National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Cooler Temperatures for the Midwest and Eastern U.S.; Rain and Light Snow in Parts of the Upper Midwest and Northeast

Cooler temperatures are forecast for the Midwest and portions of the Eastern U.S. early this week as a cold front progresses through. Some light snow accumulations may be possible in parts of the Upper Midwest, Central Appalachians and Northeast. Gusty winds will bring elevated fire weather conditions in southern Kansas, southwest Missouri and Oklahoma Tuesday. Read More >

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Tornado Track Map for Grady County, OK
 
Grady County, OK Tornadoes Prior to 1950
# Date Time
(CST)
Path
Length
(miles)
Path
Width
(yards)
F-Scale Killed Injured County Path
  02/25/1888         0   Grady Alex
  05/18/1903 1730 55 200   0   Grady/ Canadian/ Oklahoma/ Logan NW Oklahoma County - NE of Guthrie
  05/23/1903   8     0   Grady 5 SW Ninnekah
  08/05/1917 1600   1760   1 4 Grady Near Pocasset
  05/31/1923 0000   60   0 0 Grady Near Rush Springs
  04/11/1927 1800 52 500   1 7 Caddo/ Grady/ Canadian Near Alfalfa - near Mustang
  05/03/1930 1710 4 120   0 3 Grady Near Tuttle
  05/05/1930 2200 4 150   2 0 Grady Near Rush Springs
  04/19/1933 1900 15 880   2 25 Grady Agawam - NE of Chickasha
  05/21/1940 1630 5 200   0 4 Grady N and E of Verden
  01/26/1944   2     0 0 Grady Alex and "Hankins"
  05/02/1944 1900 6 100   0 0 Grady S and E of Tuttle
  05/15/1948 2130 2 1000   0 0 Grady Near Anadarko and Verden
  04/30/1949 1500 30 250   0 4 Comanche/ Grady NE part of Lawton - southern Grady county
Grady County, OK Tornadoes (1950-Present*)
# Date Time
(CST)
Path
Length
(miles)
Path
Width
(yards)
F-Scale Killed Injured County Path
1 04/05/1951 1322 0.2 100 F2 0 2 Grady Bridge Creek School District (7 NNW Blanchard)
2 06/06/1951 2350 4 450 F2 0 0 Grady Cox City
3 05/22/1952 2330 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Grady southern part of county
4 03/13/1953 1715 24 100 F2 0 1 Grady Rush Springs - 6.5 SW Blanchard
5 03/13/1953 1819 1 100 F3 1 8 Grady Bradley
6 04/14/1953 1850 16 440 F2 0 0 Canadian/ Grady 5 SW Yukon - 8 E Tuttle
7 06/19/1953 1730 6 880 F1 0 0 Grady 5 SW Chickasha - SW edge of Chickasha
8 11/18/1953 2130 0.3 10 F1 0 0 Grady 8 W Minco
9 01/05/1955 0500 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Grady Chickasha
10 05/25/1955 1800 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Grady near Rush Springs
11 05/26/1955 0230 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Grady near Chickasha
12 04/28/1956 1420 35 10 F1 0 0 Grady/ McClain/ Cleveland 5 S Chickasha - 3 E Norman
13 04/21/1958 1535 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Grady 10 N Verden
14 04/21/1958 1605 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Grady Just S of Chickasha
