A tornado swept through parts of northern Oklahoma County along the Deer Creek valley west of the Edmond area during the evening of May 5th, killing 3 people. A news story in the Oklahoma Herald also mentioned two deaths in the Waterloo area, and that "over a score of people" were injured. Over 30 buildings were destroyed.

This rare tornado is only 1 of 3 violent tornadoes to have been documented to have occurred during the month of November in Oklahoma since 1900. Between 9:30 am and 9:58 am CST, it moved north-northeast from 3 miles west of the Oklahoma City limits, and hit the eastern part of Bethany. About 110 homes and 700 other buildings, or about a fourth of the town, were damaged or destroyed. Near the end of the damage path, 3.5 miles northeast of Wiley Post Airfield, the tornado hit the Camel Creek school. Buildings blew apart just as the students were falling to the floor and looking for shelter, and 5 students and a teacher were killed. The tornado killed 23 people and another 150 people were injured, with 77 being seriously injured. Damage estimates were listed at $500,000.

This was the deadliest tornado to strike the Oklahoma City area until the May 3, 1999 F5 tornado. The funnel cut a twisting, erratic path through the southwest part of Oklahoma City. Movement was generally to the northeast, but it often "cut to the east or west". Thirty-five people were killed and 100 persons were injured, with 29 people being hospitalized, and a total of 110 families were affected by the tornado. A total of 73 homes were destroyed and another 31 damaged, and many outbuildings were destroyed. Numerous automobiles and other vehicles were destroyed or damaged. Most of the damage occurred in the 27-29th Street areas between Portland and Goff Avenues. Damage estimates for this tornado were $500, 000.

This tornado moved northeastward from the Cleveland County line along the southeastern edge of Oklahoma City. About 160 homes were destroyed and 1,000 people were left homeless in Valley Brook, Del City, and Choctaw. Most of the casualties were families of personnel at Tinker Air Force Base.

This tornado moved to the east, causing a record amount of damage at the time in Oklahoma. The funnel moved across Will Rogers Field and Tinker Air Force Base. Extensive damage occurred to buildings and aircraft, mainly at Tinker AFB where 54 aircraft were destroyed, including 17 C-54 transports valued at $500,000 apiece. Also destroyed were 15 P-47 fighters and two B-29 bombers. About 50 other planes were damaged and about 100 vehicles were damaged or destroyed. Three of the injuries were in the control tower. This event prompted the first efforts in tornado forecasting which was a milestone that was made even more interesting 5 days later when the first tornado forecast ever made actually verified at the same location.

This tornado moved to the northeast, hitting Tinker Air Force Base for the second time in less than a week. The likelihood of tornadoes in the area was forecast successfully for the first time ever, using new methods devised by Air Force forecasters after the tornadoes of five days earlier. This tornado struck just 100 yards from the previous week's tornado and 84 planes were hit, 35 of which were destroyed. These included 18 B-29s, 8 P-47s, 20 P-17s, and 3 C-47s. Hangars and other buildings were destroyed. This tornado was described as a "white finger" rather than the "black funnel" of March 20, 1948.

This tornado moved to the east-northeast from Antioch (which may have been located near what is now SW 119th Street and Portland) to 1.5 miles north of Moore. The tornado wrecked 26 planes at the South Shields airport and destroyed or severely damaged several farmsteads, a cemetery and several homes and businesses.

This tornado moved to the northeast through Bethany from NW 10th Street to Tulakes (now Wiley Post) Airport. A dozen homes were destroyed and 25 others were severely damaged. The new terminal at the airport was badly damaged.

Two small funnels were observed as they formed over Spencer, and witnesses described them as "reaching the ground and bumping together." Tornado moved from Spencer across parts of northeast OKC to Jones, lifted NE of Jones, travelled aloft over Luther, and struck again at a farm NE of Luther. Several homes, mobile homes, and other buildings were destroyed; some were unroofed, blown apart, and dropped into piles. More than 20 other buildings were damaged.

Severe thunderstorms moving along an east-southeastward path in central Oklahoma produced tornadoes, damaging winds, hail and rain from southwestern Logan County, through northeastern Oklahoma County, and into southwestern Lincoln County. One of the tornadoes touched down about 8 miles southeast of Seward and near the intersection of U.S. Interstate Highway I-35 and the Logan/Oklahoma County line.

The tornado strengthened at about 16:05 CST and produced a swath of destruction that was 0.25 miles wide. The damage path was well defined by downed and twisted trees, and total destruction occurred to 2 homes, 4 barns, and 9 outbuildings, with lesser damage incurred by 10 homes and 7 buildings.

