EF1 tornado in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

This tornado developed northwest of SW 44th Street and Council Road and just north of Western Heights High School. The tornado moved northeast, crossing Interstate 40 just east of Rockwell Avenue, and dissipated near NW 23rd Street between MacArthur Blvs and Ann Arbor Avenue. One building near SW 36th and Council had one exterior wall blown outward, and there was tree and power pole damage at various spots along the tornado path.

A powerful storm system, with highly anomalous magnitudes of wind shear and moisture for late February, impacted the forecast area on the evening of the 26th. A broken line of severe thunderstorms developed across the eastern Texas Panhandle/far western Oklahoma and quickly swept through much of the forecast area. Widespread wind damage, including gusts near 90 mph, along with a record number of tornadoes (13) for February occurred. Several reports of large hail were also received. Behind the line of thunderstorms, a tight pressure gradient and strong westerly low-level jet allowed widespread 50-60 mph winds gusts to continue through the late evening hours.