Alert archive / Missouri / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 134, NWS Paducah, KY

May 25, 2011Carter County, Missouri

NWS Paducah, KY issued this tornado warning at May 25, 2011, 4:11 PM CDT for Carter County, Missouri. It was in force for 34 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: May 25, 2011, 4:11 PM CDT (21:11 UTC)
Expired: May 25, 2011, 4:45 PM CDT
In force: 34 min
Issued by: NWS Paducah, KY
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Carter County, MO

The radar

The Paducah radar (KPAH), 180 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:14 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
May 25, 4:44 PM CDT	TORNADO	3 W Hunter, MO	AN EF0 TORNADO DOWNED A FEW TREES AND TREE LIMBS ALONG HIGHWAY E NEAR THE CURRENT RIVER.

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

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this tornado warning; the first came 33 minutes after it went out.

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
May 25, 11:09 AM CDT	Tornado Watch PDS	SPC	10 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 12:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 245 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: 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.

401 
WFUS53 KPAH 252111
TORPAH
MOC035-252145-
/O.NEW.KPAH.TO.W.0134.110525T2111Z-110525T2145Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
411 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PADUCAH HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN CARTER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...

* UNTIL 445 PM CDT.

* AT 409 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 4 MILES   
SOUTHWEST OF HUNTER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. THIS IS A SECOND 
STORM THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. THIS STORM IS HEADED TOWARD 
HUNTER AND MAY REACH ELLSINORE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

NOW IS THE TIME TO IMPLEMENT YOUR TORNADO PLAN OF ACTION. SEEK
SHELTER INDOORS IN A BASEMENT...OR IN AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A HOME OR BUILDING.

&&

LAT...LON 3706 9084 3705 9075 3700 9074 3697 9070
      3683 9068 3682 9069 3681 9071 3681 9091
      3682 9104
TIME...MOT...LOC 2110Z 220DEG 38KT 3685 9089

$$

1 follow-up statement

337 
WWUS53 KPAH 252135
SVSPAH

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
435 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

MOC035-252145-
/O.CON.KPAH.TO.W.0134.000000T0000Z-110525T2145Z/
CARTER MO-
435 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM CDT FOR EASTERN
CARTER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...

AT 432 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS STORM WAS
LOCATED 11 MILES WEST OF GRANDIN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE HUNTER AND ELLSINORE. THIS IS THE 
THIRD STORM TO MOVE INTO THE AREA.

LAT...LON 3706 9084 3705 9075 3700 9074 3697 9070
      3683 9068 3682 9069 3681 9071 3681 9091
      3682 9104
TIME...MOT...LOC 2135Z 219DEG 31KT 3681 9099

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 25, 1:36 PM CDT, 2 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 25, 1:36 PM CDT, 2 hours 35 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
136 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

.DISCUSSION...
BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL BE THE DETAILS ASSOCIATED WITH A
POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK OVER THE NEXT 10-12
HOURS OR SO.

WILL KEEP THIS BRIEF WITH ONSET OF SEVERE WEATHER IMMINENT. STRONG
SFC AND UPPER LOW MOVING EASTWARD OUT OF THE PLAINS WILL PUSH A
COLD FRONT ACROSS OUR CWA THIS EVENING. IN THE MEANTIME...WITH
SFC TEMPS IN THE LOW 80S AND SFC DEWPOINTS NEAR 70...THE ATMOSPHERE
HAS BECOME VERY UNSTABLE ACROSS THE AREA. THIS COMBINED WITH
FAVORABLE DEEP LAYER SHEAR...JET DYNAMICS...AND HUGE AMOUNTS OF
CAPE AND HELICITY HAS SET THE STAGE FOR A WIDESPREAD OUTBREAK OF
SEVERE WEATHER INCLUDING LARGE LONG-TRACK TORNADOES...VERY LARGE
HAIL...AND INTENSE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS (DOWNBURSTS).

LATEST RADAR IMAGES ARE SHOWING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER
THE NORTHEAST SECTIONS OF OUR CWA...BUT THESE STORMS HAVE
REMAINED BELOW SEVERE LEVELS SO FAR. THE LACK OF CONVECTION
ELSEWHERE ACROSS OUR CWA CORRESPONDS WELL TO A POCKET OF 9-10C
WARM AIR IN THE MID LEVELS. THE THINKING IS THAT AS THE SEVERE
CONVECTION TO OUR WEST BEGINS TO MOVE INTO THE WESTERN SECTIONS
WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS...THE CAP WILL BE BROKEN AND
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL BE VERY RAPID AND INTENSE.

