Training Supercells, Strong Winds & Flooding, Ardmore to Marietta Oklahoma, April 19, 2025

On April 19th, 2025, an amplifying upper-level trough was moving into the western High Plains with an intensifying jet streak downstream over the Southern Plains including Oklahoma. This feature resulted in lowering surface pressures across the area. In addition, an initially stationary front began to lift slowly to the north into southern Oklahoma by the evening. With a strong low-level jet supplying ample moisture, instability grew despite surface temperatures only in the low 70s.

Just to the north of the front in central OK, the low levels were stable and surface winds were out of the north, resulting in only elevated storms. However, right along the front, surface winds were southeasterly and surface based instability was present. This allowed for surface based supercells to develop and take advantage of the 50+ kt winds in the mid-levels. Persistent moisture transport from the low-level jet interacting with the slow moving front also allowed supercells to train over the same regions for several hours.
While there were a few brief, rain wrapped tornadoes, the main issue ended up being flooding as these training storms dropped over 5 inches of rain across southern OK in just a few hours.

The footage at the beginning of this video was taken in Ardmore OK, as I initially followed a tornado warned supercell into the city. However, the wind and rain footage from 2:12 onward was taken in Marietta as the storms merged into a squall line that continued to produce torrential rain and strong straight line winds.