High Wind in Oklahoma, May 10, 2010

Name: High Wind in Oklahoma, May 10, 2010
Start: 2010-05-10T11:20
End: 2010-05-10T14:37
Location: Oklahoma

May 10, 2010 · NWS AMA · 5 events in 2 counties and zones

Strong gradient non-thunderstorm winds occurred during the afternoon hours across the central and eastern Oklahoma Panhandle. No damage or injuries were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 AMA wrote it up.

Strong gradient non-thunderstorm winds occurred during the afternoon hours across the central and eastern Oklahoma Panhandle. No damage or injuries were reported.

At 1120 CST...fifty-one knot non-thunderstorm wind gusts were reported at the Goodwell Oklahoma Mesonet station located two miles east northeast of Goodwell.

At 1142 CST...fifty-one knot non-thunderstorm wind gusts were reported at the ASOS site located two miles west of Guymon.

At 1333 CST...fifty-three knot non-thunderstorm wind gusts were reported by the Oklahoma Panhandle State University located in Goodwell.

At 1334 CST...fifty-three knot non-thunderstorm wind gusts were reported by broadcast media in Texhoma.

At 1435 CST...fifty knot non-thunderstorm wind gusts were reported at the Slapout Oklahoma Mesonet station located eight miles west of Slapout.

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 Amarillo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 10, 11:10 AM CST, 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 10, 11:10 AM CST, 10 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1210 PM CDT MON MAY 10 2010

.UPDATE...
STRONG UPPER TROUGH WAS MOVING ACROSS THE FOUR CORNERS REGION LATE
THIS MORNING WHILE A SFC LEE SIDE TROUGH WAS LOCATED IN SOUTHWESTERN
KS. LATEST SFC OBS INDICATE THE DRYLINE HAS PUSHED INTO THE FAR
EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE AMA CWA...WITH MUCH DRIER AIR SPREADING
ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA. WENT AND PULLED POPS OUT OF THE
EASTERN SECTIONS AS ANTICIPATE THE DRYLINE TO CONTINUE TO PUSH INTO
OK. A TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT HAS ALREADY RESULTED IN
STRENGTHENING WIND SPEEDS...WITH SOME LOCATIONS ALREADY HITTING AT
HIGH WIND ADVISORY.

MODEL RUNS THIS MORNING SHOWING A 100+ JET STREAK ROUNDING THE BASE
OF THE UPPER TROUGH ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND AS THIS SYSTEM
SHIFTS FURTHER TO THE EAST TODAY...A FAVORABLE SET UP FOR A SEVERE WX
OUTBREAK LOOKS GOOD FOR PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS. HOWEVER FOR
THE AMA AREA...DEEP MIXING WILL ALLOW WINDS TO FURTHER INCREASE THIS
AFTERNOON. HAVE ALREADY SEEN TEMPS RISE INTO THE UPPER 70S/LOWER 80S
SO HAVE GONE AND BUMPED UP HIGH TEMPS A COUPLE OF DEGREES. UPDATED
ZFP/PFM/NPW FOR THE HIGH WIND WARNING HAS ALREADY BEEN SENT.

CLK

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 627 AM CDT MON MAY 10 2010/

AVIATION...
VERY STRONG WINDS EXPECTED TODAY AT ALL TAF SITES. WINDS SHOULD BEGIN
TO INCREASE AND DEVELOP A GUST COMPONENT SHORTY AFTER SUNRISE.
SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF 35 TO 40 KTS ARE POSSIBLE STARTING AROUND
15Z WITH GUSTS PEAKING AROUND 50 KTS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
ALSO...THE CURRENT SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL QUICKLY VEER TO TO THE
SOUTHWEST THROUGH 14Z...AND FINALLY TO THE WEST BY 19Z. AREAS OF
BLOWING DUST WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON BUT DID NOT HAVE HIGH
ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO INSERT BLDU INTO TAFS AT THIS TIME. THE WINDS
SHOULD EXPERIENCE A QUICK DROP OFF BY 01Z. A WEAK COLD FRONT MAY
SNEAK INTO THE PANHANDLES AFTER 08Z SO BROUGHT A WIND SHIFT INTO KDHT
AND KGUY BUT THE FRONT MAY STALL BEFORE REACHING KAMA.
FINALLY...SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS THE ONGOING AREA OF LOW CLOUD AND
FOG RAPIDLY PUSHING EAST AND SHOULD NOT IMPACT ANY TAF SITES PAST
13 OR 14Z.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 320 AM CDT MON MAY 10 2010/

DISCUSSION...
VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER NORTHERN ARIZONA/SOUTHERN UTAH WILL
CONTINUE TO PRESS EASTWARD THIS MORNING AND WILL BE OVER SOUTHEAST
COLORADO BY THIS AFTERNOON. VERY STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED TODAY
ACROSS THE PANHANDLES AS DOWNWARD MOTION ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THIS
UPPER LEVEL LOW HELPS TO BRING THE STRONG WINDS DOWN TO THE SURFACE.
SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS IN THE 35 TO 45 MPH RANGE WITH GUSTS OVER 60
MPH WILL NOT BE OUT OF THE QUESTION.

WINDS WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH TOWARD SUNSET TONIGHT AS UPPER LOW MOVES
AWAY FROM THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS. WEAK WINDSHIFT MOVES THROUGH THE
NORTHEAST HALF OF THE CWA TONIGHT AND THIS COULD PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR
ISOLATED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT AS THE
NEXT UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE WEST.

