Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, December 27, 2008

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, December 27, 2008
Start: 2008-12-27T07:10
End: 2008-12-27T11:05
Location: Oklahoma

December 27, 2008 · NWS TSA · 9 events in 8 counties and zones

A few severe thunderstorms occurred across eastern Oklahoma on the morning of the 27th.

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: $22,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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 happened

The episode as NWS TSA wrote it up.

A few severe thunderstorms occurred across eastern Oklahoma on the morning of the 27th.

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 Dec 27, 6:42 AM CST, 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 27, 6:42 AM CST, 28 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
642 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008

.UPDATE...

&&

.DISCUSSION...
HAVE UPDATED ZONES TO REFLECT THE NEW TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 960
WHICH REPLACED AND EXPANDED TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 956. COLD
FRONT CONTINUES TO PUSH INTO OUR FORECAST AREA WITH TEMPERATURES
RAPIDLY DROPPING FROM THE UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S AHEAD OF THE
FRONT TO THE MIDDLE 30S BEHIND THE FRONT.

&&

.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...NONE.
AR...NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...15

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 27, 4:48 AM CST, 2 hours 22 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
448 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-281100-
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-
500 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008

...SQUALL LINE ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE REGION
TODAY...

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.
TORNADO.
RISK...ELEVATED.
AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA.
ONSET...ONGOING.

AREA AT GREATEST RISK...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.
RISK...ELEVATED.
AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST...WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS.
ONSET...ONGOING.

AREA AT GREATEST RISK...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

FLASH FLOOD.
RISK...ELEVATED.
AREA...FAR EAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
ONSET...ONGOING.

AREA AT GREATEST RISK...NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

HEAVY RAIN.
RISK...SIGNIFICANT.
AREA...EAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
ONSET...ONGOING.

AREA AT GREATEST RISK...NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

SIGNIFICANT WINDS.
RISK...LIMITED.
AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST...WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS.
ONSET...ONGOING.

FIRE WEATHER DANGER.
RISK...LIMITED..SPREADINDEX=40.
AREA...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.
ONSET...THIS MORNING.

AREA AT GREATEST RISK...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.

DISCUSSION...
A COLD FRONT WAS PUSHING INTO CENTRAL OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS MORNING.
A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE COLD
FRONT. VERY WARM AND MOIST AIR AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO
FEED THE THUNDERSTORMS AS THIS SQUALL LINE MOVES EAST ACROSS THE
REGION THIS MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. THE LINE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING VERY STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS
ALONG WITH VERY INTENSE LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN.

MOVEMENT OF THE SQUALL LINE WAS TO THE EAST AT 25 MPH AND THIS WILL
MOVE IT ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS BY EARLY
THIS AFTERNOON.

VERY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO BEING PRODUCED BUT HEAVIER AMOUNTS WILL
LIKELY IN FAR EAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS WHERE HIGHER
AVAILABLE MOISTURE IS IN PLACE.

STRONG SHEAR IS NEAR THIS FRONT AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS SYSTEM.

DRY AIR PUSHING IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST WILL CAUSE LOW
HUMIDITY AND A PERIOD OF INCREASE FIRE BEHAVIOR IN SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA DURING THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON HOURS.

SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION LIKELY NEEDED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...NO HAZARDS.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION...
HIGH PRESSURE ALONG WITH A DRIER AIR MASS WILL MOVE INTO THE
REGION BEHIND THE COLD FRONT AND BRING SEVERAL DAYS OF QUIET
WEATHER.

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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Dec 27, 3:34 AM CST, 3 hours 36 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
334 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008

OKZ054-059-271030-
OSAGE OK-PAWNEE OK-
334 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 430 AM CST
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     WESTERN OSAGE AND WESTERN PAWNEE

AT 334 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 25 MILES NORTHWEST OF APPERSON TO 42 MILES WEST
OF PAWNEE...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE
AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE...SHIDLER...FAIRFAX...BURBANK...
APPERSON...WEBB CITY...PEARSONIA...FORAKER...GRAINOLA...PAWNEE...
MARAMEC...BLACKBURN...SKEDEE AND RALSTON.

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

LAT...LON 3700 9636 3617 9661 3616 9682 3625 9683
      3625 9692 3633 9692 3635 9703 3651 9704
      3656 9690 3659 9690 3659 9704 3670 9707
      3671 9705 3670 9694 3676 9689 3676 9683
      3679 9676 3700 9675
TIME...MOT...LOC 0934Z 249DEG 38KT 3700 9707 3625 9751

Special weather statement, Dec 27, 4:29 AM CST, 2 hours 41 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
429 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008

OKZ054-059-271115-
OSAGE OK-PAWNEE OK-
429 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 515 AM CST
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     NORTHERN OSAGE AND WESTERN PAWNEE

AT 429 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 13 MILES NORTHEAST OF FORAKER TO 7 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF FAIRFAX...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS
THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE...PAWHUSKA...SHIDLER...
FAIRFAX...BURBANK...OKESA...APPERSON...WEBB CITY...PEARSONIA...
BIGHEART...FORAKER...HULAH AND GRAINOLA.

