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McClain County, OK Tornadoes Prior to 1950 | |||||||||
# | Date | Time (CST) |
Path Length (miles) |
Path Width (yards) |
F-Scale | Killed | Injured | County | Path |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
04/12/1896 | McClain | Cole | |||||||
06/22/1936 | 1845 | 3 | 200 | 1 | McClain | Rosedale | |||
09/26/1945 | 1805 | 67 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland/ Oklahoma | Newcastle - Norman - S OKC | |||
03/18/1948 | McClain | Washington - 1 S Woody Chapel | |||||||
04/30/1949 | 1455 | 52* | 250 | 3 | 56 | McClain/ Cleveland/ Pottawatomie/ Lincoln | 5 S Blanchard - W of Norman; S of McLoud - E of Meeker (likely separate events) | ||
04/30/1949 | 1630 | 25 | 150 | 0 | 1 | Garvin/ McClain | SE of Lindsay - near Wayne | ||
McClain County, OK Tornadoes (1950-Present*) | |||||||||
# | Date | Time (CST) |
Path Length (miles) |
Path Width (yards) |
F-Scale | Killed | Injured | County | Path |
1 | 03/13/1953 | 1845 | 2 | 100 | F2 | 0 | 2 | McClain | Washington |
2 | 04/02/1953 | 2158 | 0.1 | 10 | F0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 6 NW Lindsay |
3 | 04/28/1956 | 1420 | 35 | 10 | F1 | 0 | 0 | Grady/ McClain/ Cleveland | 5 S Chickasha - 3 E Norman |
4 | 05/24/1957 | 1800 | 31 | 440 | F2 | 0 | 0 | Garvin/ McClain/ Pottawatomie | SW of Wynnewood - Wynnewood; S of Wanette - Wanette - 6 NW McComb |
5 | 05/24/1957 | 2100 | 0.1 | 10 | F1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | SW of Purcell |
6 | 09/03/1959 | 0745 | 0.1 | 10 | F0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | Near Purcell |
7 | 05/23/1960 | 2030 | 1.5 | 33 | F1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 2 NW Newcastle |
8 | 02/17/1961 | 1630 | 0.5 | 17 | F? | 0 | 0 | McClain | 12 SW Purcell |
9 | 05/26/1962 | 2058 | 7 | 100 | F2 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland | 1 NE- ~5 E Goldsby |
10 | 04/03/1964 | 1830 | 0.1 | 10 | F? | 0 | 0 | McClain | Near Newcastle |
11 | 04/05/1965 | 1330 | 0.1 | 10 | F1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | Near Purcell |
12 | 04/14/1965 | 1730 | 0.1 | 10 | F0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 4 NE Dibble |
13 | 12/29/1972 | 2015 | 15 | 40 | F2 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland | 10 SW Purcell - 4 ESE Lexington |
14 | 11/19/1973 | 1930 | 24 | 500 | F3 | 5 | 36 | McClain/ Cleveland/ Oklahoma | Blanchard - Moore - Del City - SE Oklahoma City |
15 | 03/02/1977 | 1630 | 6 | 100 | F1 | 0 | 0 | Grady/ McClain | Near Blanchard |
16 | 08/21/1979 | 1930 | 0.1 | 10 | F0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | Between Criner and Washington |
17 | 05/17/1981 | 1646 | 4 | 100 | F1 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland | 3 SSW Noble |
18 | 06/11/1982 | 0300 | 1 | 50 | F2 | 0 | 0 | McClain | Old Goldsby Airport |
19 | 08/27/1982 | 1600 | 1 | 50 | F2 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 5 N Purcell |
20 | 05/27/1984 | 1735 | 7 | 100 | F0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 2 SSE- 9 SE Goldsby |
21 | 05/27/1984 | 1745 | 6 | 100 | F0 | 0 | 0 | Cleveland/ McClain | 3 S- 8 SSE Noble |
22 | 03/26/1985 | 2047 | 0.1 | 10 | F1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 3 SW Payne |
23 | 03/13/1990 | 1644-1737 | 28 | 200 | F2 | 0 | 1 | Grady/ McClain/ Cleveland | 1 W Bradley- Washington- Noble- 5 NE Noble |
24 | 03/13/1990 | 1731-1805 | 18 | 150 | F2 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland | 2 W Criner- 5 SE Noble |
25 | 05/02/1991 | 1900 | 0.3 | 30 | F1 | 0 | 3 | McClain | Blanchard |
26 | 09/02/1992 | 1715-1745 | 8 | 400 | F2 | 0 | 1 | McClain | 3 SW Purcell- 3 ENE Wayne |
27 | 03/29/1993 | 2152-2202 | 5 | 33 | F1 | 0 | 0 | Grady/ McClain | 4 E Alex- 3 W Criner |
28 | 09/13/1993 | 1330 | 0.1 | 23 | F0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 1 S Criner |
29 | 05/26/1996 | 2132 | 0.1 | 25 | F0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 6 S Purcell |
30 | 06/06/1996 | 1735 | 0.1 | 20 | F0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 1 SE Wayne |
31 | 06/06/1996 | 1740 | 0.1 | 10 | F0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 1 SE Wayne |
32 | 05/25/1997 | 1600-1624 | 6 | 1320 | F2 | 0 | 2 | McClain | 7 WSW - 4 S Purcell |
33 | 05/25/1997 | 1632 | 0.2 | 20 | F0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 2 NNE Wayne |
