Oklahoma, 1997

Hail and Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, August 17, 1997

August 17, 1997 · NWS OUN · 6 events in 2 counties and zones

Summary of events of the afternoon of August 17, 1997:Severe thunderstorms moved near and along the Red River, producing large hail and damaging thunderstorm winds in extreme southern Oklahoma and western parts of north Texas. On the Oklahoma side of the border, the largest hail was reported in Waurika in Jefferson County (where hail as large as golf balls fell), and a truck was blown over by…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
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  • Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$7,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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.

Summary of events of the afternoon of August 17, 1997:Severe thunderstorms moved near and along the Red River, producing large hail and damaging thunderstorm winds in extreme southern Oklahoma and western parts of north Texas. On the Oklahoma side of the border, the largest hail was reported in Waurika in Jefferson County (where hail as large as golf balls fell), and a truck was blown over by severe thunderstorm winds east of Cookietown in Cotton County. See preceding individual Storm Data entries for further details and additional reports.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Jefferson

When
August 17, 3:30 PM CST
Where
Jefferson County, 11 mi W of Ringling
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
34.180, -97.780

Hail, Cotton

When
August 17, 3:55 PM CST
Where
Cotton County, Temple
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
34.270, -98.230

Hail, Cotton

When
August 17, 4:20 PM CST
Where
Cotton County, 7 mi E of Cookietown
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
34.270, -98.330

Thunderstorm Wind, Cotton

When
August 17, 4:20 PM CST
Where
Cotton County, 7 mi E of Cookietown
Property damage
$7,000
Coordinates
34.270, -98.330

A truck with a trailer of 350 gallons of diesel fuel was blown over by severe thunderstorm winds.

Hail, Jefferson

When
August 17, 4:29 PM CST
Where
Jefferson County, Addington
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
34.270, -97.980

Hail, Jefferson

When
August 17, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Jefferson County, Waurika
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.170, -98.000

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Oklahoma in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, August 1997

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: 5622348, 5622349, 5622350, 5622351, 5622352, 5622353.