Alert archive / Arkansas / Tornado Warnings in 2014

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Memphis, TN

February 20, 2014Crittenden County, Lee County, St. Francis County, Arkansas; Tunica County, Mississippi

NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at Feb 20, 2014, 3:50 PM CST for Crittenden County, Lee County, St. Francis County, Arkansas; Tunica County, Mississippi. It was in force for 25 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Feb 20, 2014, 3:50 PM CST (21:50 UTC)
Expired
Feb 20, 2014, 4:15 PM CST
In force
25 min
Issued by
NWS Memphis, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Crittenden County, AR, Lee County, AR, St. Francis County, AR, Tunica County, MS

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:52 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.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Feb 20, 2:23 PM CSTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Little Rock, AR (KBYH), launched 12:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 46 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 2014-02-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 4 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 2014-02-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 366 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
4 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
632 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
366 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
420 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

787 
WFUS54 KMEG 202150
TORMEG
ARC035-077-123-MSC143-202215-
/O.NEW.KMEG.TO.W.0001.140220T2150Z-140220T2215Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
350 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTH CENTRAL CRITTENDEN COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  NORTHEASTERN LEE COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  SOUTHEASTERN ST. FRANCIS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  NORTHWESTERN TUNICA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI...

* UNTIL 415 PM CST

* AT 350 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR BRICKEYS...OR 10 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF HUGHES...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO HUGHES.

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 3508 9032 3489 9029 3475 9062 3488 9065
TIME...MOT...LOC 2150Z 232DEG 37KT 3486 9056

$$
1 follow-up statement
837 
WWUS54 KMEG 202204
SVSMEG

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
404 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014

ARC077-MSC143-202213-
/O.CAN.KMEG.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-140220T2215Z/
TUNICA MS-LEE AR-
404 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN LEE AND NORTHWESTERN TUNICA
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

AT 403 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.

LAT...LON 3508 9032 3490 9029 3489 9030 3486 9041
      3487 9041 3490 9041 3491 9043 3497 9046
TIME...MOT...LOC 2203Z 232DEG 37KT 3494 9043

$$

ARC035-123-202215-
/O.CON.KMEG.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-140220T2215Z/
CRITTENDEN AR-ST. FRANCIS AR-
404 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 PM CST FOR
SOUTHEASTERN ST. FRANCIS AND SOUTH CENTRAL CRITTENDEN COUNTIES...

AT 403 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR NORTH HUGHES...OR
NEAR HUGHES...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO NEUHARDT...
KATE...CHATFIELD...BECK...SEYPPEL...BRUINS...PENJUR AND NORTH HUGHES.

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 3508 9032 3490 9029 3489 9030 3486 9041
      3487 9041 3490 9041 3491 9043 3497 9046
TIME...MOT...LOC 2203Z 232DEG 37KT 3494 9043

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 20, 2:53 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGPhillips52 min
Feb 20, 3:06 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementMEGCraighead24 min
Feb 20, 3:13 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementMEGLee32 min
Feb 20, 3:28 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementMEGCraighead32 min
Feb 20, 3:28 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGLee, St. Francis47 min
Feb 20, 3:35 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCraighead, Mississippi40 min
Feb 20, 3:38 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGPhillips52 min
Feb 20, 3:49 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementMEGCrittenden26 min
Feb 20, 3:57 PM CSTTornado WarningMEGCraighead, Mississippi48 min
Feb 20, 4:06 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCrittenden39 min
Feb 20, 4:08 PM CSTTornado WarningMEGCrittenden37 min
Feb 20, 4:19 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCrittenden41 min
Feb 20, 4:02 PM CSTTornado WarningMEGCoahoma, Panola, Quitman, Tate, Tunica28 min
Feb 20, 4:11 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGPanola, Quitman, Tate, Tunica49 min
Feb 20, 4:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCoahoma, Panola, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Yalobusha53 min
Feb 20, 4:35 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGBenton, DeSoto, Lafayette, Marshall, Panola, Tate and 1 more40 min
Feb 20, 5:01 PM CSTTornado WarningMEGBenton, Marshall29 min
Feb 20, 5:10 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCoahoma, Panola, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Yalobusha50 min
Feb 20, 5:11 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGAlcorn, Benton, Lafayette, Marshall, Panola, Tate and 2 more49 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Arkansas, 2014Tornado Warnings in Mississippi, 2014Every tornado warning in 2014Tornadoes in 2014

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.