34 | 10/04/1998 | 1915-1921 | 5 | 80 | F2 | 0 | 0 | Grady/ McClain | 4 NW Blanchard - 2 SSW Newcastle |
35 | 10/04/1998 | 1926-1928 | 1.5 | 30 | F0 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland | N Newcastle - SW Oklahoma City |
36 | 11/09/1998 | 2115-2120 | 5 | 130 | F1 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland | 1.5 SW Purcell - Purcell - 1 NE Lexington |
37 | 04/05/1999 | 0503-0506 | 3 | 15 | F1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 10 SW - 8 W Purcell |
38 | 05/03/1999 | 1726-1848 | 37 | 1760 | F5 | 36 | 583 | Grady/ McClain/ Cleveland/ Oklahoma | 2 SSW Amber - far N Newcastle - SW Oklahoma City - N Moore - S Del City - W Midwest City |
39 | 05/03/1999 | 1810 | 0.2 | 20 | F0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | north Newcastle |
40 | 05/08/2003 | 1600-1601 | 0.2 | 30 | F0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | N Newcastle (3.5 NNW Newcastle) |
41 | 05/07/2008 | 1621-1631 | 5 | 25 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland | 0.5 SE Goldsby - 1.5 N Noble |
42 | 04/29/2009 | 0911-0920 | 7 | 40 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | Garvin/ McClain | 4 W - 5 N Stratford |
43 | 05/10/2010 | 1636-1643 | 5 | 880 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 7 WSW - 2.5 W Wayne |
44 | 05/10/2010 | 1637-1638 | 0.8 | 150 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 7 WSW - 6 W Wayne |
45 | 04/22/2011 | 1845-1848 | 0.5 | 150 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 1 WSW Byars |
46 | 04/22/2011 | 1859 | 0.2 | 30 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 1 E Byars |
47 | 05/24/2011 | 1606-1701 | 33 | 880 | EF4 | 1 | 48 | Grady/ McClain/ Cleveland | 2 S Chickasha - Oklahoma City (near SW 149th/Portland) |
48 | 05/24/2011 | 1626-1705 | 23 | 880 | EF4 | 0 | 61 | Grady/ McClain | 2 W Bradley - 1 W Goldsby |
49 | 05/24/2011 | 1645-1646 | 0.7 | 50 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 2 SW Newcastle |
50 | 05/24/2011 | 1702-1703 | 0.5 | 40 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 2.5 SE Goldsby |
51 | 11/07/2011 | 2247-2249 | 1.6 | 110 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 3 NE - 4.5 NE Blanchard |
52 | 04/13/2012 | 1459-1512 | 6 | 600 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland | 4 NNW Goldsby - Norman (near NE12th/Robinson) |
53 | 05/20/2013 | 1356-1435 | 14 | 1900 | EF5 | 24 | 212 | McClain/ Cleveland | Newcastle (3 NW US-77/SH-130) - Oklahoma City (south) - Moore - 3 WNW Stanley Draper Lake Dam |
54 | 05/06/2015 | 1633-1639 | 1 | 200 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 2 SE Newcastle |
55 | 05/19/2015 | 1340 | 0.1 | 20 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 9 W Wayne |
56 | 05/19/2015 | 1351 | 0.1 | 20 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 5 SW Purcell |
57 | 05/23/2015 | 1711-1717 | 2 | 50 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 2.5 ESE - 3 NE Blanchard |
58 | 05/23/2015 | 1730-1732 | 0.5 | 50 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 1 WSW Newcastle |
59 | 12/26/2015 | 1357 | 0.1 | 20 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 7 NE Byars |
60 | 10/21/2017 | 1936-1942 | 3 | 50 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland | 3 NW Goldsby (near SH-9/Santa Fe) - 3 SSW Norman (SW of SH-9/Chautauqua) |
61 | 05/02/2018 | 1948-1953 | 5 | 40 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland | 2 SW Purcell - Purcell - 2 N Lexington |
62 | 05/19/2018 | 2317-2327 | 7 | 50 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 6.5 WSW - 2 N Wayne |
63 | 05/21/2019 | 0245-0250 | 4 | 250 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland | 3.5 SSE Goldsby - 0.75 NW Noble |
64 | 06/16/2019 | 1650 | 0.2 | 20 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 1 SE Wayne |
65 | 12/13/2022 | 0527-0533 | 5 | 300 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland | Wayne - 5 SE Lexington |
66 | 02/26/2023 | 2114-2138 | 27 | 900 | EF2 | 0 | 12 | McClain/ Cleveland | 2 NE Cole - Goldsby - Norman (south and east) - 2 NE Stella |
67 | 04/19/2023 | 1820-1826 | 3 | 200 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | Grady/ McClain | 3 SE Middleberg - 3 NNW Dibble |
68 | 04/19/2023 | 1830-1905 | 11 | 1200 | EF3 | 1 | 2 | McClain | 3 N Dibble - Cole - 3 NW Goldsby |
