Overview

Marc L. Levitan

Joplin Tornado Investigation Team Leader

Lead, National Windstorm Impact Reduction 

Program (NWIRP) Research and Development

Technical Investigation

of the May 22, 2011,

Tornado in Joplin, MO

December 10, 2013

NCST Advisory 

Committee Meeting
Joplin Tornado Investigation

Presentation Outline

• Background and Progress – Marc Levitan

• Tornado Hazard Characteristics / Findings 

– Frank Lombardo

• Performance of Buildings, Designated Safe 

Areas and Lifelines / Findings – Long Phan

• Emergency Communications and Public 

Response / Findings – Erica Kuligowski

• Recommendations – Joplin Team

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• Touched down at 5:34 PM CDT, Sunday, May 22, 2011.1 Stayed on ground 

for about 22 miles (6 miles in City of Joplin) and 15 minutes

• Enhanced Fujita Scale EF-5 tornado1 (highest category)

• Estimated maximum wind speeds: 200+ mph

• Damaged/destroyed ~ 8,000 buildings.2 Affected ~41% of City’s population 

(20,820 of 50,1753). Costliest tornado on record (~$1.8 billion insured loss2)

• 161 fatalities, >1,000 injuries. Deadliest single tornado on record. 

Exceeds U.S. average deaths/year for all tornados (91.6) 1, hurricanes(50.8) 1, & earthquakes (7.5) 4

• Official warning time of 17 minutes (national average is 14 minutes1)

Sources: 1National Weather Service, 2City of Joplin, 3U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census, 4U.S. Geological Survey

Joplin Tornado Overview

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© 2011 GeoEye. Used with permission. Enhancements by NIST
National Construction Safety Team

Following a preliminary reconnaissance that began on May 24, 2011, 

the NIST Director established a Team under the NCST Act on June 

29, 2011, to conduct a technical investigation of the Joplin Tornado.

• Team Members

– NIST Engineering Laboratory employees

• Dr. Marc Levitan: Investigation Team Leader, 

Wind Engineer, Leader of NIST NWIRP R&D 

• Dr. Erica Kuligowski: Fire Protection Engineer and Sociologist

• Dr. Frank Lombardo: Wind Engineer and Meteorologist

• Dr. Long Phan: P.E., Structural Engineer

– National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employee

• Dr. David Jorgensen: Research Meteorologist and Chief, 

 National Severe Storms Lab (NSSL)/Warning R&D Div.

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Goals

– To investigate the wind environment and technical conditions 

associated with fatalities and injuries, the performance of 

emergency communications systems and the public response to 

such communications, and the performance of residential, 

commercial, and critical buildings, designated safe areas in 

buildings, and lifelines

– To develop findings and recommendations that can serve as the 

basis for:

• Potential improvements to requirements for design and construction of 

buildings

• designated safe areas, and lifeline facilities in tornado–prone regions

• Potential improvements to guidance for tornado warning systems and 

emergency response procedures

• Potential revisions to building, fire, and emergency communications codes, 

standards, and practices

• Potential improvements to public safety

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Objectives

1. Determine the tornado hazard characteristics and associated wind 

fields in the context of historical data

2. Determine the response of residential, commercial, and critical 

buildings, including the performance of designated safe areas

3. Determine the performance of lifelines as it relates to the continuity 

of operations of residential, commercial, and critical buildings

4. Determine the pattern, location, and cause of fatalities and injuries, 

and associated emergency communications and public response

5. Identify, as specifically as possible, areas in current building, fire, 

and emergency communications codes, standards, and practices 

that warrant revision

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Publications

• Investigation Plan published May 2012

• Progress Report published November 2012

• Draft Final Report for Public Comment published 

November 2013

– 47 findings

– 16 recommendations

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Investigation and Report Timeline to 

Completion

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• Nov. 21, 2013 - draft for public comment released

• Dec. 10, 2013 – NCSTAC briefing

• Jan. 6, 2014 – public comments due

• Spring 2014 – address public comments and 

publish final report

• Spring 2014 – complete and publish the Joplin 

Tornado Data Repository

• Spring 2014 – begin effort to implement 

recommendations