Hard-To-Predict 'Microburst' Causes Claremore Damage

<p>A round of severe weather caused big problems in Claremore. Power crews worked around the clock to get the lights and air conditioning back on for thousands of people.</p>

Friday, August 26th 2016, 6:08 pm

By: News On 6

Hard-To-Predict 'Microburst' Causes Claremore Damage

A round of severe weather caused big problems in Claremore.

Power crews worked around the clock to get the lights and air conditioning back on for thousands of people.

The strong winds blew part of the roof off New Hope Church of God and the Braum’s in Claremore.

People near Sioux Avenue and Stuart Rossa in Claremore want to know why the city didn’t warn them the storm was coming.

Friday, a lot of neighbors were out in their yards cleaning up tree branches, and everyone agreed the storm caught them by surprise.

"We could hear the thunder booming, so we went outside and it was massive rain, wind, it was crazy," neighbor Mark Jennings said.

Osage SkyNews 6 HD found roofs ripped apart, trees knocked down and fences on the ground.

Roger Goedecke never imagined he'd be cleaning up storm debris based on Thursday's forecast.

"It came in pretty hard and pretty quick," he said.

Mike Teague with the National Weather Service said it was a microburst, which is hard to predict and can form quickly.

"Winds right here at this spot are going one way, and winds right here at this spot are going another way, so everything is spreading out," Teague said.

And then the rain comes.

Teague said it fell more than 6,000 feet, picking up momentum the whole way. He said the radar showed a potential for a microburst forming, but it wasn't a textbook case.

"They happen on a much smaller basis, nearly everyone, a lot; but to be over a city area is just kind of random," he said.

Teague said he can't remember the last time a microburst like this happened.

The storm also caused problems at Claremore's Hillcrest Hospital. The wind blew open a vent, letting rain inside the hospital and causing the main power to go out for about an hour Thursday night.

All of the patients in the emergency room and those with complex medical needs were taken to other hospitals.