After escaping another round of spring thunderstorms with limited damage, Oklahomans can look forward to a weekend free of severe weather, forecasters say.
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The storms that rolled through late Thursday and early Friday destroyed two houses, damaged at least 15 others, cut power to thousands of homes and businesses, and battered cars with hail, according to the state Emergency Management Department.
Only minor injuries were reported.
The National Weather Service reported a tornado in Mayes and Rogers counties early Friday morning, and storm spotters reported tornadoes Thursday night near Choctaw, Glencoe, Pawnee and Ralston.
The weather service said the storms produced winds in excess of 75 mph and golf ball- to baseball-size hail in central and northeastern parts of the state, including Lincoln, Oklahoma, Osage, Payne and Pawnee counties.
By 4 p.m. Friday, about 450 homes and businesses still were without power, mostly in Tulsa, Idabel and Bristow.
The most heavily affected areas are in Mayes and Rogers counties, where a tornado early Friday produced 85 to 95 mph winds, state officials said. One house on the county line near State Highway 20 was destroyed and 14 more were damaged, along with several outbuildings and trees.
A house was destroyed and another severely damaged near Bartlesville, emergency management officials said.
A storm with winds up to 100 mph blew through Grove early Friday, uprooting trees and damaging houses, said Robert Real, the Delaware County emergency management director.
Several oak trees were uprooted west and south of the Grand Lake community. Some of the downed trees took out power lines, he said.
Several metal roofs were blown off and houses damaged, said Nick Brown, Grove emergency management director. No injures were reported.
Pam Lish was awakened about 3 a.m. Friday with the sound of a falling tree crashing onto her home.
"I could tell the shifting of the wind,” Lish said. "It was not a normal wind gust.”
The top 15 feet of a 120-foot-tall oak tree was resting on the roof of her bedroom. The base of the tree destroyed a car.
"It looked like the tree just jumped out of the ground,” Lish said.
About 50 Oklahoma County Sheriff's Department vehicles, including 25 at the department's fleet maintenance lot at SE 29 and Midwest Boulevard in Midwest City received hail damage, Sheriff John Whetsel said. About five windshields were broken and must be replaced on the vehicles.
Whetsel estimated the damage at $25,000 to $50,000.
Hail hits dealership
Looking over the vehicles Friday at David Stanley Dodge in Midwest City, spokesman Rob Stanley shook his head.
"We're going to have to advertise a hail sale,” Stanley told a salesman. "We have a lot of work to do.”
The car lot at 7609 SE 29 was in the path of a hailstorm Thursday night that left more than 500 vehicles with dents and dings from hail near baseball-size, Stanley said.
Another salesman said he found about 30 windows broken or cracked from hail.
Stanley said he did not have a damage estimate.
Vehicles were damaged across Midwest City, Police Chief Brandon Clabes said. About 100 police cars and city vehicles were damaged at the public works yard at 8730 SE 15, he said.
The storm damaged windows at some residences as well, the police chief said.
Wind destroys art tents
When the storm passed through the Edmond area Thursday night, high winds swept away 15 tents that had been set up for the Downtown Edmond Arts Festival.
The tents were recovered, but 15 of the 105 artists were forced to cancel because their artwork was damaged, said Leah Kessler, promotions manager for the Downtown Edmond Business Association.
The storm also knocked out power to more than 80 Edmond Electric customers.
Electricity was restored to those customers less than an hour later.
The festival will continue from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday on Broadway north of Second Street.
Contributing: Staff Writers Brian Sargent, Robert Medley, Tim Henley and
Michael Kimball and
State Correspondent Sheila Stogsdill
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Rob Stanley assesses hail damage Friday at David Stanley Dodge in Midwest City. BY ROBERT MEDLEY, THE OKLAHOMAN
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