Oklahoma, 2003

Flash Flood and Hail in Oklahoma, May 13, 2003

May 13, 2003 · NWS TSA · 29 events in 15 counties and zones

21 hail, 7 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

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.

  • 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
$53,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
29

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 13, 9:20 AM CST, 51 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 13, 9:20 AM CST, 51 minutes before
EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
1020 AM CDT TUE MAY 13 2003

SAT PICS AND METARS INDICATE A SOLID AREA OF LOW CLOUDS FROM CENTRAL
TEXAS INTO EASTERN KANSAS.  RADAR SHOWS THAT THE STORMS OVER
NORTHEAST TEXAS HAVE DIMINISHED SOMEWHAT...BUT THE STORMS IN
SOUTHEAST KANSAS ARE STILL PRETTY STRONG. IN BETWEEN WIDELY
SCATTERED SHOWERS HAVE FORMED OVER EASTERN OKLAHOMA.

GOING FORECAST FOR THE AREA IS BASICALLY MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 40-50
PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH HIGHS IN THE MID TO
UPPER 70S.  AT THIS TIME BELIEVE THAT IT IS GOOD SO DO NOT PLAN ON
UPDATING AT THIS TIME.  HOWEVER...SHOULD IT BECOME EVIDENT THAT
THUNDERSTORMS CHANCES ARE BETTER THAN THE CHANCE CATEGORY MAY UPDATE
LATER THIS MORNING OR EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.

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

ABBAS
Hazardous weather outlook, May 13, 9:25 AM CST, 46 minutes before
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-141100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1025 AM CDT TUE MAY 13 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK

...CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT...

A LOW LEVEL JET AXIS WAS NOTED ACROSS WESTERN OKLAHOMA THIS
MORNING. INFLUENCE FROM THIS FEATURE COMBINED WITH A SURFACE WARM
FRONT AND AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE HAS RESULTED IN THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT ACROSS SOUTHERN KANSAS THIS MORNING. SOME OF THESE
STORMS MAY AFFECT PARTS OF FAR NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA LATE THIS MORNING
AND EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR A SEVERE
STORM OR TWO IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA. SUFFICIENT ELEVATED INSTABILITY
SUGGESTS LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT WITH ANY SEVERE
STORMS. THIS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO DIMINISH BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS
THE UPPER DISTURBANCE MOVES EAST AND THE LOW LEVEL JET WEAKENS.

THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE AREAWIDE BY TONIGHT AS A VIGOROUS
UPPER SYSTEM MOVES FROM THE HIGH PLAINS INTO THE MIDWEST. A SURFACE
COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST COMBINED WITH THIS UPPER
SYSTEM WILL RESULT IN SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT ACROSS
KANSAS THIS EVENING. STORMS WILL LIKELY FORM A COMPLEX AS THEY MOVE
EAST SOUTHEAST ACROSS KANSAS AND INTO NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS LATE TONIGHT. STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES
COMBINED WITH AMPLE LIFT FROM THE COLD FRONT AND A FAVORABLE LOW
LEVEL JET AXIS MAY RESULT IN A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SEVERE STORMS
TONIGHT. LARGE HAIL WOULD BE THE MAIN THREAT.

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...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY
THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL DECREASE IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT FOR
THURSDAY...BUT RETURN FOR FRIDAY AS ANOTHER UPPER SYSTEM AND COLD
FRONT APPROACH THE AREA. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN OVER THE
WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...SPOTTER
ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATE TONIGHT ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

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

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 65 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:08 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

21 hail, 7 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Craig

When
May 13, 10:11 AM CST
Where
Craig County, Vinita
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.650, -95.150

Hail, Ottawa

When
May 13, 10:40 AM CST
Where
Ottawa County, Miami
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.883, -94.883

Hail, Delaware

When
May 13, 10:50 AM CST
Where
Delaware County, 4 mi S of Grove
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.533, -94.767

Hail, Craig

When
May 13, 11:35 AM CST
Where
Craig County, Welch
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
36.867, -95.100

Hail, Washington

When
May 13, 12:15 PM CST
Where
Washington County, Ramona
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
36.533, -95.917

Hail, Rogers

When
May 13, 12:30 PM CST
Where
Rogers County, 4 mi SSW of Oologah
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
36.400, -95.733

Hail, Osage

When
May 13, 12:40 PM CST
Where
Osage County, 2 mi W of Skiatook
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
36.367, -96.033

Hail, Tulsa

When
May 13, 1:22 PM CST
Where
Tulsa County, Owasso
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
36.267, -95.850

Hail, Tulsa

When
May 13, 1:45 PM CST
Where
Tulsa County, 14 mi ESE of Tulsa
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
36.083, -95.733

Nickel size hail fell near the intersection of 41st Street and 193rd East Avenue which is about 13.5 miles east southeast of downtown Tulsa on the Tulsa-Wagoner county line.

