Flood, Adair
- When
- April 8, 5:00 PM CST to April 9, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Adair forecast zone
- Reported by
- OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
- Coordinates
- 35.884, -94.659 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flood in Oklahoma, April 8 to 9, 2002
The Illinois River near Watts rose above its flood stage of 13 feet at 6 am cdt on April 8th. 9 feet at 5 pm cdt the same day.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS TSA wrote it up.
The Illinois River near Watts rose above its flood stage of 13 feet at 6 am cdt on April 8th. The river crested at 18.9 feet at 5 pm cdt the same day. The river fell below its flood stage at 2 am cdt on April 9th.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Tulsa, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 8, 2:10 PM CST, 2 hours 50 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 8, 2:10 PM CST, 2 hours 50 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 310 CDT MON APR 8 2002 UPPER SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE AREA HAS REGENERATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. STILL EXPERIENCING SOME FLASH FLOODING PROBLEMS WHERE REDEVELOPMENT HAS OCCURRED...SO WILL EXTEND FLASH FLOOD WATCH INTO THE EVENING HOURS. WILL INCLUDE ARKANSAS COUNTIES AND OKLAHOMA COUNTIES BORDERING ARKANSAS. WAVE OPENING AND LIFTING NORTHEAST...SO BULK OF PRECIP EXPECTED TO MOVE OUT OF THE AREA BY LATER THIS EVENING. WITH SYSTEM FINALLY MOVING OUT AND PRECIP ENDING...WILL HAVE A FEW DAYS TO DRY OUT AS SURFACE RIDGE BUILD INTO THE AREA. UPPER FLOW WILL BECOME NEARLY ZONAL THROUGH MIDWEEK...THEN WILL SEE ANOTHER TROUGH CARVED OUT OVER THE WEST. ASSOCIATED CHANCE OF PRECIP IN THE FORECAST NOW FOR FRIDAY/SATURDAY LOOKS GOOD...ALTHOUGH MAY SEE SYSTEM AFFECT THE AREA AS EARLY AS THURSDAY NIGHT. WITH UNCERTAINTY IN THE LONGER RANGE MODELS WILL ALSO KEEP AT LEAST A MENTION OF POPS EACH DAY IN THE SUNDAY/MONDAY PERIODS. FCSTID = 4 TUL 48 67 45 73 / 30 10 0 0 FSM 49 67 47 73 / 50 10 0 0 MLC 50 67 47 73 / 30 10 0 0 BVO 46 67 42 73 / 30 10 0 0 FYV 46 64 43 70 / 50 10 0 0 BYV 46 64 43 70 / 50 10 0 0 MIO 46 66 43 72 / 30 10 0 0 MKO 49 67 46 73 / 30 10 0 0 F10 48 67 45 73 / 30 10 0 0 HHW 50 68 47 74 / 30 10 0 0 .TSA... AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THIS EVENING FOR ZONES ARZ001>002...ARZ010>011...ARZ019>020...ARZ029. OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THIS EVENING FOR ZONES OKZ069...OKZ072...OKZ076.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Apr 8, 11:59 AM CST, 5 hours 1 minute before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-091200- EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 100 PM CST MON APR 8 2002 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH TODAY ALONG AND SOUTH OF AN OKEMAH TO BENTONVILLE LINE... AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE TROUGH WAS LOCATED OVER WESTERN OKLAHOMA AND EXTENDED SOUTH IN TO NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON. THE UPPER TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES EAST NORTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT INTO MISSOURI AND ARKANSAS. ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE RAIN ENDED EARLY THIS MORNING...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEGUN TO REDEVELOP IN IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. NORTHWEST ARKANSAS WILL LIKELY SEE DEVELOPMENT LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL END LATER THIS EVENING ACROSS ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THE UPPER LEVEL STORM MOVES OFF TO THE EAST. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS TODAY AND TONIGHT WILL GENERALLY BE LESS THAN AN INCH WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS AROUND 1 1/2 INCHES POSSIBLE IN STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS. 3 TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA SINCE EARLY SUNDAY...WHICH RESULTED IN FLASH FLOODING. THE EXPECTED ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TODAY MAY ONCE AGAIN RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING SINCE THE SATURATED GROUND CANNOT HOLD MUCH MORE WATER. PLEASE REFER TO THE FLOOD WATCH PRODUCT /OKCFFATUL/ ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE EARLIER THIS MORNING FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH. IN ADDITION...