NWS Damage Survey for 11/04/22 Tornado Event

(TULSA, Okla.) Severe thunderstorms moved through eastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas Friday afternoon and evening. 

FROM NWS TULSA:

A supercell produced a tornado in Lamar County, Texas, and an NWS damage survey team confirmed that this tornado continued into and across much of Choctaw County, Oklahoma. Preliminary results from that survey are below.

Additional locations will be surveyed over the next couple days where tornadoes either were confirmed to have occurred based on tornadic debris signatures or where they likely occurred. These include locations in Le Flore County, Sebastian County, Franklin County, Washington County Arkansas, and Carroll County.

SAWYER OKLAHOMA TORNADO

Rating: EF-2

Estimated Peak Wind: 110 to 120 mph

Path Length /statute/: 18.8 miles

Path Width /maximum/: 1700 yards

Fatalities: 0

Injuries:  1

Start Date: 11/04/2022

Start Time: 4:46 PM CDT

Start Location: 4.8 SE Grant / Choctaw County / OK

End Date: 11/04/2022

End Time: 5:12 PM CDT

End Location: 3.3 ESE Spencerville / Choctaw County / OK

Survey Summary

This tornado developed in Lamar County, Texas and produced EF-3 damage at several locations west through north of Paris, Texas, and then crossed the Red River into Choctaw County. It continued northeast across much of Choctaw County, damaging numerous homes, destroying numerous outbuildings, snapping and uprooting numerous trees through a path width of about a mile wide at times. More complete details of the damage within the path will be provided Sunday.

FROM NWS SHREVEPORT  

Storm surveys are ongoing on four different supercell thunderstorms tracks, including two in Oklahoma. Since surveys are incomplete, this summary only includes preliminary information, and a more detailed summary can be expected in the coming days. At least four tornadoes were confirmed in storm surveys on Saturday, November 5th.

Tornado #1 Pickens in Northwest McCurtain County, OK

Rating: EF2

Estimated Peak Wind: 125 mph

Path Length /statute/:  2.9 miles

Path Width /maximum/:   800 yards

Fatalities: 1

Injuries: 1

Survey Summary

A damage survey team from the NWS in Tulsa confirmed an EF-2 tornado touched down in extreme northwestern McCurtain County near the Pickens community. A double wide mobile home which was tied down with straps vaulted to the northwest and led to a fatality.

The team found an end to damage northeast of Pickens but will pick up on damage again on Sunday in northern McCurtain County. It is possible that there is a second tornado there.

Tornado #2 Red River County, TX to McCurtain County, OK

Rating: EF3

Estimated Peak Wind: 150 mph

Path Length /statute/:  35.0+ miles

Path Width /maximum/:   0.4+ miles

Fatalities: 0

Injuries: TBD

Survey Summary

A damage survey confirmed a tornado with damage at least EF-3 in intensity in Red River County, TX. The tornado initially touched down near the Fulbright community southwest of Clarksville. There, a single family home had all of its walls removed with only the interior room left standing where a family of three sheltered where winds were estimated at 150 mph. The team went on to find at least 10 single family and manufactured homes that were destroyed. Many areas were still unreachable today as roads were blocked by trees. One two story single family was wiped from its foundation north of Clarksville off of CR-3105. This will require further investigation for a wind estimate, but is is estimated as at least EF-3 with 140 mph winds at this time. The damage swath widened northeast of Clarksville as it approached Acworth and teams could not reach damage there due to blocked roads. 

The damage was continuous across Red River County, TX and into McCurtain County, OK.

The survey team made it to Idabel and found at least EF-2 damage with trees snapped at the Idabel Country Club. The team will continue on the McCurtain County, OK side of the Red River, and track the damage into Idabel.

As the storm continued northeast of Idabel, a survey team from NWS Little Rock found EF-2 damage with 135 mph winds between Eagletown and Broken Bow along US-70. This includes a double wide which had its undercarriage separated from the floor and was badly bent after it rolled and power poles that were snapped. With this damage being from the same storm that hit Idabel, it is possible that this is one continuous track and a team will be investigating this further on Sunday.

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph

EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph

EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph

EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph

EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph

EF5...Violent...>200 mph

NOTE: The information in these statements is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.