May 7, 2016 (2016-05-07) – May 10, 2016 (2016-05-10)
Highest winds
Tornadic – 170 mph (270 km/h) in Katie, Oklahoma on May 9; A 218 mph (351 km/h) gust was measured by RaXPol Mobile Radar from an EF3 in Sulphur, Oklahoma
1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado
A significant four-day outbreak of tornadoes impacted areas across the High Plains, central Midwest, and parts of the Ohio Valley in early May. The outbreak also produced the first EF4 tornado of the year in Katie, Oklahoma on May 9, where one death occurred. An EF3 tornado near Connerville, Oklahoma also killed a person that day. Other notable tornadoes included two large EF2 tornadoes in Colorado on May 7, a large EF2 tornado near Catherine, Kansas on May 8, and a destructive EF3 tornado that struck Mayfield, Kentucky on May 10. Overall, 57 tornadoes were confirmed.
The tornado outbreak developed along a cold front alongside an area of low pressure while situated north of the United States–Canada border. Near the High Plains, a dry line began to coalesce as wind shear started climbing to levels favorable for tornadoes. In addition, moisture from the Gulf of Mexico was advected northwards into the country. Not long afterwards, tornadic supercell thunderstorms began developing late on May 7.
Tornadic activity started with a large multiple-vortex EF2 tornado that tossed several RVs into the air and injured two people near Wiggins, Colorado on May 7. Later that evening, a large stovepipe tornado caused high-end EF2 damage near the town of Wray, while several other tornadoes tracked across other very rural areas of Colorado, causing no damage.[2] Scattered tornadoes occurred on May 8, most of which were weak. However, a strong EF2 tornado caused considerable damage to outbuildings and high-voltage transmission line poles near Catharine, Kansas. On May 9, a significant tornado event unfolded across Oklahoma, as several strong to violent tornadoes touched down and caused severe damage in several portions of the state. A violent EF4 stovepipe tornado (the first EF4 tornado of 2016) near Katie, Oklahoma killed one person, leveled and swept away multiple homes, and left behind an extensive swath of ground scouring, while a large EF3 wedge tornado from the same parent supercell caused major damage near Sulphur. An EF3 tornado that tracked from near Connerville to Bromide destroyed a house and killed one person. An extremely large EF3 multiple-vortex tornado reached a maximum width of about 1.8 miles (2.9 km) as it passed near Boswell, snapping and denuding numerous trees, destroying mobile homes, heavily damaging frame homes, and toppling two large metal power line truss towers along its path. Other strong tornadoes occurred as far north as Nebraska, including an EF2 tornado that tore the roof and some exterior walls from a home near Nehawka and injured one person. An EF1 tornado also caused minor damage in residential areas of Lincoln. Significant tornado activity continued on May 10, as several tornadoes moved across areas of western Kentucky, including an EF3 tornado that injured 10 people as it moved through the north edge of Mayfield, Kentucky, destroying numerous homes, vehicles, and businesses. Another tornado caused EF2 damage near Hartford. Overall, this outbreak killed two people and produced 57 tornadoes.[3]
A large multiple-vortex tornado developed south of I-76 and moved north, snapping numerous power poles and tossing several RVs. Large trees were snapped and uprooted, ten irrigation pivots were destroyed, and outbuildings were damaged as well. Two minor injuries occurred when a camper was rolled over.[6]
Three residences and two businesses north of Wray were damaged by this high-end EF2 stovepipe tornado. A semi-truck was picked up and tossed, scattering cargo down US 385. A tractor and several vehicles were flipped and sandblasted by gravel. Large amounts of barbed wire fencing were torn up and strewn throughout the area, and 40 power poles were downed. Four people were injured.[11]
One home received substantial damage, with the attached garage being blown down and some windows and doors being broken. A farm building and a small shed were blown down and dozens of trees were downed as well.[12]
May 8 event
List of confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, May 8, 2016[note 1]
Four large high-voltage transmission line poles were damaged or destroyed. Several outbuildings, trees, and at least 36 power poles were damaged or destroyed as well. The tornado continued into Rooks County and caused minimal damage before lifting.[18]
A brief tornado touched down in a residential area, causing mainly tree, shingle, and fence damage. One home sustained considerable damage to its garage.[23]
A weak tornado impacted an irrigation pivot, inflicted minor damage to a walkway overhang at a school, blew windows out of vehicles, and damaged trees and fences.[27]
