The 20 twisters reported on Sunday stole the crown previously held by Florida, where 18 tornadoes touched down on Oct. 7, 1996. The National Weather Service said Oklahoma's turbulent Sunday also set a new record for the most tornadoes rated F-2 or higher in a single day. Four of the tornadoes were rated at F-2 or higher on the Fujita scale , breaking a record that had stood since 1898. Damage assessment from last Sunday was relatively minor considering the enormous potential for destruction.
Tornadoes are more common in the United States than any other country.
Thirteen of the twisters struck the western and central portions of the state, while the other seven were located to the east. Although there have been larger outbreaks of tornadoes in the past, it is rare for so many to be concentrated in such a relatively small area. Florida's rash of tornadoes in 1996 was the result of Tropical Storm Josephine, which flooded roads, knocked out power, and forced homes and businesses to close. Oklahoma's tornadoes, by contrast, were caused by a series of so-called super cell storm systems moving across the state.