69 | 04/19/2023 | 1838-1841 | 1.2 | 250 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 2 S Blanchard - 3 WSW Cole |
70 | 04/19/2023 | 1847-1853 | 2.2 | 400 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 2 SE Cole - 3 NNW Washington |
71 | 04/19/2023 | 1855-1910 | 8 | 700 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain/ Cleveland | just E of Washington - 1 W Slaughterville |
72 | 04/19/2023 | 1856-1858 | 0.8 | 50 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 2.5 NE - 2 NE Washington |
73 | 05/11/2023 | 1836-1838 | 0.4 | 30 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | Grady/ McClain | 3.5 SE Bridge Creek |
74 | 05/11/2023 | 1842-1849 | 2.1 | 30 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 4 SW - 2.5 SSW Newcastle |
75 | 05/11/2023 | 1912-1913 | 0.4 | 30 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 2 W Dibble |
76 | 05/11/2023 | 1929-1959 | 9 | 250 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | McClain | 3 SW Cole - 1 SW Goldsby |
Date | Time (CST) |
Path Length (miles) |
Path Width (yards) |
F-Scale | Killed | Injured | County | Path | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
03/13/1953 | 1845 | 2 | 100 | F2 | 0 | 2 | McClain | Washington | |
This tornado moved northeastward through the town of Washington, but because of warnings received prior to the tornado's arrival, almost every resident was able to take shelter in a basement or storm cellar. The tornado injured two people and $200,000 in damages. |
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11/19/1973 | 1930 | 24 | 500 | F3 | 5 | 46 | McClain/ Cleveland/ Oklahoma | Blanchard - Moore - Del City - SE Oklahoma City | |
A tornado touched down about one mile south-southwest of Blanchard, OK in McClain County at 7:30 pm CST and moved north-northeastward at 40 mph. The tornado moved through the western portions of Blanchard with top damage wind speeds of 150-175 mph. Thirty-one homes, 2 businesses, and 2 churches were destroyed, and 44 homes along with 2 businesses received major damage. Two occupants of a mobile home were killed and 18 others were injured. Total damages to insured property were $1.8 million. In addition, minor damage in Alex (17 miles south-southwest of Blanchard) may have been associated with this tornado. Heavy rain accompanied the tornado and apparently obscured any noise made by the storm. The tornado caused spotty damage northeast of Blanchard, mostly light, and then it moved through Moore, OK where it struck a mobile home park in southern Moore, and then many homes and businesses in the northern sections of the city. Two children were killed in the mobile home park where 37 mobile homes were destroyed and 30 others were damaged. On some mobile home trailers, only the frame of the floor and wheels remained. Of the 28 injuries in Moore, most occurred at the mobile home park. Total damages in Moore totaled $2.5 million. As the tornado moved north-northeast into southern Oklahoma City, OK, substantial damage to a warehouse occurred at about 8:00 pm CST along 89th Street. A watchman at the warehouse was killed when a concrete block wall collapsed on him. As the tornado continued on, minor roof damage occurred in southeastern Oklahoma City and Del City, OK northward to about 20th Street SE. |
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03/13/1990 | 1644-1737 | 28 | 200 | F2 | 0 | 1 | Grady/ McClain/ Cleveland | 1 W Bradley- Washington- Noble- 5 NE Noble | |
An outbreak of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes occurred during the afternoon and evening of March 13th and the early morning hours of March 14th. Many reports of large hail up to the size of softballs were received. A total of 10 tornadoes occurred in Oklahoma. A strong tornado touched down 1 mile west of Bradley and moved northeast before dissipating 5 miles northeast of Noble. Near Bradley, 2 mobile homes were destroyed, while several homes and 3 barns were damaged. In McClain County, the damage was intermittent from 5 miles west of Criner to U.S. Interstate Highway I-35 southeast of Goldsby. At least 8 mobile homes and several outbuildings were destroyed. In Washington, the second story of a home was destroyed and one injury occurred to a woman in a mobile home. In Cleveland County at Noble, the damage was extensive. An apartment building lost part of its roof, and a mobile home was overturned. Several tractor semi-trailers were overturned at a warehouse. Numerous homes sustained roof and other structural damage in the Sky Ridge and Forest Hills subdivisions. The Noble High School stadium press box was destroyed, several light poles were snapped, and the scoreboard was demolished. Total damage was estimated between $750,000 and $1 million. |
