High Wind in Texas, April 5, 2022

Name: High Wind in Texas, April 5, 2022
Start: 2022-04-05T21:45
End: 2022-04-05T23:48
Location: Texas

April 5, 2022 · NWS OUN · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Widespread strong winds occurred across western Oklahoma and western north Texas in the wake of a cold front on the evening of the 5th. Strong winds then continued during the afternoon of the 6th and 7th on the backside of the system, helping to fuel several large wildfires in the region.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
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Floods
Wind
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Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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.

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 Apr 5, 4:17 PM CST, 5 hours 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 5, 4:17 PM CST, 5 hours 28 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Norman OK
517 PM CDT Tue Apr 5 2022

...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, FIRE WEATHER...

.SHORT TERM...
(This evening through Wednesday)
Issued at 517 PM CDT Tue Apr 5 2022

This afternoon, a surface cyclone was centered near the
intersection of the Dakotas and Minnesota and latest mesonet
observations place the associated cold front over far northwest
Oklahoma. Very warm air temperatures are observed across much of
the area, and a dry line extends from near Freedom to Tipton with
low RH values of 10 to 15 percent west of the dry line. This cold
front will continue to progress southward across Oklahoma and
western north Texas this evening and overnight. A Wind Advisory
has been issued for much of the area from 03-12Z Wednesday due to
strong post- frontal winds gusting to 50 mph.

There will be a few hours in the morning where winds diminish, but
as daytime mixing commences, breezy northwest winds increase once
again by mid/late morning. By afternoon, gusts of 40 to 50 mph
are possible - mainly across northwestern and west-central
Oklahoma. A separate Wind Advisory will likely be needed with the
next package for tomorrow. Due to potential for critical to
extremely critical fire weather conditions tomorrow, the Fire
Weather Watch has been converted to a Red Flag Warning for 15Z Wed
through 03Z Thursday. More details are included in the Fire
Weather section below.

Overnight low temperatures will range from the upper 30s
(northwest OK) to the low 50s (southeast OK). With brisk winds,
wind chill values may drop into the low/mid 30s for parts of
north, northwest, and west-central Oklahoma on Wednesday morning.
Tomorrow afternoon will be cooler with highs 60s with temperatures
rising to near 70 degrees near and south of the Red River.

Thompson

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Wednesday night through next Monday)
Issued at 517 PM CDT Tue Apr 5 2022

Our area will remain under northwest flow with the jet stream
remaining overhead as the upper trough deepens over the Great
Lakes. This will allow cooler temperatures, low dewpoint
temperatures, and breezy conditions to persist through Friday. On
Thursday, even windier conditions are expected (compared to
Wednesday) with sustained winds at 25 to 35 mph and gusts to 55
mph; strongest winds are expected across northwest and west-
central Oklahoma. Critical fire weather conditions are possible
Thursday with near critical conditions on Friday.

On Saturday, a ridge tracks across the plains and low-level flow
shifts to the south/southwest allowing temperatures to warm into
the 70s/80s. A cold front is possible on Sunday into Monday,
but frontal passage is uncertain as the ECMWF keeps the front
north of our area. A strong upper trough is then prog'd to
advance towards the Rockies Monday/Tuesday with a potential dry
line setup across western Oklahoma. We will have to watch for the
potential for severe weather as the event draws closer.

Thompson

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1240 PM CDT Tue Apr 5 2022

MVFR cigs across central portions of Oklahoma will mix out quickly
during the first hour or two of the forecast period with VFR
thereafter. Light to moderate southwest winds will give way to
strong northerly winds as a cold front moves quickly southward
over the region. This front will move into northwest portions of
Oklahoma by 21Z and will move quickly southward over the region
through this evening. For a 3 to 6 hour period, we expect the
possibility of 40+KT northerly gusts with very strong winds above
the surface carried down with initial surge of cold advection.
Winds should weaken late tonight and toward 10-12Z, but pick back
up after 15Z with mixing. Scattered SHRA/TSRA with the front could
come close to KPNC and KSWO but it looks like that activity should
stay just east of those terminals this evening.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 506 PM CDT Tue Apr 5 2022

An active fire weather pattern is expected into early next week.
On Wednesday, extremely critical fire weather conditions are
likely across northwest and west-central Oklahoma - for areas
generally west of Highway 81 and north of I-44. Critical
conditions extend into north-central, central, and southwest
Oklahoma, and parts of western north Texas. Despite cooler
temperatures tomorrow, breezy northwest winds gusting to 55 mph
along with RH values near 10 percent will create dangerous fire
weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning goes into effect for these
areas for 15Z Wednesday through 03Z Thursday.

