Flash Flood and Hail in Oklahoma, June 21, 1998

Name: Flash Flood and Hail in Oklahoma, June 21, 1998
Start: 1998-06-21T00:15
End: 1998-06-21T03:20
Location: Oklahoma

June 21, 1998 · NWS TSA · 29 events in 8 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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: $204,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 29

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 TSA wrote it up.

Summary of events for June 21 1998:A nearly stationary broken line of thunderstorms developed from western Osage County southeast into the city of Tulsa along a weak surface boundary around midnight CDT on the early morning of June 21. Around 100 AM CDT, a thunderstorm along the line over central Osage County began to strengthen and move southeast. This thunderstorm became a prolific wind producer as it moved southeast through southeast Osage and central Tulsa Counties. As it moved across the city of Tulsa, the worst of the storm moved from near Sand Springs through the downtown area and east to just south of the international airport. The storm produced several wind reports as high as 96 mph and extensive widespread damage. Once the storm moved east of Tulsa, it began to gust out, and it weakened below severe limits by the time it reached the Arkansas state line.

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:17 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

26 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Osage

When: June 21, 12:15 AM CST
Where: Osage County, Fairfax
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 36.570, -96.700

Several trees were blown down, and 12 power poles were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Osage

When: June 21, 12:45 AM CST
Where: Osage County, 2 mi S of Wynona
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 36.520, -96.330

58 mph gust measured at Oklahoma mesonet site.

Thunderstorm Wind, Osage

When: June 21, 12:50 AM CST
Where: Osage County, 2 mi S of Wynona
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Coordinates: 36.520, -96.330

63 mph gust measured at Oklahoma mesonet site.

Thunderstorm Wind, Osage

When: June 21, 12:53 AM CST
Where: Osage County, Hominy
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage: $80,000
Coordinates: 36.420, -96.400

Eighty mph winds reported by spotters caused extensive damage in Hominy. Specific reports follow:- On the north side of town: a barn was smashed, the doors were torn off of an airport hangar, hay bails were thrown across the highway, the roof of Hominy High School was heavily damaged and the air conditioner was blown off of the roof, and play equipment was blown about 1/4 mile away.- On the east side of town: three houses were unroofed and a swing set was thrown into a fence.- On the south end of town: windows were blown in, several trailers were unsided, and power poles were blown down.- On Main Street: windows were blown in, signs were blown down, and awnings were damaged.- All over town, structures sustained serious roof damage, there was heavy tree and power line damage, and car windows were shattered. Fifty percent of the town's residents lost electricity.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When: June 21, 12:55 AM CST
Where: Pawnee County, Jennings
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage: $100
Coordinates: 36.180, -96.570

75 mph wind gusts blew down several tree limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When: June 21, 12:55 AM CST
Where: Pawnee County, Cleveland
Property damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 36.320, -96.470

Numerous large trees were blown down in Cleveland. These trees blocked several roads in town, including East Pawnee, East Miami, and East Otoe. The Cleveland American weekly newspaper pictured a large tree blown over in Feyodi Park.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When: June 21, 12:57 AM CST
Where: Pawnee County, Jennings
Measured: 83 kt (96 mph)
Coordinates: 36.180, -96.570

Hail, Osage

When: June 21, 1:00 AM CST
Where: Osage County, 1 mi N of Hominy
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 36.430, -96.400

Hail, Osage

When: June 21, 1:00 AM CST
Where: Osage County, Hominy
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 36.420, -96.400

Flash Flood, Osage

When: June 21, 1:00 AM CST to 2:00 AM CST
Where: Osage County, Hominy
Coordinates: 36.629, -96.398 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Water was knee-deep in some of Hominy's streets.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When: June 21, 1:00 AM CST
Where: Pawnee County, Pawnee
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 36.330, -96.800

A roof was peeled from a building at the corner of 7th and Harrison and blown into the Phillips 66 service station drive across the street. Several trees were damaged, causing scattered power outages.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When: June 21, 1:15 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, 8 mi W of Sand Spgs
Property damage: $8,000
Coordinates: 36.150, -96.270

Strong winds caused considerable damage to the floating gas docks at the Pier 51 marina on Lake Keystone. The restaurant on the second floor of the gas dock had to be closed for repairs. Three or four trees were blown over in the Keystone State Park.

Thunderstorm Wind, Creek

When: June 21, 1:20 AM CST
Where: Creek County, Oilton
Property damage: $100
Coordinates: 36.080, -96.580

4-inch diameter tree limbs were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Creek

When: June 21, 1:25 AM CST
Where: Creek County, Mannford
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 36.250, -96.420

Several business signs in Mannford were blown out. The north dugout of the high school basefield had its top blown across the street. A tree at Greenwood and GreenBriar was broken off.

Thunderstorm Wind, Creek

When: June 21, 1:30 AM CST
Where: Creek County, Kellyville
Property damage: $9,000
Coordinates: 35.950, -96.220

Power lines were blown down onto a house.

