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A large complex of severe thunderstorms moved from southern Kansas into northern and central Oklahoma during the evening of May 24th and the early morning of May 25th, producing a total of 16 tornadoes, most of which occurred in Grant County. Almost all of tornadoes were weak and rated F0 or F1 on the Fujita Scale, but one tornado that occurred near Lamont in Grant County was rated F3. There were also reports of hail up to 3.5 inches in diameter, straight-line wind damage, and flooding.
The first tornado, an F0, touched down in an open field 1 mile south of Amorita in Alfalfa County at 5:45 pm CST (6:45 pm CDT) lasting for less than one minute with no reports of damage. The second tornado, also an F0, was reported 5 minutes later by media chasers to have touched down in an open field 3 miles east northeast of Amorita. Touchdown was very brief with no damage reported.
The third tornado was also observed by media chasers, this time in northeast Alfalfa County 8 miles east of Amorita. The tornado, an F1, damaged one house and knocked down power lines as it moved southeast and weakened while crossing into western Grant County for a total damage path length of 5 miles. There were no reports of damage with this segment of the tornado in Grant County and thus, it was rated an F0. An unusual aspect of this tornado was that it was reported to be rotating anticyclonically.
The fourth and fifth tornadoes were also rated F0, the fourth reported by media chasers to have touched down in an open field 4 west northwest of Wakita with no damage, and the fifth observed by Wakita Fire Department to be on the ground for 2.5 miles from 2 miles southwest of Wakita to 2 miles south of Wakita. No damage was reported.
An off-duty National Weather Service meteorologist observed the sixth tornado, an F0, in an open field nine miles west of Medford. The seventh tornado, also an F0, produced no damage as it rotated anticyclonically 3 miles southeast of Wakita. The eighth and ninth tornadoes, both F0, occurred simultaneously 6 miles west of Medford. The eighth tornado touched down just north of U.S. Highway 64/OK State Highway 11 while the ninth tornado touched down just south of U.S. Highway 64/OK State Highway 11. One house and a business were damaged by the tenth tornado which occurred in Grant County from 2 miles southwest of Medford to 2 miles south of Medford.
The eleventh tornado, an F0, was observed by an off duty National Weather Service meteorologist as it knocked down trees and power lines in a 5-mile-long damage path in southern Grant County. The twelfth tornado, an F1, snapped trees in half and damaged a private airstrip 4 miles east-northeast of Pond Creek while the thirteenth tornado, also an F1, damaged several homes and knocked down trees and power lines 1 mile north of Salt Fork. The fourteenth tornado, an F0, was reported by spotters to have touched down briefly in an open field causing no damage.
At about 9:10 pm CST, the 15th tornado touched down just south of the Salt Fork of the Arkansas River about 3 miles south of Lamont. The tornado moved to the north-northwest damaging a number of homes to the southwest and west of Lamont, and knocking over numerous trees and power lines. The tornado lifted at about 9:25 pm CST 3 miles northwest of Lamont. It was most destructive tornado on May 24, 1998, and damage estimates near the city of Lamont reached 2 million dollars.
National Weather Service meteorologists conducted a survey of the area on May 26th and found a damage path 5 1/4 miles long and 3/4 of a mile wide with F3 damage occurring 2 miles west of Lamont where a well-built brick home had all of its exterior walls destroyed. In addition, six single-family homes were destroyed 1.5 miles south of Lamont, while in the city of Lamont 3 single-family dwellings sustained major damage. Nine single-family homes suffered minor damage. Nearly a dozen vehicles were destroyed, including automobiles, pickup trucks, farm trucks, and farm tractors. Several barns were destroyed including one barn where 30 sheep were also killed. More than 70 utility poles were ripped down in a 3-mile stretch. The Lamont tornado, as it is referred, was unusual in its direction of movement.
Several eyewitnesses reported a southeast to northwest movement. WSR-88D data also showed the mesocyclone associated with the tornado moving from south to north in a looping manner when the tornado was reported.
The last tornado, the sixteenth of this episode, touched down briefly in an open field 5 miles northwest of Tonkawa at 9:30 pm CST. Tonkawa Emergency Management reported no damage. Thus, this tornado was rated an F0.
