1 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 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 Jul 22, 2:10 AM CST, 3 hours 5 minutes earlier.
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA 310 AM CDT TUE JUL 22 2003 A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN A LARGE UPPER LOW OVER NORTHEASTERN CANADA AND A STRONG UPPER HIGH PARKED OVER THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES IS RESULTING IN FAIRLY STRONG MID AND UPPER NORTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE MID SECTION OF THE COUNTRY. A FAIRLY STRONG SURFACE FRONT FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR IS CURRENTLY MAKING ITS WAY SOUTHWARD ACROSS OKLAHOMA AND ARKANSAS. ONGOING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH THE DAY AS THE FRONT PROGRESSES SOUTHWARD. PRECIP WILL END FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. NORTHERLY WIND BEHIND THE FRONT WILL USHER IN MUCH COOLER AND DRYER AIR...PROVIDING A COUPLE OF VERY MILD DAYS WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. DURING THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST...FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...THE SEMI PERMANENT SUMMERTIME UPPER HIGH OVER THE FOUR CORNERS REGION BUILDS EASTWARD. THIS WILL PLACE THE SOUTHERN PLAINS UNDER WEAK UPPER FLOW...THUS PROVIDING A PERIOD OF DRY AND TRANQUIL WEATHER. A WEAK SURFACE FRONT WILL PROVIDE LITTLE MORE THAN A WINDSHIFT ON SUNDAY BEFORE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE INTENSIFIES DURING THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK. THIS ALL TRANSLATES TO THE EXTENDED PERIOD BEING ESSENTIALLY POP FREE WITH TEMPERATURES AT OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL. ASIDE FROM INITIALIZING DAY SEVEN...MADE ONLY MINOR TWEAKS TO EXTENDED GRIDS. TUL 89 65 88 64 / 50 5 5 5 FSM 89 65 89 62 / 50 10 5 5 MLC 93 65 89 63 / 40 10 5 5 BVO 87 62 87 61 / 40 5 5 5 FYV 82 58 83 55 / 60 5 5 5 BYV 80 60 82 55 / 70 5 5 5 MKO 89 65 88 64 / 50 5 5 5 MIO 82 61 83 60 / 60 0 5 5 F10 93 66 88 64 / 40 10 5 5 HHW 96 68 89 65 / 30 10 5 5 FORECAST ID= 06 .TSA... AR...NONE. OK...NONE.
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-231100- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 600 AM CDT TUE JUL 22 2003 THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK A LARGE COMPLEX OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED MOVING THROUGH NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS EARLY THIS MORNING. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH OR MOVE TO THE EAST OF THE AREA BY LATER THIS MORNING. THE COMPLEX OF STORMS HAS PUSHED A STRONG OUTFLOW BOUNDARY DOWN INTO THE FAR SOUTHERN PART OF THE AREA THAT WILL LINGER IN THE SOUTH INTO THIS AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE...MAINLY IN SOUTHERN AREAS BY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS THE ATMOSPHERE AGAIN BECOMES INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE BOUNDARY. ANY ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL OR DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD. TEMPERATURES DURING THE MIDDLE PART OF THE WEEK WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY COOLER THAN THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS...BEFORE WARMING BACK UP TOWARD THE WEEKEND. .SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED INTO THIS AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT... WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA
OKZ054>057-061-220830-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
232 AM CDT TUE JUL 22 2003
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 330 AM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES:
IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
OSAGE...WASHINGTON...NOWATA...CRAIG AND ROGERS
AT 232 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 14 MILES NORTH OF LENAPAH TO 7 MILES WEST OF
TALLANT...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED
BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE...VERA...RAMONA...OCHELATA...DEWEY...
NOWATA...DELAWARE...LENAPAH...WANN...WATOVA...TALALA...AVANT...
WOLCO...BARNSDALL...TALLANT...BARTLESVILLE...CENTRALIA...HOLLOW AND
CENTRAILIA.
THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH.OKZ060>062-067-220900-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
301 AM CDT TUE JUL 22 2003
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 400 AM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES:
IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
ROGERS...MAYES...TULSA AND WAGONER
AT 301 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM CHELSEA TO JUST SOUTHWEST OF SAND
SPRINGS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE
AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS
INCLUDE...LIBERTY...GRAY...CLAREMORE...INOLA...CATOOSA...VERDIGRIS...
