Tornado Outbreak Sequence of June 13-19, 2019

Tornado Outbreak Sequence of June 13-19, 2019

A high-end EF4 near Newton, Kansas on June 15.
Type:	Tornado Outbreak
Active:	June 13-June 19, 2019
Duration of tornado outbreak1:	WIP
Maximum rated tornado2:	EF5 tornado
Highest winds	324 mph (521 km/h) (Bridge Creek-Moore, Oklahoma EF5 on June 16th)
Tornadoes confirmed:	224
Damage:	$31.1 billion (2019 USD)
Injuries:	>20,000
Fatalities:	461
Areas affected:	Contiguous United States
1Time from first tornado to last tornado 2Most severe tornado damage; see wikipedia:Enhanced Fujita scale

The Tornado Outbreak Sequence of June 13-19, 2019 was a huge, deadly, and catastrophic tornado outbreak sequence that happened over a 6-day from Thursday, June 13 to Wednesday, June 19. In all, 461 people died, over 20,000 more were injured, and $31.1 billion (2019 USD) in damages was done.

A total of 224 tornadoes touched down: 67 EF0's, 43 EF1's, 33 EF2's, 28 EF3's, 21 EF4's, and 2 EF5's, which occurred in Parshall, North Dakota on June 13, and the 2nd EF5 occurred in Central Oklahoma on June 16.

The strongest tornado was the Bridge Creek-Moore, Oklahoma EF5 with 324 mph winds (521 km/h). And the weakest tornado was a satellite to the strongest tornado with wind speeds under 20 mph.

Central air-low masses along with cold, unstable air caused thunderstorms to develop and the main cause for the sequence. The US states of Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska got hit the hardest during the outbreak.

As the storm started to shift east, the system quickly started to dissipate over the states of Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Tennessee.

The state with the most fatalities was Oklahoma. The states with the most tornadoes was also Oklahoma. The outbreak saw 4 enhanced risk days.

Meteorological Synopsis

June 13

The tornado convective outlook for Day 1 of the outlook.

A storm that developed over the Pacific strengthened as it approached the West coast. As the storm was shifting over Canada, meteorologists predicted a shift towards the Dakotas and then down into the Plains. Severe thunderstorms along with golf ball-sized hail dropped and tornadoes were confirmed in Eastern Montana, and the Dakotas. As the storm strengthened, an EF5, with 205 mph winds, killed 2, and injured many more near Parshall, North Dakota.

June 14

Day 2 convective outlook.

On day 2, the storm shift southeast a little, causing up to a dozen EF4's, and over 2 dozen EF2 and EF3 tornadoes. Hail, measured up to 7 inches in circumference was recorded in multiple states. Isolated thunderstorms, along with tornadoes, caused multiple deaths. A few people were also killed by straight-line winds, lighting, and flooding. Snowing, up to 7 inches was also recorded in the Tri-State area. Flooding also played a big factor, with rain up to 6 feet in rural Oklahoma was recorded, as dozens of people and cattle were killed as the flooding was so severe that a state of emergency was declared.

June 15

The tornado convective outlook for Day 3 of the outlook.

On day 3, the storm shifted a little southeast, causing another day of violent tornadoes. Up to 8 EF4's touched down, and a dozen of EF2's and EF3's touched down, causing death, injury, and damage. Golf-ball sized hail along with strong winds caused power outages to millions of people, with only 107,936 people getting their power back within 24 hours. Dozens of weak tornadoes also touched down in the general area, causing mostly minimal damage. As the second Enhanced Risk issued for 2019, the day saw severe flooding and more indirect deaths for the outbreak. The storm strengthened to it's peak as strong jet streams and warm air masses caused the storm to widen by 20 miles in length.

June 16

Day 4 convective outlook.

On day 4, most of the twisters that occurred on the most active day of the sequence occurred in the Plains. An EF5 hit Central Oklahoma, killing 158, making it the strongest, deadliest, and costliest tornado of the sequence. As the EF5 was approaching Oklahoma City, a tornado emergency was declared. Catastrophic damage was recorded along with 324 mph wind speeds. Dozens of other tornadoes were confirmed, including multiple EF4's and dozens of weak tornadoes. The storm started to gradually weaken as cold air masses collided along the stall boundary with warm air masses, causing the storm to weaken by 10%. However, the following day, more violent and deadly tornadoes were expected, but the storm started to shift southeast.

June 17

Day 5 convective outlook.

On day 5, dozens more events occurred as the storm was slowly, but gradually weakening, causing severe damage. Less violent tornadoes happened, but damage was still recorded. Severe rainfall along with weak tornadoes caused severe to minimal damage occurred. Dozens of significant tornadoes were also recorded, along with strong jet streams. However, the storm started to weak more as the stall boundary started to break off from the air masses. The storm had a 30% chance to produce a violent tornado for the last 2 days of the sequence.

June 18

Day 6 convective outlook.

On day 6 of the sequence, less violent and significant tornadoes occurred, however, death and damage was recorded. As the storm was rapidly dissipating, heavy rainfall occurred, causing dozens of flash floods, straight-line winds, and large portions of hail. Mobile home parks were reduced to destruction. Even though strong tornadoes were recorded, only a few fatalities occurred. The following day had a 15% to produce a violent tornado, however, there was a 40% chance to produce a tornado. The storm continued to weaken before moving out over the Atlantic between June 19 and June 21.

