The Harrold tornado was in its formative stages at about the time the Vernon tornado was crossing the Red River. First indications of tornado damage were near Harrold, which is located approximately 16 miles southwest of Vernon. Two Oklahoma University meteorology students (including Wayne Collamore) photographed the large tornado, which descended from a rotating wall cloud under the southwest flank of the severe thunderstorm.

The tornado moved across Highway 287 and caused light damage before entering Wichita County about 5 miles northeast of Harrold. Additional light rural damage occurred in the miles of Wichita County that the tornado covered. The half-mile wide tornado crossed the Red River into Oklahoma about 9 miles north-northeast of Electra. The path length was 9 miles in Texas and 55 miles in Oklahoma. At about the time the tornado was developing at Harrold, 1.5 to 3 inch diameter hailstones were reported 7 miles west of Harrold.