Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, October 21, 2017

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, October 21, 2017
Start: 2017-10-21T17:41
End: 2017-10-21T20:28
Location: Texas

October 21, 2017 · NWS OUN · 6 events in 2 counties and zones

Storms formed along a cold front during the afternoon of the 21st, eventually forming a line. Through the evening storms swept eastward through Oklahoma and western north Texas.

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: $2,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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 cold front during the afternoon of the 21st, eventually forming a line. Through the evening storms swept eastward through Oklahoma and western north Texas. Significant hail, severe winds, and a few short-lived tornadoes as well as some minor flooding were reported with these storms.

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 21, 1:10 PM CST, 4 hours 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 21, 1:10 PM CST, 4 hours 31 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Norman OK
210 PM CDT Sat Oct 21 2017

.DISCUSSION...
The cold front continues to progress southward this afternoon
across northwestern OK, with a few elevated showers quickly
lifting northeast ahead of it. Stratus is finally starting to mix
out over portions of western and central OK so expect
destabilization through late this afternoon. Initial storm
development should occur sometime around 5 PM along the front in
western and northwestern OK. A few discrete cells will be possible
over southwestern OK and western north TX, with the greatest
potential for a tornado or two near the Red River early this
evening. Otherwise, expect rapid linear merge into a squall line
extending from northern OK into southern and southwestern OK
around 9-10 PM. Wind damage will become a concern during that time
frame. The storms should exit our FA around 1-2 AM.

Tomorrow will be quiet with much cooler and drier air moving into
the Southern Plains. Skies will also clear. A brief warmup is
expected Monday, but another cold front will arrive Tue.
Precipitation is not expected with this front. Again, temperatures
will climb back to a few degrees above normal for Wed and Thu
before a strong cold front arrives overnight Thursday thru Fri.
Some snow will even be possible over northwestern OK Sat AM as a
deep trough sweeps across the central and northern CONUS. Highs on
Friday and Sat are expected to be 10 to 15 degrees below average.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Oklahoma City OK  50  68  48  77 / 100   0   0   0
Hobart OK         46  70  47  78 /  90   0   0   0
Wichita Falls TX  50  71  48  80 /  90   0   0   0
Gage OK           40  71  46  75 /  10   0   0   0
Ponca City OK     47  69  46  75 / 100   0   0   0
Durant OK         56  71  48  80 / 100  10   0   0

&&

.OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...None.
TX...None.
&&

04/03

Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 21, 5:00 PM CST, 41 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Norman OK
600 PM CDT Sat Oct 21 2017

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-221100-
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-
600 PM CDT Sat Oct 21 2017

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of northern...
western...central...and southern Oklahoma...and western north
Texas.

.DAY ONE...Tonight...

.Thunderstorms...
There is an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms across parts of
north central, central, and southern Oklahoma, and adjacent parts of
northern Texas. A slight and marginal risk cover much of the rest of
the area.

Location...
The enhanced risk is near and southeast of a line from
Enid to Clinton, Altus, and Seymour Texas. This includes places like
Ponca City, Enid, Lawton, Oklahoma City metro, Ada, Ardmore, and
Wichita Falls.

Impacts...
Damaging wind gusts to around 80 mph and large hail up to the size
of tennis balls are the primary hazards. There is a low potential
for tornadoes across parts of central and southern Oklahoma, and
adjacent parts of northern Texas.

Timing...
Severe thunderstorms will continue until 2 am.
The most likely time for tornadoes is until 9 PM.

Discussion...
Thunderstorms continue forming along a cold front moving southeast
across Oklahoma. Large hail is the main hazard until mid-evening
after which damaging winds will become the main hazard. Isolated
wind gusts up to 80 mph are possible.

The tornado potential, particularly in southwest Oklahoma, will
decrease late this evening.

.SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT STATEMENT...

Storm spotter groups and emergency management personnel across the
risk areas should prepare for severe weather operations late this
afternoon and tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday...

.Thunderstorms...
A few thunderstorms may linger in parts of southeast Oklahoma
Sunday morning before exiting the area.

.Cold/Frost...
Patchy frost and near freezing temperatures may be possible across
portions of Oklahoma late next week.