June 19

Convective outlook for the last day of the sequence.

On the last day of the outbreak, mostly minor tornadoes touched down, however, a few significant tornadoes did touchdown. Another system from the storm did cause a few tornadoes to touch down out West, however, most were weak tornadoes. The storm had only a 5% chance of producing a violent tornado and a 20% chance of producing tornadoes. The 19th was the least active, least eventful, least deadliest, and least costliest day of the tornado outbreak sequence. Flash flooding along with huge sized hail was still present as the eye of the storm passed over New York City. A few tornadoes were reported in the vicinity of the city, all were confirmed and they were either rated EF0 or EF1. By the time the storm weakened, the nation was shocked by the flooding, rain, and damage caused by the shocking event. The storm finally dissipated over the Atlantic between June 20 and 21.

Notable Tornadoes

Confirmed Total	Confirmed EF0	Confirmed EF1	Confirmed EF2	Confirmed EF3	Confirmed EF4	Confirmed EF5
224	67	73	33	28	21	2

June 13

Parshall, North Dakota

Main Article: 2019 Parshall, North Dakota Tornado

EF5 tornado
Duration	4:06 PM CDT – 5:43 PM CDT
Intensity	335 km/h (205 mph) (1-min)

A series of large thunderstorms created a few isolated supercells. A few EF4's and EF3's were recorded in Nebraska and Kansas. Touching down as an EF3 13 miles southwest of Parshall as an EF1, moderate damage was done to multiple houses.

Quickly intensifying into an EF4 wedge, an empty Walmart was severely damaged, causing the store to be teared down. Intensifying into an EF5 with 205 mph winds, a McDonald's was impacted just past 3:30 PM CDT, causing 2 deaths and completely destroying the store, causing $780 million in damages along with the cost of the Walmart.

Quickly weakening, the now EF3 tore up a couple dozen farms before gradually weakening even more to an EF1. Hundreds more trees were downed and a 76 year-old man was severely injured by debris, almost loosing his life.

After dissipating at 4:06 PM CDT, the monster EF5 killed a merely 2, injured 76, and caused $1.1 billion in damages. To this day, the Parshall EF5 is the costliest tornado in North Dakota state history.

The following day, the NWS sent multiple survey teams to rate the tornado based off of damage. The final rating was an EF5 with 205 mph winds. The damage path reached 105.78 miles long and 1.6 miles wide.

June 16

Bridge Creek-Moore, Oklahoma

Main Article: 2019 Bridge Creek-Moore, Oklahoma Tornado

EF5 tornado
Duration	5:35 PM CDT – 7:57 PM CDT
Intensity	520 km/h (325 mph) (1-min)

In the morning of Sunday, June 16, 2019, the National Weather Service in Norman issued a warning for Oklahoma City and surrounding areas. At 4:58 PM CDT 3 cells popped up on radar before becoming one organized storm.

At 5:35 PM CDT, a funnel cloud touched the ground miles southwest of El Reno. Quickly, the tornado became an EF2. The EF2 traveled a couple miles before hitting a barn, causing serious damage. When the tornado hit the city of Mustang, it had recorded wind speeds of 160 mph. The now EF3 demolished 7 mobile homes, killing 9.

As the tornado kept on moving along, it hit the outskirts of Moore with EF4 damage being recorded at 3 homes. The EF4 then tracked right near Norman before heading towards Bridge Creek. The now EF5 gained peak intensity right in Bridge Creek limits. The now highly intense EF5 completely swept Bridge Creek High School off its foundation, causing EF5 damage.

At the same moment, local doppler radar recorded wind speeds, third behind the 2018 Oklahoma City Tornado, the 2025 Harrisburg-Reading-Philadelphia Tornado and beating out the deadly 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore tornado in wind speeds. As the EF5 then crossed Interstate 35, 5 cars were hit, killing 7.

The tornado then tracked back towards Moore and Oklahoma City.

Plaza Towers Elementary was hit head on and was completely demolished. The EF5 briefly weakened to an EF4. The EF4 badly damaged 6 houses just south of Plaza Towers, killing 11. With the tornado moving on, at 7:03 PM CDT, the tornado hit Lyons Estates, completely sweeping the building off it's foundation, killing 124.

As the tornado kept on tracking, it struck another house, killing 7.

The tornado then hit 3 apartment buildings, injuring 6,708. With the tornado weakening, the now EF3 ripped a roof off a house and injured 12. The tornado then tracked back towards El Reno before dissipating at 7:57 PM CDT. In all, the Bridge Creek tornado left 158 people dead, 12,000+ injured, and $2.6 billion in damages.

Many surveyors have stated that this tornado is one of the most violent tornadoes ever. The path reached 76.89 miles long and 2.7 miles wide, the second largest tornado ever, behind the 2018 Smithville, Mississippi Tornado.

This tornado, to this day, is the second most powerful tornado in Oklahoma state history, behind the 2018 Oklahoma City Tornado, which had recorded wind speeds of 367 mph (590 km/h).