Oklahoma, 2001

Flash Flooding and Hail in Oklahoma, May 29 to 30, 2001

May 29 to 30, 2001 · NWS TSA · 30 events in 14 counties and zones

12 thunderstorm wind, 10 flash flood, 8 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$66,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
30

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 forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Tulsa, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 29, 10:10 PM CST, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 29, 10:10 PM CST, 30 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1110 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2001

SENT A QUICK UPDATE OUT FOR ADDITION OF TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 400 AM.
ALSO ADDED oHEAVY RAIN WORDING TO FLASH FLOOD WATCH ZONES.

HOWIESON
FCSTID = 44

.TSA...
AR...NONE.
OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR
ZONES OKZ054>068...OKZ070>071.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 29, 8:50 PM CST, 1 hour 50 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-301100-

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
950 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2001

...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TONIGHT...

SEVERAL CLUSTERS OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED
THIS EVENING ACROSS KANSAS AND WESTERN OKLAHOMA. CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO SPREAD INTO EASTERN OKLAHOMA BEFORE
MIDNIGHT...AND INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS BY 2 AM. A FEW OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO BE SEVERE OVERNIGHT...WITH NICKEL SIZE
HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 70 MPH POSSIBLE.

ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER IS POSSIBLE OVER MUCH OF THE AREA
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

.SPOTTER ACTIVATION...
SPOTTERS ACROSS MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE
ACTIVATED BEFORE MIDNIGHT. SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED IN
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS BY 2 AM.

.DISCUSSION...
ELEVATED CAPES OF UP TO 2000 J/KG AND FAVORABLE DEEP LAYER WIND
SHEAR WILL SUPPORT A CONTINUED EVOLUTION OF STRONG CONVECTION IN THE
WARM ADVECTION REGIME. CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR A LARGE COMPLEX
OF THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS TONIGHT. BOW SEGMENTS...MAINLY ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF
THE EASTWARD MOVING THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX...WILL PRODUCE LOCAL WIND
GUSTS OF 60 TO 70 MPH. A LOW LEVEL JET OF 50 KNOTS WILL EXTEND FROM
SOUTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA INTO NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA DURING THE LATE NIGHT
AND EARLY MORNING HOURS...WHICH IS A FAVORABLE PATTERN FOR EXCESSIVE
RAINS ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA.

THREAT TABLE
VALID THROUGH 6 AM WEDNESDAY

THREAT AREA 1...ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA
THUNDERSTORM PROBABILITY...100
SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...90
SIGNIFICANT SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...25

THREAT AREA 2...NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
THUNDERSTORM PROBABILITY...70
SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...30
SIGNIFICANT SEVERE PROBABILITY IF STORMS OCCUR...10

THREAT AREAS DEFINE THE GREATEST RISK. PROBABILITIES ARE IN PERCENT.
SIGNIFICANT SEVERE IS DEFINED AS F1 OR GREATER WIND/TORNADO DAMAGE
AND/OR GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL OR LARGER.

.OTHER HAZARDS...
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING
FOR MOST OF NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA. THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH MESSAGE
/OKCFFATUL/ ISSUED AT 935 PM GIVES DETAILS ON THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT.

RELATED GRAPHICAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT...
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 118 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:39 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 thunderstorm wind, 10 flash flood, 8 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Osage

When
May 29, 10:40 PM CST
Where
Osage County, Burbank
Property damage
$100
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
36.700, -96.717

Thunderstorm winds blew down large tree limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Osage

When
May 29, 10:50 PM CST
Where
Osage County, Foraker
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
36.867, -96.550

Hail, Osage

When
May 29, 10:50 PM CST
Where
Osage County, Foraker
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
36.867, -96.550

Thunderstorm Wind, Rogers

When
May 30, 12:20 AM CST
Where
Rogers County, Oologah
Property damage
$100
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.450, -95.700

Thunderstorm winds blew down large tree limbs.

Flash Flood, Tulsa

When
May 30, 12:44 AM CST to 3:00 AM CST
Where
Tulsa County, Countywide
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
36.121, -95.941 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A quick two inches of rain caused widespread street flooding in the city of Tulsa. A few small streams across the county also flowed out of their banks and crossed roads. Examples of this are Joe Creek on 66th Street near Lewis Ave. where a police car was carried off a road and Snake Creek in Bixby at 191st Street and Mingo Road where a car which drove around a barricade was swept away by flood waters.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When
May 30, 12:45 AM CST
Where
Tulsa County, Owasso
Property damage
$3,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
36.267, -95.850

Thunderstorm winds blew down power lines.

Flash Flood, Creek

When
May 30, 1:31 AM CST
Where
Creek County, Kiefer
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.903, -96.371 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy thunderstorm rains caused water nearly a foot deep to flow over Highway 75 near Kiefer.

