EF2 tornado in Washington County, Oklahoma

This is the second segment of a two-segment tornado. The tornado crossed into Washington County near Gap Road, and moved across the southwestern portion of Bartlesville, and then across the central and northeastern side of town. An estimated 1000 homes and businesses were damaged in town, some severely. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted, and many power poles were snapped. A squall line merged with the tornadic supercell, and ultimately ended the tornado process northeast of Bartlesville. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 115 to 125 mph.

Severe thunderstorms developed over western Oklahoma during the afternoon of the 6th, as a dry line sharpened over the area. These storms developed eastward across central Oklahoma during the afternoon, and then moved into eastern Oklahoma during the evening. Very strong instability developed ahead of the storms, and wind shear became very strong during the mid to late evening, as wind fields strengthened over the region with the approach of a strong upper level disturbance. As a result of this very strong instability and wind shear, supercell thunderstorms evolved as the storms moved east of the dry line. Strengthening low level wind shear promoted the development of tornadoes, one of which became violent as it moved through Osage County. Large hail up to golf ball size and damaging wind gusts also occurred.

A squall line organized as the storms moved into eastern Oklahoma, with several supercells maintaining their structure within the squall line. Damaging wind gusts, large hail to quarter size, and several tornadoes occurred with the squall line as it moved through the area into the early morning of the 7th. One tornado became strong as it moved across portions of Adair County. Locally heavy rainfall resulted in some flash flooding.