Hail and Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, August 20, 2005

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, August 20, 2005
Start: 2005-08-20T13:00
End: 2005-08-20T14:45
Location: Oklahoma

August 20, 2005 · NWS TSA · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

1 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning, 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: 2
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 Aug 20, 9:40 AM CST, 3 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 20, 9:40 AM CST, 3 hours 20 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1040 AM CDT SAT AUG 20 2005

.UPDATE...
TRUE COLD FRONT STILL LAGGING WELL TO OUR N ACROSS NRN KS...ALTHOUGH
SRN KS CONVECTION HAS DRIVEN SEVERAL OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES INTO NE OK.
STRONGEST OUTFLOW IS ANALYZED FROM OTTAWA COUNTY WWD THRU CNTRL
OSAGE COUNTY...AND HAVE SEEN A FEW RECENT UPDRAFTS ALONG AND JUST N
OF THIS BOUNDARY.

HAVE ADJUSTED POPS TO DELAY SWD PUSH/DEVELOPMENT OF CONVECTION UNTIL
LATER THIS AFTERNOON. 0-6KM SHEAR IS RATHER ANEMIC AND MID-LEVEL
HEIGHTS ARE POISED TO INCREASE SOME THIS AFTERNOON. EVEN SO...DEGREE
OF INSTABILITY SUGGESTS THAT A FEW SEVERE CLUSTERS OF STORMS ARE
POSSIBLE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS BEING THE MAIN THREAT.

&&

.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM SATURDAY FOR OKZ060.

AR...NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM FORECASTER ID = 18
LONG TERM FORECASTER ID = 17

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 20, 11:47 AM CST, 1 hour 13 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1247 PM CDT SAT AUG 20 2005

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-211000-
ADAIR OK-BENTON AR-CARROLL AR-CHEROKEE OK-CHOCTAW OK-CRAIG OK-
CRAWFORD AR-CREEK OK-DELAWARE OK-FRANKLIN AR-HASKELL OK-LATIMER OK-
LE FLORE OK-MADISON AR-MAYES OK-MCINTOSH OK-MUSKOGEE OK-NOWATA OK-
OKFUSKEE OK-OKMULGEE OK-OSAGE OK-OTTAWA OK-PAWNEE OK-PITTSBURG OK-
PUSHMATAHA OK-ROGERS OK-SEBASTIAN AR-SEQUOYAH OK-TULSA OK-WAGONER OK-
WASHINGTON OK-WASHINGTON AR-
1247 PM CDT SAT AUG 20 2005

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.
	RISK...LIMITED.
	AREA...MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40.
	ONSET...ONGOING...BETTER CHANCE OF SEVERE AFTER 3-4 PM.

DANGEROUS HEAT.
	RISK...ELEVATED.
	AREA...MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
	ONSET...ONGOING.

DISCUSSION...
AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM THE SOUTHEAST KANSAS CONVECTION HAS PUSHED
INTO NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE AREA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...AND
CURRENTLY EXTENDS FROM PAWNEE COUNTY...ACROSS TULSA COUNTY AND INTO
FAR NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS. WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE
DEVELOPED NEAR THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY...WHERE STRONG HEATING HAS
RESULTED IN SURFACE BASED CAPES EXCEEDING 2000 J/KG.

WEAK SHEAR ALOFT AND RISING MID-LEVEL HEIGHTS WILL LIMIT THE OVERALL
SEVERE THREAT. HOWEVER...THE DEGREE OF INSTABILITY SUGGESTS THAT A
FEW CLUSTERS OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM
MID-AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING...WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS BEING THE
PRIMARY THREAT. IN ADDITION...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL OCCUR WITH
ANY STORM THAT DEVELOPS. THIS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN THIS
EVENING WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING.

THE HEAT ADVISORY FOR TULSA COUNTY IS SET TO EXPIRE LATER THIS
AFTERNOON. OVERNIGHT LOWS ARE EXPECTED TO DROP OFF INTO THE MID 70S.

SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
SUNDAY...THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL...DANGEROUS HEAT INDEX POTENTIAL.
MONDAY...THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL.
TUESDAY...NO HAZARDS.
WEDNESDAY...NO HAZARDS.
THURSDAY...NO HAZARDS.
FRIDAY...NO HAZARDS.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION...
RESIDUAL BOUNDARIES ALONG WITH SUFFICIENT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL
KEEP THUNDERSTORMS CHANCES GOING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. AN SURFACE
RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE AREA THUS LEAVING MUCH OF
NEXT WEEK DRY.

WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA CONTAINS ADDITIONAL TABULAR AND GRAPHICAL
INFORMATION.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 20, 11:44 AM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1244 PM CDT SAT AUG 20 2005

ARZ001-201830-
BENTON AR-
1244 PM CDT SAT AUG 20 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 130 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY:

IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
     BENTON

AT 1244 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4
MILES WEST OF GRAVETTE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS
THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...MILLER...SULPHUR
SPRINGS...GRAVETTE AND HIWASSE.

THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH.

Special weather statement, Aug 20, 12:31 PM CST, 29 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
131 PM CDT SAT AUG 20 2005

OKZ054-059-201915-
OSAGE OK-PAWNEE OK-
131 PM CDT SAT AUG 20 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 215 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     OSAGE AND PAWNEE

AT 131 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF RALSTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT
WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...FAIRFAX AND RALSTON.

THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO
50 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE THE
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.

Special weather statement, Aug 20, 12:36 PM CST, 24 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
136 PM CDT SAT AUG 20 2005

ARZ001-201930-
BENTON AR-
136 PM CDT SAT AUG 20 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 230 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY:

IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
     BENTON

AT 136 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES
NORTHEAST OF CHEROKEE CITY...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS
THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...MILLER...BENTONVILLE...
ROGERS...GENTRY...GRAVETTE...PEA RIDGE...SPRINGTOWN...MONTE NE...
CHEROKEE CITY...VAUGHN...DECATUR...CENTERTON...AVOCA...HIWASSE AND
BELLA VISTA.

THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO
50 MPH.

Special weather statement, Aug 20, 12:56 PM CST, 4 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
156 PM CDT SAT AUG 20 2005

OKZ061-062-067-201945-
MAYES OK-ROGERS OK-WAGONER OK-
156 PM CDT SAT AUG 20 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 245 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     ROGERS...MAYES AND WAGONER

AT 156 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF INOLA...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT
WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...INOLA...PRYOR...MAZIE...
MURPHY...CHOUTEAU AND LOCUST GROVE.

PORTIONS OF ROGERS...MAYES AND WAGONER COUNTIES WILL BE AFFECTED BY
THESE STORMS THROUGH 245 PM CDT.

THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO
50 MPH.

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 109 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Hail, Pawnee

When: August 20, 1:00 PM CST
Where: Pawnee County, Ralston
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.500, -96.717

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherokee

When: August 20, 2:40 PM CST
Where: Cherokee County, 3 mi ENE of Tahlequah
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.933, -94.917

Thunderstorm winds blew down a very large tree limb. The tree limb blocked a road.

Lightning, Sequoyah

When: August 20, 2:45 PM CST
Where: Sequoyah County, Vian
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.495, -94.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning struck two boys who were helping their father work on a home that was under construction. The boys were transported to Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa for treatment.

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.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oklahoma in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, August 2005

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: 5473480, 5473481, 5473482.