Alert archive / Arkansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2009

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 27, NWS Tulsa, OK

February 26, 2009Sebastian County, Arkansas; LeFlore County, Oklahoma

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 26, 2009, 8:17 PM CST for Sebastian County, Arkansas; LeFlore County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 28 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Feb 26, 2009, 8:17 PM CST (02:17 UTC)
Expired: Feb 26, 2009, 8:45 PM CST
In force: 28 min
Issued by: NWS Tulsa, OK
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Sebastian County, AR, LeFlore County, OK

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 37 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:20 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.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Feb 26, 8:18 PM CST	HAIL 0.88	5 Se Poteau, OK

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm 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
Feb 26, 6:12 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 00:00Z, 2.3 hours before the alert went out and 222 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: 935 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -16 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1189 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 214 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 275 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.2
Supercell composite: 6.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS54 KTSA 270217
SVRTSA
ARC131-OKC079-270315-
/O.NEW.KTSA.SV.W.0027.090227T0217Z-090227T0315Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
817 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN LE FLORE COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
  SOUTHWESTERN SEBASTIAN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS

* UNTIL 915 PM CST

* AT 817 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WINDS
  TO 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR HOWE...MOVING EAST AT 45
  MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...HARTFORD...
  HUNTINGTON AND MANSFIELD.

STAY INDOORS AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

LAT...LON 3496 9423 3496 9429 3495 9431 3495 9437
      3493 9439 3492 9443 3486 9445 3486 9468
      3507 9458 3509 9422 3496 9422
TIME...MOT...LOC 0217Z 270DEG 39KT 3499 9455

$$

2 follow-up statements

000 
WWUS54 KTSA 270232
SVSTSA

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
832 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

OKC079-270242-
/O.CAN.KTSA.SV.W.0027.000000T0000Z-090227T0315Z/
LE FLORE OK-
832 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR EASTERN LE FLORE COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

LAT...LON 3496 9422 3495 9437 3493 9439 3494 9440
      3492 9443 3493 9444 3508 9444 3509 9422
      3507 9423 3506 9422
TIME...MOT...LOC 0232Z 270DEG 39KT 3499 9435

$$

ARC131-270315-
/O.CON.KTSA.SV.W.0027.000000T0000Z-090227T0315Z/
SEBASTIAN AR-
832 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM CST
FOR SOUTHWESTERN SEBASTIAN COUNTY...

AT 832 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL
AND WINDS TO 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR PATTERSON...MOVING
EAST AT 45 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...HUNTINGTON...
MANSFIELD AND LIBERTY.

STAY INDOORS AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

LAT...LON 3496 9422 3495 9437 3493 9439 3494 9440
      3492 9443 3493 9444 3508 9444 3509 9422
      3507 9423 3506 9422
TIME...MOT...LOC 0232Z 270DEG 39KT 3499 9435

$$

000 
WWUS54 KTSA 270245
SVSTSA

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
845 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

ARC131-270255-
/O.CAN.KTSA.SV.W.0027.000000T0000Z-090227T0315Z/
SEBASTIAN AR-
845 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN SEBASTIAN COUNTY
IS CANCELLED...

THE THUNDERSTORM HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED AREA...THEREFORE THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM.

LAT...LON 3496 9422 3495 9437 3493 9439 3494 9440
      3492 9443 3493 9444 3508 9444 3509 9422
      3507 9423 3506 9422
TIME...MOT...LOC 0245Z 270DEG 39KT 3499 9417

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 severe thunderstorm warning went out at Feb 26, 5:20 PM CST, 2 hours 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 26, 5:20 PM CST, 2 hours 57 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
520 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

.DISCUSSION...

