An upper level disturbance moved into the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley during the late night hours of October 22nd. At the surface, a retreating warm front was located across southern Oklahoma and near the Louisiana and Arkansas border.
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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.
The episode as NWS SHV wrote it up.
An upper level disturbance moved into the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley during the late night hours of October 22nd. At the surface, a retreating warm front was located across southern Oklahoma and near the Louisiana and Arkansas border. Moisture returned to the region across the warm sector and the upper level disturbance provided the lift needed for strong to severe thunderstorms across portions of the region. Strong wind gusts were the primary result of these storms.
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 Shreveport, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 22, 11:07 PM CST, 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 1207 AM CDT SUN OCT 23 2011 .UPDATE... ZONE UPDATE JUST SENT TO CANCEL SVR WATCH 869 FOR NE TX/SE OK/EXTREME SW AR. ONGOING MCS OVER NNE TX/SE OK/ADJACENT SW AR CONTINUES TO MAKES STEADY PROGRESS SE TONIGHT...BUT HAVE SHOWN A WEAKENING TREND AS IT TRACKS INTO A MORE STABLE AND SLIGHTLY DRIER ENVIRONMENT FARTHER S. 30KT SSW LLJ OVER NCNTRL TX ATOP THE COLD POOL SURGING S WILL HELP SUSTAIN THIS CONVECTION OVERNIGHT...ESPECIALLY AS THE PRIMARY SHORTWAVE OVER SRN OK HELPING TO FORCE THIS CONVECTION CONTINUES TO TRACK SE ACROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT. CAN/T RULE OUT LOCALLY STRONGER WIND GUSTS ALSO THE COLD POOL AS IT ENTERS NE TX...WHILE STEEP LAPSE RATES MAY ALSO ADD A MARGINAL HAIL THREAT AS WELL. BUT OVERALL...THE SVR THREAT SHOULD BE ISOLATED OVER OUR REGION OVERNIGHT. ALSO EXPANDED CATEGORICAL/LIKELY POPS FARTHER S ACROSS E TX AHEAD OF THE MCS. NO OTHER CHANGES NEEDED TO THE FORECAST ATTM. 15 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 949 PM CDT SAT OCT 22 2011/ DISCUSSION... MCS CONTINUES TO MAKE STEADY PROGRESS SE ACROSS SCNTRL/SE OK ATTM...ALTHOUGH MUCH OF THE CONVECTION HAS REMAINED N OF A WEAK WARM FRONT/INVERTED SFC TROUGH...WHICH EXTENDED ACROSS SCNTRL AND SE OK A COUPLE OF COUNTIES N OF THE RED RIVER. HOWEVER...THE WRN EDGE OF THE CONVECTION REMAINS MOST INTENSE NNE OF ADM TO ATOKA...WHERE THE BEST SFC BASED INSTABILITY AND MOISTURE CONVERGENCE LIE. THIS CONVECTION HAS PRODUCED A SSEWD PROPAGATING COLD POOL...WHICH WILL CROSS THE RED RIVER INTO FAR NCNTRL/NE TX AFTER 0330Z. SFC MESOANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THE AIR MASS IS MUCH MORE STABLE ACROSS N/NE TX THIS EVENING...WITH WEAK CAPPING NOTED ON THE 00Z FWD RAOB. HOWEVER...VERY STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND COLDER MID LEVEL TEMPS ALOFT NOTED ON THE REGIONAL RAOBS UPSTREAM ACROSS OK HAVE RESULTED IN A NUMBER OF SVR HAIL REPORTS ACROSS CNTRL/NE OK N OF THE FRONT...WITH THE HAIL THREAT PERSISTING FOR A FEW MORE HOURS AS THESE STORMS MOVE ACROSS THE RED RIVER. DESPITE A MORE STABLE SFC BASED AIR MASS FARTHER S...A 25-30KT SWRLY LLJ SHOULD MAINTAIN ORGANIZED CONVECTION ALONG THE COLD POOL...ESPECIALLY AS STRONG FORCING ALOFT BEGINS TO OVERSPREAD THE AREA LATE WITH THE APPROACH OF A SHARP SHORTWAVE TROUGH NOTED ON THE WATER VAPOR LOOP OVER CNTRL OK. DID MAKE SOME MINOR CHANGES TO THE GOING POPS TONIGHT...MAINLY TO INCREASE THEM TO CATEGORICAL