Tornadoes · United States · Oklahoma · 2022

EF1 tornado, Broken Arrow to Oneta, Oklahoma, July 28, 2022

From Broken Arrow to Oneta, this EF1 tornado ran 4.0 miles across Tulsa and Wagoner counties on July 28, 2022, touching down at 10:35 PM CDT and reaching 800 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $55,000 of property damage.

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 mph

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

  2. EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado

    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
EF1
Date
July 28, 2022
Touchdown
10:35 PM CDT (03:35 UTC)
Lifted
10:44 PM CDT (03:44 UTC)
On the ground
9 minutes
Path length
4.0 miles (6.4 km)
Path width
800 yards (732 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$55,000
Counties
Tulsa and Wagoner counties
Touchdown point
36.056, -95.779
Lift-off point
36.070, -95.710
Record number
2207282135-01

The damage survey

24 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS TSA, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF1. The highest wind the damage implies is 93 mph.

Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.

What the Weather Service recorded

Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed across portions of eastern Oklahoma during the evening of the 28th. The strongest storms produced damaging wind gusts and hail up to quarter size. One storm produced a tornado as it crossed an outflow boundary from other storms.

This is the first segment of a two segment tornado. This tornado developed just east of Lynn Lane and south of E Kenosha Street, where a few trees were uprooted and large tree limbs were snapped. The roofs of homes were damaged and an outbuilding was destroyed in the path, before the tornado moved into Wagoner County near the intersection of County Line Road and E Kenosha Street. Based on this damage, estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 90 to 95 mph.

This is the second segment of a two segment tornado. This tornado moved into Wagoner County near the intersection of S 193rd East Ave and E Kenosha Street. It moved east-northeast along and then north of E Kenosha Street, before dissipating just west of S 241st East Ave. In Wagoner County, trees were uprooted, large tree limbs were snapped, and the roofs of homes were damaged. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in this segment of the tornado was 90 to 95 mph.

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

The warnings

No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
02:26 UTC03:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
03:26 UTC06:30 UTCFlood AdvisoryTSA
03:38 UTC04:03 UTCSevere Thunderstorm 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 General Thunderstorms Risk. The outlook in force was issued at 00:48 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), 00:00Z

3.6 hours before the tornado, 177 km from the path. July 29, 2022.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Norman, OK at 00:00Z on 2022-07-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 1546 joules per kilogram, CIN -4, lifted condensation level 2469 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 2022-07-29The 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 25 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 22 knots.1939Sfc1 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
1546 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-4 J/kg
Surface CAPE
1959 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2469 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
6 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
25 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
73 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
9.6 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Norman, OK (KOUN), 12:00Z

8.4 hours after it, 177 km from the path. July 29, 2022.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Norman, OK at 12:00Z on 2022-07-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 322 joules per kilogram, CIN -178, lifted condensation level 992 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 2022-07-29The 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 172 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 20 knots.1939Sfc1 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
322 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-178 J/kg
Surface CAPE
780 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
992 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
172 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
261 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
4.9 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Tulsa International Airport(Aw) (TUL), 20 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
01:35 UTC40° 5 kt1013.2
01:40 UTC50° 4 kt1013.2
01:45 UTC40° 8 kt1013.2
01:50 UTC30° 7 kt1013.2
01:53 UTC897040° 8 kt1013.2
01:55 UTC30° 8 kt1013.2
02:00 UTC40° 7 kt1013.2
02:05 UTC40° 5 kt1013.2
02:06 UTC897140° 5 kt1013.2TS
02:10 UTC40° 5 kt1013.2
02:15 UTC30° 5 kt1013.2
02:20 UTC30° 7 kt1013.2
02:25 UTC40° 5 kt1013.5
02:30 UTC40° 7 kt1013.5
02:35 UTC10° 2 kt1013.9
02:40 UTC10° 13 kt221013.9
02:45 UTC 11 kt221013.5
02:50 UTC 11 kt221013.9
02:53 UTC837220° 11 kt241013.9TS
02:55 UTC10° 13 kt221013.9
03:00 UTC10° 11 kt181014.2
03:05 UTC10° 9 kt171014.6
03:10 UTC 11 kt1015.2
03:15 UTC 11 kt1015.2
03:20 UTC787230° 10 kt1014.6+TSRA
03:20 UTC30° 11 kt1014.6+RA
03:25 UTC70° 11 kt1014.6+RA BR
03:28 UTC777360° 7 kt141015.2TSRA BR
03:30 UTC30° 4 kt1015.6-RA BR
03:35 UTC 10 kt1015.9-RA BR
03:40 UTC250° 2 kt1015.9-RA BR
03:45 UTC210° 5 kt1015.9-RA BR
03:50 UTC 10 kt1015.9BR
03:53 UTC7874160° 12 kt1016.3TS
03:55 UTC 11 kt1016.3
04:00 UTC170° 8 kt1016.3
04:05 UTC180° 4 kt1016.6
04:10 UTC360° 2 kt1016.9
04:15 UTC360° 8 kt1016.9-RA
04:20 UTC 14 kt271016.3+RA
04:21 UTC7574350° 15 kt291016.3+TSRA
04:25 UTC 1015.9+RA
04:30 UTC747370° 12 kt291015.2+TSRA
04:30 UTC70° 11 kt1015.2+RA
04:35 UTC 11 kt1014.9+RA
04:38 UTC7573120° 10 kt1014.9-TSRA
04:40 UTC140° 10 kt1015.2-RA
04:45 UTC7574120° 9 kt1014.9-TSRA
04:45 UTC120° 9 kt1014.9-RA
04:50 UTC110° 5 kt1015.2-RA
04:53 UTC7574110° 5 kt1015.2-TSRA
04:55 UTC110° 5 kt1015.2-RA
05:00 UTC110° 2 kt1015.6-RA
05:05 UTC0° 0 kt1015.6-RA
05:10 UTC170° 5 kt1015.9-RA
05:15 UTC140° 5 kt1015.9RA
05:20 UTC120° 5 kt1015.6-RA
05:25 UTC110° 5 kt1015.6RA
05:30 UTC80° 5 kt1015.6RA

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

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 20 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 03:37 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
02:10 UTCHAIL 14 W WestportPawnee, OKREPORTED BY THE HOMINY EMERGENCY MANAGER ON HIGHWAY 412 NEAR THE INTERSECTION WITH HIGHWAY 48. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
03:05 UTCTSTM WND DMGMuskogeeMuskogee, OKCORRECTS PREVIOUS TSTM WND DMG REPORT FROM MUSKOGEE. NUMEROUS TREES AND BRANCHES DOWNED. POWER POLES LEANING. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
03:40 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Nnw OnetaWagoner, OKPOWER LINE AND FENCE DAMAGE JUST SOUTH OF KENOSHA AND 225TH EAST AVENUE. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
03:40 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Nnw OnetaWagoner, OKTREES DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
03:40 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Ene Broken ArrowWagoner, OKSEVERAL 6 TO 8 INCH DIAMETER TREES BROKEN ABOUT 2 FEET OFF THE GROUND.
03:41 UTCTORNADO3 Ene Broken ArrowWagoner, OKTREES BLOWN DOWN; KINX WSR-88D TORNADIC DEBRIS SIGNATURE JUST UPSTREAM FROM THIS LOCATION.

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

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2022 tornado in OklahomaEvery tornado in Oklahoma since 1950Warnings in force in Oklahoma nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of July 28, 2022

2 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
July 2810:40 AM EDTEF2Wyoming, NY10.0500$750,000
July 286:35 PM EDTEF0Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT5.0300

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.