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

LAT...LON 3700 9601 3672 9601 3644 9704 3651 9704
      3654 9699 3656 9690 3659 9690 3660 9691
      3658 9699 3659 9704 3667 9708 3672 9704
      3670 9694 3676 9689 3676 9683 3679 9676
      3700 9675
TIME...MOT...LOC 1029Z 242DEG 40KT 3704 9636 3651 9673

Special weather statement, Dec 27, 5:04 AM CST, 2 hours 6 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
504 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008

OKZ054-059-271145-
OSAGE OK-PAWNEE OK-
504 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 545 AM CST
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     WESTERN OSAGE AND WESTERN PAWNEE

AT 504 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES WEST OF BURBANK TO 21 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
MARAMEC...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE
AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE...PAWHUSKA...SHIDLER...OSAGE...
HOMINY...WYNONA...FAIRFAX...BURBANK...APPERSON...WEBB CITY...
PEARSONIA...BIGHEART...FORAKER...GRAINOLA...PAWNEE...JENNINGS...
TERLTON...HALLETT...MARAMEC...BLACKBURN...SKEDEE...CLEVELAND AND
RALSTON.

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

LAT...LON 3700 9616 3617 9646 3616 9683 3625 9683
      3625 9692 3633 9692 3635 9703 3651 9704
      3656 9690 3660 9691 3658 9701 3660 9706
      3671 9702 3670 9694 3676 9689 3676 9683
      3679 9676 3700 9675
TIME...MOT...LOC 1104Z 224DEG 39KT 3673 9672 3613 9693

Special weather statement, Dec 27, 5:44 AM CST, 1 hour 26 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
544 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008

OKZ054>056-059-060-064-271230-
CREEK OK-NOWATA OK-OSAGE OK-PAWNEE OK-TULSA OK-WASHINGTON OK-
544 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 630 AM CST
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     NORTHWESTERN NOWATA...WASHINGTON...OSAGE...CREEK...WESTERN
     TULSA AND PAWNEE

AT 544 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF HULAH TO 2 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF OILTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE
AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE...PAWHUSKA...BARNSDALL...
BARTLESVILLE...DEWEY...COPAN...MARAMEC...CLEVELAND...BRISTOW...
OILTON...AND MANNFORD.

THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS
TO 50 MPH. RESIDENTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE WARNINGS ARE ISSUED.

LAT...LON 3700 9565 3564 9641 3565 9663 3616 9663
      3617 9683 3700 9646
TIME...MOT...LOC 1144Z 238DEG 38KT 3698 9611 3607 9660

Special weather statement, Dec 27, 6:21 AM CST, 49 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
621 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008

OKZ054>057-059>062-064>067-070-271315-
CRAIG OK-CREEK OK-MAYES OK-MUSKOGEE OK-NOWATA OK-OKFUSKEE OK-OKMULGEE
OK-OSAGE OK-PAWNEE OK-ROGERS OK-TULSA OK-WAGONER OK-WASHINGTON OK-
621 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 715 AM CST
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     OKMULGEE...NORTHWESTERN WAGONER...ROGERS...NORTHWESTERN CRAIG...
     NOWATA...WASHINGTON...SOUTHEASTERN OSAGE...CREEK...TULSA...
     NORTHWESTERN MAYES AND EASTERN PAWNEE

IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
     NORTHWESTERN MUSKOGEE AND OKFUSKEE

AT 621 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF WANN TO 19 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF PADEN. THIS LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH...WITH
INDIVIDUAL STORMS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS
TO 50 MPH ACROSS THE ENTIRE ALERT AREA. RESIDENTS IN THESE COUNTIES SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT IN CASE THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS UPGRADED TO A
WARNING.

LAT...LON 3698 9504 3531 9599 3530 9644 3546 9645
      3542 9649 3544 9656 3538 9654 3539 9662
      3584 9663 3700 9588
TIME...MOT...LOC 1221Z 283DEG 26KT 3694 9580 3535 9682

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 28 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:08 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When: December 27, 7:10 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, Owasso
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.270, -95.850

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Wagoner

When: December 27, 7:30 AM CST
Where: Wagoner County, 6 mi WSW of Porter
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $6,000
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 35.837, -95.619

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour snapped off 6 power poles.

Thunderstorm Wind, Okmulgee

When: December 27, 7:30 AM CST
Where: Okmulgee County, 5 mi NE of Morris
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.651, -95.787

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Muskogee

When: December 27, 7:30 AM CST
Where: Muskogee County, Haskell
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 35.820, -95.670

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Okmulgee

When: December 27, 7:35 AM CST
Where: Okmulgee County, 2 mi E of Bald Hill
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 35.730, -95.794

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour destroyed a barn.

Hail, Mayes

When: December 27, 8:01 AM CST
Where: Mayes County, Chouteau
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.180, -95.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Haskell

When: December 27, 9:45 AM CST
Where: Haskell County, Kinta
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.120, -95.230

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Pushmataha

When: December 27, 10:48 AM CST
Where: Pushmataha County, Nashoba
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.480, -95.220

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Choctaw

When: December 27, 11:05 AM CST
Where: Choctaw County, 1.95 mi SSE of Ft Towson
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 33.994, -95.256

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down several large tree limbs in Raymond Gary State Park.

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 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, December 2008

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: 147085, 147086, 147087, 147088, 147089, 147090, 147091, 147092, 147093.