PURCELL — A Severe Thunderstorm Warning continues early Saturday for Purcell, Slaughterville and Lexington, Oklahoma, until 7 a.m. CDT, as a storm carrying wind gusts up to 70 mph and ping pong ball sized hail tracks across a corridor extending from Slaughterville and Purcell northeast through Etowah, Tribbey and toward Asher.

Roughly 36,215 people sit inside the warned polygon, along with 21 schools and 1 hospital, a meaningful population footprint for a warning covering mostly small towns and rural communities across this stretch of central Oklahoma.

Why Ping Pong Ball Hail Signals a Genuinely Dangerous Storm

Ping pong ball sized hail, roughly an inch and a half in diameter, sits well above the threshold for a routine severe storm and is large enough to dent vehicles, damage roofing, and injure anyone caught outside without shelter. Paired with 70 mph wind gusts, strong enough to snap tree limbs and cause scattered structural damage on its own, this storm carries two distinct, serious hazards rather than a single dominant threat, meaning residents across Purcell, Slaughterville and the surrounding communities need to prepare for both simultaneously as it continues overnight.

What Happened as the Warning Continued Overnight

As of this writing, the warning remains in effect through 7 a.m. CDT, with the storm actively tracking across the warned area at the time of this report. No confirmed damage, injury, or hail reports specific to this storm have been published. This article will be updated as the warning is extended, expires, or as confirmed damage reports become available.

For more coverage like this, check back for the latest severe weather updates.