EF1 Tornado — Okmulgee, Oklahoma

2024-04-27 · near Schulter, Okmulgee, Oklahoma

Event narrative

This tornado developed west of Schulter and moved northeast across Highway 75 and the Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge. It widened and strengthened as it moved across the E1000 Road, where numerous trees were uprooted or snapped. The tornado continued to widen as it approached Morris. At least 70 homes and businesses were damaged in Morris, then the tornado turned to the north and dissipated about a mile north of town. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 105 to 110 mph.

Wider weather episode

Severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon of the 27th over central Oklahoma, along and ahead of the dry line, as a strong upper level low pressure system deepened into the Southern Rockies. Strong instability and strong wind shear over eastern Oklahoma supported organized severe thunderstorms, including supercells. The first round of storms affected portions of far northeastern Oklahoma during the early evening. By late evening, a line of severe thunderstorms moved into eastern Oklahoma from the west, with embedded supercells within the line, as well as a supercell ahead of the line. A strong tornado moved into Okfuskee County with the supercell ahead of the line. Multiple other tornadoes occurred as the storms moved through the area during the early morning hours of the 28th, along with damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. Isolated areas of flash flooding also occurred.

Another round of severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Oklahoma during the afternoon of the 28th. The strongest storms produced tornadoes, large hail to quarter size, and damaging wind gusts.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.5205, -95.9962)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1175414. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.