Joplin Tornado - May 22nd, 2011

by The United States National Weather Service Springfield, Missouri

Joplin Tornado - May 22nd, 2011 Springfield, MO
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Overview

On a hot and humid Sunday afternoon on May 22, 2011, a supercell thunderstorm tracked from extreme southeast Kansas into far southwest Missouri (NWS Springfield, County Warning Area). This storm produced an EF-5 tornado over Joplin, Missouri causing incredible devastation and a tragic loss of life. This storm along with others generated additional tornadoes, wind damage and flash flooding across far southwest Missouri.

A large portion of Joplin, Missouri was devastated by an EF-5 (greater than 200 mph) tornado resulting in 158 fatalities and over 1000 injured in the Joplin MO area. The Joplin tornado is the deadliest since modern record keeping began in 1950 and is ranked 7th among the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history.

The tornado surpassed the June 8, 1953, tornado that claimed 116 lives in Flint, Mich., as the deadliest single tornado to strike the U.S. since modern tornado recordkeeping began in 1950. The deadliest tornado on record in the U.S. was on March 18, 1925. The Tri-State Tornado (MO, IL, IN) had a 291-mile path, was rated F5 based on a historic assessment, and caused 695 fatalities.

More information on 2011 Tornado statistics can be found at the following web site: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/2011_tornado_information.html

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NOAA High Resolution Imagery of Joplin Tornado Damage

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Waring Information:

The NWS Springfield, Mo., Weather Forecast Office issued a tornado warning at 5:17 p.m. (local time), with 17 minutes of lead time for touchdown and 19 minutes lead time before entering Joplin. The damage path began at South Black Cat Road and Newton Road.

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