Power Outage in Oklahoma City, OK

A row of power poles were blown down near the intersection of Northwest Expressway and Rockwell Ave. Time is estimated via radar.

This tornado developed northwest of SW 44th Street and Council Road and just north of Western Heights High School. The tornado moved northeast, crossing Interstate 40 just east of Rockwell Avenue, and dissipated near NW 23rd Street between MacArthur Blvs and Ann Arbor Avenue. One building near SW 36th and Council had one exterior wall blown outward, and there was tree and power pole damage at various spots along the tornado path.

Damage to a power pole and tree limb damage.

Three power poles downed.

Power pole downed on SE 29TH between Douglas and Post. Time estimated from radar.

Power poles downed across the county.

Power poles downed, trees uprooted.

Numerous large trees downed, sheet metal roofing peeled off a shopping center, power poles leaning. Time estimated from radar.

Power pole damage reported at NW 50TH and Meridian.

Downed power lines in multiple locations, time radar estimated.

Power lines reported downed in at least two locations in Midwest City.

Powerline downed.

Twitter video of large tree fallen on a house, significant roof damage to the home. Powerlines downed in other parts of the county.

I35 flooded at NE 36TH street. Power outage and street lights are out.

Numerous power poles damaged, resulting in power some disruptions.

A second area consistent with a tornado was observed within a larger swath of thunderstorm wind damage as a Quasi-Linear Convective System moved through. This tornado developed just west of NW 20th Street and Blackwelder Avenue and initially moved east-northeast. Just west of Douglas Avenue, the tornado turned north until reaching NW 23rd Street, then turned east-northeast dissipating near NW 24th Street and Western Avenue. A restaurant near NW 23rd Street and Douglas suffered roof damage on the east side of the building, and windows were broken in a building that had previously housed Rainbow Records at NW 23rd and Classen. Elsewhere along the path, trees and powerlines were damaged as well as roof damage to one home, an damaged outbuilding, and street signs along NW 23rd.

A second swath of wind damage occurred across northeast Oklahoma City as a Quasi-Linear Convective System continued to move east through Oklahoma City. Although most of the damage was consistent with damaging thunderstorm winds, there were two localized area within this area where damage was consistent with a tornado (see separate entries for these tornadoes).||This area of damaging thunderstorm winds developed near Kelley Avenue between NE 36th Street and NE 42nd Street and moved northeast through the Remington Park area to just southeast of the Interstate 35/Interstate 44 interchange. The width of this area of damaging winds was up to 500 yards. Except for the damage produced by tornadoes within this area, damage was confined to trees, power lines and fences. Some trees were uprooted, although the ground was much wetter than usual with recent heavy rains.

Powerlines down at SW 80TH and May Ave.

Damage in area of NW 28TH and Nesbitt included two metal detached carports blown away, trees down, and one power pole or street light pole downed with a downed power line.

Power pole down along I-44 just east of I-35, about 6 miles north-northeast of Lake Aluma.

Power pole down along I-44 just east of I-35, 6 miles north-northeast of Lake Aluma.

Initial damage was observed near NE 122nd Street and Interstate 35 in northeastern Oklahoma City. The tornado moved generally northeast across east Edmond, crossing the northwestern portion of Arcadia Lake, then dissipating southeast of Danforth Road and Midwest Boulevard. Except for power pole and fencing damage at the beginning of the path, damage was limited to sporadic tree damage.

A small, weak tornado developed near NE 23rd Street and Kelley Avenue and moving northeast to an area just southeast of NE 36th Street and Prospect Avenue. This tornado produced damage to a power pole just south of NE 23rd Street and a snapped a few tree branches along the path. One tree snapped falling onto a carport and car along Prospect Avenue.

A small, weak tornado developed near NE 23rd Street and Kelley Avenue and moving northeast to an area just southeast of NE 36th Street and Prospect Avenue. This tornado produced damage to a power pole just south of NE 23rd Street and a snapped a few tree branches along the path. One tree snapped falling onto a carport and car along Prospect Avenue.

Structural damage sustained by a business, and power lines/poles downed nearby.

Numerous power lines were downed across roads near interstate 40 and May avenue. Time estimated by radar.

Wind damage across the State Fair Park included: an arch blown down, a cell tower down, a light pole down, 30-50 trees uprooted or down, two overhead doors damaged, possible damage to roof on the shop, and powerlines down all around including transmission lines. Time estimated by radar.

Ten power poles were downed alone May ave between 63rd and Wilshire.

Power lines were downed at this location, as well as a few more lines and a tree blown into the roadway in NE Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City emergency manager reported power lines down near NW 48th street and Northwest Expressway. Time estimated by radar.

Observed 0.75 inches of ice accumulation. A car was damaged (est. $5K). Damage estimates from local power cooperatives were reported at $24K.

A four foot diameter was snapped at the base and several power lines and poles were downed.

Tree limbs and power lines downed in the vicinity of NE 36th and North Martin Luther King Ave.

Trees and power lines down at 8th and Western in Oklahoma City.

At least three power lines were downed on the southwest side of Oklahoma City near Will Rogers World Airport.

Freezing rain prevailed through the event with widespread 1/3 to 1/2 inch ice accumulations on trees, power lines and other elevated surfaces. Downed trees and power lines along with sporadic power outages were also reported in the Oklahoma City area.

A tornado moved into Oklahoma County from Canadian County in western Oklahoma City and moved generally east along and near SW 15th Street before dissipating near SW 15th and Meridian Avenue. Buildings, power lines and trees were damaged, including broken windows at a couple of motels along Meridian Avenue. Damage amounts were estimated.

An EF-0 tornado traveled from Creekwood Terrace southeast to Keith Drive near SE 54th Street. Minor damage to trees and power lines was noted. Damages estimated.

A brief tornado was observed just northeast of Lake Arcdia. The tornado damaged a power pole along Post Road just north of State Highway 66, otherwise no known damage occurred.

Powerlines down at Penn and Memorial.

Many power lines were downed in the area around 150th and Penn.

Fire Department reported power poles down, a large tree blocking a roadway, and power outages.

Numerous reports of damage were received from the Oklahoma City area along with at least two injuries. Multiple power poles were toppled and several buildings received window and roof damage. Vehicles were also damaged due to the large hail. Monetary damage estimates were based on a combination of several media damage estimates.

The city of Oklahoma City along with local broadcast media reported wind damage along a stretch from around Reno Avenue to SW 22nd Street, and to South Indiana Street. The damage was confined to buildings, trees, and signs, as most residential structures only suffered minor shingle damage. Some of the worst tree damage occurred along Westwood Avenue from Exchange Avenue to SW 19th Street, and along SW 15th Street from Westwood to Pennsylvania Avenues. A two-story apartment building had its roof torn off, but this building had been damage in two prior storms. Numerous commercial buildings suffered at least minor roof damage. Some of the more significant damage occurred near Stockyard City. Falling debris (bricks, etc.) damaged a few adjacent structures and awnings. Numerous power poles were blown down, with over 1700 customers without power for several hours. Monetary damages for this severe wind event were not available.

A few power lines were downed in and around Midwest City. Monetary damages were estimated.

Widespread damage was reported between Council Road and MacArthur Avenue, and between NW 150th and Hefner Road. Thousands of tree limbs were blown down. A roof at a nursing home was partially removed. A large portion of the roof at James L. Dennis Elementary school was also removed. Dozens of fences were blown down. At least five large power poles were snapped, with several other smaller poles/lines downed. A couple of highway signs were also blown over along the Kilpatrick Turnpike. The peak wind gust was estimated at 75 mph, with several other gusts over 60 mph. Monetary damage estimates were not available.

A few trees were uprooted, with power outages through the area as a result.

