Tornado and Flood in Oklahoma, September 10, 1999

Scattered severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and evening of the 10th over portions of northwest, central, and southern Oklahoma. One tornado was reported and was captured on video in Ames in Major County, by a student from the University of Oklahoma. The tornado traveled a distance of 1 mile, but caused no damage (F0). Straight-line winds caused damage at the Ardmore Industrial Park in Carter County 2 miles northeast of Gene Autry, where a gust of 89 knots (102 mph) was measured. One aircraft hangar was completely destroyed. Several aircraft were overturned, and three were destroyed. A man suffered a broken back and tailbone when attempting to right an overturned plane. Several other hangars and buildings received roof damage, including the control tower, a newly completed office building, the airpark fire station, and the Ardmore Truck Driving School. Damage was estimated at 2 million dollars. In Murray County just west of Davis, a large sign was blown down at the Chickasaw Trading Post, and an awning and several cars were damaged at the Snak-Shak. In Davis, numerous power lines and trees were reported down. The roof of a home was torn off, and the Gordon White Lumber Company also received heavy roof and siding damage. Other reports of wind damage included a 300 foot communications tower that was blown down one mile south of Taloga in Dewey County, where a home also received roof damage. In Canadian County, downed trees, power lines, fences, and roof damage were reported throughout the western and southern portions of Yukon. Signs were blown down and a trailer was overturned on Interstate 40 in the vicinity of Yukon. In Pontotoc County, power line poles were reported down 10 miles north of Ada, while power lines were blown down near Byng and 2 miles south of Fittstown. Power lines were also reported down in Enid (on the 1000 block of North Van Buren Street) in Garfield County and in Sasakwa in Seminole County. In Oklahoma County, lightning struck a barn in Edmond, causing a portion of the barn to explode, scattering debris onto an occupied car parked along I-35. The driver of the vehicle and one passenger received cuts and bruises. Elsewhere in Edmond, heavy rains resulted in the flooding of Second Street underneath a railroad overpass. This area was blocked off after a vehicle stalled in four feet of water.