Two of the tornadoes are rated EF-2 and were nearly a mile wide. Though it was a close call to multiple towns, the twisters avoided these communities. No injuries were reported. The tornadoes were confirmed in Cochran, Bailey and Hockley Counties, to the west of Lubbock.
When was the big tornado in Lubbock?
MAY 11, 1970
ON MAY 11, 1970 a powerful tornado ripped through Lubbock, leaving behind a path of death and devastation. In the days and weeks that followed the fateful storm, relief poured in from different cities, agencies, and companies.
How wide was the Morton tornado?
You can hear debris and dirt hitting their vehicle as they approached this huge twister, estimated to be about a mile wide as it grew in strength. The tornado touched down a few miles away from Morton but still caused damage and power outages in the area.
What category was the Morton tornado?
EF2
The tornado was given a rating of EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale by the National Weather Service in Lubbock. They estimated the width at 0.8 miles based on the damage assessment but admitted the twister could have been wider, based on photos and videos.
How many tornadoes have hit Lubbock Texas?
A total of 81 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Lubbock, TX.
Is Lubbock in Tornado Alley?
Although we have been lucky so far, Lubbock is still the only city with a large population in tornado alley without tornado sirens. The Texas Tech campus is the only part of Lubbock with sirens.
Was there ever a F5 tornado?
EF-5 tornadoes are among the rarest cyclones on the planet. In the U.S., there have been only 59 EF-5 twisters since 1950, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center. That works out to an average of less than one EF-5 tornado in America each year.
What is the largest recorded tornado?
the El Reno, Oklahoma tornado
Officially, the widest tornado on record is the El Reno, Oklahoma tornado of May 31, 2013 with a width of 2.6 miles (4.2 km) at its peak.
How big is a massive tornado?
The most extreme tornadoes can attain wind speeds of more than 480 km/h (300 mph), are more than 3 km (2 miles) in diameter, and stay on the ground for more than 100 km (dozens of miles).
How strong is a wedge tornado?
Wedge Tornado
They are usually rated at EF-3 or above and with a width of half a mile or more, can leave a significant trail of destruction.
When was the last ef5 tornado in Texas?
TORNADO NUMBER TEN – THE JARRELL TORNADO – MAY 27, 1997
The Jarrell tornado is the last confirmed F5 tornado in the state of Texas.
What is super tornado?
A severe, usually isolated thunderstorm characterized by a strong rotating updraft and often giving rise to damaging winds, electrical storms, flooding, large hail, and tornadoes.
What city in Texas has the most tornadoes?
Houston
According to the NOAA data, Harris County, home to Houston, has recorded the most twisters: 242 in total. That’s well above second-ranked Hale County, north of Lubbock, which had 132 tornadoes in that same time period.
Is Lubbock unsafe?
Six of the 50 U.S. metro areas with highest violent crime rates are located in Texas. Of those, Lubbock ranks as the most dangerous. Nearly 3,000 violent crimes were reported in the metro area in 2020, or 919 for every 100,000 people. Lubbuck’s violent crime rate climbed by nearly 10% last year.
Where is Tornado Alley in Texas?
The region of maximum tornado frequency known as Tornado Alley extends from west Texas northeast through the western and central portions of Oklahoma and Kansas and across most of Nebraska.
Does Lubbock TX have tornado sirens?
LUBBOCK, Texas – The City of Lubbock has spent the last few months installing tornado sirens all over Lubbock just in time for the severe weather season.
Does Lubbock have tornado sirens?
The activation of all 45 sirens will be tested monthly to ensure Lubbock’s new tornado alert system is working properly. “It will be a three-minute duration test,” Director of Emergency Management Joe Moudy told KCBD.
What is Lubbock best known for?
Lubbock is best known as the friendly hometown of Texas Tech University, legions of popular musicians, and High Plains wineries. We stopped by to experience all of that, as well as the Hub City’s cultural, culinary, and kid-friendly sights and activities.
How far can a tornado throw you?
How far do things get carried if they are lifted and carried? The furthest distance a 1 pound object can be carried is about 100 miles. The furthest known distance a photo or piece of paper was carried was a little over 200 miles.
Can you survive an f5 tornado in a basement?
EF5. Barring a storm cellar or a specially constructed, reinforced room, a basement is the place where you’re likeliest to survive a direct hit from a tornado. It’s a pretty good bet, but it’s not failsafe.
Can you survive being picked up by a tornado?
Surviving a Tornado
The simple answer is a resounding YES. In rare instances, tornadoes have lifted people and objects from the ground, carried them some distance, and then set them down again without causing injury or damage.