Tornadoes · United States · Oklahoma · 2026
EF0 tornado, Mason, Oklahoma, March 6, 2026
This EF0 tornado ran 5.0 miles across Okfuskee County on March 6, 2026, touching down at 6:38 PM CST and reaching 160 yards wide. It killed nobody.
Preliminary. This is NWS TSA's damage survey, filed in the Damage Assessment Toolkit. The rating, the path and the casualties are the survey's and can change while it is revised. The Storm Prediction Center compiles the official record of 2026 from these surveys and publishes it in the spring of 2027; this page moves to that tornado's permanent address when it does.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
EF3136 to 165 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
EF5over 200 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
The survey
- Rating, as surveyed
- EF0, preliminary
- Date
- March 6, 2026
- Touchdown
- 6:38 PM CST (00:38 UTC)
- Lifted
- 6:45 PM CST (00:45 UTC)
- On the ground
- 7 minutes
- Path length
- 5.0 miles (8.1 km)
- Path width
- 160 yards (146 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- County
- Okfuskee County
- Touchdown point
- 35.549, -96.416
- Lift-off point
- 35.599, -96.351
- Highest wind the damage implies
- 75 mph
- Surveyed by
- NWS TSA
- Survey last edited
- March 10, 2026
- Record number
- None yet. SPC numbers 2026 in the spring of 2027.
What the survey found
Chaser video and a debris signature from KINX WSR-88D indicated this tornado began west of highway 48 about 6 miles north-northwest of Castle. The tornado crossed highway 48 where it damaged the roof of two mobile homes and downed small branches along E980 road before dissipating.
Written by NWS TSA in the NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit. A survey is revised as better evidence arrives.
What the Weather Service recorded
Severe thunderstorms developed into eastern Oklahoma during the late afternoon of the 6th, ahead of a surface dry line, and moved across the area through the evening hours. The atmosphere had become strongly unstable across eastern Oklahoma during the afternoon east of the dry line. This instability, combined with very strong low-level and deep-layer wind shear across the region, resulted in the evolution of several long-lived supercell thunderstorms. These supercells produced eleven tornadoes, a couple of which were strong and damaging, large hail up to quarter size, damaging wind gusts, and localized flash flooding.
Storm chaser video and a debris signature from KINX WSR-88D indicated this tornado began west of Highway 48, about 6 miles north-northwest of Castle. The tornado crossed Highway 48, where it damaged the roof of two mobile homes and snapped tree limbs along the E980 Road before dissipating. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 70 to 75 mph.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, 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 tornado touched down at Mar 6, 5:39 PM CST, 59 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Updated at 1116 AM PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026
- Potentially more widespread severe weather threat with all modes possible may develop this afternoon and continue into early Saturday morning.
- Continued heavy rainfall potential through Saturday morning with a localized flash flooding threat.
- Dry for Sunday, but additional storm chances return early to middle of next week.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 6, 5:39 PM CST, 59 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tulsa OK 539 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1116 AM PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026 - Potentially more widespread severe weather threat with all modes possible may develop this afternoon and continue into early Saturday morning. - Continued heavy rainfall potential through Saturday morning with a localized flash flooding threat. - Dry for Sunday, but additional storm chances return early to middle of next week. && .SHORT TERM... (Through tonight ) Issued at 1116 AM CST Fri Mar 6 2026 An active severe weather day is still anticipated over the local area from this afternoon through tonight, though details regarding the corridor of highest threat remain unclear. At this time, the potential for higher-end severe weather exists, with areas east of Highway 75 generally favored, but this threat remains highly conditional. BLUF...residents of eastern Oklahoma and west central and northwest AR need to remain alert to severe weather potential and keep up with the forecast as details start to emerge over the next several hours. At present, a band of elevated thunderstorms continues along and west of Highway 75 in northeast OK in a zone of low level warm advection. Latest CAMs continue to weaken this and lift it north into early this afternoon, which makes sense, but they have struggled with the initialization. For the moment these remain sub-severe, though MUCPAE of