Four persons were injured when their car was picked up and carried 100 feet off of the U.S. Interstate Highway I-35. A second car in that vicinity was blown off the pavement. An oil derrick and pumping unit were destroyed along with 3 storage tanks, one of which was blown 1.5 miles away from its mountings.

The damage path of the tornado continued to just north of Arcadia in Oklahoma County where 2 homes were heavily damaged. The path continued through open country and crossed the Turner Turnpike (U.S. Interstate Highway I-44) just south of Luther. The tornado next leveled buildings on 2 farmsteads 7 miles southeast where a woman was fatally injured when it destroyed her mobile home.

Heavy damage was produced along the path for the next few miles until the tornado lifted 3 miles north of Luther. Hailstones of 1 to 2 inches were reported along the path of the storm.

This tornado hit 5 miles east of Tinker Air Force Base. A grocery store/service station was demolished. Eighteen homes, and many cars and outbuildings, were heavily damaged. Concrete block buildings were leveled. Hail up to 4 inches in diameter accompanied the storm. The accompanying supercell storm left a 67-mile swath of damage from tornadoes, straight wind, hail, and heavy rain from Del City to near Holdenville.

A tornado touched down at the northern edge of Tinker AFB, causing roof damage to two warehouses. It crossed U.S. Interstate Highway I-40 and struck a large car dealership at the 7600 block of SE 29th Street. The roof of one building was ripped off and the debris hurled across a lot full of new cars. The roof and windows of the showroom/service building were damaged, as were an adjacent used car lot and car wash. A 2x12 rafter was thrown about 800 feet over the top of a nearby building, piercing the windshield of an auto driving out of the service shop. Of the more than 200 people within the one-block area, only one was hurt despite several being blown down. Approximately 300 autos were damaged.

A supercell thunderstorm developed in southwestern Oklahoma during the evening of April 29, 1970, and went on to produce a series of tornadoes from near Olustee in Jackson County to 5 miles south of Stillwater in Payne County. This event was originally thought to have been produced by a single, long-track tornado, but data analysis done by scientists at the National Severe Storm Laboratory (NSSL) and information collected from storm surveys, eyewitnesses, and media accounts indicate that multiple tornadoes were produced by a cyclic, parent supercell thunderstorm that moved northeastward at 45 mph during its lifetime.

One of the tornadoes in this family of tornado produced the greatest damage along the supercell thunderstorm path in the extreme northwest section of Oklahoma City. In this area, 30 homes value at $35,000 to $50,000 each were either destroyed of damaged.

The first report of damage from a tornado was located 4 miles northwest of Pocasset in Grady County, or 25 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. The tornado moved along a northeastward path through parts of Canadian and Oklahoma counties, and damaged was last reported 2 miles west of Arcadia. Only 2 or 3 people reported seeing the funnel, but a number of persons heard a loud noise, like that made by a jet engine.

In several areas roofs or buildings were moved at a right angle to the path of the storm, indicating a rotating column of air. Most of the damage occurred at Mustang in Canadian County, located just southwest of Oklahoma City, and along a path up to a half mile wide from the southwest corner of Oklahoma City to the northeast corner of the city.

A farmstead northwest of Pocasset received $10,000 in damages, and there was extensive damage to a home and several outbuildings 2 miles west of Arcadia. Two semi-trailer trucks were blown off the road and turn over on their sides along the westbound U.S. Interstate Highway I-40 lanes as the trucks were entering the Oklahoma City limits.

At Mustang, damages were estimated at $500,000 and were confined mainly to a shopping center and the city hall in the north part of Mustang. About 3 miles northeast of Mustang, a school building was extensively damaged and had most of its windows blown out.

One mile west of Mustang, wind equipment belonging to the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) recorded a wind speed of 110 mph. About 7 miles southwest of Mustang, a NSSL rain gauge measure 5 inches of rain.

In Oklahoma City, the damage was estimated at $6.3 million. Damage occurred to 1,473 homes, 293 businesses, 8 schools, 12 churches, and 300 signs. Southwestern Bell Telephone Company officials reported 30,000 telephones out of service, primarily in northwest Oklahoma City and Mustang. Oklahoma Gas and Electric officials reported that 215 utility poles were downed.

It is possible that several tornadoes were produced by the parent supercell thunderstorm instead of a single, long-track tornado.

Tornado moved to the northeast from just south of Yukon to northwestern Oklahoma City. Two farms were destroyed near Yukon. A nursing home and a retirement home were heavily damaged near Northwest Highway and Council Road in the extreme northwestern part of the city, and a nursing home resident was injured. The funnel lifted as it moved to the northeast, but touched down again and damaged two farmsteads near 150th & N. MacArthur.

A tornado touched down about one mile south-southwest of Blanchard in McClain County at 19:30 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 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, substantial damage to a warehouse occurred at about 20:00 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 northward to about 20th Street SE.

