Tornado and Hail in Oklahoma, May 8, 2003

Name: Tornado and Hail in Oklahoma, May 8, 2003
Start: 2003-05-08T00:56
End: 2003-05-08T05:55
Location: Oklahoma

May 8, 2003 · NWS TSA · 7 events in 4 counties and zones

4 hail, 2 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: $25,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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 7, 10:40 PM CST, 2 hours 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 7, 10:40 PM CST, 2 hours 16 minutes before

MESOSCALE FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OKLAHOMA
1140 PM CDT WED MAY 7 2003

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO TRACK ACROSS WESTERN/SOUTHWESTERN
OKLAHOMA.  LOW LEVEL JET FIRMLY ESTABLISHED VIA PROFILER NETWORK
WITH BROAD AREA OF 45-50KT 850MB WINDS ACROSS OK.  EXPECT STRONG
WARM ADVECTION ZONE TO TRANSLATE INTO EASTERN OKLAHOMA SERVING TO
SUSTAIN ONGOING CONVECTION WHILE IGNITING ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS.
DEEP LAYER SHEAR MORE THAN ADEQUATE FOR ELEVATED SUPERCELLS NORTH OF
THE WARM FRONT.  AT 1130 PM...SURFACE WARM FRONT CONTINUED ALONG THE
RED RIVER VALLEY WITH NORTHWARD PROGRESS ANTICIPATED OVERNIGHT.
REPORTS ASSOCIATED WITH WESTERN OK STORMS SUBSTANTIATE LARGE HAIL THREAT
WITH ISOLATED TORNADO THREAT POSSIBLE FOR STORMS THAT TRACK
ALONG/SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT OVERNIGHT.

FORECAST ID= 07

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

Hazardous weather outlook, May 7, 10:10 PM CST, 2 hours 46 minutes before

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-081100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1110 PM CDT WED MAY 7 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK

...CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT MAINLY ACROSS NORTHEAST
   OKLAHOMA...

A WARM FRONT IS LOCATED ALONG THE RED RIVER VALLEY AND WILL SLOWLY
LIFT NORTHWARD OVERNIGHT.  ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP NORTH
OF THE WARM FRONT OVERNIGHT AS THE LOW LEVEL JET STRENGTHENS.  LARGE
HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE STRONGER STORMS...
MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A MCALESTER...FORT SMITH LINE.
THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP MAY MOVE INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS EARLY
THURSDAY MORNING.

ADDITIONAL STORMS MAY CONTINUE SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT AND AFFECT
FAR SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.  THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP IN THIS REGION
WILL HAVE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER INCLUDING LARGE
HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.

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...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY
THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY AS A DRY LINE
APPROACHES THE AREA FROM THE WEST.  THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE
STORMS WILL BE ACROSS FAR NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  FURTHER SOUTH...ACROSS
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...CONVECTION MAY BE SUPPRESSED DUE TO A STRONG
CAP.  HOWEVER ANY STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP ON THURSDAY WOULD LIKELY BE
SEVERE.

SEVERE WEATHER WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL
SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS. DRY AND COOLER WEATHER IS
EXPECTED SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

.SPOTTER / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...SPOTTER
ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT OVER PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

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

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 7, 7:42 PM CST, 5 hours 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
0842 PM CDT WED MAY 07 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1227 AM    HONOBIA                   OK   WIND DAMAGE
05/07/03   PUSHMATAHA                     LARGE TREES BLOWN ACROSS
                                          ROADWAY.
                                          REPORTED BY PUBLIC

1104 PM    8 W EUBANKS               OK   0.88 IN HAIL
05/06/03   PUSHMATAHA                     REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

1035 PM    PRAIRIE GROVE             AR   0.75 IN HAIL
05/06/03   WASHINGTON                     REPORTED BY CO-OP OBSERVER

0905 PM    BENGAL                    OK   0.75 IN HAIL
05/06/03   LATIMER                        REPORTED BY PUBLIC

0725 PM    PETTIGREW                 AR   1.00 IN HAIL
05/06/03   MADISON                        REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0708 PM    7 S SALLISAW              OK   0.88 IN HAIL
05/06/03   SEQUOYAH                       REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0649 PM    8 W BIDVILLE              AR   WIND DAMAGE
05/06/03   CRAWFORD                       POWER POLE BLOWN DOWN
                                          ALONG WITH SEVERAL TREES.
                                          REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0620 PM    1 E BUNCH                 OK   0.88 IN HAIL
05/06/03   ADAIR                          REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0620 PM    SILOAM SPRINGS            AR   60 MPH WIND GUST
05/06/03   BENTON                         REPORTED BY SPOTTER

