Tornadoes · United States · Oklahoma · 2024
EF0 tornado, (Okc)Will Rogers Apt, Oklahoma, May 19, 2024
This EF0 tornado ran 0.1 miles across Oklahoma County on May 19, 2024, touching down at 10:10 PM CDT and reaching 10 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.
EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
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.
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.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
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.
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
- May 19, 2024
- Touchdown
- 10:10 PM CDT (03:10 UTC)
- Path length
- 0.1 miles (0.2 km)
- Path width
- 10 yards (9 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- County
- Oklahoma County
- Touchdown point
- 35.408, -97.574
- Lift-off point
- 35.408, -97.574
- Record number
- 2405192110-01
The damage survey
35 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS OUN, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF2. The highest wind the damage implies is 130 mph.
- Snapped power pole nearby.
- Blown Wheat. Evidence of subvortices
- Mostly empty tank rolled south 1/4 mi
- Blown wheat, fence gate and metal panels
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
Significant severe weather occurred across portions of western into central Oklahoma from the late afternoon of the 19th through early morning on the 20th. Aloft, a strong and compact upper wave moved across portions of Kansas during the afternoon. While most severe weather outcomes were expected further north of the WFO Norman area, a few supercell thunderstorms developed along a trailing dryline near the 100th meridian. This included a powerful supercell thunderstorm that moved from Hemphill County, Texas (WFO Amarillo, Texas) into portions of Roger Mills/Custer/Washita/Blaine/Canadian/Oklahoma counties during the afternoon into late evening hours. This thunderstorm was responsible for thirteen (13) tornadoes, including significant tornadoes west of Custer City and near Yukon, Oklahoma. Significant damaging wind gusts/damage and large to very large hail also occurred with this thunderstorm. Additional hail-producing supercells developed into portions of northwestern Oklahoma during the evening, with one becoming briefly tornadic during the late evening across Woods County, Oklahoma.
A chaser from an Oklahoma City television station observed a brief tornado just east of Interstate 44 in southwest Oklahoma City. No damage was reported or could be found by storm survey teams. The tornado was estimated to be near or just northeast of Interstate 44 and SW 59th Street. Although damage was not found, the rotation was visually observed to be weak, therefore an EF0 rating was assigned.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
14 minutes of warning. NWS OUN issued a tornado warning for this county at 02:56 UTC, 14 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 03:34 UTC.
The county was under a severe thunderstorm watch, issued at 01:44 UTC and running to 05:00 UTC.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01:44 UTC | 05:00 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | OUN |
| 02:56 UTC | 03:34 UTC | Tornado Warning | OUN |
| 03:07 UTC | 06:15 UTC | Flood Advisory | OUN |
| 03:24 UTC | 04:15 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OUN |
| 03:29 UTC | 08:30 UTC | Flash Flood 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 Marginal Risk. The outlook in force was issued at 01:13 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
3.2 hours before the tornado, 26 km from the path. May 20, 2024.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 2750 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -115 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 3592 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1280 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 36 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 21 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 150 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 317 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.1