This tornado is a continuation of the tornado that began in Cleveland County, labeled #I1. This long-tracked and devastating tornado developed west of I-35, northwest of Max Westheimer airport. Widespread tree, power line/pole damage was reported from near I-35 to the east side of Stanley Draper Lake. Several homes also sustained damage, mainly with mostly roofs receiving significant damage, and some siding was ripped off. Several fences were also knocked down as the tornado moved northeast. From the east side of Lake Stanley Draper, near Hiwassee Road and SE 89th Street, to just south of Harrah, the damage path became more severe and focused. The tree damage became more severe, breaking at various heights of the tree or being uprooted. Walls of homes collapsed, and debris from the homes scattered in all directions. Several 2x4's punctured roofs and ceilings over numerous structures. A few mobile homes in this area were also completely destroyed. Where the tornado crossed I-40, a gas station and drive-in restaurant sustained up to EF3 damage. The most severe damage, one of the two EF4 tornadoes of the day, occurred in the Deerfield West Subdivision. A well-built residence here was completely destroyed, with most exterior and interior walls collapsing. The tornado finally lifted 2 miles south of Harrah. In addition to the incredible damage, two people lost their lives as a result of the tornado.

Light ice accumulations on power lines combined with strong winds and resulted in power outages in the Oklahoma City metro area. At the peak, over 30,000 utility customers were without power. Around a half of a dozen power lines were downed around the metro area. Monetary damage estimates were not available.

Power lines were downed near Reno Avenue and Sunnylane Road. Monetary damages were estimated.

Numerous non-thunderstorm wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph were reported, including gusts measured by the Oklahoma Mesonet, mainly over the western and northern sides of Oklahoma City. The highest gust measured was 74 mph at 124 am CDT near the Wiley Post Airport. Other peak gusts include 58 mph two miles east-northeast of Spencer, and 59 mph measured at the north Oklahoma City mesonet site. Damage was reported with the strong winds, mainly confined to tree limbs and power lines, although a tractor-trailer was blown over on Interstate 35, causing the road to be shut down for almost two hours. Power lines were downed along Memorial Road between Santa Fe Avenue and Western Avenue. Roof damage was reported at an apartment complex near Northwest Expressway and May Avenue. A tree was also blown onto a car near northeast 122nd and Council Road. The Farmer's Market at 63rd and May Avenue sustained damage to several tents that were bolted to the concrete. At the peak of the event, 5493 residences were without power. Monetary damage estimates were not available.

Around an inch of sleet accumulated around the Oklahoma City metro area. This occurred on top of at least a quarter of an inch of ice glaze. At one point during the event, 5200 people were without power, mainly in the Warr Acres area. Local law enforcement worked over 70 automobile accidents, with at least 27 injuries. Over 145 people were injured from slipping on sidewalks and parking lots. Even while salt crews were out treating roadways, two OKDOT trucks overturned. Over 150 tons of salt were applied on area roadways during the event. No life-threatening injuries were reported during the event. Monetary damages were not given.

Two power poles were blown down near Sunnylane Road and Interstate 40. The report was relayed by KWTV-9. Monetary damages were not available.

A few trees and a power pole were downed along Kelley Avenue between NE 10th and NE 29th streets. Monetary damages were estimated.

Several tree limbs were downed due to high winds. Some of the winds fell over power lines, knocking out power to several residents in the city. Monetary damages were estimated.

The roof was peeled away and lines ruptured at a business that contained commercial refrigeration units on the southeast side of the city. The building was evacuated due to a cloud being seen and ammonia vapors smelled. One person was injured. Power lines were also downed.

Power lines were downed at the intersection of Southwest 44th and Interstate 44.

Power lines were downed near the intersection of 23rd and Boyd.

Lightning struck a power line that then severed. The dangling line then set part of the yard and the roof of the nearby house on fire.

Six inch diameter tree limbs and power lines were downed near the corner of Mockingbird Lane and Reno Avenue.

Tree limbs and power lines were downed. Some of which blocked roadways. Some large trees were also downed.

This is the final segment of a tornado that moved east-northeast from Cleveland County, 1.5 miles west-northwest of Moore, into Oklahoma County crossing the county line at Southeast 89th Street. The western edge of the damage path along SE 89th Street was about halfway between Eastern Avenue and Bryant Avenue and the eastern edge of the damage path was just east of Bryant Avenue. As the tornado approached Sunnylane Road, it produced significant damage to a manufacturing and distribution plant just west of Sunnylane along Southeast 85th Street. Six people were in the plant when the tornado struck, but were able to seek shelter in a safe room and nobody was injured at the plant. The manufacturing part of the complex was a large, free-span structure that was destroyed. The adjoining office part of the complex to the south was a brick structure that received significant damage to the exterior walls. To the east of the plant along the east side of Sunnylane Road, a car was flipped over. Between Sunnylane Road and Sooner Road, the tornado traveled through an open area narrowly missing a residential area. But as it crossed Sooner Road, it damaged or destroyed a number of businesses including a convenience store and a bank to the south of Interstate 240.The tornado continued east-northeast crossing Interstate 240 and Southeast 74th Street. Along SE 74th, a number of businesses received significant damage including a storage facility, a boat dealership, a Mary Kay Training Center, and a trucking company.Crossing Air Depot Boulevard, the tornado moved onto the property of the General Motors Corporation Assembly Plant causing significant (F4) damage to the plant. A newly built paint shop sustained the heaviest damage exposing equipment and new production parts to the weather. The body shop, power house, and a couple of cooling tanks also sustained significant damage. The stack of one of the boilers was also sheared off. More than 600 newly assembled sport utility vehicles parked outside the plant were damaged or destroyed. Approximately 100 employee vehicles were also damaged with one compact car being flipped vertically and wedged into the side of the paint shop. Two truck drivers making deliveries to the plant sustained minor injuries. However, the more than one thousand plant employees remained uninjured by moving to shelter well before the tornado struck. The nearby United Auto Workers Union headquarters was also heavily damaged in this area.The tornado moved into the southeast section of Tinker Air Force Base, including the south part of the runway complex. An ammunition storage bunker and a guard shack at the gate near Southeast 59th Street and Douglas Boulevard were heavily damaged. The guards and other personnel were able to seek shelter in an underground shelter. After crossing Douglas Boulevard, the tornado continued to slowly veer to the northeast and damaged homes along Berryman Road. The tornado continued to damage homes and downing trees and power lines. Strong F2 to F3 damage was observed on the west side of Post Road to the south of Southeast 44th Street.A number of homes were significantly damaged or destroyed in the north part of the Kennington neighborhood, which is located southeast of Southeast 44th Street and Post Road. Two homes in the north part of the neighborhood were completely destroyed consistent with F4 damage. One of these was a two story home with no roof or walls remaining. Two cars from the garage of a residence on the west side of Kennington Lane were found about 50 yards to the east. Another home farther east was destroyed, although walls remained intact. Other homes were severely damaged. The tornado continued across SE 44th Street and Interstate 40 and went into a residential area just west of Westminister Road. Homes were damaged on Newey Avenue, Randy Street, and Rowlett Avenue with the most significant damage near the intersection of Randy Street and Rowlett Avenue where house damage consistent with an F3 rating was observed. The tornado was likely a multiple-vortex tornado in this area as some of the damage in this area was inconsistent with a single cyclonic rotation.The tornado crossed Westminister Road and damaged more homes along Burning Oaks Drive. F3 damage occurred to a few homes along Burning Oaks Drive between Westminister and Twisted Oaks Drive. To the northeast, homes in another residential area on Southeast 32nd Street were significantly damaged and a number of large trees were also downed. Damage continued to the northeast crossing Anderson Road and Southeast 29th Street moving into the city of Midwest City. There were no known structures to hit as the tornado traveled northeast from near SE 29th and Anderson Road to Hiwassee Road. Significant tree damage was observed and one structure was damaged (F1) along Hiwassee Road just to the south of Southeast 15th Street. A large number of power poles and large trees were downed along SE 15th Street to the east of Hiwassee.To the north of Southeast 15th Street, the tornado moved into the "Hidden Valley" residential area of the city of Choctaw. The only known injury in Choctaw occurred where a woman suffered a broken leg as one home on Hidden Valley Lane was destroyed (F4). Two homes under construction were also destroyed. The tornado was narrower in this area. Other homes in the neighborhood were damaged along Willow Drive, Hummingbird Drive, and Kingbird Drive. In eastern portions of the neighborhood, significant tree damage continued, although there was no significant structural damage. The tornado turned more to the east-northeast again and crossed Henney Road and approached Choctaw Road near Southeast 10th Street where more homes were damaged. The tornado weakened as it moved east-northeast and dissipated southwest of Indian Meridian Road and Reno Avenue.This tornado carved a total path of 17.3 miles moving across the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area with the most significant damage (F4) occurring in Oklahoma County.