The tornado moved to the northeast from NE 17th Street and Eastern Avenue, damaging several buildings between there and NE 28th Street & Grand Avenue. Trees were downed near NE 47th Street and Coltrane and also 1/2 mile south of NE 63rd Street and Bryant. A shed and trailer were damaged west of Jones, 0.5 miles W of Post Oak Road on Britton Road. One duplex was destroyed, two houses had major damage, and 8-9 houses suffered minor damage.

A funnel cloud was observed 3 miles southwest of Minco in Grady County at about 3:00 pm CST. The funnel touched down about 2 miles southwest of Mustang at 3:28 pm CST and periodically lifted and touched the ground again at it moved to the east-northeast at 30 mph. This tornado dissipated in Lincoln County at 5:30 pm CST.

The tornado passed about a mile south of the NWS forecast office located near the Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City. Wind gusts of 66 mph along with 2-inch diameter hail were observed at the forecast office.

A major portion of the reported damage occurred as the storm moved through the southern Oklahoma City and Del City areas. There was extensive damage to homes in that area as several houses were unroofed. A total of 3 injuries were reported in the great Oklahoma City area. Fortunately, none of the injuries were serious.

As the continued moving to the east-northeast through eastern Oklahoma County, the next report of damage was 3 miles northwest of Harrah where several farm buildings were destroyed. Several more farm buildings were destroyed in the Midlothian area.

If more data had been available at the time, it is possible that 2-3 tornadoes may have occurred with one tornado dissipating and another tornado forming near the end point of the previous tornado. However, with the data that was available at the time, it appeared that one long-track tornado occurred.

This tornado was the first of several tornadoes to plague the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area on this day, and the tornado touched down a few feet southwest of the National Weather Service office building at Will Rogers World Airport, and hit the office. It continued east-northeast across the southwestern part of Oklahoma City. The first major damage was observed at SW 44th Street and Independence Avenue, and the last damage was noted at SW 22nd Street & Robinson Avenue. It destroyed 11 homes, 2 trailers, and 5 small businesses. A total of 42 homes received major damage, and 630 received minor damage. A total of 14 people were injured.

The tornado touched down in the southwestern part Oklahoma City and moved to the northeast, damaging 3 residences and 9 businesses. Just west of U.S. Interstate Highway I-35. the wall of a lumber yard was knocked over, the main building was partially unroofed, and the contents inside the building were scattered. Utility lines were toppled and 2 natural gas rigs were torn out of the ground. Damages were estimated in excess of $1 million.

This tornado touched down on the north edge of Oklahoma City, near 150th Street and N. Western Avenue, and followed a curving path, first to the north-northeast, then to the northeast, and finally eastward, through parts of Edmond. Two housing additions were struck in Edmond, with 39 houses destroyed and 171 houses and 28 apartment buildings damaged. About 50-60 cars were damaged or destroyed. (A second tornado formed from the first, but its path was entirely within Edmond.)

A supercell thunderstorm moved across the southern half of Oklahoma County producing very heavy rain, large hail, and a brief tornado. Rainfall amounts of around 2 inches fell in a short time causing flash flooding across several areas of the county. Three automobiles were washed off the roadway at SE 59th and Eastern in Oklahoma City.

Hail ranging from 1 to 4 inches in size fell across southern sections of Oklahoma County with the most damage occurring in the southeastern quarter of the county. Winds of 60 to 70 mph occurred with the hail, causing major damage to houses. businesses, and autos. The General Motors plant had 1500 new cars totaled and Tinker Air Force Base had several large planes damaged. Damage from the hail across southern Oklahoma County was estimated at $35 million.

A tornado set down near Interstate Highway 40 and Audubon Road and moved east-northeast for 3/4 of a mile. The tornado set down at the top of a hill in a mobile home park and moved down the hill, damaging several mobile homes and destroying one mobile home at the bottom of the hill. A woman was killed in the destroyed mobile home and her husband was injured. Damage at the mobile home park was estimated at $150,000.

During the afternoon and evening of June 13th, four supercell thunderstorms developed near a dryline in western Oklahoma and tracked east into central sections of the state. The most significant storm developed in Washita County at approximately 4:00 pm CST and intensified as it moved east toward central Oklahoma. This storm produced at least six tornadoes as it tracked from Canadian County across Oklahoma County during the early evening. The most damaging tornado (an F2) touched down in northeast Oklahoma City and crossed U.S. Interstate Highway I-35 near the Frontier City theme park.

Other tornadoes damaged the Oklahoma City Boat Club, portions of The Village and Nichols Hills, the Highland Park neighborhood west of Broadway Extension, and the area near May and Grand Avenues in Oklahoma City. Three weak tornadoes also touched down in open country northwest of El Reno and near Yukon.

