EF1 Tornado — Ellis, Oklahoma

2025-06-17 · near Arnett, Ellis, Oklahoma

Event narrative

While the large rain-wrapped tornado was moving through southwest Ellis County, storm chasers observed a parallel tornado. Information from emergency management and an NWS storm survey indicated this tornado produced tree damage along County Road N1710, then damaged two barns along County Road E0690 as the tornado moved east-southeast.

Wider weather episode

In addition to a morning complex of severe thunderstorms, a multi-modal severe weather outbreak impacted portions of northern and central Oklahoma during the evening of the 17th. Initial thunderstorm coverage during the morning across northern Oklahoma featured a few reports of thunderstorm wind damage/gusts. After quickly moving eastward, allowing for substantial airmass recovery across the area, additional severe thunderstorms developed ahead of an approaching synoptic wave by the early evening. Initial thunderstorms impacted the Oklahoma/Kansas border areas of Kay County, producing a few reports of large hail. All the while, an intense supercell thunderstorm was drifting from the northeastern Texas Panhandle into portions of western Oklahoma. This storm became tornadic as it crossed into Ellis and Roger Mills County, producing a significant (EF-2) tornado here. As this thunderstorm grew upscale, along with additional development to its north, an organized mesoscale convective system (MCS) took shape. Numerous reports of wind damage and three brief tornadoes occurred as this system swept eastward across the northern one-half of the forecast area.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.0180, -99.9540)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1276083. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.