Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Oklahoma, October 8 to 9, 1997

Name: Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Oklahoma, October 8 to 9, 1997
Start: 1997-10-08T16:30
End: 1997-10-09T00:30
Location: Oklahoma

October 8 to 9, 1997 · NWS OUN · 32 events in 12 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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: $86,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 32

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 October 8, 1997:A line of severe thunderstorms developed and moved across western and central Oklahoma during the evening, producing large hail, damaging winds, and 2 tornadoes. The first tornado was observed southeast of billings in Noble County. No damage occurred, and the tornado was rated F0. The second tornado touched down south of Coyle in Logan County, destroying a barn and some outbuildings. Damage was rated F1.The largest hail (up to the size of golf balls) fell in Oklahoma City in Oklahoma County and in Addington in Jefferson County. Severe thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated to be as high as 80 mph (in Perkins in Payne County). Structural wind damage was reported west of White Eagle in Kay County, near Coyle in Payne County, and east of Guthrie in Logan County. Tree damage was reported in Meridian in Logan County, south of Perkins and in Chandler in Lincoln County, in Edmond in Oklahoma County, east of Elgin in Comanche County, and in Marlow in Stephens County.See preceding individual Storm Data entries for further details and additional reports.

The radar

The Norman radar (KTLX), 82 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:28 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 hail, 13 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, 2 lightning, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Canadian

When: October 8, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Canadian County, Calumet
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Coordinates: 35.600, -98.120

Hail, Caddo

When: October 8, 4:35 PM CST
Where: Caddo County, 5 mi N of Alfalfa
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 35.280, -98.600

Hail, Jefferson

When: October 8, 5:28 PM CST
Where: Jefferson County, Addington
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 34.270, -97.980

Tornado, Noble

When: October 8, 5:31 PM CST to 5:35 PM CST
Where: Noble County, Billings to 5 mi SE of Billings
Rating: F0
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Coordinates: 36.480, -97.370

A tornado was observed by spotters. No damage was reported.

Hail, Canadian

When: October 8, 5:40 PM CST to 5:45 PM CST
Where: Canadian County, 4 mi N of Piedmont
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.700, -97.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Canadian

When: October 8, 5:52 PM CST
Where: Canadian County, 4 mi N of Piedmont
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph)
Coordinates: 35.700, -97.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Logan

When: October 8, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Logan County, Meridian
Property damage: $10
Coordinates: 35.830, -97.250

Severe thunderstorm winds blew down several tree limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kay

When: October 8, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Kay County, 4 mi W of White Eagle
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 36.600, -97.150

A barn was destroyed by severe thunderstorm winds.

Hail, Oklahoma

When: October 8, 6:15 PM CST
Where: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma City
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 35.480, -97.530

occurred at 192nd and County Line Road

Tornado, Logan

When: October 8, 6:15 PM CST
Where: Logan County, 9 mi S of Coyle
Rating: F1
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 35.820, -97.230

A tornado destroyed a barn and outbuildings.

Hail, Oklahoma

When: October 8, 6:18 PM CST
Where: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma City
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 35.480, -97.530

occurred at NW 113th and Council Road

Hail, Oklahoma

When: October 8, 6:27 PM CST
Where: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma City
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.480, -97.530

occurred at NW 113th and Council Road

Hail, Oklahoma

When: October 8, 6:32 PM CST
Where: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma City
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.480, -97.530

occurred at the intersection of Memorial and MacArthur Road

Hail, Oklahoma

When: October 8, 6:56 PM CST
Where: Oklahoma County, Edmond
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 35.650, -97.480

occurred at the intersection of Eastern and Memorial Road

Thunderstorm Wind, Oklahoma

When: October 8, 7:05 PM CST
Where: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma City
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 35.480, -97.530

Severe thunderstorm winds reached 60 mph at Memorial Road and I-35.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lincoln

When: October 8, 7:07 PM CST
Where: Lincoln County, 4 mi S of Perkins
Property damage: $100
Coordinates: 35.700, -96.830

Strong winds uprooted a one-foot diameter tree, which then fell onto the porch of a local resident.

