Oklahoma, 1997

Hail and Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, June 11, 1997

June 11, 1997 · NWS OUN · 6 events in 4 counties and zones

Summary of midday events of June 11, 1997:Midday thunderstorms moved across central Oklahoma, bringing severe winds, large hail, and lightning damage. Hail as large as half dollars fell in Karns in Canadian County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$13,000
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 midday events of June 11, 1997:Midday thunderstorms moved across central Oklahoma, bringing severe winds, large hail, and lightning damage. Hail as large as half dollars fell in Karns in Canadian County. Winds estimated at 60 mph caused widespread tree damage and limited structural damage in Canton in Blaine County. Lightning from the storms set fires in Norman in Cleveland County and in Oil Center in Pontotoc 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.

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Event by event

3 hail, 2 lightning, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Blaine

When
June 11, 10:15 AM CST
Where
Blaine County, Canton
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$3,000
Coordinates
36.070, -98.580

Limbs up to 8 inches in diameter were blown down across a widespread area on the north side of town. Trees were also uprooted, a carport was destroyed, and a barn was severely damaged by the severe winds.

Hail, Blaine

When
June 11, 10:25 AM CST
Where
Blaine County, Watonga
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.850, -98.420

Hail, Canadian

When
June 11, 1:05 PM CST
Where
Canadian County, Karns
Measured
1.25 in hail
Coordinates
35.530, -98.000

Hail, Canadian

When
June 11, 1:30 PM CST
Where
Canadian County, Calumet
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.600, -98.120

Lightning, Cleveland

When
June 11, 2:00 PM CST
Where
Cleveland County, Norman
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
35.203, -97.326 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning struck a house, setting the attic on fire.

Lightning, Pontotoc

When
June 11, 2:30 PM CST
Where
Pontotoc County, Oil Center
Coordinates
34.728, -96.684 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning struck an oil storage tank and set it on fire.

What these are

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.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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, June 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: 5618971, 5618970, 5618969, 5618968, 5618973, 5618972.