Power poles were downed.

Power poles were also downed on Council and Wilshire.

Power lines were downed near the intersection of Broadway Extension and Wilshire Blvd.

Several windows were blown out at Landmark Towers on NW 58th. Trees and power poles were also downed citywide.

Power poles were downed, and damaged was sustained to a roof and carport near the intersection of SE 35th and Douglas Avenue.

This tornado formed across southern Oklahoma City near the intersection of Eastern and SE 22nd. Minor damage to buildings, trees, and power lines, consistent with an F0 rating, occurred over a narrow, 3 mile path.

Widespread damage to trees and the network for electrical power was observed across Oklahoma City. The primary provider of electricity, Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company, estimated that 60,000 customers lost power, which when combined with power outages from the previous night, totaled nearly 110,000 customers over a 2-day period. The power company also estimated it would cost 3 million dollars to clean up fallen debris and restore electrical service.

Trees and power poles were downed city-wide.

Approximately 50 windows were either cracked or blown out at Integris Baptist Hospital, and numerous doors were blown off their hinges. Numerous large plate glass windows were also blown out at Landmark Towers near Northwest 58th and Portland, and also in other buildings nearby. The northeast corner of Evan's Furniture on South Portland Ave. was severely damaged by wind allowing rain to fall onto and ruin approximately 1700 pieces of furniture. Numerous walls and a portion of the carpet were also damaged. The roof was also peeled back at Henry Hudson's Pub on Northwest 58th, while at Citizens For Caring on Northeast 50th, the roof was peeled back, allowing rain to damage or destroy most of the interior. Also, numerous power poles were downed on Wilshire Blvd. just east of County Line Road. Overall, the most concentrated area of significant structural damage occurred between Council Road and Sooner Road, extending northward toward Edmond, which is in north Oklahoma County.

A powerful storm system, with highly anomalous magnitudes of wind shear and moisture for late February, impacted the forecast area on the evening of the 26th. A broken line of severe thunderstorms developed across the eastern Texas Panhandle/far western Oklahoma and quickly swept through much of the forecast area. Widespread wind damage, including gusts near 90 mph, along with a record number of tornadoes (13) for February occurred. Several reports of large hail were also received. Behind the line of thunderstorms, a tight pressure gradient and strong westerly low-level jet allowed widespread 50-60 mph winds gusts to continue through the late evening hours.

A powerful storm system tracked across the southern and central Plains on the 15th, bringing extreme wind speeds and multiple wildfires to the area.

An unseasonably warm and moist airmass was in place across the region ahead of a powerful upper wave moving out of the 4 corners region. This led to the development of numerous severe thunderstorms across Oklahoma and Texas during the afternoon and evening of the 10th. Several tornadoes were reported, along with hail larger than baseballs that impacted Norman, OK for the second time in six months, leading to millions of dollars in damages once again to homes, cars, and businesses.

A historic early season ice storm occurred over a several day period on the morning of the 26th and continuing into the evening of the 28th. Freezing rain and sleet were reported across much of central and western Oklahoma, with some snow reported as well across far northwest Oklahoma. Extreme freezing rain accumulations of at least 1.5 inches were reported in west-central Oklahoma over the 3 day period, with greater than 0.5 inch totals reported over a large area from Ponca City to Oklahoma City to Lawton to Clinton. Hundreds of thousands of people were without power by the 28th and extensive tree and powerline damage was reported across much of the area.

An upper low coming onto the Pacific coast combined with abundant gulf moisture to produce scattered showers on the 13th, transitioning to widespread showers on the 14th and 15th. Temperature hovered near and just below freezing across parts of northern, western, and central Oklahoma allowing much of the precipitation to come in the form of freezing rain. Power outages in the CWA totaled to near 20,000 (mostly in northwest Oklahoma).

As an upper low came down on the 26th, numerous showers and storms began to form. A cold front moved through the area that night, gradually bringing the area below freezing. The 27th saw precipitation transition to sleet and freezing rain. Combined with high winds, this caused extensive damage to trees and power lines. By the 28th, all of the precipitation had turned to snow.

On Friday, December 20th, a shallow but strong cold front surged through southern Oklahoma, bringing a prolonged sub-freezing airmass to all of Oklahoma. From the evening of the 20th through the afternoon of the 21st, a persistent light to moderate freezing rain event occurred, with substantial ice accumulations over a large part of central and southern Oklahoma. Across portions of northern and western Oklahoma, snow accumulations occurred as the cold airmass deepened and an upper trough lifted northeast through central Oklahoma late on the 21st into the 22nd. The ice storm resulted in thousands of power outages across the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas.

A severe weather event began during the early afternoon hours of Friday, April 13, 2012, and lasted through the early morning hours of Saturday, April 14, 2012. Around a dozen tornadoes, as well as large hail, and strong wind gusts were produced by the numerous thunderstorms that occurred during this event. Much of the severe weather occurred in parts of southwestern and central Oklahoma. However, thunderstorms did develop in other portions of Oklahoma as well during the event.||A moist airmass had been in place over much of the region for several days prior to April 13th, and several rounds of showers and thunderstorms had occurred during this period. On Friday, April 13th, a dryline and weak frontal boundary moved into the area extending from near southwestern and west central Oklahoma then northeast into north central Oklahoma by the early afternoon hours. The first storms developed in parts of southwestern Oklahoma and west Texas. However, it was several hours before the first tornado occurred. In fact, the potential for tornadoes increased during the early evening hours of April 13th as the low level jet (strong winds just above the surface) became stronger.||The first tornadic activity of the day occurred in central Oklahoma as a tornado touched down just southwest of Norman at 3:59 pm CDT, and then moved east-northeast through the heart of that city shortly after 4:00 pm CDT. This tornado was eventually rated an EF-1 as it damaged many businesses and homes, and numerous trees and power lines were also downed. No fatalities were reported with this rush hour tornado, but 20 injuries were reported. The same parent supercell thunderstorm that produced the Norman tornado also spawned a brief, weak tornado in Pottawatomie County 6 miles northwest of Shawnee, OK.||Meanwhile, supercell thunderstorms continued to develop in southwestern Oklahoma. Nine tornadoes occurred in this area with 3, and possibly 4 tornadoes occurring at one time with a storm near Cooperton, OK in Kiowa County during the evening of April 13th. Two tornadoes were also reported near Blair, OK in Jackson County, and 3 tornadoes were observed near Carnegie, OK in Caddo County.|Large hail and strong wind gusts was also reported with these severe thunderstorms. The largest hail reported was 3 inches in diameter and fell in an area 12 miles south of Sayre, OK. Several wind gusts to 70 mph were also reported.||Approximately 12 tornadoes occurred during this severe weather event. Fortunately, no fatalities or major injuries were reported with these tornadoes.

A cold front made its way southeast through Oklahoma during the day, lying over the northwest half of the state by late afternoon. A humid airmass was in place, with plenty of instability from which thunderstorms could work with. Temperatures ahead of the front were well into the 90s to a few degrees above 100 degrees. The large surface temperature and dew point spreads at the surface made the downburst wind threat very high. Also, with the aide of a stronger mid-level flow and cooling, large hail was also a threat. Thunderstorms developed over southwest Oklahoma by late afternoon/early evening. Other thunderstorms began developing over central Oklahoma. The two areas of thunderstorms merged into a line of severe storms, and even extended a little further northeast, with large hail and damaging winds reported through almost the entire complex. The most damaging storm occurred over central Oklahoma, specifically near Norman and Oklahoma City. Shortly after 7 pm, a wet downburst caused intense rainfall and was accompanied by hail up to golf-ball size and winds that were measured at over 80 mph. Damage was reported over much of Norman, with the most intense damage occurring over the northern half of the city. Almost 33,000 residents were without power, some still without power over 24 hours later. This was due to the numerous power poles/lines that were snapped or blown down. The hail was blown almost horizontally, damaging siding, shattering store signs, and denting automobiles. The highest measured wind gust occurred near SE 12th and Boyd, where the anemometer recorded 82 mph before it malfunctioned due to the wind blown hail. The Norman mesonet site measured a gust of 70 mph. A quick inch of rain occurred in about 15 to 20 minutes. This wasn't the only storm to affect parts of central Oklahoma, as some areas received three different rounds of large hail. The thunderstorms moved east, affecting parts of southern Oklahoma through mid evening. The storms weakened in intensity as they moved into eastern and southeast Oklahoma.

