Information on this webpage is considered preliminary and will continue to be updated as the event is analyzed.

Anyone with information that could enhance the record of these storms should contact the National Weather Service Office in Tulsa at 918-838-7838 during business hours, submit an online storm report, or send us an email at: sr-tsa.stormreport@noaa.gov. Information can also be posted on our Facebook page.

 

Jump to: Event Summary
 Meteorological Data from SPC Other Event Images
  Denning Tornado Dora Tornado Haskell Tornado
  Wagoner Tornado Pawhuska Tornado Hominy Area Tornado
  Kansas Area Tornado Talihina Tornado Heavener/Howe Tornado
  San Bois Mountain Tornado

 

Event Summary - 24 May 2011 Tornado and Severe Weather Event - updated 2:00 pm 6/16/11

A significant and deadly tornado outbreak occurred on May 24th as a powerful upper-level storm system moved into the central plains. As a dryline moved east into western Oklahoma, the atmosphere became extremely unstable by late afternoon. Mean layer CAPE values of 3000-4000 J/KG, coupled with very strong (60 to 70 knot) deep layer shear and storm relative helicity values in excess of 300 m2/s2 indicated a high potential for supercells capable of producing violent long track tornadoes.

Severe thunderstorms rapidly developed along the dryline in western and central Oklahoma during the afternoon of the 24th and moved east into eastern Oklahoma by early evening. Several strong and violent tornadoes occurred with the initial supercells in central Oklahoma, then continued into eastern Oklahoma and west central Arkansas overnight, with numerous reports of tornadoes. Five of these were rated strong to violent. Damaging straight-line winds also occurred with some of the stronger bow segments with several Oklahoma Mesonet sites measuring wind speeds in excess of 65 mph. NWS Tulsa continues to assess information and will update this website as events warrant. Preliminary Local Storm Reports can be found on the map below.

This Preliminary Event Impact Map will be updated as additional information is received.  Click on the icons within the map for additional details and/or images related to that impact.  Tornado information can be found by clicking on the track.  Individual tornado track maps and images may be available below the overview Event Impact Map.

Tornado Tracks: Due to mapping/GPS software differences and road accessibility along the track, use the plotted tracks for general reference only. Tornado tracks may be updated and/or changed due to storm damage surveys, data analysis, and eyewitness reports. Colored icons represent the Storm Survey rating assigned to surveyed damage. Click on the icon for additional information and available photos. You may need to zoom in tightly to see all the available data points when data points are logged close to one another.  Links to photos are available in the upper portion of the text window that opens when you click on one of the colored data icons or points. 

Tornado, Hail, Wind, and Flood Reports: Click on the icon for the time, location, and description of the storm report. Note that these reports are preliminary and the time and/or location may not be accurate. Click here to submit your storm report.

You can download the .kmz file displayed on the map by clicking on the layer name located just above the map.

 Survey Legend

 

 
 
Maps
Cities/Roads: Counties:

 Preliminary Tornado Information (last updated 2:00 pm 6/16/11):

Information from this event is still considered preliminary and will be modified based on additional information that may become available to us.  Anyone with information that could enhance the record of this event should contact the National Weather Service Office in Tulsa at 918-838-7838 during business hours, or send us an email at sr-tsa.stormreport@noaa.gov, or submit an online report. 

Damage images for each tornado can be found by clicking on the icons within the track map.  Additional images related to each tornado can be enlarged by clicking.  Hover your mouse over the image for a caption.

Denning Tornado (Franklin County AR)
EF-Scale EF-4
Damage:
Maximum Estimated Wind Speed about 170 mph The tornado touched down 1.8 miles south of Branch, AR and traveled northeast through Etna and Denning and into Johnson County.  The EF-4 rating was based on damage that occurred in and around Etna (located about 1 mile north of the intersection of Highways 288 and 23). Several well-built, wood-framed homes were severely damaged, one down to the foundation. The damage sustained to a well-built, steel framed home between Etna and the Arkansas River was also considered to be low-end EF4.  Some trees were debarked in the Etna area and the ground was considerably scoured by the debris generated by the tornado. The damage that occurred in Denning was rated EF-3 based on a severely damaged permanent home and ten 100 foot metal power poles being bent over near the ground.  Several other permanent homes were damaged and mobile homes were also destroyed in the Denning area, much of which was rated in the EF-2 range. This tornado killed one person in Etna and injured at least six others. Two additional people were killed by the tornado in Denning with at least ten serious injuries also reported. All of the fatalities were mobile home related.
Path Length 18.5 miles in Franklin/Logan counties then moved into Johnson County
Maximum Path Width 1.25 miles
Start Location and Time 1.8 miles south of Branch at 11:53 pm
End Location and Time 2.4 miles northeast of Alix (moved into Johnson County) at 12:15 am


View Larger Map		 radar image of Denning tornado
radar animiation of Denning tornado


 

