SPC Stats

Path length: 51.26 miles

Width:  2000 yards

Fatalities:  0

Injuries:  0

Rating:  EF3

County:  Seward, Meade, Gray

A total of 39 tornadoes were confirmed on November 16, 2015. They rolled through parts of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Three were rated EF3. We look at one of those in this summary. It was an extremely large tornado in SW Kansas, traveling over 50 miles through parts of Seward, Meade and Gray Counties. The National Weather Service (NWS) estimated the max width to be 2000 yards (1.1 miles)! This tornado managed to avoid any major communities.

In Seward County, damage was found to outbuildings, power poles, pivots, trees, a home and a hog farm.  There were numerous animals killed at the farm.  Per the NWS, “the track of the tornado turned enough that it missed Kismet and Plains.” They also noted that the path of this tornado was nearly identical to one that occurred on May 24, 2015. 

The twister moved out of Seward County into Meade County at a speed of approximately 50 mph.  A home was heavily damaged in this county and the NWS noted damage to trees, a pivot irrigation sprinklers and outbuildings.

The tornado then traveled into Gray County.  A farm, power poles, pivot irrigation sprinklers and trees were damaged.

Tornado Path

SPC coordinates:  Start: 37.0933 / -100.87      End: 37.6645 / -100.332

Link for the Damage Assessment Toolkit path

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

Photos via NWS Dodge City

Photo of the tornado via Tony Laubach
"Large oil tank tossed short distance. 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick steel tank." - NWS
"Metal commercial hog farm building destroyed. Path width 0.5 mile." - NWS
"Hardwood trees support low end EF3." - NWS
"Pivot with wheel removed." - NWS
"Residence hit with house heavily damaged along with numerous outbuildings destroyed. path width 0.75 mile." - NWS
"Outbuilding destroyed. Path width around 0.5 mile." - NWS

Videos

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