A tornado outbreak occurred over parts of northern and central Oklahoma during the day on the 24th, with violent tornadoes devastating several communities. By the end of the day, one EF-5, two EF-4, and two EF-3 tornadoes destroyed buildings, ripped up trees and power poles, and unfortunately, resulted in 11 deaths. The day began with a strong upper level trough ejecting out of the southwest United States. The trough took on a negative tilt as it approached the southern Plains. A strong jet stream was located at both the middle and upper levels rotating around the upper trough. At the surface, a low pressure strengthened rapidly over northwest Oklahoma, keeping the low-level flow of warm, moist air to flow east of a dry line that had moved into western Oklahoma. Thunderstorms developed by early afternoon over western Oklahoma, and quickly became supercellular as they moved northeast. Strong low-level rotation developed early, with the first tornado occurring over Blaine county, and moved northeast into Major county. Another supercell rapidly gained low-level rotation as it moved from Caddo into Canadian County. This tornado became the strongest of them all as it moved north of El Reno, west of Piedmont, and to south of Guthrie in Logan county. Nine people died as a result of this tornado. Two more powerful supercells developed over Grady county, and they moved northeast into McClain and Cleveland counties. Finally, the final tornado occurred east of Norman into Pottawatomie county. The timing of this outbreak could not have come at a worse time, as rush hour was just unfolding as the tornadoes neared the Oklahoma City metro area.

A powerful storm system moved through the inter-mountain west toward the southern Plains late on the 10th and into the 11th. Thunderstorms developed very early over eastern New Mexico/West Texas, as a lead disturbance rotated around main storm system. The storms moved northeast, impacting western Oklahoma with some marginally severe winds and small hail. Another disturbance fired off thunderstorms further south into northern Texas later into the early afternoon, with the storms expanding as they moved north-northeast into Oklahoma. High winds caused damage from south-central into northern Oklahoma, with most of the damage confined to downed tree limbs, although some of the stronger gusts were able to cause roof damage and down trees. The thunderstorms moved into eastern Oklahoma by early evening.

After a relatively quiet early winter, a dose of reality, in the form of a major, record-setting winter storm, affected all of Oklahoma from late on January 31 through February 1. Periods of heavy sleet and snow, combined with winds that gusted over 40 mph, disrupted travel and closed hundreds of schools and businesses. Snowfall totals reached over a foot in some places, with snow drifts reaching three to five foot depths. Temperatures plummeted into the single digits and lower teens, and wind chills fell well below zero. In fact, wind chill values fell below -25 degrees over parts of northwestern Oklahoma! ||Several days before the event, one would have thought that these were the final days of winter and that spring would soon begin. Record high temperatures were common over a large area on the 28th and 29th of January, with readings well into the 70s.||Unfortunately, these warm, mild days came to an abrupt end as a strong cold front moved southward over the southern Great Plains on January 30th, reducing high temperatures to 30 to 40 degrees cooler than the previous day. Max temperatures only reached the 20s across northern Oklahoma, with highs in the 30s prevailing across the southern two-thirds of Oklahoma and into north Texas. ||Late on January 29th, a strong storm system finally moved onshore over southern California. At the same time, an arctic cold front began its trek south through the northern Great Plains, with a strong surface high pressure building in behind it.||The freezing line at the surface slowly moved south during the day on the January 31st, lying across the northwest half of Oklahoma by sunset and then advancing quickly southeast. At the same time, the storm system was moving through New Mexico with increasing lift out ahead of it.||Thunderstorms, some containing heavy sleet, developed over parts of west Texas and moved northeast over northern Texas. By this time, some of precipitation was developing and moving over sub-freezing surface temperatures. The precipitation coverage expanded through the evening hours toward Lawton and Oklahoma City. Periods of heavy thunder-sleet, occasionally mixed with freezing rain and heavy snow, were reported up and down I-44 toward Oklahoma City by 10 pm, with a light glaze of ice developing on elevated surfaces, and sleet accumulations of 1 to 2 inches over some areas of central Oklahoma. By 1 AM, temperatures were at or below freezing over all but far southeast Oklahoma.||With the cold air deepening above the surface, the precipitation was falling as snow across western and northwest Oklahoma, with a mixture of sleet and snow over southwest and central Oklahoma, and northern Texas, and freezing rain and sleet over southern Oklahoma. By 4 AM, all but southeast Oklahoma was reporting snow, with moderate to heavy snow bands setting up over western and central Oklahoma. The temperatures also continued to fall, with temperatures ranging from near 10 degrees over northern Oklahoma, to the lower to middle 20s over southeast Oklahoma, and the teens in between.||The snowfall was moderate to heavy at times, with some areas from central into northeast Oklahoma reporting snowfall rates of 2-3 inches per hour. By sunrise, around 6 inches of snow had fallen from Norman and Oklahoma City northeast toward Shawnee and Chandler, and the heavy snow continued to fall in parts of central Oklahoma.||In addition to the snow, the winds gusted at 35 to 45 mph, and temperatures fell into the single digits and lower teens. Rush hour traffic was very slow going. Visibilities with the heavy snow and strong winds were falling below �� mile, resulting in numerous accidents and stalled automobiles. The wind chills became just as big an issue by this time, with wind chill values falling below -15 degrees.||By mid morning, the heaviest snow bands had pivoted into eastern Oklahoma, but areas of moderate snowfall were still moving east through western and central Oklahoma. These bands still produced snowfall rates of 1 inch per hour over central Oklahoma. The snow finally ended from west to east by early afternoon, but the wind speeds remained strong with frequent gusts over 40 mph still occurring. Even after the snowfall had ended, near blizzard conditions continued through the afternoon, which hindered snow removal on roadways, and slowed rescues from stalled cars and accidents.||Unfortunately, four deaths were reported as a result of the winter storm, with one death occurring in Moore, and three in Miami, OK. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported over 150 automobile accidents statewide, ten of which resulted in injuries. There were also over 460 motorist-related calls, mainly from people that had become stranded in their vehicles. The situation could have been worse, but schools and businesses had closed prior to the beginning of the winter storm, which kept traffic at a minimum for much of the day on February 1st. In addition, the winter storm mainly produced snow and sleet, and freezing rain was less widespread and fell in shorter durations. As a result, ice accumulations were kept at a minimum, reducing the number of power outages across Oklahoma.

A powerful winter storm began to take shape during the evening hours of the 31st and continued into the 1st of February. Most of the accumulating snow occurred on February 1, but thunder-sleet and snow did affect many locations after dark on the 31st. The wintry precipitation combined with increasing wind speeds began what was to end up as a powerful winter storm. Snow and sleet accumulations were minimal early on, but continued to deteriorate as the night progressed. A more thorough write-up is included in the February 2011 Storm Data entry.

A hot and humid air mass continued over Oklahoma during the afternoon. Lift associated with a mid-level disturbance traveling east from New Mexico contributed to thunderstorm development during the mid afternoon hours. As was the case for several days, most of the thunderstorms were more pulse-like, causing them to form, strengthen, and collapse over a short amount of time. However, the downburst associated with the collapsing storm produced winds exceeding 60 mph over some locations, along with extremely heavy rainfall. The strong winds caused some damage to trees, power lines/poles, and some structures.