NW OF I-30 THIS EVENING...AND ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF SW AR AFTER 06Z. ALSO TONED DOWN POPS OVERNIGHT FOR DEEP E TX/SRN SECTIONS OF NCNTRL LA...AS THE LATER ONSET OF THE CONVECTION /LATER THAN THE 18Z MODEL RUNS/ WILL RESULT IN A LATER TIMING ACROSS THESE AREAS...MAINLY AFTER 12Z SUNDAY. AN ISOLATED SVR THREAT MAY CARRY OVER AFTER 06Z ACROSS NE TX/SE OK/SW AR...BUT THIS THREAT SHOULD DIMINISH OVERNIGHT AS THE BEST FORCING WILL PROCEED NE OF THE ONGOING SVR CONVECTION...WHERE THE BEST CONVERGENCE/INSTABILITY LIE. BUT WILL LET THE SVR WATCH 869 RIDE THROUGH 05Z...AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR RADAR TRENDS TO SEE IF ANY LOCAL EXTENTION IS NECESSARY. ALSO RAISED POPS SUNDAY MORNING ACROSS E TX/N LA...WITH THE WEAKENED CONVECTION EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH MIDMORNING BEFORE DIMINISHING FROM NW TO SE. VERY LITTLE IF ANY CHANGES WERE NEEDED TO THE ONGOING FORECAST MIN TEMPS TONIGHT. ZONE UPDATE ALREADY OUT...GRIDS WILL BE AVAILABLE SHORTLY. 15 AVIATION... A SHORT WAVE IN NW FLOW ALOFT...BRINGING INCREASING TSTM DEVELOPMENT THIS EVE ACROSS MUCH OF EASTERN OK. MOST OF THE CONVECTION HAS REMAINED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF A WEAK EAST TO WEST FRONTAL BOUNDARY. VERY UNSTABLE AIR ON THE COOL SIDE OF BOUNDARY...AS SEEN ON OKC 0Z SOUNDING...HAS BEEN YIELDING SVRL HAILSTORMS. LACK OF DEVELOPMENT ON SOUTH SIDE OF BOUNDARY SUGGESTS SVRL HOURS BEFORE STORMS REACH AIRPORT TERMINALS IN CWA...WITH POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF TXK...BEFORE 06Z. FAIRLY LIGHT LOW LVL SOUTHERLY FLOW...AND LACK OF FROPA...SUGGEST CIGS TO REMAIN MOSTLY VFR THRU PERIOD...OUTSIDE OF PSBL CONVECTION. FOG MAY DEVELOP ACROSS MOSTLY MLU AND ELD TERMINALS...WHERE LIGHT WINDS AND LIMITED CLOUDS MAY ALLOW FOR TEMPS TO FALL THRU DEWPOINTS. AT OTHER LOCATIONS...RAINFALL MAY BE NEEDED FOR FOG TO DEVELOP LATER TONIGHT. /VII/ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... SHV 60 78 55 82 62 / 70 40 10 0 0 MLU 54 74 51 79 59 / 50 50 10 0 0 DEQ 57 73 48 80 59 / 80 20 10 0 0 TXK 58 72 52 81 62 / 80 30 10 0 0 ELD 54 72 46 79 60 / 80 50 10 0 0 TYR 62 81 57 83 64 / 70 20 10 0 0 GGG 60 80 57 83 62 / 70 30 10 0 0 LFK 60 83 57 85 62 / 40 30 10 0 0 && .SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. LA...NONE. OK...NONE. TX...NONE. && 15
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 1200 PM CDT SAT OCT 22 2011 ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-OKZ077-TXZ096- 097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167-231100- ANGELINA-BIENVILLE-BOSSIER-BOWIE-CADDO-CALDWELL-CAMP-CASS-CHEROKEE- CLAIBORNE-COLUMBIA-DE SOTO-FRANKLIN-GRANT-GREGG-HARRISON-HEMPSTEAD- HOWARD-JACKSON-LA SALLE-LAFAYETTE-LINCOLN-LITTLE RIVER-MARION- MCCURTAIN-MILLER-MORRIS-NACOGDOCHES-NATCHITOCHES-NEVADA-OUACHITA- PANOLA-RED RIVER LA-RED RIVER TX-RUSK-SABINE LA-SABINE TX- SAN AUGUSTINE-SEVIER-SHELBY-SMITH-TITUS-UNION AR-UNION LA-UPSHUR- WEBSTER-WINN-WOOD- 1200 PM CDT SAT OCT 22 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS...EAST AND NORTHEAST TEXAS...AND NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ABUNDANT GULF MOISTURE WILL BE MOVING NORTH FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO INTO A WARM FRONT NEAR THE RED RIVER...AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA. THIS WILL RESULT IN SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH MAY BECOME SEVERE. