EF3 Tornado — Jackson, Oklahoma

2015-05-16 · near Elmer, Jackson, Oklahoma

Event narrative

The tornado moved back into Jackson County from Wilbarger County Texas and moved across the southeast section of the county. Damage to trees, metal buildings and outbuildings were observed along US Highway 283 to the southeast of Elmer. Damage to homes and trees continued to be observed as the tornado moved east-northeast. The most significant damage was observed 3 to 4 miles east of Elmer (DI 1, DOD 8; DI 2, DOD 6; DI 21, DOD 7; DI 27, DOD 5). The tornadic motion seen on videos and the radar presentation indicate that this likely was a violent tornado through southeast Jackson County, although only EF3 damage was observed as the tornado moved through this relatively sparsely populated area. KFDR radar measured 115 knot gate-to-gate rotational velocity when the tornado was east of Elmer. The tornado continued east-northeast moving into Tillman County about 4 miles west of Tipton.

Wider weather episode

With an upper low traversing the region, a cold front stationed over the panhandles, and a developing dryline, storms developed out in the panhandles early on the 16th and made their way eastward across Oklahoma through the day. Toward evening, when the severe weather occurred, the front surged eastward with a line of storms forming along it.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.4363, -99.3502)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 582231. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.