Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, April 15 to 16, 2003

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, April 15 to 16, 2003
Start: 2003-04-15T23:11
End: 2003-04-16T01:30
Location: Oklahoma

April 15 to 16, 2003 · NWS TSA · 16 events in 10 counties and zones

15 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $12,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 16

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 Apr 15, 8:30 PM CST, 2 hours 41 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 15, 8:30 PM CST, 2 hours 41 minutes before

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
930 PM CDT TUE APR 15 2003

WILL ISSUE AN UPDATE TO ZFP AND RDF TO ADJUST POPS TONIGHT BASED ON
LATEST RADAR TRENDS. WILL EXTEND CATEGORICAL POPS TO AREAS BASICALLY
WEST OF A TULSA-MCALESTER LINE...TAPERING TO CHANCE OVER NW ARK AS
ACTIVITY NOW MOVING INTO CENTRAL OK EXPECTED TO UNDERGO WEAKENING
TREND THROUGH THE NIGHT. PER COOD WITH SPC...TORNADO WATCH WILL NOT
EXTEND INTO TULSA CWA. TEMP AND WIND FORECAST LOOK GOOD FOR NOW.

.PREV DISC...
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES TO MARCH ACROSS WESTERN OKLAHOMA
THIS EVENING...AND HAS HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING SEVERE WEATHER
OVER MAINLY SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA. MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION IS WILL THE
ACTIVITY HOLD TOGETHER LONG ENOUGH TO IMPACT TULSA CWA TONIGHT.
CURRENT RADAR TRENDS SHOW LINE BECOMING MORE ILL-DEFINED AND APPEARS
TO BE TRANSITIONING MORE INTO A LARGE AREA OF RAIN WITH EMBEDDED
THUNDER WITH MAIN INFLOW BEING CUT OFF AT THE LOW LEVELS. AT THIS
TIME...IT APPEARS INSTABILITY WILL NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT A
HIGH PROBABILITY OF SEVERE BY THE TIME THE STORMS REACH EASTERN
OKLAHOMA. A FEW SEVERE WIND GUSTS MAY STILL BE POSSIBLE WEST OF A
TULSA TO WHITESBORO LINE AS 850 WINDS CLOSE TO 70 KTS PROGGED OVER
THE AREA BY AROUND 06Z...CURRENT PROFILER WINDS 55-60KTS OVER
CENTRAL OK.

EXPECT THE STORMS TO FURTHER WEAKEN AS THEY MOVE EAST INTO EXTREME
EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN ARKANSAS...SEVERE THREAT APPEARS
MINIMAL.

.TSA...
AR...NONE.
OK...NONE.

SULLIVAN

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 15, 8:00 PM CST, 3 hours 11 minutes before

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-161100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
900 PM CDT TUE APR 15 2003

THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS
MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK

...CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT...

A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES TO MOVE EAST INTO
PORTIONS OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA THIS EVENING. THIS LINE IS EXPECTED TO
MOVE INTO EASTERN OKLAHOMA AROUND MIDNIGHT AND BEGIN TO WEAKEN AS
STORMS ENCOUNTER A MORE STABLE AIRMASS.  STRONG SHEAR PROFILES
HOWEVER SUGGEST...THAT A FEW OF THE STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE
DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...PRIMARILY WEST OF A TULSA...EUFAULA
...WHITESBORO LINE.

UPDATED WARNING PROBABILITIES WILL BE OUT SHORTLY. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO WARNING PROBABILITIES CAN BE FOUND IN THE
OUTLOOKS 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...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY
THE NEXT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL ARRIVE BY FRIDAY AND CONTINUE
THROUGH EASTER DAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE APPROACHES THE
AREA. FORECAST MOISTURE RETURN AND WIND PROFILES APPEAR SUFFICIENT
FOR A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DURING THIS PERIOD.

.SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA BY LATE
EVENING.

