EF3 tornado in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

This tornado developed southeast of Indian Meridian Road and SE 59th Street in southeastern Oklahoma City, and then moved north and north and northeast through the far southeastern section of Choctaw, and the western and northern portions of Harrah. This tornado caused extensive damage to many homes, trees and power lines.

EF1 damage was initially observed to trees, power lines and a few homes, but the more significant damage began as the tornado approached SE 44th Street. EF2 to EF3 damage was observed near and north of SE 44th Street as the tornado moved through neighborhoods between Indian Meridian Road and Triple XXX Road. Widespread EF2 to EF3 damage was also observed in neighborhoods near SE 15th Street and west of Peebly Road. The tornado continued moving northeast across Harrah and Horseshoe Lake producing EF1-EF2 damage before moving into Lincoln County north of NE 63rd Street.

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).