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Fresh Snow and Temperature Outlook Ahead of Christmas Day

If you are looking for fresh snow by Christmas morning or are curious about potential travel disruptions, the best chances for at least 1" of new snowfall early this week exist across the mountainous West, Great Lakes, and Northeast. Otherwise, temperatures this last full week of December will average above normal for much of the lower 48 states. Read More >

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Tornado Track Map for Harper County, OK
 
Harper County, OK Tornadoes Prior to 1950
# Date Time
(CST)
Path
Length
(miles)
Path
Width
(yards)
F-Scale Killed Injured County Path
  05/22/1923 1600 10 660   1 2 Harper Near "Salt Springs" (11 W Freedom)
  04/18/1929 1630 5 1760   0 2 Harper northwest part of county
  04/24/1929 0100 10 1760   0 1 Harper E of "Willard" (10 NW Buffalo)
  05/01/1938 1745 s n   0 0 Harper NE part of county - into KS
  06/20/1943 2200 8     0 0 Harper S and E of Buffalo (possibly 6/16/43)
  03/18/1945 2245 3     0 0 Harper Near Laverne
  10/09/1949 2030 35 500   0 2 Beaver/ Harper Near Slapout - near "Girrard?"
Harper County, OK Tornadoes (1950-Present*)
# Date Time
(CST)
Path
Length
(miles)
Path
Width
(yards)
F-Scale Killed Injured County Path
1 04/12/1960 1200 0.1 10 F2 0 3 Harper Near Laverne
2 06/21/1962 2345 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Harper Laverne
3 05/24/1965 1800 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Harper NE of Buffalo
4 05/24/1965 2100 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Harper NE of Buffalo
5 05/25/1965 1600 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Ellis/ Harper 3 S May - NE of May
6 06/09/1968 1620 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Harper 10 SW Buffalo
7 09/06/1970 2130 9 10 F2 0 0 Harper NW of Buffalo
8 06/09/1971 2030 0.5 400 F1 0 0 Harper 8 N Laverne
9 06/03/1973 1630 0.1 23 F1 0 0 Harper 8 NW Buffalo
10 06/13/1983 1615 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Harper W of Laverne
11 03/22/1987 1900 1 73 F2 0 0 Harper 6 S Laverne
12 03/22/1987 1950 0.5 30 F1 0 0 Harper 4 N May
13 05/15/1991 1935-2011 12 900 F3 0 3 Harper 6 SW - 4 ENE Laverne
14 04/30/1993 1855 0.1 20 F0 0 0 Harper 3 E Rosston
15 04/30/1993 2014 0.1 20 F0 0 0 Harper 4 N May
16 04/30/1993 2027 0.1 20 F0 0 0 Harper 6 NE May
17 06/08/1995 1615 0.2 30 F1 0 1 Harper Selman
18 06/18/1999 1735-1738 0.5 100 F0 0 0 Harper 3 SW Laverne
19 02/24/2000 2013-2049 27 150 F1 0 0 Lipscomb TX/ Ellis OK/ Harper OK 10 NE Lipscomb TX - 5 SE Laverne OK
20 10/19/2005 1647-1708 13 400 F1 0 0 Harper/ Woodward 10 SSE Selman - 20 N Mooreland (5 WNW Alabaster Caverns SP)
21 04/23/2007 1714 0.2 30 EF0 0 0 Harper 8 SSW Buffalo
22 04/23/2007 1751 0.2 30 EF0 0 0 Harper 4 NE Laverne
23 05/23/2008 1903-1915 5 1100 EF3 0 0 Harper 10 SSW - 5 SSW Selman
24 05/23/2008 1958-2009 9 125 EF0 0 0 Harper OK/ Clark KS 9 NNW Buffalo OK - 8.5 S Sitka KS
25 04/14/2012 1459-1500 0.5 30 EF1 0 0 Woodward/ Harper 9 E Fort Supply
26 11/16/2015 2118-2151 27 400 EF2 0 0 Ellis/ Harper 6 SSE May - 10 E Buffalo
27 05/23/2016 2024-2034 2 50 EF? 0 0 Harper 13 SSE - 11 SSE Selman
28 05/23/2019 1926-1958 16 1500 EF3 0 0 Lipscomb TX/ Beaver OK/ Ellis OK/ Harper OK 3 NNE Follett TX - 6 NNW Catesby OK - 5.5 SSW Laverne OK
29 05/23/2019 2032-2033 0.5 50 EF? 0 0 Harper 5 W Buffalo
30 05/23/2019 2043-2044 0.5 75 EF? 0 0 Harper ~6 SW Laverne
31 05/23/2019 2142-2147 2 150 EF1 0 0 Harper 12-14 NE Buffalo
32 06/17/2023 1843-1850 7 300 EF1 0 0 Harper 6 SW Rosston - 1 NE Laverne
 

Significant Tornadoes in Harper County

  Date Time
(CST)
Path
Length
(miles)
Path
Width
(yards)
F-Scale Killed Injured County Path
  04/12/1960 1200 0.1 10 F2 0 3 Harper Near Laverne

A small tornado struck a mobile home and flipped it over onto an automobile. Two of the three people injured inside the mobile home were sucked through some windows.

  05/15/1991 1935-2011 12 900 F3 0 3 Harper 6 SW - 4 ENE Laverne

Several areas of severe thunderstorms developed across western and northwestern Oklahoma during the evening hours of May 15 1991 and spread into northeastern Oklahoma during the early morning of May 16, 1991.