In addition to damaging tornadoes, the storm produced extensive straight-line wind damage from Lake Hefner, across Nichols Hills and The Village, into northeast Oklahoma County. Winds likely exceeded 100 mph in some areas. There were no fatalities and only 21 relatively minor injuries reported in Oklahoma County. The majority of the injuries were sustained at the Frontier City theme park.

Earlier, another supercell thunderstorm produced tornadoes near Longdale in Blaine County and 3 miles southwest of Guthrie. Supercells that tracked across Noble County and northern Cleveland County produced large hail and severe winds, but no tornadoes.

This tornado touched down 1 block west of north May Avenue and Pembroke Terrace and moved east to Woods Park in Nichols Hills. Total path length was 1.5 miles and maximum width was 75 yards. This tornado was rated F2(113-157 mph). Four persons were injured and transported to local hospitals. Considerable damage was done to the strip mall in the 7400 block of north May Avenue. Windows were blown out of several businesses, several lost roofs, power lines were downed and large signs were bent. One business on the east side of May Ave. suffered collapse of an exterior south facing wall.

On Pembroke Terrace, an RV was thrown into a house, a car was overturned, trees were toppled, and shingles and roof decking were partially blown away. Lesser damage occurred eastward into Nichols Hills. Interestingly, this tornado rotated anticyclonically. Although the overturned car and major damage to one wood frame house roof suggested the tornado may have reached F2 intensity in a very small area, the majority of the damage was consistent with an F1 rating.

This tornado was the most intense of the day. The tornado touched down approximately 0.25 miles southwest of the corner of Bryant Avenue and Hefner Road, and moved northeast crossing U.S. Interstate Highway I-35 at the Frontier City theme park parking lot. The tornado continued northeast along northeast 122nd Street and eventually dissipated 0.25 miles northeast of U.S. Interstate Highway I-44 at Douglas Boulevard. The total path length was approximately 5.5 miles. Maximum width was 200 yards east of U.S. Interstate Highway I-35 and south of U.S. Interstate Highway I-44. The tornado was rated F2 (At 122nd Street approximately 1-2 miles east of I-35).

Seventeen minor injuries (3 transported to hospital) occurred at Frontier City. Along the track, major structural damage occurred to businesses along U.S. Interstate Highway I-35 from 122nd Street southward for approximately three-quarters of a mile. The Frontier City theme park was among the hardest hit businesses. The tornado passed through the parking lot damaging numerous vehicles before striking a two-story concrete block building at the northeast corner of the park. This building suffered partial failure of external walls and the entire roof was removed. Damage to adjacent areas of the park was mainly due to strong inflow into the tornado.

On the east side of U.S. Interstate Highway I-35, a Texaco truck stop was severely damaged. Empty semi-tractor trailers located in the east parking lot of the truck stop were over turned and rolled tens of feet. One trailer was briefly airborne and landed on another empty trailer. A small portable building containing a CB radio shop in the parking area was completely swept away into a grove of trees east of the lot. Numerous homes suffered major damage to roofs, windows, and garage doors in the Nottingham and Quail Ridge Run subdivisions located along 122nd Street 1-2 miles east of U.S. Interstate Highway I-35.

Several homes suffered major or nearly complete roof failure, though most exterior walls remained intact. These homes were of recent construction and were well built with brick exterior facades (some likely in excess of $200,000). No means of anchoring the roofs to the exterior walls was noted. The tornado may have approached F3 at times in these neighborhoods. The most severely damaged home was located atop a small hill with garage doors on the upwind side of the home. Debris patterns suggest the garage doors failed allowing the wind to lift the roof. Without the roof in place, failure of the external garage walls occurred. The most severe damage to trees occurred in these subdivisions and areas immediately adjacent.

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 U.S. Interstate Highway I-44 and the South Canadian River northeast of Newcastle and entered far south Oklahoma City, OK southwest of 149th Street 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 Street 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.

This tornado formed about 3 miles southwest of Choctaw in Oklahoma County and produced F2 damage to two homes and lesser damage to many others in the southwest part of Choctaw. The tornado moved into the center of town where a car was thrown over the canopy at a drive-in restaurant. The business strip located on the north side of NE 23rd Street was especially affected with several businesses destroyed, including Pizza Hut, Sonic, and Tri-City Youth and Family Shelter. Damage was mainly F1 in intensity as the tornado moved to the northeast, except for F2 damage at a nursing home where one woman was injured. The tornado continued to weaken in rural areas and dissipated near the intersection of NE 50th Street and Triple XXX Road. In total, damage estimates were near 3.2 million dollars, with 8 businesses destroyed, 130 businesses damaged, 14 homes destroyed, and 23 homes damaged.

