Norman, Oklahoma Tornado 2012: Strong Storm Hits Central Oklahoma (LIVE UPDATES)

At least one tornado was on the ground in Norman, Oklahoma on Friday evening, part of a severe storm system passing through the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, The Weather Channel reports.

The city of Norman, Oklahoma (population 110,000), just outside of Oklahoma City, was in the tornado's path.

The Associated Press reported on the Norman, Oklahoma tornado: "Forecaster Daryl Williams says the twister touched down shortly after 4 p.m. Friday near State Highway 9 and near the University of Oklahoma campus. He says there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The tornado was part of powerful storm system that is expected to rumble through the nation's midsection over the weekend."

The Weather Channel tweeted that the tornado was moving through Norman at 4:13 p.m. local time. It added that the twister was headed toward the local National Weather Center:

Tornado coming down Highway 9 toward the National Weather Center in Norman, OK. #okwx

— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) April 13, 2012

Among the places under threat from the tornado: Oklahoma University's Norman campus. The school's Facebook page posted this update: "Severe weather moving through Norman and Metro area. Follow @OUweather or check NewsOK.com."

According to @OUWeather, "Confirmed tornado heading towards te southern end of campus. Take cover now."

Check out the live updates below:

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Minor Injuries Reported In Norman

@ AntDeRosa : RT @stormchaser4850: Update: Norman, OK Regional Hospital is reporting 11 people with minor injuries due to the earlier tornado via @OKCFOX

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Thousands Without Power

@ BreakingNews : Update: Thousands of customers without power in Oklahoma; tornado causes damage in Norman - @NewsOK http://t.co/wTSTESLY

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Likely Tornado Near Blair

@ wunderground : A tornado is likely on the ground near Blair in Jackson County, OK. Take cover now!

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Video Of Tornado

Here is video of the tornado from News 9 in Oklahoma City (live video feed from News 9 above).

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Oklahoma City Area Clearing Up

@ USWeatherExpert : Storm over. OKC metro. We are headed to NW OK for evening development http://t.co/zPiDUO0N

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Report On The Ground

Per HuffPost commenter PurpleTomato:

“I've lived in Oklahoma most of my 58 years and this is the first time i've been in a tornado.I watched as electric poles broke in half next to my vehicle and dropped hot lines at eye level right in my path at the intersection of Lindsay and 24th in Norman just north of Highway 9.It was quite an interesting drive home.I saw a lot of damage."

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New Warning Issued

@ Ala_StormChaser : New Warning OUN issues Tornado Warning for Pottawatomie [OK] till 5:30 PM CDT #okwx

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Latest Warnings

The National Weather Service has issued warnings for parts of Oklahoma. At 4:46 p.m. Central Time, meteorologists detected "a severe thunderstorm capable of producing half dollar size hail and damaging winds in excess of 60MPH." They advise people in the area to move inside a sturdy building until the storm has passed.

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Storm Damage From Helicopter

KFOR chopper shows tornado damage in Norman, OK (via @weatherchannel)

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'Just Survived A Tornado'

Twitter user @OhJenTucker of Norman, Oklahoma posted this tweet with a photo from her iPhone following the storm.

@ OhJenTucker : Just survived a tornado hitting our house http://t.co/8cXrVNGs

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Severe Weather Warning Issued

@ altusem : OUN issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Greer, Harmon, Jackson [OK] till 5:45 PM CDT #AltusOK #okwx

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Video Of Tornado

A new YouTube video has emerged, reportedly with footage of the tornado in Norman, Oklahoma today.

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Damage At School Reported

According to a News 9 Oklahoma journalist:

@ garyeOK : Report of windows blown out at Norman High School. Debris also reported near Robinson and E 24th in Norman, OK. #okwx

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Video Of Intense Rain In Norman

WATCH:

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NWS At Norman Checking On Damage

@ NWSNorman : Looking for damage reports in Norman.#okwx

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Satellite View Of The Storm System

The National Weather Service just shared this link for a satellite view of the current storm system over Oklahoma.

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NWS Confirms Tornado Touched Down

@ RodrigoEBR : National Weather Service confirms tornado touch down in Norman, Oklahoma, no injuries reported -AP

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Comments

[Melinda P]

10:40 PM on 08/21/2012

I just moved out of Norman a few months back before this happened. I wasn't scared until I found out that tornadoes had actually touched down in the population area, I was on my way back there when it happened. I barely missed it and my parents were lucky nothing happened

[WOODSTOCKER60]

07:37 AM on 04/16/2012

Disaster Payments in Oklahoma totaled $805 million from 1995-2010.
Year Subtotal, Disaster Payments
1995 $43,789,800
1996 $12,028,468
1997 $13,852,830
1998 $923,946
1999 $125,796,675
2000 $55,872,996
2001 $91,195,179
2002 $104,064,759
2003 $86,402,095
2004 $10,637,292
2005 $69,834,988
2006 $10,815,062
2007 $37,625,719
2008 $94,135,586
2009 $9,575,638
2010 $38,472,351

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

YOU MEAN TO TELL ME REPUBLICANS TOOK FEDERAL AID!!...THEY USED TAXPAYER MONEY??..HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?/..THEY HATE THE GOVERNMENT!

