EF1 Tornado — Atoka, Oklahoma

2025-05-19 · near Chockie, Atoka, Oklahoma

Event narrative

While investigating tornado damage in Pittsburg County, an NWS storm survey team from Tulsa also identified this area of scattered tree damage from a tornado in northern Atoka County near Limestone Gap southeast of Wardville. The tornado developed about one mile east of US Highway 69 north of Limestone Gap and moved generally east dissipating soon after crossing Highway 69.

Wider weather episode

A severe weather outbreak impacted portions of central and eastern Oklahoma, as well as western-north Texas, on the 19th and into the 20th. This marked the third and final day of a multi-day severe weather sequence driven by a strong upper-level system across the Plains. The 19th featured multiple waves of supercell thunderstorms from the late morning through late evening, with the majority of activity posing a threat for large to very large hail and occasional wind damage. While three tornadoes also occurred across the WFO Norman Forecast Area, generally weak low-level wind shear precluded a greater concern for tornadoes during the episode, despite a favorable (supercell) storm mode along with strong instability and deep-layer wind shear. Flooding also became prevalent across southeastern Oklahoma due to repeated rounds of heavy thunderstorm activity over several hours.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.6100, -95.9860)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1261370. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.