Oklahoma, 2014

Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, October 12, 2014

October 12, 2014 · NWS OUN · 14 events in 10 counties and zones

A potent fall storm system moved out of the Rockies and across the Southern Plains during the late afternoon and evening hours of the 12th. A strong surface low and Pacific front served as the focus for widespread thunderstorm development.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
$83,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
14

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 OUN wrote it up.

A potent fall storm system moved out of the Rockies and across the Southern Plains during the late afternoon and evening hours of the 12th. A strong surface low and Pacific front served as the focus for widespread thunderstorm development. Abundant moisture and strong wind shear was highly supportive of severe thunderstorms. Storms developed initially over western Oklahoma and moved eastward through the evening. Initial storms produce wind gusts of 70 to 85 mph. Storms eventually merged into a couple of north south lines, but the intensity of the storms diminished after sunset.

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 Norman, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 12, 2:32 PM CST, 2 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 12, 2:32 PM CST, 2 hours 11 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 12, 11:00 AM CST, 5 hours 43 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
1200 PM CDT SUN OCT 12 2014

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-130000-
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-
1200 PM CDT SUN OCT 12 2014

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN...
WESTERN...CENTRAL...AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA...AND WESTERN NORTH
TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

.THUNDERSTORMS...
THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT
ACROSS OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS.

TIMING...
STORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP BETWEEN 6 PM AND 8 PM NEAR FAR
NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA...THEN SPREAD SOUTH AND EAST THROUGH
THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS...EXITING FAR SOUTHEAST
OKLAHOMA BY SUNRISE MONDAY.

IMPACTS...
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OF 60 MPH TO 80 MPH...
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF HALF-DOLLARS...

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS...
STORM SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL ACROSS THE
RISK AREA SHOULD PLAN FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS LATE
SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING.

DISCUSSION...
A POTENT STORM SYSTEM WILL DIVE SOUTHWARD INTO THE SOUTHERN
PLAINS LATE TONIGHT INTO MONDAY. AS THIS OCCURS...A FRONT WILL
SURGE SOUTHWARD OVER OKLAHOMA AND NORTHERN TEXAS...SETTING THE
STAGE FOR WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS. MOST OF THE STORMS WILL BE
SEEN OVER NORTHERN AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF OKLAHOMA...WITH THE
LOWEST CHANCES FOR STORMS ACROSS SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN
NORTH TEXAS.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE PANHANDLES
AND SPREAD EASTWARD INTO THE BODY OF OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS EVENING.
AS THE FRONT ACCELERATES SOUTH AND EAST...STORMS WILL BECOME MORE
NUMEROUS AND DEVELOP INTO A SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ORIENTED
SQUALL LINE. MOST OF THE SEVERE WIND GUSTS THAT MAY OCCUR WILL BE
ASSOCIATED WITH THE SQUALL LINE...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO
CENTRAL PORTIONS OF OKLAHOMA AROUND MIDNIGHT.

GREATER MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL BE SEEN ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL
AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA. THIS WILL PROMOTE THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL FOR
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...

.THUNDERSTORMS...
SHOWERS AND A FEW STORMS WILL BE ONGOING MAINLY EAST OF
INTERSTATE-35 EARLY MONDAY MORNING. SEVERE WEATHER CHANCES WILL
BE DIMINISHING QUICKLY DURING THE MORNING HOURS.

.STRONG WINDS MONDAY...
STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO
35 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS OF 40 TO
50 MPH. THIS WILL ESPECIALLY BE TRUE WEST OF INTERSTATE 35. THIS
MAY MAKE TRAVEL ON EAST TO WEST ORIENTED ROADWAYS DIFFICULT MUCH
OF THE DAY ON MONDAY.

GET GRAPHICS AND MORE DETAILS AT WEATHER.GOV/NORMAN...AND FOLLOW
OUR WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK.

AUSTIN/11

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Oct 12, 4:16 PM CST, 27 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Oct 12, 4:23 PM CST, 20 minutes before
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The radar

The Altus AFB radar (KFDR), 126 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:43 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Beckham

When
October 12, 4:43 PM CST
Where
Beckham County, 1.38 mi N of Erick
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.230, -99.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Washita

When
October 12, 6:35 PM CST
Where
Washita County, 3.96 mi WNW of Bessie
Measured
59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
35.410, -99.050

No damage was reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Ellis

When
October 12, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Ellis County, (Gag)gage Airport
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
36.300, -99.780

No damage was reported.

Hail, Caddo

When
October 12, 7:34 PM CST
Where
Caddo County, 4.5 mi W of Hinton
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Storm Chaser
Coordinates
35.470, -98.440

Reported relayed by KOKH storm chaser.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kiowa

When
October 12, 7:35 PM CST
Where
Kiowa County, 10.04 mi NW of Lone Wolf
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
35.110, -99.350

No damage was reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When
October 12, 8:01 PM CST
Where
Jackson County, Altus
Measured
66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$6,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.640, -99.330

Relayed by Altus emergency manager. Minor damage was reported to one hotel roof.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When
October 12, 8:06 PM CST
Where
Jackson County, (Lts)altus Afb
Measured
65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
34.660, -99.290

Thunderstorm Wind, Kiowa

When
October 12, 8:20 PM CST
Where
Kiowa County, Mountain Park
Measured
74 kt (85 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$60,000
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
34.700, -98.950

Manufactured home destroyed by intense thunderstorms winds. Time estimated from radar.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When
October 12, 8:32 PM CST
Where
Jackson County, Elmer
Measured
70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$7,000
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
34.480, -99.350

Roof of one residence damaged. Report relayed by KWTV.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tillman

When
October 12, 8:32 PM CST
Where
Tillman County, Tipton
Measured
66 kt (76 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Amateur Radio
Coordinates
34.500, -99.140

No damage information available.

Thunderstorm Wind, Caddo

When
October 12, 8:54 PM CST
Where
Caddo County, Hydro
Measured
70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Storm Chaser
Coordinates
35.550, -98.580

No damage information available.

Thunderstorm Wind, Comanche

When
October 12, 9:00 PM CST
Where
Comanche County, 1.33 mi WSW of Mt Scott
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
34.730, -98.550

No damage was reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cotton

When
October 12, 9:40 PM CST
Where
Cotton County, Temple
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
34.270, -98.230

Large tree limbs blown down and shingles removed from roofs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Stephens

When
October 12, 10:00 PM CST
Where
Stephens County, 0.69 mi S of Marlow
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.640, -97.960

Trees blown down in Marlow.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Oklahoma in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, October 2014

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 546186, 546187, 546188, 546189, 546190, 546191, 546192, 546193, 546194, 546195, 546196, 546197, 546198, 546199.