Alert archive / Oklahoma / Flash Flood Warnings in 2025

Flash Flood Warning 67, NWS Norman, OK

May 17, 2025Custer County, Washita County, Oklahoma

NWS Norman, OK issued this flash flood warning at May 17, 2025, 11:28 PM CDT for Custer County, Washita County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 2 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 17, 2025, 11:28 PM CDT (04:28 UTC)
Expired
May 18, 2025, 1:30 AM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Norman, OK
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Custer County, OK, Washita County, OK

The radar

The Altus AFB radar (KFDR), 123 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:29 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 00:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 147 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Norman, OK at 00:00Z on 2025-05-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 250 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Norman, OK at 00:00Z on 2025-05-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 82 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
250 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-259 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1896 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
82 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
243 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Norman, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at May 17, 5:45 PM CDT, 5 hours 43 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Updated at 542 PM CDT Sat May 17 2025
  • Severe weather is expected through Monday, with significant tornadoes possible on Sunday and Monday.
  • Shower/storm chances return end of next week.
Area forecast discussion, May 17, 5:45 PM CDT, 5 hours 43 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Norman OK
545 PM CDT Sat May 17 2025

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 542 PM CDT Sat May 17 2025

 - Severe weather is expected through Monday, with significant
   tornadoes possible on Sunday and Monday.

 - Shower/storm chances return end of next week.

&&

.NEAR TERM...
(Rest of today and tonight)
Issued at 300 PM CDT Sat May 17 2025

As of the 2PM, surface observations show a weak surface low has
drifted south to near Borger,TX with a warm front extending from
Elk City to Fort Cobb to Washington to Ada. A very warm, moist air
mass is in place south of the front, with dewpoint temperatures
of 77 degrees observed at Burneyville and Durant and even 73
degrees at Seymour. A few thunderstorms have already developed
over western north Texas, but have been slow to strengthen and
there have been a few CI attempts over southeastern Oklahoma.

The mid-level shortwave is moving over southwestern New Mexico and
is prog'd to reach the Amarillo area around 21Z. The front is
anticipated to move slowly northward with an extremely unstable
atmosphere south of the front, which will foster very large hail
potential with a low tornado potential near and along the warm
front. In addition, very large DCAPE values will lend to damaging
wind gusts of 70-80+mph.

While the precise location of the front later this afternoon and
evening is somewhat uncertain, models have indicated that the
front should be near or just north of the I-40 corridor. Due to
the broader baroclinic zone typical of warm fronts (vs the sharper
zone with cold fronts), this creates a broader zone of problematic
storm impacts and therefore hazards will not be confined to a
narrow zone. Latest mesoanalysis indicates extreme instability
is already in place south of the front, with a maximum of 4500 to
5000 J/kg of MLCAPE over south-central Oklahoma along with bulk
shear at 50 knots. While we cannot pinpoint where these storms
will develop with high accuracy, everyone should be ready for the
potential for significant severe weather impacts - with 2 to 4
inch hail and damaging winds (70-80+mph) the most likely hazards.
There is a low risk of tornadoes - especially near the front and
triple point.

We should start seeing additional storm development with better
organization as the upper wave gets closer (within the next few
hours). Storms are expected to exit our area by midnight.

Thompson

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(Sunday through Monday night)
Issued at 300 PM CDT Sat May 17 2025

Another potent shortwave, that is currently moving ashore
northern California, will track east-southeastward and the center
of this system is prog'd to reach southern Utah by Sunday
morning. The center of the mid-level trough associated height
falls swings across the central Rockies during the day and rapid
lee-cyclogenesis yields a 990MB surface low over southeastern
Colorado by mid-afternoon. The resulting mass response will
increase southerly winds to 20-25 mph, with gusts to 35 mph
possible. This increased low-level flow will prompt renewed
moisture advection over Oklahoma with dewpoint temperatures rising
into the low 70's over much of the area by afternoon.

The primary mid-level jet max reaches passes over northeastern New
Mexico and reaches the western Panhandles by mid-afternoon as a
secondary jet max approaches from west Texas. The primary jet will
push the dryline to the western Oklahoma state line, and the
secondary jet could cause the dryline to bulge over southwest
Oklahoma and western north Texas mid- to late-afternoon. Although
mostly cloudy skies are anticipated east of the dryline, CIN should
begin to erode over W/SW portions of the area by mid-day. Severe
thunderstorms are expected to develop on Sunday afternoon, with very
large hail, damaging wind gusts, and significant tornadoes possible
- especially across north-central Oklahoma.

Monday continues to be the most concerning day for significant
tornado potential as the H250 and H500 jets overspread Oklahoma,
which will add 50-60 knots of 0-6km bulk shear to an extremely
unstable environment. An outbreak of tornadic supercell thunderstorms
are possible along the dryline by Monday afternoon west of I-35
and track quickly northeastward (34-45 mph) into central Oklahoma.
Storm activity should exit our area by late Monday night.

