Summary of flooding events for October 4-5 1998:What started out as Oklahoma's worst-ever October tornado outbreak turned into a widespread and serious flash flood event when a steady train of supercell thunderstorms moving across northeast Oklahoma on the evening of October 4 congealed into a slow-moving line of thunderstorms early on the morning of October 5. This line of thunderstorms…
Every event with a place to put it; 25 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS TSA wrote it up.
Summary of flooding events for October 4-5 1998:What started out as Oklahoma's worst-ever October tornado outbreak turned into a widespread and serious flash flood event when a steady train of supercell thunderstorms moving across northeast Oklahoma on the evening of October 4 congealed into a slow-moving line of thunderstorms early on the morning of October 5. This line of thunderstorms remained nearly stationary roughly along I-44 through the overnight and pre-dawn hours of October 5, dumping widespread rainfall amounts of 5 to 7 inches along the I-44 corridor. Some of the heaviest rain fell in the Tulsa metro area. After sunrise, the line of thunderstorms started a slow southeastward drift, causing lesser but still heavy rain amounts of 3 to 5 inches across southeast and eastcentral Oklahoma. By the time the line of thunderstorms reached the southeast corner of Oklahoma on the evening of October 5, rainfall rates were not as intense. Thus, the only county in eastern Oklahoma not to see flash flooding was Choctaw County, where rainfall amounts were generally 2.5 inches or less.Several mainstem rivers rose above flood stage from the heavy rains, including the Bird Creek at Sperry and Owasso, the Verdigris River at Lenapah, the Neosho River at Commerce and Quapaw, the Poteau River at Panama, the Deep Fork River at Beggs, the Black Bear Creek at Pawnee, and the Polecat Creek at Sapulpa and Jenks.Some rainfall totals from October 4-5 include (in inches): Page_2SE...7.11, Skiatook_4NW...6.69, Jenks Riverside Airport (RVS)...6.45, Pryor_4N...6.21, Bristow_4SE...6.08, Welty_1SSE...6.00, Lyons_2N...5.93, NWS Tulsa (NE Tulsa)...5.88, Wynona_2S...5.59, Jay_4N...5.46, Tulsa International Airport (TUL)...5.30, Kansas_1ESE...5.25, Miami_2NE...5.17, Wilburton_9ENE...5.06, Tahlequah_2NNE...5.03, Centralia_7E (Vinita mesonet)...4.46, Clayton...4.04, Copan_2ENE...4.02, Webbers Falls...3.90, Talihina_4SE...3.68, McCurtain_1SE...3.60, Marble City_4N...3.33, Wister_3ENE...3.32, Checotah...3.13, Muskogee...2.97, and Okemah...2.79.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
24 flash flood, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Several creeks were over roads in and near Vera.
A park entrance was flooded. Water covered other roads, especially between Pawnee and Skedee. Several creeks rose out of their banks. Several rural roads were under water and closed near Pawnee.
Quapaw Creek rose out of its banks west of Skiatook. Residents from nearby homes had to be evacuated. Water flooded a gravel road upstream of Hulah Lake. The north Webb City road that runs east-west was flooded. Schools in Avant were closed on October 5.
Low-lying areas across Creek County were flooded. In Bristow, low spots on several streets were flooded. In Sapulpa, between 15 and 18 homes, as well as a business, along Rock Creek were flooded, and residents of the area had to be evacuated. 161st West Avenue south of W. 81st was closed due to high water. Two teenage boys had to be rescued when their fishing boat capsized in the rain-swollen waters of the Polecat Creek 7 miles south of Sapulpa. A motorist had to be rescued when stranded by high water in the 800 block of West Teel. Firefighters rescued another 6 people trapped in the area of South Independence south of Taft. Several roads and bridges countywide were washed out.
Rainfall for the calendar day of October 5 totaled 4.80 inches. This breaks the record as being the most rainfall on record at the Tulsa International Airport for October 5. The storm total for this rainfall event was 5.30 inches.
Near Tiawah, rescue crews removed several stranded motorists from their vehicles, including a woman and her two children whose van was swept away by swift running water around 9 AM CDT. In Claremore, several residences near 7th and Muskogee Streets had to be evacuated. Several streets in the city of Claremore were closed by high water, including Lynn Riggs at JM Davis, Blue Starr, and Patti Page near the courthouse. Water flooded over US Hwy 169 between Oologah and Talala. In Inola, flooding was apparent throughout the town as water overflowed the usual drainage system. Water was reported in at least one building. About twelve houses had water up to their doors, especially in the area of East Commercial near the railroad tracks and on West Commercial. Inola Creek, located one-half mile west of town, closed a roadway to traffic. Near Oologah, water flowed over the bridge on E-W section line road 38 just east of US Hwy 169.
Numerous streets and county roads were closed in and near Vinita. A county road off of US Hwy 169 near Big Cabin was flooded.
OK Hwy 16 between Wagoner and Okay had to be closed because of high water. In the city of Wagoner, several houses and business were flooded. The old Verdigris River bridge south of Okay (no longer in use) had 70 feet of its remaining structure collapse into the river. Across southeastern Wagoner County, several of the county's wooden bridges sustained damage. In Coweta, many residents had to be evacuated due to rising water. Several residents of Coweta had to be rescued after being stranded in either their homes or their vehicles.
A county road was washed out 2 miles northeast of New Alluwe.
In Morris, several streets were flooded. In Okmulgee, the railroad underpass near McDonald's on US Hwy 75 was closed. The only road in and out of the small community of Quail Creek was washed out, leaving residents of the community stranded. Schools in Beggs were closed.
