Oklahoma, 2015

Flood in Oklahoma, May 24 to 27, 2015

May 24 to 27, 2015 · NWS TSA · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A slow-moving upper level storm system moved into the Plains on May 23rd and 24th. Very moist and unstable air was in place ahead of this system, which supported several rounds of thunderstorms over eastern Oklahoma.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

A slow-moving upper level storm system moved into the Plains on May 23rd and 24th. Very moist and unstable air was in place ahead of this system, which supported several rounds of thunderstorms over eastern Oklahoma. Widespread heavy rainfall resulted in moderate flooding of the Illinois River near Tahlequah.

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 24, 9:59 AM CST, 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 24, 9:59 AM CST, 31 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1059 AM CDT SUN MAY 24 2015

...UPDATE...

.DISCUSSION...
CURRENT FORECAST ON TRACK...WITH RAIN REDEVELOPING THIS AFTERNOON.
ONCE AGAIN...FLOOD POTENTIAL REMAINS VERY HIGH...WITH ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL ONLY WORSENING CURRENT CONDITIONS.
&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 433 AM CDT SUN MAY 24 2015/

DISCUSSION...
DIFFICULT TO OVERSTATE ADDITIONAL FLOOD POTENTIAL.

FLOOD OF THE DECADE...AT LEAST FOR MUCH OF EASTERN
OKLAHOMA CONTINUES TODAY. 2-4 INCH AMOUNTS ALREADY
COMMON...WITH SOME LOCAL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF FIVE
INCHES TULSA OKMULGEE CREEK COUNTIES.

ANOTHER..1.5 TO 2 INCHES COMMON TODAY INTO TONIGHT
EASTERN OK AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.  SOME LOCATIONS
COULD REACH  FIVE INCHES  ONCE AGAIN  GIVEN REPEAT
THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL.

REGIONAL COMPOSITE RADAR SHOWS TWIN MCVS IN TEXAS
AT THIS TIME.  STRONGER..MORE NORTHWEST MCV SOUTH
OF BRYAN COUNTY OK SPINNING NORTH-NORTHEAST. THIS
MOVEMENT COUPLED WITH 1.7-1.9 PWA ENSURES ANOTHER
ROUND OF HEAVY PRECIP  AND  WILL PUSH PRECIP BACK
TO THE NORTHWEST FOR A TIME TODAY.

DIFFICULT TO OVERSTATE ADDITIONAL FLOOD POTENTIAL.

RAIN WILL WIND DOWN TONIGHT..WHILE MANY MAIN STEM
RIVERS OVERFLOW.

UNFORTUNATELY. NEXT WAVE  ARRIVES LATE MONDAY AND
MONDAY NIGHT.  BULK OF PRECIPITATION SOUTHEAST OK
AND WEST CENTRAL / NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. MORE FLOOD
POTENTIAL THERE.

WET PATTERN PREVAILS THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND.
GWILEY
&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TUL   71  63  81  61 / 100  30  40  60
FSM   75  66  81  65 / 100  70  40 100
MLC   72  67  78  62 / 100  30  60  80
BVO   70  59  81  60 / 100  40  30  40
FYV   71  63  78  61 / 100  70  30 100
BYV   72  63  78  62 / 100  80  30  80
MKO   72  64  78  62 / 100  50  40  90
MIO   72  62  79  62 / 100  60  20  50
F10   70  63  78  61 / 100  30  30  70
HHW   73  67  78  66 / 100  40  80  80

&&

.TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...NONE.
AR...NONE.
&&

UPDATE...LZK/58
Hazardous weather outlook, May 24, 2:50 AM CST, 7 hours 40 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
350 AM CDT SUN MAY 24 2015

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-251030-
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-
350 AM CDT SUN MAY 24 2015

...LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING TO CONTINUE TODAY...

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

TORNADO.
	RISK...LIMITED.
	AREA...FAR EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
        ONSET...ONGOING.

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

HEAVY RAINFALL.
	RISK...SIGNIFICANT.
	AREA...ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
        ONSET...ONGOING.

FLASH FLOOD.
	RISK...SIGNIFICANT.
	AREA...ALL OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.
        ONSET...ONGOING.

