2019 Bridge Creek-Moore, Oklahoma Tornado

**2019 Bridge Creek-Moore, Oklahoma Tornado**

 **Areas affected** | Canadian,
Cleveland, and

The ***2019 Bridge Creek-Moore, Oklahoma Tornado*** was a catastrophic and violent EF5-rated tornado which impacted Oklahoma City and surrounding suburbs in the evening of Sunday, June 16, 2019. On a 76.89 mile path, 158 fatalities occurred, along with over 12,000 injuries, and $6.8 billion (2019 USD) in damages was done.

In the morning of Sunday, June 16, 2019, the National Weather Service in Norman issued a warning for Oklahoma City and surrounding areas. At 4:58 PM CDT 3 cells popped up on radar before becoming one organized storm.

At 5:35 PM CDT, a funnel cloud touched the ground miles southwest of El Reno. Quickly, the tornado became an EF2. The EF2 traveled a couple miles before hitting a barn, causing serious damage. When the tornado hit the city of Mustang, it had recorded wind speeds of 160 mph. The now EF4 demolished 7 mobile homes, killing 9.

As the tornado kept on moving along, it hit the outskirts of Moore with EF4 damage being recorded at 3 homes. The EF4 then tracked right near Norman before heading towards Bridge Creek. The now EF5 gained peak intensity right in Bridge Creek limits. The now highly intense EF5 completely swept Bridge Creek High School off its foundation, causing EF5 damage.

At the same moment, local doppler radar recorded wind speeds, third behind the 2018 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Tornado, the 2025 Harrisburg-Reading-Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tornado and beating out the deadly 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore tornado in wind speeds. As the EF5 then crossed Interstate 35, 5 cars were hit, killing 7.

The tornado then tracked back towards Moore and Oklahoma City.

Plaza Towers Elementary was hit head on and was completely demolished. The EF5 briefly weakened to an EF4. The EF4 badly damaged 6 houses just south of Plaza Towers, killing 11. With the tornado moving on, at 7:03 PM CDT, the tornado hit Lyons Estates, completely sweeping the building off it's foundation, killing 124.

As the tornado kept on tracking, it struck another house, killing 7.

The tornado then hit 3 apartment buildings, injuring 6,708. With the tornado weakening, the now EF3 ripped a roof off a house and injured 12.

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The tornado then tracked back towards El Reno before dissipating at 7:57 PM CDT. In all, the Bridge Creek tornado left 158 people dead, 12,000+ injured, and $2.6 billion in damages.

Many surveyors have stated that this tornado is one of the most violent tornadoes ever. The path reached 76.89 miles long and 2.7 miles wide, the second largest tornado ever, behind the 2018 Smithville, Mississippi Tornado.

This tornado, to this day, is the second most powerful tornado in Oklahoma state history, behind the 2018 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Tornado*,* which had recorded wind speeds of 367 mph (590 km/h).

## Gallery

The EF5 gaining strength.The Bridge Creek EF5 over a neighborhood.EF5 damage to a home in Amber.EF5Moore2.jpgWhat's left of a farm in Chickasha after the tornado swept through the area with wind speeds over 285 mph.High-end EF4 damage in Bridge Creek.The EF5 tracking into Bridge Creek.EF5 damage to a shopping mall in Moore.