Tornado emergency

, mainly a headline containing the phrase "Tornado Emergency for..." and specific information about areas in the path. Since information about the tornado and its exact path are often ascertained after the initial tornado warning is issued, this designation is usually added to the Severe Weather Statement (SVS) that is used to follow-up a tornado warning.

History

Between 530 p.m. and 630 p.m. on May 3, 1999, David Andra, the Science and Operations Officer at the National Weather Service Norman office watched as the most powerful tornado ever recorded by radar, with winds of 301 ⁺/- 20 miles per hour, approached Oklahoma City. This led to the issuance of the first tornado emergency. [cite web | title = TORNADO EMERGENCY IN SOUTH OKLAHOMA CITY METRO AREA | publisher = NWS - Norman, Oklahoma | date = May 3, 1999 | url = http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/storms/19990503/svsokc.txt | accessdate = 2007-08-13 ]

"As the large tornado approached western sections of the OKC metro area, we asked ourselves more than once, 'Are we doing all we can do to provide the best warnings and information?'" It became apparent that unique and eye-catching phrases needed to be included in the products. "At one point we used the phrase 'Tornado Emergency' to paint the picture that a rare and deadly tornado was imminent in the metro area. We hoped that such dire phrases would prompt action from anyone that still had any questions about what was about to happen. [cite journal | title = The Southern Plains Cyclone | journal = Spring 2007 | volume = 2 | issue = 2 | publisher = National Weather Service | url = http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/newsletter/spring2004 | accessdate = 2008-02-15] "

Example

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENTNATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK657 PM CDT MON MAY 3 1999

...TORNADO EMERGENCY IN SOUTH OKLAHOMA CITY METRO AREA...

AT 657 PM CDT...A LARGE TORNADO WAS MOVING ALONG INTERSTATE 44 WEST OFNEWCASTLE. ON ITS PRESENT PATH...THIS LARGE DAMAGING TORNADO WILLENTER SOUTHWEST SECTIONS OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY METRO AREA BETWEEN 715 PMAND 730 PM. PERSONS IN MOORE AND SOUTH OKLAHOMA CITY SHOULD TAKEIMMEDIATE TORNADO PRECAUTIONS!

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. IF YOUARE IN THE PATH OF THIS LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE TORNADO...TAKE COVERIMMEDIATELY.

DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THIS STORM MAY CONTAIN DESTRUCTIVE HAIL TO THESIZE OF BASEBALLS...OR LARGER.

Tornado emergencies issued

Since its first use in 1999, the Tornado Emergency text has been used in at least 70 bulletins, sometimes on multiple occasions on the same day. For instance, during the 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak, tornado emergencies were mentioned in twelve separate bulletins in Tennessee and Alabama.

1999

* May 3, 1999: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

2000

* March 28, 2000: Fort Worth, Texas [ cite web |url=http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/public/read/geo/14
title=National Weather Service warning |accessdate=2008-02-19]
* June 13, 2000: Perryton, Texas [ cite web |url=http://www.wdtb.noaa.gov/workshop/wdm/originals/WDMIII.ppt |title=National Weather Service warning decision making workshop powerpoint presentation |accessdate=2008-02-19]

2002

* September 20, 2002: Indianapolis, Indiana area [ cite web |url= http://puma.purdue.org/pastevents/sep202002/intornadoes.html |title=Indiana tornadoes of September 20, 2002 |accessdate=2008-02-19]
* November 10, 2002: Cullman County, Alabama [ [http://www.bamaweather.com/storm/111002-saragossa-goodhope.html Bamaweather.com ] ]

