Alert archive / Arkansas / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 153, NWS Memphis, TN

May 25, 20114 counties in Arkansas

NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at May 25, 2011, 4:52 PM CDT for 4 counties in Arkansas. It was in force for 38 min. 3 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, 4:52 PM CDT (21:52 UTC)
Expired
May 25, 2011, 5:30 PM CDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Memphis, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Craighead County, AR, Crittenden County, AR, Cross County, AR, Poinsett County, AR

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 88 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:53 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, 5:18 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUDHickory Ridge, AR
May 25, 5:21 PM CDTHAIL 12 Se Fisher, AR
May 25, 5:40 PM CDTHAIL 1Harrisburg, ARQUARTER SIZED HAIL IN THE TOWN OF HARRISBURG.

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, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 111 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.

557 
WFUS54 KMEG 252152 RRA
TORMEG
ARC031-035-037-111-252230-
/O.NEW.KMEG.TO.W.0153.110525T2152Z-110525T2230Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTH CENTRAL CRAIGHEAD COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  NORTHWESTERN CRITTENDEN COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  NORTHWESTERN CROSS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  POINSETT COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...

* UNTIL 530 PM CDT

* AT 452 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING A TORNADO 13 MILES WEST OF FAIR
  OAKS...OR NEAR MCCRORY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO BAY...
  HARRISBURG...MARKED TREE AND TRUMANN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

.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 3563 9105 3585 9057 3541 9035 3517 9104
TIME...MOT...LOC 2152Z 239DEG 55KT 3531 9119

$$
1 follow-up statement
935 
WWUS54 KMEG 252208 RRA
SVSMEG

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

ARC035-252218-
/O.CAN.KMEG.TO.W.0153.000000T0000Z-110525T2230Z/
CRITTENDEN AR-
508 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

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

AT 508 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT THE 
THUNDERSTORMS WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE AREA 
AND NO LONGER POSE AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE OR PROPERTY. 
THEREFORE...THE TORNADO WARNING IS CANCELLED.

.A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ALERT AREA.

LAT...LON 3551 9040 3532 9073 3525 9089 3521 9104
      3563 9105 3585 9057
TIME...MOT...LOC 2208Z 239DEG 55KT 3543 9093

$$

ARC031-037-111-252230-
/O.CON.KMEG.TO.W.0153.000000T0000Z-110525T2230Z/
CROSS AR-CRAIGHEAD AR-POINSETT AR-
508 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 530 PM CDT FOR
POINSETT...SOUTH CENTRAL CRAIGHEAD AND NORTHWESTERN CROSS COUNTIES...

AT 508 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR HICKORY RIDGE...OR
16 MILES NORTHWEST OF WYNNE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 65 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO BAY...
FISHER...HARRISBURG...MARKED TREE...TRUMANN...SUPPLY...OTWELL...
CARY...APT...HERGETT...DAVIS SPUR...PROMISED LAND...PITTINGER AND
HYDRICK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

.A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ALERT AREA.

&&

LAT...LON 3551 9040 3532 9073 3525 9089 3521 9104
      3563 9105 3585 9057
TIME...MOT...LOC 2208Z 239DEG 55KT 3543 9093

$$

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, 4:22 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGCraighead, Greene, Lawrence38 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, 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.