1 death – Much of the damage from this tornado was limited to snapped trees and power poles, though an unanchored home was obliterated and swept away, killing the occupant and leaving little debris behind. A pickup truck from the residence thrown 250 yards (230 m) into a wooded area and severely mangled. Other structures along the path sustained roof damage. The tornado weakened significantly before striking Bromide and dissipating, causing only minor tree limb damage in town.[32]
This tornado damaged and destroyed outbuildings, rolled an oil tank, and blew the roof off of a radio station building. Numerous trees were downed along the path.[34]
A house lost its roof and some exterior walls, outbuildings were destroyed, and numerous trees were snapped and uprooted. One person was injured after they were thrown from the house, and survived by hanging on to a small tree.[36]
This large cone tornado caused significant roof damage to two homes, destroyed a mobile home, snapped numerous trees and power poles, and damaged outbuildings.[37][38]
An extremely large multiple-vortex tornado with a path width of nearly 1.8 miles (2.9 km) passed near the town of Boswell and destroyed at least three mobile homes, injuring two people. Several frame homes were damaged, some of which sustained major roof loss and the collapse of some exterior walls. Multiple outbuildings were destroyed, numerous power poles were snapped, and many trees were snapped and uprooted, some of which were denuded. Two large metal truss towers were collapsed as well.[39]
This brief, narrow tornado embedded within a larger area of straight-line wind damage destroyed part of a large metal barn, buckled out the walls of two outbuildings and a garage, and left a distinct path of rotation through vegetation.[50]
This intense multiple-vortex tornado first caused minor tree, power line, and outbuilding damage before reaching EF3 strength further to the east as a pickup truck was lofted and thrown over 150 yards (140 m). The tornado destroyed a flea market before impacting the north edge of Mayfield, where numerous homes, mobile homes, businesses, garages, and outbuildings were destroyed. Several dozen cars were damaged or destroyed as well, a few of which were lofted onto structures. Further east, the roof was torn off a home, a second home had significant roof and exterior wall loss, and other homes sustained minor damage. Near Benton, a mobile home was overturned, and a frame home sustained minor shingle damage before the tornado dissipated. Thousands of trees and several power lines were downed along the path, and ten people were injured.[51]
A brief tornado tossed a rock into a tractor windshield, causing it to shatter. A machine shed located near the tractor had some minor damage as well.[52]
This tornado touched down for approximately 200 yards (180 m), lifted briefly, and touched back down, moving to the east-northeast. A large tree fell on an outbuilding, causing significant damage, a home sustained exterior wall damage, a grain silo was toppled, and the wall of a 30 by 50 foot (9.1 by 15.2 m) barn was slid 12 feet (3.7 m). Further along, several barns were damaged, a church sustained roof damage, and an outbuilding had half its roof blown off and tossed 50 feet (15 m). Many trees were downed along the path.[57]
This violent, erratic stovepipe tornado touched down to the south of Katie, initially snapping trees at EF1 intensity. The tornado then intensified to EF3 strength east of that location, where a home was left with only interior walls standing, and large trees were denuded and stripped of foliage.[3] A home at the edge of the damage path had its windows blown out. The tornado maintained EF3 strength and started to intensify further, debarking and began scouring the ground. A house near the south edge of the damage path had its roof torn right off, and power poles were snapped as well. Shortly afterward, the tornado inflicted EF4 damage to a well-built, anchor-bolted brick home, which was almost entirely flattened with a large portion of the foundation slab swept clean of debris. Trees in this area were debarked, and extensive ground scouring occurred. Also, vehicles were thrown and mangled beyond recognition. Another brick house had its roof torn off as well, and multiple power poles were snapped.[3] Further to the east, a poorly-anchored frame home was swept cleanly away at high-end EF3 intensity. A nearby mobile home was also destroyed, along with a vehicle parked nearby that was rolled across the edge of a nearby pond and severely damaged. Several other homes in this area sustained less severe damage. The tornado weakened dramatically, snapping and uprooting several trees before dissipating near I-35 to the southwest of Wynnewood. This tornado was highly photogenic, and it was photographed and caught on video by numerous storm chasers. One person was killed by the tornado.[3][22][62]
Davis–Sulphur–Roff, Oklahoma
Davis–Sulphur–Roff, Oklahoma
18-year-old Daniel Parks shows engineer and meteorologist Tim Marshall where he survived the tornado.
