Tornadoes · United States · Oklahoma · 2019

EF0 tornado, Skiatook Arpt to Skiatook, Oklahoma, April 30, 2019

From Skiatook Arpt to Skiatook, this EF0 tornado ran 1.2 miles across Osage County on April 30, 2019, touching down at 2:14 PM CDT and reaching 50 yards wide. It killed nobody.

The rating scale

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

  1. EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mph

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. EF2111 to 135 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.

  4. EF3136 to 165 mph

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. EF5over 200 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.

  7. 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
EF0
Date
April 30, 2019
Touchdown
2:14 PM CDT (19:14 UTC)
Lifted
2:16 PM CDT (19:16 UTC)
On the ground
2 minutes
Path length
1.2 miles (1.9 km)
Path width
50 yards (46 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Osage County
Touchdown point
36.380, -96.051
Lift-off point
36.389, -96.032
Record number
1904301314-01

What the Weather Service recorded

Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Oklahoma during the early afternoon hours of the 30th, to the east of a stationary frontal boundary that was located across north-central Oklahoma into northwest Texas. Moderately strong instability combined with strong wind shear resulted in the development of supercell thunderstorms, which produced multiple tornadoes, including two strong tornadoes, large hail up to half dollar size, and damaging winds. Locally heavy rainfall also occurred across portions of northeastern Oklahoma, which resulted in flash flooding.

This tornado snapped large tree limbs. It was observed by many people. Based on the damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 55 to 65 mph.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

27 minutes of warning. NWS TSA issued a tornado warning for this county at 18:47 UTC, 27 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 19:30 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 17:02 UTC and running to 23:42 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
06:00 UTC09:12 UTCFlash Flood WatchTSA
16:34 UTC17:15 UTCTornado WarningTSA
17:02 UTC23:42 UTCTornado WatchTSA
17:27 UTC17:48 UTCTornado WarningTSA
18:32 UTC22:30 UTCFlood AdvisoryTSA
18:35 UTC19:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
18:47 UTC19:30 UTCTornado WarningTSA
18:56 UTC01:00 UTCFlash Flood WarningTSA
20:50 UTC02:45 UTCFlash Flood WarningTSA
00:45 UTC06:45 UTCFlash Flood WarningTSA
02:43 UTC23:45 UTCFlood WarningTSA

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 Enhanced Risk, with a 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 16:05 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.

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), 12:00Z

7.2 hours before the tornado, 178 km from the path. April 30, 2019.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Norman, OK at 12:00Z on 2019-04-30Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 1242 joules per kilogram, CIN -1, lifted condensation level 541 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
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.
HodographHodograph, Norman, OK at 12:00Z on 2019-04-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 153 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 38 knots.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
1242 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Surface CAPE
1985 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
541 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
153 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
146 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.6
Supercell composite
4.7
0-3 km lapse rate
5.1 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Norman, OK (KOUN), 00:00Z

