Thunderstorm Wind, Harmon
- When
- May 22, 9:35 PM CST
- Where
- Harmon County, 3.41 mi W of Gould
- Measured
- 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 34.670, -99.830
Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, May 22 to 23, 2016
Storms formed along a dryline in the panhandles on the 22nd. These storms slowly made their way into western Oklahoma and western north Texas late that evening.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $98,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 12
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.
Storms formed along a dryline in the panhandles on the 22nd. These storms slowly made their way into western Oklahoma and western north Texas late that evening. The southernmost storms eventually formed into an MCS and followed the Red River overnight into the early morning of the 23rd.
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 May 22, 8:28 PM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 22, 8:28 PM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Norman OK 928 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2016 .UPDATE... Storms developed west of the fa late this afternoon/evening. Some of this activity has very slowly moved towards western parts of the fa. Radar showing area of storms that would affect parts of southwest OK and western north TX is trying to develop into an mcs. As the llj increases this area of activity could be maintained and move across parts of the area overnight into Monday morning. What path it will take is still a question with models showing it traveling NE, E, or SE. Current thoughts are that the NE track is not out of the question but is the least likely. Severe storms will be possible with large hail and strong wind gusts the main concerns, with wind being a bigger concern if the area can develop into an mcs. Made some adjustments to POP/WX grids to show these thoughts. Also raised low temperatures a few degrees due to moist airmass with dewpoints in the mid 60s to around 70 with drier air not expected and cloudy skies. All updates out soon. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 645 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2016/ DISCUSSION... 23/00Z TAF discussion follows. AVIATION... VFR conditions should prevail first several hours of forecast although scattered TSRA may begin to affect western Oklahoma terminals after 02z. Mention of TSRA will be confined to western Oklahoma and KSPS terminals this forecast cycle as confidence relatively low for impacts over central Oklahoma. MVFR conditions will be common after 06Z through 18Z with some IFR possible west central Oklahoma due to lower stratus development. Gusty south/southeast winds will prevail. PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 209 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2016/ DISCUSSION... Oklahoma and the southern plains are now under the influence of the large upper trough over the western U.S. this influence will continue through at least Friday. The first minor wave, well ahead of this storm, is expected to cross the southern Texas panhandle early Monday. In addition to the slow eastward movement of thunderstorms over the texas panhandle tonight, this feature is the reason for relatively higher pops across southwest Oklahoma and adjacent parts of Texas early Monday. the dry line will be a player Monday afternoon over the central Texas panhandle and again Tuesday probably closer to the western Oklahoma border. Severe weather in moderate shear and high buoyancy is expected to initiate near the dry line both days. Mesoscale boundaries that result from this will provide smaller-scale focus in the near term. By Thursday the upper trough approaches Oklahoma and shear increases. It still appears that Thursday is the most likely day for widespread severe weather in the southern plains. This system is finally expected to lift northeast of Oklahoma on Friday; however, latest model runs indicate part of the trough could linger into Saturday, but with weaker flow aloft. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Oklahoma City OK 67 79 66 82 / 40 40 30 20 Hobart OK 68 82 67 88 / 70 20 40 40 Wichita Falls TX 69 83 67 87 / 80 40 40 20 Gage OK 67 86 65 91 / 30 30 30 20 Ponca City OK 66 79 67 83 / 30 30 30 30 Durant OK 67 81 68 83 / 50 40 30 30 && .OUN Watches/Warnings/Advisories... OK...None. TX...None. && 25/11
Hazardous weather outlook, May 22, 9:00 PM CST, 35 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK 1000 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2016 OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-231000- 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- 1000 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN... WESTERN...CENTRAL...AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA...AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE...REST OF TONIGHT... .THUNDERSTORMS... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. LOCATION... THE SLIGHT RISK EXTENDS SOUTH AND WEST OF A LINE FROM ERICK AND ELK CITY... TO NEAR HOBART AND LAWTON OKLAHOMA... TO HENRIETTA TEXAS. A MARGINAL RISK EXTENDS TO THE EAST OF THE SLIGHT RISK AND SOUTHWEST OF A LINE FROM WOODWARD AND WEATHERFORD... TO DUNCAN OKLAHOMA. TIMING... SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH 2 AM. IMPACTS... HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS... DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 75 MPH... FREQUENT INTENSE LIGHTNING... AND HEAVY RAIN WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERNS. A BRIEF TORNADO OR TWO MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLE IN PARTS OF SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. DISCUSSION... THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BE STRONG TO SEVERE OVERNIGHT... ESPECIALLY IN PARTS OF SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WIND GUSTS WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERNS BUT AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSES STRONG WINDS COULD BECOME A BIGGER CONCERN. A FEW BRIEF TORNADOES MAY ALSO DEVELOP IN PARTS OF SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL DECREASE AFTER 2 AM MONDAY BUT A FEW STORMS COULD STILL PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. HEAVY RAIN THAT COULD LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING AND FREQUENT INTENSE LIGHTNING WILL REMAIN A CONCERN THROUGH THE NIGHT. .SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL LOCATED WITHIN THE SLIGHT RISK AREA SHOULD PREPARE FOR SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS THROUGH EARLY MONDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... .THUNDERSTORMS... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AND TUESDAY OF THE UPCOMING WORK WEEK. THE RISK AREAS COVER MUCH OF OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY FORM DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS AND IMPACT WESTERN OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN NORTH TEXAS...BEFORE MOVING EAST DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL REMAIN IN THE FORECAST WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...ESPECIALLY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. GET GRAPHICS AND MORE DETAILS AT WEATHER.GOV/NORMAN...AND FOLLOW OUR WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK. KURTZ/EM
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 22, 7:32 PM CST, 2 hours 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK 832 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2016 OKZ004-009-010-014-021-033-034-230230- HARMON OK-GREER OK-ROGER MILLS OK-HARPER OK-BECKHAM OK-ELLIS OK- WOODWARD OK- 832 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN HARMON...WESTERN GREER...ROGER MILLS...HARPER...BECKHAM...ELLIS AND SOUTHWESTERN WOODWARD COUNTIES UNTIL 930 PM CDT... AT 830 PM CDT...GUSTY WINDS ARE OCCURRING IN FAR WESTERN OKLAHOMA...WELL AHEAD OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. THESE GUSTY WINDS WILL NOT BE DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS. HAZARDS INCLUDE... WIND GUSTS 40 TO 50 MPH... LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... SAYRE...SHATTUCK...LAVERNE...BUFFALO...CHEYENNE...ARNETT...ERICK...GAGE... FARGO...REYDON...SWEETWATER...STRONG CITY...MAY...TEXOLA...ROSSTON...DURHAM... VINSON...DELHI...CRAWFORD AND ROLL. LAT...LON 3700 9958 3478 9960 3472 10000 3700 10000 TIME...MOT...LOC 0130Z 358DEG 12KT 3674 9982 3475 9980 MAHALE
Special weather statement, May 22, 8:12 PM CST, 1 hour 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK 912 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2016 TXZ084-230245- FOARD TX- 912 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WEST CENTRAL FOARD COUNTY UNTIL 945 PM CDT... AT 909 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES SOUTH OF SWEARINGEN...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. IF THE STORM CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN ITS CURRENT INTENSITY...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WILL BE REQUIRED FOR FOARD COUNTY. THIS STORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF WEST CENTRAL FOARD COUNTY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... MONITOR THE SITUATION CLOSELY. BE READY TO ACT QUICKLY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED OR IF STORMS THREATEN YOU. && LAT...LON 3412 10005 3412 9986 3387 9987 3389 10005 TIME...MOT...LOC 0209Z 275DEG 19KT 3404 10015 MAHALE
Special weather statement, May 22, 8:12 PM CST, 1 hour 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK 912 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2016 OKZ021-033-034-230245- HARMON OK-GREER OK-BECKHAM OK- 912 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN HARMON... NORTHWESTERN GREER AND SOUTHWESTERN BECKHAM COUNTIES UNTIL 945 PM CDT... AT 910 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF WELLINGTON...MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. HAZARDS INCLUDE... WIND GUSTS OVER 50 MPH... FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING... LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... VINSON AND MADGE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY AND BE ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS. && LAT...LON 3518 10000 3511 9969 3471 10000 TIME...MOT...LOC 0210Z 202DEG 32KT 3479 10014 11
The radar
The Altus AFB radar (KFDR), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:37 UTC.