Significant flooding occurred over parts of central Oklahoma. Numerous homes and cars were flooded. One person died, and at least 136 people were injured. Damage was estimated at $5.5 million in Oklahoma county alone.||The event began late on June 13th, as thunderstorms developed over northwest Oklahoma. The thunderstorms developed ahead of a slow moving cold front that was located over southwest Kansas into the northern Texas panhandle. A large outflow boundary also extended eastward. The thunderstorms became more numerous as they moved along the outflow boundary. Strengthened by the new rainfall, the outflow boundary dropped toward central Oklahoma, and a very moist low-level jet resulted in new thunderstorm development near the boundary.||The first round of significant rain impacted central Oklahoma around 3 am. This round moved east before another, longer lived, thunderstorm complex developed over the Oklahoma City metro area. The outflow boundary was located south of Interstate 40, and the low-level jet transported warm and unseasonably humid air north of the boundary, creating very heavy rain. Thunderstorms continued to develop over the southwest metro area, and slowly moved northeast. Rainfall rates averaged one to two inches per hour, with some thunderstorm bands producing rates near three inches per hour.||The heavy rain accumulated quickly immediately before and during the busy morning drive time. Numerous cars became stranded in the rapidly rising water. Roadways were covered by rapidly flowing water, and ponds, creeks, and rivers easily spilled over their banks. Navigating in and around the metro area became almost impossible, and many motorists had to be rescued by boat. After several hours, the persistent heavy rainfall tapered off around noon.||The larger area of heavy rainfall moved south as the outflow boundary moved into southern Oklahoma. Significant rain developed over southwest Oklahoma by early afternoon, and flash flooding once again became a problem. Lawton was hard hit, receiving between four and five inches of rain, resulting in several roadways becoming flooded. Numerous motorists had to be rescued from the high water. One motorist, unfortunately, lost his life when his vehicle stalled in flood waters.||Thunderstorms developed again over central Oklahoma late in the afternoon and evening, but luckily the duration of the thunderstorms was relatively short. By the time it was all said and done, widespread totals of five to nine inches were reported over much of Oklahoma City. Will Rogers World Airport reported its largest daily precipitation since records began in 1891, with 7.62 inches. Even higher totals were reported over the north-central portion of Oklahoma City, where nine to twelve inches was measured.||Strong winds caused some power outages during the event. At the peak of the event, over 6700 people were without power. Isolated pockets of wind damage did occur, with a power pole/power lines downed south of Drummond in Garfield county.

A significant outbreak of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes affected a large part of northern, central, and southern Oklahoma. Tornadoes were most numerous across central and southern Oklahoma, with significant damage occurring over many areas. |Severe thunderstorms erupted by mid afternoon across northern and western Oklahoma. Given the potent combination of ingredients in place, storms began to produce tornadoes quickly after initiation. Storm motions of 50 to 60 mph were common.||During the mid afternoon hours, severe weather was confined to northern Oklahoma. It was there a long track supercell storm produced tornadoes near the Kansas border - including one rated EF3 - from near Wakita to north of Braman.||The capping inversion that had delayed thunderstorm development into central Oklahoma weakened, allowing for explosive supercell development along the dry line along and west of the Interstate 35 corridor. Rapid development and intensification was common with the late afternoon storms, with storms becoming tornadic within a very short time after initiation. This round of storms would directly impact a large part of the Oklahoma City metro area at rush hour, and posed a significant threat to the area. The first tornado in this area occurred in Canadian County.||During the next several hours, tornadoes were clustered around the metro area, and at times there were multiple significant damaging tornadoes occurring simultaneously. Several of the tornadoes had long tracks. Damage from the tornadoes was substantial, with numerous structures, vehicles, trees and power poles/lines significantly damaged or destroyed. One of the more intense tornadoes moved across Lake Thunderbird east of Norman destroying numerous boats.||More storms developed across southwest and south central Oklahoma, and also quickly became tornadic. ||By 9 pm, 35 tornadoes had been reported. While the loss of three lives was tragic, the casualties could have been much higher given the storm's fast motions, their intensity, the time of day and the areas impacted. ||While exact monetary damage figures were not available, it is estimated that losses were in excess of $595 million. At least 450 sustained injuries, most of them minor. Unfortunately three people lost their lives. ||Note: The large number of injuries and tornadoes made it difficult to associate injuries with specific tornadoes. Injury numbers were included when we had confidence in the numbers. ||Note: The complex nature of storm evolutions and interactions made the job of classifying tornadoes difficult. This represents our best scientific assessment based on ground and aerial surveys, data from multiple radars, photographic and video evidence and anecdotal information.

A pacific cold front/dry line moved east through Oklahoma during the late morning hours of the 1st into the morning of the 2nd. Showers and thunderstorms developed along the front, with the aide of an upper level storm system that slowly moved east toward the southern plains. The thunderstorms increased in intensity as they moved/developed east, as better instability was in place. Strong wind shear was also in place, as the nocturnal low-level jet developed. Although hail up to golf-ball size was reported with a few of the thunderstorms as they moved east and northeast, the severe winds were the main threats with storms. Some of the storms caused extensive damage, especially in the Rush Springs area, as they moved northeast from southern into central Oklahoma. Most severe wind gusts were between 60 and 70 mph, but in and around the Rush Springs area, gusts were more likely between 90 and 100 mph. Additional damage occurred further northeast into central Oklahoma. Damage was reported in and around Newcastle, Blanchard, Norman, and Oklahoma City. And most of this occurred as the morning rush was developing. At least 3,000 people were without power across central Oklahoma. The storms continued into eastern Oklahoma by late morning.

A major winter storm impacted much of Oklahoma beginning on the morning of January 28th and continued through much of the day. While the storm produced a variety of wintry precipitation, its most significant impacts came with an extended period of heavy freezing rain across southern into parts of central Oklahoma. Significant icing on trees and power lines resulted in widespread damage to trees and power lines. The day before the winter storm was unusually warm for a January day in Oklahoma, with the high temperature at Oklahoma City at 65 degrees, which was 17 degrees above normal. However, that same day, a strong cold front was sweeping south down the Plains. By noon, the cold front had pushed into southern Kansas, bringing gusty north winds and a rapid decrease in temperature. Behind the front, temperatures were falling back into the 30s and 40s, and the freezing line at the surface was very near the Kansas-Nebraska border. ||Overnight, and into the morning of January 28th, the cold front pushed through most of Oklahoma and all of western North Texas. The cold front had stalled to the south in northern Texas leaving a shallow cold air mass in place across much of the area to the north of the front, with the cold air gradually deepening towards northern Oklahoma. As an upper level low became better organized in the southwestern United States, it helped draw warm, moist air north from the Gulf of Mexico. This warm air was lifted over the dome of cold air and contributed to the development of widespread precipitation during the morning across much of Oklahoma. The shallow cold air mass north of the front placed a broad swath of southwest Oklahoma and central Oklahoma under-the-gun for a major icing event. During the afternoon, the precipitation increased in intensity, particularly over southwest Oklahoma, which then moved into parts of central Oklahoma. A pocket of drier air in the middle of the atmosphere quickly swept in behind the precipitation and started clearing it out of Oklahoma by late afternoon. At the same time, enough cooling was starting to occur in the warm layer of air aloft to change the precipitation over to sleet across parts of the area, including much of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Luckily, northern Oklahoma remained cold enough that snow was the dominant type, which accumulated several inches in some areas. During the evening hours, light snow continued over western and northern Oklahoma, while much of the remainder of the area, except for southeast Oklahoma, saw periodic freezing drizzle. ||Overnight, and into the morning of the 29th, a surface low pressure developed over southeast Texas and began to move northeast towards western Louisiana. Behind this low, more widespread precipitation began to redevelop over west Texas. The area of precipitation pivoted through much of Oklahoma during the daytime hours in the form of snow. Localized heavier bands of snow produced reduced visibilities and substantial accumulations. One notable band set up from southeast Cleveland County, through northern Pottawatomie County, and into southwest Lincoln County. The large storm system finally moved east of the region by late evening on the 29th. ||In total, the large storm system resulted in over 900 slip-and-fall accidents. Almost 90 accidents were reported, with over 200 non-life threatening injuries with the accidents. Almost 180,000 homes and business' were without power at the peak of the storm, several of which (mainly in SW Oklahoma) were without power for almost a week. The monetary value for the damage may not be known for a while, but estimates are well into the millions of dollars.

