Thunderstorms that developed ahead of a cold front that moved through the area on the 29th resulted in one and a half to three inches of rain northwest of an Okemah to Tulsa to Talala line. Much of this rainfall quickly became runoff due to already saturated soils from previous rain events this month.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS TSA wrote it up.
Thunderstorms that developed ahead of a cold front that moved through the area on the 29th resulted in one and a half to three inches of rain northwest of an Okemah to Tulsa to Talala line. Much of this rainfall quickly became runoff due to already saturated soils from previous rain events this month. Moderate flooding resulted along the Polecat Creek near Sapulpa.
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 Oct 29, 11:27 AM CST, 3 hours 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 1227 PM CDT THU OCT 29 2009 .AVIATION... CONCERNING TAF SITES KTUL/KRVS/KMLC/KXNA/KFYV/KFSM. WIDESPREAD CONVECTION WILL IMPACT ALL TAF SITES THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON...WITH A WEST TO EAST CLEARING EXPECTED TOWARD 00Z. MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR WITHIN VICINITY OF THE STRONGEST STORMS. AN IMPROVEMENT TO VFR CONDITIONS IS FORECAST FOR ALL SITES TOMORROW. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1020 AM CDT THU OCT 29 2009/ ..UPDATE... DISCUSSION... ONGOING CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY CONTINUE EASTWARD WITH THE COLD FRONT ALSO MAKING IT THROUGH MOST OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA BY 00Z FRIDAY. SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL APPEARS ISOLATED THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON...WITH A POSSIBLE INCREASE IN COVERAGE TOWARD SOUTHERN AREAS LATER TODAY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS HAVE THUS FAR REMAINED WELL WITHIN FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE...HOWEVER ANY FURTHER SLOWING OF THE EVENT MAY PROMPT SOME WATER HEADLINES. UPDATED FORECAST WILL ADJUST FOR CURRENT TRENDS AND SLOW DOWN FRONTAL PROGRESSION A BIT. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TUL 69 46 58 40 / 100 60 30 10 FSM 72 53 58 40 / 100 90 60 10 MLC 74 48 56 40 / 100 60 40 10 BVO 67 45 57 36 / 100 60 20 10 FYV 68 49 53 35 / 100 90 60 10 BYV 68 50 54 38 / 100 100 60 10 MKO 72 48 55 39 / 100 70 30 10 MIO 69 49 55 38 / 100 90 20 10 F10 72 46 56 40 / 100 60 30 10 HHW 76 51 56 39 / 100 70 50 10 && .TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...NONE. AR...NONE. && AVIATION...07
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
107 PM CDT THU OCT 29 2009
ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-301000-
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-
108 PM CDT THU OCT 29 2009
...SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING...
THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS
MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
TORNADO.
RISK...LIMITED.
AREA...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
ONSET...ONGOING.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.
RISK...SIGNIFICANT.
AREA...EAST OF A LINE FROM VINITA TO OKMULGEE.
ONSET...ONGOING.
AREA AT GREATEST RISK...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL
ARKANSAS.
FLASH FLOOD.
RISK...ELEVATED.
AREA...ALL EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
ONSET...ONGOING.
DISCUSSION...
WIDESPREAD STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ARE ONGOING ACROSS EASTERN
OKLAHOMA...AND WILL EVENTUALLY SPREAD INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
LATER TODAY. CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO BECOME MORE UNSTABLE OVER
FAR SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...MAKING THIS AREA
THE MOST FAVORED FOR THE RISK OF WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER.
FURTHER NORTH...LIMITED INSTABILITY WILL KEEP THE COVERAGE
OF SEVERE WEATHER MORE ISOLATED. STRONG LOW LEVEL WINDS
REMAIN IN PLACE AREA WIDE PRODUCING SCATTERED AREAS OF
DAMAGING WIND POTENTIAL. THIS TREND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
THE EVENING HOURS AS THE STORM SYSTEM TRACKS SLOWLY ACROSS
THE AREA. THE TORNADIC POTENTIAL WILL ALSO INCREASE FOR
AREAS THAT ARE ABLE TO BECOME MORE UNSTABLE...WHICH AGAIN
FAVORS SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND POSSIBLY WEST CENTRAL
ARKANSAS. LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR WILL BE MAXIMIZED WITHIN
THE ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY WHICH MAY SUPPORT A SLIGHTLY
HIGHER RISK OF STORM ROTATION.
SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
ACTIVATION OF THE REGIONAL SPOTTER NETWORK MAY YET OCCUR...
HOWEVER LOCAL SPOTTER NETWORKS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ACTIVATE
ACROSS EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...NO HAZARDS.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WITH
DRY AND TRANQUIL WEATHER EXPECTED INTO NEXT WEEK.
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA CONTAINS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
222 PM CDT THU OCT 29 2009
OKZ053-291945-
CHOCTAW OK-
222 PM CDT THU OCT 29 2009
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 245 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
EASTERN CHOCTAW
AT 222 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF ORD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT
WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...ORD...FROGVILLE...SAWYER...
FORT TOWSON...SWINK...HUSKEY AND FALLON.
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.
LAT...LON 3388 9547 3388 9550 3389 9552 3389 9554
3417 9536 3415 9515 3410 9514 3388 9529
3389 9532 3386 9534 3386 9546
TIME...MOT...LOC 1922Z 208DEG 44KT 3386 9544PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
242 PM CDT THU OCT 29 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0239 PM FLASH FLOOD SPERRY 36.30N 95.99W
10/29/2009 TULSA OK PUBLIC
STREET FLOODING ON HARVARD BETWEEN 86TH STREET AND 96TH
STREET AND ALSO ON CINCINNATI BETWEEN 9600 AND 8600
&&
DMJSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
243 PM CDT THU OCT 29 2009
OKZ073>075-292015-
HASKELL OK-LATIMER OK-PITTSBURG OK-
243 PM CDT THU OCT 29 2009
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 315 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
SOUTHERN HASKELL...EASTERN PITTSBURG AND WESTERN LATIMER
AT 243 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES
EAST OF HIGGINS...MOVING NORTH AT 50 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE
AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...LEWISVILLE...WILBURTON...YANUSH...
HIGGINS...DAMON...GOWEN...PANOLA AND QUINTON.
THIS STORM 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 3475 9552 3516 9542 3508 9508 3469 9532
3469 9534
TIME...MOT...LOC 1943Z 201DEG 46KT 3479 9538PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
246 PM CDT THU OCT 29 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0720 AM FLASH FLOOD PAWNEE 36.34N 96.80W
10/29/2009 PAWNEE OK LAW ENFORCEMENT
STREET FLOODING OCCURRED WITHIN THE TOWN OF PAWNEE
&&
DMJ<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html><!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Polecat Creek near Sapulpa rose above its flood stage of 21 feet at 3:30 p.m. CDT on October 29th. The river crested at an estimated 26.50 feet at 1:00 a.m. CDT on the 30th, resulting in moderate flooding. The river fell below flood stage at 9:30 a.m. CDT on the 30th.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, October 2009
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 199443.