Two tornadic supercells produced four tornadoes during the afternoon hours of May 8, 2003. One supercell produced three tornadoes that affected Moore, southern Oklahoma City, Midwest City, and Choctaw. A few locations in Moore and southeast Oklahoma City had also been hit by an F5 tornado that moved through the area on May 3, 1999. The General Motors Plant in southeast Oklahoma City sustained some of the most significant damage. This event was the second tornadic event of the day. Several tornadoes moved across south central Oklahoma during the early morning hours of May 8th (refer to appropriate data). This event was also the first of two days in a row where the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area was affected by tornadoes (refer to May 9, 2003 data). These thunderstorms developed near and along a strong dryline located across central Oklahoma.

This tornado began in Cleveland County and moved into Oklahoma County before dissipating 2.5 miles south-southeast of Choctaw. The tornado began in the area of Northwest 5th Street and Santa Fe Avenue in Moore, near the Church of Latter-Day Saints. Damage intensities increased quickly to F2 and isolated F3 as the tornado, initially narrow, moved east along 5th street. Substantial structural damage in this initial touchdown area was confined to homes on the north side of 5th Street, just east of Santa Fe. Homes on the south side of 5th, and those on 6th Street one block to the north, were relatively undamaged.

The damage track then widened quickly to nearly one-fifth of a mile as the tornado turned more to the northeast through residential areas, crossing Markwell Avenue between North 2nd and North 7th Streets. The most significant damage on Markwell, rated F2, was at North 6th Street. Continuing northeast and widening to nearly a quarter of a mile, the tornado crossed Janeway Avenue between Dillon Avenue (south edge) and 12th Street (north edge). Maximum damage on Janeway was to homes near 8th Street, and was rated F2.

Damage intensity increased to F3 as the tornado approached 12th Street between Janeway and Interstate 35. A commercial building on the south side of 12th suffered F3 damage, as did several homes on the north side of 12th Street at City Avenue where several homes lost most of their outside walls. Maximum damage intensity on Sunrise Avenue (north of 12th and one block east of City Ave.) was rated strong F2 and consisted mostly of homes being partially or totally unroofed. Several vehicles were tossed into front yards, and in one case nearly into the front of a home.

The worst damage produced within the city of Moore was as the tornado approached west sides of Interstate 35, just north of 12th Street. Damage in this area included major damage to two hotels, the First Christian Church, the Young Child Development Center, a Project Headstart building, an office building, and several restaurants. The church, child care center, and office building were leveled. The two hotels, both two-story, had their second floors partially or totally removed by the tornado. At least a half dozen vehicles were tossed in this area, with evidence suggesting that some of them may have traveled 100 yards or more. Had the leveled buildings here shown evidence of better construction, damage might have been rated F4. As it was, damage here was rated strong F3.

A southbound moving Greyhound bus was hit by the tornado as it crossed Interstate 35. The bus was carrying twenty-three passengers, some of which chose to disembark to take cover in a ditch while others chose to stay on the bus. The bus rolled several times jostling passengers around the interior. Passengers were trapped between crushed seats and buckled walls while others were left hanging upside down and out broken windows. Of those that hid in the ditch, eleven were injured by flying debris. Eight passengers that stayed on the bus were also injured. Most of the injuries to the passengers were minor.

The tornado crossed Interstate 35 0.25 to 0.50 miles north of 12th Street, damaging or destroying several businesses along Broadway, just east of the interstate. Intensity dropped to F2 in this area, but the path width remained close to a quarter of a mile. The tornado continued northeast across south and east parts of the Highland Park residential area, causing F1 and spotty F2 damage. The tornado weakened to F1 intensity and turned slightly to the north-northeast as it crossed Pole Road and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks near and just south of Northeast 27th Street.

It should be noted that the damage track of this tornado through Moore was nearly parallel to, and generally a quarter of a mile or less south of, the track of the F5 tornado that struck Moore on 3 May 1999. In fact, Highland Park also suffered extensive damage from the May 3rd tornado, but that damage was mainly in the north and west parts of the area. The damage track through Highland Park on 8 May 2003 was roughly two blocks farther south.

The tornado crossed Northeast 27th between Pole Road and Eastern Avenue and continued northeast, crossing Eastern at the Lakeside Golf Course, just east of Eastern and straddling the Oklahoma City and Moore city limits. This golf course also took a direct hit from the tornado on 3 May 1999, and from this point northeastward for about one mile, the two tornado tracks overlapped. The tornado, at this point F1, continued northeast from the golf course into an open field just south of Southeast 89th Street, then struck the northwest part of a subdivision just south of 89th Street and west of Bryant Avenue. More than a dozen residences, including duplexes and single-family homes, were heavily damaged or destroyed in this area. The same northwest part of this subdivision was hit hard on 3 May 1999; many of the homes damaged or destroyed on 8 May had been rebuilt and were less than four years old.

