Severe thunderstorms developed over eastern Oklahoma along and ahead of a northward lifting warm front during the evening of May 19th. The storms produced several tornadoes, along with large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding.
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.
Severe thunderstorms developed over eastern Oklahoma along and ahead of a northward lifting warm front during the evening of May 19th. The storms produced several tornadoes, along with large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding.
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 May 19, 6:00 PM CST, 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
700 PM CDT WED MAY 19 2010
...MESOSCALE UPDATE...
.DISCUSSION...
MULTIPLE CELLULAR UPDRAFTS WITHIN BROAD ZONE OF FAVORABLE DEEP
LAYER SHEAR HAVE QUICKLY ATTAINED ROTATION...YET STORM MOTIONS
HAVE LARGELY REMAINED CONSISTENT WITH THE MEAN FLOW LIMITING
STRONGER HELICITY INGESTION AND RESULTANT INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL
ROTATIONAL VALUES. THE EXCEPTION HAS BEEN THE TORNADO WARNED STORM
IN CREEK COUNTY AND OBVIOUS LONG TRACK SUPERCELLS WHICH HAVE TRACKED
ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA. THE WARM FRONTAL PROGRESSION HAS
LIFTED WELL INTO NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA WITH A MARKED GRADIENT NOTED
IN LFC HEIGHTS RUNNING FROM OSAGE COUNTY TO LE FLORE COUNTY.
CURRENT THINKING IS THAT ANY STORM SOUTH OF THIS LINE WILL BE MOST
LIKELY TO TAP NEARER SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY EVEN POST
SUNSET...HOWEVER CURRENT STORM MOTIONS MAY LIMIT THE RESIDENCE
TIME IN THIS MORE FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT. SHOULD ANY OF THE PRESENT
MESOCYCLONES STRENGTHEN AND PROMOTE ANY SHIFT EASTWARD OR SLOWING
OF THE STORM MOTION THEN BOTH THE RESIDENCE TIME IN THE FAVORED
ZONE INCREASE ALONG WITH THE INGESTION OF NOTICEABLY HIGHER
HELICITY VALUES.
&&
.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM THURSDAY FOR OKZ054-OKZ055-OKZ056-
OKZ057-OKZ058-OKZ059-OKZ060-OKZ061-OKZ062-OKZ063-OKZ064-
OKZ065-OKZ066-OKZ067-OKZ068-OKZ069-OKZ070-OKZ071-OKZ072-
OKZ073-OKZ074-OKZ075-OKZ076.
AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM THURSDAY FOR ARZ001-ARZ002-ARZ010-
ARZ011-ARZ019-ARZ020-ARZ029.
&&
SHORT TERM...07HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 511 PM CDT WED MAY 19 2010 ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-201000- 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- 510 PM CDT WED MAY 19 2010 ...TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WIND POTENTIAL EXISTS THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT... THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA. .DAY ONE...THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. TORNADO. RISK...ELEVATED. AREA...PRIMARILY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM VINITA TO OZARK. ONSET...ONGOING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. RISK...SIGNIFICANT. AREA...ALL EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...ONGOING. FLASH FLOOD. RISK...SIGNIFICANT. AREA...ALL EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. ONSET...AFTER MIDNIGHT. AREA AT GREATEST RISK...INTERSTATE 40 CORRIDOR. DISCUSSION... TORNADIC THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED THIS AFTERNOON OVER WESTERN AND NORTHERN OKLAHOMA...WITH ADDITIONAL STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPANDING IN COVERAGE ALONG A WARM FRONT. THIS FRONT WAS LOCATED FROM NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA INTO EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA...AND WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR POTENTIALLY TORNADIC STORMS DURING THE EVENING HOURS. AS THE SEVERE WEATHER EVENT UNFOLDS...ONE OR MORE LARGE STORM COMPLEXES ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP WITH AN INCREASE IN DAMAGING WIND POTENTIAL. THIS SEVERE WEATHER RISK WILL LIKELY IMPACT MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA INTO THE MORNING HOURS ON THURSDAY. FLOODING WILL BE AN INCREASING CONCERN AS THE COVERAGE OF THUNDERSTORMS INCREASES THROUGH THE EVENING. HEAVY RAINS OCCURRED EARLIER ON WEDNESDAY ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA...AND THIS AREA WILL BE PRONE TO RAPID ONSET OF FLASH FLOODING. FURTHER SOUTH AND EAST...HEAVY RAINS ARE LIKELY LATER TONIGHT ESPECIALLY IN VICINITY OF THE WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY WHICH IS EXPECTED TO LIE NEAR THE INTERSTATE 40 CORRIDOR. SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF THE REGIONAL SPOTTER NETWORK EXPECTED AND MAY PERSIST INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON THURSDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THURSDAY...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL...HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL. FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...NO HAZARDS. EXTENDED DISCUSSION... STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO BE ONGOING DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON THURSDAY...WITH THE STORM COMPLEX SHIFTING EASTWARD WITH TIME. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP THURSDAY AFTERNOON...AND THESE STORMS WOULD ALSO POSE A SEVERE WEATHER RISK. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WILL OCCUR WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY...AND SHOULD STORMS DEVELOP LATER THURSDAY...THEN ADDITIONAL RAINS WOULD WORSEN ANY ONGOING FLOOD POTENTIAL. A MORE STABLE WEATHER PATTERN IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER THE WEEKEND...AND PERSIST INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA CONTAINS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
501 PM CDT WED MAY 19 2010
OKZ065-192230-
OKFUSKEE OK-
501 PM CDT WED MAY 19 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 530 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
CENTRAL OKFUSKEE
AT 459 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 3 MILES WEST OF
BEARDEN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE
AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...OKEMAH...BEARDEN AND CASTLE.
