Tornadoes · United States · Oklahoma · 2024

EF1 tornado, Hominy Arpt to Barnsdall, Oklahoma, April 1, 2024

From Hominy Arpt to Barnsdall, this EF1 tornado ran 7.0 miles across Osage County on April 1, 2024, touching down at 7:17 PM CDT and reaching 600 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $20,000 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
April 1, 2024
Touchdown
7:17 PM CDT (00:17 UTC)
Lifted
7:27 PM CDT (00:27 UTC)
On the ground
10 minutes
Path length
7.0 miles (11.3 km)
Path width
600 yards (549 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$20,000
County
Osage County
Touchdown point
36.476, -96.409
Lift-off point
36.529, -96.301
Record number
2404011817-01

The damage survey

45 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 110 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

Severe thunderstorms developed along a dry line over central and western Oklahoma during the afternoon of the 1st, as a strong upper level disturbance translated into the Southern Plains. The storms moved through eastern Oklahoma during the late afternoon and evening hours. Moderately strong instability combined with strong deep layer shear to support the development of some supercell thunderstorms, which produced several tornadoes, and damaging wind gusts. The storms evolved into a squall line that also produced damaging wind gusts during the late evening.

This tornado developed near the intersection of County Road 5408 and County Road 5257, and moved east-northeast. It crossed Highway 99, moved northeast, and dissipated after crossing County Road 2701. Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped, most heavily west of Highway 99, and numerous power poles were blown down. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 100 to 110 mph.

This tornado developed east of County Road 2665, along the 330 Road. It moved east-northeast and dissipated after crossing County Road 2477. The tornado blew the roof from a garage, uprooted or snapped trees, and blew down numerous power poles. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 100 to 110 mph.

This tornado developed just east of Highway 11, over the southeastern side of Barnsdall. It damaged homes, destroyed outbuildings, and blew down trees and power poles as it moved east-northeast, dissipating north of County Road 2400 and west of County Road 2335. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 90 to 100 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. One was issued for the county at another hour that day.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 19:15 UTC and running to 04:35 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
19:15 UTC04:35 UTCTornado WatchTSA
19:27 UTC20:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
19:53 UTC20:45 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
20:09 UTC21:00 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
20:17 UTC20:41 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
20:38 UTC21:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
20:49 UTC21:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
21:13 UTC22:00 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
21:15 UTC21:34 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
23:44 UTC00:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
00:10 UTC01:00 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
00:19 UTC03:15 UTCFlood AdvisoryTSA
00:22 UTC01:00 UTCTornado WarningTSA
00:43 UTC00:53 UTCTornado WarningTSA
00:49 UTC01:19 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
01:06 UTC01:19 UTCTornado WarningTSA
02:52 UTC03:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningTSA
03:46 UTC06:45 UTCFlood AdvisoryTSA

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, with a 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 20:17 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

0.3 hours before the tornado, 171 km from the path. April 2, 2024.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Norman, OK at 00:00Z on 2024-04-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 1105 joules per kilogram, CIN -67, lifted condensation level 1087 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 2024-04-02The 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 343 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 78 knots.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
1105 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-67 J/kg
Surface CAPE
2079 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1087 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
78 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
343 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
455 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.0
Supercell composite
14.1
0-3 km lapse rate
6.7 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Norman, OK (KOUN), 12:00Z

11.7 hours after it, 171 km from the path. April 2, 2024.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Norman, OK at 12:00Z on 2024-04-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 1 joules per kilogram, CIN 0, lifted condensation level 623 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 12:00Z on 2024-04-02The 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 -168 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 93 knots.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
1 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Surface CAPE
5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
623 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
93 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-168 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
88 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
3.0 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 00:18 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
21:30 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 W HulahOsage, OKReport of damage from strong thunderstorm winds west of Hulah.
00:18 UTCTORNADO4 N HominyOsage, OKCorrects previous tornado report from 4 N Hominy. NWS survey crew found EF1 damage from SW of Wynona to E of Wynona. Survey still ongoing and will be refined.
00:18 UTCTORNADO4 N HominyOsage, OKNWS survey crew found EF1 damage from SW of Wynona to E of Wynona. Survey still ongoing and will be refined.
00:29 UTCTORNADO3 E WynonaOsage, OKA tornado removed the roof from a two-car garage, uprooted or snapped numerous trees, and snapped power poles.
00:30 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 N HominyOsage, OKReport of tree damage 1 mile north of the Dick Conner Correctional Center north of Hominy. Possible tornado.
00:38 UTCTORNADOBarnsdallOsage, OKA tornado damaged homes, destroyed outbuildings, and blew down trees and power poles.
00:53 UTCTORNADO5 Sse BartlesvilleWashington, OKTornado crossing highway 75.
01:07 UTCTORNADO8 Se HominyOsage, OKPublic reported a tornado on the ground southeast of Hominy.

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

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2024 tornado in OklahomaEvery tornado in Oklahoma since 1950Warnings in force in Oklahoma nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of April 1, 2024

12 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
April 16:32 PM CDTEF0Saint Louis, MO2.0332$100,000
April 17:28 PM CDTEF1Osage, OK5.51,000$35,000
April 17:38 PM CDTEF1Osage, OK2.2550$250,000
April 17:49 PM CDTEF1Washington, OK4.9550$20,000
April 18:13 PM CDTEF1Nowata, OK4.26001$20,000
April 110:37 PM CDTEF1Greene, MO2.1100$90,000
April 111:06 PM CDTEF0Dallas, MO2.0200$200,000
April 111:20 PM CDTEF0Laclede, MO2.2100$100,000
April 111:24 PM CDTEF0Laclede, MO2.3100$75,000
April 112:27 AM CDTEF0Phelps, MO0.310$25,000
April 112:33 AM CDTEF1Benton, AR2.8550
April 112:35 AM CDTEF1Benton, AR2.4300$40,000

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.