Over 3200 warnings!

Chasers Gone Wild!

Welcome to another week tornado historians!

The Tornado Talk crew has continued to be busy watching the current active weather. Four tornado emergencies were issued in three days! Per the Storm Prediction center, between April 25 and May 10, over 3200 severe thunderstorm/tornado warnings were issued. Below is an image showing other stats!

The strongest tornado of the week struck last Monday evening, May 6. It was rated EF4 and struck Barnsdall/Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Per the NWS survey, at Barnsdall, there was “severe damage to the wax plant on the southeast side of town, and then severely damaged or destroyed numerous homes on the east side of town. Several homes and a well-built, metal-framed building suggested an estimated wind speed in the 150 to 165 mph range, and one home suggested an estimated wind speed of 165 to 175 mph, which is in the EF-4 category.”

NWS Tulsa Warning Coordination Meteorologist Ed Calianese (left) and Meteorologist-In-Charge Steven Piltz (right) surveying the tornado damage in Barnsdall.

Tornado Talk monitors real-time events closely and we post quite a bit of information on our X account here. We also post updates in our Discord server. If you are a paid Patreon member, you have access to Patreon only rooms with more discussion and analysis!

No new video this week. With all the active weather, you know chasers were out in full force! Back in the podcast days, we had an entire episode dedicated to the state of chasing. Is it too dangerous? Are there too many chasing? Check out the discussion with our panel of chaser below.

It continues to be a VERY active severe weather season! Are you prepared if a tornado warning is issue for your area? Keep your family safe with a NOAA Weather Radio!

Tornado Talk is excited to partner with Midland Radio! They have a great selection of weather radios including the ER310 with a solar panel and hand crank. Charges devices through USB!

Use the promo code: TORNADO10 to save 10% on your order!

Check out the great selection here!

Do you enjoy reading about nature’s most fascinating phenomenon? If so, subscribe for free below. We send a newsletter every Monday morning!

🌪️ This Week In Tornado History

May 13, 1995 - Raritan, IL: This F4 tornado began south of Niota in Hancock County, IL and traveled 50 miles through Henderson into Warren County where it dissipated 6 miles SW of Abingdon.  The tornado reached F4 intensity 1 mile NW of Disco in Hancock County. Several farms were leveled.  Near the small community of Raritan, a farm was hit throwing the owner about 70 yards out of his home into a field.  The only thing left in the home was the basement stuffed with debris.  Most of the damage in the Raritan Community was along and south of Main Street. 

Image from NWS Quad Cities.

May 14, 1972 - Indianapolis, IN: This F4 tornado began 8.5 miles east of Monument Circle, the center of downtown Indianapolis. It ended at Mechanicsburg. Per Storm Data the length of observed ground damage was 8 miles and the twister traveled at 25-30mph. Per Storm Data: Close to 70 homes were destroyed or damaged in Marion County, “some to kindling wood.” In the 1400 block of North German Church Road, “twigs were embedded in tree trunks and two 1 X 6 boards were driven into the ground with such force that two men could not remove them.”

Image from newspapers.com.

May 15, 1968 - Jonesboro, AR: What was probably a family of tornadoes moved 40 miles through Jackson, Craighead an d Mississippi Counties in Arkansas. 164 homes were destroyed at Jonesboro. The Nettleton School was demolished. 35 were killed and over 360 injured along the path.

May 16, 2017 - Elk City, OK: The tornado developed 3 miles to the WNW of Carter and it moved NE toward State Highway 34. Per the NWS summary of the event, there was one fatality that occurred on Merritt Road south of State Highway 152. A man was in a mobile home and decided to leave in his vehicle to try to find more substantial shelter. He had returned to his mobile home and it’s believed he was still in his vehicle when the tornado hit.

May 17, 1989 - Jarrell, TX: When we think of Jarrell, TX and tornadoes, we immediately remember the devastating F5 from May 27, 1997. But 8 years earlier, the town was hit hard by an F3 in the middle of the night. It developed at 3:02 Local Time about 3 miles SSW of Jarrell near Strickland Grove. It moved slowly NNE causing tremendous damage on the south and east side of town. A woman was killed when her mobile home was destroyed.

Image from newspapers.com.

May 18, 1902 - Goliad, TX: A horrific tornado, estimated at F4 strength, traveled 15 miles taking aim at Goliad. Per Thomas Grazulis, “The greatest damage was confined to an area between Church and San Patricio Streets, which are about four block apart (but do not run parallel). One quarter of the town’s 1261 people lived in this section of west Goliad and about 100 buildings in this area were obliterated.” About 85 people died within the first few hours of the tornado’s passage. The remaining deaths were slowly added to the list for weeks afterward.” Grazlulis lists a total of 114 fatalities.

May 19, 2013 - Lake Thunderbird-Shawnee, OK: Two supercell thunderstorms produced 8 tornadoes in Central Oklahoma late afternoon and evening, May 19, 2013. The strongest was rated EF4 and moved through parts of Cleveland and Pottawatomie Counties. Numerous homes were significantly damaged (EF3) in Cleveland County. The tornado grew to 1500 yards in Pottawatomie County and a small area of EF4 damage was found. There were 2 fatalities in this county.

Photo courtesy Chris Calvert via NWS Norman summary.

Post of the Week

Numerous tornadoes roared through the southeast on Wednesday, May 8. In Columbia, TN, an EF3 occurred with max winds of 140 mph. The following post from Brandon Clement shows drone footage of the damage in that area.

Many thanks to all of you for subscribing to our newsletter! - Jen Narramore, Owner Tornado Talk

Reply

or to participate.