around 1000 does support a hail threat. One signal that has emerged in the data is for additional discrete cells to develop this afternoon within an axis of stronger sfc-based instability that spreads north into SE OK and eventually points north later this afternoon. Early signs of this could be in developing convection currently across central TX, which would lift northeast into this increasingly unstable air. Should these sustain, this might be the best opportunity for more significant severe weather, especially as low level jet strengthens this evening. But again, uncertainty remains quite high. By late this evening and overnight, a cold front will begin to push southeast across the local area, with additional convection forced along this boundary. Still not clear how much the environment will be impacted by storms today, but frontal storms should at least pose a limited wind threat overnight, while becoming more focused over southeast OK and into WC AR with time. Front may tend to undercut storms which could be a limiting factor as well. Finally, worth noting that PWAT values well above climatology reside over the region, and will support high rainfall rates in more sustained convection. OVerall rainfall amounts could end up highly variable, but at least localized 3-4" amounts are feasible and would result in some flash flooding through tonight, especially from SE OK through NW AR. && .LONG TERM... (Tomorrow through Friday) Issued at 1116 AM CST Fri Mar 6 2026 Showers and thunderstorms will be ongoing Saturday near the frontal zone and continue through much of the morning at least. Lingering potential for severe weather continues, though most storms are expected to be elevated, outside potentially areas near the Red RIver early. Once this finally clears the area, quiet conditions prevail Saturday night and Sunday, with a light freeze possible Sunday morning across some of NE OK and NW AR. Cutoff portion of upper low is forecast to eject into the southern plains early next week with rain and thunderstorm chances returning. Some additional flooding and severe potential will likely exist into mid-week. Pattern is then expected to transition back to a more settled WNW flow aloft late next week. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 539 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026 Clusters of showers and thunderstorms will affect NE OK sites over the next few hours with lowered VSBY and lightning along with some periods of gusty winds possible in the strongest storms. Storms will then shift into NW AR sites later this evening while a cold front drops into NE OK toward the midnight hour. Additional thunderstorm development is expected along the front as it moves through the region. overnight into tomorrow morning. The front will also bring a wind shift from southerly to northwesterly through the rest of the period. Gusts near 20 knots will likely follow the front through tomorrow morning. CIGs should generally remain VFR through a lot of the period outside of some MVFR CIGs possible with some thunderstorms. Bowlan && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TUL 46 61 38 72 / 60 10 0 0 FSM 58 70 43 74 / 90 60 10 0 MLC 50 66 41 74 / 80 30 10 0 BVO 41 60 33 72 / 60 0 0 0 FYV 50 67 37 73 / 80 50 10 0 BYV 55 65 38 69 / 90 50 10 0 MKO 48 62 37 71 / 80 20 10 0 MIO 45 58 36 68 / 80 0 0 0 F10 46 60 37 71 / 70 10 10 0 HHW 57 68 46 71 / 90 70 40 10 && .TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...None. AR...None. && SHORT TERM...14 LONG TERM....14 AVIATION...04
Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 6, 1:21 PM CST, 5 hours 17 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Tulsa OK 121 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026 ARZ001-002-010-011-019-020-029-OKZ049-053>076-071930- Adair OK-Benton AR-Carroll AR-Cherokee OK-Choctaw OK-Craig OK- Crawford AR-Creek OK-Delaware OK-Franklin AR-Haskell OK-Latimer OK- Le Flore OK-Madison AR-Mayes OK-McIntosh OK-Muskogee OK-Nowata OK- Okfuskee OK-Okmulgee OK-Osage OK-Ottawa OK-Pawnee OK-Pittsburg OK- Pushmataha OK-Rogers OK-Sebastian AR-Sequoyah OK-Tulsa OK-Wagoner OK- Washington OK-Washington AR- 121 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026 ...SEVERE WEATHER LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT... This Outlook is for Northwest and West Central Arkansas as well as much of Eastern Oklahoma. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. TORNADO. RISK...Elevated. AREA...Eastern Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas. ONSET...Late Afternoon. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. RISK...Elevated. AREA...Eastern Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas. ONSET...Late Afternoon. HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOOD. RISK...Limited. AREA...Eastern Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas. ONSET...Late Afternoon. SIGNIFICANT WINDS. RISK...Limited. AREA...Eastern Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas. ONSET...Ongoing. DISCUSSION... Showers and thunderstorms are expected to quickly increase in coverage and intensity during the afternoon and evening hours. There is a conditional threat for severe weather this afternoon and tonight, with ongoing uncertainties relating to widespread cloud cover and somewhat cooler air left behind from earlier storms. But assuming storms are able to get going, large hail (2+ inches), damaging winds (70+ mph), and tornadoes may all occur. Areas of heavy rain are likely. Storms will initially focus across southeast OK, spreading north and east with time. Storm activity will diminish overnight behind a cold front. SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTION STATEMENT... Activation of the Regional Spotter Network Likely. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. SATURDAY...Thunderstorm Potential. SUNDAY...No Hazards. MONDAY...Thunderstorm Potential...High Wind Potential. TUESDAY...Thunderstorm Potential...High Wind Potential...Heavy Rain Potential. WEDNESDAY...Thunderstorm Potential...Heavy Rain Potential. THURSDAY...No Hazards. EXTENDED DISCUSSION... A few storms will persist into Saturday morning before completely winding down. Sunday appears to be quiet, but another weather system will bring storms back to the area Monday-Wednesday. Once again, there will be the potential for severe weather and heavy rain for much of the area. Temperatures will remain above normal for the entire week. weather.gov/tulsa contains additional information.
In the hours before
Local storm report, Mar 6, 5:34 PM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Tulsa OK
534 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0518 PM Tornado 2 NW Bristow 35.83N 96.39W
03/06/2026 Creek OK Public
Public report of Tornado northwest side of
Bristow.
&&
JDSSpecial weather statement, Mar 6, 5:41 PM CST, 57 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tulsa OK
541 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026
OKZ058-070000-
Ottawa OK-
541 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN OTTAWA COUNTY
THROUGH 600 PM CST...
At 541 PM CST, Doppler radar indicated a strong thunderstorm 5 miles
south of Quapaw, moving northeast at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down small tree limbs and blow
around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation
is possible.
Locations in or near the path include...
Ottawa... Quapaw...
Miami... Baxter Springs...
This includes Interstate 44 between mile markers 308 and 323.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CST for northeastern
Oklahoma.
&&
LAT...LON 3689 9470 3683 9479 3687 9487 3700 9481
3700 9462
TIME...MOT...LOC 2341Z 219DEG 43KT 3688 9478
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPHSpecial weather statement, Mar 6, 5:52 PM CST, 46 minutes before
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Tulsa OK 552 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026 OKZ056-070015- Nowata OK- 552 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN NOWATA COUNTY THROUGH 615 PM CST... At 552 PM CST, Doppler radar indicated a strong thunderstorm 5 miles west of South Coffeyville, moving northeast at 40 mph. HAZARD...Nickel size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible. Locations in or near the path include... South Coffeyville... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CST for northeastern Oklahoma. && LAT...LON 3700 9557 3692 9572 3696 9579 3700 9579 TIME...MOT...LOC 2352Z 239DEG 34KT 3697 9571 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH
Special weather statement, Mar 6, 6:01 PM CST, 37 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tulsa OK
601 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026
OKZ054>056-070030-
Osage OK-Nowata OK-Washington OK-
601 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT EAST CENTRAL OSAGE...NORTHERN
WASHINGTON AND NORTHWESTERN NOWATA COUNTIES THROUGH 630 PM CST...
At 600 PM CST, Doppler radar indicated a strong thunderstorm near
Bartlesville Municipal Airport, moving northeast at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down small tree limbs and blow
around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation
is possible.
Locations in or near the path include...
South Coffeyville... Wann...
Copan... Dewey...
Bartlesville Municipal Airport... Bartlesville...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CST for northeastern
Oklahoma.
&&
LAT...LON 3669 9602 3678 9612 3700 9594 3700 9557
TIME...MOT...LOC 0000Z 221DEG 45KT 3680 9602
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPHSpecial weather statement, Mar 6, 6:08 PM CST, 30 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tulsa OK
608 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026
OKZ064-070045-
Creek OK-
608 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT CENTRAL CREEK COUNTY THROUGH 645
PM CST...
