Flash Flood — Stephens, Oklahoma

2025-04-26 · near Duncan, Stephens, Oklahoma

Event narrative

Multiple confirmations of roadway flooding in and around the community of Duncan, especially along U.S. Highway 81 near Clarity Creek. Multiple water rescues were reported. Event time is approximate.

Wider weather episode

A slow-moving mesoscale convective vortex (MCV) produced severe weather and flash flooding during the morning and afternoon of the 26th. An initial complex of thunderstorms across southwestern Oklahoma and western-north Texas produced reports of thunderstorm wind damage and large hail, especially with a supercell thunderstorm that moved near the city of Lawton. Areas of persistent heavy rainfall also led to flash flooding across this area, with a flood-related fatality occurring in Lawton as a motorist drove into flooding beneath an underpass. By the afternoon, as the broader convective vortex moved eastward and instability developed, additional thunderstorms developed across southeastern Oklahoma. A few of these thunderstorms, exhibiting brief supercellular characteristics, produced hail and a tornado as they interacted with a remanent surface boundary across the area.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.5418, -97.9668)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1254750. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.