Hail — Pontotoc, Oklahoma

2024-03-14 · near Ada, Pontotoc, Oklahoma

Event narrative

Numerous images from various sources showing hailstones of up to 4-inches in diameter across the community of Ada. Widespread damage to vehicles and buildings reported. Time of event is estimated, with majority of hailfall occurring between 1650-1700 LST.

Wider weather episode

Despite a rather nebulous/non-traditional synoptic regime for severe weather (evidence of rising mid/upper-level heights), numerous organized severe thunderstorms developed across portions of western-north Texas into south-central/southeast Oklahoma from the late morning into evening of the 14th. The impetus for convective development was a trailing cold front, extending from a departing system across the Great Lakes. The combination of solar insolation beneath cold temperatures aloft yielded strong instability, and with strong magnitudes of organizing wind shear, fostered development of numerous supercell thunderstorms. While wind shear over deep layers was quite strong, low-level wind shear was rather weak, promoting a favorable environment for large hail production. Numerous large to very large hailstones were noted across the southern county warning area during the afternoon into early evening. The most impactful event was a supercell storm that impacted the community of Ada, producing reports of hail as large as six inches in diameter, and leading to significant property damage.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.7700, -96.6800)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1166771. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.