Flash Flood, Okmulgee

When
May 30, 1:55 AM CST to 3:30 AM CST
Where
Okmulgee County, Beggs
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.647, -95.964 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy thunderstorm rains caused Highway 16 and business Highway 75 to be closed due to high water near Beggs.

Flash Flood, Wagoner

When
May 30, 2:00 AM CST to 3:30 AM CST
Where
Wagoner County, Coweta
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.961, -95.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy thunderstorm rains caused several roads to become impassible in and around Coweta.

Hail, Okfuskee

When
May 30, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Okfuskee County, Okemah
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.433, -96.300

Thunderstorm Wind, Okfuskee

When
May 30, 3:10 AM CST
Where
Okfuskee County, Okemah
Property damage
$3,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.433, -96.300

Thunderstorm winds blew down large tree limbs and damaged the roof of a house.

Flash Flood, Muskogee

When
May 30, 3:30 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Muskogee County, Muskogee
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.616, -95.379 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy thunderstorm rains caused many low lying roads in and around Muskogee to be flooded.

Thunderstorm Wind, McIntosh

When
May 30, 3:30 AM CST
Where
McIntosh County, 5 mi NW of Hanna
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
35.250, -95.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Okmulgee

When
May 30, 3:30 AM CST
Where
Okmulgee County, Henryetta
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
35.450, -95.983

Hail, Okmulgee

When
May 30, 3:30 AM CST
Where
Okmulgee County, Henryetta
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
35.450, -95.983

Flash Flood, Cherokee

When
May 30, 4:00 AM CST to 4:45 AM CST
Where
Cherokee County, Southwest Portion
Reported by
FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates
35.907, -95.000 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Blackgum fire department reported water over roads on the southwest side of Lake Tenkiller.

Hail, Okfuskee

When
May 30, 4:49 AM CST
Where
Okfuskee County, Bearden
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.350, -96.383

Golfball size hail fell and damaged cars and roofs of homes.

Hail, Okmulgee

When
May 30, 5:15 AM CST
Where
Okmulgee County, Henryetta
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.450, -95.983

Hail, McIntosh

When
May 30, 5:27 AM CST
Where
McIntosh County, Stidham
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.367, -95.700

Thunderstorm Wind, McIntosh

When
May 30, 5:27 AM CST
Where
McIntosh County, Stidham
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.367, -95.700

Hail, McIntosh

When
May 30, 5:35 AM CST
Where
McIntosh County, Eufaula
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.283, -95.583

Thunderstorm Wind, McIntosh

When
May 30, 5:35 AM CST
Where
McIntosh County, Eufaula
Measured
63 kt (72 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.283, -95.583

Thunderstorm Wind, Muskogee

When
May 30, 5:37 AM CST
Where
Muskogee County, Webbers Falls
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
35.517, -95.133

Thunderstorm Wind, Pittsburg

When
May 30, 5:40 AM CST
Where
Pittsburg County, 9 mi NW of Scipio
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
35.150, -96.083

Thunderstorm Wind, Haskell

When
May 30, 5:52 AM CST
Where
Haskell County, 2 mi N of Kinta
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.150, -95.233

Hail, Latimer

When
May 30, 6:12 AM CST
Where
Latimer County, 4 mi NW of Wilburton
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
34.950, -95.367

Dime size hail was reported at Robbers Cave State Park.

Flash Flood, McIntosh

When
May 30, 6:30 AM CST to 9:30 AM CST
Where
McIntosh County, Countywide
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.374, -95.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy thunderstorm rains produced flooding of numerous county roads and highways in McIntosh county.

Flash Flood, Okmulgee

When
May 30, 8:15 AM CST to 9:30 AM CST
Where
Okmulgee County, Countywide
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.647, -95.964 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy thunderstorm rains caused numerous county roads to be flooded.

Flash Flood, Okfuskee

When
May 30, 8:25 AM CST to 9:30 AM CST
Where
Okfuskee County, Countywide
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.466, -96.323 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy thunderstorm rains caused a numerous county roads to be flooded.

Flash Flood, Sequoyah

When
May 30, 8:30 AM CST to 9:30 AM CST
Where
Sequoyah County, West Portion
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.495, -94.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy thunderstorm rains caused numerous county roads to be flooded in western Sequoyah county.Moonshine Road was washed out.

What these are

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.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Oklahoma in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, May 2001

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: 5246676, 5246677, 5246678, 5246679, 5246681, 5246680, 5246682, 5246683, 5246684, 5246761, 5246762, 5246763, 5246764, 5246765, 5246766, 5246767, 5246768, 5246769, 5246770, 5246771, 5246772, 5246773, 5246774, 5246775, 5246776, 5246778, 5246777, 5246779, 5246780, 5246781.