207
NOUS44 KOUN 281550
PNSOUN
OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-290400-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
1050 AM CDT WED MAY 28 2025
..NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 05/18/2025 TORNADO EVENT
THIS IS ONE OF AT LEAST FOUR TORNADOES THAT OCCURRED IN ELLIS COUNTY OKLAHOMA ON MAY 18 2025.
DETAILS ON THE OTHER TORNADOES WILL BE RELEASED IN THE COMING DAYS.
ARNETT 1
RATING: EF3
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 145 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 5.5 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 50 YARDS
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 0
START DATE: 05/18/2025
START TIME: 05:41 PM CDT
START LOCATION: 6 WSW ARNETT / ELLIS COUNTY / OK
START LAT/LON: 36.09 / -99.86
END DATE: 05/18/2025
END TIME: 05:56 PM CDT
END LOCATION: 1 WSW ARNETT / ELLIS COUNTY / OK
END LAT/LON: 36.13 / -99.78
SURVEY SUMMARY:
THE TORNADO BEGAN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF E0630 RD AND N1760 RD,
BREAKING FOUR POWER POLES AND DAMAGING TREES. IT MOVED EAST-
NORTHEAST ALONG E0630 RD, WITH EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE NOTED JUST
EAST OF N1770 RD. THE TORNADO THEN TURNED MORE NORTHEAST AND
MOVED OVER OPEN COUNTRY. FOR MUCH OF THE PATH, THERE WERE FEW IF
ANY DAMAGE INDICATORS, BUT IMAGERY FROM DRONE SURVEY TEAMS
CONFIRMS THE TORNADO DAMAGE PATH WAS CONTINUOUS ALONG THE 5 MILE
TRACK. ADDITIONAL TREE DAMAGE WAS NOTED ALONG E0620 RD AS THE
TORNADO CONTINUED MOVING NORTHEAST, WITH THE MOST SEVERE DAMAGE
ALONG N1810 RD MILE SOUTH OF E0610 RD. IT WAS AT THIS LOCATION
WHERE TREES WERE PARTIALLY DEBARKED AND ONLY STUBS OF LARGE
LIMBS/BRANCHES WERE LEFT, AND THIS WAS THE BASIS FOR THE
EF3 RATING. NEAR THE END OF THE TRACK, THE TORNADO APPEARED TO BE
AT ITS MOST INTENSE AS IT TURNED ALMOST DUE NORTH, WITH MORE
EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE ALONG E0610 RD ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE
CITY OF ARNETT. IN ADDITION, AT THIS LOCATION A LARGE SHIPPING
CONTAINER WAS DISPLACED 175 FEET. THE TORNADO DISSIPATED IN FAR
SOUTHWEST ARNETT, JUST NORTH OF E0610 RD AND 1/10 MILE WEST OF
LINCOLN ST. RESEARCHERS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, NATIONAL
SEVERE STORMS LABORATORY AND THE OTUS PROJECT COLLECTED DETAILED
DATASETS ON THE TORNADO, AND WE APPRECIATE THEIR ASSISTANCE AND
COLLABORATION IN HELPING US PIECE THIS TOGETHER. ANALYSIS OF THEIR
DATA WILL CONTINUE OVER THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS.
EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE
FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
EF0.....65 TO 85 MPH
EF1.....86 TO 110 MPH
EF2.....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3.....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4.....166 TO 200 MPH
EF5.....>200 MPH
NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENTS AND PUBLICATION IN
NWS STORM DATA.
SMITH/SPEHEGER
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