Numerous outflow boundaries from the previous days convection, combined with strong afternoon heating and modest upper level support allowed for afternoon thunderstorms to develop over parts of central and southern Oklahoma. Due to the high cloud bases and dry sub-cloud air, strong winds were the main threats.
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 OUN wrote it up.
Numerous outflow boundaries from the previous days convection, combined with strong afternoon heating and modest upper level support allowed for afternoon thunderstorms to develop over parts of central and southern Oklahoma. Due to the high cloud bases and dry sub-cloud air, strong winds were the main threats. Minor roof and tree damage were reported.
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 Norman, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 4, 2:07 PM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK 307 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011 .DISCUSSION...ANOTHER HOT DAY WITH WIDELY SCATTERED SMALL THUNDERSTORMS. A STALLED SYNOPTIC FRONT WAS EASY TO LOCATE FROM NORTHEAST ARKANSAS INTO THE EASTERN STATES...BUT WAS LESS WELL DEFINED IN OK AND KS. OUTFLOW FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY HAD ESTABLISHED A MORE MEANINGFUL BOUNDARY FROM NEAR WICHITA FALLS UP TO FORT COBB AND OVER TOWARD PURCELL AND MCALESTER. EXPECT SCATTERED MULTICELL THUNDERSTORMS TO PROPAGATE SOUTHWARD THROUGH A WEAKLY UNSTABLE AIR MASS SOUTH OF THE BOUNDARY. ISOLATED STORMS ARE POSSIBLE FARTHER NORTH...BUT SHOULD BE FEWER IN NUMBER AND OF EVEN LESSER STRENGTH. A MID LEVEL TROUGH AXIS...ORIENTED WEST TO EAST...WILL ALSO FAVOR THE BULK OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY SHIFTING TOWARD THE RED RIVER BY THIS EVENING...AND THE SAME AREA LOOKS TO BE FAVORED ON TUESDAY. THEN ATTENTION WILL SHIFT BACK TO THE NORTH AS THE NEXT FRONTAL SYSTEM GATHERS OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS. SUCCESSIVE ROUNDS OF STORMS SHOULD ROLL EAST FROM THE HIGH PLAINS BEGINNING TUESDAY EVENING IN NEBRASKA. JUDGING BY THE AMPLITUDE OF THE ASSOCIATED UPPER TROUGH... IT SEEMS THE NAM IS TOO AGGRESSIVE AT PUSHING THE FRONT AND CONVECTIVE OUTFLOW INTO OKLAHOMA ON WEDNESDAY. BUT THE PATTERN DOES LOOK FAVORABLE FOR THE SECOND ROUND OF STORMS TO REACH NORTHERN OKLAHOMA ON THURSDAY MORNING. OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOOSELY ORGANIZED RAINFALL MAY THEN PERSIST THROUGH FRIDAY...BUT MAINLY NORTH AND EAST. BREEZY SOUTH WINDS MAY BEGIN IN NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA ON THURSDAY...BUT WILL OVERSPREAD MORE OF THE REGION BEGINNING FRIDAY. THIS WILL OCCUR IN RESPONSE TO INCREASED ZONAL FLOW OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND LEE TROUGHING AT SURFACE...WHILE HEIGHTS BUILD OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THUS...WE WILL BE LOOKING AT HOTTER...BREEZY WEATHER THIS UPCOMING WEEKEND...ESPECIALLY WEST. THUS...DISCUSSION OF RED FLAG CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY RESUME. THE RIDGE DOES REMAIN SOMEWHAT FLAT...HOWEVER...AND THE GFS CONTINUES TO OFFER AT LEAST SOME HOPE OF EASTERLY WAVES MOVING UP FROM THE GULF COAST NEXT WEEK...WHICH COULD INJECT A LITTLE MORE HUMIDITY AND DIURNAL THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY INTO THE MIX. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... OKLAHOMA CITY OK 74 103 75 102 / 10 10 0 10 HOBART OK 76 105 77 104 / 10 10 0 10 WICHITA FALLS TX 76 106 77 105 / 30 10 0 10 GAGE OK 74 103 74 101 / 10 10 0 20 PONCA CITY OK 73 99 75 96 / 10 10 10 20 DURANT OK 73 101 74 100 / 20 10 10 10 && .OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...NONE. TX...NONE. && 09/22 BURKE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
415 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011
OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-051000-
HARPER-WOODS-ALFALFA-GRANT-KAY-ELLIS-WOODWARD-MAJOR-GARFIELD-NOBLE-
ROGER MILLS-DEWEY-CUSTER-BLAINE-KINGFISHER-LOGAN-PAYNE-BECKHAM-
WASHITA-CADDO-CANADIAN-OKLAHOMA-LINCOLN-GRADY-MCCLAIN-CLEVELAND-
POTTAWATOMIE-SEMINOLE-HUGHES-HARMON-GREER-KIOWA-JACKSON-TILLMAN-
COMANCHE-STEPHENS-GARVIN-MURRAY-PONTOTOC-COAL-COTTON-JEFFERSON-
CARTER-JOHNSTON-ATOKA-LOVE-MARSHALL-BRYAN-HARDEMAN-FOARD-WILBARGER-
WICHITA-KNOX-BAYLOR-ARCHER-CLAY-
415 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK COVERS NORTHERN...WESTERN...
