What makes oklahoma prone to tornadoes

Get smart. Sign Up. Support science journalism. Knowledge awaits. See Subscription Options Already a subscriber? Create Account See Subscription Options. Continue reading with a Scientific American subscription. Oklahoma and Texas. Florida and Indiana. Notice that the location with the highest number of thunderstorms does not match the location with the highest number of tornadoes. Many important crops are grown here. The land is very flat. Power poles and a house were damaged near and just east of Broadway Street and Eastern Avenue in the southern portion of Moore.

As the tornado moved northeast, most of the roof was removed from a mobile home and trees were damaged west of Sunnylane Road north of NE 12th Street, and shingle damage occurred on a house just east of Sunnylane Road.

The tornado moved east-northeast across Sooner Road into a neighborhood, producing tree and roof damage before dissipating. The tornado formed on the south side of Chickasha, quickly doing EF-2 damage. One fatality occurred as a mobile home was destroyed in the south portion of Chickasha.

As the tornado moved northeast of Chickasha, it gained significant strength, with several areas receiving EF-4 damage. Well-built homes were destroyed. Trees were debarked with only stumps remaining. Cars were thrown hundreds of feet. Wind speeds in this area were estimated near mph. Significant damage continued as the violent tornado moved into McClain County, with well-built homes being destroyed, and some swept completely from their foundations.

A concrete dome home was severely damage, mainly by the flying debris. Trees were debarked or destroyed. Very little was left standing for the first few miles into McClain County. The tornado crossed over the Canadian River into Cleveland County, with mainly minor tree, power pole, and power line damage occurring. A few barns and outbuildings also sustained minor damage east of U. Interstate Highway As it reached the end of its life cycle, the tornado moved due north and then made a small loop, finally traveling southeastward for about a half mile before dissipating in southwestern Oklahoma City near the intersection of SW th Street and Portland Avenue.

All told, the tornado had traveled a along path of 33 miles long and had lasted for 55 minutes. The maximum path width was 0. Major roof damage was reported to a structure and four mobile homes sustained minor damage.

Several trees, power lines, and fences were blown down along its path, including near the City baseball park. The tornado damaged the roof of a trailer. Monetary damages estimated. The tornado moved northeast, crossing the eastern arm of Lake Thunderbird. A number of homes were significantly damaged as the tornado moved east-northeast through neighborhoods from near Indian Hills Road and th Avenue SE to the Pottawatomie County line.

The tornado moved through a mobile home park north of Independence Road after crossing State Highway Just northeast of the mobile home park, a permanent home was destroyed with much of the debris blown well to the northeast.

One fatality occurred in the mobile home park, and another man was killed in his vehicle. Although this tornado primarily affected northeast Norman and Shawnee, the tornado did move through the extreme southeastern tip of the city of Oklahoma City just west and north of Hardesty Road and Pottawatomie Road.

At least EF2 damage occurred as a mobile home and outbuildings were destroyed just west of Pottawatomie Road within the city limits of Oklahoma City.

The tornado continued to expand in size as it approached the Canadian River and the Cleveland County line. The tornado then turned more east and then east-northeast after crossing I Violent EF4 damage was again observed as it began to move into progressively higher density residental areas approaching May Avenue.

After crossing Western Avenue, numerous buildings were destroyed and horses killed at Orr Family Farm.

Two storage tanks estimated to weigh approximately 10 tons were lifted from Orr Family Farm and landed about one-half mile east. Despite the destruction of this elementary school during school hours, no fatalities occurred at the school.

As the tornado continued to move east and east-northeast, it moved through much more densely populated suburban neighborhoods of southwest Oklahoma City and Moore where violent destruction was widespread. The width of EF4 and greater damage was up to yards wide as the tornado moved through neighborhoods east of Western Avenue.

The first two fatalities occurred in a house in the neighborhood just east of Briarwood Elementary, with another fatality in a house as the tornado approached Santa Fe Avenue. Damage to the school was extensive and seven children were killed when a wall collapsed at the school.

Nine other people were killed in eight different neighborhood homes within one-quarter mile of Plaza Towers Elementary, most occurring just south of the school. The tornado turned northeast as it approached Telephone Road, made a loop near the intersection of Telephone Road and 4th Street, then moved southeast crossing the interstate.

Three people were killed when a convenience store along Telephone Road was destroyed. Crossing Telephone Road, the tornado inflicted significant damage to the Moore Medical Center, a post office and numerous businesses along Telephone Road and U.

