Enid, Okla. – Residents across northwest Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle face a dangerous storm threat Monday evening as a Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until midnight Tuesday, with tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail all possible.
According to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, storms are expected to intensify through the evening, bringing scattered gusts up to 70 mph and hailstones as large as two inches. A couple of tornadoes cannot be ruled out in areas stretching from Guymon and Woodward, Oklahoma, into Canadian and Borger, Texas.
Communities including Enid, Liberal, Perryton, and Pratt sit squarely within the watch area. The storms may bring down trees, power lines, and damage rooftops, especially in rural counties where open fields leave few barriers against strong winds. Travel on highways such as U.S. 64 and U.S. 60 could become hazardous due to sudden downpours and blowing debris.
Emergency managers advise residents to secure outdoor items, charge cell phones, and have a safe shelter ready in case warnings are issued. Schools and hospitals across the affected counties have been alerted, with more than 250 schools potentially impacted by the storms.
The Severe Thunderstorm Watch covers parts of northwest Texas, western Kansas, and central and northern Oklahoma through 12 a.m. Tuesday. Additional warnings may be issued as storms evolve overnight.