0559 PM    2 N SPAVINAW              OK   0.88 IN HAIL
05/06/03   MAYES                          REPORTED BY PUBLIC

0557 PM    BLOCKER                   OK   0.75 IN HAIL
05/06/03   PITTSBURG                      REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0535 PM    6 NE COOKSON              OK   0.88 IN HAIL
05/06/03   CHEROKEE                       REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0530 PM    BOX                       OK   0.75 IN HAIL
05/06/03   SEQUOYAH                       REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0425 PM    3 S INOLA                 OK   0.88 IN HAIL
05/06/03   ROGERS                         REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0421 PM    10 NE COWETA              OK   0.88 IN HAIL
05/06/03   WAGONER                        REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0415 PM    1 S COUNCIL HILL          OK   1.00 IN HAIL
05/06/03   MCINTOSH                       REPORTED BY PUBLIC

BM

Special weather statement, May 7, 9:55 PM CST, 3 hours 1 minute before

OKZ054>076-080900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1055 PM CDT WED MAY 7 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
#294 UNTIL 400 AM CDT THURSDAY 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, May 8, 12:48 AM CST, 8 minutes before

OKZ060-080715-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
148 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2003

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR TULSA COUNTY UNTIL 215 AM
   CDT...

AT 148 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES
SOUTH OF GLENPOOL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH.

THE COMMUNITIES OF TULSA...BIXBY...JENKS...GLENPOOL AND BROKEN ARROW
WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM THROUGH 215 AM CDT.

Special weather statement, May 8, 12:54 AM CST, 2 minutes before

OKZ054>076-080900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
154 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CLEARED A PORTION OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH #294. AREAS CLEARED FROM THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH INCLUDE:

IN OKLAHOMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 8 COUNTIES...
IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

CRAIG                 DELAWARE              MAYES
NOWATA                OSAGE                 OTTAWA
ROGERS                WASHINGTON

THESE COUNTIES WILL BE INCLUDED IN A NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
#295 VALID UNTIL 700 AM CDT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #167 REMAINS VALID UNTIL 400 AM CDT
THURSDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

IN OKLAHOMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 15 COUNTIES...
IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA:

CHEROKEE              MUSKOGEE              OKFUSKEE
SEQUOYAH

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

ADAIR                 CREEK                 OKMULGEE
PAWNEE                TULSA                 WAGONER

IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA:

HASKELL               LATIMER               LE FLORE
MCINTOSH              PITTSBURG

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BRISTOW...BROKEN ARROW...EUFAULA...
MCALESTER...MUSKOGEE...OKEMAH...OKMULGEE...PAWNEE...POTEAU...
SALLISAW...SAND SPRINGS...STIGLER...STILWELL...TAHLEQUAH...TULSA...
WAGONER AND WILBURTON.

The radar

The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 76 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:56 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Tulsa

When: May 8, 12:56 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, Glenpool
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 34.950, -95.083

Hail, Pittsburg

When: May 8, 3:48 AM CST
Where: Pittsburg County, Blanco
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 34.950, -94.633

Thunderstorm Wind, Latimer

When: May 8, 4:43 AM CST
Where: Latimer County, Red Oak
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.050, -94.617

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

Tornado, Le Flore

When: May 8, 5:04 AM CST to 5:12 AM CST
Where: Le Flore County, 6 mi W of Summerfield
Rating: F1
Path length: 4 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 34.750, -95.767

A F1 tornado caused damage to the west of Summerfield. The tornado destroyed a small barn and a chicken house. Several trees were uprooted.

Hail, Le Flore

When: May 8, 5:30 AM CST
Where: Le Flore County, Howe
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.050, -94.617

Hail, Le Flore

When: May 8, 5:55 AM CST
Where: Le Flore County, Poteau
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 34.883, -94.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Le Flore

When: May 8, 5:55 AM CST
Where: Le Flore County, Poteau
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.950, -96.000

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

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.
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.

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: 5358004, 5358005, 5358383, 5358787, 5358384, 5358385, 5358386.