Alert archive / Oklahoma / Flash Flood Warnings in 2008

Flash Flood Warning 66, NWS Tulsa, OK

April 23, 2008Adair County, Cherokee County, Sequoyah County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this flash flood warning at Apr 23, 2008, 8:40 PM CDT for Adair County, Cherokee County, Sequoyah County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 6 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: Apr 23, 2008, 8:40 PM CDT (01:40 UTC)
Expired: Apr 24, 2008, 2:45 AM CDT
In force: 6 hr
Issued by: NWS Tulsa, OK
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Adair County, OK, Cherokee County, OK, Sequoyah County, OK

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:41 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

Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 00:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 143 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: 271 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -86 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1961 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 58 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -8 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 240141
FFWTSA
OKC001-021-135-240745-
/O.NEW.KTSA.FF.W.0066.080424T0140Z-080424T0745Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
840 PM CDT WED APR 23 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN CHEROKEE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
  NORTHWESTERN SEQUOYAH COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
  ADAIR COUNTY IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA

* UNTIL 245 AM CDT THURSDAY

* AT 837 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES  
  SOUTH OF ELDON TO 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF VIAN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT  
  35 MPH. RADAR INDICATES THAT 1 TO 2.5 INCHES OF RAIN HAS ALREADY   
  FALLEN. ANOTHER 1 TO 1.5 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH 245 AM    
  CDT THURSDAY.

* LOCATIONS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AFFECTED BY HEAVY RAIN
  INCLUDE...MARBLE CITY...BRUSHY...COOKSON...BUNCH...MARIETTA...
  STILWELL...PROCTOR...CHRISTIE...BARON AND WESTVILLE.

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 3610 9454 3603 9454 3600 9452 3594 9453
      3593 9451 3565 9448 3537 9485 3553 9513
      3558 9513 3604 9494
TIME...MOT...LOC 0140Z 213DEG 32KT 3589 9485 3562 9506

$$

1 follow-up statement

000 
WGUS74 KTSA 240319
FFSTSA

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1019 PM CDT WED APR 23 2008

OKC001-021-135-240745-
/O.CON.KTSA.FF.W.0066.000000T0000Z-080424T0745Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ADAIR OK-CHEROKEE OK-SEQUOYAH OK-
1019 PM CDT WED APR 23 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 245 AM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN SEQUOYAH...EASTERN CHEROKEE AND ADAIR COUNTIES...

AT 1015 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
THUNDERSTORMS WITH MODERATE RAIN 2 MILES WEST OF BRUSHY...MOVING 
NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. RADAR INDICATES THAT 1 TO 2.5 INCHES OF RAIN 
HAS ALREADY FALLEN. ANOTHER INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH 245 AM 
CDT.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AFFECTED BY HEAVY RAIN
INCLUDE COOKSON...BUNCH...TAHLEQUAH...STILWELL...MARIETTA...ELDON...
PROCTOR...BARON...CHRISTIE AND WESTVILLE.

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 3610 9454 3603 9454 3600 9452 3594 9453
      3593 9451 3565 9448 3537 9485 3553 9513
      3558 9513 3604 9494
TIME...MOT...LOC 0319Z 209DEG 25KT 3557 9474

$$

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 Apr 23, 2:49 PM CDT, 5 hours 51 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 23, 2:49 PM CDT, 5 hours 51 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
249 PM CDT WED APR 23 2008

.DISCUSSION...
SEVERE WEATHER AND HEAVY RAINFALL CONCERNS HIGHLIGHT THE FORECAST
OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

A VERY MUDDLED SURFACE PATTERN EXISTS OVER THE SRN PLAINS...WITH A
WEAK STATIONARY FRONT NOTED NEAR THE RED RIVER AND A CONVECTIVELY
INDUCED BOUNDARY STRETCHED ACROSS SRN KS INTO SRN MO. THE BULK OF
THE CONVECTION HAS REMAINED TO OUR W AND N THROUGH
MID-AFTERNOON...BUT WE/RE BEGINNING TO SEE SCATTERED DEVELOPMENT
OVER ERN OK AND WRN AR WHERE THE ATMOSPHERE HAS BECOME QUITE UNSTABLE
AND UNCAPPED. AS SYNOPTIC-SCALE LIFT INCREASES AHEAD OF THE
APPROACHING MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE (CURRENTLY MOVING INTO THE TX
PANHANDLE)...CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO EXPAND IN COVERAGE ACROSS ERN
OK THIS EVENING. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD BE MAINTAINED BY A
STRENGTHENING 40-50KT SLY/SWLY LOW-LEVEL JET...WITH CONVECTION
EVENTUALLY DEVELOPING INTO NW AR LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT.