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING MAY BECOME SEVERE AND PRODUCE HAIL UP TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER. .SPOTTER ACTIVATION... STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS IN THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE RAINFALL TRENDS AND ANY FLOODING TODAY. IN ADDITION...THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE A CONCERN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. .DISCUSSION... COLD AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER LEVEL STORM WILL DESTABILIZE THE AIRMASS ENOUGH FOR THE POTENTIAL OF HAIL WITH THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THREAT TABLE VALID THROUGH 7 AM TUESDAY THREAT AREA 1...ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM PROBABILITY...100 SEVERE WEATHER PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...50 SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...10 THREAT AREAS DEFINE THE GREATEST RISK. PROBABILITIES ARE IN PERCENT. SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER IS DEFINED AS F1 OR GREATER WIND/TORNADO DAMAGE AND/OR GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL OR LARGER. RELATED GRAPHICAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA
Special weather statement, Apr 8, 1:00 PM CST, 4 hours before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-091200- EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 100 PM CST MON APR 8 2002 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH TODAY ALONG AND SOUTH OF AN OKEMAH TO BENTONVILLE LINE... AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE TROUGH WAS LOCATED OVER WESTERN OKLAHOMA AND EXTENDED SOUTH IN TO NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON. THE UPPER TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES EAST NORTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT INTO MISSOURI AND ARKANSAS. ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE RAIN ENDED EARLY THIS MORNING...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEGUN TO REDEVELOP IN IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. NORTHWEST ARKANSAS WILL LIKELY SEE DEVELOPMENT LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL END LATER THIS EVENING ACROSS ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THE UPPER LEVEL STORM MOVES OFF TO THE EAST. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS TODAY AND TONIGHT WILL GENERALLY BE LESS THAN AN INCH WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS AROUND 1 1/2 INCHES POSSIBLE IN STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS. 3 TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA SINCE EARLY SUNDAY...WHICH RESULTED IN FLASH FLOODING. THE EXPECTED ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TODAY MAY ONCE AGAIN RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING SINCE THE SATURATED GROUND CANNOT HOLD MUCH MORE WATER. PLEASE REFER TO THE FLOOD WATCH PRODUCT /OKCFFATUL/ ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE EARLIER THIS MORNING FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH. IN ADDITION...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING MAY BECOME SEVERE AND PRODUCE HAIL UP TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER. .SPOTTER ACTIVATION... STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS IN THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE RAINFALL TRENDS AND ANY FLOODING TODAY. IN ADDITION...THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE A CONCERN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. .DISCUSSION... COLD AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER LEVEL STORM WILL DESTABILIZE THE AIRMASS ENOUGH FOR THE POTENTIAL OF HAIL WITH THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THREAT TABLE VALID THROUGH 7 AM TUESDAY THREAT AREA 1...ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THUNDERSTORM PROBABILITY...100 SEVERE WEATHER PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...50 SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...10 THREAT AREAS DEFINE THE GREATEST RISK. PROBABILITIES ARE IN PERCENT. SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER IS DEFINED AS F1 OR GREATER WIND/TORNADO DAMAGE AND/OR GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL OR LARGER. RELATED GRAPHICAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Flood
- Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flooding in Texas, April 8, 2002
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, April 8, 2002
- Damaging Wind in Alabama, April 8, 2002
- Flash Flood and Hail in Texas, April 8, 2002
- Flash Flood in Texas, April 8, 2002
- Damaging Wind in Mississippi, April 8, 2002
- Flash Flooding in Louisiana, April 8, 2002
- Damaging Wind in Texas, April 8, 2002
- Damaging Wind in Louisiana, April 8, 2002
- Damaging Wind in Alabama, April 8, 2002
- Damaging Wind in Alabama, April 8, 2002
- Damaging Wind in Louisiana, April 8, 2002
More
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, April 2002
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5290102.