Forecasters say a multi-day stretch of severe weather is building across Oklahoma, with several rounds of storms expected from Monday through midweek and the strongest part of the system now in southern Oklahoma. The tornado threat has ended for now, but the line of storms is still bringing damaging winds, heavy rain and hail as it moves east.
Meteorologists at the Bob Mills Weather Center say the setup could be one of the most active weather patterns so far this season, and Tuesday is shaping up as the day with the greatest potential for widespread severe storms. Another round is expected Wednesday, and additional storm chances could return late Friday when a cold front moves through.
The system was already producing impacts Monday evening, with the Tornado Watch replaced by Severe Thunderstorm Watches ahead of a line of storms. The strongest part of the system was affecting Garvin County and moving east at about 45 mph, while forecasters said storms were producing frequent lightning and there was no significant rotation at the time. Across the Oklahoma City metro, light to moderate rain was falling and light rain was expected to continue through the evening, with no tornado warnings and no confirmed tornadoes anywhere in Oklahoma so far.
The main threat has shifted to damaging winds. Gusts between 50 and 60 mph were reported near Prague along Highway 62, and a severe storm moving out of southwest Oklahoma was expected to reach Lindsay around 9:10 p.m. with winds of 40 to 50 mph. Forecasters also said 1 to 3 inches of rainfall could fall from Seminole to Marlow.
Storm tracker Tom Pastrano reported street flooding in Lawton after about an hour of heavy rain moved through the area, with an estimated 1 to 2 inches of rain, gusts just over 60 mph and pea-sized hail. He said the storm continued moving northeast, and forecasters said additional rain and storms remain possible across the region.
Western Oklahoma is also still under heightened wildfire risk as warm, dry and windy conditions persist ahead of each round of storms. That combination means the same weather pattern bringing flood-prone rain and severe storms to parts of the state is keeping fire danger elevated farther west, and that split risk will continue while the system works through Oklahoma this week.
The question now is not whether Oklahoma will see more storms, but how intense Tuesday’s round becomes. Forecasters say the strongest severe weather day of the stretch is still ahead.