Although the tornado was more narrow after crossing I, it continued to produce EF4 damage in neighborhoods east of the interstate as it curved east and then again east-northeast. One fatality occurred at a business just east of the interstate, and one final fatality occurred in a home between Eastern Avenue and Bryant Avenue.

The density of housing also decreased east of Bryant Avenue as the tornado moved east and east-northeast before dissipating east of Air Depot Blvd. The Doppler on Wheels mobile radar detected a long-lived anticyclonic tornado southwest of Yukon. A storm damage survey team later confirmed damage produced by the tornado.

Some structural damage was noted along with damage to trees. The tornado moved just south of east for a little over 1. Damage to trees and power lines was noted, as well as very minor structural damage to some homes.

Buildings, power lines and trees were damaged, including broken windows at a couple of motels along Meridian Avenue. Minor damage to trees and power lines was noted. Damage to several homes, trees, and power lines and poles occurred. Roof and tree damage occurred with this tornado. No damage is known to have occurred. Two outbuildings were severely damaged and three houses suffered damage to roof shingles.

This small tornado was embedded within a large area of severe thunderstorm winds. A tornado touched down near Southeast 59th Street and Eastern Avenue in Oklahoma City, and moved north along Eastern Avenue , then northwest crossing Interstate 35 near and south of Southeast 44th Street before turning west and dissipating near Southeast 44th Street and Lindsay Avenue.

The most significant damage occurred just east of Interstate 35 where a motel sustained significant damage losing most walls on the second floor, and significant damage to many recreational vehicles at an adjacent RV park.

While not directly related to the tornado, one woman perished while seeking shelter from the tornado in a below-ground storm cellar. Heavy rains flooded the cellar and the woman drowned. A weak tornado, embedded within a larger area of damaging thunderstorm winds, developed near SW 59th Street and Sara Road on the north side of Mustang, and moved northeast crossing into Oklahoma County just south of SW 29th Street.

In Canadian County, two outbuildings suffered roof damage, but the primary damage was to trees along the path. One house near the end of the tornado path suffered significant roof damage.

Otherwise, damage along the path was primarily to trees and power lines. This tornado produced damage to a power pole just south of NE 23rd Street and a snapped a few tree branches along the path. One tree snapped falling onto a carport and car along Prospect Avenue. Although no structure damage was noted in the shopping center, several trees were snapped, and three employee cars were blown about 50 yards into bollards in front of JC Penney.

Sporadic tree damage was noted as the tornado moved northeast to near Hiwassee Road and Wilshire Boulevard intermittently causing damage. The only structure damage noted along the path was to an aviation plant which suffered significant roof damage northeast of SE 15th Street and Midwest Boulevard in Midwest City, and some roof damage along Post Road.

Many trees were snapped or damaged along the path. Some homes in a neighborhood along Edwin Road just east of Anderson Road suffered damage, with one receiving significant roof damage. The tornado moved generally northeast across east Edmond, crossing the northwestern portion of Arcadia Lake, then dissipating southeast of Danforth Road and Midwest Boulevard. Except for power pole and fencing damage at the beginning of the path, damage was limited to sporadic tree damage.

The tornado then produced sporadic tree damage as it move northeast to near NE 63rd Street and Peebly Road. Fujita Scale or F Scale of tornado damage intensity.

The F Scale was developed based on damage intensity and not wind speed; wind speed ranges given are estimated, based on the extent of observed damage. The Enhanced Fujita Scale or EF Scale, which became operational on February 1, , is used to assign a tornado a 'rating' based on estimated wind speeds and related damage. When tornado-related damage is surveyed, it is compared to a list of Damage Indicators DIs and Degrees of Damage DoD which help estimate better the range of wind speeds the tornado likely produced.

From that, a rating from EF0 to EF5 is assigned. The EF Scale was revised from the original Fujita Scale to reflect better examinations of tornado damage surveys so as to align wind speeds more closely with associated storm damage. The new scale has to do with how most structures are designed. Its uses three-second gusts estimated at the point of damage based on a judgment of 8 levels of damage to the 28 indicators listed below.

These estimates vary with height and exposure. Important: The 3 second gust is not the same wind as in standard surface observations. Standard measurements are taken by weather stations in open exposures, using a directly measured, "one minute mile" speed.

The goal is assign an EF Scale category based on the highest wind speed that occurred within the damage path. First, trained NWS personnel will identify the appropriate damage indicator DI [see list below] from more than one of the 28 used in rating the damage.

