Significant Tornado Events

[TH2002]

A couple others, most from Bridge Creek but some from Moore:

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This pic reminds me of the aftermath of a severe forest fire:

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This classic:

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That second to last photo by itself is telling of just how EXTREME Bridge Creek-Moore was; the sheer amount of scoured mud splattered on the remains of that truck almost make it look like it's painted, and that's not even mentioning the thorough debarking of just about every tree/shrub in sight.

Another view of that van:

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

That second to last photo by itself is telling of just how EXTREME Bridge Creek-Moore was; the sheer amount of scoured mud splattered on the remains of that truck almost make it look like it's painted, and that's not even mentioning the thorough debarking of just about every tree/shrub in sight.

Another view of that van:
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I thought it was rust from the paint of the truck being chipped off; what you're telling me is even more impressive.

 

[locomusic01]

That second to last photo by itself is telling of just how EXTREME Bridge Creek-Moore was; the sheer amount of scoured mud splattered on the remains of that truck almost make it look like it's painted, and that's not even mentioning the thorough debarking of just about every tree/shrub in sight.

There was so much reddish mud plastered on absolutely everything that a couple of the survivors I talked to specifically described it as looking like they'd been transported to the surface of Mars:

When Jordan came to his senses, it seemed as if he’d been transported to a wholly alien world. Nothing was familiar. There were no more houses, no road signs, no landmarks at all. A bizarre odor hung heavy in the air, assaulting the nostrils with a muddle of intermingled scents: pine trees, fresh-cut grass, dank and musty earth, the sulfurous fumes of leaking gas. The soil had been sucked up and plastered against every exposed surface, creating a scene that more resembled the surface of Mars than the verdant hills of Oklahoma.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

There was so much reddish mud plastered on absolutely everything that a couple of the survivors I talked to specifically described it as looking like they'd been transported to the surface of Mars:

A lot of the Bridge Creek aftermath photos resemble a post-apocalyptic landscape (technically they were I suppose) and the Mars analogy isn't that far off. The stuff you and other folks have dug up from the Bridge Creek area has convinced me that the tornado in this area achieved Jarrell-like intensity; one wonders how much worse the devastation could've been if the tornado was near-stationary when it was over the area.

 

[TH2002]

I have to mention this from the 1993 Utah tornado; it's perhaps the most picture-perfect example of a spiral treefall pattern caused by a stationary subvortex I have ever seen. The (now paywalled) TornadoTalk article mentions it was visible in the 2014 satellite imagery as pictured, and I spent literally HOURS and can't for the life of me find it on current satellite view though if anyone else wants to give it a go they are more than welcome to.

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

Damage from the May 9, 1927 Poplar Bluff tornado. This tornado doesn't appear to have been very intense but it was an extremely deadly event.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

If I had to guess the primary basis for his F1 rating is the damage it caused at the scout camp; tools like OpenMapTiles and Google Maps satellite view obviously didn't exist when SigTor was first published, and with the sheer amount of tornadoes to cover (along with the lack of detailed survey information, as opposed to the Teton-Yellowstone F4) I doubt he was able to devote much attention to a tornado that caused very little damage to man-made structures.

With that said, the totality and severity of the tree damage this thing caused is nothing short of incredible; if you would like to check it out for yourself: punch these coordinates into Google Maps or the like:
40.673868, -110.120258

Though listed as three separate touchdowns I believe there were two separate tornadoes; a first, brief touchdown followed by a longer path consisting two areas of felled trees. The likely reason it's listed this way is because the second tornado crossed over an area with absolutely no DI's for a time, and the possibility of the cell cycling during that time isn't out of the question, though the paths can be easily connected and a weakening trend identified as such. The coordinates for the second area of blowdown from the second tornado:
40.711483, -110.051636

Coordinates for what I believe might be the first tornado: not 100% sure though, the Tornado Talk article had the exact coordinates but naturally it's behind a paywall. Oh well I guess?
40.625493, -110.202910

It's also amazing just how well preserved the damage from this tornado is; it's probably one of, if not the best example of preserved tornado damage in the world, and shows that intense to violent tornadoes can alter the landscape for decades if not centuries.

