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WGUS74 KTSA 192120

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ARC033-047-131-OKC023-077-079-121-127-192200-



FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK

319 PM CST TUE MAR 19 2002



...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR FRANKLIN...CRAWFORD...   

SEBASTIAN...LE FLORE...PITTSBURG...LATIMER...PUSHMATAHA AND CHOCTAW 

COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM CST...

...VERY DANGEROUS FLASH FLOODING OCCURRING...



AT 319 PM CST...RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW AN AREA OF HEAVY RAIN OVER 

SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 

20 MPH. ADDITIONAL VERY TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WAS MOVING NORTHEAST 

TOWARD THE AREA FROM SOUTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AND NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS. 



RADAR AND SURFACE REPORTS INDICATE THAT WIDESPREAD AMOUNTS RAINFALL 

AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN HAS ALREADY FALLEN OVER THE WARNED 

AREA. ANOTHER 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING 

ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM MCALESTER TO HUNTSVILLE. 2 TO 3 

INCHES OF RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 

CLAYTON TO FORT SMITH THROUGH THIS EVENING.



AT 300 PM CST...CHOCTAW COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTS 

WIDESPREAD SIGNIFICANT FLOODING OF COUNTY ROADS ACROSS THE COUNTY. 

BRIDGE DAMAGE HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED. MANY COUNTY ROADS HAVE 5 TO 6 

FEET OF WATER SUBMERGING THEM. 



AT 250 PM CST...LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN LE FLORE COUNTY REPORT 

THAT OLD HIGHWAY 112 HAS BEEN CLOSED NEAR POTEAU. IN ADDITION SOME 

STREETS IN POTEAU ARE FLOODED. 



AT 310 PM CST...CRAWFORD COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED A FEW 

COUNTY ROADS CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER IN THE AREA. 



AT 305 PM CST...SEBASTIAN COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTS THAT 

SEVERAL ROADS IN SEBASTIAN COUNTY HAVE BEEN BARRICADED DUE TO HIGH 

WATER AND FLOODING CONDITIONS.



AT 210 PM CST...THE OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED THAT HIGHWAY 31 

WAS CLOSED 3 MILES WEST OF MCALESTER...AND HIGHWAY 63 4 MILES WEST 

OF HAILEYVILLE...BOTH IN PITTSBURG COUNTY...WERE CLOSED DUE TO HIGH 

WATER.



THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS FLOOD EVENT. WHEN WATER RISES MOVE TO 

HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY 

LIFE THREATENING SITUATION 



ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN THAT WILL OCCUR OVER THE AREA WILL ONLY CAUSE 

ONGOING FLOODING TO WORSEN ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. RESIDENTS IN 

SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS ARE URGED TO VERY 

CAREFULLY MONITOR THIS DANGEROUS FLASH FLOOD SITUATION.



DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE

ROADWAY. THE WATER MAY BE TOO DEEP TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY.

VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE TO

HIGHER GROUND.



A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT. IT IS

IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE RELATIVE TO STREAMS...RIVERS...OR

CREEKS WHICH CAN BECOME KILLERS IN HEAVY RAINS. CAMPERS SHOULD AVOID

CAMPING ALONG STREAMS OR CREEKS DURING THREATENING RAINS.



$$



MANNING

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