The construction or description of a building should match the DI being considered, and the observed damage should match one of the 8 degrees of damage DOD used by the scale.

The tornado evaluator will then make a judgment within the range of upper and lower bound wind speeds, as to whether the wind speed to cause the damage is higher or lower than the expected value for the particular DOD.

This is done for several structures not just one, before a final EF rating is determined. Boren Blvd. Suite Norman, OK Comments? Please Contact Us. Please try another search. Multiple locations were found. Please select one of the following:. Location Help. Flooding Threat on East and West Coasts Heavy rain combined with high snow levels may produce flash flooding and debris flows near burn scars today over western portions of Washington and Oregon.

Customize Your Weather. Privacy Policy. Current Hazards. Current Conditions. Rivers and Lakes. Climate and Past Weather. Besides trees, damage was also observed to house roofs, porches and car ports with evidence of debris lofted.

This tornado developed just west of NW 20th Street and Blackwelder Avenue and initially moved east-northeast. A restaurant near NW 23rd Street and Douglas suffered roof damage on the east side of the building, and windows were broken in a building that had previously housed Rainbow Records at NW 23rd and Classen. Elsewhere along the path, trees and power lines were damaged as well as roof damage to one home, an damaged outbuilding, and street signs along NW 23rd.

A church sign was destroyed and large trees were uprooted although in ground that was much wetter than usual after recent heavy rainfall. One of these trees fell onto a parked car. Some damage to chimneys; branches broken off trees, shallow-rooted trees uprooted, sign boards damaged.

One F1 Weak mph Moderate damage. Roof surfaces peeled off; mobile homes pushed foundations or overturned; moving autos pushed off road. Two F2 Strong mph Considerable damage. Roofs torn from frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars pushed over; large trees snapped or uprooted; light objects become projectiles. Three F3 Strong mph Severe damage.

Roofs and some walls torn from well- constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees in forested area uprooted; heavy cars lifted and thrown. Four F4 Violent mph Devastating damage. Well- constructed houses leveled; structures with weak foundation blown some distance; cars thrown; large missiles generated. Five F5 Violent mph Incredible damage. Strong frame houses lifted off foundations, carried considerable distances, and disintegrated; auto-sized missiles airborne for several hundred feet or more; trees debarked.

LRB 18 Mid-rise story bldg. References Fujita, T. PB , Univ. Grazulis, T. Environmental Films, St. Johnsbury, Vermont, pp. Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook. Follow us on YouTube. Disclaimer Information Quality Help Glossary. Just north of Goldsby - South part of Norman - 3. Moved northeastward across the SE part of the city. Touched down briefly in a wheat field at the N edge of OKC. Tornado damaged an apartment complex in Midwest City. Data sources: D.

An area of damage consistent with a narrow QLCS tornado was found within a larger swath of damaging winds. A second area consistent with a tornado was observed within a larger swath of thunderstorm wind damage as a Quasi-Linear Convective System moved through. Within the larger area of thunderstorm wind damage, a small tornado developed just southeast of NE 42nd Street and Kelley Avenue and moved northeast to near NE 43rd Street and Everest Avenue.

Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 3. Figure 4. Tornado frequency in the immediate Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area by decade, Present. This week's tornadoes follow closely upon another devastating twister that touched down near the city of Moore, Oklahoma on May 20, which reduced entire neighborhoods to rubble and killed 24 people.

What makes Oklahoma so tornado-prone? While the United States has perhaps the best historical records for tornadoes, twisters also occur elsewhere, including in Italy, India, and South America. Related: "Lessons From Joplin's Recovery ". While tornadoes can differ in their size, strength, and location, they all share certain characteristics.

They are spawned from a type of rotating storm called a supercell thunderstorm. And they are all driven by atmospheric instability and by a phenomenon known as wind shear. This happens when "wind near the ground blows in one direction, but aloft it blows in another direction.

This creates shear in the airflow," Karstens explained. While scientists understand some of the basic setup conditions necessary for tornado formation, there are still many fundamental questions about tornadoes that remain unanswered. Tim Samaras, a tornado chaser known for for getting instruments inside tornadoes to measure pressure and wind speeds, says we have a lot to learn about how tornadoes form.

Scientists also have a limited understanding about how tornadoes maintain their intensities and what causes them to fizzle out, Karstens said. At the moment, tornadoes are much more difficult to forecast than hurricanes.

For example, the National Hurricane Center was able to predict the path of last year's Hurricane Sandy with startling accuracy a full five days before it made landfall.