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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 |
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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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.