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05/02/1991 | 1900 | 0.3 | 30 | F1 | 0 | 3 | McClain | Blanchard | |
Severe thunderstorms developed across the southwestern portions of Oklahoma during the afternoon of May 2nd and spread to the central portions of the state, producing 2 tornadoes. The second tornado occurred along a gust front as it was moving through Blanchard. It destroyed 2 mobile homes and caused 3 injuries. The damages were estimated at $20,000. |
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09/02/1992 | 1715-1745 | 8 | 400 | F2 | 0 | 1 | McClain | 3 SW Purcell- 3 ENE Wayne | |
Severe thunderstorms were widespread across central and south-central Oklahoma on September 2nd, with a few severe storms moving across the southeastern portion of the state. A strong (F2) tornado developed across McClain County at 5:15 pm CST 2.5 miles southwest of Purcell. The tornado moved along an 8-mile path and dissipated 3 miles east-northeast of Wayne at 5:45 pm CST. The tornado had an average path width of 300 to 500 yards. Most damage was confined to trees and crops, but 7 homes and several outbuildings received damage. One home on U.S. Highway 77 lost about 80 percent of its roof. At U.S. Highway 77, a pickup truck was overturned and its lone occupant sustained injuries after being thrown from the vehicle. Other damage included downed high tension power lines, a trailer bed blown about 100 yards, and a one-ton propane tank blown and rolled about 0.25 miles. The storm producing the tornado also dropped tennis ball to softball size hail across McClain and southern Cleveland counties. |
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05/25/1997 | 1600-1624 | 6 | 1320 | F2 | 0 | 2 | McClain | 7 WSW - 4 S Purcell | |
Severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon in central Oklahoma and spread into southern Oklahoma during the late afternoon and evening. In all, thirteen tornadoes were confirmed, including an F2 tornado that tracked for 6 miles through McClain County southwest of Purcell. Some minor injuries were reported with one of the tornadoes, but no fatalities or serious injuries occurred. Reports of 3-inch hail, severe straight-line winds, and lightning damage were also received. One particularly strong supercell storm tracked across central Oklahoma, reaching its maximum strength and producing 3 tornadoes and extensive straight-line wind damage over Grady and McClain Counties. What follows here is an excerpt from a damage survey conducted by a National Weather Service meteorologist on May 26th, the day after the storm. Findings indicate that 3 tornadoes occurred in this area. Most of the damage, and all of the significant structural damage, resulted from the first two tornadoes. Widespread tree damage in some areas, especially in McClain County, was attributed to straight-line winds. The second and more significant tornado, rated F2, began 5 miles east of Criner, or 7 miles WSW of downtown Purcell, in southern McClain County. The beginning time of this tornado is less certain but is believed to be near or just after 4:00 pm CST. This tornado also tracked just south of due east for 6 miles, ending about 4 miles NW of Wayne or 4 miles S of downtown Purcell at around 4:24 pm CST. Numerous power lines were downed, prompting the temporary closing of both OK State Highways 24 and 74 for a time Sunday evening. At least 18 dwellings, including mobile homes and permanent dwellings, were destroyed or suffered major damage. This probably was a multiple-vortex tornado, at least in its latter stages, based on eyewitness reports. |
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05/03/1999 | 1726-1848 | 38 | 1760 | F5 | 36 | 583 | Grady/ McClain/ Cleveland/ Oklahoma | 2 SSW Amber - far N Newcastle - SW Oklahoma City - N Moore-S Del City-W Midwest City | |
