A vehicle ended up on its side in Hammon, Oklahoma, on Thursday night as a line of severe storms tore across the western part of the state, bringing hail, high winds and a flurry of tornado watches and warnings. The crash, caught on camera by a KOCO 5 storm chaser, unfolded while fast-moving cells churned over rural roads and sent limbs and debris flying.
Storm Chaser Rolls Up on Rattled Roadway
KOCO 5 storm chaser Shane Helton was in Hammon when he filmed emergency crews working an overturned vehicle near East 990 Road and 11th Street. His video shows the car on its side, hail-slicked pavement and first responders on scene trying to clear the roadway, as reported by KOCO. The short clip, shared by the station, captures the tense moments as crews moved in while storms continued to race across the region.
Tornado Watch 13 Lights Up Western Oklahoma
The Storm Prediction Center and the National Weather Service issued Tornado Watch 13 and multiple severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle into late Thursday night, warning of tornadoes, very large hail and damaging wind gusts, according to an outline update from the NWS Storm Prediction Center. The NWS Norman office highlighted the potential for 60 mile per hour gusts and golf-ball-size hail capable of damaging vehicles and roofs.
Hail, Debris and Travel Headaches
Field reports and storm chaser video showed hail, downed limbs and debris-littered roads that slowed or temporarily blocked travel on several rural routes as the line of storms rolled through western Oklahoma. While emergency crews in Hammon worked the overturned vehicle, other storm cells kept up the pressure, maintaining dangerous conditions across the area.
Officials are urging residents to steer clear of hail-slick or debris-strewn roads, head to shelter during tornado warnings and stay on top of local alerts as conditions change. The KOCO footage is a reminder of how quickly a routine drive on a rural highway can turn hazardous, and authorities say drivers should keep monitoring forecasts and official notices while crews work to clear affected roadways.