North winds are forecast to be even breezier on Thursday, and
therefore, a Fire Weather Watch has been issued. An extended
period near critical to possibly critical conditions will continue
across western Oklahoma/Texas through next Tuesday.

Thompson

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Oklahoma City OK  46  65  42  62 /   0   0   0   0
Hobart OK         44  67  41  66 /   0   0   0   0
Wichita Falls TX  48  70  42  68 /   0   0   0   0
Gage OK           40  64  38  63 /   0   0   0   0
Ponca City OK     42  65  39  61 /  20   0   0   0
Durant OK         51  69  43  66 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...Wind Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 7 AM CDT Wednesday for
     OKZ004>012-014>019-021>025-027>029-033>041-044>047-050>052.

     Red Flag Warning from 10 AM to 10 PM CDT Wednesday for
     OKZ004>018-021>024-033>038.

     Fire Weather Watch from Thursday morning through Thursday
     evening for OKZ004>006-009>011-014>017-021>023-033>038-044.

TX...Wind Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 7 AM CDT Wednesday for
     TXZ083>090.

     Red Flag Warning from 10 AM to 10 PM CDT Wednesday for TXZ083-
     085.

     Fire Weather Watch from Thursday morning through Thursday
     evening for TXZ083>090.

     Red Flag Warning until 8 PM CDT this evening for TXZ083>085-087-
     088.

&&

SHORT TERM...01
LONG TERM....01
AVIATION...11

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 5, 8:22 PM CST, 1 hour 23 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Norman OK
922 PM CDT Tue Apr 5 2022

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-070230-
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-
922 PM CDT Tue Apr 5 2022

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

.DAY ONE...Through Tonight...

.Fire Weather...
Elevated fire weather conditions will continue through much of the
night as a cold front brings drier air as well as very strong
north winds to the area.

.Winds...
North winds of 25 to 40 mph with gusts over 50 mph will be likely
across western, central into parts of southeast Oklahoma and all
of western north Texas. A Wind Advisory is in effect for tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday...

.Fire Weather...
At least elevated fire weather conditions are expected through the
rest of the week and this weekend. Critical to extreme fire
weather conditions are expected Wednesday and Thursday due to very
dry air and windy conditions.

.Winds...
Strong winds are expected Wednesday and Thursday with wind gusts
of 40 to 55 mph possible in some areas.

.Thunderstorms...
Thunderstorms will be possible across southeast portions of
Oklahoma Sunday night into Monday.

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, Apr 5, 9:00 PM CST, 45 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
1000 PM CDT TUE APR 5 2022

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

0945 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 7 SE HYDRO              35.49N 98.48W
04/05/2022  M60 MPH          CADDO              OK   MESONET

            HINTON MESONET SITE.

&&

JP

Local storm report, Apr 5, 9:33 PM CST, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
1033 PM CDT TUE APR 5 2022

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

1015 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 SSE FORT COBB RESERVO 35.16N 98.46W
04/05/2022  M61 MPH          CADDO              OK   MESONET

            FT COBB SITE.

&&

JP

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Hardeman

When: April 5, 9:45 PM CST
Where: Hardeman forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 34.290, -99.746 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Wilbarger

When: April 5, 10:46 PM CST
Where: Wilbarger forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 34.081, -99.241 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Baylor

When: April 5, 11:14 PM CST
Where: Baylor forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 33.617, -99.213 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Wichita

When: April 5, 11:48 PM CST
Where: Wichita forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 33.988, -98.704 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2022 Every state in 2022 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, April 2022

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: 1020408, 1020409, 1020412, 1020410.