Thunderstorms briefly became severe in the eastern Oklahoma Panhandle on the evening of August 9th. Hail up to ping pong ball size occurred just southeast of Slapout.
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 AMA wrote it up.
Thunderstorms briefly became severe in the eastern Oklahoma Panhandle on the evening of August 9th. Hail up to ping pong ball size occurred just southeast of Slapout.
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 Aug 9, 5:45 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 645 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015 .AVIATION... CONVECTION AND A WIND SHIFT WILL BE THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE 00Z TAF ISSUANCE. ISOLATED CONVECTION HAS DEVELOPED ACROSS THE PANHANDLES THIS AFTERNOON. KAMA ALREADY HAD A STORM DEVELOP JUST OUTSIDE OF THE 10 MILE RADIUS AND HAS SINCE BEGUN TO DISSIPATE. BOTH KDHT AND KGUY WILL HAVE A CHANCE FOR CONVECTION AS THE EVENING HOURS PROGRESS. ANY STORM WHICH AFFECTS A TERMINAL COULD BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40KTS AND HEAVY RAIN WHICH COULD REDUCE FLIGHT CATEGORIES. TAF AMENDMENTS WILL BE LIKELY. EXPECT ISOLATED CONVECTIVE COVERAGE TO INCREASE ALONG A SURFACE TROUGH DROPPING SOUTHWARD OUT OF THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE OVERNIGHT. THERE WILL LIKELY BE A LULL IN CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY TOMORROW MORNING BEFORE THE NEXT ROUND OF STORMS DEVELOP DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON. HAVE CARRIED PROB30 GROUPS FOR THIS NEXT ROUND OF CONVECTION. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 431 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015/ DISCUSSION... A WEAK BOUNDARY SLOWLY SAGGING SOUTH SHOULD BE THE FOCUS FOR STORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. STORMS COULD ALSO DEVELOP ALONG AN AREA OF CONVERGENCE FROM CANADIAN TO BUSHLAND. THIS DEVELOPMENT IS SHOWN IN THE HRRR OUTPUT, BUT MORNING CLOUD COVER HAS SLOWED THE WARMING IN THESE AREAS WHICH MAY DELAY THE INITIATION TO LATER IN THIS EVENING. ANY STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP ALONG THIS CONVERGENCE AREA SHOULD MOVE OFF INTO WESTERN OKLAHOMA LATER THIS EVENING AS A WEAK SHORTWAVE SEEN IN WATER VAPOR IMAGERY OVER SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO ROUND THE RIDGE. THIS SHORTWAVE SHOULD ALSO HELP CONVECTION TO DEVELOP ALONG THE SOUTHWARD MOVING BOUNDARY. BOTH ROUNDS OF STORMS SHOULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME STRONG TO MARGINALLY SEVERE WITH AROUND 2000 J/KG AND DEEP LAYER SHEAR AROUND 20-25KT. HEAVY RAIN WILL ALSO BE OF CONCERN WITH ANY STORM THAT DEVELOPS. PWAT VALUES OVERNIGHT CONTINUE TO HOVER RIGHT AROUND THE +2SD FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. WHILE AVERAGE FORECAST AMOUNTS RANGE FROM A QUARTER OF AN INCH UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH, THERE REMAINS AS RISK FOR LOCALIZED AMOUNTS UP TO 1.5 INCHES WITH THE STORMS THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FOR THE MONDAY MORNING COMMUTE BUT RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM THESE STORMS SHOULD BE LESS THAN THE OVERNIGHT STORMS. AFTER A BRIEF LULL AROUND MIDDAY THE NEXT ROUND OF STORMS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AS THE UPPER LEVEL FLOW BECOMES MORE NORTHWESTERLY. THE WIND SHIFT, WHILE MOSTLY SOUTH OF THE PANHANDLES, SHOULD STILL BE POSITIONED TO ALLOW SIZABLE ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY. THE THOUGHT OF A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY MORNING CONTINUES TO COME UP BUT THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN MODEL RUNS. YESTERDAY THE GFS SHOWED UP TO 3 INCHES FOR THE NORTHWEST AND SHOWS AROUND AN INCH STORM TOTAL (JUST LIKE THE ECMWF SHOWED YESTERDAY). TODAY IT'S THE MORNING NAM WHICH SHOWS 2-4 INCHES ACROSS THE WESTERN OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE WITH EVEN HIGHER AMOUNTS IN SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO (ALTHOUGH THE 18Z RUN HAS ALREADY BEGUN TO BACK OFF ON THESE AMOUNTS). AS A RESULT OF THESE DISCREPANCIES WILL HOLD OFF ON ISSUING A WATCH UNTIL THE IMPACTED AREA CAN BE NARROWED DOWN. RAINFALL AMOUNTS WITH THIS ROUND ARE EXPECTED TO BE HIGHEST ACROSS THE NORTHERN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES AND RANGE BETWEEN THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH UP TO 1.5 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. AMOUNTS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE LOOK TO RANGE BETWEEN A QUARTER OF AN INCH UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. WEDNESDAY THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK...THE RIDGE CONTINUES TO MOVE INTO THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TO KEEP THE PANHANDLES WITH A NORTH- NORTHWEST FLOW REGIME ALOFT. THIS WILL KEEP OFF AN ON RAIN CHANCES IN THE FORECAST AND SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. && .AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. OK...NONE. && 14