DISCUSSION...
SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING IS ONGOING ACROSS MUCH OF EASTERN
OKLAHOMA EARLY THIS MORNING...WHERE 3 TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN FELL
OVERNIGHT.  DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING FLASH
FLOODING WILL CONTINUE TODAY AS ADDITIONAL ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS
SPREAD INTO THE AREA. CONDITIONS REMAIN SUPPORTIVE FOR RAPID ONSET
OF FLASH FLOODING AND QUICK ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN FLOOD
WARNINGS ARE ISSUED. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF
EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THROUGH TONIGHT.

IN ADDITION...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS
FAR EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS...INCLUDING A LIMITED
TORNADO THREAT.  THE SEVERE WEATHER AND HEAVY RAINFALL THREAT WILL
BEGIN TO DIMINISH TONIGHT...HOWEVER EXTENSIVE AREAL AND MAIN STEM
RIVER FLOODING WILL LIKELY CONTINUE INTO MONDAY.

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

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
MONDAY...THUNDERSTORM AND HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL.
TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION...
THE HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF EARLY MONDAY...HOWEVER A
LARGE COMPLEX OF STORMS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS CENTRAL TEXAS
AND TRACK INTO FAR SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND PORTIONS OF WESTERN
ARKANSAS MONDAY EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THIS WILL QUICKLY
WORSEN ANY ONGOING FLOOD PROBLEMS.

THUNDERSTORM CHANCES REMAIN IN THE FORECAST FOR MUCH OF THE UPCOMING
WEEK...HOWEVER THE COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF EXPECTED RAINFALL
AMOUNTS WILL BE FURTHER REFINED IN LATER FORECASTS. ANY ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL THIS UPCOMING WEEK WILL AGGRAVATE ANY ONGOING LARGE STEM
RIVER FLOODING.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNING STATEMENT...
RESPONSE TO FLOODING...SOME SIGNIFICANT...SHOULD BE EXPECTED TODAY
AND TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY FOR AREAS NEAR LARGER RIVER BASINS. LIFE
THREATENING FLASH FLOODING WILL BE LIKELY WITHIN THE HEAVIER
RAINFALL AXIS.

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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 24, 9:10 AM CST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1010 AM CDT SUN MAY 24 2015

ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-241555-
BENTON AR-CARROLL AR-CRAWFORD AR-FRANKLIN AR-MADISON AR-WASHINGTON
AR-
1010 AM CDT SUN MAY 24 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN WASHINGTON...MADISON...
NORTHERN FRANKLIN...NORTHEASTERN CRAWFORD...SOUTHERN CARROLL AND
SOUTHEASTERN BENTON COUNTIES UNTIL 1100 AM CDT...

AT 1006 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF OZARK...MOVING NORTH AT 45
MPH.

SMALL HAIL FOR PEA UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP
TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  OZARK...              MULBERRY...           HUNTSVILLE...
  ELKINS...             GOSHEN...             WYOLA...
  WYMAN...              WITTER...             WHITENER...
  WESLEY...             WAREAGLE...           TUTTLE...
  THORNEY...            THOMPSONS...          SULPHUR CITY...
  ST. PAUL...           SONORA...
  SHORES LAKE CAMPGROUND...

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING.

TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED
ROADWAY...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN! A FLASH WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR
THE AREA.

LAT...LON 3541 9386 3547 9409 3628 9406 3623 9345
TIME...MOT...LOC 1508Z 202DEG 39KT 3559 9391

59

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Cherokee

When
May 24, 10:30 AM CST to May 27, 8:45 AM CST
Where
Cherokee County, 1.65 mi ENE of Scraper to 1.67 mi N of Scraper
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Official NWS Observations
Coordinates
36.111, -94.804

The Illinois River near Tahlequah rose above its flood stage of 11 feet at 11:30 am CDT on May 24th. The river crested at 15.43 feet at 1:00 pm CDT on the 25th. A second crest occurred at 14.53 feet at 3:00 pm CDT on the 26th. Both crests were in the moderate flood category. Rural roads were flooded and some cabin parks were inundated near the river. The river fell below flood stage at 9:45 am CDT on the 27th.

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Oklahoma in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, May 2015

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: 583537.