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F1 tornado in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

Tornado October 22, 2000 · Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

Rating

1.5 mi

Path length

40 yd

Path width

$120K

Damage as recorded

EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 40 yards (0.02 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

This tornado, rated F1, formed across southern portions of Oklahoma City near the intersection of Interstate 35 and Interstate 240, then moved northward for 1.5 miles before dissipating. Minor structural damage, consisting of 2 broken windows and an air conditioning unit blown off the roof, occurred to the Montgomery Ward Auto Express Store at Crossroads Mall. In addition, roof damage was sustained to several offices and businesses, and numerous homes in the town of Valley Brook.

The wider storm

Significant flash flooding and 6 tornadoes, mostly small, weak and short-lived, developed on the 22nd, across a 35 mile wide band from near Frederick in southwest Oklahoma northeastward to near Chandler in central Oklahoma. Rainfall amounts in this band averaged 4 to 8 inches. Anadarko in Caddo County, received 10 inches, which classifies as a 250-year rain event. Record-like flooding developed in some areas, particularly across southern Caddo and Grady Counties, from near Apache and Anadarko to near Chickasha.

Began near Oklahoma City (35.3833, -97.5333).

Other tornadoes from the same storm system

5 more tornadoes the National Weather Service filed under this storm episode.

F0 Oklahoma County F0 Canadian County F0 Pontotoc County F0 Pontotoc County F0 Caddo County

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5161324. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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