Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, July 24, 1995

Isolated thunderstorms developed in northwest Oklahoma during early evening on the 23rd. Within a few hours a second area of numerous thunderstorms began to develop rapidly in southwest Oklahoma. The thunderstorms spread into central portions of the state during the evening and many evolved into severe straight-line wind producing thunderstorms with distinctive bow-echo radar signatures. In summary, wind gusts to 97 mph, hail up to three-inch diameter, and three tornados were reported during this event. By far the most damaging storm of the night occurred in Oklahoma County as a severe thunderstorm with straight-line winds up to 97 mph moved through central Oklahoma and the Oklahoma City metro area between 2300 and midnight CST on the 23rd (midnight to 0100 am CDT on the 24th). As the storm approached western sections of the metro area, it began to cause significant damage in Canadian County. In El Reno a metal awning was destroyed, and in Yukon trees were downed, one onto a mobile home. The courthouse in Yukon suffered major roof damage which resulted in flooding of the offices inside. In Mustang, winds were measured at 82 to 92 mph. Two carports were destroyed, light poles were downed, and major tree and fence damage occurred. When the storm reached western Oklahoma County, wind speeds approached 100 mph. At the Weather Service Office at Will Rogers Airport in southwest Oklahoma City, winds were sustained at 36 to 70 mph from 2324CST to 2353CST. Gusts ranged from 58 to 96 mph, with a peak of 96 mph at 2339CST. Damage throughout the county was extensive, with the heaviest damage in southern and western Oklahoma City. Dollar estimates of damage alone (not including clean-up costs or lost revenue) topped $6.5 million. Cleanup costs likely added an additional $2 million to the total. One-fifth of the city's traffic signals were damaged, about 100 in all; and an estimated 175,000 homes lost power in the Oklahoma City metro area, many for several days. Up to 20,000 people were still without electricity the evening of the 26th, and electrical service was not completely restored until the 28th, five days after the storm. One employee of the electric company was killed while working on a high voltage line. At the Will Rogers Airport, several windows were knocked out of the observation tower and the Weather Service Office at 2328CST. Windows were also broken out of numerous cars. At Wiley Post Airport eight hangars sustained significant roof damage, for an estimated $1 million damage. An airplane was also turned 45 degrees from its original position. A building was destroyed near the 2000th block of Airport Road. Wind speeds at Tinker Air Force Base in Del City (a southeastern suburb of Oklahoma City) reached 97 mph, the highest measured wind speed of the event. Tinker Air Force Base suffered extensive damage to windows, roofs, and equipment stored in hangars. Nearby Rose State College also suffered significant roof and window damage valued at $10 thousand. The Oklahoma State Fairgrounds sustained over almost $1 million damage to signs and buildings. The greatest single cost was the bubble roof of the International Trade Center which collapsed during the storm. Replacement of the roof and repair of the building cost $746 thousand. A paper warehouse was heavily damaged when an outside concrete-block wall collapsed due to the severe winds. Damage to the warehouse and contents was estimated at $1 million. University Hospital in downtown Oklahoma City received $150 thousand damage: $70 thousand to a Care-flight helicopter and $80 thousand to the windows and roof of the hospital itself. The roof collapsed on four units of the Western Oaks Apartments at 7416 NW 23rd St, and a brick wall was blown down at 23rd and Vandament. Part of the roof of a Post Office collapsed at SW 57th and Agnew. A mobile home on the 5200th block of Peniel was blown onto its side, a mobile home on the 9000th block of NW 10th lost half of its roof, and a house lost one-quarter of its roof at 9717 Westlake. Two homes at SW 59th and May and a Pizza Hut at SW 82nd and Pennsylvania suffered significant roof damage. At SW 74th and Pennsylvania, a greenhouse was destroyed and gas pumps were overturned. Roof and gas pump damage was also reported at SW 74th and May. In Moore in northern Cleveland County, the east face of Westmoore High School was stripped away by the severe thunderstorm winds. Damage was estimated at $25,000. Many homes in Moore suffered roof and structural damage, including parts of walls blown off the second story of one house. Ten blocks of power poles were downed along Santa Fe south of 4th on the Moore/Oklahoma City line. Sign and tree damage throughout Oklahoma and northern Cleveland Counties was too extensive to list. Over 200 trees were twisted or uprooted at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds alone. Only two known injuries were attributed to the storm as it moved through the metro area. An elderly couple driving on Santa Fe south of 4th Street in Moore (Cleveland County) was injured by a falling utility pole. Both were treated and released by a local hospital. Elsewhere in central Oklahoma, severe thunderstorm winds in Pottawatomie County downed two-inch limbs in Pink and felled numerous trees and power lines in Tecumseh. In Shawnee, also in Pottawatomie County, winds estimated at 70 mph downed many limbs up to three inches. Severe thunderstorm winds estimated at 80 mph in northern Hennessey in Kingfisher County uprooted or snapped numerous 14 to 20-inch trees and power lines. Several residential and business roofs were damaged or removed. Glass windows and doors were broken throughout town. The Co-op also sustained damage to a nurse tank when a power pole fell on it. One large tree fell onto a