Tornado Watch 152 issued for northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas; strong tornadoes, large hail possible

The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center issued Tornado Watch 152 at 5:15 p.m. CDT Sunday for parts of northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas, expanding the evening severe-weather threat farther east. The watch remains in effect until midnight CDT and warns that “a few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible,” along with hail up to 3 inches in diameter and damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph.

The watch covers north-central and northeast Oklahoma and far northwest Arkansas, including the Tulsa area and surrounding counties in northeast Oklahoma. Tulsa County is included, as are Benton and Washington counties in Arkansas.

According to the Storm Prediction Center, isolated severe thunderstorms were expected to develop across north-central Oklahoma late Sunday afternoon, then track east through the evening into northeast Oklahoma and far northwest Arkansas. Forecasters said some storms could become supercells — a type of rotating thunderstorm — capable of producing tornadoes, “a couple of which could be strong,” as well as large to very large hail and damaging winds. The SPC watch product said: “A few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible. Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 3 inches in diameter likely. Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely.”

A tornado watch does not mean a tornado has been confirmed. It means conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and near the watch area; tornado warnings are issued by local National Weather Service offices when a tornado is occurring or imminent. The SPC underscored that point in the watch notice: “REMEMBER...A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.”

The new watch was issued as other tornado watches — 149, 150 and 151 — also remained in effect Sunday, reflecting a broader severe-weather setup across the region. It also comes during an active stretch in Oklahoma: The National Weather Service office in Norman has preliminarily rated the April 23 tornado that struck Enid as an EF-4, and the state later issued a disaster emergency for Garfield and Kay counties. At the time this watch was posted, the SPC page said no status report had yet been issued for Tornado Watch 152.