Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 96, NWS Norman, OK

May 18, 2025Ellis County, Woodward County, Oklahoma

NWS Norman, OK issued this tornado warning at May 18, 2025, 5:40 PM CDT for Ellis County, Woodward County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 35 min. 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 18, 2025, 5:40 PM CDT (22:40 UTC)
Expired
May 18, 2025, 6:15 PM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Norman, OK
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.75 in

Counties Ellis County, OK, Woodward County, OK

The radar

The Vance AFB radar (KVNX), 132 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:40 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 18, 3:38 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 12:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 165 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, Dodge City, at 12:00Z on 2025-05-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 723 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, Dodge City, at 12:00Z on 2025-05-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 206 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
723 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-377 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1181 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
206 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
225 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at May 18, 2:02 PM CDT, 3 hours 38 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Updated at 201 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025
  • Severe weather is expected Today and Monday, with significant tornadoes possible.
  • Shower/storm chances return end of the week.
Area forecast discussion, May 18, 2:02 PM CDT, 3 hours 38 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Norman OK
202 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

...New NEAR TERM, SHORT TERM...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 201 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

 - Severe weather is expected Today and Monday, with significant
   tornadoes possible.

 - Shower/storm chances return end of the week.

&&

.NEAR TERM...
(Rest of today and tonight)
Issued at 201 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

Severe weather is possible across our forecast area through the
evening hours. The main upper wave/trough of this system will remain
to our west over the Colorado Rockies. Meanwhile down in the lower
levels are two surface boundaries: an advancing dryline across the
Southern High Plains and a warm front lifting from northern Oklahoma
into Kansas. All of our forecast area is within the warm and
moist/muggy sector of these surface boundaries with lower 70s
dewpoints creeping well into northern Oklahoma while steepening mid-
level lapse rates will result in up to strong instability during
diurnal heating hours.  The deep-layer shear will be sufficient for
organized supercell development while an strong veering low-level
jet increasing after sundown could maintain storm organization and
the tornado potential through the evening hours.

Convection may start to initiate off the dryline late this afternoon
as it approaches western Oklahoma.  Although several HRRR runs keep
the most of the storm cells tracking east-northeast across northern
Oklahoma, other CAMS solutions develop convection more widespread
across western Oklahoma and adjacent western north Texas. Should any
of these storms track into central Oklahoma this evening into
slightly less unstable air, they could remain severe and organized
especially with the low-level jet firing up.  In addition to the
potential of surface-based dryline convection, there could be
additional elevated convection across our southern CWA through
tonight as the main wave ejects a few shortwaves downstream through
the mid-levels. However, the severe risk would decrease after
midnight into the early Monday morning hours.

Overall storm POPs through this evening are 30-50% but should any
develop much of the ingredients will be in place to become severe
and capable of producing supercells with all severe hazards
possible: large hail, damaging wind gusts, and a few tornados.
Stratus across northwest Oklahoma where dryline convection may
initiate is expected to gradually erode this afternoon for heating
to enhance instability and surface mixing but should it not could be
an inhibitor.   Although the Central Plains of Kansas will have the
overall highest risk from this system, some of that Moderate risk
may spill into far northern Oklahoma.  Both our northern and western
CWA will have the highest severe and tornado risks through this
evening.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(Monday through Tuesday night)
Issued at 201 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

A severe risk again across much of our CWA for Monday until this
system starts to exit to the east Monday night as the cold front
pushes through.  Not expecting the dryline to diurnally retreat
Sunday night but remain stretched across western Oklahoma into
western north Texas on Monday and perhaps punch closer into central
Oklahoma during the afternoon.  As a result, the severe risk will be
highest across the eastern half of our CWA where the moist and
strong unstable air will be in place with less severe risk across
the western half of our CWA behind the dryline.  This will be
dependent on where the dryline ends up during the afternoon.
Convection may again initiate off the dryline Monday afternoon with
all the ingredients still there for supercells producing all hazards
in areas along and east of the dryline into the evening hours.  The
upper troughs axis and cold front starts advancing during the
evening and overnight with POPs entirely out of our area by early
Tuesday morning.  The upper trough exits Tuesday with a drier air
mass coming down off the Central Plains.  We'll see our first full
day of Sun on Tuesday and climatically normal temperatures with
highs in the lower to mid 80s.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Wednesday through Saturday)
Issued at 222 AM CDT Sun May 18 2025

Models shows drier air moving into the region behind the fronts
which will lead to a dry forecast Wednesday and Thursday. The cooler
temperatures will also continue the middle part of the week with
highs remaining in the 70s/80s. Models show low rain chances
returning late Thursday/Friday and could continue into next weekend.
Temperatures are also expected to warm back into the 80s and 90s
towards the end of the week.

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1205 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

MVFR stratus appears fairly persistent, but may see some lifting
and/or clearing this afternoon at places. Severe storms will be
possible across the forecast area this afternoon and evening,
with the highest chances across northern Oklahoma and near the Red
River (lower chances through central Oklahoma). Stratus looks to
redevelop briefly across parts of eastern / central Oklahoma
tomorrow morning. Southerly winds will remain gusty through most
of the TAF period.

Day

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Oklahoma City OK  68  84  58  81 /  40  30  30   0
Hobart OK         65  89  56  82 /  10  10  10   0
Wichita Falls TX  70  90  60  83 /  30  30  10   0
Gage OK           55  88  50  82 /   0   0  10   0
Ponca City OK     66  83  55  79 /  40  40  50   0
Durant OK         70  83  64  81 /  40  70  40   0

&&

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

NEAR TERM...68
SHORT TERM...68
LONG TERM....25
AVIATION...14

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 18, 4:45 PM CDT, 55 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Norman OK
445 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

OKZ009-182230-
Ellis OK-
445 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southwestern Ellis
County through 530 PM CDT...

At 445 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Glazier, moving northeast at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 40 mph and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Shattuck and Arnett.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor NOAA Weather
Radio, local radio stations or available television stations for
additional information and possible warnings from the National
Weather Service.

&&

LAT...LON 3637 10000 3626 9981 3605 9974 3600 9982
      3601 9985 3599 9987 3599 9989 3595 9991
      3590 10000
TIME...MOT...LOC 2145Z 222DEG 35KT 3597 10022

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

Bunker
Local storm report, May 18, 5:37 PM CDT, 3 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 18, 5:38 PM CDT, 2 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 18, 5:39 PM CDT, 1 minute 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, 11:28 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOUNCuster, Washita2 hr
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, 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

Tornado Warnings in Oklahoma, 2025Every tornado warning in 2025Tornadoes 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.