Coordinates for the swirl:

40°38'54.7"N 110°14'22.7"W​

The article itself didn't mention the swirl coordinates but it's not too hard to find from the start point of Tornado 2.


Screenshot for reference:

 

[Lake Martin EF4]

Post unrelated: I'm very very surprised basically no photos and video exist of the May 23, 2008 tornadoes (well, most of them). The only ones I've been able to find photos/video of are a bunch in the Quinter area and Fort Supply. That's it.

 

[CheeselandSkies]

Post unrelated: I'm very very surprised basically no photos and video exist of the May 23, 2008 tornadoes (well, most of them). The only ones I've been able to find photos/video of are a bunch in the Quinter area and Fort Supply. That's it.

I seem to recall (A.) Almost all chasers were on Quinter (either/both the EF2 wedge and the EF4) and (B.) There were issues with rain-wrapping and haze that day. So it's not too surprising images of others are hard to find.

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

I seem to recall (A.) Almost all chasers were on Quinter (either/both the EF2 wedge and the EF4) and (B.) There were issues with rain-wrapping and haze that day. So it's not too surprising images of others are hard to find.

A lot of the tornadoes also occurred in the late evening and after dark.

 

[CheeselandSkies]

A lot of the tornadoes also occurred in the late evening and after dark.

As an aside, it doesn't get talked about too much being sandwiched between more photogenic and/or deadlier events in the years before and since, but that was a heck of an outbreak. Sixteen EF2+ just in Kansas and far northwestern Oklahoma. That is the sort of Plains outbreak that seems to have gone AWOL for quite a few springs now.

 

[eric11]

Post unrelated: I'm very very surprised basically no photos and video exist of the May 23, 2008 tornadoes (well, most of them). The only ones I've been able to find photos/video of are a bunch in the Quinter area and Fort Supply. That's it.

There's a nighttime killer EF3 wedge near Cairo KS, it debarked hardwoods and threw a vehicle more than 200 yards without ground contact, killing the couple inside.

Brandon Ivey chased the one and filmed the damage

This vid shows how the car was thrown and the surrounding heavily damaged hardwoods

This may capture the Cedar Bluff Reservoir EF3, the tornado debarked hardwoods as well and carried a farm implement more than 0.5 mi

Also willing to hear more info about the Mullinville EF3, its couplet was just nasty

 

[eric11]

According to Stormchasingvideo, the giant, low-hanging wedge approaching outside of Quinter KS in their vid was likely not the one that got rated EF4, but the EF2 instead. It only managed to hit some barns and telephone poles during its 14 mi track but I'll list it as a violent candidate for sure, just for its visual appreance.

Sky-Chaser Web Site (Chris Collura - KG4PJN)

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

According to Stormchasingvideo, the giant, low-hanging wedge approaching outside of Quinter KS in their vid was likely not the one that got rated EF4, but the EF2 instead. It only managed to hit some barns and telephone poles during its 14 mi track but I'll list it as a violent candidate for sure, just for its visual appreance.

Sky-Chaser Web Site (Chris Collura - KG4PJN)

The Quinter EF4 was the one that crossed I-70, one of the most picture perfect tornadoes out there:



Also at 6:50 that person must be having a heart attack lol:

Oh and that EF2 wedge is MASSIVE, I have a feeling it could've easily turned into a killer if it hit a farm or populated area.

 

[eric11]

The Quinter EF4 was the one that crossed I-70, one of the most picture perfect tornadoes out there:



Also at 6:50 that person must be having a heart attack lol:

Oh and that EF2 wedge is MASSIVE, I have a feeling it could've easily turned into a killer if it hit a farm or populated area.

It threw a vehicle into a ditch near the Interstate, the vehicle traveled more than 200 yards and severly mangled, but the driver survived.