MOST LIKELY SCENARIO WILL BE DISCREET SUPERCELLS THIS AFTERNOON
INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS...THEN A LINE (QLCS) OF THUNDERSTORMS
WITH EMBEDDED SUPERCELLS THROUGH THE REST OF THE EVENING. EACH
NEW MODEL RUN CONTINUES TO SPEED UP THE EASTWARD PROGRESS OF THIS
SYSTEM...SO THE LATEST THINKING IS THAT THE THREAT FOR SEVERE
WEATHER WILL CLEAR THE EASTERN SECTIONS OF OUR CWA SHORTLY AFTER
MIDNIGHT.

PRECIP CHANCES WILL LINGER INTO THURSDAY NIGHT ON THE BACK SIDE OF
THIS SYSTEM. AFTER A BRIEF RESPITE ON FRIDAY...THE COMBINATION OF
UPPER LEVEL ENERGY AND THE APPROACH OF A FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL BRING
PRECIP CHANCES TO THE HEARTLAND FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY.

BEYOND SATURDAY AN UPPER RIDGE ESTABLISHES ITSELF OVER OUR AREA
THROUGH THE REST OF THE PERIOD...ESPECIALLY PER THE ECMWF. THE GFS
CRANKS OUT A BIT OF PRECIP NEXT WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS
IT DROPS A FRONT INTO OUR AREA. THE ECMWF CONTINUES TO KEEP THE
RIDGE OVER OUR AREA WITH NO PRECIP SO FOR NOW WILL KEEP IT DRY.

&&
.AVIATION...
SEVERE STORMS WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE IN COVERAGE DURING THE
AFTERNOON...PEAKING WITH THE PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT THIS EVENING.
HIGHEST CHANCES FOR CONVECTION AT EACH TAF SITE APPEAR TO BE LATE IN
THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY IN THE EVENING. HOWEVER...ISOLATED
SUPERCELLS COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME. IN ADDITION TO LOCALLY DAMAGING
WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. THE CONVECTION WILL
END WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT LATE THIS EVENING. SOME LOW CLOUDS
WILL ARRIVE BY 12Z THURSDAY...WITH MVFR CIGS LIKELY DURING THE
MORNING.

&&

.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR BALLARD-
     CALDWELL-CALLOWAY-CARLISLE-CHRISTIAN-CRITTENDEN-DAVIESS-
     FULTON-GRAVES-HENDERSON-HICKMAN-HOPKINS-LIVINGSTON-LYON-
     MARSHALL-MCCRACKEN-MCLEAN-MUHLENBERG-TODD-TRIGG-UNION KY-
     WEBSTER.

MO...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR BOLLINGER-
     BUTLER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-CARTER-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID-PERRY
     MO-RIPLEY-SCOTT-STODDARD-WAYNE MO.

IL...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR ALEXANDER-
     EDWARDS-FRANKLIN-GALLATIN-HAMILTON-HARDIN-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-
     JOHNSON-MASSAC-PERRY IL-POPE-PULASKI-SALINE-UNION IL-WABASH-
     WAYNE IL-WHITE-WILLIAMSON.

IN...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR GIBSON-PIKE-
     POSEY-SPENCER-VANDERBURGH-WARRICK.

&&

MY/JAP

Hazardous weather outlook, May 25, 8:13 AM CDT, 7 hours 58 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
813 AM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-
100-107>112-114-261315-
JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON-
WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE-
HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH-
WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES-
LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL-
UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN-
MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER-
RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID-
813 AM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

...AREA UPGRADED TO HIGH RISK...
...WIDESPREAD SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST
MISSOURI.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THE ENTIRE QUAD STATE AREA IS IN A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER
TODAY AND TONIGHT. THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...AS
THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR A SIGNIFICANT AND WIDESPREAD SEVERE
WEATHER EVENT ACROSS THE REGION. SOME LOCATIONS MAY EXPERIENCE 2
OR 3 SEPARATE ROUNDS OF SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH THIS EVENING.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...POSSIBLY AS EARLY AS THE LATE MORNING HOURS.
VERY STRONG WIND FIELDS AND PLENTIFUL INSTABILITY WILL ALLOW THE
STORMS TO QUICKLY BECOME SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL...STRONG
TORNADOES...AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE STORMS WILL MOVE RAPIDLY
NORTHEAST ACROSS THE QUAD STATE REGION THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.
OTHER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP FARTHER EAST ACROSS THE
AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON.

