Under the influence of an upper low, numerous showers with embedded thunderstorms formed across western north Texas on the afternoon of the 13th. Despite a lack of other severe reports, one of the thunderstorms produced a brief tornado.
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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 OUN wrote it up.
Under the influence of an upper low, numerous showers with embedded thunderstorms formed across western north Texas on the afternoon of the 13th. Despite a lack of other severe reports, one of the thunderstorms produced a brief tornado.
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 Apr 13, 1:46 PM CST, 36 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Norman OK 246 PM CDT Thu Apr 13 2017 .DISCUSSION... Primary focus is in the short term with heavy rainfall/flooding threat, especially across portions of western north Texas up to the vicinity of the Red River. Instability is modest and deep layer shear is marginal for persistent/well-organized thunderstorms, so severe thunderstorms are unlikely. Recently, radar indicates some training and relatively slow storm motions across portions of western north Texas and further west into the rolling plains. Given the moist environment (short term model guidance indicating near 1.5" PWAT), some localized flooding is possible. Further north, thunderstorms should continue to increase in intensity and coverage across central Oklahoma near the leading edge of more widespread rain that has been persistent through much of the morning into the early afternoon. Thermodynamic profile as indicated by modified 12z observed soundings and in model forecast soundings would support heavy rainfall as the primary threat here as well. All of this activity is occurring in response to forcing for ascent from a shortwave trough. As this departs later tonight, so will the convection, leaving dry conditions and near normal temperatures Friday. A moist environment will remain across the area and as mid-level flow strengthens and becomes increasingly cyclonic at the souther end of a broad trough moving across the western CONUS and northern Rockies, chances of convection will return late Saturday. Steeper mid level lapse rates than have been observed with the current system should yield moderate instability by afternoon and sufficient deep layer shear for storm organization will result in a threat for severe thunderstorms. These will develop and/or move into the northwest portion of the area Saturday afternoon and continue into Saturday night. There remains uncertainty beyond Saturday night. The flow pattern will become quasi-zonal and we will be on the southern edge of stronger westerlies. Small difficult to time shortwaves embedded within the flow will enhance convection within a moist conditionally unstable environment, but we kept probabilities fairly steady and mid-range through the period since it will ultimately be mesoscale details that dictate where higher probabilities are on both a temporal and spatial scale. Even as early as Sunday, the uncertainty is fairly high. A surface boundary may be positioned somewhere across the area during the day providing low level convergence for storm development, but thunderstorm coverage will depend on previous night's convection. There is considerable differences in medium range deterministic and ensemble guidance next week, especially by mid week, so we have kept probabilities low. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Oklahoma City OK 60 77 61 77 / 60 10 0 10 Hobart OK 59 76 60 77 / 40 0 0 20 Wichita Falls TX 60 79 61 80 / 30 0 0 10 Gage OK 59 79 60 79 / 30 10 0 30 Ponca City OK 61 78 62 77 / 60 50 0 20 Durant OK 59 79 60 78 / 20 0 0 0 && .OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...None. TX...None. && 26/12
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Norman OK 1133 AM CDT Thu Apr 13 2017 OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-141645- 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- 1133 AM CDT Thu Apr 13 2017 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... Numerous showers and scattered thunderstorms will continue across Oklahoma and north Texas this afternoon and tonight. Instability is limited, so severe storms are not expected. Some areas of locally heavy rainfall may cause minor flooding, but no widespread flooding is expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday... .Thunderstorms... There is a chance for thunderstorms each day. On Saturday afternoon and evening there is a risk for severe thunderstorms in northwestern Oklahoma. The primary threat is from large hail. .Heavy Rainfall... Heavy rainfall may occur over northern Oklahoma Saturday. Small areas could experience minor flooding. Get graphics and more details at weather.gov/norman...and follow our weather forecast office on Twitter and Facebook.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE Norman OK 229 PM CDT THU APR 13 2017 OKZ024-025-132000- Oklahoma OK-Canadian OK- 229 PM CDT THU APR 13 2017 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR northwestern Oklahoma and east central Canadian Counties Until 300 PM CDT... AT 226 PM CDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over western Oklahoma City or just east of Yukon, moving northeast at 20 MPH. Small hail will be possible as this storm moves through portions of northwest Oklahoma City. Severe weather is not expected. HAZARDS INCLUDE... Hail up to one-half inch diameter... Wind gusts to 40 MPH... LAT...LON 3548 9767 3550 9775 3568 9769 3566 9752 TIME...MOT...LOC 1926Z 205DEG 19KT 3552 9770 ..speg.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE Norman OK
252 PM CDT THU APR 13 2017
TXZ085-132030-
Wilbarger TX-
252 PM CDT THU APR 13 2017
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR central Wilbarger County Until
330 PM CDT...
AT 250 PM CDT, a strong thunderstorm was located 5 miles southeast of
Lockett, moving northeast at 20 MPH.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
Hail up to one-half inch diameter...
Wind gusts to 40 MPH...
LAT...LON 3424 9924 3421 9919 3421 9918 3415 9903
3398 9928 3402 9936
TIME...MOT...LOC 1950Z 209DEG 18KT 3405 9928
..speg.The Altus AFB radar (KFDR), 35 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:20 UTC.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A tornado was observed and videotaped by a storm chaser, and was estimated to have occurred approximately 3 to 4 miles south-southwest of Oklaunion. No damage was reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 2017Warnings in Texas, April 2017
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: 695148.