National Weather Service - Little Rock, Arkansas...Service Enhancement Project Award (1996)

The Award

The North Little Rock Office of the National Weather Service (NWS) won the 1st annual Southern Region Service Enhancement Project (SEP) Award in 1996. The award was based upon the outstanding work done by the operations team during the Stone-Izard County Tornado of 1996. The award was quite prestigious, and was based on services provided during a significant weather event. The award winner was selected by customers outside the NWS, which further enhanced its prestige.

In the picture (from left to right): Service Enhancement Project (SEP) winners for the Stone-Izard County Tornado of April 14, 1996 included John Lewis, Chuck Rickard, John Robinson, Jeff Borzilleri and David Matson.

Chronology of Events

One of the actions of the NWS Little Rock staff during the event was to make a phone call to the Izard County Sheriff's Office (SO) regarding a tornado moving toward Melbourne (the county seat). The call proved to be extremely valuable according to Sheriff Donnie Yancey. He said the phone call (and the early warning) "saved many lives". The siren (in Melbourne) was sounded not long after the phone call was received, or about 10 minutes before the tornado arrived. He said he could point to specific houses where casualties would have resulted had a warning not been in effect (and had his office not been contacted).

Here are more actions taken by NWS Little Rock...

Time: 700 pm CDT

The LZK (Little Rock, AR NEXRAD site) WSR-88D showed a severe thunderstorm with strong circulation (via the 0.5 degree Storm Relative Velocity Map) nearing the Stone County line from the west. At this time, a Tornado Warning was issued for Stone County, and was valid until 745 pm CDT. The warning mentioned that the storm would track between the towns of Fox and Timbo.

Time: 712 pm CDT

No reports of tornadic activity had been received until this time, when funnel clouds were spotted at Timbo and reported by amateur radio operators (HAMs).

Time: 720 pm CDT

With radar continuing to show good storm rotation, a Severe Weather Statement (SVS) was issued and addressed to Stone County (Zone 14). The statement mentioned that the radar showed "strong indications of a tornado near Timbo." The statement also mentioned that the tornado would move just north of Newnata, and then between Allison and Fifty-Six.

Time: 725 pm CDT

While radar velocity products may have justified a Tornado Warning for Stone County, there were no confirmations of a touchdown through this time. A call was placed to the Stone County SO to see if there were any sightings of a tornado. The SO had just received a report of a tornado near Newnata.

Time: 733 pm CDT

With a tornado now confirmed, another SVS was written for Stone County. The SVS mentioned where the tornado was, and stated that it was headed toward (or just north of) Allison.

About the time the SVS was issued, a damage report was called in by a HAM. The caller said that trees were down on cars, with homes damaged 3 miles north of Fox in Stone County (between Fox and Timbo). The damage occurred around 712 pm CDT.

Also, the 0030 UTC (730 pm CDT) 0.5 degree Storm Relative Velocity Map (SRM) became available. The SRM now showed two circulations within the Stone County storm. The original circulation (where the tornado was spawned) was in the process of weakening, with a new area of rotation (about 3 miles southwest of Allison) increasing in strength.

Time: 737 pm CDT

As a new tornado got organized to the southwest of Allison, a Tornado Warning was posted for Izard County until 815 pm CDT. To help stress that this was a dangerous situation, storm reports were included in the warning (i.e. damage 3 miles north of Fox and a tornado sighting near Newnata). The storm was given a track toward Melbourne.

Time: 738 pm CDT through 740 pm CDT

The tornado strengthened markedly as it moved through Allison. With an F4 rating, the tornado crossed the White River into Sylamore (Izard County). While major damage was occurring and lives were being lost, none of this was known at the time. There were no calls from the public, and the only thing that could be trusted was the radar data (and the sketchy details that were known).

Time: 745 pm CDT

The 0042 UTC (742 pm CDT) SRM had just become available. This product showed 40 to 50 knots of shear just to the northeast of Sylamore (a strong mesocyclone). At this time, a call was placed to the Izard County SO. The SO was told that a tornado was headed along Highway 9 toward Melbourne, and it looked like it had just moved through Sylamore.

The SO was well aware of the storm, and said that ambulances were en route to Sylamore.

Time: 755 pm CDT

An SVS was disseminated for Izard County (Zone 15). The SVS addressed the tornado, the destruction at Sylamore, and the track toward Melbourne. The statement also mentioned that this was a dangerous storm, and that "people in its path need to take cover now."

Time: 800 pm CDT

The tornado arrived in the eastern sections of Melbourne, damaging homes and businesses. Again, the radar continued to indicate a tornado, but there were no reports from the public (in Melbourne) until later that evening.

Time: 808 pm CDT

The 0105 UTC (805 pm CDT) SRM showed over 50 knots of shear to the northeast of Melbourne (a strong mesocyclone). The warning for Izard County was to expire in 7 minutes.

Time: 815 pm CDT

The Tornado Warning for Izard County was extended until 900 pm CDT. The warning included the eastern part of the county, and northern Sharp County (the adjacent county to the east). The tornado was given a track toward Horseshoe Bend (northeast Izard County) and Ash Flat (northern Sharp County).

Time: 822 pm CDT

Trees were reported down near Franklin (northeast Izard County). On radar, the storm was rapidly weakening as it moved northeast, with no further damage noted in Izard and Sharp Counties. No additional warnings or statements were issued for this storm.

More on the Event

	During the evening of April 14, 1996, a violent tornado moved through Stone and Izard Counties of North Central Arkansas, causing $7.5 million in damage and killing 7 people. It was the deadliest tornado of the year in the United States.
In the picture: The Stone-Izard County Tornado tracked 40 miles through rugged terrain on 04/14/1996.

Along its 40 mile path, the tornado destroyed at least 20 homes and several businesses. The town of Melbourne (the seat of Izard County) was one of the hardest hit areas, with major damage at a car dealership, a college auditorium, and a housing project. Fortunately, the tornado claimed no lives in Melbourne.
In the picture: A house was destroyed 3.5 miles southwest of Allison (Stone County) along South Sylamore Creek.

	Most of the fatalities occurred away from population centers (such as Melbourne). Six (6) lives were lost near the neighboring towns of Allison (Stone County) and Sylamore (Izard County), which are along the banks of the White River (which separates the two counties). Near Allison, four (4) people were killed at a campground just southwest of town.
In the picture: A camping trailer was overturned at a recreational area near Allison (Stone County).

At the campground, recreation vehicles were either tossed into South Sylamore Creek (which empties into the White River) or overturned and crushed by falling trees. Another death (1) occurred 3.5 miles southwest of Allison. Just south of Sylamore, two (2) more lives were taken when a house was removed from its foundation, with the bodies thrown several hundred feet.
In the picture: A house was wiped from its foundation in Riverside subdivision along the White River just south of Sylamore (Izard County). Two deaths occurred here.

No tornado deaths had occurred in Stone County since 1929, or in Izard County since 1936.

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