Here’s The Best Place to Watch Thunderstorms In Oklahoma

The thunder rolls and the lightening strikes in Oklahoma. And an occasional tornado touches down to wreak havoc among the plains. You'd think you'd have the best view of thunderstorms across the Sooner State, but there's one area of Oklahoma that's the best for watching thunderstorms.

When extreme weather days are predicted for Oklahoma, you'll find highways, dirt roads and small towns filled with professional and ammeter storm chasers, plus locals who are looking for a glimpse of the action. Severe weather can strike anywhere in Oklahoma at anytime of day, but if you're able to see it or to get a good shot is oftentimes tricky.

Your view could easily be blocked by buildings or trees, or the storm itself if you encounter a rain-wrapped tornado. And you'll be hard-pressed to see a tornado at night without several big flashes of lightening.

So where's the best place in Oklahoma to watch thunderstorms?

If you're looking for wide-open spaces and clear views of thunderstorms, then you'll want to be in western Oklahoma when severe weather is imminent. According to the Farmers' Almanac, western Oklahoma is one of the top five places in the nation to watch thunderstorms.

The reason being is because there is so much open space in western Oklahoma that everything just seems bigger. Plus this area of the Sooner State often sees extreme winds, large hail and, of course, tornadoes.

Western Oklahoma saw a big tornado on May 23.

Oklahomans got a full view of watching thunderstorms and tornadoes in western Oklahoma on May 23, 2024. An EF2 touched down in Jackson County near Duke, Oklahoma, while there was still daylight outside, so storm chasers got some great footage of the tornado. That day in western Oklahoma definitely showed why that area of the state is the best for watching thunderstorms.

Even though western Oklahoma is mostly farmland, there are still a few areas with homes. Unfortunately, on May 23, a home was struck by a tornado. A pair of storm chasers captured on video the moment it happened.

Even though these storms can cause death and destruction, they're still pretty cool to see in wide-open spaces.