Alert archive / Oklahoma / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 29, NWS Tulsa, OK

May 12, 2011LeFlore County, Sequoyah County, Oklahoma; Crawford County, Sebastian County, Arkansas

NWS Tulsa, OK issued this flash flood warning at May 12, 2011, 8:35 PM CDT for LeFlore County, Sequoyah County, Oklahoma; Crawford County, Sebastian County, Arkansas. It was in force for 4 hr. 6 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 12, 2011, 8:35 PM CDT (01:35 UTC)
Expired
May 13, 2011, 12:30 AM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Tulsa, OK
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Crawford County, AR, Sebastian County, AR, LeFlore County, OK, Sequoyah County, OK

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 12 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:36 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 12, 9:03 PM CDTFLASH FLOODArkoma, OKFLOODING ON STATELINE ROAD IN ARKOMA.
May 12, 9:05 PM CDTFLASH FLOODVan Buren, ARSTREETS FLOODING IN VAN BUREN.
May 12, 9:10 PM CDTFLASH FLOODPocola, OKPOCOLA EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTS SEVERAL STREETS CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING.
May 12, 9:18 PM CDTFLASH FLOODFort Smith, ARMAJOR STREET FLOODING BEING REPORTED IN FORT SMITH. WATER UP TO TWO FEET DEEP IN SOME LOCATIONS.
May 12, 9:20 PM CDTFLASH FLOODFort Smith, ARWATER RESCUES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN NORTHERN SEBASTIAN COUNTY.
May 12, 10:03 PM CDTHEAVY RAIN 3.64Fort Smith, AR3.64 INCHES OF RAIN IN TWO HOURS AT THE FORT SMITH AIRPORT FROM 8 PM TO 10 PM.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 00:00Z, 1.6 hours before the alert went out and 175 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, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 2011-05-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1521 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 2011-05-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 84 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
1521 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1233 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
84 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
153 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.7
Supercell composite
6.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

984 
WGUS54 KTSA 130135
FFWTSA
ARC033-131-OKC079-135-130530-
/O.NEW.KTSA.FF.W.0029.110513T0135Z-110513T0530Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
835 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN LE FLORE COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...
  NORTHERN SEBASTIAN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS...
  SOUTHEASTERN SEQUOYAH COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA...
  SOUTHERN CRAWFORD COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS...

* UNTIL 1230 AM CDT

* AT 833 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...TRAINING OVER THE WARNED AREA. 
RADAR ESTIMATES TWO TO THREE INCHES OF RAINFALL HAS ALREADY OCCURRED 
WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH 10 PM. 
FLOODING CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE FORT SMITH AND VAN BUREN AREAS...AND 
ALSO IN ADJACENT NORTHERN PORTIONS OF LE FLORE COUNTY. 

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
  OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT COULD EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...FORT
  SMITH...MOUNTAINBURG...VAN BUREN...ALMA...ARKOMA...BARLING...
  BLOOMER...BOKOSHE...BONANZA...CAMERON...DYER...FIGURE FIVE...
  HACKETT...JENNY LIND...LAVACA...MOFFETT...MULDROW...PANAMA...
  POCOLA...ROLAND...RUDY AND SPIRO.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD TO
UNKNOWN DEPTHS. IT ONLY TAKES TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER TO CARRY AWAY
MOST SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUPS. TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE TO
REACH YOUR DESTINATION OR WAIT UNTIL THE WATER RECEDES. REMEMBER...
MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE.

TO REPORT FLOODING...HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RELAY
YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN TULSA.

&&

LAT...LON 3568 9408 3531 9408 3500 9483 3531 9481

$$
4 follow-up statements
558 
WGUS74 KTSA 130230
FFSTSA

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
930 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2011

ARC033-131-OKC079-135-130530-
/O.CON.KTSA.FF.W.0029.000000T0000Z-110513T0530Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CRAWFORD AR-SEBASTIAN AR-LE FLORE OK-SEQUOYAH OK-
930 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2011

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN SEQUOYAH...
NORTHEASTERN LE FLORE...NORTHERN SEBASTIAN AND SOUTHERN CRAWFORD
COUNTIES UNTIL 1230 AM CDT...

AT 925 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER NORTHERN SEBASTIAN COUNTY AND 
FAR NORTHEAST LE FLORE COUNTIES. NEARLY 3 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN AT 
THE FORT SMITH AIRPORT SINCE 8 PM. UP TO TWO FEET OF WATER WAS REPORTED 
OVER SOME STREETS IN THE FORT SMITH AREA. FLOODING HAS ALSO BEEN 
REPORTED IN VAN BUREN AND POCOLA AND ARKOMA. AN ADDITIONAL INCH OF RAIN 
WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH 11 PM. 

