Alert archive / Arkansas / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 151, NWS Memphis, TN

May 25, 2011Craighead County, Greene County, Lawrence County, Arkansas

NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at May 25, 2011, 4:22 PM CDT for Craighead County, Greene County, Lawrence County, Arkansas. It was in force for 38 min. 2 reports 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
May 25, 2011, 4:22 PM CDT (21:22 UTC)
Expired
May 25, 2011, 5:00 PM CDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Memphis, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Craighead County, AR, Greene County, AR, Lawrence County, AR

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 112 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:25 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 25, 5:03 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUDBono, ARPOSSIBLE TORNADO
May 25, 5:05 PM CDTHAIL 17 Se Sedgwick, AR

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

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 25, 12:28 PM CDTTornado Watch PDSSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 12:00Z, 9.4 hours before the alert went out and 147 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, Little Rock, AR at 12:00Z on 2011-05-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2124 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Little Rock, AR at 12:00Z on 2011-05-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 445 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
2124 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-14 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
600 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
69 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
445 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
413 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
6.0
Supercell composite
20.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

727 
WFUS54 KMEG 252122
TORMEG
ARC031-055-075-252200-
/O.NEW.KMEG.TO.W.0151.110525T2122Z-110525T2200Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
422 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WESTERN CRAIGHEAD COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  SOUTHWESTERN GREENE COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  SOUTHEASTERN LAWRENCE COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...

* UNTIL 500 PM CDT

* AT 422 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
  A LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO 21 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
  ALICIA...OR NEAR DIAZ...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO BONO...
  JONESBORO AND LAKE FRIERSON STATE PARK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

.IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE TEA CUP SIZE 
HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

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

.THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A STORM SHELTER. IF NO
STORM SHELTER 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 3610 9081 3585 9060 3571 9096 3571 9104
      3588 9104 3589 9118
TIME...MOT...LOC 2122Z 235DEG 37KT 3569 9131

$$
1 follow-up statement
682 
WWUS54 KMEG 252138
SVSMEG

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
438 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

ARC031-055-075-252200-
/O.CON.KMEG.TO.W.0151.000000T0000Z-110525T2200Z/
CRAIGHEAD AR-GREENE AR-LAWRENCE AR-
438 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN LAWRENCE...SOUTHWESTERN GREENE AND WESTERN CRAIGHEAD
COUNTIES...

AT 438 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AND STORM 
SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A LARGE DANGEROUS TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO 
WAS LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ALICIA...OR NEAR 
TUCKERMAN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO BONO...
JONESBORO...SEDGWICK...CALVIN...WALNUT CORNER...WINESBURG...DRYDEN...
RISHER...LANIEVE...DOROTHY...HERMAN...HERNDON...FARRVILLE AND LAKE
FRIERSON STATE PARK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A STORM SHELTER. IF NO
STORM SHELTER 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 3610 9081 3585 9060 3571 9096 3571 9104
      3588 9104 3589 9118
TIME...MOT...LOC 2138Z 235DEG 47KT 3582 9109

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Memphis, TN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 25, 3:30 AM CDTWind AdvisoryMEGClay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Greene, Lawrence and 6 more16 hr
May 25, 2:29 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGRandolph31 min
May 25, 3:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGLawrence, Randolph40 min
May 25, 3:41 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGLawrence, Randolph49 min
May 25, 3:55 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGLawrence, Randolph50 min
May 25, 4:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGClay, Randolph33 min
May 25, 4:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGRandolph33 min
May 25, 4:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGClay, Greene, Lawrence, Randolph46 min
May 25, 4:52 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGCraighead, Greene, Lawrence38 min
May 25, 4:52 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGCraighead, Crittenden, Cross, Poinsett38 min
May 25, 5:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGClay45 min
May 25, 5:15 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGCross, Lee, St. Francis45 min
May 25, 5:22 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGCraighead, Cross, Poinsett38 min
May 25, 5:26 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGClay, Greene49 min
May 25, 5:54 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGCrittenden, Cross, St. Francis51 min
May 25, 5:57 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGCraighead, Mississippi, Poinsett48 min
May 25, 5:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCraighead, Greene, Mississippi47 min
May 25, 6:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGRandolph30 min
May 25, 6:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGLee, Phillips43 min
May 25, 6:37 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGCrittenden, St. Francis38 min
May 25, 6:39 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGMississippi51 min
May 25, 6:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGLee, Phillips49 min
May 25, 6:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGPhillips47 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Arkansas, 2011Every tornado warning in 2011Tornadoes in 2011

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.