Alert archive / Arkansas / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Memphis, TN

February 24, 20114 counties in Arkansas

NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at Feb 24, 2011, 6:09 PM CST for 4 counties in Arkansas. It was in force for 36 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 24, 2011, 6:09 PM CST (00:09 UTC)
Expired
Feb 24, 2011, 6:45 PM CST
In force
36 min
Issued by
NWS Memphis, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Crittenden County, AR, Cross County, AR, Lee County, AR, St. Francis County, AR

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 71 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:08 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
Feb 24, 6:15 PM CSTTSTM WND DMGForrest City, ARPOWER POLES DOWN

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
Feb 24, 2:34 PM CSTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 00:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 64 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 00:00Z on 2011-02-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 165 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 00:00Z on 2011-02-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -230 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
165 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-30 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
579 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-230 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-371 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.2
Supercell composite
-0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

155 
WFUS54 KMEG 250009
TORMEG
ARC035-037-077-123-250045-
/O.NEW.KMEG.TO.W.0005.110225T0009Z-110225T0045Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
609 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WEST CENTRAL CRITTENDEN COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  SOUTHEASTERN CROSS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  NORTH CENTRAL LEE COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  ST. FRANCIS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...

* UNTIL 645 PM CST

* AT 608 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR FORREST CITY...OR NEAR
  PALESTINE...MOVING EAST AT 70 MPH.  

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO FORREST
  CITY AND MADISON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

.IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE QUARTER SIZE   
 HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 80 MPH.

.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 3525 9037 3499 9036 3488 9086 3506 9095
TIME...MOT...LOC 0008Z 249DEG 63KT 3501 9077

$$
1 follow-up statement
405 
WWUS54 KMEG 250030
SVSMEG

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
630 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

ARC077-250040-
/O.CAN.KMEG.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-110225T0045Z/
LEE AR-
630 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTH CENTRAL LEE COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

AT 630 PM CST...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 3495 9058 3518 9058 3525 9037 3499 9036
TIME...MOT...LOC 0030Z 249DEG 63KT 3514 9033

$$

ARC035-037-123-250045-
/O.CON.KMEG.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-110225T0045Z/
CROSS AR-ST. FRANCIS AR-CRITTENDEN AR-
630 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM CST FOR WEST
CENTRAL CRITTENDEN...EASTERN ST. FRANCIS AND SOUTHEASTERN CROSS
COUNTIES...

AT 630 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR SHEARERVILLE...OR
11 MILES SOUTHEAST OF EARLE...MOVING EAST AT 70 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
SHEARERVILLE...BROWNS...PROCTOR...CHATFIELD...WHITMORE...LUCERNE...
CICALLA...HETH...JONQUIL...TARSUS...DEMOCRAT...GREASY CORNER AND
PENJUR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

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 3495 9058 3518 9058 3525 9037 3499 9036
TIME...MOT...LOC 0030Z 249DEG 63KT 3514 9033

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 24, 6:11 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGMississippi90 days
Feb 24, 6:14 PM CSTTornado WarningMEGCraighead, Greene, Mississippi, Poinsett31 min
Feb 24, 6:23 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCrittenden, Mississippi, Poinsett90 days
Feb 24, 6:28 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCrittenden, Cross, Lee, St. Francis90 days
Feb 24, 6:34 PM CSTTornado WarningMEGCrittenden26 min
Feb 24, 6:38 PM CSTTornado WarningMEGMississippi52 min
Feb 24, 6:41 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningMEGMississippi3 hr
Feb 24, 6:56 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningMEGCrittenden, Lee3 hr
Feb 24, 7:08 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningMEGPhillips2 hr
Feb 25, 6:40 AM CSTRiver Flood WarningMEGMississippi37 days
Feb 25, 1:37 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningMEGMississippi38 days

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.