At 608 PM CST, Doppler radar indicated strong thunderstorms along a
line extending from 7 miles east of Drumright to 2 miles northwest of
Bristow. Movement was northeast at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down small tree limbs and blow
around unsecured objects.
Locations in or near the path include...
Mannford...
This includes Interstate 44 between mile markers 192 and 203.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CST for northeastern
Oklahoma.
&&
LAT...LON 3613 9633 3590 9620 3583 9646 3602 9654
TIME...MOT...LOC 0008Z 226DEG 26KT 3601 9646 3586 9642
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPHSpecial weather statement, Mar 6, 6:26 PM CST, 12 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tulsa OK
626 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026
OKZ060-064-070100-
Tulsa OK-Creek OK-
626 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN CREEK AND WEST
CENTRAL TULSA COUNTIES THROUGH 700 PM CST...
At 625 PM CST, Doppler radar indicated strong thunderstorms along a
line extending from 3 miles south of Keystone State Park to 5 miles
northeast of Bristow. Movement was east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down small tree limbs and blow
around unsecured objects.
Locations in or near the path include...
Kellyville... Sapulpa...
Kiefer... Sand Springs...
This includes Interstate 44 between mile markers 196 and 218.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CST for northeastern
Oklahoma.
&&
LAT...LON 3609 9603 3589 9607 3589 9634 3609 9626
TIME...MOT...LOC 0025Z 249DEG 27KT 3609 9626 3590 9634
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPHThe air that afternoon
The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.
Norman, OK (KOUN), 00:00Z
0.6 hours before the tornado, 100 km from the path. March 7, 2026.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1928 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -17 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 2570 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 969 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 54 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 25 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 203 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 237 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 2.6
- Supercell composite
- 11.6
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 7.2 K/km
Norman, OK (KOUN), 12:00Z
11.4 hours after it, 100 km from the path. March 7, 2026.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -7461 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1161 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 59 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 7 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -51 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 244 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 1.7 K/km
The surface observations
Okmulgee Municipal Airport (OKM), 41 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 UTC |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Norman radar (KTLX), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 00:38 UTC.
Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track
Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2026 tornado in OklahomaEvery tornado in Oklahoma since 1950Warnings in force in Oklahoma nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of March 6, 2026
14 more have been surveyed in the United States that day, so far.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 6 | 3:09 PM EST | EF1 | Cass, MI | 13.4 | 350 | 1 | ||
| March 6 | 3:47 PM EST | EF2 | Saint Joseph, MI | 12.4 | 450 | 10 | ||
| March 6 | 4:33 PM EST | EF3 | Branch, MI | 4.5 | 500 | 3 | 12 | |
| March 6 | 4:58 PM EST | EF0 | Calhoun, MI | 2.5 | 125 | |||
| March 6 | 5:18 PM CST | EF1 | Creek, OK | 6.2 | 270 | |||
| March 6 | 6:24 PM CST | EF1 | Osage, OK | 6.0 | 600 | |||
| March 6 | 6:55 PM CST | EF2 | Rogers, OK | 4.7 | 150 | |||
| March 6 | 7:17 PM CST | EF3 | Okmulgee, OK | 6.8 | 950 | 2 | 2 | |
| March 6 | 8:03 PM CST | EF0 | Wagoner, OK | 1.4 | 130 | |||
| March 6 | 8:05 PM CST | EF1 | Wagoner, OK | 1.6 | 300 | |||
| March 6 | 8:24 PM CST | Unrated | Rogers, OK | 1.4 | 150 | |||
| March 6 | 8:29 PM CST | EF1 | Rogers, OK | 6.6 | 350 | |||
| March 6 | 9:55 PM CST | Unrated | Delaware, OK | 0.5 | 100 | |||
| March 6 | 11:34 PM CST | EF0 | Johnson, KS to MO | 7.9 | 50 |
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. A survey can be revised, so the rating, the path and the casualties can all still change.
Sources
NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit, the record the survey teams file from the damage, and NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports. Neither is the official database for 2026, which SPC publishes in the spring of 2027.