In addition to these tornadoes, a large macroburst containing damaging straight-line winds occurred from 13 miles west of Medford in Grant County to 4 miles west northwest of Pond Creek. Satellite dishes owned by Classic Cable Company (rated at 110 mph), were flattened by the winds. Straight-line wind damage was also reported in Alva where one man sustained minor injuries when he was blown into the bed of a pickup truck. In addition, in Alva at least 3 mobile homes suffered major damage; several carports were destroyed; awning and minor roof damage occurred to many homes; and trees and power lines were blown down. One indirect fatality occurred in Alva when a man slipped and suffered a heart attack while seeking shelter in a storm cellar.
Other reports of straight-line wind damage include major roof damage to an old schoolhouse gymnasium in the city of Jefferson in Grant County. Two large cedar trees were also uprooted in Jefferson. A tree limb was blown through a picture window 14 miles north-northeast of Camp Houston in Woods County. Windows were also blown out of a shed, and numerous trees were downed. Four to six inch tree limbs were blown down 9 miles west of Cherokee in Alfalfa County.
In Thomas in Custer County, one utility pole was snapped and large limbs were blown down. Power lines were knocked down in Edmond in Oklahoma County. Severe winds also damaged the roof of the Fred Humphrey Pavilion in Shawnee in Pottawatomie County. The largest hail reported measured 3.5 inches in diameter and occurred in Medford in Grant County. Three reported events of at least tennis ball size hail occurred in Goltry (Alfalfa County) in less than 2 hours: tennis ball size hail at 9:40 pm CST and 10:30 pm CST, and baseball size hail at 11:05 pm CST. Between 30 and 100 percent of the wheat crop was destroyed due to large hail from about 2 miles west of Jet to near Goltry. Another area south of Cherokee, near the junction of U.S. Highway 64 and OK State Highway 8 also sustained major wheat crop damage. In addition, numerous vehicles had their windows broken.
Tennis ball size hail also damaged the wheat crop and numerous vehicles in Okarche in Canadian County while in Watonga in Blaine County golf ball size hail damaged RV vehicles and streetlights. Quarter size hail damaged several vehicles 6 miles north of Piedmont in Canadian County. Lightning struck a house in Piedmont causing a house to catch on fire. The last of the severe thunderstorms moved through northern Oklahoma during the early morning of May 25th, resulting in flooding near Cherokee and the National Wildlife Refuge in Alfalfa County, where 5.5 inches of rain fell. Several streets and the city park were also flooded in Blackwell in Kay County during the evening of May 24th.
Special thanks to Gary England and Val Castor of KWTV, Chris Lee of KOCO-TV, and Charles Conaghan of Tonkawa Emergency Management. Also, thanks to the residents interviewed during the survey, and other local storm chasers who provided documentation including Todd Crawford, John Spoon, Jeff Piotrowski, and Dave Williams/KTUL.
| Year | Total |
| 2011 | 22 |
| 1998 | 16 |
| 1957 | 12 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 1962 | 8 |
| Tornado Number |
Date | Time (CST) |
Length of Path (miles) |
Width of Path (yards) |
F-Scale | Killed | Injured | County | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 05/24/1998 | 2010-2025 | 5 | 1300 | F3 | 0 | 0 | Grant | 3 S - 3 NW Lamont |
At about 9:10 pm CST, the 15th tornado touched down just south of the Salt Fork of the Arkansas River about 3 miles south of Lamont. The tornado moved to the north-northwest damaging a number of homes to the southwest and west of Lamont, and knocking over numerous trees and power lines. The tornado lifted at about 9:25 pm CST 3 miles northwest of Lamont. It was most destructive tornado on May 24, 1998, and damage estimates near the city of Lamont reached 2 million dollars.
National Weather Service meteorologists conducted a survey of the area on May 26th and found a damage path 5 1/4 miles long and 3/4 of a mile wide with F3 damage occurring 2 miles west of Lamont where a well-built brick home had all of its exterior walls destroyed. In addition, six single-family homes were destroyed 1.5 miles south of Lamont, while in the city of Lamont 3 single-family dwellings sustained major damage. Nine single-family homes suffered minor damage. Nearly a dozen vehicles were destroyed, including automobiles, pickup trucks, farm trucks, and farm tractors. Several barns were destroyed including one barn where 30 sheep were also killed. More than 70 utility poles were ripped down in a 3-mile stretch. The Lamont tornado, as it is referred, was unusual in its direction of movement.
Several eyewitnesses reported a southeast to northwest movement. WSR-88D data also showed the mesocyclone associated with the tornado moving from south to north in a looping manner when the tornado was reported.
