC067-153-112300-
/O.CON.KSGF.TO.W.0171.000000T0000Z-080911T2300Z/
DOUGLAS MO-OZARK MO-
510 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN OZARK AND SOUTH CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTIES...

AT 508 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SQUIRES...OR 13 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF AVA...MOVING EAST AT 13 MPH.

THIS TORNADO WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF NORTHWESTERN
OZARK AND SOUTH CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE TOWNS OF
SQUIRES AND WASOLA.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW
SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

LAT...LON 3674 9278 3680 9278 3681 9278 3681 9280
      3693 9253 3672 9243
TIME...MOT...LOC 2210Z 249DEG 11KT 3678 9277

$$

HATCH

000 
WWUS53 KSGF 112224
SVSSGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
524 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

MOC153-112234-
/O.CAN.KSGF.TO.W.0171.000000T0000Z-080911T2300Z/
OZARK MO-
524 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN OZARK COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

LAT...LON 3682 9278 3684 9273 3687 9266 3688 9265
      3690 9259 3693 9253 3681 9248 3680 9261
      3681 9276
TIME...MOT...LOC 2224Z 232DEG 10KT 3682 9273

$$

MOC067-112300-
/O.CON.KSGF.TO.W.0171.000000T0000Z-080911T2300Z/
DOUGLAS MO-
524 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY...

AT 523 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO 6 MILES WEST OF SQUIRES...OR 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
AVA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 11 MPH.

THIS TORNADO WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL
DOUGLAS COUNTY...INCLUDING THE TOWN OF SQUIRES.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW. IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.

LAT...LON 3682 9278 3684 9273 3687 9266 3688 9265
      3690 9259 3693 9253 3681 9248 3680 9261
      3681 9276
TIME...MOT...LOC 2224Z 232DEG 10KT 3682 9273

$$

HATCH

000 
WWUS53 KSGF 112245
SVSSGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
545 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

MOC067-112256-
/O.CAN.KSGF.TO.W.0171.000000T0000Z-080911T2300Z/
DOUGLAS MO-
546 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT THE STORM THAT
PROMPTED THE WARNING HAD WEAKENED...THUS THE WARNING HAS BEEN
CANCELLED.

LAT...LON 3682 9278 3684 9273 3687 9266 3688 9265
      3690 9259 3693 9253 3681 9248 3680 9261
      3681 9276
TIME...MOT...LOC 2246Z 232DEG 10KT 3686 9267

$$

HATCH

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 Springfield, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Sep 11, 3:06 PM CDT, 1 hour 53 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 11, 3:06 PM CDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
306 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

.DISCUSSION...

SHORT TERM (THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING)...

THE BEGINNING OF A WET WEEKEND IS UNDERWAY AS ONGOING RAINFALL
ASSOCIATED WITH WARM AIR AND MOISTURE ADVECTION FROM THE SOUTH WILL
CONTINUE TO PUMP FUEL FOR RAINFALL INTO THE REGION. IN ADDITION TO
THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE MOVING INTO THE REGION...A NICE TROPICAL FEED
OF MOISTURE IN THE SOUTHWEST FLOW FROM LOWELL...IS CONTINUING TO
BRING RELETIVELY DEEP MOISTURE INTO THE CENTER OF THE COUNTRY AS
WELL. PLENTY OF MOISTURE AND DECIENT ISENTROPIC LIFT WITH
CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS LESS THAN 20MB ACROSS CENTRAL
MISSOURI SHOULD KEEP THE RAINFALL MACHINE RUNNING INTO FRIDAY. WHILE
NOT EXPECTING ANY HEAVY RAINFALL INTO FRIDAY...THIS WILL ONLY HELP
TO SET THE STAGE FOR THE WEEKENDS RAIN BY SATURATING ALREADY WET
GROUND.

HATCH

LONG TERM (FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)...

THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS INCLUDE JUST HOW MUCH RAIN WILL FALL
AND OVER WHAT TIME PERIOD AS A COLD FRONT AND HURRICANE REMNANTS
WILL BOTH AFFECT THE CWA.

EXPECT THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO REMAIN NORTHWEST OF THE CWA THROUGH
EARLY SATURDAY. THIS FRONT HAS AMPLE MOISTURE AND LIFT TO WORK
WITH AND WILL PRODUCE SOME VERY HEFTY RAINS. WHILE ITS CURRENT
POSITION IS PROVIDING SOME DECENT RAIN TO PORTIONS OF THE
CWA...EXPECT THAT THE APPROACHING SHORT WAVE TROUGH FROM THE
WEST AS WELL AS THE EFFECTS OF HURRICANE IKE WILL ACT TO ACTUALLY
PULL THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND MUCH OF ITS ASSOCIATED PRECIP
FURTHER NORTH. THUS HAVE LOWERED POPS AND QPF AMOUNTS FOR MUCH OF
THE CWA THROUGH SAT MORNING. EVEN WITHOUT THE DIRECT FRONTAL
INFLUENCE...MAY HAVE TO WATCH FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT FRIDAY
AFTERNOON AS TEMPERATURES WARM INTO THE MID 80S. WE MAY BECOME
UNSTABLE ENOUGH TO SET A FEW STORMS OFF WAY OUT AHEAD OF THE
BOUNDARY ITSELF.

