Tornadoes · United States · Oklahoma · 2001

F1 tornado, Carter County, Oklahoma, May 27, 2001

Name: F1 tornado, Carter County, Oklahoma, May 27, 2001
Start: 2001-05-28T04:03:00.000Z
Location: Carter County, Oklahoma

This F1 tornado ran 9.0 miles across Carter County on May 27, 2001, touching down at 11:03 PM CDT and reaching 320 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $120,000 of property damage.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

F040 to 72 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
F173 to 112 mphthis tornado
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
F2113 to 157 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
F3158 to 206 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
F4207 to 260 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
F5261 to 318 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The record

Rating: F1
Date: May 27, 2001
Touchdown: 11:03 PM CDT (04:03 UTC)
Path length: 9.0 miles (14.5 km)
Path width: 320 yards (293 m)
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $120,000
County: Carter County
Touchdown point: 34.480, -97.550
Lift-off point: 34.450, -97.420
Record number: 174

The warnings

No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down. One was issued for the county at another hour that day.

Issued (UTC)	Expired	Product	Office
03:48 UTC	04:30 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN
04:10 UTC	04:45 UTC	Tornado Warning	OUN
04:29 UTC	05:30 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OUN

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Moderate Risk. The outlook in force was issued at 01:16 UTC.

SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Norman, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at May 27, 8:41 PM CDT, 2 hours 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 27, 8:41 PM CDT, 2 hours 22 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
841 PM CDT SUN MAY 27 2001

DESPITE WIDESPREAD SEVERE T-STORMS ACROSS N OK... WHICH WILL SWEEP
SE ACROSS MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE REST OF THE CWA OVERNIGHT...
PREVIOUS FORECAST PACKAGE COVERED THINGS SO WELL THAT ONLY MINOR
ADJUSTMENTS ARE NEEDED AT THIS TIME. WILL DROP THE PROBABILITY
WORDING ACROSS N AND CENTRAL OK, AND UP POPS TO LIKELY/CATEGORICAL
IN THE S, AS SOLID LINE OF CONVECTION ALONG LEADING EDGE OF MCS
ENSURES THAT NEARLY ALL AREAS WILL GET A PIECE OF THE ACTION.
STORMS AND ASSOCIATED SEVERE POTENTIAL WILL DECREASE BY OR JUST
AFTER MIDNIGHT IN THE N AS THE COMPLEX MOVES S OF THESE AREAS. MAIN
SEVERE THREAT EXPECTED TO BE DAMAGING WINDS AS THE ASSOCIATED COLD
POOL ACCELERATES SE-WARD, BUT LARGE HAIL ALSO WILL REMAIN A THREAT
WITH SOME OF THE CORES. FLASH FLOOD THREAT APPEARS TO BE LESSENING
AS THE PRIMARY CONVECTIVE LINE IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE MOTION
VECTOR, REDUCING THE THREAT OF TRAIN ECHOES. STILL NEED TO KEEP A
MENTION OF HEAVY RAINFALL, THO.

ZONE UPDATE OUT BY 9 PM. ANOTHER UPDATE WILL BE NEEDED AROUND
MIDNIGHT TO ADDRESS TEMPORAL WORDING AND UPDATE THE PROGRESS OF THE
MCS.

24

.OUN...
OK...NONE.
TX...NONE.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 27, 6:51 PM CDT, 4 hours 12 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
651 PM CDT SUN MAY 27 2001

TIME (CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0615 PM    WOODS                     OK   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/27/01   WOODS                          CAPRON FD

0644 PM    BURLINGTON                OK   .75 =INCH HAIL
05/27/01   ALFALFA                        SPOTTER REPORT

FM

Local storm report, May 27, 9:19 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
919 PM CDT SUN MAY 27 2001

TIME (CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0825 PM    8 S FARGO                 OK   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/27/01   ELLIS                          REPORTED BY EOC

0821 PM    4 N ENID                  OK   60 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   GARFIELD                       ESTIMATED BY SPOTTER

0821 PM    4 N ENID                  OK   .75 INCH HAIL
05/27/01   GARFIELD                       REPORTED BY SPOTTER

0802 PM    15 N GAGE                 OK   60 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   ELLIS                          ESTIMATED BY SPOTTER

0802 PM    15 N GAGE                 OK   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/27/01   ELLIS                          REPORTED BY SPOTTER

0805 PM    5 SW TANGIER              OK   60 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODWARD                       ESTIMATED BY SPOTTER

0805 PM    1 NE FARGO                OK   60 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   ELLIS                          ESTIMATED BY SPOTTER

0800 PM    SHATTUCK                  OK   70 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   ELLIS                          ESTIMATED BY SPOTTER

0800 PM    21 NNE MOORELAND          OK   64 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODWARD                       MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0755 PM    21 NNE MOORELAND          OK   65 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODWARD                       MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0750 PM    21 NNE MOORELAND          OK   66 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODWARD                       MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0725 PM    1 SW BUFFALO              OK   60 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   HARPER                         MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0705 PM    1 SSW CHEROKEE            OK   60 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   ALFALFA                        MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0758 PM    6 N MOORELAND             OK   60 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODWARD                       ESTIMATED BY SPOTTER

