Damaging tornado hits Purcell, Oklahoma, destroying multiple structures
Two radar-confirmed tornadoes struck parts of Oklahoma on January 8, 2026, one near Purcell in McClain County at 07:31 LT and another south of Stella in Cleveland County at 07:45 LT. The storms damaged and destroyed multiple structures in Purcell and left more than 3 500 customers without power.
A radar-confirmed tornado struck Purcell, McClain County, Oklahoma, at approximately 07:31 CST (13:31 UTC) on January 8. The tornado caused significant structural damage in parts of Purcell, primarily on the west side of Interstate 35, where several homes and commercial buildings were damaged or destroyed.
Local reports show downed trees, power poles, and power lines across affected neighborhoods. The McClain County Emergency Management and the National Weather Service in Norman (OUN) confirmed the tornado via radar debris signature.
Power outages were reported in parts of Purcell, with 116 customers being out of power in McClain County. Meanwhile, over 1 027 customers were out of power in Lincoln County, 728 in Oklahoma County, and 505 in Pottawatomie County.
This was one of two radar-confirmed tornadoes in Oklahoma that day. The second occurred at 07:45 CST (19:45 UTC), about 30 km (19 miles) northeast of Stella, Cleveland County. Both tornadoes formed from the same severe storm cell moving northeast across central Oklahoma.
Multiple tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued throughout the morning. As of late morning, severe thunderstorm warnings remained in effect for parts of eastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas, while tornado watches were active across northeastern Oklahoma, southwestern Missouri, and northwestern Arkansas.
Feature image credit: Poweroutage
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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