Alert archive / Arkansas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2009

Flash Flood Warning 12, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 1, 2009Crawford County, Washington County, Arkansas

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this flash flood warning at May 1, 2009, 10:09 AM CDT for Crawford County, Washington County, Arkansas. It was in force for 3 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: May 1, 2009, 10:09 AM CDT (15:09 UTC)
Expired: May 1, 2009, 1:38 PM CDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Tulsa, OK
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Crawford County, AR, Washington County, AR

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 74 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:12 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 12:00Z, 3.2 hours before the alert went out and 115 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: 792 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -96 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 675 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 150 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 167 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 4.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS54 KTSA 011509
FFWTSA
ARC033-143-011915-
/O.NEW.KTSA.FF.W.0012.090501T1509Z-090501T1915Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1009 AM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN CRAWFORD COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
  WESTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

* UNTIL 215 PM CDT

* AT 1009 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN NEAR LINCOLN...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
  RADAR INDICATES THAT 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN HAS ALREADY FALLEN.     
  ANOTHER 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH 215 PM CDT.

* LOCATIONS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AFFECTED BY HEAVY RAIN
  INCLUDE...PRAIRIE GROVE...FARMINGTON...STRICKLER...LEE CREEK...
  GREENLAND...WEST FORK...BLACKBURN...BRENTWOOD AND WINSLOW.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 3575 9405 3566 9445 3603 9454 3611 9455
      3610 9440 3612 9439 3615 9422

$$

2 follow-up statements

000 
WGUS74 KTSA 011716
FFSTSA

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1216 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

ARC033-143-011915-
/O.CON.KTSA.FF.W.0012.000000T0000Z-090501T1915Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WASHINGTON AR-CRAWFORD AR-
1216 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 215 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN CRAWFORD AND WESTERN WASHINGTON COUNTIES...

AT 1213 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. 
ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY ACROSS ADAIR COUNTY OKLAHOMA 
ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE WARNED AREA SHORTLY. 1 TO 2 INCHES OF 
RAIN HAS ALREADY FALLEN. ANOTHER 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE 
THROUGH 215 PM CDT.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AFFECTED BY HEAVY RAIN
INCLUDE CINCINNATI...GREENLAND AND FARMINGTON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 3575 9405 3566 9445 3603 9454 3611 9455
      3610 9440 3612 9439 3615 9422

$$

000 
WGUS74 KTSA 011838
FFSTSA

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
138 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

ARC033-143-011848-
/O.CAN.KTSA.FF.W.0012.000000T0000Z-090501T1915Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WASHINGTON AR-CRAWFORD AR-
138 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN CRAWFORD AND WESTERN
WASHINGTON COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THE HEAVY RAINFALL HAS ENDED ACROSS THE WARNED AREA...THEREFORE THE
FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

TO REPORT PREVIOUS FLOODING...HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN
TULSA.

LAT...LON 3575 9405 3566 9445 3603 9454 3611 9455
      3610 9440 3612 9439 3615 9422

$$

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 May 1, 9:51 AM CDT, 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 1, 9:51 AM CDT, 18 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
951 AM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

.DISCUSSION...
FIRST OF MAY...KNOWN AS THE FIST OF MAY IN THIS OFFICE...STRIKES
AGAIN WITH FLASH FLOODING UNDERWAY OVER NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA. SEVERAL
AREAS REPORTING FLOODING...ROADS CLOSED...ALONG WITH REPORTS OF
RESCUES BEING DONE IN MAYES...NORTHERN CHEROKEE...DELAWARE AND
ADAIR COUNTIES. FLOODING LIKELY IS ALSO OCCURRING IN EASTERN
ROGERS COUNTY AS WELL AS SOUTHERN CRAIG COUNTY.

COLD FRONT INTERSECTING OLD BOUNDARY SEEMS TO BE PROVIDING A FOCUS
FOR THE RAIN ACROSS NORTHERN OKLAHOMA THIS MORNING. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING NORTHWEST OF TULSA AND WILL LIKELY
BUILD INTO THE SAME AREAS THAT HAVE RECEIVED OVER 5 INCHES OF RAIN
SINCE 6 AM. HIGHEST AMOUNT REPORTED SO FAR HAS BEEN THE MESONET SITE NEAR
PRYOR WITH 5.63 INCHES AS OF 9:45. MOST OF THAT FELL IN LESS THAN 3 HOURS.

HAVE UPDATED GRIDS WITH LATEST TRENDS. LEFT EXTENDED PORTIONS AS IS WITH
CONTINUED UNSETTLED WEATHER EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND CONTINUED
HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL.

&&

.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM SUNDAY 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 UNTIL 7 PM SUNDAY FOR ARZ001-ARZ002-ARZ010-
     ARZ011-ARZ019-ARZ020-ARZ029.

&&

SHORT TERM...15
LONG TERM....21

Hazardous weather outlook, May 1, 4:58 AM CDT, 5 hours 11 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
458 AM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-021000-
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-
458 AM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

...WET AND STORMY WEATHER TO CONTINUE THROUGH TODAY AND INTO THE
WEEKEND...

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.
RISK...LIMITED.
AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
ONSET...ONGOING.

FLASH FLOOD.
RISK...ELEVATED.
AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
ONSET...ONGOING.

AREA AT GREATEST RISK...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
                                ARKANSAS.

HEAVY RAIN.
RISK...LIMITED.
AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
ONSET...ONGOING.

DISCUSSION...
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS
ALONG A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT STRETCHING FROM THE SOUTHERN TEXAS
PANHANDLE THROUGH NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND TOWARD THE SAINT LOUIS
AREA. INSTABILITY AND WIND SHEAR PRESENT ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE
FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT A LIMITED SEVERE WEATHER THREAT
THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE
MAIN THREATS.