&&

.AVIATION...
SFC COLD FRONT AND DRY LINE WILL CONTINUE TO SWEEP ACROSS
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THROUGH 06Z BEFORE
STALLING NEAR THE RED RIVER. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUE TO BACK-BUILD ALONG THE FRONT FROM SOUTHWEST MISSOURI
WITH THESE STORMS AFFECTING FYV/XNA/FSM SITES TROUGH ABOUT 04Z
WITH POSSIBLE BRIEF MVFR CONDITIONS. VFR WILL PREVAIL FOR THE MOST
PART AFTER THAT...HOWEVER INCREASING MOISTURE NORTH OF THE STALLED
BOUNDARY COULD BRING RAIN AND MVFR CIGS TO FSM/MLC AFTER 18Z.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 252 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009/

DISCUSSION...
DRY LINE CURRENTLY SWEEPING ACROSS ERN OK WITH LITTLE FANFARE OTHER
THAN A WINDSHIFT AND AN APPRECIABLE DROP IN DEWPOINTS. COLD FRONT
THAT WILL BRING MUCH COOLER AIR WILL CATCH UP WITH THE DRY LINE THIS
EVENING. AT THAT TIME...A WEAKENING IN THE CAP ALONG WITH FORCING IN
THE FORM OF AN UPPER LEVEL JET MAY TRIGGER CONVECTION ALONG THE
BOUNDARY...WHICH MAY AFFECT ERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA THIS EVENING .
WILL KEEP CHANCE POPS ACROSS ERN ZONES TONIGHT. BOUNDARY STALLS
SOMEWHAT SOUTH OF THE THE AREA...WHERE PRECIP CHANCES WILL BE
MAINTAINED ACROSS THE SOUTH AND EAST THROUGH TOMORROW. A S/W WILL
NIP FAR NE OK AND NW AR SATURDAY AS REINFORCING COLD AIR FUNNELS IN.
WILL MAINTAIN LOW RAIN CHANCES IN THESE AREAS SATURDAY. BEYOND
SATURDAY...FORECAST WILL BE KEPT DRY.  SUNDAY MORNING TO OFFER QUITE
A CHILLY START(UPPER TEENS AND 20S FORECAST ACROSS THE REGION) AS
THE COLD SURFACE HIGH WILL BE PARKED NEARLY OVERHEAD. A WARMING
TREND TO ENSUE SUNDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE CENTER BEGINS TO SLIDE EAST.
THE ECMWF IS SUGGESTING VERY WARM TEMPERATURES TOWARDS THE END OF THE
FORECAST CYCLE...BUT FOR NOW WILL USE A BLEND OF BOTH GFS AND ECMWF
IN THE EXTENDED.

&&

.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...NONE.
AR...NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...99
LONG TERM....99
AVIATION...14

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 26, 6:33 PM CST, 1 hour 44 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
633 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-271100-
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-
625 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THROUGH THE EVENING...

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.
TORNADO.
RISK...LIMITED.
AREA...EXTREME SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS.
ONSET...ONGOING...ENDING AFTER 10 PM.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.
RISK...ELEVATED.
AREA...EAST OF A BENTONVILLE TO MCALESTER LINE.
ONSET...ONGOING...ENDING AFTER MIDNIGHT.

AREA AT GREATEST RISK...NORTHWEST ARKANSAS INTO EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA.

DISCUSSION...
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ALONG THE INTERSECTION OF A DRY
LINE AND COLD FRONT...WHICH WAS LOCATED FROM EXTREME NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS INTO SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AT 6 PM. STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO
BACK BUILD ALONG THE FRONT THIS EVENING AS IT PUSHES
SOUTHEAST...REACHING NEAR THE RED RIVER BY AROUND MIDNIGHT. THERE IS
ENOUGH INSTABILITY AND SHEAR THAT SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME
SEVERE THIS EVENING. ISOLATED TORNADOES CAN NOT BE RULED OUT IN
FAR SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AS WELL AS WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS...ALTHOUGH THE PRIMARY THREAT SHOULD BE LARGE HAIL UP TO
QUARTER SIZE AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE THUNDERSTORM THREAT SHOULD BE
ENDING SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE COLD FRONT EXITS THE REGION.

SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST
CENTRAL ARKANSAS THIS EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
FRIDAY...THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL...HIGH WIND POTENTIAL.
SATURDAY...HIGH WIND POTENTIAL.
SUNDAY...NO HAZARDS.
MONDAY...NO HAZARDS.
TUESDAY...NO HAZARDS.
WEDNESDAY...NO HAZARDS.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION...
THE COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO STALL JUST ACROSS NORTHEASTERN TEXAS
ON FRIDAY...WITH SOME AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE NORTH OF THE FRONT ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR WILL PUSH SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA
FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG NORTHWEST
WINDS. THE COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO STALL JUST ACROSS NORTHEASTERN TEXAS
ON FRIDAY...WITH SOME AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE NORTH OF THE FRONT ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR WILL PUSH SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA
FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG NORTHWEST
WINDS.

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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 26, 7:34 PM CST, 43 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
734 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

OKZ049-075-076-270200-
LATIMER OK-LE FLORE OK-PUSHMATAHA OK-
734 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 800 PM CST
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     WESTERN LE FLORE...NORTHEASTERN PUSHMATAHA AND SOUTHEASTERN
     LATIMER

AT 734 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
YANUSH...MOVING EAST AT 47 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED
BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...YANUSH...BENGAL...WHITESBORO...TALIHINA...
SUMMERFIELD...FANSHAWE...KIAMICHI...ALBION AND SARDIS.

THIS STORM 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 3495 9468 3462 9478 3464 9551 3495 9515
TIME...MOT...LOC 0134Z 270DEG 41KT 3474 9532

Local storm report, Feb 26, 7:35 PM CST, 42 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
735 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

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

0642 PM     HAIL             SALLISAW                35.46N 94.79W
02/26/2009  E0.88 INCH       SEQUOYAH           OK   BROADCAST MEDIA

&&

SFP

Local storm report, Feb 26, 7:47 PM CST, 30 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
747 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

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

0746 PM     HAIL             EXCELSIOR               35.20N 94.31W
02/26/2009  E1.75 INCH       SEBASTIAN          AR   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

SFP

Local storm report, Feb 26, 7:50 PM CST, 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
750 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

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

0750 PM     HAIL             WITCHERVILLE            35.14N 94.26W
02/26/2009  E1.00 INCH       SEBASTIAN          AR   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

SFP

Local storm report, Feb 26, 7:52 PM CST, 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
752 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

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

0752 PM     HAIL             WITCHERVILLE            35.14N 94.26W
02/26/2009  E1.75 INCH       SEBASTIAN          AR   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

SFP

Local storm report, Feb 26, 8:02 PM CST, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
802 PM CST THU FEB 26 2009

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

0801 PM     TSTM WND GST     HUNTINGTON              35.08N 94.26W
02/26/2009  E65 MPH          SEBASTIAN          AR   BROADCAST MEDIA

            WALL CLOUD ALSO OBSERVED

&&

SFP

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Feb 26, 6:33 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Crawford, Washington	42 min
Feb 26, 6:35 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Sebastian	40 min
Feb 26, 6:38 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Sebastian	52 min
Feb 26, 6:41 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Carroll, Madison, Washington	64 min
Feb 26, 7:14 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Crawford, Franklin, Sebastian	61 min
Feb 26, 7:14 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Crawford, Franklin	46 min
Feb 26, 6:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Adair, Cherokee, Sequoyah	66 min
Feb 26, 7:08 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	TSA	LeFlore	37 min
Feb 26, 7:34 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	TSA	Latimer	26 min
Feb 26, 7:42 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Latimer, LeFlore, Pushmataha	63 min
Feb 26, 8:06 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Choctaw, Pushmataha	54 min
Feb 26, 8:48 PM CST	Special Weather Statement	TSA	LeFlore	27 min
Feb 26, 8:57 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TSA	Choctaw	26 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arkansas, 2009 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Oklahoma, 2009 Every severe thunderstorm 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.