The first tornado was the strongest of the evening and had a path that was 11.5 miles long. The tornado touched down in Harper County at 7:35 pm CST, 1.5 miles east of the Beaver County line and 0.5 miles north of OK State Highway 270. During the first 4 miles of its path, the tornado had a width of 200 to 300 yards and was F0 to F1 in intensity.

The tornado grew in strength and intensity as it moved northeast for the next 4 miles and produced F2 to F3 damage as it grew to a width of 800 to 900 yards. Hail up to 4.0 inches in diameter was reported at this time. Three injuries also occurred at this time, and all three persons required hospitalization. The injuries were sustained in a mobile home that was rolled by the tornado. Hailstones up 1.25 inches in diameter were observed in Laverne during this period.

During the last 3.5 miles of its path, the tornado shrunk to 100 yards in width, but hail up to baseball size was still being observed. The tornado lifted 4.5 miles east and 0.75 miles north of Laverne, OK at 8:11 pm CST. A five-room house suffered significant damage, one mobile home was destroyed, and six outbuildings were demolished. Significant utility damage occurred as 30 power poles were downed. The total damage was estimated at $500,000.

  06/08/1995 1615 0.2 30 F1 0 1 Harper Selman

Severe thunderstorms moved across northern Oklahoma during the afternoon of June 8th and continued through early morning of June 9th. Lightning, large hail, damaging winds, flash flooding, and 3 tornados were reported.

The first tornado occurred in Selman, OK in Harper County, where it blew over a mobile home. One of the occupants, a woman, was severely injured.

  05/23/2008 1903-1915 5 1100 EF3 0 0 Harper 10 SSW - 5 SSW Selman

A strong tornado, rated EF-3 at its peak intensity, struck south-southwest of the Selman, OK area, producing widespread damage along its path. The tornado touched down, doing minor damage to trees and outbuildings. The tornado continued moving northeast and struck a residence. Significant damage consistent with EF-2 damage was seen at this location. More significant damage was done to a residence and stocked workshop building as the tornado moved northeast. This was the strongest point of the tornado, rated EF-3.

A semi-cab and a 20-horse trailer were blown 50 yards from inside of the workshop. They both sustained significant damage. The tornado moved north from this point, doing EF-2 damage to a building and workshop. The owners of the home took shelter in their storm shelter during the tornado, but became trapped inside by debris over top of the door. They were freed by local firemen after approximately 45 minutes.

The tornado continued north and then northwest as it began to dissipate. Before it dissipated, however, a heavy fiberglass water tank that was filled with water was destroyed and moved some distance away. Two horses were also killed and one was seriously injured by swirling tin and other sharp debris. Monetary damages were estimated.

  05/23/2019 1926-1958 16 1500 EF3 0 0 Lipscomb TX/ Beaver OK/ Ellis OK/ Harper OK 3 NNE Follett TX - 6 NNW Catesby OK - 5.5 SSW Laverne OK

A vigorous upper level low pressure system developed across southern Nevada. Significant wind shear and instability developed as moisture was drawn north into the Panhandles setting the stage for a very long duration and higher end severe episode. Initially, elevated supercell storms developed in the NW Texas Panhandles on the cold side of a nearly stationary frontal boundary and moved northeast into the central Oklahoma Panhandle as the first of multiple disturbances moved across the area. Hail up to golf ball size and wind damage was reported with these storms. During the afternoon hours, upper level disturbances, daytime heating and the very pronounced frontal boundary stretching from near Amarillo northeast into Beaver County, Oklahoma became the main catalyst for surface based supercells which produced very large hail up to baseball size and several tornadoes. Most of the tornadoes remained in Texas, however one very large and long tracked tornado crossed the Texas state line into Beaver County and eventually into Ellis and Harper counties in northwestern Oklahoma. This tornado remained in very rural areas throughout its life-cycle.

This tornado began in Lipscomb County in Texas, crossed into southeast Beaver County Oklahoma and crossed into Ellis and Harper Counties from there. The tornado got stronger and larger with time, but mainly damaged trees, fences and power poles in the area of this survey limiting the EF rating to a 2. The tornado did greater damage (and earned higher rating) as it destroyed a home just feet across the county line. This damage was surveyed by the Norman Weather Forecast Office.

The tornado crossed into southeast Beaver County Oklahoma and moved into Ellis and Harper Counties from there. The tornado got stronger and larger with time, but mainly damaged trees, fences and power poles in the area of this survey limiting the EF rating to EF-2. The tornado did greater damage (and earned higher rating) as it destroyed a home just feet across the county line.

Immediately after moving into Ellis County, a home and outbuilding were completely destroyed. An extended cab pickup truck in a carport at this home was blown 0.3 of a mile northeast with some pieces of the truck found over one half mile northeast of the home. Numerous power poles were snapped both north-south along the county line and east-west along County Road 30. The tornado continued to move northeast and into Harper County southwest of Laverne.

After moving into southwestern Harper County, the tornado broke numerous power poles and damaged trees as it moved northeast, crossing U.S. Highway 412/OK State Highway 3, and dissipating about one mile north of the highway to the southwest of Laverne.

 

Records taken from the Storm Prediction Center archive data, "Storm Data", and data from the National Weather Service office in Norman. Data modified as described in NOAA Tech Memo NWS SR-209 (Speheger, D., 2001: "Corrections to the Historic Tornado Database").

Historic data, especially before 1950, are likely incomplete.