 This photo shows F2 damage to house 2 miles south-southwest of Lamont, OK. |
 This photo shows the same house and trees damaged 2 miles south-southwest of Lamont, OK. |
 This photo shows the other side of the same house located 2 miles south-southwest of Lamont, OK. |
 This photo shows F3 damage to a house 2 miles west of Lamont, OK. |
| Tornadoes by Intensity | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EFU | EF0 | EF1 | EF2 | EF3 | EF4 | EF5 | Total |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tornado Number |
Date | Time (CST) |
Length of Path (miles) |
Width of Path (yards) |
F-Scale | Killed | Injured | County | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 05/24/1998 | 1745 | 0.1 | 30 | F0 | 0 | 0 | Alfalfa | 1 S Amorita |
| 2 | 05/24/1998 | 1750 | 0.1 | 30 | F0 | 0 | 0 | Alfalfa | 3 ENE Amorita |
| 3 | 05/24/1998 | 1755-1805 | 5 | 100 | F1 | 0 | 0 | Alfalfa/ Grant | 8 E Amorita - 9 SSE Manchester |
| 4 | 05/24/1998 | 1823 | 0.1 | 30 | F0 | 0 | 0 | Grant | 4 WNW Wakita |
| 5 | 05/24/1998 | 1825-1829 | 3 | 50 | F0 | 0 | 0 | Grant | 2 SW - 2 S Wakita |
| 6 | 05/24/1998 | 1839 | 0.1 | 30 | F0 | 0 | 0 | Grant | 9 W Medford |
| 7 | 05/24/1998 | 1840 | 0.1 | 30 | F0 | 0 | 0 | Grant | 3 SE Wakita |
| 8 | 05/24/1998 | 1846-1853 | 1 | 250 | F0 | 0 | 0 | Grant | 6 W Medford |
| 9 | 05/24/1998 | 1847-1850 | 0.8 | 180 | F0 | 0 | 0 | Grant | 6 W Medford |
| 10 | 05/24/1998 | 1920-1924 | 2 | 80 | F1 | 0 | 0 | Grant | 2 SW - 2 S Medford |
| 11 | 05/24/1998 | 1929-1934 | 5 | 280 | F0 | 0 | 0 | Grant | 3 SE Jefferson - 7 E Pond Creek |
| 12 | 05/24/1998 | 1935-1936 | 1 | 200 | F1 | 0 | 0 | Grant | 4 ENE Pond Creek |
| 13 | 05/24/1998 | 1950 | 2 | 400 | F1 | 0 | 0 | Grant | 1 N Salt Fork |
| 14 | 05/24/1998 | 1955 | 0.1 | 30 | F0 | 0 | 0 | Kay | 1 WNW Braman |
| 15 | 05/24/1998 | 2010-2025 | 5 | 1300 | F3 | 0 | 0 | Grant | 3 S - 3 NW Lamont |
| 16 | 05/24/1998 | 2130 | 0.1 | 30 | F0 | 0 | 0 | Kay | 5 NW Tonkawa |
TTAA00 KOKC 252101
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
334 PM CDT MON MAY 25 1998
TIME (CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0555 PM 10 W BENJAMIN TX 1.00 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 KNOX 70 MPH WIND GUSTS
0610 PM BENJAMIN TX .88 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 KNOX
0620 PM 13 S QUANAH TX .88 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 HARDEMAN
0620 PM 8 N CROWELL TX .88 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 FOARD
0635 PM QUANAH TX 1.00 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 HARDEMAN
0635 PM QUANAH TX 58 MPH WIND GUST
05/24/98 HARDEMAN MEASURED AT FIRE
DEPARTMENT
0650 PM 5 NE BYRON OK TORNADO
05/24/98 ALFALFA REPORTED BY MEDIA
CHASE CREW
0650 PM BENJAMIN TX .88 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 KNOX
0710 PM 5 SW BENJAMIN TX FLOODING
05/24/98 KNOX WATER OVER ROADWAY
0723 PM 4 WNW WAKITA OK TORNADO
05/24/98 GRANT REPORTED BY STORM
SPOTTERS
0725 PM 1 S WAKITA OK TORNADO
05/24/98 GRANT REPORTED BY WAKITA FIRE
DEPARTMENT. NO DAMAGE
REPORTS RECEIVED AT THIS
TIME.
