NWS Norman News

Hail Observation Research Project (3/20/2008 8:00 pm CDT) If you live within 90 miles of Norman, Oklahoma, you are invited to participate in a National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) research project. The project is called the Hail Size Discrimination Experiment.  More information is available here.

Weather History for May 17 The severe weather that began on May 16, 1991, persisted into the 17th, producing flash flooding over the western and central parts of Oklahoma. Rainfall accumulations of nearly nine inches flooded many low lying areas and houses in the Weatherford area. In Kingfisher, flood waters covered 64 square blocks of town, and forced the evacuation of 600 people. The National Guard was called in to help in the evacuation as the flood waters reached six to eight feet deep in a few places. The floods washed out 11 major bridges in Lincoln County.

A small outbreak of six tornadoes occurred in central and north central Oklahoma on this date in 1983. The most significant tornado of the day moved along a 10-mile path in Canadian County near El Reno. The F2 tornado unroofed a brick home near Fort Reno, and damaged or destroyed grain bins and metal barns. Sheep and cattle were also killed at the Oklahoma State University of Agriculture and Applied Science Experimental Station. These tornadoes occurred just 4 days after a large outbreak of tornadoes raked Oklahoma and north Texas on May 13, 1983.

On this date in 1981, an outbreak of tornadoes occurred in central and eastern Oklahoma. A total 15 tornadoes were observed across the region, with the most damaging tornadoes striking in Oklahoma, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Okfuskee and Okmulgee counties. The strongest tornado of the day, rated F4, touched 2 miles southeast of the town of Little in Seminole County. The twister moved northeast through Okfuskee and Okmulgee counties, tearing a 35-mile path of destruction that ended at the west edge of Lake Okmulgee. This tornado outbreak was just one of several that occurred during a very active weather period in May 1981.

Learn more about the weather history for Oklahoma and western north Texas here.