Event by event
10 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash Flood, Harmon
- When
- May 22, 9:55 PM CST to 10:00 PM CST
- Where
- Harmon County, Hollis to 0.43 mi SSW of Hollis
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 34.690, -99.920
Several roads impassable due to high water.
Thunderstorm Wind, Beckham
- When
- May 22, 10:43 PM CST
- Where
- Beckham County, 4.71 mi WSW of Elk City
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 35.390, -99.500
A semi was blown over.
Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson
- When
- May 22, 11:15 PM CST
- Where
- Jackson County, Elmer
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 34.480, -99.350
Thunderstorm Wind, Tillman
- When
- May 22, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Tillman County, Manitou
- Measured
- 72 kt (83 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
- Coordinates
- 34.510, -98.980
Thunderstorm Wind, Tillman
- When
- May 23, 12:10 AM CST
- Where
- Tillman County, 3.86 mi SSW of Frederick Arpt
- Measured
- 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 34.300, -99.010
Flash Flood, Tillman
- When
- May 23, 12:45 AM CST to 1:45 AM CST
- Where
- Tillman County, 0.48 mi NW of Grandfield to 0.47 mi WSW of Grandfield
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 34.234, -98.697
Up to one and a half feet of water was present.
Thunderstorm Wind, Tillman
- When
- May 23, 12:45 AM CST
- Where
- Tillman County, Grandfield
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $8,000
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 34.230, -98.690
Several trees were damaged.
Thunderstorm Wind, Cotton
- When
- May 23, 12:48 AM CST
- Where
- Cotton County, 2.15 mi NNE of Cookietown
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 34.300, -98.440
A metal grain silo was wrapped around the highway divider cable at mile marker 16 on I-44. The time of this report was estimated based on radar.
Thunderstorm Wind, Cotton
- When
- May 23, 1:07 AM CST
- Where
- Cotton County, 2.67 mi WNW of Temple
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $80,000
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 34.290, -98.270
There were numerous reports of tree damage, power poles down, and minor roof damage to homes. A couple of small structures, such as storage sheds, were also destroyed. The time of this reported was estimated based on radar.
Thunderstorm Wind, Cotton
- When
- May 23, 1:10 AM CST
- Where
- Cotton County, Temple
- Measured
- 76 kt (87 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 34.270, -98.230
Thunderstorm Wind, Stephens
- When
- May 23, 1:35 AM CST
- Where
- Stephens County, 0.9 mi SW of Duncan
- Measured
- 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 34.490, -97.970
What these are
- 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.
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, May 22, 2016
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Texas, May 22 to 23, 2016
- Rip Current in Washington, May 22, 2016
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in South Dakota, May 22 to 23, 2016
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, May 22, 2016
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kansas, May 22, 2016
- Flood in Montana, May 22 to 24, 2016
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Nebraska, May 22 to 23, 2016
- Flash Flood and Hail in South Dakota, May 22 to 23, 2016
- Tornado and Hail in South Dakota, May 22, 2016
- Tornado and Hail in North Dakota, May 22, 2016
- Damaging Winds in North Dakota, May 22, 2016
More
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, May 2016
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: 628524, 628516, 628522, 628525, 628528, 628529, 628517, 628526, 628527, 628523, 628531, 628532.