15 05/22/1959 0220 0.1 10 F2 0 0 Grady 5 W Minco
16 04/28/1960 1945 4 200 F2 0 1 Grady 2 S Pocassett
17 04/28/1960 1945 3 200 F2 0 0 Grady 2 NE Amber
18 04/28/1960 1945 4 200 F3 0 2 Grady 1.5 N- 3 ENE Pocassett
19 04/28/1960 1945 2 300 F2 0 0 Grady Pocassett
20 04/28/1960 2050 1.5 200 F3 0 1 Grady Tuttle
21 05/19/1960 1600 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Caddo/ Grady N of Verden - near Dutton
22 04/30/1961 1845 2 77 F3 0 2 Grady 2 N Minco
23 05/16/1961 2257 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Grady Near Verden
24 04/07/1965 2350 22 440 F2 0 2 Caddo/ Grady Anadarko - 3 W Amber
25 04/08/1965 0020 1 10 F2 0 0 Grady 3 S Tuttle
26 04/08/1965 0020 1 10 F2 0 0 Grady 4 S Tuttle
27 04/08/1965 0100 0.3 10 F1 0 0 Grady 4 S Tuttle
28 05/26/1965 0235 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Grady Minco
29 04/19/1968 1545 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Grady 5 NNW Blanchard
30 06/05/1968 1818 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Grady 3 SE Verden
31 04/26/1969 1700 10 10 F1 0 0 Grady Ninnekah - Tabler
32 05/03/1969 1400 0.1 10 F1 0 0 Grady Near Verden
33 04/30/1970 0045 32 440 F1 0 0 Grady/ Canadian/ Oklahoma 6 WNW Minco - northwest Oklahoma City - 5 NW The Village
34 04/30/1970 0100 47 500 F2 0 6 Grady/ Canadian/ Oklahoma 4 NW Pocasset - Mustang - Oklahoma City - 2 W Arcadia
35 06/20/1970 1653 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Grady NW of Tuttle
36 06/18/1973 1900 4 50 F1 0 1 Grady S of Rush Springs
37 04/20/1974 1500 64 100 F3 0 3 Grady/ Canadian/ Oklahoma/ Lincoln SW of Minco - 2 SE Mustang - S Oklahoma City - Del City - Midlothian
38 03/02/1977 1630 5 100 F2 0 0 Grady 5 NE- 9 NE Alex
39 03/02/1977 1630 6 100 F1 0 0 Grady/ McClain Near Blanchard
40 05/20/1977 1543 3 90 F1 0 0 Grady Chickasha (near Airport)
41 04/30/1981 2000 32 10 F1 0 0 Caddo/ Grady near Gracemont - Anadarko - near Rush Springs
42 04/30/1981 2015 29 10 F2 1 4 Grady Near Minco - Chickasha - S of Rush Springs [not continuous]
43 03/03/1983 1300 0.1 20 F1 0 0 Grady 6 W Newcastle
44 05/13/1983 2245 0.1 50 F1 0 0 Grady 6 N Chickasha
45 06/28/1983 0045 0.1 10 F0 0 0 Grady ~4 S Rush Springs
46 03/13/1990 1644-1737 28 200 F2 0 1 Grady/ McClain/ Cleveland 1 W Bradley- Washington- Noble- 5 NE Noble
47 03/29/1993 2152-2202 5 33 F1 0 0 Grady/ McClain 4 E Alex- 3 W Criner
48 05/25/1997 1514-1524 3 73 F1 0 0 Grady 3 NE Tabler - 2.5 SSW Middleberg
49 10/04/1998 1754-1755 1.5 200 F2 0 0 Grady 9 WSW - 7.5 WSW Ninnekah
50 10/04/1998 1915-1921 5 80 F2 0 0 Grady/ McClain 4 NW Blanchard - 2 SSW Newcastle
51 05/03/1999 1646-1710 9 880 F3 0 4 Caddo/ Grady 2 WSW Laverty - 4 S Verden - 2.5 WNW Downtown Chickasha
52 05/03/1999 1707-1708 1 75 F0 0 0 Grady 5 W Downtown Chickasha
53 05/03/1999 1712-1721 4 500 F2 0 4 Grady 2.5 NW Downtown Chickasha - Chickasha Airport (NW edge of Chickasha) - 4 NNE Downtown Chickasha