Thompson

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Tuesday through next Friday)
Issued at 300 PM CDT Sat May 17 2025

The upper trough crosses passes over the plains and drives the
associated cold front into Oklahoma on Monday night into Tuesday
morning with northwest surface winds expected on Tuesday and
possibly into Wednesday following a reinforcing cold front. High
temperatures will dip into the 70's/80's on Tuesday with warmer
conditions returning end of next week as a mid-level ridge
approaches and winds veer to the southeast. We should remain dry
Tuesday into Thursday, but low POPs return late Thursday and
Friday.

Thompson

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 542 PM CDT Sat May 17 2025

Additional thunderstorms are possible again tonight across the
northern half of the area. Prob30 has been added for terminals
near and north of I-40 to account for these storms moving within
the vicinity of the airports. Additional restrictions to ceilings
are expected across much of the area tonight and into tomorrow
morning. LLWS will also impact most TAF sites tonight as well.
Winds generally will be out of the south-southeast.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Oklahoma City OK  85  64  84  69 /  40  40  40  20
Hobart OK         88  64  88  65 /  30  10  20  10
Wichita Falls TX  91  67  89  70 /  40  10  20  20
Gage OK           85  57  91  55 /  20  30  10   0
Ponca City OK     80  60  81  66 /  10  70  70  40
Durant OK         89  68  84  70 /  70  30  40  40

&&

.OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...None.
TX...None.
&&

NEAR TERM...01
SHORT TERM...01
LONG TERM....01
AVIATION...13

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 17, 10:02 PM CDT, 1 hour 26 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 17, 10:09 PM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 17, 10:13 PM CDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 17, 10:27 PM CDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
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Local storm report, May 17, 10:38 PM CDT, 50 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 17, 11:24 PM CDT, 4 minutes before
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The office that day

Everything else NWS Norman, OK issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 17, 7:01 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryOUNPontotoc, Pottawatomie, Seminole3 hr
May 17, 7:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOUNAtoka, Coal, Hughes, Pontotoc42 min
May 17, 7:05 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOUNBryan, Johnston, Marshall25 min
May 17, 7:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNAtoka, Bryan, Johnston, Marshall, Pontotoc52 min
May 17, 7:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNAtoka, Bryan40 min
May 17, 7:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOUNAtoka, Coal48 min
May 17, 7:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCoal, Johnston, Pontotoc49 min
May 17, 8:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNAtoka33 min
May 17, 8:45 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOUNWoodward30 min
May 17, 8:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNHughes, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Seminole39 min
May 17, 9:25 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOUNLogan, Oklahoma35 min
May 17, 9:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCanadian, Oklahoma31 min
May 17, 9:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNHughes, Seminole13 min
May 17, 9:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCleveland, Oklahoma46 min
May 17, 9:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNLincoln, Logan, Oklahoma28 min
May 17, 10:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCleveland, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie52 min
May 17, 10:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOUNPottawatomie, Seminole46 min
May 17, 10:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNBlaine, Kingfisher44 min
May 17, 10:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCuster, Washita51 min
May 17, 11:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNHughes, Seminole44 min
May 17, 11:24 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOUNPayne36 min
May 17, 11:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNBlaine, Caddo, Canadian, Kingfisher49 min
May 17, 11:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOUNGarfield37 min
May 17, 11:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNLincoln, Logan, Payne44 min
May 17, 11:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNBlaine17 min
May 18, 12:13 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCanadian, Kingfisher47 min
May 18, 12:27 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOUNPayne33 min
May 18, 12:50 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOUNOklahoma25 min
May 18, 1:18 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCleveland, Lincoln, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie27 min
May 18, 1:28 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNCleveland, Lincoln, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie32 min
May 18, 1:52 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOUNCleveland, Lincoln, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie, Seminole38 min
May 18, 2:27 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNHughes, Lincoln, Pottawatomie, Seminole48 min
May 18, 2:58 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNHughes, Seminole47 min
May 18, 4:45 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOUNEllis45 min
May 18, 4:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNEllis, Harper52 min
May 18, 4:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOUNEllis, Roger Mills, Woodward48 min
May 18, 5:09 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNEllis, Roger Mills36 min
May 18, 5:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOUNHarper24 min
May 18, 5:40 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNEllis, Woodward35 min
May 18, 6:09 PM CDTTornado WarningOUNEllis, Woodward51 min
May 18, 6:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatOUNEllis, Woodward41 min
May 18, 6:59 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOUNWoodward31 min
May 18, 5:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatOUNArcher, Baylor23 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Oklahoma, 2025Every flash flood warning in 2025

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.