12 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 May 16, 2:12 AM CST, 2 hours 33 minutes earlier.
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA 312 AM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 STRONG STORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND POSSIBLY STRONG WINDS AND HAIL ARE BEARING DOWN ON THE FORECAST AREA AT THIS TIME. EXPECT A WIDESPREAD RAINFALL THIS MORNING PRIMING THE AREA FOR POSSIBLE FLOODING PROBLEMS LATER TODAY WHEN ADDITIONAL STRONG STORMS FORM. MAIN DRIVING FEATURE IS A STRONG UPPER LOW WHICH WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA TONIGHT. PRECIPITAL WATERS AND INSTABILITY ARE BOTH QUITE HIGH SO THE RISK OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND SEVERE WEATHER IS HIGH AS WELL. IN ADDITION...THE ETA QPF IS QUITE ROBUST AS IS HPCS DAY 1 QPF. THE UPPER LOW HANGS IN THE VICINITY TOMORROW SO RAIN CANNOT BE RULED OUT. TOMORROW SHOULD AT LEAST BE A CLOUDY AND DREARY DAY. HAVE SOME TEMPERATURE ISSUES THE NEXT FEW DAYS. DO NOT SEE THE DEW POINTS IN THE 60S ACROSS THE AREA GETTING SWEPT AWAY ANY TIME SOON. THUS...LOWS WOULD HAVE A TOUGH TIME GETTING INTO THE 50S AS THE GFS MOS SUGGESTS. WITH WARMER LOWS WILL ALSO HAVE WARMER DAY TIME TEMPS ALTHOUGH DO NOT BELIEVE THERE WILL BE MUCH OF A DIURNAL RANGE. SOME OF THE MOISTURE WILL LIKELY GET SWEPT OUT OF THE AREA TO MAKE SUNDAY AND MONDAY RATHER PLEASANT AND MAINLY DRY DAYS. THE NEXT DECENT RAIN CHANCES WILL BE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY WITH A COLD FRONT. TUL 77 65 74 60 / 80 80 20 10 FSM 80 67 77 60 / 80 80 50 20 MLC 80 67 77 61 / 80 80 30 10 BVO 76 64 73 56 / 80 80 20 10 FYV 75 66 72 56 / 80 80 50 20 BYV 75 66 72 55 / 80 80 60 30 MKO 78 66 75 60 / 80 80 30 10 MIO 76 65 73 56 / 80 80 40 20 F10 79 66 76 60 / 80 80 20 10 HHW 82 68 79 62 / 80 80 30 10 FORECAST ID= 17 .TSA... AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR ZONES ARZ001>002... ARZ010>011...ARZ019>020...ARZ029. OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR ZONES OKZ049... OKZ053>076. ABBAS
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-161100- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 950 PM CDT THU MAY 15 2003 THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AFTER MIDNIGHT... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG THE DRY LINE THIS EVENING ACROSS THE TEXAS PANHANDLE...SHIFTING NORTHEAST INTO NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA. THIS ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY CONTINUE MOVING NORTHEAST OVERNIGHT...AFFECTING PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AFTER MIDNIGHT. HAIL TO THE SIZE OF GOLFBALLS AND WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER STORMS. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE STORMS OVERNIGHT WILL BE ALONG AND NORTH OF A BRISTOW... TULSA...MIAMI LINE. IN ADDITION...VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL ACCOMPANY THE STRONGER STORMS WITH THE THREAT FOR LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA. ISOLATED ELEVATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE FURTHER SOUTH AND EAST ACROSS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TOWARD SUNRISE. WARNING PROBABILITIES FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES CAN BE FOUND IN THE OUTLOOK SECTION AT: WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA. GIVEN PROBABILITIES REPRESENT THE POTENTIAL FOR A WARNING TO BE ISSUED AT YOUR LOCATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY ...A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK LIKELY ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT... THE SURFACE LOW AND UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL BOTH MOVE INTO THE AREA ON FRIDAY. TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE ALL EXPECTED TO OCCUR....INCLUDING THE THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THE BEST CHANCES FOR LONG-LIVED STRONG TORNADOES WILL BE IN EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL END SATURDAY MORNING AS THE STORM SYSTEM FINALLY MOVES OFF TO THE EAST. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN BEHIND THIS SYSTEM OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND. THE CHANCE OF STORMS WILL RETURN AROUND MIDWEEK AS THE NEXT FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND UPPER DISTURBANCE APPROACH THE REGION TUESDAY. .SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA. ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT... WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA
OKZ049-053>057-059>062-064>067-070>071-073>075-161200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 116 AM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH #389 UNTIL 700 AM CDT FRIDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS: IN OKLAHOMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 19 COUNTIES... IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA: MUSKOGEE OKFUSKEE IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA: CRAIG CREEK MAYES NOWATA OKMULGEE OSAGE PAWNEE ROGERS TULSA WAGONER WASHINGTON IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA: CHOCTAW HASKELL LATIMER MCINTOSH PITTSBURG PUSHMATAHA THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ANTLERS...BARTLESVILLE...BRISTOW...BROKEN ARROW...CLAREMORE...CLAYTON...EUFAULA...HUGO...MCALESTER... MUSKOGEE...NOWATA...OKEMAH...OKMULGEE...PAWHUSKA...PAWNEE...PRYOR... SAND SPRINGS...STIGLER...TULSA...VINITA...WAGONER AND WILBURTON.