2003

* May 4, 2003: Northern Kansas City metro area [ [http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/record-may.pdf] , pg 14]
* May 6, 2003: Northern Alabama [ cite web |url= http://www.bamaweather.com/storm/stmts050603.txt |title=May 6, 2003 National Weather Service warning archive for Alabama |accessdate=2008-02-19] (six bulletins)
* May 7, 2003: Central Alabama [ cite web |url= http://www.bamaweather.com/storm/stmts050703.txt |title=May 7, 2003 National Weather Service warning archive for Alabama |accessdate=2008-02-19] (ten bulletins)
* May 8, 2003: Southeastern Oklahoma City metro area [cite web | title = Text Products Issued on May 8, 2003 | publisher = National Weather Service, Norman | date = May 8, 2003 | url = http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/storms/20030508/products.php | accessdate = 2008-02-15] (four bulletins)
* May 9, 2003: Oklahoma City metro area [cite web | title = Text Products Issued on May 9, 2003 | publisher = National Weather Service, Norman | date = May 9, 2003 | url = http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/storms/20030509/products.php | accessdate = 2008-02-15] (nine bulletins)

2006

* March 12, 2006: Western and southwestern Missouri (seven bulletins) [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2006/03/12/text/Severe/Severe_12.txt |title=March 12, 2006 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19] [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2006/03/13/text/Severe/Severe_13.txt |title=March 13, 2006 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19]
* April 2, 2006: Caruthersville, Missouri area [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2006/04/03/text/Severe/Severe_03.txt |title=April 3, 2006 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19]
* April 7, 2006: Huntsville, Alabama area (three bulletins) [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2006/04/08/text/Severe/Severe_08.txt |title=April 8, 2006 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19]

2007

* May 4, 2007: Greensburg, Kansas [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2007/05/05/text/Severe/Severe_05.txt |title=May 5, 2007 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19]
* May 5, 2007: Great Bend, Kansas [cite web | last = Murray | first = Bill | title = Tornado Emergency Great Bend, Kansas | publisher = National Weather Service, Wichita, Kansas | date = May 5, 2007 | url = http://www.jamesspann.com/wordpress/?p=1630 | accessdate = 2008-02-15] [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2007/05/06/text/Severe/Severe_06.txt |title=May 6, 2007 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19]
* October 18, 2007: Nappanee, Indiana [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2007/10/19/text/Severe/Severe_19.txt |title=October 19, 2007 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19] (three bulletins)

2008

* January 7, 2008: Springfield, Missouri [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2008/01/08/text/Severe/Severe_08.txt |title=January 8, 2008 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19] (two bulletins)
* February 5, 2008: Memphis, Tennessee [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2008/02/05/text/Severe/Severe_05.txt |title=February 5, 2008 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19] (five bulletins)
* February 5, 2008: Jackson, Tennessee [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2008/02/06/text/Severe/Severe_06.txt |title=February 6, 2008 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19] (three bulletins)
* February 5, 2008: Cedar Grove, Tennessee [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2008/02/06/text/Severe/Severe_06.txt |title=February 6, 2008 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19] (two bulletins)
* February 5, 2008: Huntingdon, Tennessee [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2008/02/06/text/Severe/Severe_06.txt |title=February 6, 2008 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19]
* February 6, 2008: Decatur, Alabama [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2007/02/06/text/Severe/Severe_06.txt |title=February 6, 2008 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19]
* February 17, 2008: Prattville, Alabama [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2008/02/17/text/Severe/Severe_17.txt |title=February 17, 2008 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-02-19]
* March 15, 2008: Atlanta, Georgia [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2008/03/15/text/Severe/Severe_15.txt |title=March 15, 2008 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-03-15]
* April 4, 2008: Ridgeland, Mississippi [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2008/04/04/text/Severe/Severe_04.txt |title=April 4, 2008 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-04-04] (two bulletins)
* April 9, 2008: Breckenridge, Texas [ cite web|url = http://www.beloblog.com/wfaaweather/2008/04/tornado_emergen.html|title = Tornado Emergency for Stephens County and Breckenridge|accessdate=2008-04-09] [ cite web |url=http://mtarchive.geol.iastate.edu/2008/04/09/text/Severe/Severe_09.txt |title=April 9, 2008 National Weather Service warning archive |accessdate=2008-04-09]

ee also

* Tornado warning
* List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks

References