54 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
55 05/03/1999 1837-1840 2 300 F1 0 0 Grady 8 WSW - 6 WSW Minco
56 05/03/1999 1847-1900 4 60 F1 0 0 Grady 5 W - 4 NW Minco
57 05/03/1999 1855 0.1 50 F1 0 0 Grady 5 SW Minco
58 05/04/2001 1805-1806 0.2 25 F0 0 0 Grady 0.5 E Chickasha
59 05/04/2001 1820-1824 0.7 50 F0 0 0 Grady 2 NNE - 3 N Amber
60 05/09/2003 2017-2020 1.2 50 F0 0 0 Caddo/ Grady 1.4 NE - 2.5 ENE Cogar
61 05/08/2007 2154-2158 1.5 30 EF1 0 0 Grady 2.7 SW - 2.6 W Minco
62 08/18/2007 1944-1948 2 30 EF1 0 0 Grady 2.5 SSW Norge - 1.8 E Laverty
63 08/19/2007 0132-0138 7 75 EF1 0 0 Grady/ Canadian 1 ESE Minco - 1 N Union City
64 05/10/2010 1620-1627 6 700 EF1 0 0 Stephens/ Grady 3 NE Bray - 2.5 ESE Cox City
65 05/24/2011 1606-1701 33 880 EF4 1 48 Grady/ McClain/ Cleveland 2 S Chickasha - Oklahoma City (near SW 149th/Portland)
66 05/24/2011 1626-1705 23 880 EF4 0 61 Grady/ McClain 2 W Bradley - 1 W Goldsby
67 05/08/2013 1918 0.1 50 EF0 0 0 Grady 4 SE Minco
68 05/31/2013 1845 0.2 50 EF0 0 0 Grady 2 NNE Tuttle
69 05/06/2015 1533-1626 10 1500 EF3 0 0 Grady 4.5 E Amber - 4 NNE Bridge Creek
70 05/06/2015 1548 0.3 50 EF0 0 0 Grady 5 ENE Amber
71 05/06/2015 1849-1851 0.5 40 EF0 0 0 Grady 3 SE Tuttle
72 05/06/2015 1911-1921 4 200 EF0 0 0 Grady 4 ENE Tuttle - 2 NE Bridge Creek
73 05/23/2015 1612-1632 6 500 EF1 0 0 Grady 3 W - 4 NNE Pocasset
74 04/29/2016 1503-1522 12 1000 EF1 0 0 Grady 8 WSW - 4 ENE Ninnekah
75 05/31/2016 1628-1632 0.5 30 EF? 0 0 Grady 4 N Pocasset
76 05/31/2016 1628-1634 0.7 30 EF? 0 0 Grady 3 NW Pocasset
77 05/31/2016 1628-1635 0.7 30 EF? 0 0 Grady 4 W - 4 WNW Pocasset
78 05/02/2018 1855-1906 10 400 EF1 0 0 Grady 4 SSW Acme - 2 SSE Agawam
79 05/02/2018 1858-1906 6 100 EF1 0 0 Grady 4 WSW - 3 SSE Amber
80 05/02/2018 1905-1906 0.4 25 EF1 0 0 Grady 1 E Amber
81 04/21/2020 2228-2230 0.3 100 EF1 0 0 Comanche/ Grady 7 SSW Acme
82 06/13/2021 1501-1502 0.5 10 EF0 0 0 Grady 4 W Tuttle
83 10/10/2021 1802-1805 1.8 50 EF? 0 0 Caddo/ Grady 3 SW - 1 SSE Verden
84 10/10/2021 1816 0.2 50 EF? 0 0 Grady 3 N Chickasha
85 04/23/2022 1801-1810 4 30 EF0 0 0 Grady 2.5 WNW - 2.4 NNE Tuttle
86 12/13/2022 0451-0452 0.6 50 EF2 0 0 Grady 1 NNW Cox City
87 02/26/2023 2052-2053 0.2 75 EF0 0 0 Grady 4 WSW Minco
88 02/26/2023 2057-2107 11 200 EF1 0 0 Grady/ Canadian 3 W Tuttle - far southwest OKC - 4 WNW Mustang
89 04/19/2023 1820-1826 3 200 EF1 0 0 Grady/ McClain 3 SE Middleberg - 3 NNW Dibble
90 05/11/2023 1724-1726 1 20 EF0 0 0 Grady 1 N Norge
91 05/11/2023 1757-1808 2.8 50 EF? 0 0 Grady 4 S - 2 SE Tuttle
92 05/11/2023 1836-1838 0.4 30 EF0 0 0 Grady/ McClain 3.5 SE Bridge Creek
93 05/11/2023 1845-1845 0.2 20 EF? 0 0 Grady 2 NNW Rush Springs
94 05/11/2023 1904-1907 1.5 75 EF0 0 0 Grady 4.5 SW - 3.5 SSW Dibble
95 05/13/2023 1418-1418 0.1 20 EF? 0 0 Grady 3 WNW Chickasha
 

