Three tornadoes developed in Oklahoma on Monday, April 24, 2006. All three were rated F1 although the one that did the most damage was in actuality probably the weakest of the three. This was the anticyclonic tornado that hit the El Reno airport, unroofing a hanger and shifting at least one plane on its tarmac.
The airport tornado had been preceded by a more classic, mesocyclonic tornado that was quite large and judging from the video and pictures I have seen it was probably capable of at least F2 damage. It threatened the west side of El Reno but encountered only trees and was rated a "low F1", while the anticylonic tornado that probably had lower wind speeds was a "high F1"!
The third tornado came from a different storm, in far southern Oklahoma near the Red River. It also damaged only trees (F1 rating) but was a well-developed tornado that would have been highly dangerous to anyone in its path.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
315 PM CDT WED APR 26 2006
OKZ004>048-050>052-270300-
315 PM CDT WED APR 26 2006
...FINAL DAMAGE SURVEY INFORMATION - CANADIAN COUNTY TORNADOES...
HERE ARE THE FINDINGS OF THE DAMAGE SURVEY OF THE TORNADOES NEAR EL RENO ON MONDAY APRIL 24 2006...
TORNADO NUMBER ONE - 723 PM TO 738 PM THIS TORNADO DEVELOPED 5.5 MILES WEST OF DOWNTOWN EL RENO AND MOVED JUST NORTH OF DUE EAST...ENDING 3.1 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN EL RENO.
THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO A SMALL GROVE OF TREES. A FUJITA SCALE RATING OF F1 IS BEING ASSIGNED BASED ON DAMAGE TO THE TREES. THE MAXIMUM WIDTH OF THIS TORNADO WAS AROUND 100 FEET.
TORNADO NUMBER TWO - 730 PM TO 739 PM THIS ANTICYCLONIC...OR CLOCKWISE ROTATING...TORNADO DEVELOPED SOUTH OF TORNADO NUMBER ONE...FORMING 5.1 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN EL RENO AND MOVED EAST...AND THEN SOUTHEAST BEFORE DISSIPATING 5 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN EL RENO.
F1 DAMAGE OCCURRED TO A HANGAR AT THE EL RENO MUNICIPAL AIRPORT...WHICH SUSTAINED A DIRECT HIT FROM THE DUSTY TORNADO. METAL PANEL WALLS AND THE METAL SEAM ROOF WERE DAMAGED...ALONG WITH SOME INTERIOR WALLS. SEVERAL AIRCRAFT INSIDE THE HANGAR WERE ALSO DAMAGED. THE MAXIMUM WIDTH OF THIS TORNADO WAS AROUND 600 FEET.
$$SMITH/SPEG/STUMPF/BURKE
NWS NORMAN CONTINUES TO GATHER DETAILS ABOUT THE TORNADO THAT MOVED ACROSS SOUTHERN COTTON COUNTY SOUTH OF RANDLETT. INFORMATION SO FAR INDICATES THERE WAS NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE...ONLY DAMAGE TO TREES...POWER LINES AND FENCES. MORE DETAILS WILL BE RELEASED AS WE GET THEM.
Chase Report by Simon BrewerChase Report by Jason Brock of TASCChase Report by Mike HollingsheadChase Report by Aaron KennedyChase Report by Amos MaglioccoChase Report by Gene MooreChase Report by Jeff SnyderChase Report by Bill TaborChase Report by Justin WalkerSPC Storm Reports log
