Note:
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SEL9
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 279
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
240 PM CDT Sat May 17 2025
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Tornado Watch for portions of
Western and Southern Oklahoma
Northwest Texas
* Effective this Saturday afternoon and evening from 240 PM until
1000 PM CDT.
* Primary threats include...
A couple tornadoes possible
Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 3
inches in diameter likely
Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
SUMMARY...Widely scattered supercell thunderstorms are expected to
develop this afternoon in a very moist and unstable air mass. Very
large hail and damaging winds may occur in these storms. A warm
front draped across Oklahoma may provide sufficient low-level shear
for a few tornadoes as well.
The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
north and south of a line from 45 miles west northwest of Altus OK
to 35 miles east southeast of Mcalester OK. For a complete depiction
of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
WOU9).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REMEMBER...A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
and possible warnings.
&&
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 277...WW 278...
AVIATION...Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
surface and aloft to 3 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 550. Mean
storm motion vector 25030.
...Hart
Note:
The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area.
The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
SAW9
WW 279 TORNADO OK TX 171940Z - 180300Z
AXIS..60 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF LINE..
45WNW LTS/ALTUS OK/ - 35ESE MLC/MCALESTER OK/
..AVIATION COORDS.. 50NM N/S /34NNE CDS - 30ESE MLC/
HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..3 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
MAX TOPS TO 550. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 25030.
LAT...LON 35770000 35559521 33829521 34030000
THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
FOR WOU9.
Watch 279 Status Report Messages:
STATUS REPORT #6 ON WW 279
VALID 180045Z - 180140Z
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES RIGHT OF A LINE FROM 45 ESE SPS
TO 5 NNW CDS.
..HALBERT..05/18/25
ATTN...WFO...OUN...TSA...
&&
STATUS REPORT FOR WT 279
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS
OKC005-009-011-013-015-017-019-023-027-029-031-033-039-043-045-
049-051-055-057-063-065-067-069-073-075-077-081-083-085-087-095-
099-107-109-121-123-125-127-129-133-137-141-149-180140-
OK
. OKLAHOMA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
ATOKA BECKHAM BLAINE
BRYAN CADDO CANADIAN
CARTER CHOCTAW CLEVELAND
COAL COMANCHE COTTON
CUSTER DEWEY ELLIS
GARVIN GRADY GREER
HARMON HUGHES JACKSON
JEFFERSON JOHNSTON KINGFISHER
KIOWA LATIMER LINCOLN
LOGAN LOVE MCCLAIN
MARSHALL MURRAY OKFUSKEE
OKLAHOMA PITTSBURG PONTOTOC
POTTAWATOMIE PUSHMATAHA ROGER MILLS
SEMINOLE STEPHENS TILLMAN
WASHITA
$$
THE WATCH STATUS MESSAGE IS FOR GUIDANCE PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE
REFER TO WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION STATEMENTS FOR OFFICIAL
INFORMATION ON COUNTIES...INDEPENDENT CITIES AND MARINE ZONES
CLEARED FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO WATCHES.
$$
STATUS REPORT #5 ON WW 279
VALID 172355Z - 180040Z
THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES ACROSS THE ENTIRE WATCH AREA.
..HALBERT..05/17/25
ATTN...WFO...OUN...TSA...
&&
STATUS REPORT FOR WT 279
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS
OKC005-009-011-013-015-017-019-023-027-029-031-033-039-043-045-
049-051-055-057-063-065-067-069-073-075-077-081-083-085-087-095-
099-107-109-121-123-125-127-129-133-137-141-149-180040-
OK
. OKLAHOMA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
ATOKA BECKHAM BLAINE
BRYAN CADDO CANADIAN
CARTER CHOCTAW CLEVELAND
COAL COMANCHE COTTON
CUSTER DEWEY ELLIS
GARVIN GRADY GREER
HARMON HUGHES JACKSON
JEFFERSON JOHNSTON KINGFISHER
KIOWA LATIMER LINCOLN
LOGAN LOVE MCCLAIN
MARSHALL MURRAY OKFUSKEE
OKLAHOMA PITTSBURG PONTOTOC
POTTAWATOMIE PUSHMATAHA ROGER MILLS
SEMINOLE STEPHENS TILLMAN
WASHITA
$$
TXC009-023-077-155-197-275-485-487-180040-
TX
. TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
ARCHER BAYLOR CLAY
FOARD HARDEMAN KNOX
WICHITA WILBARGER
$$
THE WATCH STATUS MESSAGE IS FOR GUIDANCE PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE
REFER TO WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION STATEMENTS FOR OFFICIAL
INFORMATION ON COUNTIES...INDEPENDENT CITIES AND MARINE ZONES
CLEARED FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO WATCHES.