THIS STORM IS EXPECTED TO RAPIDLY INTENSIFY THROUGH 530 PM AND
SHOULD BEGIN TO PRODUCE HAIL AS IT APPROACHES OKEMAH. RESIDENTS IN
THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
ADVISORY IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM.
LAT...LON 3564 9633 3548 9609 3529 9643 3530 9644
3545 9644 3545 9646
TIME...MOT...LOC 2159Z 217DEG 26KT 3537 9643SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
610 PM CDT WED MAY 19 2010
OKZ065-066-071-192345-
MCINTOSH OK-OKFUSKEE OK-OKMULGEE OK-
610 PM CDT WED MAY 19 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 645 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
SOUTHERN OKMULGEE
IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
SOUTHEASTERN OKFUSKEE
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
NORTHWESTERN MCINTOSH
AT 610 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF BRYANT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE
AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...HENRYETTA...DEWAR...HOFFMAN...
GRAYSON AND SCHULTER.
THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL AND WIND
GUSTS TO 40 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE
THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM.
LAT...LON 3561 9593 3550 9572 3528 9591 3533 9611
TIME...MOT...LOC 2310Z 216DEG 22KT 3535 9601SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
613 PM CDT WED MAY 19 2010
OKZ064-065-192345-
CREEK OK-OKFUSKEE OK-
613 PM CDT WED MAY 19 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 645 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
SOUTHWESTERN CREEK
IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
NORTHWESTERN OKFUSKEE
AT 613 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 15 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF MILFAY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH..
THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL AND WIND
GUSTS TO 40 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE
THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM.
LAT...LON 3573 9644 3559 9662 3582 9663 3583 9662
TIME...MOT...LOC 2313Z 216DEG 22KT 3561 9672The Norman radar (KTLX), 89 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:09 UTC.
10 hail, 8 flash flood, 5 thunderstorm wind, 4 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A storm spotter reported and photographed a brief tornado touchdown over open country.
Strong thunderstorm wind snapped trees and blew down several large tree limbs.
A tornado destroyed barns, damaged homes, snapped or uprooted numerous trees, and blew down power poles. The maximum estimated wind speed in the tornado based on this damage was about 105 mph.
A storm spotter estimated 70 mph wind gusts on Chandler Road in eastern Muskogee.
A tornado snapped or uprooted numerous trees. The maximum wind speed in the tornado based on this damage was 100 mph.
Strong thunderstorm wind blew down several large tree branches and produced minor shingle damage to homes.
A tornado damaged homes, snapped or uprooted numerous trees, and downed power poles. The maximum estimated wind speed based on this damage was about 105 mph.
Several roads were flooded.
Several roads were flooded by heavy rain.
A road was flooded south of Kiefer.
A bridge near 101st Street South and Memorial Avenue was under water.
Strong thunderstorm wind blew shingles off a roof.
Portions of 106th Street North was flooded with at least a foot of water to the east of 161st East Avenue.
Major street flooding was reported in Muskogee.
Strong thunderstorm wind blew down large tree limbs.
Two to three feet of water was reported to be over roads between 31st Street South and 51st Street South along 257th East Avenue and near 41st Street South and 273rd East Avenue.
Multiple homes and vehicles were flooded in a housing addition along Sam Creek on the south side of Muskogee. Several water rescues were conducted.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Oklahoma, 2010Warnings in Oklahoma, May 2010
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: 237228, 228477, 228478, 237235, 228480, 228483, 228485, 228489, 228497, 228498, 237244, 228500, 237249, 228519, 228520, 228911, 228912, 228913, 228916, 228917, 228918, 228919, 228921, 228927, 228929, 228930, 228920.