SEVERAL WATER RESCUES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE FORT SMITH AREA. DO NOT 
DRIVE INTO WATER...

RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLASH FLOODING INCLUDE...
FORT SMITH...VAN BUREN...ALMA...ARKOMA...BARLING...BLOOMER...
BONANZA...CAMERON...DYER...FIGURE FIVE...HACKETT...JENNY LIND...
LAVACA...MOFFETT...PANAMA...POCOLA...ROLAND...RUDY AND SPIRO.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD TO
UNKNOWN DEPTHS. IT ONLY TAKES TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER TO CARRY AWAY
MOST SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUPS. TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE TO
REACH YOUR DESTINATION OR WAIT UNTIL THE WATER RECEDES. REMEMBER...
MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.

LOW WATER CROSSINGS IN HILLY TERRAIN ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN
HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS FLOODED ROADS. FIND
ALTERNATE ROUTES. IT ONLY TAKES A FEW INCHES OF SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER
TO CARRY VEHICLES AWAY.

A MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. IF YOU ARE IN THE
WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. RESIDENTS LIVING
ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT
LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR
WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY AUTOMOBILE.

&&

LAT...LON 3531 9408 3500 9483 3532 9469 3568 9408

$$
828 
WGUS74 KTSA 130320
FFSTSA

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1020 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2011

ARC033-131-OKC079-135-130530-
/O.CON.KTSA.FF.W.0029.000000T0000Z-110513T0530Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CRAWFORD AR-SEBASTIAN AR-LE FLORE OK-SEQUOYAH OK-
1020 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2011

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN 
SEQUOYAH...NORTHEASTERN LE FLORE...NORTHERN SEBASTIAN AND SOUTHERN 
CRAWFORD COUNTIES UNTIL 1230 AM CDT...

...MAJOR FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED...

AT 1012 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER THE WARNED AREA. THREE TO FOUR 
INCHES OF RAINFALL HAS ALREADY OCCURRED WITH AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 3 
INCHES POSSIBLE THROUGH 11 PM. 

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS NORTHEAST LE FLORE COUNTY... 
ACROSS FORT SMITH...AND INTO EASTERN CRAWFORD COUNTY. THIS IS EXPECTED 
TO CONTINUE THROUGH 11 PM. 

WATER RESCUES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE FORT SMITH AREA. WATER HAS BEEN 
REPORTED TO BE TWO FEET DEEP OVER SOME ROADS. 

DO NOT DRIVE INTO WATER THAT IS COVERING A ROAD. YOUR LIFE MAY DEPEND 
ON IT. 

RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL IS CAUSING MAJOR FLASH FLOODING TO 
OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLASH FLOODING 
INCLUDE...FORT SMITH...VAN BUREN...ALMA...ARKOMA...BARLING...DYER... 
FIGURE FIVE...HACKETT...JENNY LIND...LAVACA...MOFFETT...PANAMA... 
POCOLA...RUDY AND SPIRO.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD TO
UNKNOWN DEPTHS. IT ONLY TAKES TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER TO CARRY AWAY
MOST SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUPS. TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE TO
REACH YOUR DESTINATION OR WAIT UNTIL THE WATER RECEDES. REMEMBER...
MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE 
DANGERS OF FLOODING.  TURN AROUND AND MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO 
ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN 
WATER BEGINS RISING.

FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT. MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR
IN VEHICLES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER COVERED BRIDGES...DIPS...
OR LOW WATER CROSSINGS. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM... EVEN A
SMALL ONE...ON FOOT OR IN A VEHICLE.

A MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. IF YOU ARE IN THE
WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. RESIDENTS LIVING
ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT
LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR
WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY AUTOMOBILE.

&&

LAT...LON 3531 9408 3500 9483 3532 9469 3568 9408

$$
445 
WGUS74 KTSA 130505
FFSTSA

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1205 AM CDT FRI MAY 13 2011

ARC033-131-OKC079-135-130530-
/O.CON.KTSA.FF.W.0029.000000T0000Z-110513T0530Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CRAWFORD AR-SEBASTIAN AR-LE FLORE OK-SEQUOYAH OK-
1205 AM CDT FRI MAY 13 2011

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN SEQUOYAH...
NORTHEASTERN LE FLORE...NORTHERN SEBASTIAN AND SOUTHERN CRAWFORD
COUNTIES UNTIL 1230 AM CDT...