[marvineh2001]

02:54 PM on 04/15/2012

I used to live in Oklahoma some of the most violent storms and we used to chase tornados that touched down in the country especially the ones in Stillwater which were Storm 5 category over 300 mph. These storms that are even in Colorado are devastating and with the earthquakes that are starting all over the place with volcanic eruption happening even at Yellowstone Park with lava flows in Hawaii that begin bringing eruptions to even Krakatoa with Devil's Caulron the eruptions shoot hundreds miles in the air with plumes of pumice clouds and lava spitting as such magnitude to cause islands to form in the oceans huge massive earthquakes world wide such as mankind has never seen before. They wait for the beginning of his website.

[novictim]

11:41 PM on 04/14/2012

Tonight, many Republicans will be sucked up and hurled skyward.

[gabbiabby]

09:46 AM on 04/15/2012

crawl back in your cave......we'll clean up th mess

[Robin Ferruggia]

12:00 PM on 04/14/2012

Thank goodness that these new warning systems were put into effect despite GOP opposition to them because they "cost money." I'm all for saving lives and if you don't spend money to do that, what is the money for? For the super wealthy to accumulate through their relentless greed so they can look at? It's tragic that these dangerous storms are heading toward the midwest, but many will be saved because President Obama spent the money on the people despite the GOP so they can be warned in time. Homes will be destroyed. Federal aid will be needed. The GOP is probably meeting behind closed doors right now to think of ways to not let that aid go out to the people to "save money."

[betty2work]

10:17 AM on 04/14/2012

Bad weather. In the early 1970's I lived in Moore, OK (just no. of Norman) then Norman, OK. A tornado went over our apartment building and hit a trailor park just south - destroying the trailors. My roommate was home and said she thought the windows were going to blow out and that the front door was about to come off the hinges when it went overhead. I was fortunate - I had to attend a meeting at the Norman hospital and all was ok there.

[boyoboy]

09:11 AM on 04/14/2012

Tornado watch for us in California today.  My spouse has relatives in Norman, all around the Oklahoma City area, and in other areas of the state (Shawnee, Okemah).

[TheAntiOkie]

10:10 AM on 04/14/2012

We are on notice for tonight - the most dangerous time for tornadoes.

Sigh.

[boyoboy]

12:04 PM on 04/14/2012

I have to call my mother-in-law this a.m.  We're in California, but the vast majority of husband's family lives in OK.  His folks live here.  His uncle just had heart bypass surgery at the heart hospital.  He was in rehab and has only been home since last Thursday.  He's in Norman.  My husband's got family in Nicholls Hills, Shawnee, Oklahoma City, Okemah, Seminole, and a few other communities.

My mother-in-law is still close to several friends from grammar school.  Several years ago (1999?), OK had a bunch of tornado deaths.  My MIL's friend's son-in-law died in one of those tornados.  It must be frightening.

[princeperry]

02:26 PM on 04/14/2012

Good luck, Stay safe.

[stir crazy 777]

07:30 AM on 04/14/2012

During the nighttime hours on Feb.22 and 23rd 1998,a series of F2 and F3 tornados touched down in the Central Florida area resulting in 42 deaths and 260 serious injuries.Most of the deaths occured in moblle home parks.Bottom line is if you live in a mobile home in Oklahoma or Kansas,Don't roll the dice,get out and find shelter elsewhere.Hopefully these states open public shelters like Florida does during Hurricane season.

[TheAntiOkie]

09:50 AM on 04/14/2012

The night time ones are the worst!  The only time I've been in a house that suffered actual tornado damage while I was there was when I was a child - small enough that I had been sleeping with my Teddy Bear - which landed on the floor next to the TREE that had inserted itself through the window that was less than a yard from the bed in which I was so sound asleep that I did not awaken when the tree made it's entry.  I've always been a "good sleeper" - lol!  (that kind of good is not so good during tornado season)

Unfortunately, lots of the shelters here in OK are being closed due to being "not up to code" and/or due to cut-backs on spending.

Everyone needs to be able to get underground or to the safest place they can find in seconds - not in quarter hour increments.  Some times there it not time to get to a shelter so - really - people need to talk to their neighbors and see if they can get in with them - some place they can get to in a minute or two if necessary.  If you have to get in a car and drive you can be in even more peril - a car is not a good place to be when one hits.

