Revisiting a Terrible Tornado

Tornado track across Joplin, MO (May 22, 2011)

Today marks the fifth anniversary of one of the deadliest and most destructive tornadoes in U.S. history.  An EF-5 tornado occurred in the town of Joplin, Missouri on May 22, 2011 which caused an estimated $2.8 billion in damage.  Emergency officials determined it resulted in 158 fatalities, making it the deadliest single tornado to occur anywhere in the United States since modern tornado records began in 1950. 

This unusually intense tornado occurred in a highly populated area.  The EF-5 Joplin tornado was on the ground for approximately six miles, was three-quarters of a mile wide and had sustained winds greater than 200 mph.  The Joplin tornado was part of a larger severe weather outbreak that saw 75 tornadoes from Oklahoma to Wisconsin.  What made 2011 an unusual year was the number of intense tornadoes nationwide.  Scientists determined a total of six EF-5 tornadoes occurred, with another three borderline EF-4/EF-5 tornadoes.  NOAA also reported that the United States had its second highest number of tornadoes (1,691) in 2011, behind only 2004 (1,817). 

Tornadoes were originally measured on the Fujita Scale developed by the late-Dr. Ted Fujita of the University of Chicago.  It was updated or “enhanced” in 2007 and became the “Enhanced Fujita Scale.”  Wind speeds go from 65 – 85 mph in an EF-0 tornado to more than 200 mph in an EF-5 tornado.   The deadliest tornado on record in the U.S. was the “Tri-State Tornado” that occurred on March 18, 1925.  It tracked across three states including Missouri, Illinois and Indiana with a death toll of 695.  Unlike tropical storms and hurricanes, tornadoes are not given names but sometimes get nicknames if they are particularly intense or destructive. 

There have been dramatic changes in the science of meteorology since 1925.  Prior to the advent of weather radar during World War II, there was no way to track thunderstorms over any distance.  Weather satellites didn’t exist until the 1960s.  Since then, meteorologists have used both satellite and radar imagery in conjunction with improved computer forecasting models to issue more accurate weather watches and warnings.  That’s what makes the high fatality rate of the Joplin tornado so tragic.

Although there were a few minutes of advance warning in Joplin, it’s difficult to get large groups of people to safety in such a relatively short period of time.  Some have heard the myth that major cities don’t have tornadoes.  However, there have been many examples to the contrary over the last 20 years with tornadoes in Salt Lake City, Philadelphia, Minneapolis and Los Angeles.  The boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx in New York City even experienced weak tornadoes in 2010!

Fortunately, meteorologists and emergency planners have more and better tools to effectively communicate the latest weather watches and warnings.  Social media has made it so much easier to get the word out to the general public – including people who aren’t near a TV or radio.  Many weather apps also exists for smart phones and tablets that also enable people to stay informed when dangerous weather threatens.