EF3 Tornado — Stephens, Oklahoma

2024-11-03 · near Comanche, Stephens, Oklahoma

Event narrative

This tornado developed near US Highway 81 and the Jefferson County line south of Comanche and moved northeast for nearly 22 miles. At least two dozen buildings were damaged by the tornado including a number of homes that were destroyed. Hundreds of trees were reported downed along the path as well as numerous power lines and power poles. Numerous large trees were destroyed and debarked at the tornado moved over the Comanche Golf Course and Comanche Lake to the east of the town of Comanche with the tree damage significant enough for an EF3 rating. After crossing Comanche Lake, the tornado continued northeast crossing State Highway 7 between Duncan and Velma, and dissipating a few miles southwest of Lake Fuqua.

Wider weather episode

An expansive (high-amplitude) longwave trough, in combination with unseasonable moisture/instability and wind shear, yielded a prolonged period of severe weather and flooding across the southern two-thirds of Oklahoma and portions of western-north Texas. While thunderstorms began during the daytime on the 2nd, the episode's first (and most impactful) convective period occurred during the late evening hours of the 2nd into early morning of the 3rd. Both linear and cellular convective modes were observed during this time, producing numerous reports of damaging winds and a localized tornado event along the Interstate 44 corridor. This included three EF-3 tornadoes, causing significant damage across the eastern/southeastern suburbs of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area and in areas east of Duncan/Comanche in Stephens County.

Another widespread round of strong to severe thunderstorm activity occurred from the early afternoon into mid-evening on the 3rd, primarily across south-central into southeast Oklahoma. Once again, a mixed-mode event produced numerous reports of severe weather (mainly wind and a few tornadoes).

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.2910, -97.9690)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1225047. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.