A very strong cold front moved through Oklahoma, beginning late in the afternoon over northwest Oklahoma, and continuing southeast through the late evening hours. Temperatures ahead of the front were in the 40s, but quickly fell well below freezing within a couple of hours of the frontal passage. After sunset, a brief period of light freezing rain developed behind the front. The freezing rain changed to very light snow after one or two hours, but enough glaze accumulated on roadways and power lines to cause minor problems. Several accidents were reported, mainly over western and northwest Oklahoma. Gusty northwest winds combined with the ice on the power lines also caused brief, but widespread power outages over central Oklahoma. Well over 30,000 people were without power at its peak, but service was returned quickly for most residents and business'. The freezing rain moved southeast through the evening, with very few problems reported. Very dry air filtered in behind the front, quickly ending the precipitation and drying out the roadways.

A powerful winter storm developed over parts of the Southern Plains, resulting in one of the most widespread and damaging blizzards to affect Oklahoma in decades. Blizzard conditions affected the vast majority of northern, central, and southwest Oklahoma for at least 5 to 7 hours. A surface low pressure center intensified rapidly over northern Texas, leading to severe, blustery winds during the morning and afternoon hours. Rain began falling during the early morning hours over southwest Oklahoma and progressed northeast. The rain quickly changed to sleet and freezing rain, and then to all snow as temperatures fell into the 20s. By late morning over southwest Oklahoma and the early afternoon over the rest of Oklahoma, winds were sustained around 40 mph, with frequent wind gust of 50 to 60+ mph. Snowfall rates approached two inches per hour at times for some locations, and the visibilities were frequently less than 100 feet. Numerous accidents were reported, especially given the high volume of traffic the day before Christmas. A large 50+ car accident was reported near Midwest City, that resulted in several injuries. Most area roadways were shut down for the day into Christmas morning, which included all interstates in and around the Oklahoma City metro area, and almost of all of Interstate 44. Thousands of people were stranded in their cars for several hours, and many abandoned their vehicles, littering the roads and highways. This made snow removal more difficult, and roads were slow to reopen. The strong winds, combined with the below freezing temperatures, allowed for wind chill temperatures to drop to near zero. This made it even more dangerous for people that were abandoning their vehicles. By sunset, the snowfall had accumulated five to seven inches over much of southwest into central Oklahoma, with a maximum of eight to ten plus inches over central Oklahoma, including the Oklahoma City metro area, and over south-central Oklahoma. Total damage from the blizzard have exceeded $18 million across Oklahoma. Unfortunately, nine people lost their lives, either in weather-related traffic accidents, or being struck by cars while assisting stranded motorists.

A strong, late-season winter storm moved through parts of Oklahoma, producing record setting snowfall over western and northwest Oklahoma. A cold front moved into northwest Oklahoma just after midnight of the 27th, dropping temperatures into the 20s and 30s and winds gusting over 40 mph. Snow began early in the day, but did not begin to really accumulate until late afternoon. By early evening, some locations had already picked up over six inches of snow. Blowing and drifting snow was also an issue with north to northwest winds well over 40 mph. The snow became more widespread, with thunder-snow developing over some areas. Snowfall rates of one to two inches per hour were reported, resulting in a large area of northwest Oklahoma receiving one to two feet of snow by sunrise. Farther south into western Oklahoma, less snow was reported, although impressive totals of around six to nine inches were reported over west-central Oklahoma, and two to four inches over southwest Oklahoma. A sharp cut-off of snowfall accumulation was seen from north-central into central Oklahoma as a pronounced dry slot aloft moved over the area. Snowfall totals of up to two inches were reported as far east as Oklahoma City. Almost all roads over northwest Oklahoma were snow packed, with almost all impassable. Several roofs collapsed under the weight of the heavy, wet snow pack. Numerous accidents occurred over the area as well, resulting in mostly minor injuries. However, two indirect fatalities occurred in weather-related accidents. At least 6000 people lost power during the peak of the winter storm, with some areas not seeing power restored until the 29th. ||More heavy snow developed during the late morning and early afternoon hours of the 28th, as the storm system moved over central Oklahoma. Snowfall totals of four to five inches were reported in Payne, Lincoln, and Noble counties, with lesser totals of a trace to one inch in and around Oklahoma City metro area. No damage was reported with the additional snowfall. Monetary damages were estimated.

A significant winter storm affected much of Oklahoma beginning around sunrise on the 26th and continuing through much of the 27th. Precipitation in the form of drizzle and freezing drizzle overspread the northwest half of the state, and by mid-morning travel problems were being reported, especially along the Interstate 44 corridor. The precipitation over northwest Oklahoma began to mix with sleet and snow, although amounts were relatively light. Wintry precipitation continued through the day and into the overnight hours. Amounts still remained light, but glaze on the roads created more widespread travel problems. Sleet eventually became the dominant precipitation type. Some thunder-sleet was reported south and east of the Oklahoma City metro area. Sleet accumulations over some areas in Seminole, Pottawatomie, and Hughes counties were three to four inches. Most locations over central and southern Oklahoma ranged from one to two inches. This was on top of at least a quarter inch of ice that fell on the 26th. Widespread automobile accidents were reported. A few power outages were also reported, probably due to more sleet than ice accumulation. Tree and power line damages were minimal, with most damage occurring during traffic accidents. Monetary damages were estimated.

A powerful storm system moved toward the plains during the day on the 30th. A area of low pressure had developed over northwest Oklahoma. A dry line was located south of the low. Severe thunderstorms developed on the dry line in western Oklahoma by late afternoon. The supercell thunderstorms produced hail larger than baseballs in some areas, with thunderstorm wind gusts to 60 mph also reported. These thunderstorms bacame more intense as the moved northeast through the evening into central and northern Oklahoma. These thunderstorms produced very large hail, and eventually a few tornadoes. One brief tornado occurred near Albert, with other tornadoes affecting the northern parts of the Oklahoma metro area. One tornado in Oklahoma City produced fairly widespread damage, with several homes sustaining moderate damage. Wind damage to trees, power lines, and some structures was also reported in parts of Logan county. Monetary damages were estimated.

A powerful storm system moved toward the southern plains on the 7th. Ahead of the storm system, an unseasonably warm and humid airmass was in place. Thunderstorms developed over eastern Oklahoma and continued to build toward the southwest into parts of Hughes county. A brief severe wind gust occurred here, but no damage was reported. Other severe thunderstorms developed over western and northwest Oklahoma during the afternoon hours near and ahead of a cold front that was moving southeast. The cold front continued moving southeast through the evening and overnight hours, with the thunderstorms forming into a squall line by late evening. Large hail to quarter size and gusty winds were the main threats with the thunderstorms, although a period of moderate to heavy rainfall also accompanied the storms.

A devastating ice storm affected a large swath of Oklahoma beginning on the 9th and continuing through the 11th over parts of the area. The storm left behind a trail of severe damage to trees and power lines, which in turn led to the worst power outage in Oklahoma history (in terms of the number of people impacted). This was because the worst of the ice storm affected the urban corridor from near Lawton, to Oklahoma City, to Tulsa, and northeast into Missouri. The storm began with a strong cold front that moved through the northern half of Oklahoma on the 8th, and then moved south through the rest of the state during the day on the 9th. South of the front, an almost tropical airmass was in place with temperatures in the 60s and 70s. Showers and thunderstorms were ongoing over central and southwest Oklahoma early on the 9th, but were developing and moving above a layer of freezing air at the surface. However, as the cold front moved south, the cold air undercut the thunderstorms, which became the start of many waves of freezing showers and thunderstorms. The very moist airmass south of the front continued to move over top of the shallow cold airmass through 11th. This classic setup created one of the most costly ice storms in Oklahoma history. By the time the storm had ended, over one inch of ice had accumulated over a good portion of Oklahoma. The governor declared a State of Emergency for all 77 Oklahoma counties. At least 27 deaths were reported statewide, mainly due to hundreds of automobile accidents, although some were due to prolonged cold air exposure or carbon monoxide poisoning. Most of the December 12th morning flights in and out of Will Rogers World Airport were canceled because of icy runways. Tree, power line and power pole damage was widespread statewide, which resulted in hundreds of thousands without power. Some of the trees that had to be cut back or cut down altogether were over 100 years old. At the peak of the event, more than 641,000 electric customers were without power (the actual number of people was likely much larger). Due to the magnitude of the outage, electrical crews from dozens of states worked 12-hour shifts daily to restore power. Even with this huge relief effort, more than 150,000 residents were still without power one week later. Even city water and sewage plants were without power, making them unable to pump water for a short time. Fallen power lines created another hazard as the broken lines sparked structure fires. Fire departments responded to over 100 structure fires in all. Other fires were caused by portable heating sources inside the home. Schools, churches, and local businesses had to close, some for several days due to the power outages. Christmas parades and area sporting events had to be rescheduled or canceled all together. Final exams at area colleges were also postponed. The local economy took a huge hit as the ice storm hit during a key weekend for holiday sales. The pecan crop loss alone was estimated at $25 million statewide. Shelters were opened across the state for people who did not have electricity, which many took advantage of. The storm cleanup was estimated to cost at least $200 million statewide. Cities were expected to remove over 750,000 cubic yards of debris.