4.8 hours after it, 178 km from the path. May 1, 2019.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Norman, OK at 00:00Z on 2019-05-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 65 joules per kilogram, CIN -282, lifted condensation level 862 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
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.
HodographHodograph, Norman, OK at 00:00Z on 2019-05-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 129 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 58 knots.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
65 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-282 J/kg
Surface CAPE
10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
862 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
58 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
129 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
139 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2
0-3 km lapse rate
3.8 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Tulsa International Airport(Aw) (TUL), 25 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
17:15 UTC150° 9 kt1010.8
17:17 UTC7471150° 10 kt1010.8
17:25 UTC150° 11 kt1010.8
17:30 UTC170° 11 kt1010.8
17:35 UTC170° 13 kt1010.8
17:40 UTC180° 16 kt1010.8
17:45 UTC170° 13 kt1011.2
17:50 UTC170° 11 kt1010.8
17:53 UTC7469170° 10 kt1011.2
17:55 UTC160° 10 kt1010.8
18:00 UTC160° 10 kt1010.8
18:05 UTC160° 10 kt1010.8
18:15 UTC150° 10 kt1010.2
18:25 UTC150° 8 kt1009.8
18:35 UTC160° 10 kt1009.5
18:40 UTC160° 10 kt1009.5
18:53 UTC7669160° 14 kt1008.8VCTS
18:55 UTC170° 13 kt1008.8
19:00 UTC160° 14 kt1008.8
19:05 UTC170° 15 kt201009.1
19:10 UTC170° 19 kt1008.8
19:15 UTC170° 15 kt1008.8
19:16 UTC7669170° 14 kt261008.8VCTS
19:20 UTC170° 15 kt1008.8-RA
19:25 UTC160° 15 kt1009.1-RA
19:30 UTC170° 11 kt1009.1-RA BR
19:32 UTC7470180° 12 kt211009.1VCTS -RA BR
19:35 UTC180° 11 kt1009.1-RA BR
19:36 UTC7470180° 12 kt1009.1VCTS -RA BR
19:40 UTC170° 11 kt1008.8-RA BR
19:45 UTC170° 14 kt1008.8
19:50 UTC170° 14 kt1008.5
19:53 UTC7571170° 15 kt1008.5VCTS
19:55 UTC170° 17 kt1008.5
20:00 UTC170° 15 kt1008.5
20:05 UTC170° 15 kt1008.5
20:10 UTC160° 13 kt1008.5
20:15 UTC170° 13 kt1008.1
20:19 UTC7671170° 14 kt1008.5-TSRA
20:20 UTC160° 14 kt1008.5-RA
20:25 UTC160° 13 kt1008.1-RA
20:30 UTC170° 15 kt1008.1-RA
20:35 UTC170° 14 kt1008.1-RA
20:40 UTC170° 11 kt1008.1-RA
20:45 UTC170° 9 kt1007.8RA
20:50 UTC160° 7 kt1007.5-RA
20:53 UTC7571150° 7 kt1007.5-TSRA
20:55 UTC160° 8 kt1007.5-RA
21:00 UTC160° 8 kt1007.5-RA
21:05 UTC160° 8 kt1007.1-RA
21:10 UTC160° 9 kt1007.1-RA

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 49 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 19:13 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.

What was reported nearby

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

Time (UTC)ReportWhereCountyRemark
19:15 UTCTORNADO3 Wnw SkiatookOsage, OKMULTIPLE VIDEOS OF A TORNADO WEST OF SKIATOOK AND NORTH OF HIGHWAY 20 SEEN VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. TIME AND LOCATION ESTIMATED VIA RADAR.
19:50 UTCTORNADO4 W TalalaRogers, OKTDS AND DEBRIS SIGNATURE OBSERVED FROM KINX RADAR. VIDEO PROVIDED BY BROADCAST MEDIA.
19:58 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Nw TalalaRogers, OKPOWER LINES DOWN NORTHWEST OF TALALA ALONG SOUTH 4100 ROAD BETWEEN E 0300 AND E 290 JUST WEST OF HIGHWAY 169. PICTURE RECEIVED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
20:00 UTCTSTM WND GST 65TalalaRogers, OKWIND GUST OF 65 MPH MEASURED BY THE OKLAHOMA MESONET.
20:38 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Nw TalalaRogers, OKNOWATA FIRE DEPT REPORTS DAMAGE NORTHWEST OF TALALA WITH 2 HOMES DAMAGED. THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF INJURIES.
20:49 UTCTORNADO4 W TalalaRogers, OKTDS AND DEBRIS SIGNATURE OBSERVED FROM KINX RADAR.
20:58 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Nw TalalaRogers, OKPOWER LINES DOWN NORTHWEST OF TALALA ALONG SOUTH 4100 ROAD BETWEEN E 0300 AND E 290 JUST WEST OF HIGHWAY 169. PICTURE RECEIVED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2019 tornado in OklahomaEvery tornado in Oklahoma since 1950Warnings in force in Oklahoma nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of April 30, 2019