This tornado that moved east-northeast from Cleveland County, 1.5 miles west-northwest of Moore, into Oklahoma County, crossing the county line at Southeast 89th Street. The western edge of the damage path along SE 89th Street was about halfway between Eastern Avenue and Bryant Avenue and the eastern edge of the damage path was just east of Bryant Avenue. As the tornado approached Sunnylane Road, it produced significant damage to a manufacturing and distribution plant just west of Sunnylane along Southeast 85th Street. Six people were in the plant when the tornado struck, but were able to seek shelter in a safe room and nobody was injured at the plant. The manufacturing part of the complex was a large, free-span structure that was destroyed. The adjoining office part of the complex to the south was a brick structure that received significant damage to the exterior walls. To the east of the plant along the east side of Sunnylane Road, a car was flipped over. Between Sunnylane Road and Sooner Road, the tornado traveled through an open area narrowly missing a residential area. But as it crossed Sooner Road, it damaged or destroyed a number of businesses including a convenience store and a bank to the south of Interstate 240.

The tornado continued east-northeast crossing Interstate 240 and Southeast 74th Street. Along SE 74th, a number of businesses received significant damage including a storage facility, a boat dealership, a Mary Kay Training Center, and a trucking company.

Crossing Air Depot Boulevard, the tornado moved onto the property of the General Motors Corporation Assembly Plant causing significant (F4) damage to the plant. A newly built paint shop sustained the heaviest damage exposing equipment and new production parts to the weather. The body shop, power house, and a couple of cooling tanks also sustained significant damage. The stack of one of the boilers was also sheared off. More than 600 newly assembled sport utility vehicles parked outside the plant were damaged or destroyed. Approximately 100 employee vehicles were also damaged with one compact car being flipped vertically and wedged into the side of the paint shop. Two truck drivers making deliveries to the plant sustained minor injuries. However, the more than one thousand plant employees remained uninjured by moving to shelter well before the tornado struck. The nearby United Auto Workers Union headquarters was also heavily damaged in this area.

The tornado moved into the southeast section of Tinker Air Force Base, including the south part of the runway complex. An ammunition storage bunker and a guard shack at the gate near Southeast 59th Street and Douglas Boulevard were heavily damaged. The guards and other personnel were able to seek shelter in an underground shelter. After crossing Douglas Boulevard, the tornado continued to slowly veer to the northeast and damaged homes along Berryman Road. The tornado continued to damage homes and downing trees and power lines. Strong F2 to F3 damage was observed on the west side of Post Road to the south of Southeast 44th Street.

A number of homes were significantly damaged or destroyed in the north part of the Kennington neighborhood, which is located southeast of Southeast 44th Street and Post Road. Two homes in the north part of the neighborhood were completely destroyed consistent with F4 damage. One of these was a two-story home with no roof or walls remaining. Two cars from the garage of a residence on the west side of Kennington Lane were found about 50 yards to the east. Another home farther east was destroyed, although walls remained intact. Other homes were severely damaged. The tornado continued across SE 44th Street and Interstate 40 and went into a residential area just west of Westminster Road. Homes were damaged on Newey Avenue, Randy Street, and Rowlett Avenue with the most significant damage near the intersection of Randy Street and Rowlett Avenue where house damage consistent with an F3 rating was observed. The tornado was likely a multiple-vortex tornado in this area as some of the damage in this area was inconsistent with a single cyclonic rotation.

The tornado crossed Westminster Road and damaged more homes along Burning Oaks Drive. F3 damage occurred to a few homes along Burning Oaks Drive between Westminster and Twisted Oaks Drive. To the northeast, homes in another residential area on Southeast 32nd Street were significantly damaged and a number of large trees were also downed. Damage continued to the northeast crossing Anderson Road and Southeast 29th Street moving into the city of Midwest City. There were no known structures to hit as the tornado traveled northeast from near SE 29th and Anderson Road to Hiwassee Road. Significant tree damage was observed and one structure was damaged (F1) along Hiwassee Road just to the south of Southeast 15th Street. A large number of power poles and large trees were downed along SE 15th Street to the east of Hiwassee.

To the north of Southeast 15th Street, the tornado moved into the "Hidden Valley" residential area of the city of Choctaw. The only known injury in Choctaw occurred where a woman suffered a broken leg as one home on Hidden Valley Lane was destroyed (F4). Two homes under construction were also destroyed. The tornado was narrower in this area. Other homes in the neighborhood were damaged along Willow Drive, Hummingbird Drive, and Kingbird Drive. In eastern portions of the neighborhood, significant tree damage continued, although there was no significant structural damage. The tornado turned more to the east-northeast again and crossed Henney Road and approached Choctaw Road near Southeast 10th Street where more homes were damaged. The tornado weakened as it moved east-northeast and dissipated southwest of Indian Meridian Road and Reno Avenue.

