2013 Moore tornado
On the afternoon of May 20, 2013, a large and extremely violent EF5 tornado ravaged Moore, Oklahoma, and adjacent areas, with peak winds estimated at 210 miles per hour (340 km/h), killing 24 people (plus two indirect fatalities) and injuring 212 others. The tornado was part of a larger weather system that had produced several other tornadoes across the Great Plains over the previous two days, including five that struck portions of Central Oklahoma the day prior on May 19.
The tornado as it was approaching the city of Moore. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 2:56 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00), May 20, 2013 |
| Dissipated | 3:35 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00), May 20, 2013 |
| Duration | 39 minutes |
| EF5 tornado | |
| on the Enhanced Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | 210 mph (340 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 24 (+2 indirect) |
| Injuries | 212 |
| Damage | $2 billion (estimate) |
| Areas affected | McClain and Cleveland counties in Oklahoma; particularly the city of Moore |
Part of the Tornado outbreak of May 18–21, 2013 and Tornadoes of 2013 | |
The tornado touched down just northwest of Newcastle at 2:56 p.m. CDT (19:46 UTC), and persisted for 39 minutes on a 13.85-mile (22.3 km) path through a heavily populated section of Moore. The tornado was over one mile (1.6 km) across at its peak width.: 13 The 2013 Moore tornado followed a roughly similar track to the deadlier 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado, which was rated F5; very few homes and neither of the stricken schools in the area had acquired purpose-built storm shelters in the intervening years.
As of 2024, the 2013 Moore tornado is the most recent tornado to be rated EF5.