Published: June 09, 2008 09:34 am            

Front brings wind, fire, a lot of water to Enid area

By Robert Barron

Staff Writer



Three cars drove off the pavement, one landing in bumper-deep water, at the construction area at Garriott and Van Buren Sunday night during a blinding rainstorm that caused localized flooding in Enid and parts of Garfield County.

A line of thunderstorms stretching from southern Oklahoma packed powerful wind and heavy rain and lightning as it moved across Enid and the northwestern part of the state.

No injuries were reported.

OG&E Electric Services’ System Watch showed 686 power outages in Enid, 390 in Kremlin and 1,188 in Seiling late Sunday. Cable television service also was disrupted in parts of Enid. Suddenlink Media officials could not be reached.

Lightning was blamed for starting some wheat field fires throughout the evening, but those fires were extinguished by the rain. A large fire was north of Willow at Boomer Road in a wheat field, and there were reports of blazes in the Fairmont area, but firefighters responding in the driving rain did not find them.

Daniel Davis of Enid was in the parking lot of Walgreens, at Garriott and Van Buren, when he said he saw three cars drive off the roadway where there is construction ongoing to widen lanes.

One car drove through the intersection, then got too close to the pavement and fell off the roadway about a block south.

A second vehicle drove on the wrong side of traffic cones in the road into the bumper deep water caused by heavy rain.

A third car was beside the second car in the intersection and went off the pavement on the west side of the road.

All three drivers reported being confused by the heavy rain.

Police and fire officials were on the scene, and only semis were allowed to pass through the intersection for a time. Wreckers were called to pull the cars from the flooded area and there appeared to be minimal damage.

Barricades also were placed in other parts of the city, including Walnut at 3rd and 4th streets, where water crept over the roadway.

Garfield County Emergency Management Director Mike Honigsberg said the county came through the evening without any major damage reported.

Garfield County Undersheriff Jerry Niles said low areas in the county flooded due to heavy rain but would recede when the storms passed. He had no reports of damage.

Alfalfa County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Mary Shoup said there was little damage in that county. She estimated the highest winds at 60-65 mph.

Carmen was without electricity for about 30 minutes, she said.

In Grant County there were not reports of any damage, but Shari Meyers with the sheriff’s department said deputies still were out. Pond Creek was without power, but Wakita and Manchester had power restored, she said.

Kingfisher County Sheriff’s office reported no damage and little rainfall.

Major County officials also reported no damage.

Rainfall totals in the area, according the Mesonet weather recording sites, included 2.20 inches at Alva, the most in the state as of 11 p.m.; 1.38 inches in Breckinridge; 1.89 inches in Lahoma; 1.16 inches in Medford; 1.80 inches in Cherokee; 1.91 inches in Fairview; and .77 in Marshall.

Mesonet-recorded wind speed included 49 mph at Breckinridge, 62 mph at Lahoma, 48 mph at Fairview, 54 mph at Cherokee and Medford and 44 mph at Marshall. The highest wind speed in the state was 72 mph recorded at Seiling.

Storms were forecast throughout the overnight hours, and another line was approaching the Enid area at midnight.

Today’s forecast calls for storms and eventual clearing. The high is expected to stay in the upper-70s. Tonight will be partly cloudy with a low of 61.