FORECAST CONVECTIVE PARAMETERS SUGGEST THAT THESE STORMS WILL HAVE
THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE
EVENING...ALTHOUGH FOCUS MAY SHIFT TO MORE OF A HEAVY RAINFALL
SCENARIO OVERNIGHT. BOTH THE GFS AND NAM ARE SUFFERING FROM
CONVECTIVE FEEDBACK...WITH THE GFS CONSISTENT IN BLOWING UP A QPF
BULLSEYE OVER SE OK WHILE THE NAM IS FARTHER N ACROSS NE OK. THESE
FEEDBACK SIGNALS...HOWEVER...ARE OFTEN INDICATIVE OF THE POTENTIAL
FOR HEAVY RAINFALL...ESPECIALLY IF SEEN IN SUBSEQUENT RUNS. GIVEN
THE STRONG LOW-LEVEL JET AND GRADUALLY INCREASING PRECIPITABLE WATER
VALUES...WON/T BE SURPRISED TO SEE THE ACTIVITY DEVELOP INTO ONE OR
MORE MCS/S AND THEY TRACK ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. HIGHEST FLASH
FLOOD POTENTIAL WILL BE ACROSS FAR NE OK AND NW AR WHERE FLASH FLOOD
GUIDANCE VALUES ARE THE LOWEST (AND HPC QPF GUIDANCE THE
HIGHEST)...BUT WENT AHEAD WITH A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE ENTIRE
AREA TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY WHERE
THE HEAVY RAINFALL WILL EVENTUALLY MATERIALIZE.

THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE EXITING NW AR BY MID-LATE MORNING ON
THURSDAY. DROPPED POPS DOWN TO SLIGHT CHANCE BY THE AFTERNOON...AS
THE ATMOSPHERE WILL LIKELY REMAIN CAPPED.

MODELS CONSISTENT WITH TIMING OF NEXT COLD FRONT...WHICH SHOULD
APPROACH THE REGION FRIDAY MORNING AND QUICKLY MOVE THROUGH BY
FRIDAY AFTERNOON. WOULD EXPECT CONVECTION TO DEVELOP NEAR THE
FRONTAL BOUNDARY...AND SEVERE WEATHER APPEARS POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY
OVER SE OK/WRN AR WHERE BETTER MOISTURE WILL RESIDE.

EXTENDED...SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
ECMWF/GFS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW WILL DEVELOP
OVER MUCH THE PLAINS INTO THE OH/TN/MS RIVER VALLEYS OVER THE
WEEKEND. THIS WILL DRIVE A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT
INTO SUNDAY...WITH COOLER AND DRIER WEATHER EXPECTED FOR
SUNDAY/MONDAY. A WARMING TREND WILL ENSUE THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT
WEEK AS MID-LEVEL HEIGHTS RISE AND SLY FLOW RETURNS.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TUL   65  82  66  75 /  80  30  20  30
FSM   64  81  63  74 /  80  60  10  50
MLC   66  82  66  75 /  90  20  10  40
BVO   63  81  63  73 /  80  30  20  30
FYV   61  77  61  71 /  90  70  10  50
BYV   61  75  62  70 /  90  80  10  50
MKO   63  80  65  74 /  90  50  10  40
MIO   62  80  64  71 /  80  50  20  40
F10   65  81  65  74 /  80  30  10  40
HHW   65  82  65  77 /  90  30  10  40

&&

.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 PM WEDNESDAY TO NOON THURSDAY FOR
     OKZ049-OKZ053-OKZ054-OKZ055-OKZ056-OKZ057-OKZ058-OKZ059-
     OKZ060-OKZ061-OKZ062-OKZ063-OKZ064-OKZ065-OKZ066-OKZ067-
     OKZ068-OKZ069-OKZ070-OKZ071-OKZ072-OKZ073-OKZ074-OKZ075-
     OKZ076.

AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 PM WEDNESDAY TO NOON THURSDAY FOR
     ARZ001-ARZ002-ARZ010-ARZ011-ARZ019-ARZ020-ARZ029.

