This is a map and list of tornadoes since 1950 which the National Weather Service has rated F5 (before 2007) or EF5 (equivalent, 2007 onward, the most intense damage category on the Fujita and Enhanced Fujita damage scales. The tornadoes are numbered in the order they happened since 1950; so the numbers run from the bottom up. (more…)

Damage survey teams are continue to survey the damage path of the Newcastle-Moore tornado that occurred on May 20, 2013. We will be adding more information to web pages for this event during the next few days.

Note: As of 2:50 PM CDT, the NWS survey conducted by several teams has now rated the Newcastle-Moore tornado as EF-5. The damage survey teams have also determined that the tornado began 4.4 miles west of Newcastle and ended 4.8 miles east of Moore, yielding an approximate tornado path length of 17 miles. The preliminary maximum damage path width is 1.3 miles. Crews will continue to sort through damage for a final intensity rating. The latest Public Information Statement issued by the NWS Norman forecast office can be found here.

Further updates and more detailed information of the tornado damage areas will be released later today and Wednesday. Below is a map with the preliminary damage path of the Newcastle-Moore-South OKC tornado.

Fast Facts

• A rating of EF-5 has been given to the tornado that affected the Newcastle, south OKC, and Moore areas in McClain and Cleveland Counties.
• The tornado had.a path length of approximately 17 miles and was on the ground for approximately 40 minutes from 2:56 PM – 3.26 PM CDT.
• The preliminary maximum path width is 1.3 miles.

Information Sources

• NEW! KMZ file for the Newcastle-Moore tornado damage path only (Updated 4:05pm CDT 05/21/2013)
  
• NEW! KMZ file for the Newcastle-Moore tornado damage including path and survey point information (Updated 4:05pm CDT 05/21/2013)

• A 20-slide presentation of the Event Timeline for the Newcastle-Moore tornado including NWS forecasts and warnings, as well as social media info from Twitter and Facebook
• Reflectivity and Storm Relative Velocity Loops from the Twin Lakes, OK (KTLX) Radar from 3:04 PM – 4;42 PM CDT on May 20, 2013

• Comprehensive list of tornadoes in Oklahoma City since 1890.

• Top Ten Costliest Oklahoma Tornadoes (1950 – Present)
• Top Ten Deadliest Oklahoma Tornadoes (1882 – Present)
• Quick List of F5 Tornadoes in Oklahoma (1905 – Present)
• Detailed List of Violent Tornadoes in Oklahoma (1950 – Present)

• Cleveland County, OK Tornadoes (1875-2012)
• McClain County, OK Tornadoes (1875-2012)

• Tornadoes that have occurred in or near Moore, OK (1890-Present)

• The October 4, 1998 Tornado Outbreak Twenty-eight tornadoes occurred in central and eastern Oklahoma, including an F2 tornado which damaged parts of Moore. It was the largest autumnal outbreak of tornadoes ever recorded in Oklahoma.
• The May 3, 1999 Tornado Outbreak This outbreak included nearly 60 tornadoes in central Oklahoma. It was the largest tornado outbreak ever recorded in Oklahoma. The first F5 tornado ever to hit a the Oklahoma City metro area killed 36 people and tore through parts of Newcastle, south OKC and Moore, OK. The damage total was estimated at $1 billion. Two F4 tornadoes also ravaged parts of Kingfisher and Logan counties.
• Oklahoma City Area Tornadoes of May 8, 2003 The central United States experienced a record-breaking week of tornadoes from May 4 through May 10, 2003, when nearly 400 tornadoes occurred in 19 states and caused 42 deaths during the seven days. Included in this total were the tornadoes which hit the southern Oklahoma City metropolitan area on May 8, 2003 including an F4 tornado which tore through parts of Moore, Oklahoma City and Choctaw.
• The May 10, 2010 Tornado Outbreak This outbreak produced 35 tornadoes in the NWS Norman forecast area alone, and a total of 55 tornadoes in Oklahoma. Two EF4 tornadoes struck the Oklahoma City metro area including Moore, killing 3 people and injuring over 80 others.

• Highway Overpasses as Tornado Shelters: Fallout From the 3 May 1999 Oklahoma/Kansas Violent Tornado Outbreak

As the nation’s eyes continue to focus on the clean-up after yesterday’s massive outbreak of devastating severe weather to our north, a slight risk of severe weather is set to impact central Texas early this week.

Courtesy of the National Weather Service

Late Monday afternoon, a dry line currently located in west Texas will shift eastward into the western Hill Country.

This boundary of drier air acts to lift the more buoyant moist air in front of it – often acting as a focal point for severe thunderstorm development during the spring and early summer months.

This could lead to an isolated severe thunderstorm in the Hill Country Monday afternoon with large hail and/or damaging winds.

Courtesy of the National Weather Service

Tuesday afternoon and evening, the threat for severe weather will expand eastward to encompass all of central Texas – including the Austin Metro area.

The greatest risk of thunderstorms looks to be Tuesday afternoon in the Hill Country, and Tuesday evening along I-35.

Whether or not these storms will reach the I-35 corridor before they fizzle out after sundown remains in question.

Sunday’s air quality index (AQI) forecast, courtesy of TCEQ

Around this time of year, farmers in Mexico and Central America ignite controlled burns on their cropland to prepare for the next planting.

A deep southerly flow is carrying smoke from those fires hundreds of miles – all the way to central Texas. This is having a visible impact on the air quality around the area.

Saturday, sunshine was filtered by a thick haze over the Austin area. That haze is continuing Sunday morning, as seen below from the KXAN Downtown Cam:

The official Air Quality Index (AQI) across the area Sunday is MODERATE – meaning that people with unusually sensitive respiratory systems (such as those with asthma) should limit outdoor physical exertion until the air quality improves.

According to the official air quality forecast from TCEQ, this smoky haze is expected to linger through Tuesday – when we may finally see a wind shift.

Air Quality Index (AQI) Forecast

The National Weather Service office in Fort Worth is still doing damage assessments on the north Texas tornado event earlier this week. Their preliminary tornado count, 16. I’ve posted the latest findings below.

Base Reflectivity Data from KFWS at 7:58 pm CDT

Storm Relative Velocity Data from KFWS at 7:58 pm CDT

One of the many show-stopping acts in the Grandview Hills Elementary annual talent show

Thursday night, I was privileged to emcee the annual talent show at Grandview Hills Elementary School.

The  theme of this year’s show was “A Night with the Stars” – and the show itself was full of star-studded performances by the school’s talented students.

Highlights included singing, guitar, violin, and group choreographed dances to favorites like the Harlem Shake and Gangnam Style.

An enormous “thank-you” to Dean Slater and Jaymee Pleasant for inviting me to take part in such a fun evening! I look forward to coming out there again soon.