Get graphics and more details at weather.gov/norman...and follow
our weather forecast office on Twitter and Facebook.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Oct 21, 5:20 PM CST, 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
620 PM CDT SAT OCT 21 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0600 PM     HAIL             2 WNW INDIAHOMA         34.63N 98.79W
10/21/2017  E3.00 INCH       COMANCHE           OK   STORM CHASER

            LOCATION APPROXIMATE.

&&

MAD

Local storm report, Oct 21, 5:27 PM CST, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
627 PM CDT SAT OCT 21 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0619 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 W CACHE               34.62N 98.67W
10/21/2017                   COMANCHE           OK   AMATEUR RADIO

            POWERPOLES PARTIALLY DOWN.

&&

MAD

Local storm report, Oct 21, 5:30 PM CST, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
630 PM CDT SAT OCT 21 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0610 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 W CACHE               34.62N 98.67W
10/21/2017                   COMANCHE           OK   AMATEUR RADIO

            POWERPOLES PARTIALLY DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED BY
            RADAR.

&&

MAD

Local storm report, Oct 21, 5:32 PM CST, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
632 PM CDT SAT OCT 21 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0620 PM     HAIL             LAKE LAWTONKA           34.76N 98.51W
10/21/2017  E0.88 INCH       COMANCHE           OK   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

MAD

Special weather statement, Oct 21, 5:33 PM CST, 8 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE Norman OK
633 PM CDT SAT OCT 21 2017

OKZ016-017-022-023-220000-
Washita OK-Caddo OK-Custer OK-Blaine OK-
633 PM CDT SAT OCT 21 2017

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR northeastern Washita...
northwestern Caddo...southeastern Custer and southern Blaine Counties
Until 700 PM CDT...

AT 632 PM CDT, strong thunderstorms were along a line extending from
6 miles southeast of Fay to 6 miles northeast of Colony, moving east
at 45 MPH. Another strong storm was located near Corn.

HAZARDS INCLUDE...
Hail up to the size of nickels...
Wind gusts to 50 MPH...

LAT...LON 3576 9871 3594 9821 3573 9821 3572 9831
      3539 9831 3526 9899
TIME...MOT...LOC 2332Z 251DEG 39KT 3573 9859 3544 9862

..speg.

Special weather statement, Oct 21, 5:41 PM CST, 0 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE Norman OK
641 PM CDT SAT OCT 21 2017

OKZ007-008-012-013-220015-
Garfield OK-Kay OK-Grant OK-Noble OK-
641 PM CDT SAT OCT 21 2017

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR eastern Garfield...Kay...eastern
Grant and Noble Counties Until 715 PM CDT...

AT 640 PM CDT, strong thunderstorms were along a line extending from
3 miles north of Lamont to near Covington, moving northeast at 35
MPH.

HAZARDS INCLUDE...
Wind gusts over 50 MPH...
Minor flooding in areas of poor drainage...

LAT...LON 3678 9675 3677 9682 3674 9683 3675 9689
      3668 9693 3670 9704 3668 9706 3660 9704
      3659 9706 3658 9700 3660 9691 3658 9689
      3655 9690 3653 9699 3651 9703 3635 9703
      3619 9774 3700 9766 3700 9675
TIME...MOT...LOC 2340Z 234DEG 32KT 3674 9757 3627 9760

..speg.

The radar

The Altus AFB radar (KFDR), 77 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:43 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Hardeman

When: October 21, 5:41 PM CST
Where: Hardeman County, 2.15 mi SSE of Acme
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 34.290, -99.810

Hail, Hardeman

When: October 21, 5:46 PM CST
Where: Hardeman County, Quanah
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 34.300, -99.740

Hail, Wichita

When: October 21, 6:21 PM CST
Where: Wichita County, Electra
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 34.030, -98.920

Thunderstorm Wind, Wichita

When: October 21, 6:42 PM CST
Where: Wichita County, Electra
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 34.030, -98.920

A few powerlines were downed.

Hail, Wichita

When: October 21, 6:46 PM CST
Where: Wichita County, Electra
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 34.030, -98.920

Hail, Wichita

When: October 21, 8:28 PM CST
Where: Wichita County, 5.13 mi SSW of Pleasant Valley
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 33.870, -98.630

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

Every storm in Texas in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, October 2017

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: 725356, 725357, 725358, 725361, 725359, 725360.