Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, May 16 to 17, 1999

Severe thunderstorms formed over portions of western Oklahoma during the evening of the 16th, and moved into portions of central Oklahoma during the early morning of the 17th. In Beckham County, several trees and a mobile home were blown over in Sayre, and in Elk City, two barns were blown down; trees were uprooted, and the Grandview Assembly of God Church was damaged. A trampoline was destroyed at Sander Sporting Goods and ATV's in Seiling in Dewey County. A power pole was blown over onto a small building in Mangum in Greer County. Numerous trees were downed in Watonga in Blaine County. Large tree limbs and a fence were blown down at the intersection of 14th and Hermosa in Frederick in Tillman County. The roof of Garber High School was damaged in Garber in Garfield County. One mobile home was destroyed, and 1 mobile home was damaged in Orienta in Major County, and the roof of a barn was blown off in Ames in Major County. In Stephens County, a barn was destroyed 6 miles southwest of Marlow; several trees were downed on State Highway 29, and a dog was killed 5 miles east of Bray, while in Duncan, also in Stephens County, the roof and doors were ripped off a storage building at Duncan Industrial Authority; another storage trailer was blown over; power poles were downed, and minor structural damage occurred to the Gatlin Baptist Church. Another barn was destroyed 8 miles east of Ponca City in Kay County, numerous trees downed in Pauls Valley in Garvin County, while in Maysville, also in Garvin County, trees were downed onto 2 vehicles; a barn was damaged; and a dog kennel was destroyed. Across Seminole County, outhouses and trees were damaged 4 miles east of Seminole, and major straight-line wind damage was reported from 1.5 miles south of Seminole to 1 mile north of Seminole. This damage included roof damage to Van Sanford Apartments, National Guard Amory, Medicus, and a motor pool. In addition, a bus hood was destroyed at Lincoln School; portable bleachers were damaged at a little league park and softball park; a dugout was damaged at a ballpark; a garden center at WalMart was damaged; the roof and windows at Happy Foods were damaged; numerous vehicles were damaged; signs were downed, and many trees were blown down. Lightning strikes were responsible for some damage as well. Lightning struck a power pole on Veteran's Drive in Altus in Jackson County, knocking out power to several businesses for several hours. Lightning struck a barn in Fairview in Major County, setting it on fire, and lightning struck the roof of a house on Cellardoor Lane in Enid in Garfield County, causing a major fire that destroyed the house. The final report of a lightning strike came from Watonga in Blaine County, where lightning struck the control box of a warning alarm system for Watonga, destroying it and setting off numerous false alarms.