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Deadly tornados tore through several Oklahoma communities on May 19, 20 and 31, 2013. These are the stories of natural disaster and its aftermath, and of communities healing and recovering.

Memorial Day Storms Will Add To OK Flooding Concerns

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Norman, OK
Updated National Weather Service severe weather outlook for Memorial Day as of 12:30 p.m.

Updated 4:30 p.m. The National Weather adds several Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, including a recently tweeted statement regarding a strong storm impacting Pittsburg County. 

Updated 3:00 p.m. Storms are moving into the Oklahoma City metro. Meanwhile, National Weather Service meteorologists extended a previously listed Tornado Warning for areas including: Durant OK, Calera OK, Colbert OK until 3:30 p.m.

Update 2:15 p.m. The tornado watch area has been expanded and runs to 6pm. Oklahoma counties included are:

Atoka Bryan Caddo

Canadian Carter Cleveland

Coal Comanche Cotton

Garvin Grady Hughes

Jackson Jefferson Johnston

Kiowa Love Mcclain

Marshall Murray Oklahoma

Pontotoc Pottawatomie Seminole

Stephens Tillman Washita

 

Updated 12:50 a.m. The National Weather Service has extended the tornado watch and it now includes the OKC metro area until 6pm.

Credit National Weather Service Office in Norman, Oklahoma
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National Weather Service Office in Norman, Oklahoma
Tornado watch area for Monday, May 25, 2015.

Updated 11:20 a.m.  National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist Rick Smith offers this county-by-county graphic of areas (of Texas and Oklahoma) under a Tornado Watch until 6 p.m.

Updated 9:30 a.m. National Weather Service meteorologist Rick Smith says to "pay attention and expect watches and warnings, especially along and south of I-40." 

National Weather Service Storm Projections for Monday, May 25, 2015
Credit National Weather Service
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National Weather Service
National Weather Service Storm Projections for Monday, May 25, 2015

The current NWS forecast calls for thunderstorms to develop across northwest Texas and the southern half of Oklahoma. These storms will move to the North and East through the day. Oklahoma City metro area residents should expect showers and storms by late afternoon /early evening. Damaging winds, hail, and even tornadoes may be possible. Periods of heavy rainfall and resulting flooding are to be expected. 

  

A tweet from KOCO TV offers this hourly 'slide show' projection:

Original Post 

Authorities are blaming a third death on weekend storms that have barreled through the Plains and Midwest. Keli Cain, an Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokeswoman, said in a statement yesterday that a 33-year-old woman was killed Saturday in a traffic collision in Tulsa. She didn't release the woman's name.

The Claremore firefighter who died after being swept away by floodwaters while assisting in a water rescue has been named. Claremore Fire Chief Sean Douglas says Captain Jason Farley died while helping to rescue about 10 people who were trapped in duplexes by rising water. Farley was swept into a drainage ditch about 11:30 p.m. Saturday. His body was recovered about 1 a.m. Sunday.

This weekend's heavy rains contributed to the shattering of all previous statewide monthly rainfall amounts. The National Weather service reports a total of 18.69 inches of rainfall in Oklahoma City this month, making this May Oklahoma's wettest month on record. And more rain is coming.

 

Credit National Weather Service
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National Weather Service
Memorial Day Flash Flood Watch

The National Weather Service says moderate to strong instability and lots of moisture will be in place over Oklahoma and north Texas today. These conditions will provide support for a complex of thunderstorms, some of which could become severe. Flash Flood Watches and Warnings remain in effect across the state. 

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