ALONG WITH THE SEVERE STORM POSSIBILITIES...HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH
FLOODING WILL CONTINUE TO BE LIKELY. ABUNDANT RAINS OVER THE PAST
FEW DAYS HAVE LED TO SATURATED SOILS AND SWOLLEN CREEKS AND
RIVERS...AND ADDITIONAL RAIN FROM TODAYS THUNDERSTORMS WILL ONLY
WORSEN THE FLOOD THREAT. WIDESPREAD TOTALS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES OF
RAIN CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT. A FLASH FLOOD
WATCH...OKCFFATSA...HAS BEEN POSTED FOR ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA
AND NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS.

SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
SATURDAY...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL...HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL.
SUNDAY...THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL...HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL.
MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...NO HAZARDS.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION...
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL REMAIN IN THE AREA THROUGH THE REMAINDER
OF THE WEEKEND BEFORE FINALLY EXITING EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ON MONDAY. AS A RESULT...THUNDERSTORMS WILL
REMAIN IN THE FORECAST THROUGH SUNDAY...WITH SEVERE STORMS
POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ON SATURDAY. HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING
CONCERNS WILL ALSO REMAIN...AND THE AFOREMENTIONED FLASH FLOOD
WATCH WILL BE IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. RAINFALL TOTALS
FROM SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE
LIKELY...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNING STATEMENT...
AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH THE END OF
THE WEEKEND...WITH WEATHER RELATED RESPONSES LIKELY ONE OR MORE
TIMES DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER AND FLOODING POTENTIAL.

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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 1, 8:25 AM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
825 AM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

OKZ057-058-063-011400-
CRAIG OK-DELAWARE OK-OTTAWA OK-
825 AM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 900 AM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     NORTHERN DELAWARE...EASTERN CRAIG AND SOUTHERN OTTAWA

AT 824 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF BLUEJACKET...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT
WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...GROVE...AFTON...FAIRLAND...
NARCISSA...WYANDOTTE AND BLUEJACKET.

ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 5 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF
MIAMI...ALSO MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 40 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS
TO 40 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE THE
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.

LAT...LON 3678 9462 3656 9466 3670 9518 3687 9502
TIME...MOT...LOC 1324Z 278DEG 33KT 3673 9511

Local storm report, May 1, 8:46 AM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
846 AM CDT FRI MAY 01 2009

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

0826 AM     FLOOD            5 SW ZENA               36.44N 94.92W
05/01/2009                   DELAWARE           OK   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            VARIOUS ROADS UNDER WATER ACROSS WESTERN DELAWARE COUNTY

0826 AM     FLASH FLOOD      5 ENE PEGGS             36.11N 95.02W
05/01/2009                   CHEROKEE           OK   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            COUNTY ROAD 505 IN TERESITA UNDER WATER. SWIFT WATER
            RESCUE IN PROGRESS.

&&

Local storm report, May 1, 8:55 AM CDT, 1 hour 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
855 AM CDT FRI MAY 01 2009

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

0530 AM     FLOOD            CHELSEA                 36.54N 95.43W
05/01/2009                   ROGERS             OK   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            HIGHWAY 28 ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF CHLESEA CLOSED.
            NUMEROUS COUNTY ROADS CLOSED ACROSS ROGERS COUNTY.
            SEVERAL BUSINESSES IN CHELSEA REPORTED TO HAVE STANDING
            WATER.

&&

Local storm report, May 1, 9:08 AM CDT, 1 hour 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
908 AM CDT FRI MAY 01 2009

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

0903 AM     FLOOD            5 ENE PEGGS             36.11N 95.02W
05/01/2009                   CHEROKEE           OK   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            WIDESPREAD FLOODING OF HOMES ACROSS NORTHERN CHEROKEE
            COUNTY. AN INCREASE IN WATER RESCUE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN
            REQUIRED ACROSS THE AREA.

&&

Local storm report, May 1, 9:45 AM CDT, 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
945 AM CDT FRI MAY 01 2009

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

0942 AM     FLOOD            LOCUST GROVE            36.20N 95.17W
05/01/2009                   MAYES              OK   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            COUNTY ROADS IN THE VICINITY OF LOCUST GROVE HAVE BEEN
            CLOSED. LOCUST GROVE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS PERFORMED 2
            WATER RESCUES FOR STRANDED MOTORISTS.

&&

Local storm report, May 1, 10:06 AM CDT, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1006 AM CDT FRI MAY 01 2009

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

1004 AM     FLOOD            WATTS                   36.11N 94.57W
05/01/2009                   ADAIR              OK   POST OFFICE

            WATER OVER ROADWAYS IN THE TOWN OF WATTS.

&&

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 1, 3:39 AM CDT	Flash Flood Watch	TSA	Benton, Carroll, Madison, Washington	54 hr
May 1, 4:27 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Benton	63 min
May 1, 7:08 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	TSA	Carroll	67 min
May 1, 11:04 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Madison, Washington	56 min
May 1, 2:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Benton, Washington	51 min
May 1, 3:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Benton	61 min
May 1, 3:59 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	TSA	Benton	6 hr
May 1, 4:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Benton, Washington	64 min
May 1, 4:49 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	TSA	Benton, Carroll, Madison, Washington	6 hr
May 1, 5:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Benton, Carroll, Madison, Washington	53 min
May 1, 5:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Benton, Washington	68 min
May 1, 5:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Benton, Madison, Washington	53 min
May 1, 5:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Carroll, Madison	68 min
May 1, 6:03 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TSA	Benton, Madison, Washington	57 min
May 1, 6:11 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TSA	Carroll	25 min
May 1, 6:37 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	TSA	Carroll, Madison	53 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Arkansas, 2009 Every flash flood warning in 2009

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.