TIAWAH...FOYIL...OOLOGAH...BUSHYHEAD...TALALA...CHELSEA...TULSA...
LEONARD...BIXBY...JENKS...OWASSO...GLENPOOL...SPERRY...SKIATOOK...
COLLINSVILLE...BROKEN ARROW...ONETA...PRYOR AND ADAIR.
THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH.ARZ019-029-OKZ072>076-221015-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
416 AM CDT TUE JUL 22 2003
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 515 AM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES:
IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
CRAWFORD
IN WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS
SEBASTIAN
IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
SEQUOYAH
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
HASKELL...LE FLORE...PITTSBURG AND LATIMER
AT 418 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS ALONG
A LINE EXTENDING FROM SOUTHERN CRAWFORD COUNTY TO JUST SOUTH OF
SALLISAW TO EUFAULA AND HANNA...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 45 MPH. THESE
WINDS ARE THE RESULT OF OUTFLOW FROM THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA. NUMEROUS WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH HAVE BEEN REPORTED
ALONG THIS OUTFLOW BOUNDARY.
A LARGE PORTION OF CRAWFORD...SEBASTIAN...SEQUOYAH...HASKELL...LE
FLORE...PITTSBURG AND LATIMER COUNTIES WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE
WINDS THROUGH 515 AM CDT.
THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH.ARZ002-010-011-020-221045-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
452 AM CDT TUE JUL 22 2003
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 545 AM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES:
IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
CARROLL...MADISON AND WASHINGTON
IN WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS
FRANKLIN
AT 451 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM BERRYVILLE TO HUNTSVILLE TO MORROW IN SOUTHWEST
WASHINGTON COUNTY...MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SCATTERED WIND GUSTS OF 40
TO 50 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE THE
ADVISORY IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.OKZ063-068-069-221045-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
458 AM CDT TUE JUL 22 2003
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 545 AM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES:
IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
DELAWARE AND ADAIR
IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
CHEROKEE
AT 458 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM CLEORA TO 20 MILES WEST OF LEACH...MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 45 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE
STORMS INCLUDE...CHRISTIE...PROCTOR...WESTVILLE...BALLARD...WATTS...
JAY...OA KS...LEACH...TWIN OAKS...KANSAS...COLCORD...
CHLOETA...ZENA...CLEORA...GROVE...BERNICE...WEST SILOAM
SPRINGS...SCRAPER...DISNEY AND MAYSVILLE.
THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH.ARZ001>002-010>011-019>020-029-OKZ054>072-074-076-221042- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 543 AM CDT TUE JUL 22 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CLEARED THE FOLLOWING AREAS REMAINING IN SEVERE THUDERSTORM WATCH #795. NO AREAS REMAIN IN THE WATCH. IN ARKANSAS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 7 COUNTIES... IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS: BENTON CARROLL CRAWFORD MADISON WASHINGTON IN WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS: FRANKLIN SEBASTIAN IN OKLAHOMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 21 COUNTIES... IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA: CHEROKEE MUSKOGEE OKFUSKEE SEQUOYAH IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA: ADAIR CRAIG CREEK DELAWARE MAYES NOWATA OKMULGEE OSAGE OTTAWA PAWNEE ROGERS TULSA WAGONER WASHINGTON IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA: HASKELL LE FLORE MCINTOSH THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BARTLESVILLE...BENTONVILLE... BERRYVILLE...BRISTOW...BROKEN ARROW...CEDARVILLE...CHARLESTON... CLAREMORE...EUFAULA...EUREKA SPRINGS...FAYETTEVILLE...FORT SMITH... HUNTSVILLE...JAY...MIAMI...MOUNTAINBURG...MUSKOGEE...NATURAL DAM... NOWATA...OKEMAH...OKMULGEE...OZARK...PAWHUSKA...PAWNEE...POTEAU... PRYOR...ROGERS...SALLISAW...SAND SPRINGS...SILOAM SPRINGS... SPRINGDALE...STIGLER...STILWELL...TAHLEQUAH...TULSA...VAN BUREN... VINITA AND WAGONER.
The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 117 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:17 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A man was struck by lightning in the parking lot of a retail store. He was treated and recovered with no additional problems.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, July 2003
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: 5371268.