- Supercell composite
- 12.5
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 6.6 K/km
Norman, OK (KOUN), 12:00Z
8.8 hours after it, 26 km from the path. May 20, 2024.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 799 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -301 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 181 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 875 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 49 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 36 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 484 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 747 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 5.7
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 3.6 K/km
The surface observations
Oklahoma City (OKC), 3 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01:10 UTC | 21 | 1007.5 | ||||
| 01:15 UTC | 140° 16 kt | 1007.5 | ||||
| 01:20 UTC | 140° 14 kt | 1007.1 | ||||
| 01:25 UTC | 150° 15 kt | 1007.5 | ||||
| 01:30 UTC | 150° 14 kt | 1007.8 | ||||
| 01:35 UTC | 150° 11 kt | 1008.1 | ||||
| 01:39 UTC | 80 | 69 | 140° 10 kt | 20 | 1008.5 | TS |
| 01:40 UTC | 150° 8 kt | 1008.5 | ||||
| 01:45 UTC | 150° 8 kt | 1008.8 | ||||
| 01:50 UTC | 140° 8 kt | 1009.1 | ||||
| 01:52 UTC | 80 | 68 | 150° 7 kt | 1009.1 | TS | |
| 01:55 UTC | 130° 8 kt | 1008.8 | ||||
| 02:00 UTC | 130° 10 kt | 15 | 1008.8 | |||
| 02:05 UTC | 120° 11 kt | 16 | 1008.5 | |||
| 02:10 UTC | 120° 15 kt | 1007.8 | ||||
| 02:15 UTC | 26 | 1007.5 | ||||
| 02:20 UTC | 22 | 1007.5 | ||||
| 02:25 UTC | 120° 15 kt | 1007.5 | ||||
| 02:30 UTC | 22 | 1007.5 | ||||
| 02:35 UTC | 23 | 1006.8 | ||||
| 02:40 UTC | 22 | |||||
| 02:45 UTC | 22 | |||||
| 02:50 UTC | 1008.5 | |||||
| 02:52 UTC | 80 | 68 | 40° 16 kt | 32 | 1008.8 | TS |
| 02:55 UTC | 1008.8 | |||||
| 03:00 UTC | 81 | 68 | 70° 14 kt | 25 | 1008.5 | -TSRA |
| 03:00 UTC | 70° 14 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 03:05 UTC | 27 | 1011.2 | -RA | |||
| 03:07 UTC | 79 | 68 | 300° 21 kt | 33 | 1010.8 | +TSRA |
| 03:10 UTC | 65 | 1011.5 | +RA SQ | |||
| 03:11 UTC | 76 | 69 | 320° 52 kt | 65 | 1012.5 | +TSRA SQ |
| 03:15 UTC | 350° 18 kt | 1011.2 | +RA SQ | |||
| 03:20 UTC | 72 | 67 | 20° 21 kt | 62 | 1011.5 | TSRA |
| 03:20 UTC | 1011.5 | RA | ||||
| 03:25 UTC | 1010.5 | -RA BR | ||||
| 03:27 UTC | 71 | 65 | 70° 16 kt | 26 | 1010.5 | -TSRA |
| 03:30 UTC | 34 | 1010.2 | -RA | |||
| 03:35 UTC | 26 | 1009.8 | -RA | |||
| 03:38 UTC | 73 | 66 | 80° 15 kt | 38 | 1009.5 | -TSRA |
| 03:40 UTC | 1009.5 | -RA | ||||
| 03:45 UTC | 90° 13 kt | 1009.1 | -RA | |||
| 03:50 UTC | 120° 14 kt | 1009.1 | ||||
| 03:52 UTC | 75 | 68 | 130° 16 kt | 23 | 1009.1 | TS |
| 03:55 UTC | 1009.1 | |||||
| 04:00 UTC | 1008.8 | |||||
| 04:01 UTC | 77 | 68 | 130° 18 kt | 26 | 1008.8 | |
| 04:05 UTC | 24 | 1008.8 | ||||
| 04:10 UTC | 26 | 1008.8 | ||||
| 04:15 UTC | 130° 16 kt | 1008.8 | ||||
| 04:20 UTC | 1008.8 | |||||
| 04:25 UTC | 130° 14 kt | 21 | 1008.8 | |||
| 04:30 UTC | 140° 16 kt | 1008.8 | ||||
| 04:35 UTC | 140° 15 kt | 1009.1 | ||||
| 04:40 UTC | 140° 15 kt | 1009.1 | ||||
| 04:45 UTC | 140° 11 kt | 1009.1 | ||||
| 04:50 UTC | 150° 16 kt | 1008.8 | ||||
| 04:52 UTC | 77 | 67 | 150° 13 kt | 24 | 1009.1 | |
| 04:55 UTC | 150° 13 kt | 1008.8 | ||||
| 05:00 UTC | 150° 13 kt | 1008.5 | ||||
| 05:05 UTC | 150° 14 kt | 1008.5 |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Norman radar (KTLX), 28 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 03:09 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) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02:20 UTC | TSTM WND GST 58 | 5 Wnw El Reno | Canadian, OK | |
| 02:33 UTC | HAIL 1.25 | 2 Sw El Reno | Canadian, OK | Delayed report. Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.). |
| 02:37 UTC | TORNADO | 6 Wsw Yukon | Canadian, OK | radar confirmed and media video. |
| 02:43 UTC | HAIL 1.25 | Yukon | Canadian, OK | |
| 02:45 UTC | HAIL 2.25 | Yukon | Canadian, OK | |
