Severe thunderstorms raked across eastern Oklahoma Thursday evening, spawning at least one reported tornado and leaving behind damage.

The storms began firing up late Thursday afternoon south of Tulsa and continued to intensify and build to the southeast.

At about 6:30 p.m., NewsChannel 8 Storm Chaser Mark Conklin was in the Council Hill area of Muskogee County, where there was a sighting of a tornado. The Abundant Life Church lost its roof and a mobile home was also heavily damaged by the storm. The photo you see here was taken by a storm chaser of a rain shaft that may have been hiding the tornado.

The National Weather Service (web|news) is expected to visit the area today to officially confirm the tornado touchdown.

Most of the widespread damage in eastern Oklahoma was done by large hail.

The largest of the hail -- golf ball sized -- fell near Boynton in Muskogee County and also near Morris in Okmulgee County. There were also reports of inch and a half size hail in Pontotoc County and half dollar size southeast of Grove in Delaware County.

The storms came on the hottest day of the year so far, as temperatures Thursday afternoon topped out in the mid to upper 80s.

Friday's weather forecast looks calmer and cooler with highs in the upper 50s to near 60 and partly cloudy skies.

A chance for more storms, including some which may bring heavy downpours, re-enters the picture over the weekend and into Monday.

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