An intensifying upper storm system instigated a period of severe thunderstorms across much of the WFO Norman Forecast area during the evening of the 1st. Storm development occurred both along a quasi-stationary boundary across northern Oklahoma and along an accelerating Pacific Front from far western Oklahoma into western-north Texas.
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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.
An intensifying upper storm system instigated a period of severe thunderstorms across much of the WFO Norman Forecast area during the evening of the 1st. Storm development occurred both along a quasi-stationary boundary across northern Oklahoma and along an accelerating Pacific Front from far western Oklahoma into western-north Texas. A mix of supercells and a well-developed quasi-linear convective system (QLCS) yielded reports of large to very large hail and wind damage across portions of the area. A brief tornado was also documented in far eastern Wilbarger County in Texas.
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 1, 11:46 AM CST, 5 hours 37 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Norman OK 1246 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1226 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026 - Severe storms expected by early this evening and into the overnight hours. Potential hazards: -- Large hail (> 2") -- Damaging winds (60-75 mph) -- Tornadoes - Elevated fire weather conditions remain possible into early next week, mainly over portions of western Oklahoma and western north Texas. - Strong/severe thunderstorm chances return Friday afternoon and night. && .NEAR TERM... (Rest of today and tonight) Issued at 1203 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026 After a long, hot February and March, the atmosphere's April Fool's Day prank for us this year is to jump us straight into active severe weather on the first of the month. Satellite shows a band of cirrus over the southern Rockies in advance of a compact trough. Robust height falls will overspread the dryline (along a line from near Seiling to San Angelo) this afternoon. Subsequent cooling/destabilizing aloft will prove more than sufficient for storm development, and perhaps widespread development/rapid upscale growth. A secondary area to watch for storm development will be along a surging warm front, which by mid-afternoon will extend east- northeast from that dryline into north central Oklahoma. This area is more removed from forcing and thus the chances for storms prior to sunset are lower. Shear profiles along the dryline will favor splitting supercells initially this afternoon. Dewpoint depressions near 20 and weak 0-1 km shear will temper the initial tornado threat, but very large hail is possible with mid-level lapse rates in the 7.5/8 C/km range. If any storms develop late this afternoon along the warm front, low- level shear would be greater there, leading to a conditionally greater potential for supercellular tornadoes. Storm development/amalgamation will continue east of the dryline as forcing continues late this evening. We anticipate that this will eventually lead to development of an eastward-moving squall line. Guidance has trended toward greater 100-mb mean mixing ratios and more classic Great Plains LLJ-induced hodographs between 0Z and 04Z tonight. Thus, concern is heightened for the potential for line- embedded tornadoes, one or two of which could be strong (EF2+). The risk for damaging winds will also increase as the LLJ ramps up and downdrafts have increased momentum to mechanically mix to the surface. The squall line will exit our area late tonight and winds will increase from the south-southwest as a surface low develops in Kansas. Meister && .SHORT TERM... (Thursday through Friday night) Issued at 1203 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026 As the surface low moves eastward during the day on Thursday, the dryline will elongate from southwest to northeast and mix eastward. The residual High Plains airmass will continue to be extremely dry, so even with rather marginal surface winds, elevated fire weather will emerge in far western Oklahoma/western north Texas. The exact location of this elevated fire weather is yet to be determined due to the potential damping effect (pun not intended) of rainfall on the fuelscape. Temperatures will remain well above-normal, which is basically par for the course for this year. Another round of storms will sweep in with a much stronger cold front on Friday. The primary surface low/upper-level forcing is expected to be closer to Iowa, leaving us on the southwestern fringe of an elongated "banana low". Those kind of early-spring banana low environments are ripe (pun not intended) for anafrontal convection as the cold front sweeps southward, and all indications are that we will see that here. That will potentially limit the severe threat or at least focus it more into a damaging wind threat along the front, though the environment does look rather unstable and shear profiles are robust. Regardless, Friday brings hope of another widespread round of wetting rain as we move into the peak of the green-up season. Meister && .LONG TERM... (Saturday through Tuesday) Issued at 258 AM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026 Cooler temperatures are expected on Saturday following the passage of the cold front, with decreasing clouds. Low temperatures on Sunday morning will be on the cool side and range from the upper 30's to mid 40's. No rain chances are in the forecast through Tuesday and will see temperatures gradually increase into the 70's. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1226 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026 Surface winds remain light and variable north of a warm front this morning, while a breezy southerly wind prevails across most of southern Oklahoma and western north Texas. As the warm front lifts northward this afternoon, winds will gradually increase out of the south with improving ceiling heights through the afternoon. By late afternoon, strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to develop mainly across western and northern Oklahoma. By early evening, thunderstorm coverage should become numerous/widespread, so most terminals will be impacted by thunderstorms between 22Z Wednesday and 9Z Thursday. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Oklahoma City OK 62 83 64 82 / 100 0 0 50 Hobart OK 58 85 62 86 / 70 0 0 50 Wichita Falls TX 63 88 64 85 / 90 0 0 50 Gage OK 50 84 58 82 / 60 0 0 10 Ponca City OK 60 80 62 80 / 100 0 0 50 Durant OK 65 83 65 82 / 100 30 10 40 && .OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...None. TX...None. && NEAR TERM...04 SHORT TERM...04 LONG TERM....01 AVIATION...06
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Norman OK
441 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026
OKZ015>017-012215-
Dewey OK-Custer OK-Blaine OK-
441 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern Custer,
northern Blaine and southeastern Dewey Counties through 515 PM CDT...
At 440 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Fay, moving northeast at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Watonga, Thomas, Canton, Longdale, Hitchcock, Oakwood, Canton Lake,
Eagle City, Fay, and Southard.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3592 9825 3571 9865 3575 9878 3582 9882
3617 9862 3617 9858
TIME...MOT...LOC 2140Z 218DEG 22KT 3580 9864
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
WarePreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Norman OK
603 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0544 PM Hail 5 E Watonga 35.84N 98.32W
04/01/2026 E2.00 Inch Blaine OK Public
Report from mPING: Hen Egg (2.00 in.).
&&
KSPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Norman OK
614 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0603 PM Hail 3 E Watonga 35.85N 98.36W
04/01/2026 E1.75 Inch Blaine OK Trained Spotter
Report from X with pictures.
&&
RBSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Norman OK
622 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026
OKZ021-033-034-012345-
Harmon OK-Beckham OK-Greer OK-
622 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northwestern Harmon,
north central Greer and Beckham Counties through 645 PM CDT...
At 622 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 5
miles southwest of Erick, moving northeast at 45 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Sayre, Erick, Carter, and Delhi.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3518 10000 3542 9966 3542 9964 3516 9937
3500 10000
TIME...MOT...LOC 2322Z 231DEG 38KT 3514 9991
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
30The Altus AFB radar (KFDR), 69 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:24 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Power lines and power poles were blown down along U.S. Highway 287 on the east side of Quanah. The event time is estimated based on radar observations.
The report was relayed through mPING.
Knox City (KNOX) Mesonet observation. Severe (>50-knot) wind gusts occurred during the event time, with the peak wind gust of 63 knots occurring at 1911 LST.
Hefner (HEFN) Mesonet observation.
A storm chaser observed a tornado north-northwest of Harrold. No damage was reported and the location of the tornado is estimated.
Seymour (SEYM) Mesonet observation.
Wind gust captured by a vehicle anemometer along Texas Highway 25, south of Mankins. The location is approximate.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 2026Warnings in Texas, April 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: 1329276, 1329279, 1329283, 1329284, 1329287, 1329285, 1329286.