Area largely spared from storm damage

Aside from scattered power outages, Pawhuska and most of Osage County apparently was spared from the damaging storms that wrecked havoc across nearby areas in Kansas and Oklahoma.

Tornado warnings for northeastern Osage County expired at 9:45 p.m. Monday after a storm cell with a confirmed tornado crossed into Oklahoma from Elgin, Kan. The cell had threatened to bring 3/4-inch hail into the Hulah Lake area around Wah-Sha-She Park, according to the Tulsa office of the National Weather Service.

Washington County Emergency Management reported wind gusts of approximately 70 miles per hour, which downed trees and power lines. AEP-Public Service of Oklahoma estimated that more than 7,200 people without power Monday night in Bartlesville, Dewey and the nearby portions of rural Osage County. Some of the outages were continuing on Tuesday, officials added.

Storm spotters reported seeing a tornado touch down near State Highway 10 between Welch in Ottawa County and the Craig County line. Grapefruit-sized hail also was noted. A tornado warning expired in that area at 8 p.m. Tuesday when it was downgraded to a severe thunderstorm warning.

Less severe damage was associated with thunderstorms that moved through the Bartlesville area Monday night, bringing gusting winds of over 20 miles per hour. Downed tree limbs — but no power outages — were reported from that weather, officials added.