High Wind in Oklahoma, May 23, 2011

Name: High Wind in Oklahoma, May 23, 2011
Start: 2011-05-23T23:25
End: 2011-05-23T23:25
Location: Oklahoma

May 23, 2011 · NWS TSA · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Strong wind developed well behind an area of thunderstorms that moved southeast through the area with gusts to near 60 mph observed in some areas.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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.

Strong wind developed well behind an area of thunderstorms that moved southeast through the area with gusts to near 60 mph observed in some areas.

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 May 23, 7:49 PM CST, 3 hours 36 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 23, 7:49 PM CST, 3 hours 36 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
849 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

...UPDATE...

.DISCUSSION...
STRONGEST PORTION OF BOWING MCS HAS EVOLVED PRODUCING SPORADIC
WIND DAMAGE. THE MORE WIDESPREAD IMPACT IS LIKELY TO BE THE
WORSENING OF THE ONGOING FLOODING ACROSS FAR EASTERN OK INTO
NORTHWEST AR. FURTHER WEST MORE ISOLATED STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE
STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO PERCOLATE ALONG THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY
BEFORE CONDITIONS SUFFICIENTLY STABILIZE. UPDATED FORECASTS WILL
BE FORTHCOMING AS WE WHITTLE AWAY AT THE WATCH.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TUL   68  85  65  80 / 100  20  70  40
FSM   68  86  69  85 /  90  10  50  30
MLC   70  84  69  85 /  70  20  50  20
BVO   65  83  62  78 / 100  20  70  50
FYV   64  82  66  79 / 100  20  60  40
BYV   60  82  65  80 / 100  20  60  50
MKO   68  84  67  82 / 100  20  50  30
MIO   61  82  69  78 / 100  20  70  50
F10   68  84  68  83 /  90  20  50  30
HHW   70  86  68  87 /  30  10  40  20

&&

.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 1 AM WEDNESDAY 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 1 AM WEDNESDAY FOR ARZ001-ARZ002-ARZ010-
     ARZ011-ARZ019-ARZ020-ARZ029.

&&

LONG TERM....07

Hazardous weather outlook, May 23, 9:53 PM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1053 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-241000-
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-
1053 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

...SEVERE WEATHER EPISODE CONTINUES TONIGHT...ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT
EPISODE TO COME FOR TUESDAY...DANGEROUS FLOODING ONGOING...

THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS WELL AS
MUCH OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.
TORNADO.
	RISK...LIMITED.
	AREA...SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA.
	ONSET...ONGOING.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.
	RISK...SIGNIFICANT.
	AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
	ONSET...ONGOING.

	AREA AT GREATEST RISK...ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-40.

FLASH FLOOD.
	RISK...SIGNIFICANT.
 	AREA...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
	ONSET...ONGOING.

AREA AT GREATEST RISK...NORTH OF HIGHWAY 412 IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
 			AND ALL OF NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

RIVER FLOOD.
 	RISK...SIGNIFICANT.
	AREA...NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
	ONSET...ONGOING.

HEAVY RAIN.
	RISK...ELEVATED.
	AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND WEST CENTRAL ARKANSAS.
	ONSET...ONGOING.

SIGNIFICANT WINDS.
	RISK...LIMITED.
	AREA...EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
	ONSET...ONGOING.

DISCUSSION...

A BROKEN LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ONGOING
ACROSS PORTIONS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA. DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE
MAIN THREAT AS THE LINE PROGRESSES TO THE SOUTH...WITH LARGE HAIL
POSSIBLE IN THE STRONGER CORES EMBEDDED WITHIN THE LINE. THE
ACTIVITY WILL PROGRESS SOUTHWARD OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS INTO
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.

THERE IS A LOW END TORNADO THREAT ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THE
LINE...ESPECIALLY IF A BOW LIKE STRUCTURE CAN EVOLVE WITH TIME
OVER SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA.

DANGEROUS FLASH FLOODING IS ONGOING OVER NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL OF UP TO 10 INCHES HAS
FALLEN IN SOME PLACES AND NUMEROUS ROADS ACROSS THIS REGION ARE
IMPASSABLE. SEVERAL RIVERS ARE EITHER FORECAST TO BE AT MAJOR
FLOOD STAGE OR ARE ALREADY THERE ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT...
ACTIVATION OF THE REGIONAL SPOTTER NETWORK EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
TUESDAY...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL...HIGH WIND POTENTIAL.
WEDNESDAY...THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL...HIGH WIND POTENTIAL.
THURSDAY...NO HAZARDS.
FRIDAY...THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL.
SATURDAY...NO HAZARDS.
SUNDAY...HIGH WIND POTENTIAL.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION...