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH DEADLY LIGHTNING. AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20 WILL HAVE THE BEST CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS AND SEVERE WEATHER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPREAD SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE DAY SUNDAY...AND END BY LATE AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. INSTABILITY IS EXPECTED TO BE WEAK. HOWEVER...HIGH LAPSE RATES ALONG WITH GULF MOISTURE...AND VEERING WIND UNDER THE NORTHWEST FLOW PATTERN ALOFT...WILL PRODUCE ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. ANOTHER AND MORE AMPLIFIED UPPER TROUGH WILL SEND A STRONGER COLD FRONT INTO THE FOUR STATE REGION LATE IN THE WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THE ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND STORM SPOTTERS MAY BE REQUIRED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
1057 PM CDT SAT OCT 22 2011
ARZ050-059-OKZ077-TXZ096-230500-
LITTLE RIVER-MCCURTAIN-RED RIVER-SEVIER-
1057 PM CDT SAT OCT 22 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...
IN SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...
LITTLE RIVER AND SEVIER...
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...
MCCURTAIN...
IN NORTHEAST TEXAS...
RED RIVER...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
ARKINDA...DE QUEEN...FOREMAN...HORATIO...WINTHROP...BROKEN
BOW...IDABEL...BAGWELL...BOXELDER...CLARKSVILLE AND
MANCHESTER...
AT 1057 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
DETECTING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 9 MILES
EAST OF NASHOBA TO 6 MILES SOUTH OF OLETA TO GOODLAND...OR ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 19 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CLAYTON TO 14 MILES
NORTHEAST OF HUGO TO HUGO...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS 40 TO 45 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.
15SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
1204 AM CDT SUN OCT 23 2011
ARZ050-051-059-OKZ077-TXZ096-097-230600-
BOWIE-HOWARD-LITTLE RIVER-MCCURTAIN-RED RIVER-SEVIER-
1204 AM CDT SUN OCT 23 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 100 AM CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...
IN SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...
HOWARD...LITTLE RIVER AND SEVIER...
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...
MCCURTAIN...
IN NORTHEAST TEXAS...
RED RIVER AND BOWIE...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
ALLEENE...ARKINDA...ASHDOWN...ATHENS...BEN LOMOND...DE QUEEN...
DIERKS...FOREMAN...GILLHAM...HORATIO...LOCKESBURG...OGDEN...
RICHMOND...UMPIRE...WILTON...WINTHROP...BOGATA...BOXELDER...
DALBY SPRINGS...DE KALB...HOOKS AND NEW BOSTON...
AT 1159 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
DETECTING A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORM...NEAR THE OKLAHOMA AND
ARKANSAS STATE LINE...EXTENDING SOUTHWEST TO NEAR CLARKVILLE TEXAS.
THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST SOUTHEAST NEAR 50 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
VIIThe Shreveport radar (KSHV), 172 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:09 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Large tree limbs were downed on Hwy. 37 just south of the Clarksville, Texas city limits.
Large tree limbs were downed and blocking Fairgrounds Road in Clarksville, Texas.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, October 2011
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: 342572, 342574.