Hail, Wagoner

When
May 13, 1:45 PM CST
Where
Wagoner County, 4 mi N of Broken Arrow
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
36.100, -95.783

Nickel size hail fell at the Tulsa-Wagoner county line or near the intersection of 41st street and 193rd east avenue.

Hail, Mayes

When
May 13, 2:03 PM CST
Where
Mayes County, 2 mi E of Mazie
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
36.100, -95.333

Hail, Wagoner

When
May 13, 2:05 PM CST
Where
Wagoner County, Coweta
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.950, -95.650

Hail, Cherokee

When
May 13, 2:07 PM CST
Where
Cherokee County, Tahlequah
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates
35.917, -94.967

Hail, Wagoner

When
May 13, 2:25 PM CST
Where
Wagoner County, 3 mi E of Porter
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
35.867, -95.467

Thunderstorm Wind, Wagoner

When
May 13, 2:25 PM CST
Where
Wagoner County, 3 mi E of Porter
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
35.867, -95.467

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

Flash Flood, Cherokee

When
May 13, 2:30 PM CST to 4:30 PM CST
Where
Cherokee County, Tahlequah
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
35.907, -95.000 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy thunderstorm rains estimated at a rate of over an inch an hour caused severe street flooding. A few streets had to be closed and a car on one street was half submerged. The water on Main Street was so high that it flowed into several businesses.

Hail, Muskogee

When
May 13, 2:37 PM CST
Where
Muskogee County, Muskogee
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
35.750, -95.367

Thunderstorm Wind, Adair

When
May 13, 2:45 PM CST
Where
Adair County, Stilwell
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
35.817, -94.633

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherokee

When
May 13, 2:58 PM CST
Where
Cherokee County, 2 mi N of Pettit
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.800, -94.967

Thunderstom winds estimated at 70 miles an blew trees down.

Hail, Sequoyah

When
May 13, 3:08 PM CST
Where
Sequoyah County, Gore
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
35.533, -95.117

Thunderstorm Wind, Haskell

When
May 13, 3:30 PM CST
Where
Haskell County, 3 mi WNW of Stigler
Measured
59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
35.267, -95.183

Hail, Muskogee

When
May 13, 3:45 PM CST
Where
Muskogee County, Briartown
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
35.300, -95.233

Hail, Le Flore

When
May 13, 4:00 PM CST
Where
Le Flore County, 3 mi W of Panama
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
35.167, -94.717

Thunderstorm Wind, Le Flore

When
May 13, 4:00 PM CST
Where
Le Flore County, 3 mi W of Panama
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$3,000
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
35.167, -94.717

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew power lines down.

Hail, Le Flore

When
May 13, 4:04 PM CST
Where
Le Flore County, 4 mi SE of Bokoshe
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
35.150, -94.733

Hail, Le Flore

When
May 13, 4:09 PM CST
Where
Le Flore County, Shady Pt
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
35.133, -94.667

Hail, Le Flore

When
May 13, 4:12 PM CST
Where
Le Flore County, Poteau
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
35.050, -94.617

Thunderstorm Wind, Le Flore

When
May 13, 4:28 PM CST
Where
Le Flore County, 5 mi S of Hodgen
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
34.767, -94.617

Thunderstorm Wind, Le Flore

When
May 13, 5:25 PM CST
Where
Le Flore County, Zafra
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
34.517, -94.500

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down a large tree limb.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
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 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, May 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: 5358140, 5358141, 5358142, 5358143, 5358144, 5358145, 5358146, 5358147, 5358148, 5358496, 5358149, 5358150, 5358194, 5358481, 5358482, 5358480, 5358483, 5358484, 5358486, 5358485, 5358487, 5358488, 5358489, 5358490, 5358492, 5358493, 5358491, 5358494, 5358495.