ON WEDNESDAY...THE DYNAMICS FROM THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE
SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS MAY
PROVIDE ENOUGH LIFT FOR A SLIM CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS. LATEST MODELS WANT TO KEEP THE PANHANDLES IN THE
DRY SECTOR FOR WEDNESDAY...BUT AM NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH THAT WE
WILL NOT SEE ANY ACTIVITY TO PULL THE LOW POPS.

COLD FRONT THEN MOVES THROUGH THE PANHANDLES WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND
THEN IT SETTLES TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE CWA. THIS SHOULD HELP TO
TAKE THE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES TO THE SOUTHEAST PART OF
THE CWA FOR THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT.

A SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AHEAD OF THE NEXT APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL
LOW WILL ENCOURAGE THE NORTHWARD TRANSPORT OF MOISTURE AND CREATE
BETTER CONVERGENCE ALONG A LEE-SIDE SURFACE TROUGH. THE INCREASING
MOISTURE...LIFT AND INSTABILITY WITH THE APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL
WAVE WILL KEEP CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST
THROUGH THE EARLY PART OF UPCOMING WEEKEND.

QUIET WEATHER MAY MOVE BACK ACROSS THE PANHANDLES BY LATE IN THE
WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS A LARGE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE STARTS TO
MOVE OVER THE GREAT PLAINS.

FIRE WEATHER...
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO GET QUITE EXTREME BY
THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE PANHANDLES AS RELATIVE HUMIDITIES
FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AND WINDS REACH UP TO 40 MILES AN
HOUR WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 60 MPH. THE WINDS WILL TAPER OFF
QUICKLY WITH THE SETTING SUN THIS EVENING. WINDS ARE EXPECTED
TO BE LIGHT ON TUESDAY AND THEN ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS MAY RETURN...ESPECIALLY TO THE SOUTHWEST CWA AS
WINDS INCREASE AND RELATIVE HUMIDITIES DROP THERE.

&&

.AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: ARMSTRONG...CARSON...COLLINGSWORTH...DALLAM...DEAF
     SMITH...DONLEY...GRAY...HANSFORD...HARTLEY...HEMPHILL...
     HUTCHINSON...LIPSCOMB...MOORE...OCHILTREE...OLDHAM...
     POTTER...RANDALL...ROBERTS...SHERMAN...WHEELER.

     RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: ARMSTRONG...CARSON...COLLINGSWORTH...DALLAM...DEAF
     SMITH...DONLEY...GRAY...HANSFORD...HARTLEY...HEMPHILL...
     HUTCHINSON...LIPSCOMB...MOORE...OCHILTREE...OLDHAM...
     POTTER...RANDALL...ROBERTS...SHERMAN...WHEELER.

OK...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: BEAVER...CIMARRON...TEXAS.

     RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: BEAVER...CIMARRON...TEXAS.

&&

11/05

Hazardous weather outlook, May 10, 10:07 AM CST, 1 hour 13 minutes before

TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1107 AM CDT MON MAY 10 2010

OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-102100-
ARMSTRONG-BEAVER-CARSON-CIMARRON-COLLINGSWORTH-DALLAM-DEAF SMITH-
DONLEY-GRAY-HANSFORD-HARTLEY-HEMPHILL-HUTCHINSON-LIPSCOMB-MOORE-
OCHILTREE-OLDHAM-POTTER-RANDALL-ROBERTS-SHERMAN-TEXAS-WHEELER-
1107 AM CDT MON MAY 10 2010

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA
PANHANDLES.

.DAY ONE...

SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 60 MPH
ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES
TODAY. AS A RESULT...A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE
ENTIRE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING UNTIL
7 PM THIS EVENING.

THE COMBINATION OF THE STRONG WINDS...DRY FUELS...AND FORECAST
MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES BELOW 10 PERCENT WILL RESULT IN CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS ALL OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS
PANHANDLES TODAY. THEREFORE...A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL
OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING UNTIL
9 PM THIS EVENING.

THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EXTREME EASTERN
SECTIONS OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES THIS MORNING. ANY
STORMS THAT FORM ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LEVELS AT THIS
TIME.

IN ADDITION...CAUTION IS ADVISED ON AREA LAKES TONIGHT DUE TO
SOUTH WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS AT TIMES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS RETURN TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT
ACROSS MUCH OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. ANY STORMS
THAT DEVELOP SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LEVELS AT THIS TIME.

THE COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES MAY LEAD
TO ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS ON WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.

SCHNEIDER

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Beaver

When: May 10, 11:20 AM CST to 11:22 AM CST
Where: Beaver forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 36.750, -100.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Texas

When: May 10, 11:42 AM CST to 11:44 AM CST
Where: Texas forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 36.748, -101.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Texas

When: May 10, 1:33 PM CST to 1:35 PM CST
Where: Texas forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 36.748, -101.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Texas

When: May 10, 1:34 PM CST to 1:36 PM CST
Where: Texas forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 36.748, -101.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Beaver

When: May 10, 2:35 PM CST to 2:37 PM CST
Where: Beaver forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 36.750, -100.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oklahoma in 2010 Every state in 2010 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, May 2010

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: 224500, 224501, 224502, 224503, 224504.