Alert archive / Oklahoma / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 12, NWS Amarillo, TX

July 3, 2026Texas County, Oklahoma

NWS Amarillo, TX issued this tornado warning at Jul 3, 2026, 4:47 PM CDT for Texas County, Oklahoma. It was in force for 28 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jul 3, 2026, 4:47 PM CDT (21:47 UTC)
Expired
Jul 3, 2026, 5:15 PM CDT
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Amarillo, TX
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.25 in

County Texas County, OK

The radar

The Dodge City radar (KDDC), 175 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:49 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 418 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 12:00Z on 2026-07-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 595 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 12:00Z on 2026-07-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -36 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
595 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-125 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1145 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
4 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-36 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
53 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

883 
WFUS54 KAMA 032147
TORAMA
OKC139-032215-
/O.NEW.KAMA.TO.W.0012.260703T2147Z-260703T2215Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
447 PM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026

The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  North central Texas County in the Panhandle of Oklahoma...

* Until 515 PM CDT.

* At 447 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Hough, or 14 miles southeast of Wilburton, moving
  east at 10 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and half dollar size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* Locations impacted include...
  Hough.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 3683 10171 3696 10171 3695 10139 3672 10143
TIME...MOT...LOC 2147Z 284DEG 8KT 3690 10159 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.25 IN

$$

LFM
1 follow-up statement
660 
WWUS54 KAMA 032212
SVSAMA

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
512 PM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026

OKC139-032221-
/O.EXP.KAMA.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-260703T2215Z/
Texas OK-
512 PM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
515 PM CDT...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.  However, gusty
winds are still possible with this thunderstorm.

&&

LAT...LON 3683 10171 3696 10171 3695 10139 3672 10143
TIME...MOT...LOC 2211Z 284DEG 8KT 3689 10152 

$$

LFM

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 Amarillo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Jul 3, 12:42 PM CDT, 4 hours 5 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Issued at 1223 PM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026
  • There is a low potential for thunderstorms in the northern Panhandles today with a very low risk for severe weather.
  • Hot temperatures and thunderstorms chances expected for the holiday weekend with greatest rain chances on Sunday.
  • Above normal temperatures continue next week, but so do chances for storms.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 3, 12:42 PM CDT, 4 hours 5 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
1242 PM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026

...New KEY MESSAGES, SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Issued at 1223 PM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026

- There is a low potential for thunderstorms in the northern
  Panhandles today with a very low risk for severe weather.

- Hot temperatures and thunderstorms chances expected for the
  holiday weekend with greatest rain chances on Sunday.

- Above normal temperatures continue next week, but so do chances
  for storms.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(This evening through Saturday night)
Issued at 1223 PM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026

Weak mid level flow is expected to tranisition from a southwest to
anticyclonic over the combined Panhandles today. With weak flow
overhead, lift is expected to be mostly absent today and tonight
with little to no storm activity. A surface trough is expected to
move into the combined Panhandles and spread Tds from the upper 20s
and 30s to the west to the mid to upper 50s in the east. Slightly
warmer afternoon highs are expected in the northwestern Panhandles
where the lowest Tds will be. Temperatures are expected to reach 100
to 103 here while the east sees temps stop short of 100. Based on
forecast soundings, the atmosphere will be lacking moisture for
storms today with maybe the northeast seeing just enough mid level
moisture to have a slight chance for rain. If storms do occur they
will likely be from a shortwave sparking activity in southwest KS
that bleeds over into the OK Panhandle.

Saturday, the surface trough over eastern NM is progged to expand
more into the Panhandles and bring some slightly warmer temperatures
expanding highs in the 100-105 range across the southern TX
Panhandle. However, some increasing cloud cover in the afternoon may
limit the full heating potential. Due to the cloud cover, keeping
PDC lower than 105 at this time. An H5 trough is progged to swing
into the Central Great Plains creating more subtle disturbances over
the combined Panhandles. Due to the better lift late Saturday much
more of the area is getting a slight chance PoPs. The thing that may
kill thunderstorm chances tomorrow, or at least limit the afternoon
coverage and longetivity of rain prodcution, will be a bit more
negative theta-e advection and dry mid levels. Primarily in the
northwest and southeastern Panhandles. A narrow corridor of positive
theta-e advection running through the central Panhandles from the
southwest to northeast will be the focal point of afternoon
thunderstorms if they form. With a drier surface layer storms are
expected to be high based with damaging winds being the primary
threat.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Sunday through next Thursday)
Issued at 1223 PM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026

Mid-level moisture is expected to return Sunday as well as a
slight increase in dewpoints as the surface trough retreats to the
west. Afternoon highs are progged to be slightly cooler than
Saturday thanks to the increase in moisture, but with
perturbations in the ridge aloft PoPs will increase into the 30-50
range going into Sunday night. Details are a bit fuzzy at this
time but cannot rule out a low chance for severe thunderstorms.

Monday onward, with the influence of the an upper levl ridge,
afternoon highs conintue in the mid 90s to lower 100s. Mid-level
moisture is expected to stick around with slight chance PoPs
peppered through the forecast for at least parts of the Panhandles
each afternoon/evening. Storms will depend on daytime heating and
subtle upper level support each day with confidence remaining low
through the extended for storm chances due to the resolution of
long term models.

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1223 PM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026

VFR conditions are expected through the 18Z TAF period. Winds
should prevail out of the south with gusts up to 20 to 30 kts
possible through 02Z Saturday. There is a low chance for some
thunder to impact KGUY between 23Z Fri and 04Z Sat. Low enough to
not mention in the TAFs at this time.

&&

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

SHORT TERM...03
LONG TERM....03
AVIATION...03
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 3, 12:57 PM CDT, 3 hours 50 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
1257 PM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026

OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-317-040600-
Cimarron-Texas-Beaver-Dallam-Sherman-Hansford-Ochiltree-Lipscomb-
Hartley-Moore-Hutchinson-Roberts-Hemphill-Oldham-Potter-Carson-
Gray-Wheeler-Deaf Smith-Randall-Armstrong-Donley-Collingsworth-
Palo Duro Canyon-
1257 PM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Texas and Oklahoma
Panhandles.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.

There is a low chance for thunderstorms in the north-central to
northeastern combined Panhandles late this afternoon into evening.
Cannot rule out some of these storms becoming severe from damaging
winds and a low potential for large hail.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Warm temperatures and additional thunderstorm chances are expected
each day Saturday through Thursday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters are asked to activate if warnings are issued in your area.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 3, 3:11 PM CDT, 1 hour 36 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
311 PM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026

OKZ002-032045-
Texas OK-
311 PM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN TEXAS COUNTY
THROUGH 345 PM CDT...

At 311 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 8
miles south of Wilburton, moving east at 10 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

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

This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of northwestern Texas
County.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3691 10128 3685 10190 3699 10185 3700 10131
TIME...MOT...LOC 2011Z 249DEG 8KT 3695 10173

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

LFM

The office that day

Everything else NWS Amarillo, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 3, 3:11 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementAMATexas34 min
Jul 3, 3:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAMATexas62 min
Jul 3, 4:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAMATexas54 min
Jul 3, 5:04 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningAMATexas2 hr
Jul 3, 5:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatAMATexas67 min
Jul 3, 5:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAMATexas61 min
Jul 3, 6:12 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementAMABeaver33 min
Jul 3, 6:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAMATexas42 min
Jul 3, 6:43 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementAMABeaver32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Oklahoma, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes in 2026

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.