Oklahoma, 1998

Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, May 9, 1998

May 9, 1998 · NWS TSA · 13 events in 4 counties and zones

Summary of events for May 9 1998:Scattered areas of severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Oklahoma from the late morning through the late afternoon on May 9. These storms formed as an upper level low and cold air aloft approached the area and to the north of a surface warm front.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
$500
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
13

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 May 9 1998:Scattered areas of severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Oklahoma from the late morning through the late afternoon on May 9. These storms formed as an upper level low and cold air aloft approached the area and to the north of a surface warm front. Due to the proximity north of a warm front, the primary threat with any of these storm was large hail to the size of quarters and marginally severe thunderstorm wind gusts.While other non-severe thunderstorms rumbled around eastern Oklahoma earlier in the morning, the first severe storms formed in far eastern Oklahoma around 1130 AM CDT along and north of I-40 and quickly moved east into Arkansas. Other severe storms formed by 330 PM CDT in Pittsburg and moved eastward to the Arkansas state line east of Poteau shortly after 500 PM CDT.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Delaware

When
May 9, 10:40 AM CST
Where
Delaware County, Kansas
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.200, -94.800

Hail, Sequoyah

When
May 9, 11:30 AM CST
Where
Sequoyah County, 4 mi NW of Muldrow
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.450, -94.650

Hail, Sequoyah

When
May 9, 11:45 AM CST
Where
Sequoyah County, 3 mi SW of Short
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.530, -94.520

Hail, Pittsburg

When
May 9, 2:30 PM CST
Where
Pittsburg County, 1 mi SW of Crowder
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
35.100, -95.680

Thunderstorm Wind, Pittsburg

When
May 9, 2:50 PM CST
Where
Pittsburg County, Blocker
Property damage
$300
Coordinates
35.070, -95.570

Several trees blown down

Hail, Pittsburg

When
May 9, 3:00 PM CST
Where
Pittsburg County, Quinton
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.120, -95.370

Thunderstorm Wind, Pittsburg

When
May 9, 3:02 PM CST
Where
Pittsburg County, Featherston
Property damage
$100
Coordinates
35.070, -95.500

Large tree limbs blown down

Hail, Le Flore

When
May 9, 3:45 PM CST
Where
Le Flore County, Poteau
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.050, -94.620

Hail, Le Flore

When
May 9, 3:55 PM CST
Where
Le Flore County, Poteau
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
35.050, -94.620

Thunderstorm Wind, Le Flore

When
May 9, 3:57 PM CST
Where
Le Flore County, Poteau
Property damage
$100
Coordinates
35.050, -94.620

Large trees blown down

Hail, Le Flore

When
May 9, 4:00 PM CST
Where
Le Flore County, Heavener
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
34.880, -94.600

Hail, Le Flore

When
May 9, 4:00 PM CST
Where
Le Flore County, Conser
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.830, -94.670

Hail, Le Flore

When
May 9, 4:04 PM CST
Where
Le Flore County, 3 mi S of Poteau
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
35.000, -94.620

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 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, May 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: 5645099, 5645097, 5645098, 5645195, 5645100, 5645101, 5645102, 5645104, 5645192, 5645193, 5645103, 5645194, 5645196.