Flash Flooding and Hail in Oklahoma, June 15 to 16, 2008

Name: Flash Flooding and Hail in Oklahoma, June 15 to 16, 2008
Start: 2008-06-15T17:33
End: 2008-06-16T06:00
Location: Oklahoma

June 15 to 16, 2008 · NWS TSA · 22 events in 10 counties and zones

Severe thunderstorms occurred primarily over northeast Oklahoma during the evening and overnight hours of the 15th. The event evolved into a flash flood problem as well.

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: $10,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 22

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.

Severe thunderstorms occurred primarily over northeast Oklahoma during the evening and overnight hours of the 15th. The event evolved into a flash flood problem as well.

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 Jun 15, 2:47 PM CST, 2 hours 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 15, 2:47 PM CST, 2 hours 46 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
347 PM CDT SUN JUN 15 2008

.DISCUSSION...
MISSOURI PORTION OF THE MCS CONTINUES TO PLOW SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON
BUT ACTIVITY HAS BEEN SLOW TO DEVELOP ON THE WESTERN FLANK OF THE
SYSTEM BACK INTO KANSAS. NEVERTHELESS...THERE IS STILL A STRONG
SIGNAL IN THE MODELS FOR VIGOROUS CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT ACROSS
EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS WHICH
WILL THEN ADVANCE SOUTH INTO NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS. THE INSTABILITY AXIS RUNS ROUGHLY ALONG U.S. HIGHWAY 75
WITH CAPE VALUES OF 4000-5000 J/KG. LARGE HAIL WILL BE A CONCERN
INITIALLY EARLY THIS EVENING WITH A QUICK TRANSITION TO A DAMAGING
WIND EVENT AS COLD POOL DEVELOPMENT OCCURS. MAY SEE MCS PLOW
THROUGH THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT BUT UNCERTAINTY
INCREASES TO THE SOUTH SO WILL TAPER POPS OFF TO THE SOUTH FOR
NOW. CURRENT FLASH FLOOD WATCH LOOKS GOOD.

BEYOND TONIGHT...DID NOT DEVIATE TOO FAR FROM GUIDANCE. GENERALLY
BLENDED GUIDANCE POPS THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS AS GREAT UNCERTAINTY
EXISTS ON LOCATION OF FUTURE MCS DEVELOPMENT. IF A POWERFUL MCS
PLOWS THROUGH OUR ENTIRE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT...THIS MAY WELL
PRECLUDE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR AREA OVER THE FOLLOWING 24 HOURS OR
SO. LIKEWISE DID NOT STRAY MUCH FROM THE GFS MOS GUIDANCE IN THE
EXTENDED. DID RAISE POPS A BIT IN THE THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY
TIMEFRAME AS BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF SUGGEST THIS MAY BE THE BEST
SHOT AT AN MCS AFFECTING A LARGE PORTION OF OUR FORECAST AREA IN
THE EXTENDED PERIODS. UPPER RIDGE BUILDS A BIT MORE STRONGLY OVER
THE AREA BY NEXT WEEKEND WHICH MAY FINALLY CUT OFF RAIN CHANCES
AND ALLOW THE HEAT TO BUILD BACK.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TUL   67  86  66  83 /  80  50  30  50
FSM   68  88  66  85 /  70  40  40  50
MLC   69  89  68  84 /  40  30  40  40
BVO   66  84  63  83 /  90  50  30  50
FYV   64  82  60  80 /  80  50  40  40
BYV   63  80  60  79 /  80  50  40  20
MKO   68  87  66  82 /  70  40  30  50
MIO   64  82  61  81 /  90  50  20  30
F10   68  88  67  82 /  60  40  40  50
HHW   71  91  69  86 /  30  30  30  40

&&

.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 PM SUNDAY TO 7 AM MONDAY FOR OKZ054-
     OKZ055-OKZ056-OKZ057-OKZ058-OKZ059-OKZ060-OKZ061-OKZ062-
     OKZ063-OKZ064-OKZ066-OKZ067-OKZ068-OKZ069-OKZ070-OKZ072.

AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 PM SUNDAY TO 7 AM MONDAY FOR ARZ001-
     ARZ002-ARZ010-ARZ011-ARZ019-ARZ020-ARZ029.

&&

SHORT TERM...17
LONG TERM....05

PLATE

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 112 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:33 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 thunderstorm wind, 8 hail, 4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Ottawa

When: June 15, 5:33 PM CST
Where: Ottawa County, 2 mi SW of Peoria
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.900, -94.696

Hail, Ottawa

When: June 15, 6:08 PM CST
Where: Ottawa County, 4 mi NW of Wyandotte
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.841, -94.781

Thunderstorm Wind, Ottawa

When: June 15, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Ottawa County, 2 mi S of Wyandotte
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.771, -94.730

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Delaware

When: June 15, 7:25 PM CST
Where: Delaware County, Maysville
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.400, -94.600

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down several trees and large tree limbs.

Hail, Delaware

When: June 15, 7:25 PM CST
Where: Delaware County, Maysville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.400, -94.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Delaware

When: June 15, 7:45 PM CST
Where: Delaware County, Colcord
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.270, -94.680

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

Hail, Craig

When: June 15, 7:45 PM CST
Where: Craig County, 8 mi SE of Vinita
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.568, -95.048

Hail, Delaware

When: June 15, 7:50 PM CST
Where: Delaware County, Colcord
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.270, -94.680

Hail, Cherokee

When: June 15, 9:15 PM CST
Where: Cherokee County, Peggs
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.080, -95.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Le Flore

When: June 15, 10:27 PM CST
Where: Le Flore County, Panama
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.170, -94.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Rogers

When: June 15, 10:45 PM CST
Where: Rogers County, 4 mi NNE of Claremore
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.373, -95.573

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 80 miles an hour damaged a metal fire station building. Power poles and trees were also blown down.

Hail, Rogers

When: June 15, 10:55 PM CST
Where: Rogers County, Claremore
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 36.320, -95.600

Hail, Rogers

When: June 15, 11:25 PM CST
Where: Rogers County, Talala
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 36.530, -95.680

Flash Flood, Rogers

When: June 15, 11:36 PM CST to June 16, 2:45 AM CST
Where: Rogers County, 3 mi N of Claremore to 3 mi W of Claremore
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 36.363, -95.600

Heavy rain caused severe street flooding in Claremore. Some of the roads had to be closed due to high water.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When: June 15, 11:38 PM CST
Where: Pawnee County, Ralston
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.500, -96.720

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Rogers

When: June 15, 11:50 PM CST
Where: Rogers County, 1 mi S of Oologah
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 36.435, -95.700

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

Flash Flood, Nowata

When: June 16, 12:39 AM CST to 3:00 AM CST
Where: Nowata County, 1 mi N of Watova to 1 mi W of Watova
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.635, -95.650

Heavy rain caused Highway 169 to be flooded near Watova.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When: June 16, 12:49 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, 5 mi W of Collinsville
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.370, -95.920

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When: June 16, 12:53 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, 7 mi ESE of Tulsa
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 36.111, -95.834

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew a tree down near the intersection of Skelly Drive and Memorial.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulsa

When: June 16, 1:09 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, 5 mi SSW of Broken Arrow
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 35.983, -95.814

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

Flash Flood, Tulsa

When: June 16, 2:25 AM CST to 4:25 AM CST
Where: Tulsa County, Broken Arrow to 7 mi W of Broken Arrow
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 36.050, -95.780

Heavy rain caused several streets to be flooded in the southern part of Broken Arrow.

Flash Flood, Okmulgee

When: June 16, 5:00 AM CST to 6:00 AM CST
Where: Okmulgee County, 7 mi E of Hector to 8 mi E of Hector
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.830, -95.795

Heavy rain caused water to flow over 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.
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

Every storm in Oklahoma in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, June 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: 117067, 117069, 117073, 117079, 117082, 117086, 117090, 117092, 117096, 117101, 117105, 117109, 117112, 117116, 117133, 117135, 117136, 117137, 117141, 117143, 117145, 117149.