This violent, long-lived tornado was the most infamous of nearly 60 tornadoes that struck central Oklahoma during an unprecedented outbreak on this Monday afternoon and evening of May 3, 1999. The tornado was the 9th of 14 tornadoes produced by a supercell thunderstorm during the tornado outbreak. It formed around 5:26 pm CST about 2 miles south-southwest of Amber, OK, and grew rapidly to monstrous proportions as it headed to the northeast, paralleling U.S. Interstate Highway I-44. It moved across Bridge Creek, OK and rural parts of northwest Newcastle, OK, causing continuous F4 and sporadic F5 damage. The tornado was estimated to be a mile in diameter in this area. It weakened to F2/F3 intensity and narrowed to less than 1/4 mile in width as it crossed I-44 and the Canadian River northeast of Newcastle and entered far south Oklahoma City, OK southwest of 149th and May Avenue around 6:12 pm CST. But it regained F4/F5 intensity and widened again to 1/2 to occasionally 3/4 mile as it moved northeast across south Oklahoma City, entering Moore, OK just west and north of 12th and Santa Fe. Still moving northeast and still producing F4 and occasional F5 damage, it crossed U.S. Interstate Highway I-35 at the Shields Boulevard junction and moved into northeast Moore, at which point it weakened slightly to F3/sporadic F4 intensity and began a gradual turn to the left. This turn took the tornado more to the north-northeast as it crossed U.S. Interstate Highway I-240 between Bryant Avenue and Sunnylane Road. It crossed southeastern Oklahoma City and entered Del City, OK as an F4 tornado, width 1/3 to 1/2 mile, along SE 44th between Sunnylane and Sooner Roads, and continued north-northeast to the northwestern part of Tinker Air Force Base, near SE 29th Street and Sooner Road. Continuing to turn slowly, it moved almost due north but maintained F4 intensity as it crossed U.S. Interstate Highway I-40 just east of Sooner Road and continued north to between SE 15th Street and Reno Avenue. The tornado then weakened rapidly to F0/F1 intensity as it crossed Reno Avenue, and at 6:48 pm CST dissipated about 3 blocks north of Reno between Sooner Road and Air Depot Boulevard. Totals from this tornado include 36 direct fatalities (12 in Bridge Creek, 1 in Newcastle, 9 in southern/southeastern Oklahoma City, 5 in Moore, 6 in Del City, and 3 in Midwest City), 5 indirect fatalities during or shortly after the tornado, 583 direct injuries, numerous indirect injuries (too many to count), 1800 homes destroyed, and 2500 homes damaged. The tornado was also the 100th tornado to strike the Oklahoma City area since 1890. Total damage was estimated at $1 billion. |
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05/24/2011 | 1606-1701 | 33 | 880 | EF4 | 1 | 48 | Grady/ McClain/ Cleveland | 2 S Chickasha - SW Oklahoma City (near SW 149th and Portland) | |
This tornado formed on the south side of Chickasha, OK in Grady County, quickly doing EF-2 damage. Mobile homes were damaged and destroyed, trees were uprooted or destroyed, outbuildings were destroyed, and many buildings lost significant portions of their roofs. 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. Almost continuous EF-3/occasional EF-4 damage occurred northeast until it crossed into McClain County, 1.5 miles south of OK State Highway 9. The tornado was probably at its strongest as it neared/crossed the Grady/McClain County line. Wind speeds there were estimated near 200 mph in this area. Significant damage continued as the violent tornado moved over the McClain County border. This may have been the strongest portion of this tornado, with wind speeds near 200 mph. Well-built homes were destroyed, with some cleaned off of their foundation. 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. Fairly consistent EF-3, with brief periods of EF-4 damage occurred as the tornado approached and then crossed OK State Highway 9, near the OK State Highway 76 junction. The tornado began to weaken as it moved toward the Cleveland County border, with mainly trees and power poles/lines snapped. The tornado continued into Cleveland County and where some minor tree/power pole/power line damage occurred. A few barns and outbuilding also sustained minor damage east of U.S. Interstate Highway I-44. The tornado dissipated just north of the Canadian River. The tornado traveled along a path length of 32 miles through three counties in just under an hour, Peak wind speeds were estimated just under 200 mph. |
