Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, May 14 to 15, 1998

A cluster of severe thunderstorms developed over portions of western Oklahoma during the evening of May 14th, before a large and intense line of severe thunderstorms accompanied by damaging winds and large hail moved into western Oklahoma and eventually central Oklahoma during the early morning of May 15th. In association with the first cluster of severe thunderstorms, two hangars were damaged, one destroyed at the airport in Erick in Beckham County. At least $50,000 damage occurred to a church roof. A lumberyard building was destroyed; Trees were downed, and windows were smashed in Erick. There were also many reports of roof damage in the city of Erick. Roof damage occurred at a sewer plant 1 mile south of Elk City, while in Elk City ten utility poles were snapped; one trailer was pushed off its foundation; semi trucks were blown off of Interstate 40; and damage occurred to many roofs. In Cheyenne in Roger Mills County severe winds damaged a gymnasium roof allowing rain to pour into a new $52,000 floor causing major water damage. The roof was blown off at the Oklahoma Educational Television Association (OETA) translator station, and windows were blown out at a fire station. Tree limbs and power lines were also downed. Three inch diameter tree limbs were blown down 2 miles north of Dempsey. In Major County 17 miles north of Chester a garage roof was damaged, and a chicken house was destroyed, while a roof was blown off and high line poles were snapped in Waynoka. There were also many reports of large hail, the largest, half dollar size, occurred in Hollis (Harmon County) at 2135 CST.Damaging winds accompanied a line of severe thunderstorms that moved through western and central Oklahoma between 0100 CST and 0515 CST on May 15th. A roof was blown off of a barn 15 miles northwest of Willow; 6 to 8 inch diameter tree limbs were blown down 2 miles southwest of Durham. Six miles southwest of Cheyenne, a wellhouse blew over, and roof damage occurred to a house. In Cheyenne severe winds damaged several homes, while a roof was blown off a trailer house 2 miles west of Cheyenne. Two hangar doors were blown off at Altus Municipal Airport. Numerous trees were downed in Shattuck in Ellis County; seven utility poles were snapped in Martha. Reports of snapped utility poles also came from Tipton. Trees were downed in Woodward; 2 inch diameter tree limbs were broken 5 miles southeast of Vici, and a roof was blown off of a garage 19 miles north of Chester in Major County. An antenna was destroyed 20 miles northwest of Lawton, while trees were uprooted, and damage occurred to a roof. In Helena several 3 inch diameter tree limbs were blown down; a swingset was blown over; a large cedar tree was snapped in half; power lines were downed; and damage occurred to many roofs, while in Okeene a large metal building was destroyed, and utility poles were snapped. In Lacey in Kingfisher County 2 large irrigation systems were destroyed. There were also reports of power outages and damage to many mobile homes and barns. One mile west of Loyal the doors and roof were blown off of a barn, while a shed was destroyed, and power lines were downed 1 mile south of Hennessey. A barn was demolished in Omega. Roof damage was reported southwest of Kingfisher. In Calumet in Canadian County a grain storage bin was damaged, and a barn was destroyed. Limbs and power lines were downed all across Garfield County, while a sheet metal building was destroyed in Enid. A guinea hen and two geese were also killed, and roofs were damaged, while a U-haul trailer was blown off of the highway 1 mile south of Enid. Several barns were damaged in Brahman. Power lines and numerous tree limbs were downed in Brahman and Tonkawa. A semi truck was blown off of Interstate 35 in Blackwell. Large trees were blown over 2 miles southeast of Lamont, and fences were blown down in Norman.