Four Tornadoes Touch Down in Oklahoma and Arkansas

Four likely tornadoes touched down in northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas, the National Weather Service (NWS) said on Tuesday.
According to The Associated Press, meteorologist Joe Sellars said storms struck areas in Muskogee, Sequoyah and Adair counties in Oklahoma, along with Benton County in Arkansas on Monday night.
However, no fatalities or significant injuries were reported.
The NWS is still conducting assessments to confirm the tornadoes’ precise locations and intensity, adding that four likely tornadoes and possibly more had touched down in Oklahoma and Arkansas.
The tornadoes touched down after severe weather hit in central Oklahoma, leaving at least 11 people injured in the Oklahoma City area on Sunday.
Despite Monday’s tornado activity, state operations remained uninterrupted, and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management reported there have been no major disruptions at polling sites for Tuesday’s election.
Keli Cain, a spokesperson for the department, told The Associated Press that assessments are ongoing, but thus far, no significant damage has been found.
However, as the region faces its second day of severe weather in a row, residents remain on alert while the weather service continues its investigations.
NWS meteorologists previously warned that damage is likely to occur to residential structures on Monday afternoon as thunderstorms worked their way through Texas and Oklahoma, threatening strong winds and possible tornadoes.
A slew of weather warnings were in place for northeastern Texas and eastern Oklahoma on Monday, including a tornado warning, tornado watch, severe thunderstorm warning and various flood-related alerts. The storms, which came only one day after Oklahoma faced tornadoes on Sunday, were caused by “unstable air” and wind shear, the “classic combination of ingredients” for severe weather, NWS warning coordination meteorologist Rick Smith previously told Newsweek.
Some Oklahoma residents were urged to take cover immediately as a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado moved through the area.
“Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed,” the warning said. “Damage to roofs, windows and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely.”
The thunderstorms also were expected to cause damage, the NWS alerts said.
In Oklahoma, the greatest tornado risk was in the south-central part of the state, the NWS office in Norman said.
“South central Oklahoma (generally southeast of I-44) is the area we’re watching the most closely for tornadic potential this afternoon,” the office posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Stay weather aware and have your sheltering plan ready.”
Although November isn’t the typical time of year Oklahoma sees tornadoes, Smith previously told Newsweek that tornadoes during this month are not unheard-of.
“We average two tornadoes in the state of Oklahoma for November,” he said. “We have had tornado outbreaks in the past that have produced quite a few tornadoes during the month. It doesn’t happen every year, but it’s not that unusual either.”
Smith added that the storms moved out of the area Monday evening, although more rain is expected this weekend.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.