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   You are at: NWS » NWS SRH » NWS Norman » Significant Storms » May 3, 1999 » Tornado Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet for Tornadoes in the NWS Norman, Oklahoma Area

 

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.

  • Prior to May 3, 1999:
    • The last F5 tornado in the state of Oklahoma was April 2, 1982 in Broken Bow in southeastern Oklahoma.
    • No F5 tornadoes have ever been recorded in Oklahoma City.
    • The most deadly tornado event in Oklahoma City was June 12, 1942 in southwest Oklahoma City, with 35 deaths and $500,000 in damages to 70 homes.
    • The most costly tornado event in Oklahoma City occurred on March 20, 1948, with over $10 million in damages, mostly inflicted on aircraft at the Tinker Air Force base.
    • The record for tornadoes in a single day in Oklahoma City is 5, which occurred during the outbreak of June 8, 1974.
    • There have been 7 F4 tornadoes reported in the Oklahoma City area, with the most recent one occurring on April 30,1978.
    • The most recent F4 tornado in the state of Oklahoma was Catoosa, April 24, 1993.
    • The longest period without a tornado in Oklahoma City since 1950 is 5 years, 8 months (October, 1992 and June 13, 1998). The second longest stretch since 1950 occurred between June, 1981 and May, 1986.
    • The most recent tornado in Oklahoma City occurred on October 4, 1998. This tornado also passed through Moore, and was rated as an F2. Another tornado moved through the northern Oklahoma City area on June 13, 1998. It damaged the facilities at the Frontier City amusement park, and was also rated as an F2.

The Highest Fatality-Producing Tornadoes in Oklahoma (1882-1998)

Rank City/Town Date Fatalities
1. Woodward 04/09/1947 116
2. Snyder 05/10/1905 97
3. Peggs 05/02/1920 71
4. Antlers 04/12/1945 69
5. Pryor 04/27/1942 52
6. Oklahoma City 06/12/1942 35
7. Norman 04/25/1893 33
8. Bethany 11/19/1930 23
9. McAlester 05/08/1882 21
10. Blackwell 05/25/1955 20

F5 Tornadoes in Oklahoma by Damage/Intensity

Rank City/Town Date
1. Snyder 05/10/1905
2. Hennessey 04/12/1912
3. Hobart/Colony 04/27/1912
4. Vici/Alva/Capron 04/19/1939
5. Antlers 04/12/1945
6. Woodward 04/09/1947
7. Blackwell 05/25/1955
8. Udall, KS 05/25/1955*
9. Shawnee/Prague/Sapulpa 05/25/1960
10. Spiro 03/26/1976
11. Hugo/Broken Bow/Valiant 04/02/1982
12. Amber/Bridge Creek/Moore/Oklahoma City/Midwest City/Del City 05/03/1999
* Tornado began in Oklahoma, but the F5 damage only occurred in Udall, Kansas.

Graphs of Tornado Statistics for Oklahoma
Oklahoma Tornadoes by Year, 1988-98 Oklahoma Tornadoes by Year, 1988-98

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