0730 PM 5 W MEDFORD OK TORNADO
05/24/98 GRANT REPORTED BY SPOTTERS
0735 PM 5 SW BENJAMIN TX .75 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 KNOX
0735 PM 6 E ALTUS OK .75 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 JACKSON
0748 PM 4 W MEDFORD OK TORNADO
05/24/98 GRANT REPORTED BY NWS FORECASTER.
0809 PM 4 W MEDFORD OK 2.75 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 GRANT
0810 PM 4 S HOBART OK .75 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 KIOWA
0820 PM 2 S MEDFORD OK TORNADO
05/24/98 GRANT DAMAGE REPORTED BY SHERIFFS
OFFICE INCLUDING AT LEAST 1
HOUSE AND ONE LAWNMOWER
DEALERSHIP SCATTERING
DEBRIS ACROSS HWY 81 SOUTH
OF MEDFORD
0820 PM DEER CREEK OK 1.00 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 GRANT
0823 PM IN MEDFORD OK 3.50 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 GRANT
0830 PM 4 E JEFFERSON OK TORNADO
05/24/98 GRANT TORNADO REPORTED BY SPOTTER
0830 PM 5 NW TONKAWA OK TORNADO
05/24/98 KAY REPORTED BY LOCAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT
0830 PM DUKE OK .75 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 JACKSON
0855 PM 1 WNW BRAMAN OK TORNADO
05/24/98 KAY REPORTED BY SPOTTER
0900 PM 4 N BLACKWELL OK 60 MPH WIND GUST
05/24/98 KAY
0910 PM 3 N TO 2 S LAMONT OK TORNADO
05/24/98 GRANT TREES AND POWERLINES DONW
SEVERAL HOMES DAMAGED WN, ,
2 HOMES DESTROYED, OIL
PUMPING UNITS MOVED.
TORNADO ABOUT 1/4 MILE
WIDE.
0930 PM 8 E NEWKIRK OK 73 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED
05/24/98 KAY OKLAHOMA MESONETWORK
0935 PM 8 E NEWKIRK OK 63 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED
05/24/98 KAY OKLAHOMA MESONETWORK
1005 PM 16 NNE FREEDOM OK 59 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED
05/24/98 WOODS OKLAHOMA MESONETWORK
1010 PM 16 NNE FREEDOM OK 65 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED
05/24/98 WOODS OKLAHOMA MESONETWORK
1015 PM 9 S CHEROKEE OK 70 MPH WIND GUST
05/24/98 ALFALFA 1 INCH HAIL
1026 PM LAMONT OK TORNADO
05/24/98 GRANT HOUSE DESTROYED
1030 PM 5 NW TONKAWA OK TORNADO
05/24/98 KAY REPORTED BY LOCAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT
1030 PM 3 SS8W FREEDOM OK 67 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED
05/24/98 WOODWARD OKLAHOMA MESONETWORK
1040 PM GOLTRY OK 2.50 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 ALFALFA 70 MPH WIND
1040 PM BLACKWELL OK 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 KAY 60 MPH WIND
1040 PM TONKAWA OK 1.00 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 KAY 60 MPH WIND
1040 PM 7 W BILLINGS OK 70 MPH WIND GUST
05/24/98 NOBLE
1045 PM JEFFERSON OK WIND DAMAGE
05/24/98 GRANT 2 LARGE CEDAR TREES
UPROOTED. 0.88 INCH HAIL
1055 PM 11 NNE SELMAN OK 1.25 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 HARPER
1100 PM KREMLIN OK .88 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 GARFIELD
1100 PM 9 ENE BUFFALO OK .75 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 HARPER
1100 PM 14 NNE CAMP HOUSTON OK WIND DAMAGE
05/24/98 WOODS TREE LIMB BLOWN THROUGH
PICTURE WINDOW. WINDOW
BLOWN OUT OF SHED. NUMEROUS
TREE LIMBS DOWN. 0.75 INCH
HAIL.
1100 PM 8 S CHEROKEE OK 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 ALFALFA 70 MPH WIND GUSTS
1130 PM BLACKWELL OK FLOODING
05/24/98 KAY CITY PARK FLOODED, SEVERAL
STREETS FLOODED.
