Flash Flooding and Hail in Oklahoma, June 9 to 10, 1999

An area of showers and thunderstorms developed in the early afternoon of the 9th across north central Oklahoma, producing isolated severe weather and heavy rainfall. Throughout the remainder of the 9th, and into the early morning hours of the 10th, storms continued to redevelop and move slowly across these same areas, resulting in widespread flooding throughout seven counties. Garfield County appeared to be the hardest hit. Doppler radar estimates indicated that four to ten inches of rain had fallen across much of the southwest and central part of the Garfield County between 1200 CST on the 9th and 1100 CST on the 10th. By 0600 CST on the 10th, rainfall reports since the afternoon of the 9th included: 9.0 inches three miles east of Bison8.7 inches four miles southeast of Enid 8.43 inches in Bison 8.0 inches in Douglas6.92 inches in Waukomis 5.12 inches at Vance Air Force Base Doppler radar estimates of four to eight inches were also noted in the northwest part of Kingfisher County. The first reports of flooding were from Enid in Garfield county, where street flooding was reported at 1538 CST on the 9th. Several reports of road closures and water covered roads were received from Garfield County during the event. Oakwood Road was closed from just south of Enid to near Waukomis, as was Highway 81 near Bison, which was reported to be covered with two to three feet of water. Highway 81 was also covered with water at various other locations throughout the county. Numerous county roads were water-covered in the vicinity of Bison, including EW Road 56 at Rock Creek, which was under ten inches of water. Water was also covering a county road three miles south of Fairmont. Several roads were closed on the morning of the 10th in and around Waukomis, including Highway 81, Drummond Rd, Pioneer Rd, Blacktop Rd, and Bison Rd. In Kingfisher County, a family had to be rescued from their home on Cemetary Road in Hennessey on the morning of the 10th. Four to five inches of water covered the road at the intersection of Highways 51 and 132, while the Cimmaron River was flooding Highway 51 six miles west of Lacey. Highway 51 was closed due to flooding along the banks of Turkey Creek, and was covered with water for several hours along the Blaine/Kingfisher County border. Several county roads were flooded in the vicinity of Hennessey, including Highway 51, which was closed from Hennessey to Rock Creek. A square mile of farmland and surrounding county roads were reported underwater at a location to the northwest of Hennessey. The Cimmaron River reached flood stage, which is 17.0 feet, near Dover around 0600 CST on the 10th. Crest was at 19.4 feet around 2030 CST. The river fell below flood stage on the 11th. Dover also received flooding from Turkey Creek. Officials from Major County reported street flooding in Fairview on the afternoon of the 9th. An apartment building was reported to be flooded in Fairview at 1835 CST. Flooding was reported on various streets and highways throughout the eastern portion of Major county, including a county road that was closed four miles west of Ames. In Alfalfa County, a county road was reported washed out nine miles east of Byron at 1830 CST on the 9th. Water was also covering Highway 8 three miles south of Cherokee. In Grant County, Highway 81 was closed to the south of Renfrow and just to the south of Medford. Several county roads were also reported to be covered with water in the vicinity of Marshall in northwest Logan County, while in Frederick in Tillman County, flooding was reported on S. Main St. There were also 3 reports of lightning strikes. In Oklahoma County, lightning struck a fiberglass storage tank near the intersection of N. Kelly and Lovell Rd in Oklahoma City, and also an oil tank at Conoco oil and gas plant in Del City, causing a fire, while in Garfield County, lightning struck a tower on Highway 64, 3 miles south of Garber, knocking out phone service to several towns.