0740 PM    21 NE MOORELAND           OK   60 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODWARD                       MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0740 PM    16 NNE FREEDOM            OK   66 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODS                          MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0745 PM    16 NNE FREEDOM            OK   62 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODS                          MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0720 PM    BUFFALO                   OK   .75 INCH HAIL
05/27/01   HARPER                         REPORTED BY EOC

0710 PM    5 N SELMAN                OK   WIND DAMAGE
05/27/01   HARPER                         CARPORT DESTROYED AND STORM
                                          DOOR BLOWN AWAY
                                          PUBLIC REPORT

0745 PM    6 N MAY                   OK   WIND DAMAGE
05/27/01   HARPER                         POWER POLES SNAPPED AND
                                          TRACTOR TRAILER OVERTURNED
                                          REPORTED BY SPOTTER

0725 PM    2 S BUFFALO               OK   60 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   HARPER                         ESTIMATED BY SPOTTER

0730 PM    1 SW BUFFALO              OK   68 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   HARPER                         MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0700 PM    CHEROKEE                  OK   .88 INCH HAIL
05/27/01   ALFALFA                        REPORTED BY EOC

0721 PM    CHEROKEE                  OK   60 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   ALFALFA                        ESTIMATED BY EOC

0710 PM    1 SSW CHEROKEE            OK   62 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   ALFALFA                        MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

LANE

Local storm report, May 27, 10:25 PM CDT, 38 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
1025 PM CDT SUN MAY 27 2001

TIME (CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0941 PM    WEATHERFORD               OK   80 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   CUSTER                         ESTIMATED BY EOC

0941 PM    WEATHERFORD               OK   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/27/01   CUSTER                         REPORTED BY EOC

0935 PM    4 WNW BESSIE              OK   79 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WASHITA                        MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0915 PM    3 SSE MARSHALL            OK   58 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   LOGAN                          MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0910 PM    3 N PUTNAM                OK   66 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   DEWEY                          MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0905 PM    3 N PUTNAM                OK   83 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   DEWEY                          MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0904 PM    2 N DOVER                 OK   75 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   KINGFISHER                     (ESTIMATED) HAM RADIO
                                          REPORT

0835 PM    6 SE MUTUAL               OK   65 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODWARD                       MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0835 PM    4 WNW CAMARGO             OK   59 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   DEWEY                          MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0850 PM    6 SE MUTUAL               OK   69 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODWARD                       MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0850 PM    4 WNW CAMARGO             OK   65 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   DEWEY                          MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0830 PM    6 SE MUTUAL               OK   68 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODWARD                       MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0825 PM    2 WSW WOODWARD            OK   61 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODWARD                       MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0820 PM    2 WSW WOODWARD            OK   65 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODWARD                       MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0815 PM    7 SSW ALVA                OK   58 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODS                          MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0805 PM    21 NNE MOORELAND          OK   61 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   WOODWARD                       MEASURED BY OKLAHOMA
                                          MESONET

0854 PM    HENNESSEY                 OK   70 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   KINGFISHER                     (ESTIMATED) HAM RADIO
                                          REPORT

0844 PM    5 N CANTON                OK   65 MPH WIND GUST
05/27/01   BLAINE                         ESTIMATED BY SPOTTER

0820 PM    22 SE WOODWARD            OK   WIND DAMAGE
05/27/01   WOODWARD                       POWERLINES DOWN AND TRACTOR
                                          TRAILER OVERTURNED REPORTED
                                          BY SPOTTER

LANE

The air that afternoon

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

Norman, OK (KOUN), 00:00Z

4.1 hours before the tornado, 84 km from the path. May 28, 2001.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 2894 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -4 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 4675 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1394 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 59 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 2 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -18 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 89 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.3
Supercell composite: 2.6
0-3 km lapse rate: 7.5 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Norman, OK (KOUN), 12:00Z

7.9 hours after it, 84 km from the path. May 28, 2001.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.

Hodograph

Mixed-layer CAPE: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -72423 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 977 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 51 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 2 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 24 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 84 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0
0-3 km lapse rate: 2.5 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The radar

The Norman radar (KTLX), 98 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 04:03 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

This ground now

The live radar over the track Every 2001 tornado in Oklahoma Every tornado in Oklahoma since 1950 Warnings in force in Oklahoma now The forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of May 27, 2001

11 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Damage
May 27	1:25 PM EDT	F1	Warren, VA	5.5	100	$70,000
May 27	2:16 PM EDT	F0	Camden, GA	5.0	10	$2,000
May 27	3:10 PM EDT	F1	Montgomery, MD	3.5	70	$500,000
May 27	3:25 PM EDT	F0	Columbia, PA	0.1	35
May 27	2:35 PM MDT	F0	Wallace, KS	0.2	50
May 27	4:22 PM CDT	F0	Logan, KS	0.2	50
May 27	4:28 PM CDT	F0	Wichita, KS	0.2	50
May 27	4:28 PM CDT	F0	Wichita, KS	4.0	75
May 27	4:35 PM CDT	F0	Logan, KS	0.2	50
May 27	6:31 PM CDT	F0	Comanche, KS	0.5	50
May 27	7:45 PM EDT	F2	Monmouth, NJ	1.5	67	$1.0 million

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.