OKZ054>056-061-160930- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 328 AM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR...WASHINGTON... NOWATA AND ROGERS COUNTIES UNTIL 430 AM CDT... AT 328 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM JUST SOUTHWEST OF BIGHEART TO JUST NORTH OF SKIATOOK...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF VERA...DEWEY...COPAN...NOWATA...DELAWARE... AVANT...WOLCO... ...BIGHEART...AND BARTLESVILLE WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS THROUGH 430 AM CDT. WINDS UP TO 50 MILES AN HOUR AND SMALL HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE WARNINGS ARE ISSUED.
ARZ001>002-010>011-019>020-029-OKZ058-063-068>069-072-076-161400- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 415 AM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #390 UNTIL 900 AM CDT FRIDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS: 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 6 COUNTIES... IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA: CHEROKEE SEQUOYAH IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA: ADAIR DELAWARE OTTAWA IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA: LE FLORE THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BENTONVILLE...BERRYVILLE...CEDARVILLE... EUREKA SPRINGS...FAYETTEVILLE...FORT SMITH...HUNTSVILLE...JAY... MIAMI...MOUNTAINBURG...NATURAL DAM...OZARK...POTEAU...ROGERS... SALLISAW...SILOAM SPRINGS...SPRINGDALE...STILWELL...TAHLEQUAH AND VAN BUREN.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
0520 AM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0500 AM 3 WNW STIGLER OK 58 MPH TSTORM WIND
05/16/03 HASKELL
0410 AM BARTLESVILLE OK WIND DAMAGE
05/16/03 WASHINGTON SCATTERED DAMAGE AROUND
THE WEST SIDE OF CITY. AT
LEAST 3 STRUCTURES HAVE
LOST PARTS OF ROOF. POWER
OUT IN THOSE AREAS.
0350 AM FORAKER OK 67 MPH TSTORM WIND
05/16/03 OSAGE
0340 AM WYNONA OK 59 MPH TSTORM WIND
05/16/03 OSAGE
0335 AM DRUMRIGHT OK 60 MPH TSTORM WIND
05/16/03 CREEK
GMThe Tulsa radar (KINX), 97 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:45 UTC.
12 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour caused damage in Gentry. A 30 foot chunk of a metal roof was torn off an office building and a box trailer from a semi-trailer was blown on its side. Numerous trees and tree limbs were blown down.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down some trees.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down several trees along Highway 220.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down trees. The trees fell on some homes and vehicles.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew trees down.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down large tree limbs.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew numerous trees down.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 80 miles an hour did significant damage in Bentonville. The brick walls of part of a business were reduced to rubble as the winds were let in as its garage door was blown open.Nine homes in the southeast part of town's Walnut Ridge subdivision were damaged. Large tree limbs were blown down throughout the city with many of them knocking down power lines and causing power outages.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down several trees. One tree fell on a home and penetrated the roof.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 80 miles an hour blew down hundreds of trees from near the west side to the north side of Pea Ridge. The trees blocked may roads. One large tree limb which was blown down penetrated the roof of a home. In addition, the wind was so strong it shook a mobile home enough that it's windows shattered. Many power poles and power lines were also knocked down.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down a few trees.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down large tree limbs.
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, May 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: 5357834, 5357836, 5357825, 5357826, 5357827, 5357828, 5357829, 5357833, 5357835, 5357830, 5357831, 5357832.