Thunderstorms increased across eastern Oklahoma during the afternoon of the 27th, as an upper level low pressure system approached the region. The air mass became moderately unstable during the afternoon, and wind shear northeast of the surface low pressure center across southeastern Oklahoma became supportive of rotating storms.
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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 TSA wrote it up.
Thunderstorms increased across eastern Oklahoma during the afternoon of the 27th, as an upper level low pressure system approached the region. The air mass became moderately unstable during the afternoon, and wind shear northeast of the surface low pressure center across southeastern Oklahoma became supportive of rotating storms. Two tornadoes developed from these thunderstorms.
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 27, 11:38 AM CST, 2 hours 29 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tulsa OK 1238 PM CDT Wed May 27 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1236 PM CDT Wed May 27 2026 - Areawide medium to high chances (40-70%) of showers and thunderstorms Wednesday. Severe weather is not expected, but heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding will be possible. - Daily rain and storm chances continue through the end of the week. Locally heavy rainfall will remain the primary concern, which could lead to isolated flash flooding. - Temperatures remain near or slightly below average over the next several days. && .SHORT TERM... (Through tonight ) Issued at 1047 AM CDT Wed May 27 2026 A slow moving trough axis will gradually lift into the area today. As it does so, shower and thunderstorm activity will increase from south to north. Decent low to mid level convergence beneath subtle upper level diffluence will act on a moist and somewhat unstable atmosphere. As a result widespread showers and thunderstorms will blossom into the afternoon and evening hours. Although severe weather is not expected, areas of heavy rainfall are likely, particularly with thunderstorms. Most areas will see between 0.25 to 1 inch of rain today through tonight, but locally higher totals are expected. Precipitation will continue through the overnight hours, but most guidance shows it becoming increasingly confined towards central OK with time. Highs today will rise to the upper 70s to low 80s, with overnight lows mostly in the mid 60s. && .LONG TERM... (Tomorrow through Wednesday) Issued at 1047 AM CDT Wed May 27 2026 During the day Thursday, the upper level circulation will be sitting nearly overhead with little movement. This will result in scattered showers and storms throughout the day across the forecast area. It's commonly the case that there is a less storm activity right under the upper low, with better forcing around its periphery, as such the best precipitation chances would be expected to be across far eastern OK and northwest AR. Either way, it will be another temperate day with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s and lows again in the mid to upper 60s. Friday will feature more of the same, except that the circulation will be weakening as it slowly churns eastward. In the end, it will mean another day with similar temps and precipitation patterns, except that precipitation will be winding down from west to east as shortwave ridging pokes in from the west. On Saturday another upper level trough will clip the area to the northwest. It will move just close enough to slightly increase the upper level flow/lift with some additional storm activity expected in the region. Models then develop ridging just to the west of the area Sunday into Monday with modest northwesterly flow setting in. Guidance is mixed on storm development, but there is at least the chance of a few clusters of storms during this period. Ensemble guidance then suggests upper level ridging will become too strong for additional storm activity by the middle of next week, with temperatures warming above normal. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1236 PM CDT Wed May 27 2026 VFR to occasionally MVFR conditions will be common through this afternoon and evening. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected to impact all sites through the afternoon into the evening. Later tonight, IFR ceilings are likely to develop at all sites and persist through much of Thursday morning. Some fog will also be possible, especially at the northwest Arkansas sites. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TUL 65 79 65 82 / 80 70 40 30 FSM 67 82 66 84 / 80 50 30 50 MLC 66 82 66 85 / 50 40 30 40 BVO 64 78 62 82 / 80 80 40 20 FYV 65 78 64 80 / 70 70 50 70 BYV 64 76 63 78 / 70 70 50 80 MKO 65 79 65 82 / 80 50 40 50 MIO 66 78 64 80 / 70 80 60 60 F10 64 80 64 83 / 70 50 40 40 HHW 66 83 66 85 / 30 20 20 20 && .TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...None. AR...None. && SHORT TERM...06 LONG TERM....06 AVIATION...05
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Tulsa OK 1257 PM CDT Wed May 27 2026 ARZ001-002-010-011-119-120-129-219-220-229-OKZ049-053-055>071- 073>075-154-172-176-254-272-276-354-376-281800- Benton-Carroll-Washington AR-Madison-Northern Crawford- Northern Franklin-North and Central Sebastian-Southern Crawford- Central and Southern Franklin-Southern Sebastian-Pushmataha- Choctaw-Washington OK-Nowata-Craig-Ottawa-Pawnee-Tulsa-Rogers- Mayes-Delaware-Creek-Okfuskee-Okmulgee-Wagoner-Cherokee-Adair- Muskogee-McIntosh-Pittsburg-Haskell-Latimer-Western Osage- Northern Sequoyah-Northern Le Flore-Northeast Osage- Central and Southern Sequoyah-Central Le Flore-Southeast Osage- Southern Le Flore- 1257 PM CDT Wed May 27 2026 This Outlook is for Northwest and West Central Arkansas as well as much of Eastern Oklahoma. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. HEAVY RAIN. RISK...Limited. AREA...Areawide. ONSET...Ongoing. THUNDERSTORMS WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. RISK...Elevated. AREA...Areawide. ONSET...Ongoing. DISCUSSION... Showers and thunderstorms will expand across the forecast area this afternoon and evening. Areas of heavy rain are expected. Scattered thunderstorms are likely. Severe weather is unlikely, but a marginally severe storm or two is possible during the afternoon. Storm activity continues overnight, but overall it will become weaker with time and coverage will diminish, particularly south of I-40. SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT... Spotter Activation Not Expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. THURSDAY TO TUESDAY...Thunderstorm Potential. EXTENDED DISCUSSION... Numerous showers and thunderstorms will continue Thursday and Friday across the area, with pockets of heavy rain possible. Severe weather is unlikely, though cannot totally be ruled out either. Additional storm activity will develop Saturday through Monday. By Tuesday, rain chances will begin to wind down as a ridge of high pressure builds overhead. weather.gov/tulsa contains additional information.
The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 164 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:09 UTC.
2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
This tornado damaged the hospital, damaged a few homes, uprooted a tree, and snapped numerous large tree limbs. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 85 to 90 mph.
This brief tornado was observed by several people. It produced no known damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Oklahoma, 2026Warnings in Oklahoma, May 2026
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: 1339920, 1339922.