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 329 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015 OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-100830- CIMARRON-TEXAS-BEAVER-DALLAM-SHERMAN-HANSFORD-OCHILTREE-LIPSCOMB- HARTLEY-MOORE-HUTCHINSON-ROBERTS-HEMPHILL-OLDHAM-POTTER-CARSON- GRAY-WHEELER-DEAF SMITH-RANDALL-ARMSTRONG-DONLEY-COLLINGSWORTH- 329 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE BETTER PART OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES THROUGH TONIGHT. SOME STRONG TO MARGINALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...SMALL HAIL...AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL BEING THE MAIN HAZARDS. THE HEAVY RAINFALL COULD LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING OR FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES WITH THE HIGHEST CHANCES DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT HOURS EACH DAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE PANHANDLES WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH...SMALL HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND AN ISOLATED SEVERE IS ALSO POSSIBLE. THE HEAVY RAIN PRODUCED BY THESE STORMS COULD LEAD TO FLOODING OR FLASH FLOODING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 531 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015 TXZ005-010-092300- HEMPHILL TX-LIPSCOMB TX- 531 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN LIPSCOMB AND NORTHEASTERN HEMPHILL COUNTIES UNTIL 600 PM CDT... AT 530 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR LAKE MARVIN...OR 13 MILES EAST OF CANADIAN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. && LAT...LON 3577 10014 3602 10029 3614 10000 3581 10000 TIME...MOT...LOC 2230Z 233DEG 20KT 3595 10015 CE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
554 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015
TXZ017-018-092345-
ARMSTRONG TX-RANDALL TX-
554 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN ARMSTRONG AND EAST
CENTRAL RANDALL COUNTIES UNTIL 645 PM CDT...
AT 553 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
PALO DURO CANYON...OR 16 MILES EAST OF CANYON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
20 MPH.
HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 3501 10186 3518 10152 3518 10144 3504 10126
3487 10168
TIME...MOT...LOC 2253Z 246DEG 20KT 3499 10164
CESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
633 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015
TXZ005-010-100030-
HEMPHILL TX-LIPSCOMB TX-
633 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN LIPSCOMB AND
NORTHEASTERN HEMPHILL COUNTIES UNTIL 730 PM CDT...
AT 633 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
LAKE MARVIN...OR 11 MILES EAST OF CANADIAN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15
MPH.
HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3576 10016 3599 10030 3618 10001 3617 10000
3581 10000
TIME...MOT...LOC 2333Z 234DEG 12KT 3592 10017
CESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 707 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015 OKZ003-TXZ005-100100- BEAVER OK-LIPSCOMB TX- 707 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN BEAVER AND NORTHEASTERN LIPSCOMB COUNTIES UNTIL 800 PM CDT... AT 707 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR SLAPOUT...OR 14 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LAVERNE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH. HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. && LAT...LON 3643 10005 3663 10026 3682 10001 3645 10000 TIME...MOT...LOC 0007Z 241DEG 10KT 3657 10009 CE
The Dodge City radar (KDDC), 133 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:51 UTC.
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The Beaver County Sheriff's Department received reports of ping-pong ball size hail 5 miles southeast of Slapout.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, August 2015
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: 600044.