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT...
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 15, 10:16 PM CST, 55 minutes before

OKZ054>076-161000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1116 PM CDT TUE APR 15 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
#125 UNTIL 500 AM CDT WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

IN OKLAHOMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 23 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               LATIMER               LE FLORE
MCINTOSH              PITTSBURG

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BARTLESVILLE...BRISTOW...BROKEN ARROW...
CLAREMORE...EUFAULA...JAY...MCALESTER...MIAMI...MUSKOGEE...NOWATA...
OKEMAH...OKMULGEE...PAWHUSKA...PAWNEE...POTEAU...PRYOR...SALLISAW...
SAND SPRINGS...STIGLER...STILWELL...TAHLEQUAH...TULSA...VINITA...
WAGONER AND WILBURTON.

Special weather statement, Apr 15, 10:47 PM CST, 24 minutes before

OKZ054-059-160545-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1147 PM CDT TUE APR 15 2003

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR OSAGE AND PAWNEE COUNTIES
   UNTIL 1245 AM CDT...

AT 1147 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTH OF PAWNEE TO 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
MARAMEC...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF
PAWHUSKA...HOMINY...WYNONA...PERSHING...PAWNEE...MARAMEC...
BLACKBURN...SKEDEE...CLEVELAND AND RALSTON WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE
STORMS THROUGH 1245 AM CDT. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT IN CASE WARNINGS ARE ISSUED.

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 82 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:11 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

15 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When: April 15, 11:11 PM CST
Where: Pawnee County, Cleveland
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.317, -96.467

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When: April 15, 11:38 PM CST
Where: Pawnee County, Terlton
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.183, -96.483

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 75 miles an hour by a trained spotter blew down power lines causing a power outage in the city of Terlton.

Thunderstorm Wind, Creek

When: April 15, 11:41 PM CST
Where: Creek County, Bristow
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.833, -96.383

Hail, Osage

When: April 15, 11:46 PM CST
Where: Osage County, Hominy
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.417, -96.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Creek

When: April 16, 12:05 AM CST
Where: Creek County, Sapulpa
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.000, -96.100

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down trees and power lines.

Thunderstorm Wind, Creek

When: April 16, 12:05 AM CST
Where: Creek County, 2 mi W of Mannford
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 36.250, -96.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Osage

When: April 16, 12:10 AM CST
Where: Osage County, 2 mi W of Skiatook
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.367, -96.033

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down a few trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: April 16, 12:10 AM CST
Where: Washington County, Bartlesville
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.750, -96.000

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down a few trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When: April 16, 12:15 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, Owasso
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 36.267, -95.850

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour uprooted a tree.

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: April 16, 12:20 AM CST
Where: Washington County, 3 mi E of Ochelata
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.600, -95.933

Thunderstorm Wind, Okfuskee

When: April 16, 12:30 AM CST
Where: Okfuskee County, 1 mi NE of Okemah
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.450, -96.283

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down numerous large tree limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Nowata

When: April 16, 12:40 AM CST
Where: Nowata County, 6 mi W of Nowata
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.700, -95.750

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down numerous large tree limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rogers

When: April 16, 12:50 AM CST
Where: Rogers County, 5 mi SE of Oologah
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: PARK/FOREST SERVICE
Coordinates: 36.400, -95.633

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew a tin roof off a mobile home.

Thunderstorm Wind, Okmulgee

When: April 16, 12:50 AM CST
Where: Okmulgee County, Beggs
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.733, -96.067

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down a few trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When: April 16, 1:00 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, Bixby
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.950, -95.883

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew a tree down onto a road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Muskogee

When: April 16, 1:30 AM CST
Where: Muskogee County, Haskell
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.817, -95.667

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew a large tree down.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oklahoma in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, April 2003

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: 5354397, 5354398, 5354399, 5354400, 5354401, 5354402, 5354403, 5354404, 5354405, 5354406, 5354407, 5354408, 5354409, 5354410, 5354411, 5354412.