Emmy Award Winning Weather & News Reporting by Shane Helton. Reporting in & around NW Oklahoma Since 1998. Storm Tracker for KOCO-TV 5
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Articles by Shane Helton
Semi-trailer rolls over along I-44 as storms move through northeast Oklahoma City
WHAT ARE YOU SEEING THERE ON THE SERVICE ROAD? LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE ON 35. WELL, ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THIS ON THE SERVICE ROAD, POWER LINES DOWN, TREES BUSTED. BUT RIGHT IN THE VERY MIDDLE OF I-35, THERE IS AN 18 WHEELER THAT'S LAYING ON ITS SIDE IS THEY GOT THEM WHEN THE WINDS CAME THROUGH HERE PRETTY STRONG. SO IT HAS REALLY DONE A LOT OF DAMAGE RIGHT HERE.
Storm chaser catches fireworks show near Frontier City amid storm risk in OKC
While many Fourth of July fireworks shows have been canceled and rescheduled due to the storm risk on Saturday, at least one went on in northeastern Oklahoma City. KOCO 5 First Alert Storm Chaser Shane Helton was heading south on Interstate 35 near Frontier City when he captured fireworks going off on the other side of the theme park.
Dangerously strong winds cause power flashes in El Reno
OUTRUN THIS AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE PARKED UP A LITTLE BIT. YOU'RE IN EL RENO. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING THERE AS YOU LOOK OFF TO THE WEST? ANYTHING OF NOTE WHEN IT COMES TO POWER OR POWER FLASHES, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. WHAT DO YOU SEE, SHANE? SO WE'RE NOT SEEING POWER FLASHES YET. THE WIND IS JUST NOW STARTING TO CATCH US. WE'RE ONE MILE OR. WELL, WE'RE AT THE LOVE'S, WHICH IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF EL RENO. THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A POWER FLASH RIGHT THERE.
Lightning strike causes fire near Fargo
A lightning strike south of Fargo sparked a fire as a severe storm moved through the area, producing hail and rotation.The Fargo Fire Department responded to the blaze, which began when lightning struck the ground, setting grass on fire. The fire spread to areas where trees had been cleared and piled up, igniting large piles of wood. "We have been watching this storm for a while. It's produced hail.
WATCH: KOCO 5 Storm Chaser Shane Helton films overturned vehicle as storms roll through Oklahoma
Editorial Standards ⓘ Storms tracking across western Oklahoma spun up tornadoes and dropped heavy hail Thursday night and caused travel issues across parts of the state.>> Go to the KOCO weather page | Get KOCO on the Go | Subscribe to KOCO 5's YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning NewsletterKOCO 5 Storm Chaser Shane Helton was in Hammon, Oklahoma, Thursday night and caught footage as emergency crews worked to clear a scene after a vehicle overturned near East 990 Road and 11th...
Truck rolls over onto another vehicle during crash on snow-covered I-35 in Oklahoma
Several drivers have been involved in crashes during the winter storm that dropped several inches of snow over the past few days in Oklahoma. KOCO 5 First Alert Storm Chaser Shane Helton was at the scene where two vehicles rolled over off the southbound lanes of Interstate 35 near Orlando in northern Oklahoma. Shane said it appeared the truck rolled several times and landed on top of another car. It's unknown whether anyone was inside that other car or if it was stranded on the side of the highway.
WATCH: Hail falls in northwest Oklahoma as severe storms move in
SHANE, LET ME TALK TO SHANE HERE REAL QUICK. SHANE. HOW BIG? HOW BIG IS THE HAIL HERE? DAMON. OKAY, SO MOST OF IT’S PEA SIZE. I’M LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW, AND I THINK I SEE SOME THAT IS NICKEL SIZED. SO WE’RE GOING TO SAY THAT THE LARGEST SIZE HAILSTONE IS THE SIZE OF A NICKEL. AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE STAYED RIGHT HERE ON THE NORTH WEST SIDE OF GOLDSBY BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WAS HAIL IN THIS STORM. AND SURE ENOUGH, THERE IS. SO IT’S FALLING PRETTY GOOD. IF YOU’RE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM. YEP.
WATCH: Confirmed tornado spotted near Ringwood
OUT TO SHANE. SHANE, WHAT DO YOU HAVE? HEY, WE’RE WE’RE HEADING SOUTH OUT OF RINGWOOD. WE’RE LOOKING BACK DOWN TOWARDS THE FAIRVIEW AREA. AND THERE IS A TORNADO DOWN THERE. IT IS A TORNADO. IT IS. WELL, IT JUST DISSIPATED. I THINK IT JUST DISSIPATED. WE CAN SEE THE LIGHTNING. IT WAS THE. NOPE, NOPE. WE CAN SEE IT AGAIN. WE CAN STILL SEE IT. THERE IS A TORNADO JUST TO OUR SOUTH AND WEST. IT IS THE. AND IT’S GOING AWAY AGAIN. IT’S JUST SAY IT AGAIN. SO THERE THAT LITTLE AREA.
Strong winds knock over transmission poles, cause damage to home near Cherokee
OUT OF LAMONT. AND NOW SHANE IS ABOUT 5 OR 6 MILES NORTH OF CHEROKEE NEAR US 64. HE HAS VIDEO OF TRANSMISSION LINES UP THERE IN ALFALFA COUNTY, DOWN ON HOUSES. HE SAYS THIS IS ONE OF 3 OR 4 BIG POLES THAT ARE DOWN THE TRANSMISSION POLES THERE. THIS IS SHANE HELTON SHOT NORTH OF CHEROKEE. THIS IS UP IN NORTHERN OKLAHOMA WHERE THEY HAD RECORDED 75 TO 80 MILE PER HOUR WIND GUSTS. POTENTIALLY HIGHER THAN THAT.
Intense storms cause significant tree damage, power outages in Pond Creek
COMING INTO NORTHERN CLEVELAND COUNTY WITH THAT. OKAY, LET ME GO BACK UP TO SHANE. SHANE’S UP IN PALM CREEK, BY THE WAY, BECAUSE EVERY EVERY COUPLE, YOU KNOW, FEET THAT HE HE MOVES, HE COMES ACROSS MORE DAMAGE. SHANE WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT HERE. DAMON. LIKE YOU SAID, I COULD FIND DAMAGE ON EVERY STREET. THIS IS A SAD ONE RIGHT HERE. THIS TREE HAS COME DOWN ON TOP OF THIS HOUSE. NOW, I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH DAMAGE THERE ACTUALLY IS TO THE HOUSE.
Video captures storm chaser's close encounter with tornado in Chester
There are currently 71 active closings or delays
Crews fighting northern Oklahoma, Kansas wildfires get assist from snow, rain
Firefighters grappling with a large wildfire in northern Oklahoma and Kansas got a welcomed Easter assist from pre-dawn snow that blanketed the hardest-hit area. The National Weather Service says about a half an inch of precipitation in the form of rain and snow fell early Sunday southwest of Wichita in Barber County. Shawna Hartman, a Kansas Forest Service spokeswoman, says roughly one-third of that dayslong blaze has been contained.
Structures, cattle, hay lost in Oklahoma-Kansas wildfire
Oklahoma Forestry Services says several structures, numerous cattle and more than 1,000 bales of hay have burned in a wildfire that has scorched about 620 square miles in Oklahoma and Kansas. Forestry services spokeswoman Michelle Finch-Walker said Saturday the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management is still assessing the damage. She said officials estimate that 36 percent of the fire is now contained.
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