Severe Weather Hits Oklahoma, Knocks Out Power for Thousands

Sustained winds above 50 mph were recorded in many parts of the state

A strong storm sent powerful winds through Arkansas and Oklahoma, forcing the evacuation of a high school graduation and leaving thousands without power, NBC News reported.

Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair were whisked away from an Arkansas high school graduation Thursday after severe winds began breaking windows. It wasn’t known where they were taken. 

The storm brought as much as 2 inches of rain that fell in six hours. There were also reports of scattered flaw floods. Sustained winds above 50 mph were recorded in many parts of the state, with hurricane force gusts above 70 mph in spots. 

Electric utilities reported almost 130,000 people in Oklahoma and 63,000 in Arkansas were left without power because of the severe weather. 

According to the National Weather Service, significant wind damage was possible across southeastern Oklahoma into western Arkansas as the system moves toward the mid-Atlantic region.

Contact Us