Hail, Payne

When: October 8, 7:08 PM CST
Where: Payne County, Perkins
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.970, -97.030

Thunderstorm Wind, Payne

When: October 8, 7:08 PM CST
Where: Payne County, Perkins
Measured: 69 kt (79 mph)
Coordinates: 35.970, -97.030

Severe thunderstorm winds were estimated at 70 to 80 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Payne

When: October 8, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Payne County, 1 mi N of Coyle
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 36.080, -96.980

Severe thunderstorm winds damaged outbuildings near Highway 33 in the southwest part of Payne County.

Hail, Oklahoma

When: October 8, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma City
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 35.480, -97.530

occurred at I-35 and Waterloo Road

Hail, Caddo

When: October 8, 7:57 PM CST
Where: Caddo County, 2 mi W of Cyril
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 34.880, -98.230

Thunderstorm Wind, Lincoln

When: October 8, 8:14 PM CST
Where: Lincoln County, Chandler
Property damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 35.700, -96.880

Severe thunderstorm winds downed numerous large tree limbs in the Chandler area. One large limb fell onto and damaged a pick-up truck.

Thunderstorm Wind, Logan

When: October 8, 8:30 PM CST
Where: Logan County, 6 mi E of Guthrie
Property damage: $10
Coordinates: 35.880, -97.330

Severe thunderstorm winds blew the roof off a barn and downed trees.

Hail, Lincoln

When: October 8, 9:45 PM CST
Where: Lincoln County, Wellston
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 35.680, -97.070

Hail, Oklahoma

When: October 8, 10:05 PM CST
Where: Oklahoma County, Edmond
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 35.650, -97.480

occurred at the intersection of 33RD and Santa Fe

Hail, Grady

When: October 8, 10:25 PM CST
Where: Grady County, Rush Springs
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.030, -97.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Oklahoma

When: October 8, 10:30 PM CST
Where: Oklahoma County, Edmond
Property damage: $10
Coordinates: 35.650, -97.480

Severe thunderstorm winds downed numerous limbs to the south and west of Edmond.

Lightning, Lincoln

When: October 8, 10:30 PM CST
Where: Lincoln County, Chandler
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 35.703, -96.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning struck and set fire to a rural Chandler home. Damage was estimated at $20,000.

Thunderstorm Wind, Comanche

When: October 8, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Comanche County, 4 mi E of Elgin
Property damage: $10
Coordinates: 34.780, -98.220

Strong winds blew 8-10 inch diameter limbs from trees.

Lightning, Lincoln

When: October 8, 11:15 PM CST
Where: Lincoln County, 4 mi S of Stroud
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 35.703, -96.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning struck a crude oil tank, causing an explosion and blowing the tank off its base. The resulting fire destroyed a nearby small office.

Thunderstorm Wind, Stephens

When: October 8, 11:20 PM CST
Where: Stephens County, Marlow
Property damage: $10
Coordinates: 34.650, -97.950

Severe thunderstorm winds blew limbs from trees.

Flash Flood, Comanche

When: October 8, 11:30 PM CST to October 9, 12:30 AM CST
Where: Comanche County, Elgin
Coordinates: 34.662, -98.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several county roads and bridges in northeastern Comanche County were washed out by flash flood waters.

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.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oklahoma in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Oklahoma, 1997 Warnings in Oklahoma, October 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: 5622765, 5622756, 5622865, 5622859, 5622766, 5622767, 5622768, 5622775, 5622757, 5622860, 5622758, 5622759, 5622760, 5622761, 5622857, 5622764, 5622762, 5622763, 5622769, 5622777, 5622858, 5622863, 5622861, 5622770, 5622771, 5622772, 5622776, 5622862, 5622774, 5622864, 5622773, 5622866.