| 02:51 UTC | TORNADO | 4 Sse El Reno | Canadian, OK | |
| 02:53 UTC | HAIL 1 | 3 E Yukon | Canadian, OK | Delayed report. Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 03:00 UTC | HAIL 1 | 1 N Warr Acres | Oklahoma, OK | Delayed report. Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 03:01 UTC | HAIL 1 | 1 Ne Yukon | Canadian, OK | Delayed report. Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 03:05 UTC | HAIL 1 | 2 Sw Bethany | Oklahoma, OK | Delayed report. Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 03:06 UTC | HAIL 1.25 | 1 Se Yukon | Canadian, OK | Delayed report. Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.). |
| 03:06 UTC | HAIL 1.5 | 4 E Yukon | Canadian, OK | |
| 03:09 UTC | TORNADO | 5 W Valley Brook | Oklahoma, OK | Brief tornado. |
| 03:10 UTC | TSTM WND GST 75 | 6 Sw Oklahoma City | Oklahoma, OK | |
| 03:18 UTC | HAIL 1 | 3 S Nichols Hills | Oklahoma, OK | Delayed report. Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 03:20 UTC | HAIL 1.19 | 2 Ssw Nicoma Park | Oklahoma, OK | Relayed images. Digital caliper measurement. |
| 03:26 UTC | HAIL 1 | 3 S Oklahoma City | Oklahoma, OK | Delayed report. Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 03:28 UTC | HAIL 1 | 1 Ne Oklahoma City | Oklahoma, OK | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 03:28 UTC | HAIL 1 | Del City | Oklahoma, OK | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 03:29 UTC | HAIL 1 | 1 W Tinker Air Force Ba | Oklahoma, OK | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 03:35 UTC | HAIL 1.75 | 1 Sw Del City | Oklahoma, OK | NWSChat report. |
| 03:38 UTC | HAIL 1.25 | 2 Ne Tinker Air Force B | Oklahoma, OK | Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.). |
| 03:44 UTC | HAIL 1.75 | 2 Ne Valley Brook | Oklahoma, OK | Relayed images. |
| 03:45 UTC | HAIL 1 | 1 W Midwest City | Oklahoma, OK | Spotter Network report. |
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 May 19, 2024
31 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 19 | 1:12 PM MDT | Unrated | Washington, CO | 0.2 | 25 | |||
| May 19 | 3:32 PM CDT | EF1 | Russell, KS | 1.6 | 15 | |||
| May 19 | 2:45 PM MDT | EF2 | Logan, CO | 1.6 | 30 | |||
| May 19 | 2:56 PM MDT | Unrated | Logan, CO | 0.0 | 15 | |||
| May 19 | 4:20 PM CDT | EF0 | Ellsworth, KS | 0.2 | 10 | |||
| May 19 | 3:28 PM MDT | Unrated | Logan, CO | 0.2 | 25 | |||
| May 19 | 6:19 PM CDT | EF0 | Roger Mills, OK | 0.2 | 30 | $5,000 | ||
| May 19 | 6:27 PM CDT | EF0 | Roger Mills, OK | 0.5 | 30 | $5,000 | ||
| May 19 | 6:35 PM CDT | Unrated | McDonough, IL | 0.6 | 20 | |||
| May 19 | 6:43 PM CDT | EF0 | Roger Mills, OK | 1.9 | 30 | $10,000 | ||
| May 19 | 6:47 PM CDT | Unrated | Barton, KS | 1.1 | 40 | |||
| May 19 | 6:58 PM CDT | Unrated | Custer, OK | 0.5 | 100 | |||
| May 19 | 7:28 PM CDT | EF2 | Custer, OK | 6.7 | 1,760 | $250,000 | ||
| May 19 | 7:39 PM CDT | EF1 | Custer, OK | 6.7 | 400 | $150,000 | ||
| May 19 | 8:05 PM CDT | EF1 | Custer, OK | 5.0 | 440 | $200,000 | ||
| May 19 | 8:13 PM CDT | EF1 | Custer, OK | 2.8 | 30 | |||
| May 19 | 8:16 PM CDT | EF1 | Marion, KS | 1.1 | 40 | |||
| May 19 | 8:24 PM CDT | EF0 | Caddo, OK | 1.0 | 40 | $25,000 | ||
| May 19 | 8:37 PM CDT | EF1 | Blaine, OK | 0.6 | 50 | $5,000 | ||
| May 19 | 8:37 PM CDT | EF1 | Blaine, OK | 0.5 | 50 | $2,000 | ||
| May 19 | 9:32 PM CDT | EF2 | Canadian, OK | 3.5 | 300 | $100,000 | ||
| May 19 | 9:41 PM CDT | EF0 | Canadian, OK | 1.2 | 300 | $2,000 | ||
| May 19 | 9:41 PM CDT | EF0 | Canadian, OK | 2.9 | 30 | $5,000 | ||
| May 19 | 9:44 PM CDT | EF0 | Osage, KS | 0.7 | 40 | |||
| May 19 | 10:08 PM CDT | EF0 | Shawnee, KS | 0.1 | 25 | |||
| May 19 | 10:19 PM CDT | EF1 | Johnson, KS | 0.9 | 75 | |||
| May 19 | 10:26 PM CDT | EF1 | Leavenworth, KS | 1.5 | 150 | |||
| May 19 | 10:31 PM CDT | EF1 | Johnson, KS | 1.6 | 105 | |||
| May 19 | 10:39 PM CDT | EF1 | Johnson, KS | 2.6 | 150 | |||
| May 19 | 10:53 PM CDT | EF1 | Woods, OK | 2.7 | 300 | $10,000 | ||
| May 19 | 11:01 PM CDT | EF1 | Woods, OK | 1.5 | 40 | $10,000 |
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.