Home / Missouri / Clay

F1 tornado in Clay County, Missouri

Tornado May 11, 2000 · Clay County, Missouri

Rating

4.5 mi

Path length

350 yd

Path width

$5.0M

Damage as recorded

EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 350 yards (0.20 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What F1 means. This tornado was rated on Fujita’s original scale, used until 2007. F1 meant moderate damage: roofs badly stripped, mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned, windows broken; the scale paired it with winds of 73–112 mph, figures later judged too high, especially toward the top of the scale, and revised downward in the Enhanced Fujita scale. Ratings then, as now, came from the damage.

What the National Weather Service wrote

The tornado formed rapidly in southwest Clay County in Kansas City, MO, causing considerable damage to two auto dealerships at 39th and North Oak Trafficway. A nearby apartment complex suffered roof damage. Many trees and power lines were downed as the tornado moved east, lifting near Parvin Road and Chouteau Trafficway.

The wider storm

Thunderstorms that developed explosively in eastern Kansas tracked into western Missouri. While early evening storms were hail producers, a late night thunderstorm on the north side of Kansas City spawned a short lived tornado, which produced millions of dollars in damage in Kansas City's "Northland."

Began near North Kansas City (39.1833, -94.5833).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5148490. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

Tornadoes near your address

See every tornado that passed near a place you know, measured to its path.