This tornado carved a total path of 17.3 miles moving across the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area with the most significant damage (F4) occurring in Oklahoma County.

All of the tornadoes, nine total, that occurred on May 9, 2003 were produced by the same supercell. This thunderstorm developed in southwest Oklahoma along a retreating dryline. The storm moved northeast across Oklahoma eventually dissipating in northeastern Oklahoma. Most of the tornadoes occurred after dark. Three of the tornadoes affected western and northern portions of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area making two days in a row (see May 8, 2003 data) that the Oklahoma City metro area was affected by a tornadic thunderstorm. The strongest tornado, an F3, moved across portions of the northeastern metro area. Large hail and strong straight-line winds associated with the rear-flank downdraft also occurred with this tornadic supercell. Other severe thunderstorms produced damaging large hail and strong winds across portions of Oklahoma.

This tornado began within the Bethany city limits and moved northeast before dissipating within Warr Acres city limits. This tornado which caused mostly F0 damage with pockets of high-end F1 damage tracked from near the intersection of Glade Avenue and Northwest 38th Street, across Northwest 50th Street and North Rockwell Avenue, and finally to Hammond Avenue and Northwest 59th Street. Most damage was in the F0 category to trees and roof shingles. Several pockets of F1 damage were noted embedded within the path, indicative of possible multiple-vortices. Most structures that received F1 damage were structures with susceptibilities to high wind. These included several churches, a self-storage facility, airport hangars at Wiley Post Airport, several warehouses, a few small homes, and several businesses. The tornado damaged approximately 70 airplanes and 40 hangers were damaged or destroyed at Wiley Post Airport. Many of the airplanes damaged were inside the hangers.

A man suffered fatal injuries (indirect) in Warr Acres. An 80-year-old man from Woodward, Oklahoma was visiting relatives in Warr Acres. He injured his head as he was seeking shelter and died from his injuries two days later. The structure he was in was not affected by the storm.

This long-track tornado began 0.25 miles northeast of the intersection of North Kelly Avenue and East Wilshire Boulevard, just northeast of the KWTV-9 television station and near the WB-34 TV station, but neither tall tower was toppled. As the tornado moved northeast to Interstate 35, the width of the damage consistently was a third of a mile wide, and the maximum damage was F1 with widespread tree damage, snapped power poles, and roof damage to a number of homes south of Britton Road. The damage intensified to F2 on the west side of Interstate 35 where the roof was taken off of one wing of the Clara Waters Community Corrections Center. South of East Hefner Road and east of Interstate 35, an industrial building at a horse ranching operation sustained F3 damage. At that location, the steel frame, fastened to the concrete foundation with four one-inch diameter steel rods, was destroyed and steel reinforced concrete was pulled out of the ground.

The tornado next produced F2 damage to the front portion of the Oakdale School at North Sooner Road and East Hefner Road. The Witcher Baptist Church, just south of the school, sustained F1 damage. East of Sooner Road and north of Hefner Road, the tornado weakened, producing F1 damage on the southeast side of the River Oaks Golf Club/Community. South of Northeast 122nd Street, between North Air Depot Boulevard and North Midwest Boulevard, the tornado strengthened again and the path widened to over three-quarters of a mile wide as the tornado turned more to the northeast. South of Northeast 122nd, between Midwest Boulevard and Douglas Boulevard, significant damage occurred to homes and trees. One home was completely destroyed (F3), two homes were heavily damaged (F2), and a vehicle was tossed 25 yards.

The tornado turned to the southeast and damage weakened to F1 approximately 0.3 miles west of the intersection of North Post Road and Hefner Road. The tornado then turned back east-northeast causing a sheet metal hay barn to be completely blown down with hay intact. Several poles were downed towards the north, 0.25 miles west of the barn. Partial barn roof removal was found southwest of location in an open field. Another area of F1 damage began 0.3 miles north of the intersection of North 108th Street and Westminster Boulevard. A metal roof was peeled off and several tree limbs downed in this location. The tornado intensified to F2 just shortly after this, downing high tension poles 0.5 miles north of the intersection of Anderson Road and 108th Street. A farm just to the west of this location had a roof missing. The roof slid off the garage to the east. Large barn on west side lost west end of roof with debris inside. Northeast wall section of barn was essentially undamaged. A house also had shingle damage and broken windows. To the north of the farm, trees were damaged and poles were snapped.

