SKYWARN Reporting Criteria

Warm Season

OKX

HIGHEST PRIORITY/Life Threatening Criteria

please contact the NWS by phone or radio.

Any deaths or injuries associated with hazardous weather.
Any TORNADO or WATERSPOUT.
Other High Priority/Life Threatening Criteria

Funnel or wall clouds.

Clusters of "Virga" that expand as they descend beneath the cloud base.
Thunderstorms with wind gusts of at least 58 mph, or that cause structural damage to homes, power lines, or whole trees.
Hail 3/4 inch in diameter (about the size of a penny) or greater.
Flooding of rivers or streams into homes or industries.
Also stream, river, or poor drainage urban flooding which make roadways totally impassable.
Rainfall reports following a short (less than 1 hour) torrential downpour
e.g., 0.7 inches in 15 mins., 1.2 inches in 20 mins.
Report 2 inches of rain in 3 hours.
Report 1 inch of rain or more in an hour (urban areas).
Other Priority Items

Thunderstorm gusts of 40-57 mph.
These are strong enough to down tree limbs.
Hail of any size less than 3/4 inch in diameter.
Event total rainfall.
Rises of streams or rivers to bankfull condition.

During Tropical Storm or Hurricane Warnings

Please report only the Life Threatening Criteria listed above.
Report any wind gusts 58 mph or greater.
Any KNOWN storm surge inundations of coastal areas.
Never go to the shore to investigate it yourself, and EVACUATE immediately if told to do so by Emergency Management Personnel.
The highest wind gust during the tropical storm/hurricane.
The lowest barometric pressure and time it occurred.
Event total rainfall.

SKYWARN Reporting Criteria

Cold Season

OKX

HIGHEST PRIORITY Items (important whether or not SKYWARN has been activated):

Any deaths or injuries associated with hazardous weather.
Damaging wind gusts of 58 mph or higher, whether or not accompanied by a thunderstorm.
If you are unsure of the speed, report any downed trees or power lines or structural damage to homes (e.g. slates off roof, antenna downed).
Flooding of streams and rivers onto roadways, homes or businesses.
Urban flooding significant enough to make roadways or underpasses impassable.
Two inches of rain within a twelve hour period.
One inch of rain in an hour in urban areas.
Heavy accumulation of ice which downs trees or power lines.
Ice jams on rivers or streams which produce flooding.

Other Priority Items

Estimated wind gusts from 40-57 mph.
Freezing rain or sleet occurring when none is forecast.
A thunderstorm in progress when none is forecast.
Presence of rain when only frozen precipitation is forecast (sleet, snow, and/or freezing rain).
Rain or snowmelt which causes minor roadway flooding or flooding of streams.
Blowing or drifting snow which closes roadways.
Snowfall Reporting Criteria:

Please use the following criteria to report snowfall

When snow accumulates 1 inch (especially if none is forecast).
When snow accumulates 3 inches (the NWS issues an advisory for 4 inches).
When snow accumulates 5 inches (the NWS issues a warning for 6 inches).
When snow accumulates 1 inch per hour.
Storm Total Snowfall