mobile home, and another mobile home was blown over. One woman was injured when part of the wall of her apartment complex caved in. Severe thunderstorm winds downed two-inch limbs five miles west of Meeker and in Prague in Lincoln County. In Cleveland County three miles south of Stella, an 18-inch tree was downed, and numerous trees and limbs were downed in Norman. In Payne County large limbs and three trees were downed in Stillwater, and limbs up to four inches were snapped in Atwood in Hughes County. In Seminole County 1,500 residents of Seminole lost power due to trees blown over onto power lines. In northern Oklahoma severe thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 mph removed shingles and downed two-inch limbs five miles south of Wakita in Grant County. The roof and walls were blown out of a large metal machine shed 15 miles west of Medford in Grant County. In Harper County, two-inch limbs were downed in Buffalo and one-foot limbs were downed in Laverne. One-foot tree limbs were also downed in Arnett in Ellis County. In Woodward County numerous six-inch limbs were downed and the roof of a nursing home was partially blown off in Mooreland. In Woodward large trees were downed by winds clocked as high as 65 mph at the Woodward Airport. In Major County large trees and limbs were downed in Fairview, and in Noble County trees were uprooted and limbs were snapped in Perry and Morrison. In western Oklahoma one-foot tree limbs were downed in Sayre in Beckham County. In Washita County utility poles were downed and limbs and debris literally covered the streets of Colony. In Custer County in Fay two-inch limbs were downed. In Hydro on the Blaine/Caddo County line, eight utility poles were downed, trees were split, a peanut truck was overturned, the roof was blown off a shed, and a barn was destroyed. Elsewhere in Blaine County, two-inch tree limbs were downed in Watonga and six miles south of Canton. In Okeene winds estimated at 80 mph caused significant damage. A camper was thrown on its side and severely damaged, a church steeple was toppled, the roof was blown off a house, a large tree was uprooted, a carport was destroyed, and 16 utility poles were broken. Severe thunderstorm winds were also reported in southern Oklahoma. In Cotton County windows were blown out of a toll booth on Interstate 44 five miles west of Walters, and a two-foot tree was uprooted and 15 utility poles were downed in Devol. In Tillman County in Frederick the roof was blown off a vacant motel, windows were blown out of storefronts, and signs were blown down. In the immediate vicinity of Frederick a mobile home was destroyed, the roof was blown off a barn, trees were uprooted, and more than 70 utility poles were downed including 50 that were snapped off at the ground. At the Frederick Airport two airplanes and two hangars suffered an estimated $30,000 damage. Elsewhere in Tillman County, two-inch limbs were downed in Grandfield. In Comanche County 23 utility poles were blown down in Indiahoma and Chattanooga, and in Kiowa County 21 poles were downed in Snyder. Five miles west of Hobart in Kiowa County a barn was destroyed by the strong winds. Trees, signs, power lines, and light poles were blown down in Pauls Valley in Garvin County and in Davis in Murray County. Severe thunderstorm winds downed limbs up to four inches in Tupelo in Coal County, and a one-foot tree limb was blown down onto a road one mile west of Wardville in Atoka County. The three tornados occurred from a single storm, mainly in Cotton County, around mid-evening on the 23rd. The first tornado was spotted on the Cotton/Comanche County line 10 miles north-northwest of Cookietown (which is eight miles southeast of Faxon). The tornado was on the ground for two minutes and moved little during that time. The second tornado occurred six miles north-northwest of Cookietown and lasted for one minute. The third tornado was spotted seven miles south of Walters. None of the tornados resulted in damage and all three were rated as F0. Three-inch hail also fell with this same storm in Cotton County five miles west of Walters on Interstate 44. Lightning struck and ignited the roof of a house in Weatherford in Custer County. Damage was estimated at $28,000. In Comanche County lightning struck and set fire to a house in Lawton at 2340CST, resulting in $45,000 damage. A second house in Lawton was struck by lightning from a later storm (at 0100CST on the 24th), resulting in $10,000 damage. In Duncan in Stephens County lightning struck, ignited, and completely destroyed a house and its contents valued at $92,000.

Severe thunderstorms moved across eastern Oklahoma during the early morning of July 24th. Thunderstorm winds damaged boat docks and a mobile home one mile east of Texanna. Numerous large trees were also blown down blocking roads in the same area. A hand-held anemometer reached its peak speed of 65 mph one mile east of Texanna. Strong thunderstorm winds caused severe roof damage to one building in Webbers Falls, and several trees were blown onto roofs in Webbers Falls. Six cars were damaged at the intersection of 48th Street and Wheeling Avenue in the city of Tulsa when a large tree was blown down, and a barn roof was partially blown off one mile east of Hectorville. Strong thunderstorm winds blew canopies off mobile homes in Poteau, and trees were blown down and roofs were damaged by strong winds in Ashland. Several trees and power lines were blown down in Burbank and in Drumright, and trees were blown down four miles north of Hulbert and in Sallisaw. Numerous large tree limbs were blown down in Indianola, and a large part of a tree was blown down in Broken Arrow. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 60 to 70 mph in Hallett and to 60 mph five miles west of Okemah, and dime-size hail fell one mile north of Muskogee.