Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, April 22, 1996

Severe thunderstorms moved across eastern Oklahoma during the afternoon and evening of April 21st and early morning of April 22nd. The storms spawned 7 tornadoes in eastern Oklahoma, and also produced damaging winds and large hail.The first tornado touched down at 1800CST in the town of Barnsdall. The tornado partially destroyed the new fire department building in Barnsdall and damaged a few homes in town. The tornado was on the ground for 1/2 mile, was 100 yards wide, and was rated as F1 in intensity.The second tornado touched down briefly at 1828CST 4 miles northwest of Nowata. No damage occurred with this F0 tornado.The third tornado touched down briefly at 1915CST 2 miles west of Fairland. The tornado overturned several tractor trailers on Interstate 44 and was rated as F1 in intensity.Tornadoes 4 through 7 were all produced by the same supercell thunderstorm which moved across southeast Oklahoma. The fourth tornado touched down at 2015CST in the city of McAlester. The tornado damaged 4 homes and 77 businesses in McAlester, and 9 people who injured in McAlester. The 100 yard wide tornado remained on the ground for 3 miles before lifting at 2020CST 3 miles east northeast of McAlester and was rated as F0 in intensity.The fifth tornado touched down at 2030CST 7 miles east northeast of McAlester and remained on the ground for 5 miles before lifting at 2040CST 12 miles east northeast of McAlester. The 100 yard wide tornado damaged several homes and was rated as F1 in intensity.The sixth tornado touched down at 2100CST 2 miles north of Kinta and remained on the ground for 1 mile before lifting at 2102CST 2 miles north northeast of Kinta. Trees were downed by this 75 yard wide tornado, but no structural damage occurred, and the tornado was rated as F1 in intensity.The seventh tornado touched down at 2212CST in the town of Moffett and quickly crossed the Arkansas River into Arkansas. Trees and power lines were downed by this tornado in Oklahoma, but no structural damage occurred in Oklahoma. The tornado was 50 yards wide in Oklahoma and was rated as F1 in intensity in Oklahoma. The tornado strengthened as it moved into Arkansas, where 2 young children were killed in Fort Smith.Damaging straight-line winds also occurred with the storms. Strong thunderstorm winds damaged roofs and downed numerous large trees 5 miles north of Barnsdall, and a tractor trailer was overturned by the high winds on Interstate 40 1 mile south of Warner. Windows were blown out in Okemah, a roof was blown off a barn near Eufaula, a tin roof was blown off a shed 5 miles south of South Coffeyville, and grain silos were blown over in South Coffeyville. A roof was blown off a building and power lines were blown down in Keota, trees were blown down in Stigler, and trees, fences, and power lines were blown down 5 miles west of Kinta and throughout all of Haskell County. Trees were blown down in Shady Point, and power lines were blown down 1 mile south of Quinton and in Bristow.Thunderstorm winds gusted to 70 miles an hour in Bartlesville and in Boley, to 60 to 70 miles an hour in Henryetta, and to 65 miles an hour on the northwest side of Muskogee. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 63 miles an hour at an automated observing site 3 miles northwest of Stigler, to 61 miles an hour at an automated observing site 8 miles north of Ashland, and to 60 miles an hour 2 miles east of Castle.Large hail also accompanied the storms. Baseball size hail fell at Braggs, and 2 inch diameter hail fell at Panama. Golfball size hail fell 2 miles northeast of Mannford, 8 miles west of Sand Springs, 7 miles west of Welch, at Stigler, at Muldrow, at Okay, at Oktaha, and at Marble City. Half dollar size hail fell 2 miles south of Quinton, and quarter to half dollar size hail fell at Miami. Dime to quarter size hail fell at numerous other locations in eastern Oklahoma.Very heavy rainfall from the thunderstorms also resulted in flash flooding in Tahlequah. Several downtown streets were blocked off due to street flooding, and water entered a few businesses in downtown Tahlequah.