Tornado and Hail in Oklahoma, May 6, 2003

Name: Tornado and Hail in Oklahoma, May 6, 2003
Start: 2003-05-06T14:58
End: 2003-05-06T23:27
Location: Oklahoma

May 6, 2003 · NWS TSA · 45 events in 17 counties and zones

39 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 45

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 6, 2:55 PM CST, 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 6, 2:55 PM CST, 3 minutes before

EASTERN OKLAHOMA/NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
355 PM CDT TUE MAY 6 2003

AT 3PM THE SURFACE LOW WAS LOCATED 60 MILES NORTH OF BARTLESVILLE
WITH A DRY LINE EXTENDING SOUTH ACROSS TULSA TO NEAR ARDMORE.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG THE DRY LINE ACROSS
EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND WERE BECOMING SEVERE.

STORM-RELATIVE HELICITY VALUES TRIPLE FROM HIGHWAY 75 AND THE INDIAN
NATION TURNPIKE EAST INTO WESTERN ARKANAS...SO THERE WILL BE AN
INCREASING TORNADO THREAT OVER THE NEXT 1 TO 3 HOURS.

FORECAST ID= 08

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

Hazardous weather outlook, May 6, 12:00 PM CST, 2 hours 58 minutes before

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-071100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
100 PM CDT TUE MAY 6 2003

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK

...SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
   ACROSS PORTIONS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS...

SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WAS LOCATED OVER NORTH-CENTRAL OKLAHOMA EARLY
THIS AFTERNOON WITH A DRY LINE EXTENDING SOUTHWEST INTO SOUTHWEST
OKLAHOMA.  THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP ALONG THE DRY LINE BY
MID AFTERNOON ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA...RAPIDLY BECOMING SEVERE.
SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED WITH HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF
BASEBALLS...DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS TO 70 MPH AND A FEW TORNADOES.
THE GREATEST TORNADO THREAT THROUGH THIS EVENING WILL BE ACROSS FAR
NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS...NORTH OF A
BARTLESVILLE...FORT SMITH LINE.

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
AN ACTIVE SPRING WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE INTO THE WEEKEND AS A
SERIES OF DISTURBANCES MOVES ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND A
SURFACE BOUNDARY REMAINS OVER THE AREA. IT APPEARS THE BEST CHANCES
OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL OCCUR WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...AND
AGAIN ON SATURDAY. A MORE STABLE PATTERN MAY FINALLY TAKE OVER BY
EARLY NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON.   A TORNADO
WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS UNTIL 700 PM.  EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD
CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS...AS
WARNINGS WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED LATER THIS AFTERNOON.

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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 6, 11:46 AM CST, 3 hours 12 minutes before

ARZ001>002-010>011-019>020-029-OKZ054>072-070000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1246 PM CDT TUE MAY 6 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH #269 UNTIL 700
PM CDT TUESDAY EVENING 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 19 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:

MCINTOSH

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BARTLESVILLE...BENTONVILLE...
BERRYVILLE...BRISTOW...BROKEN ARROW...CEDARVILLE...CLAREMORE...
EUFAULA...EUREKA SPRINGS...FAYETTEVILLE...FORT SMITH...HUNTSVILLE...
JAY...MIAMI...MOUNTAINBURG...MUSKOGEE...NATURAL DAM...NOWATA...
OKEMAH...OKMULGEE...OZARK...PAWHUSKA...PAWNEE...PRYOR...ROGERS...
SALLISAW...SAND SPRINGS...SILOAM SPRINGS...SPRINGDALE...STILWELL...
TAHLEQUAH...TULSA...VAN BUREN...VINITA AND WAGONER.

Special weather statement, May 6, 2:01 PM CST, 57 minutes before

OKZ049-053-073>076-070200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
301 PM CDT TUE MAY 6 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH #273 UNTIL
900 PM CDT TUESDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

IN OKLAHOMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 6 COUNTIES...
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

CHOCTAW               HASKELL               LATIMER
LE FLORE              PITTSBURG             PUSHMATAHA

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ANTLERS...CLAYTON...HUGO...MCALESTER...
POTEAU...STIGLER AND WILBURTON.