$$
STATUS REPORT #4 ON WW 279
VALID 172240Z - 172340Z
THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES ACROSS THE ENTIRE WATCH AREA.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SEE MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 843
..THORNTON..05/17/25
ATTN...WFO...OUN...TSA...
&&
STATUS REPORT FOR WT 279
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS
OKC005-009-011-013-015-017-019-023-027-029-031-033-039-043-045-
049-051-055-057-063-065-067-069-073-075-077-081-083-085-087-095-
099-107-109-121-123-125-127-129-133-137-141-149-172340-
OK
. OKLAHOMA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
ATOKA BECKHAM BLAINE
BRYAN CADDO CANADIAN
CARTER CHOCTAW CLEVELAND
COAL COMANCHE COTTON
CUSTER DEWEY ELLIS
GARVIN GRADY GREER
HARMON HUGHES JACKSON
JEFFERSON JOHNSTON KINGFISHER
KIOWA LATIMER LINCOLN
LOGAN LOVE MCCLAIN
MARSHALL MURRAY OKFUSKEE
OKLAHOMA PITTSBURG PONTOTOC
POTTAWATOMIE PUSHMATAHA ROGER MILLS
SEMINOLE STEPHENS TILLMAN
WASHITA
$$
TXC009-023-077-155-197-275-485-487-172340-
TX
. TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
ARCHER BAYLOR CLAY
FOARD HARDEMAN KNOX
WICHITA WILBARGER
$$
THE WATCH STATUS MESSAGE IS FOR GUIDANCE PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE
REFER TO WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION STATEMENTS FOR OFFICIAL
INFORMATION ON COUNTIES...INDEPENDENT CITIES AND MARINE ZONES
CLEARED FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO WATCHES.
$$
STATUS REPORT #3 ON WW 279
VALID 172240Z - 172340Z
THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES ACROSS THE ENTIRE WATCH AREA.
..BROYLES..05/17/25
ATTN...WFO...OUN...TSA...
&&
STATUS REPORT FOR WT 279
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS
OKC005-009-011-013-015-017-019-023-027-029-031-033-039-043-045-
049-051-055-057-063-065-067-069-073-075-077-081-083-085-087-095-
099-107-109-121-123-125-127-129-133-137-141-149-172340-
OK
. OKLAHOMA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
ATOKA BECKHAM BLAINE
BRYAN CADDO CANADIAN
CARTER CHOCTAW CLEVELAND
COAL COMANCHE COTTON
CUSTER DEWEY ELLIS
GARVIN GRADY GREER
HARMON HUGHES JACKSON
JEFFERSON JOHNSTON KINGFISHER
KIOWA LATIMER LINCOLN
LOGAN LOVE MCCLAIN
MARSHALL MURRAY OKFUSKEE
OKLAHOMA PITTSBURG PONTOTOC
POTTAWATOMIE PUSHMATAHA ROGER MILLS
SEMINOLE STEPHENS TILLMAN
WASHITA
$$
TXC009-023-077-155-197-275-485-487-172340-
TX
. TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
ARCHER BAYLOR CLAY
FOARD HARDEMAN KNOX
WICHITA WILBARGER
$$
THE WATCH STATUS MESSAGE IS FOR GUIDANCE PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE
REFER TO WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION STATEMENTS FOR OFFICIAL
INFORMATION ON COUNTIES...INDEPENDENT CITIES AND MARINE ZONES
CLEARED FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO WATCHES.
$$
STATUS REPORT #2 ON WW 279
VALID 172140Z - 172240Z
THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES ACROSS THE ENTIRE WATCH AREA.