&&

SHORT TERM...03
LONG TERM....18

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 23, 7:05 PM CDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
705 PM CDT WED APR 23 2008

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

0642 PM     FLASH FLOOD      2 E KETCHUM             36.52N 94.99W
04/23/2008                   DELAWARE           OK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STREET FLOODING IN THE KETCHUM AREA

&&

DMJ

Local storm report, Apr 23, 7:13 PM CDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
713 PM CDT WED APR 23 2008

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

0700 PM     HAIL             1 E TAFT                35.76N 95.53W
04/23/2008  E0.88 INCH       MUSKOGEE           OK   PUBLIC

0706 PM     HAIL             3 SW BUNCH              35.65N 94.80W
04/23/2008  E1.00 INCH       ADAIR              OK   PUBLIC

&&

RBD

Special weather statement, Apr 23, 8:09 PM CDT, 31 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
809 PM CDT WED APR 23 2008

OKZ049-053-240145-
CHOCTAW OK-PUSHMATAHA OK-
809 PM CDT WED APR 23 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 845 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     CENTRAL CHOCTAW AND WESTERN PUSHMATAHA

AT 809 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF ANTLERS...MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH. ANOTHER STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR SOPER...MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
UNGER...SOPER...KENT...ANTLERS...MOYERS...KOSOMA...DARWIN..
.KELLOND...EUBANKS AND DUNBAR.

THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS
TO 50 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE THE
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.

LAT...LON 3403 9581 3452 9580 3453 9569 3460 9567
      3459 9545 3401 9562
TIME...MOT...LOC 0109Z 183DEG 19KT 3419 9570

Special weather statement, Apr 23, 8:14 PM CDT, 26 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
814 PM CDT WED APR 23 2008

ARZ001-002-010-011-240215-
BENTON AR-CARROLL AR-MADISON AR-WASHINGTON AR-
814 PM CDT WED APR 23 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 915 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
     WASHINGTON...CARROLL...BENTON AND MADISON

AT 812 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE FROM PETTIGREW...TO SPRINGDALE TO
DECATUR...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT MUCH OF WASHINGTON...CARROLL...BENTON...AND
MADISON COUNTIES AND WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND
WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT
IN CASE THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.

LAT...LON 3611 9342 3611 9345 3608 9343 3578 9353
      3577 9449 3649 9461 3648 9328
TIME...MOT...LOC 0112Z 183DEG 19KT 3616 9424

Local storm report, Apr 23, 8:27 PM CDT, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
827 PM CDT WED APR 23 2008

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

0806 PM     HAIL             TONTITOWN               36.18N 94.23W
04/23/2008  E1.00 INCH       WASHINGTON         AR   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

DMJ

Special weather statement, Apr 23, 8:38 PM CDT, 2 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
838 PM CDT WED APR 23 2008

OKZ061-240245-
ROGERS OK-
838 PM CDT WED APR 23 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 945 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     ROGERS

AT 838 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES
SOUTH OF CLAREMORE...MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL
BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...CLAREMORE...VERDIGRIS...TIAWAH...
FOYIL...OOLOGAH...BUSHYHEAD...TALALA AND CHELSEA.

THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO
50 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE THE
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.

LAT...LON 3660 9536 3651 9539 3652 9542 3651 9543
      3642 9542 3617 9552 3622 9578 3660 9576
TIME...MOT...LOC 0138Z 199DEG 22KT 3628 9563

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 23, 7:00 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	TSA	Osage	6 hr
Apr 23, 7:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	McIntosh, Muskogee	56 min
Apr 23, 7:23 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	TSA	Craig, Delaware, Mayes, Nowata, Ottawa, Rogers	12 hr
Apr 23, 8:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Osage, Pawnee	75 min
Apr 23, 8:09 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TSA	Pushmataha	36 min
Apr 23, 8:38 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TSA	Rogers	67 min
Apr 23, 9:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Creek	53 min
Apr 23, 10:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Creek	64 min
Apr 24, 1:46 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	TSA	Mayes, Nowata, Rogers, Tulsa, Washington	6 hr
Apr 24, 6:16 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TSA	Creek	29 min
Apr 24, 6:26 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TSA	Pawnee	34 min
Apr 24, 6:58 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TSA	Osage	47 min
Apr 24, 7:17 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TSA	Osage, Pawnee	28 min
Apr 24, 7:20 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TSA	McIntosh	55 min
Apr 24, 7:28 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Osage	47 min
Apr 24, 7:32 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	McIntosh	23 min
Apr 24, 8:08 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	TSA	Creek	16 hr
Apr 24, 8:08 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	TSA	Rogers, Tulsa	30 hr
Apr 24, 8:08 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	TSA	Adair	21 hr
Apr 24, 8:47 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TSA	Washington	28 min
Apr 24, 9:55 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	TSA	Ottawa	46 hr
Apr 24, 2:09 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	TSA	Cherokee	18 hr
Apr 24, 2:14 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	TSA	Ottawa	17 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Oklahoma, 2008 Every flash flood warning 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.