Alert archive / Arkansas / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 78, NWS Memphis, TN

December 9, 2012Lawrence County, Randolph County, Arkansas

NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at Dec 9, 2012, 3:13 PM CST for Lawrence County, Randolph County, Arkansas. It was in force for 32 min. 4 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
Dec 9, 2012, 3:13 PM CST (21:13 UTC)
Expired
Dec 9, 2012, 3:45 PM CST
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Memphis, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Lawrence County, AR, Randolph County, AR

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 154 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:15 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
Dec 9, 3:30 PM CSTHAIL 1.255 Sw Imboden, ARHALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL AND SMALL TREE LIMBS REPORTED DOWN BY THE PUBLIC.
Dec 9, 3:33 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG5 N Black Rock, ARDAMAGE TO SEVERAL TREES...HAY BARN AND PARTIALLY CONSTRUCTED HOME.
Dec 9, 3:33 PM CSTTORNADO11 Sw Pocahontas, ARHOUSE COMPLETELY SHIFTED OFF FOUNDATION. SECOND STORY OF HOME REMOVED ALONG WITH ROOF. NEIGHBORS BARN IN RESIDENTS YARD.
Dec 9, 3:33 PM CSTTORNADO3 Ssw Imboden, ARTORNADO ON GROUND NEAR IMBODEN. SMALL DEBRIS FIELD REPORTED AND MEASURED WIND GUST OF 59 MILES PER HOUR.

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
Dec 9, 2:10 PM CSTTornado WatchSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 12:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 189 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 2012-12-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 344 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 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 2012-12-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 200 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
344 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-16 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
445 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
200 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
219 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

640 
WFUS54 KMEG 092113
TORMEG
ARC075-121-092145-
/O.NEW.KMEG.TO.W.0078.121209T2113Z-121209T2145Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
313 PM CST SUN DEC 9 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN LAWRENCE COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  SOUTH CENTRAL RANDOLPH COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...

* UNTIL 345 PM CST

* AT 314 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING A TORNADO 9 MILES WEST OF
  ANNIEVILLE...OR 14 MILES WEST OF LAKE CHARLES STATE PARK...MOVING
  EAST AT 40 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO RURAL AREAS
  OF NORTHWESTERN LAWRENCE AND SOUTH CENTRAL RANDOLPH COUNTIES.

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 3620 9135 3628 9108 3611 9108 3606 9135
TIME...MOT...LOC 2114Z 252DEG 34KT 3612 9136

$$
2 follow-up statements
442 
WWUS54 KMEG 092132
SVSMEG

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
332 PM CST SUN DEC 9 2012

ARC075-121-092145-
/O.CON.KMEG.TO.W.0078.000000T0000Z-121209T2145Z/
LAWRENCE AR-RANDOLPH AR-
332 PM CST SUN DEC 9 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM CST FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL RANDOLPH AND NORTH CENTRAL LAWRENCE COUNTIES...

AT 332 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR IMBODEN...OR 6
MILES NORTHWEST OF BLACK ROCK...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO BLACK ROCK
AND BIRDELL.

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 3608 9127 3623 9126 3628 9108 3611 9108
TIME...MOT...LOC 2132Z 252DEG 34KT 3617 9116

$$
896 
WWUS54 KMEG 092140
SVSMEG

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
340 PM CST SUN DEC 9 2012

ARC075-121-092151-
/O.EXP.KMEG.TO.W.0078.000000T0000Z-121209T2145Z/
LAWRENCE AR-RANDOLPH AR-
340 PM CST SUN DEC 9 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL RANDOLPH AND NORTH CENTRAL
LAWRENCE COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 345 PM CST...

AT 341 PM CST...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT THE
THUNDERSTORMS WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE AREA
AND WEAKENED. THEREFORE...THE TORNADO WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO
EXPIRE.

LAT...LON 3608 9127 3623 9126 3628 9108 3611 9108
TIME...MOT...LOC 2141Z 252DEG 34KT 3619 9106

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 8, 11:52 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementMEGLawrence38 min
Dec 9, 12:11 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementMEGLawrence34 min
Dec 9, 3:05 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGLawrence, Randolph40 min
Dec 9, 3:40 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGGreene, Randolph35 min
Dec 9, 4:05 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementMEGClay25 min
Dec 9, 4:48 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementMEGCraighead27 min
Dec 9, 4:52 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementMEGClay38 min
Dec 9, 5:13 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementMEGCraighead32 min
Dec 9, 5:44 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningMEGClay, Greene99 min
Dec 9, 5:51 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementMEGCraighead39 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Arkansas, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes in 2012

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.