These suckers can be so dangerous at night.  I've been forced to watch the local news (GAG!) today to try to figure out what is up for tonight - it's looking like tonight is going to be a real dangerous one - night time tornadoes are hard to see and if they are "wrapped in rain" they ARE essentially invisible.  Tonight I am going to be very diligent.

[stir crazy 777]

10:40 AM on 04/14/2012

These storms,tornados and hurricanes,can be so capricious.During 2004 we had 4 hurricanes hit the Central Florida area in a 2 month period.i live in a mobile home so i stayed with friends who lived further inland.After the first storm i came home and found no damage except to my storage shed.The shed had double doors,one that opened to the left the other to the right.The door on the right looked like a crumpled up piece of paper,however my porch screen about 15 ft.away did not have so much as a tear in it. When i came home after the second storm,no damage to the patio screen,however the left hand door on the storage shed was just crumpled metal.Go figure?. Above all be safe!!!

[betty2work]

10:20 AM on 04/14/2012

So true. I like mobile homes - BUT if you are living in one and there is even a small chance of a tornado coming your way - GET OUT! Too many deaths in these parks.
-- AND not just if you live in OK or KS. Tornadoes hit in other areas - so get somewhere safer than a mobile home.

[alohadc]

07:28 AM on 04/14/2012

Why not report that waves reached Atlantic City? Is THIS news?

[almostlyniceguy]

08:01 AM on 04/14/2012

A hurricane would be.

[WOODSTOCKER60]

07:15 AM on 04/14/2012

The tornado was part of powerful storm system that is expected to rumble through the nation's midsection over the weekend."

.AND FOR ALL YOU REPUBLICANS OUT THERE WHO HATE THE FEDERAL GOVERNEMENT....."YOUR ON YOUR OWN"....
{THEN AGAIN...MAYBE THE KOCH BROTHERS WILL LEND YOU THE MONEY TO REBUILD AND REPAIR}

[eljefefx]

07:30 AM on 04/14/2012

Only fools would bring politics into this. Of course I've seen you do this before

[mlaurel58]

07:32 AM on 04/14/2012

I have too, and way too often.

[freddsky]

08:14 AM on 04/14/2012

The same could be said for people who chase storms or other people whose behavior they do not control, unless, of course, it is to show the rest of us what a justifiable ad hominem attack is. Spiffing! Stalk much?

[fvleo]

09:41 AM on 04/14/2012

government
you're
No need to SHOUT your errors.

[paulw3tzi]

07:13 AM on 04/14/2012

Why all the "news coverage". That's tornado alley. Stay tuned.

[iamfinch]

07:12 AM on 04/14/2012

This kind of thing wouldnt happen if we all drove more hybrids, when are people going to learn.

[betty2work]

10:24 AM on 04/14/2012

LOL yeah right.

[megsy123]

05:08 AM on 04/15/2012

exactly tornado's didnt exist until very recentlly.

[yellowdoggie]

06:49 AM on 04/14/2012

That tornado passed about a quarter of a mile by my house. No damage here, thank dog, but there were some businesses and homes with damage. I have not heard of any major injuries. This was just a little baby tornado, as far as we Okies are concerned.

But thanks everyone for your concern. We truly appreciate it. Really.

[probo]

06:52 AM on 04/14/2012

Good news !!

[TheAntiOkie]

09:53 AM on 04/14/2012

It looks bad but MM said it looked like F1 or F2 - relatively mild for we who know and greatly respect our tornadoes.

[the99pct]

06:24 AM on 04/14/2012

How many women had to cancel their trans vaginal ultrasound appointments? Hate these tornadoes. Where was Pat Robertson when we need him?

[betty2work]

10:25 AM on 04/14/2012

If anyone trully believes in Jesus Christ - they can pray themselves!

[ccccclearly]

06:18 AM on 04/14/2012

Right on SnootMama I love Oklahoma... Er... I mean no it's awful. It still looks like the dust bowl, most people only have three teeth and if we're not dodging tornados it's hostile Indians. Save yourselves! Don't move here! ;)

[yellowdoggie]

06:46 AM on 04/14/2012

heh heh

[TheAntiOkie]

09:54 AM on 04/14/2012

Actually, the Indians are doing more for the state than the state officials.

But we are dodging hostile politicians and the people who support them every day.

Some of them are as mean as an F5.

[megsy123]

05:10 AM on 04/15/2012

must not live near a reservation. i do, babies diapers touching the ground, mangy dying dogs, free housing and a monthly check clearly isnt the answer here. You respect The native american lifestyle? drive out to white eagle near ponca city, respect that.