EF2 Tornado — Pittsburg, Oklahoma

2019-04-30 · near Bond, Pittsburg, Oklahoma

Event narrative

This tornado developed from a remnant mesocyclone that had a history of producing a strong tornado in Bryan and Atoka Counties. The circulation in the storm strengthened southwest of Haileyville, just east of the S Bache Road and south of Ray Road, where this tornado developed. It moved north-northeast significantly damaging several homes, destroying barns and outbuildings, and snapping or uprooting trees from Ray Road to Crawley Road. The tornado then moved through open country for a couple miles and turned northeast as it moved across S Smallwood Lane, where it snapped many trees and destroyed outbuildings. It continued to produced significant tree damage along Highway 63 as it approached Haileyville. Many homes and businesses were damaged in town, some were destroyed, as it continued northeast to Lone Oak Road W on the northeast side of town, where the tornado began to move east. Homes were damaged, many trees were snapped, an electrical substation was damaged, and power poles were snapped before it dissipated near Price Road, south of Shelton Road. This tornado was observed by multiple people. Based on this damage, maximum estimated wind in the tornado was 110 to 120 mph.

Wider weather episode

Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Oklahoma during the early afternoon hours of the 30th, to the east of a stationary frontal boundary that was located across north-central Oklahoma into northwest Texas. Moderately strong instability combined with strong wind shear resulted in the development of supercell thunderstorms, which produced multiple tornadoes, including two strong tornadoes, large hail up to half dollar size, and damaging winds. Locally heavy rainfall also occurred across portions of northeastern Oklahoma, which resulted in flash flooding.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.7900, -95.6489)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 822280. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.