Thunderstorm Wind, Osage

When: June 21, 1:30 AM CST
Where: Osage County, Tulsa
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 36.150, -95.950

Large trees were blown down along Gilcrease Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When: June 21, 1:30 AM CST
Where: Pawnee County, Terlton
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 36.180, -96.480

Large trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When: June 21, 1:32 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, Sand Spgs
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 36.150, -96.120

Spotters estimated winds in Sand Springs of 70 mph. These winds blew down power lines in and north of Sand Springs, especially in the McKinley Hill area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When: June 21, 1:32 AM CST to 1:50 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, Tulsa
Measured: 83 kt (96 mph)
Property damage: $90,000
Coordinates: 36.150, -95.950

Winds measured as high as 96 mph caused extensive damage in downtown Tulsa and throughout a large part of the city. Specific reports follow:- At 232 AM CDT, the NWS received reports of transformers blowing up in north Tulsa. Eventually, 70,000 PSO customers lost electrical service. Numerous power lines, including 27 distribution poles and 10 transmission poles as tall as 75 feet, were blown down. Nine of these were along Sheridan Road between Admiral and 11th Street S. PSO reported damage located in an area from Keystone Dam east to Broken Arrow and from Tulsa International Airport to 31st Street S. The worst damage was near 11th and Sheridan.- At 240 AM CDT, spotters reported a 65 mph gust in east Tulsa.- At 240 AM CDT, spotters measured a 96 mph gust near US Hwy 75 and Apache.- At 242 AM CDT, a KOTV (Channel 6) meteorologist reported 85 to 90 mph winds at their studios in downtown Tulsa. Much of downtown Tulsa lost electrical service.- Around 245 AM CDT, winds tore the roof off of Houston Elementary School on North Cincinnati. New Hope Baptist Church next door lost part of its roof as well.- Large trees and traffic signals were blown down in the downtown area, blocking several streets. A newspaper clipping had a picture of a traffic signal laying on the ground at Second Street and Cincinnati.- The roofs of at least two units at the Osage Hills Apartments (423 W. Haskell) were blown off. Downed tree branches nearby broke out several windows on a car.- The roof was blown off of the Town Center Building (507 E. Archer) in downtown Tulsa.- Two large plate glass windows were blown out of the 400 S. Boston Building in downtown Tulsa. The glass was at least one-half inch thick. - A newspaper clipping showed a picture of a very large tree that was blown onto a Nissan Maxima near 37th and Troost, totalling the car. - Gasoline pumps at a gas station (2718 W. Edison) were torn from their bases, and the station's large metal canopy was blown across the street.- There was one indirect injury as a man was trimming a tree that had fallen on power lines. A limb fell and contacted a live power line, shocking the man. Also, the Tulsa Regional Medical Center admitted five patients for reasons related to the power outage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When: June 21, 1:45 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, 1 mi W of Sperry
Property damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 36.300, -96.020

A shed was blown down near 110th Street N. and 34th West Ave.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rogers

When: June 21, 1:50 AM CST
Where: Rogers County, Catoosa
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 36.180, -95.750

Several trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When: June 21, 1:53 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, (Tul)tulsa Intl Arpt
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Coordinates: 36.200, -95.880

A 61 mph gust was measured by ASOS at the Tulsa International Airport (TUL).

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When: June 21, 2:05 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, Broken Arrow
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Coordinates: 36.050, -95.780

Location: near 91st Street and 193rd East Ave.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wagoner

When: June 21, 2:16 AM CST
Where: Wagoner County, Coweta
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates: 35.950, -95.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Wagoner

When: June 21, 2:30 AM CST
Where: Wagoner County, Wagoner
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 35.850, -95.380

Several trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Muskogee

When: June 21, 2:40 AM CST
Where: Muskogee County, 2 mi W of Ft Gibson
Measured: 83 kt (96 mph)
Coordinates: 35.800, -95.280

Location: on the Muskogee Turnpike

Thunderstorm Wind, Wagoner

When: June 21, 2:40 AM CST
Where: Wagoner County, Okay
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 35.870, -95.300

Several trees were blown down, one of which blocked a highway.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherokee

When: June 21, 3:15 AM CST
Where: Cherokee County, Tahlequah
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph)
Coordinates: 35.920, -94.970

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherokee

When: June 21, 3:20 AM CST
Where: Cherokee County, 1 mi NE of Tahlequah
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph)
Coordinates: 35.930, -94.950

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.
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 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, June 1998

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: 5644827, 5644828, 5644829, 5644906, 5644907, 5645009, 5644908, 5644909, 5645006, 5645007, 5645008, 5645010, 5644910, 5645011, 5644911, 5644912, 5644913, 5644914, 5644915, 5645005, 5644916, 5644917, 5644918, 5644919, 5644920, 5644921, 5644922, 5644923, 5644924.