A WIDESPREAD...AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING...SEVERE WEATHER
EPISODE IS EXPECTED TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS
EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.  THE DEVELOPING WEATHER
PATTERN IS HIGHLY FAVORABLE FOR LONG TRACK SUPERCELLS CAPABLE
OF STRONG TORNADOES...SOFTBALL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS IN EXCESS
OF 70 MPH.  THESE STORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
AND SPREAD EASTWARD TUESDAY EVENING.  SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES
AND WARNINGS SHOULD BE ANTICIPATED...ALONG WITH THE ACTIVATION
OF SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY PLANS.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNING STATEMENT...

EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR
THE UPCOMING SEVERE WEATHER ON TUESDAY. A HIGH IMPACT SEVERE
WEATHER EVENT IS EXPECTED OVER A LARGE AREA LATE TUESDAY AND
TUESDAY NIGHT.

WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TULSA CONTAINS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 23, 9:38 PM CST, 1 hour 47 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
1038 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1010 PM     TSTM WND DMG     OZARK                   35.49N 93.83W
05/23/2011                   FRANKLIN           AR   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NUMEROUS TREES DOWN

&&

SFP

Local storm report, May 23, 9:40 PM CST, 1 hour 45 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
1040 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0924 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MOUNTAINBURG            35.64N 94.17W
05/23/2011                   CRAWFORD           AR   EMERGENCY MNGR

            POWER LINES DOWN

&&

SFP

Local storm report, May 23, 9:42 PM CST, 1 hour 43 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
1042 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0824 PM     TSTM WND GST     6 N STILWELL            35.90N 94.63W
05/23/2011  E65 MPH          ADAIR              OK   STORM CHASER

&&

SFP

Local storm report, May 23, 9:44 PM CST, 1 hour 41 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
1044 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1043 PM     FLASH FLOOD      OZARK                   35.49N 93.83W
05/23/2011                   FRANKLIN           AR   EMERGENCY MNGR

            PORTIONS OF HIGHWAY 64 IN OZARK IS FLOODED AND
            IMPASSABLE.

&&

SAA

Special weather statement, May 23, 9:48 PM CST, 1 hour 37 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1048 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

OKZ073>076-240430-
HASKELL OK-LATIMER OK-LE FLORE OK-PITTSBURG OK-
1048 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1130 PM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     SOUTHERN HASKELL...CENTRAL LE FLORE...NORTHEASTERN PITTSBURG AND
     LATIMER

AT 1048 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM 4 MILES NORTH OF BLOCKER TO HEAVENER...MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE
STORMS INCLUDE...WILBURTON...BENGAL...DAMON...GOWEN...PANOLA...RED
OAK...TALIHINA...HODGEN...SUMMERFIELD...HEAVENER...FANSHAWE...HOWE...
WISTER...BLOCKER...FEATHERSTON AND CROWDER.

THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND
GUSTS TO 50 MPH. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE
THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING.

LAT...LON 3484 9553 3519 9573 3492 9444 3462 9445
TIME...MOT...LOC 0348Z 316DEG 30KT 3509 9554 3485 9459

Special weather statement, May 23, 11:12 PM CST, 13 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
1212 AM CDT TUE MAY 24 2011

OKZ060-064-066-240545-
CREEK OK-OKMULGEE OK-TULSA OK-
1212 AM CDT TUE MAY 24 2011

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1245 AM CDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
     EASTERN CREEK...NORTHWESTERN OKMULGEE AND SOUTHERN TULSA

AT 1210 AM CDT...OUTFLOW WINDS FROM A DECAYING THUNDERSTORM WERE
MOVING ACROSS EASTERN CREEK...NORTHWESTERN OKMULGEE MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 45 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE WINDS
INCLUDE...LIBERTY...HECTORVILLE...BIXBY...GLENPOOL...MOUNDS AND
KIEFER.

THESE STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 50 TO 60 MPH
AND A HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS THROUGH 2
AM.

LAT...LON 3591 9624 3604 9584 3586 9582 3579 9617
TIME...MOT...LOC 0510Z 247DEG 41KT 3588 9610

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Okmulgee

When: May 23, 11:25 PM CST
Where: Okmulgee forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 35.647, -95.964 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Tulsa

When: May 23, 11:25 PM CST
Where: Tulsa forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.121, -95.941 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Creek

When: May 23, 11:25 PM CST
Where: Creek forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.903, -96.371 (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 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in Oklahoma, May 2011

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: 309391, 309396, 309401.