Dora Tornado (Sequoyah County OK/Crawford County AR)
EF-Scale EF-1
Damage:
Maximum Estimated Wind Speed about 105 mph The tornado destroyed a barn, damaged homes, removed a lot of the siding of a metal building, and snapped or uprooted a number of trees.
Path Length 5.25 miles
Maximum Path Width 800 yards
Start Location and Time 3.4 miles east-northeast of Roland at 11:37 pm
End Location and Time 1.5 miles soutwest of Rena at 11:47 pm


View Larger Map		 radar image of Dora tornado



 

Haskell Tornado (Muskogee/Wagoner County OK)
EF-Scale EF-2
Damage:
Maximum Estimated Wind Speed about 125 mph Destroyed a mobile home. Overturned tractor trailer rigs. Snapped power poles.
Path Length 10 miles
Maximum Path Width 400 yards
Start Location and Time 5.5 miles southwest of Haskell at 8:42 pm
End Location and Time 2.2 miles south-southwest of Redbird at 9:00 pm


View Larger Map		 radar image of Haskell tornado
damge from Denning tornado


 

Wagoner Tornado (Wagoner County OK)
EF-Scale EF-2
Damage:
Maximum Estimated Wind Speed about 115 mph At least one mobile home was destroyed, several other mobile homes and permanent homes were damaged, numerous recreational vehicles were damaged or destroyed, and numerous trees were snapped or uprooted.
Path Length 4.4 miles
Maximum Path Width 450 yards
Start Location and Time 1.3 miles south-southwest of Wagoner at 9:13 pm
End Location and Time 4 miles east of Wagoner at 9:20 pm


View Larger Map		 radar image of Wagoner tornado



 

Pawhuska Tornado (Osage County OK)
EF-Scale EF-2
Damage:
Maximum Estimated Wind Speed about 115 mph Extensive tree damage, to mostly black oak trees, occurred as well as a number of power poles were snapped.
Path Length 17 miles
Maximum Path Width 750 yards
Start Location and Time 10.6 miles northwest of Hominy at 6:49 pm
End Location and Time 4.8 miles west of Pawhuska at 7:14 pm


View Larger Map		 radar image of Pawhuska tornado



 

Hominy Tornado (Osage County OK)
EF-Scale EF-1
Damage:
Maximum Estimated Wind Speed about 95 mph Trees were uprooted and power lines were blown down.
Path Length 2.8 miles
Maximum Path Width 440 yards
Start Location and Time 10.3 miles west of Hominy at 6:44 pm
End Location and Time 8.9 miles west-northwest of Hominy at 6:47 pm


View Larger Map



 

Kansas Tornado (Delaware County OK)
EF-Scale EF-1
Damage:
Maximum Estimated Wind Speed about 95 mph Storm chaser reported this tornado; some trees were uprooted and large limbs snapped.
Path Length 7 miles
Maximum Path Width 150 yards
Start Location and Time 2.3 miles northwest of Leach at 9:48 pm
End Location and Time 5 miles north-northwest of Kansas at 9:59 pm


View Larger Map



 

Talihina Tornado (Le Flore County OK)
EF-Scale EF-0
Damage:
Maximum Estimated Wind Speed no known damage
 Storm chaser reported this tornado; there is no known damage as it was apparently over open country, inaccessible by road.
Path Length 1.5 miles
Maximum Path Width 100 yards
Start Location and Time 4 miles south of Talihina at 10:14 pm
End Location and Time 3.8 miles southeast of Talihina at 10:16 pm


View Larger Map



 

Heavener/Howe Tornado (Le Flore County OK)
EF-Scale EF-2
Damage:
Maximum Estimated Wind Speed about 115 mph
 A mobile home was destroyed, permanent homes were damaged, and trees were snapped or uprooted. Large wooden power poles were also snapped.
Path Length 12 miles
Maximum Path Width 1 mile
Start Location and Time 5.3 miles west of Hodgen at 10:44 pm
End Location and Time 2.2 miles northeast of Howe at 11:02 pm


View Larger Map



 

San Bois Mountain Tornado (Latimer County OK)
EF-Scale EF-1
Damage:
Maximum Estimated Wind Speed about 105 mph
 This tornado occurred in the San Bois Mountians southwest of Blue Mountain.  Due to the lack of roads in the area, a local resident traversed the tornado path in an ATV.  He reported 100 or more trees downed or snapped.  He noted the trees were laying both to the south and to the north in this swath and estimated the path width to be between 200 and 400 yards.  He also estimated the path length was greater than 2 miles but due to the terrain, he was not able to reach the beginning or end of the damage path.  The EF-1 rating is based on the tree damage description: many large hardwood tree trunks snapped.
Path Length approx. 2.5 miles
Maximum Path Width approx. 300 yards
Start Location and Time approx. 5 miles north of Panola at 9:50 pm
End Location and Time approx. 7 miles north-northeast of Panola at 9:55 pm


View Larger Map		 radar image of San Bois Mountain tornado



 

 Other Event Images

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