Serious flooding took place throughout Tulsa County. In Jenks, several roads were closed due to street flooding. Jenks schools were closed for the day. Water entered three downtown businesses. There was damage to the carpet at the Jenks Public School Central Campus.In Tulsa, many street intersections were flooded, including 31st and Yale, 96th and Sheridan, and 2 feet of water over the road at 28th and 129th East Avenue. There was major street flooding across the city of Tulsa. A person was trapped in a car by high water at 800 N. Lewis. The basement of the Southwestern Bell telephone building in downtown Tulsa took on water, causing the loss of phone service across much of Tulsa for several hours and temporarily disabling 911 emergency service. Cell phones, pagers, and 911 emergency services across much of eastern Oklahoma also experienced interrupted service due to the flooding at the Southwestern Bell building. The economic impact of the phone service interruption is not included in the dollar damage estimate.In Broken Arrow, many city streets were flooded and impassable. One woman had to be rescued from her car on a bridge near 101st and Garnett when her car stalled in four feet of water. Two other women had to be rescued when they tried crossing a swollen creek on foot on 81st Street near the Oak Creek subdivision.In Glenpool, several streets were closed by high water, including 121st at US Hwy 75, 131st at US Hwy 75, and Caspar from 146th to 148th Streets. A woman and her daughter had to be rescued when their car stalled in high water near 141st and Fern. Two cars stalled out at US Hwy 75 and 201st Street, where only the cars' roofs were visible. Several residents had to be evacuated, and two downtown businesses received flood damage.
Several county roads near Pryor were closed by flooding. Several cars were stranded in high water. Water blocked the entrance to a manufacturing plant, closing the plant for the day. A man driving a pickup truck was swept away by floodwaters and was finally rescued from a tree that he had climbed for safety. A school bus on its early morning run stalled in high water. Several businesses in Locust Grove had up to one foot of water in them. Schools in Locust Grove and Salina let out early for the day.
Flooding reported at Fountainhead State Park. Infrastructure damage resulting from flash flooding countywide estimated at $51,000.
In Miami, there was extensive flooding throughout the city. The Neosho River overflowed its banks, flooding Riverview Park and the Miami fairgrounds. Tar Creek overflowed into several homes in the Skyranch subdivision of northeast Miami and caused flooding along Elm Street. OK Hwy 125 was closed for a time west of town.Near Cardin, a stranded motorist had to be rescued when her van stalled in high water. Another motorist had to be rescued from the Tar Creek Bridge when the water level rose quickly over the road. Nearby, an elderly woman had to be evacuated from her home when water flooded her home near the Tar Creek at Cardin. Another woman had to be rescued from her vehicle just east of Commerce. Water had filled all but the top few inches of the passenger compartment.
A family of four had to be rescued when their van started floating near Teresita. One of the rescuers, a member of the Oaks Fire Department, broke his arm when the van unexpectedly started floating away as the rescuers were approaching the vehicle. OK Hwy 80 was closed by flooding between Hulbert and Fort Gibson. In Tahlequah, six streets were closed by high water. Near Peggs, OK Hwy 82 was closed when waters from Blackbird Creek flowed over the road. Five locations along Shilo Road north of Gideon were washed away. Littlefield Bridge north of Peggs was washed away, and another road was washed out just south of Teresita.
High water washed across many roads countywide. There was lots of street flooding, especially near Grove. Cherokee Street north of Grove had to be closed when a tributary of Wolf Creek overflowed. Grove City Park was flooded. OK Hwy 25 near Grove was under one foot of water. There was street flooding in West Siloam Springs. Five school buses were stranded in high water when school let out early around noon CDT in the Jay school district.
In Muskogee, some streets were closed by flooding. A low-water crossing one mile southwest of Council Hill was covered by water. In Fort Gibson, there was some street flooding.In Haskell, residents of the Haskell Manor Nursing Home were evacuated due to flooding. Two buildings in downtown Haskell were flooded. Several rural roads were closed, and one rural bridge was washed out. US Hwy 64 at the Ash Creek bridge southeast of Haskell was closed by rising waters. At least one woman had to be rescued from a van after she drove the vehicle into high running water on Duncan Road.
A road was closed south of Bearden due to high water. Damage to roads and bridges countywide reported at $118,000.
Several creeks rose out of their banks. A road was closed due to high water. Some roads near Lequire were flooded. Street flooding noted near Quinton.
Water crossed US Hwy 59 in several low-lying areas between Stilwell and Baron. On the US Hwy 59 bypass near Stilwell, several vehicles stalled out in high water. A pickup truck was washed off of Section Line Road northwest of Stilwell around noon CDT.
Several streets in McAlester flooded when manhole covers popped their lids. Two streets in the city had to be closed for a time.
Small roads were washed out by Cato Creek 1.5 miles northeast of Blackgum. Water covered the road near Tenkiller Dam.
Several city and county roads near Wilburton were closed by high water. At least two vehicles in Wilburton were stranded by high water. Parts of US Hwy 270 were partially under water.
Water covered the main road in Poteau, causing several cars to stall. There was major street flooding in Zafra. Water covered a road one mile west of Panama.
Creeks overflowed low-water bridges in rural areas off of OK Hwy 144 west of Nashoba.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oklahoma in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, October 1998
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5668012, 5668010, 5668011, 5668014, 5666860, 5668220, 5668221, 5668222, 5668013, 5668015, 5668103, 5668224, 5666861, 5668104, 5666776, 5666777, 5668223, 5666778, 5666779, 5666783, 5666785, 5666780, 5666781, 5666784, 5666782.