SPC Stats

Path length: 23 miles

Width:  1500 yards

Fatalities:  2

Injuries:  10

Rating:  EF4

County:  Cleveland, Pottawatomie

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.

Details from Storm Data

Cleveland County:

A long track tornado began in Cleveland County in east Norman to the north of Lake Thunderbird along 96th Avenue to the south of Tecumseh Road. The tornado moved northeast, crossing the eastern arm of Lake Thunderbird. A number of homes were significantly damaged as the tornado moved east-northeast through neighborhoods from near Indian Hills Road and 168th Avenue SE to the Pottawatomie County line. The tornado then moved into Pottawatomie County.

Pottawatomie County:

The large tornado moved east-northeast into Pottawatomie County then curving northeast as it approached State Highway 102. The tornado moved through a mobile home park north of Independence Road after crossing State Highway 102. Just northeast of the mobile home park, a permanent home was destroyed with much of the debris blown well to the northeast. It continued northeast crossing Interstate 40 near the intersection of US-177, then curved north-northeast finally dissipating near Wolverine Road and Coker Road. One fatality occurred in the mobile home park, and another man was killed in his vehicle.

Tornado Path

Click Map To Enlarge

SPC coordinates:  Start: 35.2531 / -97.3001   End:  35.423 / -96.981      

Note:  Exact tornado path may not be straight and/or continuous.

Images and Radar via NWS Norman

Reflectivity Loop from the Twin Lakes, OK (KTLX) Radar from 1:08 PM - 9:54 PM CDT on May 19, 2013 via NWS Norman

Photo courtesy Chris Calvert via NWS Norman summary
Photo courtesy Bill Hark via NWS Summary

Damage photos are from the NWS survey at the Steelman Estates Mobile Home Park.  Most of the damage here was rated EF3/EF4.

Videos

Per NWS Norman:  The above video includes footage from the three main tornadoes that occured on May 19th. The first portion of the video (0:00 to 2:33) is of the east Lake Thunderbird-Shawnee, OK Tornado. Video courtesy Brandon Sullivan

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