FINALLY...A LINE OF SEVERE STORMS WITH AN INCREASING DAMAGING WIND
THREAT WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA AROUND 5
PM...AND THEN SWEEP THROUGH THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH THE EVENING.
TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL...AND HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE
WITH THIS LINE. THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT SHOULD BE EAST OF THE
ENTIRE AREA BY MIDNIGHT.

OUTSIDE OF THUNDERSTORMS...STRONG SOUTH WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO GUST
25 TO 35 MPH THROUGH THE DAY AND INTO THE EARLY EVENING. CONSULT
THE LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES EAST THROUGH THE REGION THURSDAY. ANY
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS.

ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA WITH
A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY NIGHT. AT THIS TIME...SEVERE
WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL MOST LIKELY BE NEEDED THROUGHOUT THE AREA
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

DRS/PS

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 25, 3:59 PM CDT, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
359 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

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

0356 PM     TORNADO          1 S ELLSINORE           36.92N 90.75W
05/25/2011                   CARTER             MO   TRAINED SPOTTER

            REPORTED JUST SOUTH OF TOWN.DEBRIS VISIBLE AND STORM IS
            MOVING NE.

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, May 25, 4:00 PM CDT, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
400 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

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

0357 PM     HAIL             ELLSINORE               36.93N 90.75W
05/25/2011  M0.75 INCH       CARTER             MO   TRAINED SPOTTER

            DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED AT INTERSECTION OF HWY 21 AND HWY
            60.

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, May 25, 4:02 PM CDT, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
402 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

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

0401 PM     TORNADO          ELLSINORE               36.93N 90.75W
05/25/2011                   CARTER             MO   BROADCAST MEDIA

            TORNADO IS SUCKING UP TREES INTO THE FUNNEL ALONG HIGHWAY
            60.

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, May 25, 4:04 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
404 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

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

0400 PM     TORNADO          ELLSINORE               36.93N 90.75W
05/25/2011                   CARTER             MO   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TORNADO ALONG HWY 21 AND HWY 60 BETWEEN ELLSINORE AND VAN
            BUREN.

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, May 25, 4:05 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
405 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

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

0356 PM     TORNADO          GRANDIN                 36.83N 90.82W
05/25/2011                   CARTER             MO   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            TREES DOWN AND COMMUNITY IS WITHOUT POWER. STRUCTURAL
            DAMAGE REPORTED TO INCLUDE A CHURCH.

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, May 25, 4:08 PM CDT, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
408 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2011

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

0356 PM     TORNADO          ELLSINORE               36.93N 90.75W
05/25/2011                   CARTER             MO   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TORNADO DAMAGE REPORTED BY STATE POLICE. TREES AND DEBRIS
            BLOCKING HWY 60. 1 HOME DESTROYED. POWER LINES DOWN. LAW
            ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE/RESCUE RESPONDING.

&&

SMITTY

The office that day

Everything else NWS Paducah, KY issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 25, 4:11 AM CDT	Lake Wind Advisory	PAH	Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Mississippi, New Madrid and 5 more	16 hr
May 25, 3:02 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Carter, Ripley	43 min
May 25, 3:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Wayne	33 min
May 25, 3:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Carter	35 min
May 25, 3:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Butler, Wayne	50 min
May 25, 4:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Carter, Ripley	46 min
May 25, 4:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Butler, Ripley	33 min
May 25, 4:34 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Perry	41 min
May 25, 4:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Wayne	47 min
May 25, 4:52 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Butler, Ripley	38 min
May 25, 5:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Bollinger, Perry	45 min
May 25, 5:23 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Bollinger, Butler, Stoddard, Wayne	52 min
May 25, 5:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Butler, New Madrid, Stoddard	46 min
May 25, 5:29 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Bollinger, Wayne	46 min
May 25, 5:37 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Butler, Carter, Ripley, Stoddard	38 min
May 25, 5:56 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	PAH	Ripley	2 hr
May 25, 5:57 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Cape Girardeau, Perry	48 min
May 25, 6:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	New Madrid, Scott, Stoddard	29 min
May 25, 6:08 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Mississippi, New Madrid, Scott, Stoddard	37 min
May 25, 6:13 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Bollinger, Wayne	32 min
May 25, 6:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Butler, Carter, New Madrid, Ripley, Stoddard	30 min
May 25, 6:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Mississippi, New Madrid, Scott	32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Missouri, 2011 Every tornado warning in 2011 Tornadoes 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.