The Lubbock Tornado and today’s severe weather outlook
LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Today, May 11, is the 50th anniversary of the Lubbock Tornado, which killed 26 people and was the first F5 tornado to be studied in detail. You can read more later in this story. Today, there is a chance of strong storms. Here's what we can expect.
A few sprinkles may fall from this morning's clouds, but any measurable rainfall will hold off until late.
Scattered thunderstorms are expected late this afternoon and evening, moving from west to east. Some of the storms may become severe. The area at greatest risk is highlighted in the accompanying video. The main threat will be strong wind gusts, but large hail and heavy rain are also possible.
Other than the storms mentioned, this afternoon will be mostly cloudy and warm. Highs will peak in the 70s, with readings near 80 in the far southern and eastern viewing area. Winds will be a bit breezy outside of storm activity.
Track the storms and rain using our Interactive Radar here on our Weather Page, and in our free KCBD First Alert Weather App (search for it in your app or play store). If you set the app to "Follow Me" and enable notifications, the app will alert you if and when a watch or warning is issued for your location. Even if the app is not running.
If you hear thunder or see lightning it's time to be inside - a building, a home, even a vehicle. When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors. Avoid driving into flood water. If you encounter water covering a road - Turn Around, Don't Drown.
The 1970 Lubbock Tornado
Do you know where the western-most EF5/F5 tornado in the US occurred? I'll get back to that.
Today, May 11, 2020, is the 50th anniversary of the Lubbock Tornado. Some May 11 tornado history:
After an outbreak of violent nighttime tornadoes on the Texas South Plains and Panhandle barely three weeks earlier, which claimed nearly two dozen lives, a devastating tornado struck Lubbock killing 26 people. Some reports put the number at 28, but 26 is the official count. The Lubbock tornado, actually the second of two that struck the city that night, touched down around 9:30 PM southwest of the downtown and moved northeast, causing terrible loss of life and damage along its path. It lifted around the Lubbock Municipal Airport shortly after 10 PM. The tornado is believed to have passed approximately 3/4 of a mile south of the Weather Bureau Office at the airport, where a peak gust of 89 mph was measured.
In addition to 26 deaths, more than 1,500 people were injured along its 8.5-mile track (covering about 15 square miles of Lubbock). Dr. Theodore Fujita later determined that all but one of the deaths were due to small-scale vortices rotating around the large tornado vortex. These vortices develop and rotate around the larger parent tornado forming a multiple-vortex tornado. The tornado was rated an F5, the highest a tornado can be rated, on the Fujita Tornado Damage Scale. No known photographs were taken of this nighttime tornado.
The Lubbock tornado prompted Dr. Fujita to further develop his theory that some tornadoes contained more than one vortex inside the dominant circulation (i.e. multiple vortices) and led to his development of the Fujita Tornado Damage Scale. This event also resulted in the establishment of the Wind Science and Engineering (WISE) Research Center at TTU. In 2007, WISE saw its Enhanced Fujita Tornado Damage Scale implemented nationwide by the National Weather Service.
Since 1950, when the US government began tracking tornadoes, there have been 59 EF5/F5 tornadoes in the US. Based on historical accounts, analysts believe since 1880 there have been 105.
The last tornado to receive an EF5/F5 rating was at Moore OK on May 20, 2013.
The western-most occurrence of an EF5/F5 tornado in the US (1950 to present)? That was near longitude 101.87 W. That would be the Lubbock Tornado of May 11, 1970. Lubbock's Overton district is around 101.87 W.
KCBD story "Your Stories of the 1970 Lubbock Tornado" is linked here:
City of Lubbock Lubbock Tornado web page:
The National Weather Services Lubbock Tornado web page:
https://www.weather.gov/lub/events-1970-19700511
Dr. Fujita's Lubbock Tornado report:
http://www.lubbocktornado1970.com/pdf/LubbockTornadoes_TetsuyaFujita.pdf
The Plainview Daily Herald online article on the 1973 Plainview Tornado:
http://www.myplainview.com/news/article_9d0622fc-a482-11e2-a720-0019bb2963f4.html
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