AT 1153 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED THAT THE HEAVY RAINFALL HAD ENDED 
ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. ALTHOUGH NO ADDITIONAL RAINFALL IS 
EXPECTED...RADAR ESTIMATES THAT BETWEEN 3 AND 7 INCHES OF RAIN MAY HAVE 
FALLEN IN PORTIONS OF NORTHERN LE FLORE...NORTHERN SEBASTIAN...AND 
SOUTHERN CRAWFORD COUNTIES DURING THE EVENING. 

ALTHOUGH THE WATER IS RECEDING...SOME AREAS WHERE DRAINAGE IS POOR MAY 
CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE FLOODING FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS. 

SOME LOCATIONS INCLUDE...FORT SMITH...VAN BUREN...ALMA...ARKOMA... 
BARLING...BLOOMER...BONANZA...CAMERON...DYER...FIGURE FIVE... 
HACKETT...JENNY LIND...LAVACA...MOFFETT...POCOLA...ROLAND...AND RUDY. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD TO
UNKNOWN DEPTHS. IT ONLY TAKES TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER TO CARRY AWAY
MOST SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUPS. TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE TO
REACH YOUR DESTINATION OR WAIT UNTIL THE WATER RECEDES. REMEMBER...
MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. DO
NOT ENTER THE WATER. TURN AROUND AND MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE 
FLOOD WATERS. 

LOW WATER CROSSINGS IN HILLY TERRAIN ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY 
RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS FLOODED ROADS. 

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN 
DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY AUTOMOBILE.

&&

LAT...LON 3531 9408 3500 9483 3532 9469 3568 9408

$$
771 
WGUS74 KTSA 130531
FFSTSA

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1231 AM CDT FRI MAY 13 2011

ARC033-131-OKC079-135-130539-
/O.EXP.KTSA.FF.W.0029.000000T0000Z-110513T0530Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CRAWFORD AR-SEBASTIAN AR-LE FLORE OK-SEQUOYAH OK-
1231 AM CDT FRI MAY 13 2011

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR FOR SOUTHEASTERN 
SEQUOYAH...NORTHEASTERN LE FLORE...NORTHERN SEBASTIAN AND SOUTHERN 
CRAWFORD COUNTIES WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 1230 AM CDT...

HOWEVER...AN AREAL FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SAME AREA 
UNTIL 630 AM FRIDAY MORNING...

THE RAIN HAS ENDED AND IS NOT EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL FLASH 
FLOODING. HOWEVER...IT MAY TAKE SEVERAL HOURS FOR HIGH WATER TO 
COMPLETELY RECEDE. THE AREAL FLOOD WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT 
THROUGH THE NIGHT.

LAT...LON 3531 9408 3500 9483 3532 9469 3568 9408

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 12, 7:02 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTSADelaware28 min
May 12, 7:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALeFlore, Sequoyah67 min
May 12, 7:13 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTSAMayes32 min
May 12, 7:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSADelaware, Mayes38 min
May 12, 7:26 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryTSALeFlore, Sequoyah3 hr
May 12, 7:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSADelaware, Ottawa23 min
May 12, 8:08 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTSAPittsburg37 min
May 12, 8:19 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTSACherokee26 min
May 12, 8:42 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTSAPittsburg33 min
May 12, 8:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSALeFlore68 min
May 12, 8:55 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTSAPittsburg35 min
May 13, 12:23 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningTSALeFlore, Sequoyah6 hr
May 12, 7:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACarroll, Madison42 min
May 12, 7:01 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTSAFranklin44 min
May 12, 7:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSAMadison, Washington20 min
May 12, 7:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSACarroll, Madison26 min
May 12, 7:49 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryTSACarroll, Franklin, Madison, Washington56 min
May 12, 7:49 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTSACarroll41 min
May 12, 8:12 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTSACrawford, Franklin, Sebastian63 min
May 12, 8:57 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryTSACarroll, Franklin, Madison, Washington108 min
May 12, 9:00 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTSACrawford30 min
May 12, 9:37 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTSAFranklin53 min
May 12, 9:59 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTSAFranklin46 min
May 12, 10:32 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementTSACrawford28 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Oklahoma, 2011Flash Flood Warnings in Arkansas, 2011Every flash flood warning 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.