This large, high-end EF3 wedge tornado was spawned by the same supercell that produced the EF4 Katie/Wynnewood tornado earlier. It first touched down to the north of Davis, Oklahoma at 4:34 PM CDT, initially snapping trees at EF1 strength near US 77. The tornado then moved across a large open field and began widening significantly before it reached high-end EF2 strength and crossed Sunshine Road, completely destroying a poorly–constructed house and tossing a pickup truck hundreds of feet into a nearby field. Numerous trees and power poles were snapped, and a brick home lost part of its roof here. The tornado intensified as it crossed Meadow Road further to the east, where trees were debarked and an unanchored home was swept completely away at high-end EF3 strength.[3] Two poorly-constructed homes lost their roofs and their exterior walls in this area as well, therefore sustaining EF2 damage. Widespread EF3 damage occurred as the tornado crossed Burnside Road, where multiple homes were left with only their interior walls standing. Also in this area, mobile homes and outbuildings were obliterated, and some unanchored block foundation homes were leveled and swept away. A large metal storage garage was swept away as well, with vehicles stored inside being thrown up to 280 yards away. Several trees were debarked, and numerous metal power poles were bent to the ground. At one home in this area, 18-year-old resident Daniel Parks and his cousin survived the tornado without injury by taking shelter in an interior bathroom and hanging on to a toilet. The bathroom was the only room left standing after the tornado had passed.[63] A Doppler on Wheels (DOW) mobile research radar provided by the Center for Severe Weather Research indicated approximately 218 mph (+/-) at 17 meters AGL as the tornado passed through this area. This indicated that the tornado may have reached EF5 intensity here, but there was no damage that severe to confirm such a rating.[25]
Soon afterwards, trees were uprooted, and outbuildings were destroyed along Trett Slab Road and E1690 Road before more significant damage occurred further to the east, where several frame homes and mobile homes were heavily damaged or destroyed along Buel Green Road and Nelson Road. One unanchored home in this area was swept completely away at high-end EF3 intensity, and outbuildings were destroyed as well. More metal power poles were bent to the ground, and a couple of trees were debarked. The tornado then crossed W 14th St, briefly weakening to EF2 strength as it destroyed a mobile home, shifted a frame home off its foundation, and caused roof damage to other homes. More outbuildings were destroyed, one of which had a small trailer thrown into it. North of Sulphur, the tornado crossed US 177 at EF3 intensity. Several frame homes lost their roofs and had collapse of exterior walls. Some additional trees sustained debarking, a mobile home was swept away and destroyed, and a few other homes had their roofs torn off at this location. A large frame home east of the interstate that was under construction was reduced to a bare slab as well. As the tornado continued eastward, it produced high-end EF2 damage along N3400 Road as two small homes were left with only their interior walls standing, one of which homes was pushed 60 feet off of its foundation. The tornado then began to narrow and weaken as it crossed the Chickasaw Turnpike and County Line Road intersection, causing mainly minor damage to trees, power lines, and outbuildings, though one home and a large metal shed both sustained low-end EF2 damage. The tornado continued to narrow as it moved further east, producing EF0 outbuilding damage before dissipating to the southwest of Roff at 5:17 PM CDT.[3][25]
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^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2016). Indiana Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
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^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Dodge City, Kansas (2016). Kansas Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
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^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in North Platte, Nebraska (2016). Nebraska Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Des Moines, Iowa (2016). Iowa Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
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^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Omaha, Nebraska (2016). Nebraska Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Hastings, Nebraska (2016). Nebraska Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^ abcNational Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EF3 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EF2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Omaha, Nebraska (2016). Nebraska Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Hastings, Nebraska (2016). Nebraska Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Davenport, Iowa (2016). Iowa Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Davenport, Iowa (2016). Iowa Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EFU Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EFU Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EF3 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Davenport, Iowa (2016). Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EFU Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Omaha, Nebraska (2016). Nebraska Event Report: EF2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EF2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EF2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EF2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EF2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Tulsa, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EF3 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Topeka, Kansas (2016). Kansas Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Tulsa, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Tulsa, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EFU Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Tulsa, Oklahoma (2016). Oklahoma Event Report: EFU Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Des Moines, Iowa (2016). Iowa Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Des Moines, Iowa (2016). Iowa Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Glasgow, Montana (2016). Montana Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Shreveport, Louisiana (2016). Texas Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Shreveport, Louisiana (2016). Texas Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Little Rock, Arkansas (2016). Arkansas Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Louisville, Kentucky (2016). Kentucky Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2016). Kentucky Event Report: EF3 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2016). Kentucky Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in North Platte, Nebraska (2016). Nebraska Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2016). Kentucky Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2016). Kentucky Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2016). Kentucky Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2016). Kentucky Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2016). Kentucky Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Louisville, Kentucky (2016). Kentucky Event Report: EF2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2016). Kentucky Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2016). Kentucky Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2016). Kentucky Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2016). Kentucky Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