CENTRAL...AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA...AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.
.DAY ONE...THROUGH TONIGHT...
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE UNLIKELY.
DISCUSSION...
SEVERAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SEEN THROUGH AT LEAST
MID-EVENING...ESPECIALLY ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF
OKLAHOMA. THE SLOW MOVEMENT AND RELATIVELY SMALL SIZE OF THE SHOWERS
AND STORMS WILL RESULT IN MOST LOCATIONS REMAINING DRY. WITH A DEEP
LAYER OF HOT AND DRY AIR BELOW THE STORM BASES...STRONG WIND GUSTS
WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER STORMS. TOWARD SUNSET...MOST IF
NOT ALL OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DISSIPATE.
PROBABILITY TABLE...
VALID THROUGH 700 AM CDT TUESDAY JUL 5.
PROBABILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING IN THE
NWS NORMAN COUNTY WARNING AREA...100 PERCENT.
PROBABILITY A PARTICULAR STORM WILL BECOME SEVERE...20 PERCENT.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
A HOT AIRMASS AND HIGH LEVELS OF WILDFIRE POTENTIAL...ESPECIALLY IN
WESTERN OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS...WILL CONTINUE TODAY.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...
THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...
THERE WILL BE AT LEAST A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM
WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...MAINLY OVER NORTHERN AND EASTERN
OKLAHOMA. THE GREATEST CHANCE FOR STORMS WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY
NIGHT...AS A FRONTAL SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE NORTH. ISOLATED
STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE EACH DAY...PRIMARILY DURING THE AFTERNOON
AND EVENING.
OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
THERE WILL BE A VERY GRADUAL WARMING TREND THROUGH THE WEEK...SO
THAT HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL RANGE FROM ABOUT 100 TO 107 NEXT
WEEKEND. THE CONTINUING DROUGHT WILL LIKEWISE MAINTAIN AN UNUSUALLY
HIGH RISK OF WILDFIRES THROUGH THE PERIOD...MAINLY ACROSS THE
WESTERN HALF OF OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.
THE NEXT SCHEDULED HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED 5 AM
TUESDAY.SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
139 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011
TXZ088>090-041915-
CLAY TX-ARCHER TX-BAYLOR TX-
139 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS FOR ARCHER...BAYLOR AND CLAY
COUNTIES.
AT 138 PM CDT...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING FROM LAKE
ARROWHEAD TO MEGARGEL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL
PRODUCE OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS...
WHICH WILL BE HAZARDOUS TO PEOPLE OUTDOORS...INCLUDING AT LAKE
ARROWHEAD.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH...
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...
LAT...LON 3373 9809 3349 9833 3340 9877 3340 9904
3352 9903 3383 9839
BURKESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
326 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011
OKZ038-042100-
COMANCHE OK-
326 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS FOR COMANCHE COUNTY.
AT 324 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER MEERS...MOVING
SOUTH AT 5 MPH. ALTHOUGH SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED...THIS STORM
COULD BE HAZARDOUS TO PEOPLE OUTDOORS IN THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS
WILDLIFE REFUGE...AT MOUNT SCOTT...AND AT LAKE LAWTONKA.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH...
WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...
LAT...LON 3471 9847 3469 9866 3474 9871 3485 9866
3485 9850
BURKESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
402 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011
OKZ024-027-042130-
CANADIAN OK-GRADY OK-
402 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS FOR CANADIAN AND GRADY COUNTIES.
AT 401 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 3 MILES NORTHWEST
OF TUTTLE...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 5 MPH.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH...
WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...
LAT...LON 3533 9795 3544 9794 3543 9785 3532 9771
3525 9778 3527 9791
BURKESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
437 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011
OKZ025-029-042200-
OKLAHOMA OK-CLEVELAND OK-
437 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS FOR CLEVELAND AND OKLAHOMA
COUNTIES.
AT 437 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 2 MILES EAST OF
WILL ROGERS WORLD AIRPORT IN OKLAHOMA CITY... ...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
5 MPH.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
WIND GUSTS TO 55 MPH...
MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY AND BE ALERT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS.
LAT...LON 3530 9749 3537 9767 3540 9767 3557 9758
3548 9736
..SPEG.The Norman radar (KTLX), 29 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:40 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Minor roof damage occurred to a restaurant near Southwest 15th Street and Agnew Avenue. Monetary damage estimates were not available.
The wind gust was measured at the El Reno Regional Airport - KRQO.
Roof damage was reported to an apartment near Southwest 29th Street and Portland Avenue. Monetary damages were not available.
The town of Mill Creek was without power for a short duration.
A couple of large trees and several tree limbs were downed across the roadway. Power lines were also downed, which resulted in spotty power outages. Monetary damages were estimated.
Four to six inch diameter elm tree limbs were downed. Monetary damages were estimated.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, July 2011
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: 336416, 336417, 336418, 336419, 336420, 336421.