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05/24/2011 | 1626-1705 | 23 | 880 | EF4 | 0 | 61 | Grady/ McClain | 2 W Bradley - 1 W Goldsby | |
This violent tornado developed west of Bradley in Grady County, downing tree limbs as it moved northeast. The tornado began to increase in intensity, producing EF-3 damage, as it approached McClain County. Although the damage was confined to trees, the severity of the damage became more intense along the path. Trees were snapped at the bases, or debarked altogether. The tornado was several hundred yards wide as it neared the Grady/McClain County line. Luckily, very few structures were in the path. Widespread tree damage and ground scouring was ongoing as the tornado crossed into McClain County. As the tornado crossed OK State Highway 76, even more intense damage occurred. EF-4 damage was surveyed at several locations. Several homes were reduced to a pile of rubble, or were wiped clean off of their foundations. Automobiles were mangled and almost unrecognizable. The tornado weakened and narrowed as it crossed CR 410. Even though the tornado had weakened, it still produced EF-2 to EF-3 damage as it approached OK State Highway 39. The tornado increased in intensity once again near OK State Highway 39, with EF-4 damage occurring in a second area along the path. Well-constructed homes were destroyed, with several wiped clean off of their foundations. This also began a longer streak of higher end damage, with EF-3 to EF-4 damage produced by the tornado until it crossed OK State Highway 74B, west of High Avenue. Equally devastating destruction occurred over the areas of EF-4 damage. The tornado lifted west of Goldsby with some EF-3 damage still occurring prior to lifting. It should be noted that this tornado had estimated winds up to 200 mph at times, falling just short of the damage indicator for an EF-5 tornado. |
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05/20/2013 | 1356-1435 | 14 | 1900 | EF5 | 24 | 212 | McClain/ Cleveland | Newcastle (3 NW US-277/SH-130) - 3 WNW Stanley Draper Lake Dam | |
The violent Newcastle-Moore tornado was first observed at 1:56 pm CST (2:56 pm CDT) developing about one-half mile south of Oklahoma State Highway 37 in northwest Newcastle, OK to the east of Rockwell Avenue. EF-4 damage was observed soon after the tornado crossed State Highway 37. The tornado continued to expand in size as it approached the Canadian River and moved into Cleveland County. The tornado then moved into Cleveland County at 2:04 pm CST from McClain County as it moved northeast across the Canadian River near U.S. Interstate Highway I-44. The tornado then turned more east and then east-northeast after crossing I-44. Violent EF-4 damage was again observed as it began to move into progressively higher density residential areas approaching May Avenue. The center of the large tornado path passed near SW 149th Street and Western 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. Moving east, the tornado destroyed much of Briarwood Elementary School, where the NWS storm survey team rated damage as EF-5. 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, OK and Moore, OK where violent destruction was widespread. The width of EF-4 and greater damage was up to 250 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. After crossing Santa Fe Avenue, the tornado moved through more suburban neighborhoods and toward Plaza Towers Elementary School. 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.S. Interstate Highway I-35. Although the tornado was narrower after crossing U.S. Interstate Highway I-35, it continued to produce EF-4 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 highway, and one final fatality occurred in a home between Eastern Avenue and Bryant Avenue. Consistent EF-4 damage continued until the tornado passed SE 4th Street just east of Bryant Avenue. Moving east from Bryant Avenue, the tornado continued to produce EF-2 damage with isolated EF-4 damage noted. The density of housing also decreased east of Bryant as the tornado moved east and east-northeast before dissipating at 2:35 PM CST east of Air Depot Boulevard between SE 119th Street and SE 134th Street in southeast Oklahoma City. Overall, over 300 homes experienced EF-4/EF-5 damage along the tornado path. |
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02/26/2023 | 2114-2138 | 27 | 900 | EF2 | 0 | 12 | McClain/ Cleveland | 2 NE Cole - Goldsby - Norman (south and east) - 2 NE Stella | |