1130 PM BLACKWELL OK .75 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 KAY
1130 PM GOLTRY OK 2.50 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 ALFALFA 70 MPH WIND GUSTS
1140 PM CHEROKEE OK 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/24/98 ALFALFA 70 MPH WIND GUSTS
1205 AM GOLTRY OK 2.75 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 ALFALFA
1205 AM ENID OK 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 GARFIELD
1210 AM 5 NNE MENO OK .88 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 MAJOR
1215 AM HILLSDALE OK 2.00 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 GARFIELD
1240 AM 3 SE BRECKENRIDGE OK 66 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED
05/25/98 GARFIELD OKLAHOMA MESONETWORK
1245 AM 9 W CHEROKEE OK .75 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 ALFALFA 4-6 INCH TREE LIMBS DOWN.
0100 AM 9 ENE BUFFALO OK .88 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 HARPER
0100 AM 11 NNE SELMAN OK 80 MPH WIND GUST
05/25/98 HARPER
0155 AM ALVA OK WIND DAMAGE
05/25/98 WOODS POWER LINES AND TREES
DOWN. SOME HOUSE/TRAILER
DAMAGE.
0155 AM ALVA OK 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 WOODS
0200 AM 6 W CHEROKEE OK 1.00 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 ALFALFA 60+ MPH WINDS.
0215 AM CHEROKEE OK 1.00 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 ALFALFA EST 60 MPH WINDS.
LIMBS DOWN SIZE UNK.
0230 AM CHEROKEE OK 70 MPH WIND GUST.
05/25/98 WOODS 5 INCH RAIN..SOME
ROADS UNDER WATER
IN N PART OF TOWN.
0235 AM ALVA OK TORNADO
05/25/98 WOODS 3 MOBILE HOMES DESTROYED.
SEVERAL CARPORTS DAMAGED.
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN.
0300 AM HILLSDALE OK 2.50 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 GARFIELD
0345 AM 5 NNE LEEDEY OK 1.00 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 DEWEY
0415 AM WATONGA OK 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 BLAINE
0426 AM 9 WNW OKARCHE OK 58 MPH WIND GUST
05/25/98 KINGFISHER
0445 AM OKARCHE OK 2.50 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 CANADIAN
0500 AM 4 WNW OKARCHE OK .75 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 KINGFISHER
0515 AM 6 N PIEDMONT OK 1.00 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 CANADIAN
0520 AM OKLAHOMA CITY OK 1.50 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 OKLAHOMA
0500 AM 3 S KINGFISHER OK .88 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 KINGFISHER
0530 AM OKLAHOMA CITY OK .75 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 OKLAHOMA
0600 AM DEL CITY OK .88 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 OKLAHOMA
0615 AM 3 S CHOCTAW OK .88 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 OKLAHOMA
0635 AM 4 S MCLOUD OK .75 INCH HAIL
05/25/98 POTTAWATOMIE
$$
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| 7:00 am CDT, May 23, 1998 | 7:00 am CDT, May 24, 1998 | 7:00 am CDT, May 25, 1998 |
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| Reflectivity | Storm Relative Velocity |
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| 9:00 pm CDT | |
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| 9:06 pm CDT | |
| Not available |  |
| 9:12 pm CDT | |
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Not available |
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| 9:23 pm CDT | |
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| 9:29 pm CDT | |
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| 9:41 pm CDT | |
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 This photo shows flattened areas in a wheat field 2 miles south of Lamont, OK. |
 This photo shows damaged trees along the Salt Fork 3 miles south-southwest of Lamont, OK. |
 This photo shows a power line snapped 3 miles south-southwest of Lamont, OK. |
 This photo shows trees downed and outbuildings damaged 2 miles south-southwest of Lamont, OK. |
This photo shows F2 damage to house 2 miles south-southwest of Lamont, OK. |
This photo shows the same house and trees damaged 2 miles south-southwest of Lamont, OK. |
This photo shows the other side of the same house located 2 miles south-southwest of Lamont, OK. |
 This photo shows a large tank blown 2 miles south-southwest of Lamont, OK. |
 This photo shows an overturned truck 2 miles south-southwest of Lamont, OK. |
 This photo shows a destroyed shed 1 mile west of Lamont, OK. |
 This photo shows overturned headstones 1 mile west of Lamont, OK. |
This photo shows F3 damage to a house 2 miles west of Lamont, OK. |
 This photo shows a damaged storage building 4 miles east-northeast of Pond Creek, OK. |
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