The Great Plains Tornado Outbreak of May 3, 1999

The Great Plains Tornado Outbreak of May 3, 1999 On May 3, 1999, multiple supercell thunderstorms produced many large and damaging tornadoes in central Oklahoma during the late afternoon and evening hours. Some of these storms were killers, including the twisters which moved through and/or near Dover, Shawnee, Perry and Bridge Creek, and the Moore and southern Oklahoma City metropolitan areas. Additional tornadoes also hit areas in south central Kansas, eastern Oklahoma and northern Texas, with over 70 tornadoes being observed across the region. The total tornado count makes this tornado outbreak the largest ever recorded in Oklahoma. Statistics show that 40 people have died in Oklahoma due to the twisters and 675 were injured. Many homes and businesses have been damaged or destroyed throughout the affected areas with a total damage estimate of $1.2 billion. Five deaths, 100 injuries and heavy damage were also incurred in the Wichita, Kansas metro area. The map below shows the approximate location and paths of the most damaging tornadoes which occurred on May 3, 1999. The official storm data report from May 1999 can be found here.



Damage list:

Oklahoma and Cleveland Counties Homes destroyed: 1,780. Homes damaged: 6,550. Apartments destroyed: 473. Apartments damaged: 568. Businesses destroyed: 85. Businesses damaged: 42. Churches destroyed: 3. Schools destroyed: 2.		Other Counties Homes destroyed: 534. Homes damaged: 878. * Businesses destroyed: 79. Businesses damaged: 54. Churches destroyed: 2. Public buildings destroyed: 4. Public buildings damaged: 7. * Includes 53 stores at the Tanger Outlet Center in Stroud.


Radar reflectivity image from the Twin Lakes, Oklahoma WSR-88D Radar (KTLX) at 718 PM CDT, May 3, 1999. At 717 PM CDT, the Moore/Oklahoma City tornado was located near the intersection of Santa Fe Avenue and 119th Street in southwest Oklahoma City. Please select the image to see a larger GIF image. Image courtesy of Oklahoma Climatological Survey.	Visible satellite image at 645 PM CDT, May 3, 1999. At 651 PM CDT, the Moore/Oklahoma City tornado was located near the access junction on the H.E. Bailey Turnpike in north Newcastle, Oklahoma. Please select the image to see a larger JPEG image. Image courtesy of the NOAA Satellite Services Division (Operational Significant Event Imagery).

Aerial view of the Moore/Oklahoma City tornado path on May 5, 1999. The dark mud trail shows the path of the tornado in the middle foreground and center of the picture. Interstate Highway 44 is visible in the lower right through the center of the picture while 16th Street in Newcastle runs from the center foreground to the upper right of the picture. The Canadian River is in the upper third of the picture while the Moore and south Oklahoma City areas can be seen in the distance in the upper left of the photo. Note how the tornado swerved to the right to hit the intersection of I-44 and the 16th Street overpass, then moved to the left again. The photo was taken by John Jarboe (NWS Coordinator at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City) as part of a storm damage survey. Please select the image to see a larger JPEG image.	Video snapshot of the Moore/Oklahoma City tornado just southeast of Amber, Oklahoma at about 6:30 PM CDT on May 3, 1999. The view is to the north-northeast from Highway 92 just north of the Highway 92/Highway 9 intersection, about 7 miles south of Amber. The tornado was captured on video by Oklahoma Climatological Survey employees Renee McPherson, Michael Wolfinbarger, Andrew Reader and Christopher Duvall. Please select the image to see a larger JPEG image. © 1999 McPherson/Wolfinbarger/Reader/Duvall

NWSFO Norman Forecasters Chris Sohl and and Doug Speheger issue warnings and statements using AWIPS workstations at about 11 pm CDT on May 3, 1999. OSF employee Elizabeth Quoetone can also be seen monitoring the WSR-88D Principal User Processor (PUP) in the upper left of the photo.	Dennis McCarthy, the NWSFO Norman MIC (Meteorologist in Charge), disseminates warnings and severe weather information via HAM radio at about 11 pm CDT on May 3, 1999.