Significant Tornadoes in Grady County

  Date Time
(CST)
Path
Length
(miles)
Path
Width
(yards)
F-Scale Killed Injured County Path
  04/05/1951 1322 0.2 100 F2 0 2 Grady Bridge Creek School District (7 NNW Blanchard)

A tornado demolished the Bridge Creek grade school and high school buildings. Of the 120 people taking shelter inside the two brick buildings, only two persons, a teacher and a 16-year-old student required medical treatment.

  03/13/1953 1715 24 100 F2 0 1 Grady Rush Springs - 6.5 SW Blanchard

This tornado touched down at 5:15 pm CST in the Rush Springs area. A total of 76 houses in the southern and eastern sections of Rush Springs were damaged. A Quonset barn and gas station on the southern edge of Rush Springs were destroyed. One man was slightly injured when he was carried 300 feet by the tornado. Damages from the tornado were estimated at $45,000 and damages from accompanying hail totaled $5,000.

  03/13/1953 1819 1.0 100 F3 1 8 Grady Bradley

This tornado struck the town of Bradley, OK in Grady County at 6:19 pm CST, killing one person and injuring another eight people. A general store/post office was demolished in the southwest edge of Bradley along OK State Highway 19. The storekeeper had just closed the business previously due to a tornado warning. Six homes and 4 businesses were leveled by the tornado while 5 or more houses were damaged. Four other buildings in the business district were damaged, and several automobiles were destroyed. The Bradley High School gymnasium was unroofed by the tornado and the main high school building was damaged. Damages were estimated at $250,000 or greater.

  04/28/1960 1945 4 200 F2 0 1 Grady 2 S Pocassett

An Oklahoma State Highway Patrolman sighted a tornado moving eastward across Pocasset. Outbuildings, roofs, and trees were damaged within the town. The tornado lifted before reaching the main part of the community. Hail up to the size of baseballs occurred in in the area, breaking many windows and producing other damage at many homes. Nearly every house in the town received damage from either the tornado or hail.

  04/28/1960 1945 4 200 F3 0 2 Grady 1.5 N- 3 ENE Pocassett

A tornado touched down at 7:45 pm CST 1.5 miles north of Pocasset and moved eastward of 4 miles. Three farmsteads were nearly destroyed along the tornado's path. Two injuries resulted when the western half of a house was demolished. Hail to the size of golf balls caused up to 50% crop damage in sporadic areas.

  04/28/1960 2050 1.5 200 F3 0 1 Grady Tuttle

A tornado hit Tuttle and some surrounding farmsteads as it moved to the east-northeast through the southern part of Tuttle. A woman was injured when her house was destroyed. About 4 houses were destroyed and another 45-50 houses were damaged. The roof of a grade school was damaged and the eastern end of the high school's gymnasium was ripped apart. Other grade school buildings were destroyed. Two cotton gins and part of a grain elevator were damaged. The city's water supply was also cut off.

  04/30/1961 1845 2 77 F3 0 2 Grady 2 N Minco

A house and automobile were destroyed and the occupants of the home were slightly injured at a location 2 miles north of Minco. Four other farmsteads were damaged along the tornado's path.

