Hail storm batters Oklahoma City metro area

A hail storm that moved in from northwestern Oklahoma pounded the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, leaving broken windows and other damage in its wake.

Paramedics responded to 40 calls in the metro between 4 and 5 p.m. and took 21 patients to local hospitals, Emergency Medical Services Authority spokeswoman Lara O’Leary said.

Firefighters responded to numerous wrecks, injuries and downed power lines, fire Deputy Chief Cecil Clay said.

Numerous power outages were reported across the metro, with about 10,000 Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. customers still lacking electricity about 7 p.m. Based on reports to the National Weather Service, the hailstorm moved into the city area from Piedmont and cut about an eight-mile swath as it moved to the southeast and into the Tinker Air Force Base and Midwest City areas.

It stretched from the southwest side of Edmond to the Northwest Expressway as it headed into downtown Oklahoma City.

The storm Sunday afternoon brought hail as large as softballs and driving rain, forcing motorists off roads in an effort to avoid shattered windshields and other damage. The storm produced so much hail, it looked like a snowstorm had hit.

The storm damaged two ambulance units, one fire truck and 34 police vehicles.

Wind gusts as high as 60 mph were measured during the storm, which left leaves, branches and other debris on the ground.

More showers and thunderstorms are possible across much of Oklahoma again today and tonight, with storm chances only increasing in the days ahead, according to the National Weather Service.

Patches of fog are expected to hang around until late morning and early afternoon, especially in eastern Oklahoma, where a fog advisory was issued, forecasters said. Visibility could be reduced significantly in spots.

Storms are expected to track across western and southern Oklahoma today, with a chance to spread into central and eastern Oklahoma as well, according to the weather service. More widespread storms are expected overnight, including in the Oklahoma City area.