A powerful storm system, with highly anomalous magnitudes of wind shear and moisture for late February, impacted the forecast area on the evening of the February 26, 2023. A broken line of severe thunderstorms developed across the eastern Texas Panhandle/far western Oklahoma and quickly swept through much of the forecast area. Widespread wind damage, including gusts near 90 mph, along with a record number of tornadoes (13) for February occurred. Several reports of large hail were also received. Behind the line of thunderstorms, a tight pressure gradient and strong westerly low-level jet allowed widespread 50-60 mph winds gusts to continue through the late evening hours. This tornado developed just west of Pennsylvania Avenue about 1/2 mile south of 290th Street where it took the roof off an outbuilding. The tornado moved east-northeast damaging a mobile home along 290th Street, and then snapped a couple of power poles as moved into the city limits of Goldsby just east of SW 24th Avenue. The tornado caused roof and fence damage in a neighborhood near NW 12th Avenue and Center Road in Goldsby before moving across the Goldsby airport damaging hangars. The tornado then crossed the Canadian River into Cleveland County. The tornado that moved through Goldsby in McClain County crossed the Canadian River and into Cleveland County moving swiftly through southern and eastern portions of Norman. The tornado passed less than one mile southeast of the National Weather Center, and damaged numerous homes in neighborhoods near 12th Avenue SE and Cedar Lane Road, and northeast of 24th Avenue SE and Imhoff Road as well as damaging apartments and businesses near the intersection of State Highway 9 and US Highway 77. EF2 damage was noted at several apartment buildings, homes and businesses in these areas. Moving northeast, the tornado moved into less areas with less density of homes and people, but still affected neighborhoods near 36th Avenue SE and Lindsay Street, 48th Avenue SE and Lindsey, and 60th Avenue SE and Alameda Street. The tornado continued northeast damaging trees, power lines and a few homes before dissipating in far southeast Oklahoma City near SE 125th Street and Dobbs Road. The tornado moved at over 60 mph. |
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04/19/2023 | 1830-1905 | 11 | 1200 | EF3 | 1 | 2 | McClain | 3 N Dibble - Cole - 3 NW Goldsby | |
Broad troughing was present aloft across the Western US during the afternoon/evening of April19, 2023. An area of surface low-pressure slowly deepened and moved towards north-central Kansas, with dryline extending from central Kansas through western-north Texas by the late afternoon hours. A well-timed lead upper wave, combined with broken insolation, led to the development of a few supercell thunderstorms across central Oklahoma. Multiple instances of large to very large (>2 inches) hail, along with 18 tornadoes, occurred across central Oklahoma. The third tornado of the outbreak, the Cole-Goldsby Tornado, was the most destructive of the outbreak. The multiple-vortex tornado touched down near Rockwell Avenue south of 260th Street and moved in an erratic path, generally east and east-northeast through Cole. Many homes and mobile homes were damaged or destroyed near and in Cole. A man was killed in a destroyed mobile home in the far western portion of Cole. A woman was injured in a nearby mobile home, but died of a heart attack on the way to the hospital (indirect fatality). EF3 rated damage was found to at least three homes on Portland Avenue and Main Street in Cole with most exterior walls removed. After moving through Cole and crossing State Highway 74B, the tornado continued to move northeast, then becoming narrower and turning northerly as it past 290th Street/Chestnut Road, moving between Western Avenue and Santa Fe Avenue just west of the town of Goldsby and dissipating before reaching State Highway 9. It continued to produce roof damage (up to EF2) to homes and tree damage. |
Records taken from the Storm Prediction Center archive data, "Storm Data", and data from the National Weather Service office in Norman. Data modified as described in NOAA Tech Memo NWS SR-209 (Speheger, D., 2001: "Corrections to the Historic Tornado Database").
Historic data, especially before 1950, are likely incomplete.