  04/07/1965 2350 22 440 F2 0 2 Caddo/ Grady Anadarko - 3 W Amber

A tornado touched in Caddo County in the northwest section of Anadarko and moved east-northeast across the northern part of the city, destroying a large freight dock. A bus barn and 7 buses within were damaged. A 120-patient rest home was damaged while several homes in the northern part of Anadarko were destroyed. In addition, several cars were overturned, trees were ripped from the ground, a police communications tower was toppled, and telephone services were knocked out.

Two people were injured as the tornado moved east-northeastward past Verden and destroyed 4 homes and 4 barns. One man was injured near Anadarko, and one woman was injured when the wall of a storm cellar caved in and trapped one of her legs near Verden. The tornado also produced damage at Lake Chickasha, destroying 3 mobile homes and heavily damaging 2 other mobile homes. A farmer observed the tornado as it lifted 4.5 north-northeast of Verden. Either the same tornado or a new tornado produced damage 3 miles west of Amber where a large chicken house was demolished and the south side of a barn was torn away.

  04/30/1970 0100 47 500 F2 0 6 Grady/ Canadian/ Oklahoma 4 NW Pocasset - Mustang - Oklahoma City - 2 W Arcadia

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.

  06/18/1973 1900 4 50 F1 0 1 Grady S of Rush Springs

A tornado damaged a mobile home south of Rush Springs where one woman was injured. A number of trees were downed along the 4-mile path. A fruit stand in the area was also damaged.

  04/20/1974 1500 64 100 F3 0 3 Grady/ Canadian/ Oklahoma/ Lincoln SW of Minco - 2 SE Mustang - S Oklahoma City - Del City - Midlothian

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.

  04/30/1981 2015 29 5 F2 1 4 Grady Near Minco - Chickasha - S of Rush Springs (* not a continuous track)

This tornado touched down near Minco, OK and moved south with an intermittent path to Chickasha, OK and Rush Springs, OK before lifting near Marlow, OK. Near Rush Springs, a four-month-old infant was killed and two adults were injured when the tornado destroyed a mobile home. Approximately $250,000 worth of damage occurred to a warehouse in Chickasha.

  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.

  05/03/1999 1646-1710 9 880 F3 0 4 Caddo/ Grady 2 WSW Laverty - 4 S Verden - 2.5 WNW Downtown Chickasha

This tornado developed about 3 miles north-northeast of Cement (or 2 miles west-southwest of Laverty) near the Caddo/Grady County border, and quickly intensified to a strong tornado with associated damage rated at the high end of the F3 scale. The tornado tracked northeast for 9 miles before dissipating 2.5 miles west-northwest of downtown Chickasha. Two homes had just a few interior walls standing (F3), one located near U.S. Highway 62 on the northwest side of Chickasha, and several wooden high tension power lines were downed. Several persons were injured south of Verden near the Caddo/Grady County border.

  05/03/1999 1712-1721 4 500 F2 0 4 Grady 2.5 NW Downtown Chickasha - Chickasha Airport (NW edge of Chickasha) - 4 NNE Downtown Chickasha

This tornado developed 2.5 miles northwest of downtown Chickasha just north of U.S. Highway 62, and tracked northeast, striking the Chickasha Municipal Airport, resulting in high-end F2 damage to two hangar buildings and destroying several aircraft. An aircraft wing, believed to have originated from this airport was eventually carried airborne approximately 45 miles and dropped in southwest Oklahoma City.

Approximately 20 mobile homes near the airport were either damaged or destroyed with several persons injured. The tornado then crossed U.S. Highway 81 about 2 miles north of its intersection with U.S. Highway 62 destroying a large building, then dissipated 4 miles north-northeast of downtown Chickasha.

  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 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 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 Avenue.

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 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 Street 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 Avenue 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.

  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 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.

  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.

 

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.