© 2024 KGOU
News and Music for Oklahoma
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Tennis Ball-Sized Hail, Tornados Possible Sunday In Southwest, Central Oklahoma

Much of Oklahoma could be in for a round of severe storms with large hail and possibly tornados Sunday afternoon.

Norman Forecast Office meteorologists say the greatest threat appears to be tennis ball-sized hail and 60-70 mile-per-hour wind.

Updated 5:57 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for much of central and western Oklahoma, with at least one Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued so far for the far southwest corner of the state.

Quarter-sized hail has been reported in the Texas city of Lockett, directly southwest of the Oklahoma towns of Frederick and Lawton. The Wilbarger County Emergency Management department says streets in the Texas city of Vernon are flooded.

Credit Oklahoma Mesonet
/
Oklahoma Mesonet

Original Post

National Weather Service senior forecaster Ryan Barnes said in a briefing Sunday morning storms will start to develop between 3 and 5 p.m. in southwest Oklahoma, and between 7 and 9 p.m. in northern and central Oklahoma. The storms will likely continue through the overnight hours.

“There will also be a risk of tornados,” Barnes said. “Late [Sunday] afternoon through [Sunday] evening. The low threat ecompasses most of Oklahoma and western North Texas, but specifically we’re looking at anywhere from Clinton to Altus to Lawton to just north of Ardmore into the Oklahoma City metro before sunset.”

In northern Oklahoma, rain chances will increase dramatically along a cold front, and stretch down the dryline into central and southwest Oklahoma Sunday evening.

A slight risk of severe weather continues Monday across southeast Oklahoa, with a marginal risk in the metro. There could be more showers behind the cold front.

KGOU is a community-supported news organization and relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. Donate online, or by contacting our Membership department.

Brian Hardzinski is from Flower Mound, Texas and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. He began his career at KGOU as a student intern, joining KGOU full time in 2009 as Operations and Public Service Announcement Director. He began regularly hosting Morning Edition in 2014, and became the station's first Digital News Editor in 2015-16. Brian’s work at KGOU has been honored by Public Radio News Directors Incorporated (PRNDI), the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters, the Oklahoma Associated Press Broadcasters, and local and regional chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists. Brian enjoys competing in triathlons, distance running, playing tennis, and entertaining his rambunctious Boston Terrier, Bucky.
More News
Support nonprofit, public service journalism you trust. Give now.