Ardmore, OK – Residents across southern Oklahoma and north Texas should stay alert tonight as a tornado watch remains in effect through 1 a.m. CDT Wednesday, with dangerous storms capable of producing tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail. Areas from Carter County, Oklahoma, to Wichita County, Texas, are under the watch zone.
According to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center, Tornado Watch 194 includes 10 counties in Oklahoma and 17 in Texas, stretching from Jefferson and Garvin counties to Wise, Montague, and Cooke counties in Texas. The watch was issued at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday as a line of strong thunderstorms developed across the Red River Valley.
Cities under the tornado watch include Ardmore, Durant, Gainesville, Wichita Falls, and Vernon. Outdoor plans should be canceled, and residents are urged to shelter immediately if warnings are issued. Winds could exceed 60 mph, and hail larger than golf balls may accompany the most intense storms.
Drivers along I-35 and US-82 should use extreme caution this evening, as fast-moving cells could reduce visibility or spin up tornadoes with little warning. Mobile homes and high-profile vehicles are especially at risk.
Conditions remain volatile; additional watches or warnings may follow as storms push eastward overnight.