..THORNTON..05/17/25
ATTN...WFO...OUN...TSA...
&&
STATUS REPORT FOR WT 279
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS
OKC005-009-011-013-015-017-019-023-027-029-031-033-039-043-045-
049-051-055-057-063-065-067-069-073-075-077-081-083-085-087-095-
099-107-109-121-123-125-127-129-133-137-141-149-172240-
OK
. OKLAHOMA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
ATOKA BECKHAM BLAINE
BRYAN CADDO CANADIAN
CARTER CHOCTAW CLEVELAND
COAL COMANCHE COTTON
CUSTER DEWEY ELLIS
GARVIN GRADY GREER
HARMON HUGHES JACKSON
JEFFERSON JOHNSTON KINGFISHER
KIOWA LATIMER LINCOLN
LOGAN LOVE MCCLAIN
MARSHALL MURRAY OKFUSKEE
OKLAHOMA PITTSBURG PONTOTOC
POTTAWATOMIE PUSHMATAHA ROGER MILLS
SEMINOLE STEPHENS TILLMAN
WASHITA
$$
TXC009-023-077-155-197-275-485-487-172240-
TX
. TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
ARCHER BAYLOR CLAY
FOARD HARDEMAN KNOX
WICHITA WILBARGER
$$
THE WATCH STATUS MESSAGE IS FOR GUIDANCE PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE
REFER TO WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION STATEMENTS FOR OFFICIAL
INFORMATION ON COUNTIES...INDEPENDENT CITIES AND MARINE ZONES
CLEARED FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO WATCHES.
$$
STATUS REPORT #1 ON WW 279
VALID 172050Z - 172140Z
THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES ACROSS THE ENTIRE WATCH AREA.
..MOORE..05/17/25
ATTN...WFO...OUN...TSA...
&&
STATUS REPORT FOR WT 279
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS
OKC005-009-011-013-015-017-019-023-027-029-031-033-039-043-045-
049-051-055-057-063-065-067-069-073-075-077-081-083-085-087-095-
099-107-109-121-123-125-127-129-133-137-141-149-172140-
OK
. OKLAHOMA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
ATOKA BECKHAM BLAINE
BRYAN CADDO CANADIAN
CARTER CHOCTAW CLEVELAND
COAL COMANCHE COTTON
CUSTER DEWEY ELLIS
GARVIN GRADY GREER
HARMON HUGHES JACKSON
JEFFERSON JOHNSTON KINGFISHER
KIOWA LATIMER LINCOLN
LOGAN LOVE MCCLAIN
MARSHALL MURRAY OKFUSKEE
OKLAHOMA PITTSBURG PONTOTOC
POTTAWATOMIE PUSHMATAHA ROGER MILLS
SEMINOLE STEPHENS TILLMAN
WASHITA
$$
TXC009-023-077-155-197-275-485-487-172140-
TX
. TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
ARCHER BAYLOR CLAY
FOARD HARDEMAN KNOX
WICHITA WILBARGER
$$
THE WATCH STATUS MESSAGE IS FOR GUIDANCE PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE
REFER TO WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION STATEMENTS FOR OFFICIAL
INFORMATION ON COUNTIES...INDEPENDENT CITIES AND MARINE ZONES
CLEARED FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO WATCHES.
$$
Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes
Low (20%)
Wind
Probability of 10 or more severe wind events
Mod (60%)
Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots
Low (20%)
Hail
Probability of 10 or more severe hail events
High (70%)
Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches
Mod (60%)
Combined Severe Hail/Wind
Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events
High (>95%)
For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch
(listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster.
The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2%
to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities),
“Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%.
High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of
an increased threat for a particular event.