The tornado continued northeast causing the metal roof of a building, located 0.4 miles south of the intersection of Hiwassee Road and Memorial Road (North 136th Street), to peel off and be thrown 30 yards to the south. Tree damage was also found south of this location. A farm was damaged 0.8 miles south of the intersection. A barn was heavily damaged with debris thrown to the north. A pecan fork was also downed. There was also shingle damage just south of the barn. The tornado then caused damage to an outbuilding at the corner of Northeast 122nd Street and Henney Road. In an area just west of the intersection of Choctaw Road and Memorial Road, the northwest part of the roof of a house located on Spruce Valley Drive was removed, along with removing the roof of a mobile home located on Cedar Bend Road.

As the tornado continued northeast, it uprooted trees and downed tree limbs. Shortly before the tornado dissipated, a mobile home rolled off of cinder blocks, but was otherwise undamaged. The tornado did some more minor tree damage before dissipating.

The tornado first moved northeast causing a damage path which was located from 6.9 miles south of Edmond to 4.8 miles northwest of Jones. The tornado then turned southeast with a path from 4.8 miles northwest of Jones to 3.9 miles west-northwest of Jones. After the tornado turned back to the northeast, the path extended from 3.9 miles west-northwest of Jones to 2.8 miles south of Luther. The tornado traveled a total of 17.8 miles before dissipating.

This long-tracked and devastating tornado developed west of U.S. Interstate Highway I-35, northwest of Max Westheimer Airport. Widespread tree, power line/pole damage was reported from near I-35 to the east side of Stanley Draper Lake. Several homes also sustained damage, mainly with mostly roofs receiving significant damage, and some siding was ripped off. Several fences were also knocked down as the tornado moved northeast.

From the east side of Lake Stanley Draper, near Hiwassee Road and SE 89th Street, to just south of Harrah, the damage path became more severe and focused. The tree damage became more severe, breaking at various heights of the tree or being uprooted. Walls of homes collapsed, and debris from the homes scattered in all directions. Several 2x4's punctured roofs and ceilings over numerous structures. A few mobile homes in this area were also completely destroyed.

Where the tornado crossed U.S. Interstate Highway I-40, a gas station and drive-in restaurant sustained up to EF-3 damage. The most severe damage, one of the two EF-4 tornadoes of the day, occurred in the Deerfield West Subdivision. A well-built residence here was completely destroyed, with most exterior and interior walls collapsing. The tornado finally lifted 2 miles south of Harrah. In addition to the incredible damage, one person lost their life while trying to flee the tornado.

A moist and very unstable airmass was in place over the eastern two thirds of Oklahoma, to the east of a dryline. Additionally, strong wind shear was present as a mid-level jet streak carved into the southern Plains. Several supercells developed along the dryline during the mid and late afternoon hours, producing large hail. Two supercells in central Oklahoma also produced tornadoes, including a few significant, damaging tornadoes.

This tornado touched down just south of Triple XXX Road and Coffee Creek Road to the northwest of Luther and began to move east-northeast. The tornado began producing EF2 damage soon after crossing Luther Road where an outbuilding was destroyed. At least two mobile homes were destroyed as the tornado continued to the east-northeast. The tornado crossed Waterloo Road and moved into Logan County.

Tornado continued tracking northeast, producing tree damage as it clipped the extreme southeastern corner of Logan County before moving into Lincoln County. The large tornado continued to move northeast from Logan County into Lincoln County. The tornado passed just southeast of Fallis and then clipped the southeastern portion of Carney. It produced EF3 damage to a number of homes from just south of Carney into the southeast portion of the town. The tornado finally dissipated about 3 miles southeast of Tryon. Motions observed visually in this tornado suggest that the tornado was likely stronger than EF3 in western Lincoln County, but no damage indicators were available that would have supplied a rating higher than EF3 in this area.

A potent Spring storm system took shape across the Southern and Central Plains. Strong surface cyclogenesis took shape during the day, allowing ample moisture to return northward with strong southerly flow. At the same time, a strong upper-level shortwave trough allowed strong mid-level westerlies to overspread much of the Plains region. With large instability and wind shear, the stage was set for widespread severe storm development. Storms initiated within the open warm sector ahead of the dryline. The first storm developed near Lawton and moved northeast along U.S. Interstate Highway I-44 into parts of central Oklahoma, resulting in several tornadoes and large hail. Additional supercells spawned tornadoes across northern Oklahoma, and the slow-moving nature of storms lead to several occurrences of flash flooding. Storms continued well into the night.

A tornado touched down near Southeast 59th Street and Eastern Avenue in Oklahoma City, and moved north along Eastern Avenue, then northwest crossing U.S. Interstate Highway I-35 near and south of SE 44th Street before turning west and dissipating near SE 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 (DI 6, DOD 8) 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.