55 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
April 3011:53 AM CDTEF1Lincoln, OK3.030$3,000
April 3012:09 PM CDTUnratedMurray, OK0.350
April 3012:13 PM CDTEF1Payne, OK0.520$20,000
April 3012:22 PM CDTEF1Murray, OK1.930$1,000
April 301:18 PM CDTUnratedLabette, KS0.250
April 302:03 PM CDTEF0Okmulgee, OK2.5100$30,000
April 302:29 PM CDTEF1Wagoner, OK2.3150$30,000
April 302:44 PM CDTEF2Washington, OK9.81,300$125,000
April 302:51 PM CDTUnratedRogers, OK0.150
April 302:57 PM CDTEF1Nowata, OK7.5900
April 303:02 PM CDTEF1Wagoner, OK7.8300$20,000
April 303:05 PM CDTEF1Boone, AR6.6400$700,000
April 303:22 PM CDTEF1Lawrence, MO3.8100$150,000
April 303:42 PM CDTEF1McDonald, MO12.3880$650,000
April 303:50 PM CDTEF1Taney, MO5.4100$25,000
April 303:51 PM CDTUnratedMayes, OK0.150
April 303:51 PM CDTUnratedTillman, OK0.230
April 303:52 PM CDTEF0Montgomery, IL1.225
April 304:13 PM CDTEF0Pecos, TX0.9200
April 304:15 PM CDTEF1Craig, OK6.3800$20,000
April 304:25 PM CDTEF0Barry, MO5.0200$35,000
April 304:27 PM CDTEF0Scurry, TX1.5100
April 304:29 PM CDTEF1Ottawa, OK7.2700$100,000
April 304:34 PM CDTUnratedClay, TX1.540
April 304:36 PM CDTEF1Clay, TX10.0300$40,000
April 305:15 PM CDTEF0Taney, MO1.075$20,000
April 305:33 PM CDTEF1Ottawa, OK4.11,100$75,000
April 305:41 PM CDTUnratedBarry, MO0.550
April 306:15 PM CDTEF0Christian, MO1.950
April 306:25 PM CDTEF1Denton, TX1.5150$50,000
April 306:44 PM CDTEF1Douglas, MO8.6200$75,000
April 306:48 PM CDTEF0Barry, MO1.975$8,000
April 306:52 PM CDTEF1Denton, TX2.9250$200,000
April 307:06 PM CDTEF1Douglas, MO3.0200
April 307:30 PM CDTEF1Wright, MO1.475$250,000
April 307:39 PM CDTEF1Dade, MO0.650$50,000
April 307:40 PM CDTEF1Polk, MO1.8100$300,000
April 307:58 PM CDTEF0Wright, MO2.4100$100,000
April 308:15 PM CDTEF1Greene, MO1.8200$25,000
April 308:21 PM CDTEF1Greene, MO1.7200$300,000
April 308:28 PM CDTEF2Christian, MO10.34003$11 million
April 308:30 PM CDTEF0Dallas, MO1.550$68,000
April 308:35 PM CDTEF1Stone, MO23.3100$125,000
April 309:07 PM CDTEF3Bryan, OK27.61,400216$300,000
April 309:34 PM CDTEF1Coal, OK0.825$5,000
April 309:35 PM CDTEF1Wright, MO2.2100$60,000
April 309:40 PM CDTEF0Douglas, MO2.9100
April 309:51 PM CDTEF1Texas, MO5.6100
April 309:58 PM CDTEF0Texas, MO6.050
April 3010:03 PM CDTEF0Phelps, MO0.675$25,000
April 3010:06 PM CDTEF0Phelps, MO5.175
April 3010:17 PM CDTEF0Howell, MO2.2100$12,000
April 3010:41 PM CDTEF2Pittsburg, OK10.01,3001$1.5 million
April 3011:26 PM CDTEF1Iron, MO0.130
April 3011:51 PM CDTEF1LeFlore, OK4.41,000$25,000

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.