A strong storm system moved into the Midwestern United states, with a trailing strong cold front that moved through Oklahoma during the late evening of the 23rd and the early morning of the 24th. The strengthening storm system created a tight pressure gradient over the southern plains, resulting in very strong winds at the surface. The strong winds lasted through much of the afternoon over Oklahoma before lessening during the early evening hours. |The strong winds caused a lot of damage across the state. Most of the damage consisted of extensive tree and power line damage. The power line damage resulted in thousands to lose power during parts of the afternoon. Semi-trucks were overturned due to high wind in Stephens and Comanche counties. Tin roofs peeled off of buildings in Stephens, Comanche, and Love counties. Other structural damage to homes occurred in Carter, Jackson, Murray, and Johnston counties. Grass fires moved quickly due to the high wind with the biggest occurring in Comanche county. Forty to fifty acres burned before being finally extinguished. Another grass fire in Oklahoma county resulted in 60 to 80 cars completely burned at a auto salvage yard. Monetary value for damage is estimated at $388 thousand.

A strong winter storm crippled much of Oklahoma from January 12th through the 14th, spreading snow, freezing rain and sleet across the state. The snow and sleet was confined to northern and western Oklahoma. The freezing rain and sleet occurred mainly over central and southwest Oklahoma, with mainly freezing rain over the southeast. The hardest hit areas with freezing rain were Atoka, Bryan, Coal, Cotton, Hughes, Seminole, and Johnston counties. The wintry precipitation caused numerous traffic accidents with numerous indirect injuries and 14 indirect fatalities. Many trees and powers lines were downed with thousands of residents without power, mainly over southern and eastern Oklahoma. The severe cold that accompanied this storm also allowed for water main breaks in Clinton and Lawton. Other damage included school gymnasium roofs collapsed in Del City, Newcastle, two awnings collasped in Allen and Ada, and four greenhouse roofs collasped in McClain county. Also, the prolonged period of wintry precipitation closed airports, schools, malls, and other places of business. The slick and hazardous roads caused many schools to remained closed for several days after the winter precipitation had ended.

A strong surface low pressure moved across the region causing strong to high wind gusts across approximately the western two-thirds of Oklahoma from the early morning hours through part of the day. Numerous wind gusts of 35 knots to 49 knots (40-57 mph) were measured across Oklahoma by Oklahoma mesonet and ASOS stations, along with many high wind gusts of 50 to 59 knots (58-68 mph). The strongest wind gusts of 59 knots (68 mph) were measured at the Oklahoma mesonet stations located 10 miles east-northeast of Willow in Kiowa county and 6 miles southwest of Cheyenne in Roger Mills county. The high winds caused damage across the area on November 15. In Elk City in Beckham county, the roofs of some buildings in the industrial area were damaged. The entire roof of a trailer home was also ripped off. The roof of a building that was built in 1909 and housed the Shattuck Windmill Museum in Ellis county was damaged by the high winds. Two tractor trailer rigs traveling on Interstate 40 were overturned. One tractor trailer overturned near Elk City in Beckham county at mile marker 32 around 0200 CST. Less than two hours later a second tractor trailer overturned near the town of Canute in Washita county near mile marker 45 on Interstate 40. These two accidents closed parts of Interstate 40 for about two hours. No injuries were reported in these accidents.|Numerous power outages were reported and power lines downed across the area due to the high winds. Power lines were downed in Moore in Cleveland county causing the cancellation of classes at the Winding Creek Elementary school for the day. Power lines were also downed in Greer county near Mangum and Granite causing several wildfires. Trees and power lines were downed in Lone Wolf in Kiowa county. A large window at the post office in Lone Wolf was blown out. Power outages were also reported in Enid in Garfield county, Shawnee in Pottawatomie county, and Oklahoma City in Oklahoma county.

Severe to extreme (D2-D3) drought conditions were seen across much of Oklahoma during the month of November despite some precipitation. However, in northern Oklahoma the drought deteriorated to exceptional (D4) drought conditions by the end of the month.|The drought that has lasted for more than a year continued to cause water concerns for many communities. Many communities had limited watering activities along with a concern over the availability of adequate drinking water. The low water levels also continued to affect outdoor recreation. Many boat docks and ramps remained on dry ground. Boaters who were able to get in the water also had to be careful due to the lakebed being closer to the surface. This led to the closure of several lakes due to safety concerns. Outdoor recreation activities such as hunting were also affected due to the wildlife dealing with the lack of water and proper vegetation for food.|The agriculture industry continued to be hit hard by the drought. Hay crop was small which led to many ranchers and farmers selling all or part of livestock herds due to the lack of food. The cotton crop was affected by the heat and drought of the summer months. There was also concern that the lack of adequate moisture will affect other future crops that were planted during the fall such as winter wheat.|The dry conditions combined with wind caused the spread of several wildfires. Several firefighter departments helped to fight a fire near Guthrie that closed Interstate 35 southbound near mile marker 165 for a time. The fire burned several hundred acres. Another fire occurred near Ponca City. Several fires were reported near Mangum and Granite when high winds downed power lines which sparked the dry vegetation.

A strong cold front moved across the Southern Plains during the day on September 28th causing gusty northerly winds in addition to a temperature drop of 10 to 15 degrees in a short period of time. Widespread wind gusts of 26-42 knots (30-48 mph) were measured by the Oklahoma mesonet and other weather stations. The highest wind gust of 42 knots (48 mph) was measured at the mesonet station near Medicine Park in Comanche county. The strong winds caused blowing dust across most of the area reducing visibilities to 2 to 4 miles with visibilities of less than 2 miles in some locations. The strong winds and blowing dust caused some driving problems and sporadic power outages across the western half of the main body of Oklahoma.

Severe thunderstorms developed into a large cluster and squall line causing widespread wind damage across much of Oklahoma on June 16-17. These thunderstorms also produced a strong gust front which caused high wind gusts well ahead of the thunderstorms in parts of southern Oklahoma. There were two areas that received the most significant damage. One area was located from near Hennessey in northern Kingfisher county, eastward through northern Logan county into parts of western Payne County. The second area was from around Interstate 44 northeast of Chickasha in Grady county, south and southeastward into central portions of McClain County. The two highest measured wind gusts were also located in or near these areas. The highest measured wind gust during the event was 100 mph (87 knots) measured at the Oklahoma mesonet station 4 miles south-southeast of Marshall in Logan County. The second highest measured gust was 89 mph (77 knots) at an Oklahoma mesonet station 2 miles south-southwest of Minco in Grady county. Numerous structural, tree, and power line damage was reported across the state.