A SECONDARY SHORT WAVE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS ON
SATURDAY...HELPING TO PROPEL THE COLD FRONT TO THE SOUTH. THIS
WILL ESSENTIALLY BRING THE PRECIPITATION ALONG WITH IT. AS THE
FRONT WORKS SOUTH...IT WILL HAVE AN INCREASINGLY TROPICAL AIRMASS
TO WORK WITH AS THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IKE MOVE UP INTO THE
REGION. EXPECT WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN WITH THIS SYSTEM...
PARTICULARLY BETWEEN 06Z SUNDAY AND 00Z MONDAY. THE SYSTEM SHOULD
BE ACCELERATING AND SCOOT ON OUT BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. DESPITE THE
ACCELERATION...RAINFALL RATES WILL BE QUITE HIGH AND AM A
EXPECTING WIDESPREAD 4 TO 7 INCHES OF RAIN WITH MAXIMUM RATES
APPROACHING 3 INCHES PER 6 HOURS.

TEMPERATURES WILL BE QUITE COOL IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD
FRONT...BUT DRY WEATHER LOOKS TO RETURN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE
FORECAST PERIOD. TEMPERATURES ON TUESDAY ARE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN
AS THEY MAY DROP SUBSTANTIALLY DEPENDING ON THE OVERALL TIMING AND
STRENGTH OF AN AREA OF SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN.

BARJENBRUCH

&&

.AVIATION...

FOR THE 18Z TAFS...CURRENT AREA OF PRECIPITATION AND IFR NOW OVER THE
JOPLIN TERMINAL AND WILL SLOWLY SPREAD TO THE NORTHEAST THROUGH
THE EVENING. DOWNSTREAM OBSERVATIONS AND MODELS ARE IN GOOD
AGREEMENT AND HAVE KEPT MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REGION
THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. WILL HAVE TO MONITOR OVERNIGHT
CONDITIONS AS THERE MAY BE SOME BRIEF CLEARING OF THE LOW CEILINGS
AFTER 12Z MAINLY FOR SPRINGFIELD.

HATCH

&&

.SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...NONE.
KS...NONE.
&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 11, 4:30 PM CDT, 29 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
430 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

KSZ073-097-101-MOZ055>058-066>071-077>083-088>098-101>106-122130-
BOURBON-CRAWFORD-CHEROKEE-BENTON-MORGAN-MILLER-MARIES-VERNON-
ST. CLAIR-HICKORY-CAMDEN-PULASKI-PHELPS-BARTON-CEDAR-POLK-DALLAS-
LACLEDE-TEXAS-DENT-JASPER-DADE-GREENE-WEBSTER-WRIGHT-NEWTON-
LAWRENCE-CHRISTIAN-DOUGLAS-HOWELL-SHANNON-MCDONALD-BARRY-STONE-
TANEY-OZARK-OREGON-
430 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE MISSOURI
OZARKS AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

 ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA
 THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW OF THESE MAY BE ABLE TO BECOME
 SEVERE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EARLY EVENING
 HOURS...MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A ROLLA...TO OZARK...TO
 CASSVILLE LINE. ISOLATED TORNADOES...HAIL TO THE SIZE OF
 QUARTERS...AND THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE
 WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

 A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO DROP SOUTH AND STALL ACROSS CENTRAL
 MISSOURI ON FRIDAY. THIS STATIONARY FRONT WILL THEN BE THE FOCUS
 FOR SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. THOUGH WIDE SPREAD
 SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED ON FRIDAY...IF ENOUGH INSTABILITY
 CAN DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA...A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE
 POSSIBLE. HEAVY RAINFALL AND THE POTENTIAL OF FLOODING IS LIKELY
 THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST FLOOD
 POTENTIAL OUTLOOK FOR MORE DETAILS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

 SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE
 EVENING ALONG AND SOUTH OF A ROLLA...TO OZARK...TO CASSVILLE
 LINE.

&&

THIS PRODUCT IS NOW AVAILABLE IN GRAPHICAL FORMAT...ALONG WITH
OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION...AT
HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/SGF(ALL LOWERCASE)

BARJENBRUCH

The office that day

Everything else NWS Springfield, MO issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Sep 11, 3:53 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	SGF	Taney	37 min
Sep 11, 4:21 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	SGF	Douglas, Ozark, Taney	39 min
Sep 11, 6:34 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	SGF	Douglas, Howell, Texas	26 min
Sep 11, 6:48 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	SGF	Ozark	42 min
Sep 11, 6:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	SGF	Ozark, Taney	35 min
Sep 11, 6:58 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	SGF	Howell, Texas	32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Missouri, 2008 Every tornado warning in 2008 Tornadoes in 2008

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.