Strong Storm Hits North Central Oklahoma

Late Friday night, April 8, a strong storm that the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma is calling a micro burst roared through Ponca City, Oklahoma.

Oklahoma residents are very well educated when it comes to watching the weather and I have always considered myself to be weather aware, but this storm caught myself and everybody I know by surprise.

While watching Jay Leno Friday night, I suddenly heard a train like sound that was not pleasant. At the same time the wind started sweeping in the window panes as well as the plains.

Within seconds the power was out and a humming roar continued.

Earlier a strong storm had been moving our way but was diminishing and predicted to miss Ponca City.

With no source of information available I did exactly what you are not supposed to do, ran from door to door not knowing if the roar was a tornado on the ground or not.

After a few minutes of this, the weird roaring sound was replaced by a non stop humming that eventually ended.

I went outside looked around and saw no damage, a few minutes later, the rain and hail began.

Then the tornado sirens began and once again I did the stupid thing and did not go to the basement.

When it was all said and done, many industrial businesses on the west side of town were severely damaged and at least one destroyed.

Roofs were damaged and in some cases ripped off. Residents of one nursing home had to be moved to a different part of the building.

Many large trees were uprooted and in some cases dropped on homes and cars.

Many power poles on the west side of towns were knocked down leaving a large portion of the city without power.

Firefighters were ran ragged responding to reports of fires, some accurate and some not.

When I ventured outside and down the street I was shocked to discover that four houses in my neighborhood, located just four up from mine were heavily damaged.

Amazingly no injuries were reported.

The next day at work, we contacted a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Norman.

Warning coordinator Rick Smith said the storm produced a micro burst and not a tornado.

He said a micro burst comes out of the back of a severe thunderstorm.

The phenomenon is defined as a small intense downdraft that descends to the ground creating strong winds.

During the storm, at 11:04 p.m. winds at the Ponca City airport were clocked at 94 mph.

Today, three days after the storm, clean up continues and many are still without power.