Special weather statement, May 6, 2:55 PM CST, 3 minutes before

ARZ001>002-010>011-019>020-029-OKZ054>072-070000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
355 PM CDT TUE MAY 6 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CLEARED A PORTION OF TORNADO WATCH
#269. AREAS CLEARED FROM THE TORNADO WATCH INCLUDE:

IN OKLAHOMA 5 COUNTIES...
IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

CREEK                 OSAGE                 PAWNEE
TULSA                 WASHINGTON

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BARTLESVILLE...BRISTOW...BROKEN ARROW...
PAWHUSKA...PAWNEE...SAND SPRINGS AND TULSA.

TORNADO WATCH #269 REMAINS VALID UNTIL 700 PM CDT TUESDAY EVENING 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 14 COUNTIES...
IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA:

CHEROKEE              MUSKOGEE              OKFUSKEE
SEQUOYAH

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

ADAIR                 CRAIG                 DELAWARE
MAYES                 NOWATA                OKMULGEE
OTTAWA                ROGERS                WAGONER

IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

MCINTOSH

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BENTONVILLE...BERRYVILLE...CEDARVILLE...
CLAREMORE...EUFAULA...EUREKA SPRINGS...FAYETTEVILLE...FORT SMITH...
HUNTSVILLE...JAY...MIAMI...MOUNTAINBURG...MUSKOGEE...NATURAL DAM...
NOWATA...OKEMAH...OKMULGEE...OZARK...PRYOR...ROGERS...SALLISAW...
SILOAM SPRINGS...SPRINGDALE...STILWELL...TAHLEQUAH...VAN BUREN...
VINITA AND WAGONER.

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 60 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:55 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

39 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Okmulgee

When: May 6, 2:58 PM CST
Where: Okmulgee County, 5 mi E of Henryetta
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 35.650, -95.700

Hail, Muskogee

When: May 6, 3:09 PM CST
Where: Muskogee County, 3 mi W of Boynton
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.167, -95.783

Hail, McIntosh

When: May 6, 3:15 PM CST
Where: McIntosh County, 6 mi E of Hitchita
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.700, -95.617

Hail, Muskogee

When: May 6, 3:19 PM CST
Where: Muskogee County, 6 mi SW of Taft
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.117, -95.667

Hail, Wagoner

When: May 6, 3:21 PM CST
Where: Wagoner County, 10 mi NE of Coweta
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.650, -95.650

Hail, Muskogee

When: May 6, 3:25 PM CST
Where: Muskogee County, Boynton
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.283, -95.667

Hail, Rogers

When: May 6, 3:25 PM CST
Where: Rogers County, 3 mi S of Inola
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.567, -95.317

Hail, Mayes

When: May 6, 3:41 PM CST
Where: Mayes County, Pryor
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 36.583, -94.967

Hail, Muskogee

When: May 6, 3:55 PM CST
Where: Muskogee County, Oktaha
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.833, -94.883

Hail, Craig

When: May 6, 3:59 PM CST
Where: Craig County, 9 mi ESE of Vinita
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 35.583, -94.983

Hail, Delaware

When: May 6, 4:05 PM CST
Where: Delaware County, Bernice
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.650, -95.017

Hail, Craig

When: May 6, 4:05 PM CST
Where: Craig County, Vinita
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 36.200, -95.167

Tornado, Muskogee

When: May 6, 4:11 PM CST
Where: Muskogee County, 3 mi SE of Keefeton
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.883, -94.883

A storm chaser reported a brief tornado in open country southeast of Keefton.

Hail, Pittsburg

When: May 6, 4:13 PM CST
Where: Pittsburg County, Indianola
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.100, -95.500

Hail, Mayes

When: May 6, 4:14 PM CST
Where: Mayes County, Locust Grove
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.417, -95.050

Hail, Ottawa

When: May 6, 4:15 PM CST
Where: Ottawa County, 4 mi S of Miami
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.600, -95.000

Hail, Pittsburg

When: May 6, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Pittsburg County, Crowder
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.300, -95.317

Hail, Adair

When: May 6, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Adair County, 1 mi E of Bunch
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.167, -94.667