A winter storm affected the northwest half of Oklahoma during the afternoon and evening of the 3rd, and early morning of the 4th. The precipitation started as freezing rain and sleet across portions of west central and northwest Oklahoma, including Harper, Ellis, Woodward, Woods, Alfalfa, and Major Counties, and then quickly changed to snow. Total accumulations were between four and eight inches. The highest totals were nine inches in Arnett (Ellis County), eight inches in Mutual (Woodward County) and eight inches in Buffalo (Harper County). Southeast of this area, a mixture of freezing rain, sleet, and snow fell, with ice accumulations ranging from a trace to one half inch, and snow accumulations between two and three inches. The greatest amount of ice fell from about Stillwater (Payne County), southwestward to about Guthrie (Logan County), Bethany (Oklahoma County), Weatherford (Custer County), and Elk City (Beckham County). Nearly 50,000 residences were without power during the peak of the winter storm.

Freezing rain began across the northwest third of the state during the evening of the 29th with significant accumulations of ice developing shortly after midnight on the 30th. Freezing rain shifted southward during the early morning of the 30th with moderate to occasionally heavy freezing rain occurring in a 50 to 60 mile wide band, extending from north central Oklahoma, near Ponca City and Perry, southwestward toward Enid, Kingfisher, Oklahoma City, Weatherford, Anadarko, and Hobart. In many areas, the freezing rain continued for 12 to 24 hours, with ice accumulations of 1 to 2 inches commonly observed. As the end of the storm neared, freezing rain transitioned to sleet and snow across Harper, Ellis, Woods, and Woodward Counties, with only a brief transition to sleet across central Oklahoma, including areas along and near Interstate 35. The worst damage resulting from ice accumulations occurred from near Ponca City, Blackwell, Red Rock, Perry, and Stillwater, southwestward through Enid, Canton, Watonga, Hennessey, Kingfisher, and Guthrie, to near Clinton, Weatherford, El Reno, northwest side of Oklahoma City, Edmond, Cordell, Binger, and Minco. The damage was catastrophic in places, with thousands of utility poles brought down by the weight of the ice, along with thousands of trees. Dozens of towns were left completely without power for days, with some residents expected to be without power for weeks. At one point, nearly 250,000 residents were left without power. In addition to several traffic-related fatalities during the storm, partially due to wet roads, an elderly woman died from hypothermia in her home in Hennessey in Kingfisher County, when electricity to her house was knocked out. Total damage across the state is expected be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

A very large and severe line of thunderstorms formed across southwest Kansas during the late afternoon of the 27th, and moved southward into Oklahoma during the evening. Widespread damage due to straight-line winds accompanied the line of thunderstorms, with most of southwest and south central Oklahoma sustaining damage. The cities of Lawton, Fort Sill, Ardmore, and Dougherty reported the most costly damage, estimated in the tens of millions of dollars. Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company, which supplies electricity to most of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area, indicated nearly 160,000 residents were without power during the storm, which is close to the power loss experienced during the Christmas 2000 ice storm and the May 3, 1999 tornado outbreak in central Oklahoma. One fatality, due to a fallen telephone pole, occurred in the city of Lawton in Comanche County.

Six tornadoes across southern Oklahoma and one tornado across western north Texas developed during the overnight hours of the 11th. The most notable tornado formed across Coal County in Oklahoma and resulted in one fatality and one injury as it destroyed a mobile home. In addition to damage produced by severe thunderstorms, sustained winds of 40 to 50 mph with gusts as high as 73 mph developed just ahead of the most frequent period of severe weather and persisted for several hours. In Tillman County, at 2330 CST on the 10th, a barn roof was damaged 3 miles east of Frederick. A barn roof was blown off, and a fence was downed 4 miles east of Frederick, and a house roof sustained minor damage 4 miles north of Frederick. Trees and power lines were downed in Ponca City in Kay County, while in Garfield County, minor but widespread damage, was sustained to trees, power poles, and numerous other structures.

A major winter storm developed during the evening of the 25th across all of western, central, and southeast Oklahoma, with significant accumulations of snow and ice beginning shortly after 0000 CST on the 26th. Mainly snow fell across northwest Oklahoma with accumulations between 8 and 12 inches reported across northern Beckham, Roger Mills, and southern Ellis Counties. Snow amounts varied widely across the rest of northwest Oklahoma with 4 to 8 inches falling across portions of Dewey and Custer Counties, and only 1 to 2 inches across Woods and Alfalfa Counties, however even in areas where snow amounts were light, significant disruptions in travel and power outages were reported.A broad zone of a mixture of snow, sleet, and freezing rain fell to the east of the above mentioned area. Four to 8 inches of a snow/sleet mixture fell from near Enid and Weatherford southwestward to Elk City, while farther east, 2 to 4 inches of a snow/sleet/freezing rain mixture fell from near Ponca City and Oklahoma City, southwestward to near Lawton and Altus. The worst ice storm in decades affected much of south central and southeast Oklahoma with a mixture of freezing rain and sleet accumulating to a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Where the precipitation fell as mainly freezing rain, ice accumulations were about 1 inch. Damage to property was extensive with the greatest damage observed in a narrow corridor from Walters and Randlett in Cotton County northeastward through Duncan, Ringling, Waurika, Pauls Valley, Sulphur, Ardmore, Marietta, Ada, Centrahoma, Wewoka, and Holdenville. Thousands of homes and vehicles were damaged by falling trees and ice, while thousands of additional trees and utility poles were damaged or destroyed. Tens of thousands of residents were left without electricity for nearly a week, while thousands of residents were without water or phone service for several days. Statewide, near 170,000 residents were without electricity on the 26th and 27th.Six indirect fatalities are believed to be associated with the winter storm. On the 25th, 2 passengers were killed on Interstate 35, west of Stillwater in Payne County, when their vehicle crossed the median and struck another vehicle head-on. Another accident on the 25th resulted in 1 fatality when a vehicle on Interstate 35 near Purcell in McClain County, crossed the median and struck another vehicle head-on. Two women died on the 26th after falling on the ice, one near Ponca City in Kay County, and the other in Oklahoma City in Oklahoma County. The last known fatality occurred on the 27th when a man working for a utility company was electrocuted while attempting to restore electrical power in Hughes County.

A winter storm affected much of western and central Oklahoma and western north Texas during the evening of the 12th and the morning of the 13th. Mostly snow fell across north central Oklahoma with amounts averaging 4 to 6 inches across portions of Alfalfa, Major, Grant, Garfield, Kay, Noble, and Payne Counties, while farther south a mixture of sleet and snow, along with a little freezing rain, accumulated to a depth of 1 to 3 inches. Across far southeast Oklahoma, including Atoka and Bryan Counties, up to 1 inch of a sleet and freezing rain mixture fell. Numerous schools and businesses were closed for 1 to 2 days, and many people were left without power.

For the second night in a row a large line of severe thunderstorms move out of Kansas into Oklahoma during the overnight hours. This line of thunderstorms produced widespread straight-line damage along its path as it entered northwest Oklahoma around 2300 CST on the 20th and moved southeastward toward central Oklahoma through the early morning of the 21st. Although no fatalities or injuries occurred as a direct result of the severe thunderstorms, millions of dollars in property damage was observed. The most widespread and significant damage was observed across Oklahoma County, particularly the Oklahoma City metropolitan area where approximately 75,000 customers were left without power.

Severe thunderstorms formed across portions of western and central Oklahoma during the evening of the 24th resulting in areas of large hail and damaging winds. Damage first occurred in Carnegie in Caddo County at 1920 CST, where a 30 foot tree was downed on the westbound lane of Highway 9. Power poles were then downed on the southwest side of Anadarko, also in Caddo County. A 40 foot tree was also downed in Norman in Cleveland County. A 48 foot by 18 foot storage shed was blown over 1 mile southeast of Hennessey in Kingfisher County, and lightning struck the chimney of a house on 9th Street in Cushing in Payne County.

Thunderstorms during the early morning of the 9th resulted in lightning strikes across Oklahoma and Payne Counties. In Edmond in Oklahoma County the roof of a house on Morningstar was set ablaze by a lightning strike causing major damage to the roof and attic, while a house on Timberdale Terrace sustained a lightning strike resulting in major fire and water damage to the roof, attic and ceiling, and in Payne Couny 1 mile east of Stillwater lightning strikes burned out 2 power pole phases causing power outages to approximately 550 residents.