High Wind in Oklahoma, January 17 to 18, 1996

Name: High Wind in Oklahoma, January 17 to 18, 1996
Start: 1996-01-17T21:30
End: 1996-01-18T18:00
Location: Oklahoma

January 17 to 18, 1996 · NWS OUN · 50 events in 50 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 50 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $3,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 50

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS OUN wrote it up.

A strong cold front moved into Oklahoma during the evening of January 17th. Strong gradient winds with and behind the front were sustained at up to 44 mph at Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City with gusts as high as 52 mph. The strong winds began with frontal passage and continued until early evening on the 18th. During the almost 24 hours of high winds, tree, sign, and other property damage was widespread across western and central Oklahoma. Reports of downed business signs and uprooted trees were received from Norman in Cleveland County, Ponca City in Kay County, Ardmore in Carter County, Weatherford in Custer County, and Woodward in Woodward County.Semi-trucks were blown over in Elk City, Clinton, and Cordell in Beckham, Custer, and Washita Counties. In Altus in Jackson County a carport was lifted and blown onto the connecting mobile home. In Okeene in Blaine County the roof of a grocery store, housed in a metal building, was taken off and blown into a neighboring business. In Canton, also in Blaine County, the front portion of the roof was blown off of a bank. In Hughes County, high winds toppled a metal barn in Lamar. In Granite in Greer County, high winds damaged the roofs of a church and two city buildings, resulting in about $2200 in damage.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

50 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Harper

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Harper forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 36.789, -99.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Woods

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Woods forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 36.767, -98.865 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Alfalfa

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Alfalfa forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 36.731, -98.324 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Grant

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Grant forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 36.796, -97.786 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Kay

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Kay forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 36.818, -97.144 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Ellis

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Ellis forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 36.218, -99.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Woodward

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Woodward forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Property damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 36.423, -99.265 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Major

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Major forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 36.312, -98.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Garfield

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Garfield forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 36.379, -97.783 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Noble

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Noble forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 36.389, -97.230 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Roger Mills

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Roger Mills forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.688, -99.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Dewey

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Dewey forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.988, -99.008 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Custer

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Custer forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.639, -99.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Blaine

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Blaine forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.875, -98.433 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Kingfisher

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Kingfisher forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.945, -97.942 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Logan

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.919, -97.443 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Payne

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Payne forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 36.077, -96.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Beckham

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Beckham forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.269, -99.682 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Washita

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Washita forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.290, -98.992 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Caddo

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Caddo forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.174, -98.375 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Canadian

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Canadian forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.542, -97.982 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Oklahoma

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Oklahoma forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.552, -97.407 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lincoln

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.703, -96.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Grady

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Grady forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.017, -97.884 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, McClain

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: McClain forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.009, -97.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Cleveland

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Cleveland forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.203, -97.326 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Pottawatomie

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Pottawatomie forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.207, -96.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Seminole

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Seminole forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.168, -96.615 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hughes

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Hughes forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 35.048, -96.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Harmon

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Harmon forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.744, -99.846 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Greer

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Greer forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 34.936, -99.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Kiowa

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Kiowa forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.916, -98.981 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Jackson

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Jackson forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.588, -99.415 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Tillman

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Tillman forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.373, -98.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Comanche

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Comanche forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.662, -98.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Stephens

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Stephens forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.486, -97.851 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Garvin

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Garvin forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.705, -97.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Murray

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Murray forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.482, -97.068 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Pontotoc

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Pontotoc forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.728, -96.684 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Coal

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Coal forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.588, -96.298 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Cotton

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Cotton forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.290, -98.372 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Jefferson

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.111, -97.836 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Carter

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Carter forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.251, -97.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Johnston

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Johnston forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.317, -96.661 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Atoka

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Atoka forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.374, -96.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Pushmataha

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Pushmataha forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.416, -95.376 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Love

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Love forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 33.950, -97.244 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Marshall

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Marshall forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.025, -96.769 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Bryan

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Bryan forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 33.962, -96.260 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Choctaw

When: January 17, 9:30 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Choctaw forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph)
Coordinates: 34.027, -95.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oklahoma in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, January 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5547557, 5547558, 5547559, 5547560, 5547561, 5547562, 5547563, 5547564, 5547565, 5547566, 5547567, 5547568, 5547569, 5547570, 5547571, 5547572, 5547573, 5547574, 5547575, 5547576, 5547577, 5547578, 5547579, 5547580, 5547581, 5547582, 5547583, 5547584, 5547585, 5547586, 5547587, 5547588, 5547589, 5547590, 5547591, 5547753, 5547754, 5547755, 5547756, 5547757, and more.