Hail, Craig

When: May 6, 4:23 PM CST
Where: Craig County, 7 mi E of Vinita
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 36.017, -94.650

Hail, Delaware

When: May 6, 4:25 PM CST
Where: Delaware County, Cleora
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 36.617, -94.917

Hail, Ottawa

When: May 6, 4:26 PM CST
Where: Ottawa County, Miami
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.650, -95.150

Hail, Sequoyah

When: May 6, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Sequoyah County, Box
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.767, -94.867

Hail, McIntosh

When: May 6, 4:31 PM CST
Where: McIntosh County, 5 mi W of Eufaula
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.583, -95.483

Hail, Cherokee

When: May 6, 4:35 PM CST
Where: Cherokee County, Barber
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.150, -95.050

Hail, Muskogee

When: May 6, 4:45 PM CST
Where: Muskogee County, 1 mi W of Keefeton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.683, -94.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Muskogee

When: May 6, 4:45 PM CST
Where: Muskogee County, 1 mi W of Keefeton
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.367, -94.800

Thunderstorm Wind, Adair

When: May 6, 4:57 PM CST
Where: Adair County, 5 mi WNW of Westville
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 35.150, -94.967

Hail, Pittsburg

When: May 6, 4:57 PM CST
Where: Pittsburg County, Blocker
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.183, -94.783

Hail, Mayes

When: May 6, 4:59 PM CST
Where: Mayes County, 2 mi N of Spavinaw
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.600, -95.367

Hail, Haskell

When: May 6, 5:48 PM CST
Where: Haskell County, Mc Curtain
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.600, -95.367

Thunderstorm Wind, Haskell

When: May 6, 5:48 PM CST
Where: Haskell County, 5 mi W of Mc Curtain
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.067, -95.567

Hail, Le Flore

When: May 6, 6:03 PM CST
Where: Le Flore County, Bokoshe
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.233, -94.633

Hail, Sequoyah

When: May 6, 6:08 PM CST
Where: Sequoyah County, 7 mi S of Sallisaw
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.167, -94.667

Thunderstorm Wind, Le Flore

When: May 6, 6:17 PM CST
Where: Le Flore County, Panama
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.233, -94.483

Hail, Le Flore

When: May 6, 6:19 PM CST
Where: Le Flore County, Panama
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.183, -94.483

Hail, Le Flore

When: May 6, 6:22 PM CST
Where: Le Flore County, Spiro
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 34.533, -95.467

Hail, Le Flore

When: May 6, 6:32 PM CST
Where: Le Flore County, Pocola
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 34.700, -95.317

Hail, Le Flore

When: May 6, 6:37 PM CST
Where: Le Flore County, Rock Is
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 34.850, -95.050

Hail, Pushmataha

When: May 6, 7:05 PM CST
Where: Pushmataha County, Stanley
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 34.833, -95.067

Hail, Latimer

When: May 6, 7:10 PM CST
Where: Latimer County, Yanush
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.133, -95.100

Hail, Le Flore

When: May 6, 7:17 PM CST
Where: Le Flore County, 7 mi N of Talihina
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 34.417, -95.717

Hail, Latimer

When: May 6, 8:05 PM CST
Where: Latimer County, Bengal
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 34.533, -94.950

Hail, Haskell

When: May 6, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Haskell County, 2 mi N of Lequire
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.450, -95.900

Hail, Pushmataha

When: May 6, 10:04 PM CST
Where: Pushmataha County, 8 mi W of Eubanks
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.533, -95.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Pushmataha

When: May 6, 11:27 PM CST
Where: Pushmataha County, Honobia
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.050, -95.517

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

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
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.

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 The tornado archive for Oklahoma, 2003 Warnings 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: 5358252, 5358559, 5358253, 5358560, 5358254, 5358561, 5358638, 5358639, 5358640, 5358646, 5358645, 5358647, 5358641, 5358562, 5358650, 5358643, 5358563, 5358659, 5358648, 5358642, 5358644, 5358649, 5358564, 5358652, 5358656, 5358657, 5358651, 5358658, 5358653, 5358654, 5358655, 5358661, 5358660, 5358662, 5358663, 5358664, 5358665, 5358666, 5358667, 5358668, and more.