It was likely peaked SW of Quinter in some rural area, little information could I find though I believe this is one of the place that got rated EF4. The tornado did severe debarking to hardwood trees and torn down heavily loaded silos.

 

[eric11]

The Quinter EF4 was the one that crossed I-70, one of the most picture perfect tornadoes out there:



Also at 6:50 that person must be having a heart attack lol:

Oh and that EF2 wedge is MASSIVE, I have a feeling it could've easily turned into a killer if it hit a farm or populated area.

I was a bit quite confused that the large wedge I published earlier was actually an EF0 that hit almost nothing, which was the earliest tornado passing near Quinter KS or Quinter No.1
The EF2 maybe this photogenic cone tornado passing to the W of Quinter, list as Quinter No.2, it was able to damage some barns, telephone poles and threw mobile homes.

The Final Quinter EF4 was the Quinter No.3 passing to the SW of Quinter. Quinter No.2 and Quinter No.3 were actually from different storm.

 

[CheeselandSkies]

There's a nighttime killer EF3 wedge near Cairo KS, it debarked hardwoods and threw a vehicle more than 200 yards without ground contact, killing the couple inside.
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Brandon Ivey chased the one and filmed the damage

This vid shows how the car was thrown and the surrounding heavily damaged hardwoods

This may capture the Cedar Bluff Reservoir EF3, the tornado debarked hardwoods as well and carried a farm implement more than 0.5 mi

Also willing to hear more info about the Mullinville EF3, its couplet was just nasty
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That had to be a big yikes for anyone in Greensburg familiar with radar signatures, seeing that off to their southwest, moving in their general direction, just over a year later. This could easily have been another major disaster for one of the small towns in the area.

 

[locomusic01]

So here's a map of the two undocumented 5/31/85 tornadoes I mentioned earlier, as well as the Thompson Run F1 (green).

Obviously they aren't rated, but it's notable that they both produced clear scars when some of the confirmed F1-F2s didn't. The Clarendon tornado is 4.3 miles long and up to a third of a mile wide. Lewis Run is 1.2 miles long and about 150 yards wide. For Thompson Run, the official numbers are pretty spot-on - slightly over 5 miles long and 200 yards wide.

 

[Western_KS_Wx]

Glad to see the May 23, 2008 outbreak getting some recognition, definitely one of the most impressive plains outbreaks in modern history in my opinion fortunately this part of Kansas is very rural. 69 tornadoes in a single state in one day is still remarkable.

Quinter actually had 3 rounds of tornadoes come through including the EF4 and massive wedge EF2.


Here’s some of the tornadoes that tracked near Cedar Bluff Reservoir that again remained in fairly rural areas. Wouldn’t be surprised if one of these was violent at some point.

What was likely the strongest tornado of the outbreak was this 1.8 mile wide wedge that tracked near Clark State Lake. This tornado had one of the most incredible radar presentations I’ve ever seen. NWS Dodge City states this tornado was likely greater than EF3 strength it just remained in very rural areas, pretty much the theme of the day.


This lesser known massive EF3 was spawned by the same supercell that produced the Clark State wedge and tracked near Hopewell and Macksville debarking trees as well as destroying a few farms. This one also had an incredible velocity signature and was probably violent at some point.


Last one I’ll be covering out of the many significant and large tornadoes of the day this one was the only tornado to cause fatalities. A vehicle carrying a couple from colorado was lofted 580 yards off Highway 50 landing in a field. The car wasn’t discovered until the morning after and was completely mangled.



Out of the 78 tornadoes that touched down on that day 69 were in Kansas alone, and at the time this set a National state record for tornadoes in one day. 13 of these were 1/2 mile wide or larger and there were likely several violent tornadoes that day.

 

[Lake Martin EF4]

Yeah, Mullinville is the one I most want to see pictures of. Sadly it seems there aren't any, although I didn't expect to see photos of Cairo and Cedar Bluff.