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| 2013 Moore tornado | |
|---|---|
| Name | 2013 Moore tornado |
| Date | May 20, 2013 |
| Winds | >200 mph |
| Fatalities | 24 |
| Injuries | >200 |
| Affected | Moore, Oklahoma; Briarwood, Plaza Towers, Moore Public Schools |
2013 Moore tornado The May 20, 2013 disaster was a high-end, long-track tornado that struck the southern suburbs of Oklahoma City in Oklahoma, producing catastrophic destruction in the city of Moore, Oklahoma. The event occurred during the Tornado outbreak sequence of May 18–21, 2013 and was part of a larger spring 2013 severe weather period that affected the Great Plains and Midwestern United States. Multiple emergency agencies, non-profit organizations, political figures, and scientific institutions mobilized in the immediate aftermath.
A strong mid-latitude cyclone over the Rocky Mountains and a vigorous shortwave trough approaching from the Four Corners region produced a moist, unstable air mass advected from the Gulf of Mexico into central Oklahoma. A dryline and warm front interaction in the Southern Plains aided convective initiation near the Red River valley, while record wind shear supported mesocyclone development in the National Weather Center forecast area serviced by the National Weather Service. The Storm Prediction Center had issued a high risk and tornado watch, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Doppler radar network captured a tornadic signature associated with a supercell that evolved into the destructive EF5-rated vortex. Forecast products from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, and local NWS Norman offices informed warnings disseminated via the Emergency Alert System, NOAA Weather Radio, and media outlets including the Oklahoma City television market.
The tornado developed southwest of Newcastle, Oklahoma, tracked northeast through Moore, Oklahoma, and dissipated near Choctaw, Oklahoma after traversing parts of Cleveland County, Oklahoma and Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma. Damage surveys by the National Weather Service Norman office assessed peak winds exceeding 200 miles per hour and assigned an EF5 rating for damage at locations including the Plaza Towers Elementary School site and sections of I-240 (Oklahoma) corridors. The path width reached up to one mile in places, with clear evidence of extreme ground scouring and displacement of large concrete structures, consistent with prior historic tornadic events such as the 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado and the 1947 Glazier–Higgins–Woodward tornadoes.
The tornado struck residential neighborhoods, commercial districts, and educational institutions. Notable structures severely damaged or destroyed included Plaza Towers Elementary School, Briarwood Elementary School, and numerous churches and retail centers along S. Broadway Avenue (Moore, Oklahoma). Casualties included 24 confirmed fatalities, many among children at Plaza Towers Elementary School, and hundreds of injured patients treated at regional hospitals such as Integris Baptist Medical Center and OU Medical Center. Insurance claims were filed with carriers and adjusted through the Oklahoma Insurance Department; economic losses contributed to statewide disaster declarations by Governor Mary Fallin and federal emergency designations processed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Local first responders from the Moore Police Department, Moore Fire Department, and Cleveland County Sheriff's Office coordinated immediate search and rescue with mutual aid from neighboring jurisdictions including Oklahoma City Fire Department and volunteer units from Norman, Oklahoma. The American Red Cross, Salvation Army, United Way of Central Oklahoma, Team Rubicon, and faith-based organizations provided shelter, food, and recovery assistance, while the Federal Emergency Management Agency activated disaster recovery centers. Federal elected officials including President Barack Obama and congressional representatives visited the site; federal resources from the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Small Business Administration assisted with infrastructure assessment and survivor loans.
Rebuilding efforts engaged the City of Moore planning authorities, Cleveland County officials, and private developers to revise zoning and building codes. Debates involving the Oklahoma Legislature, the International Code Council, and local school boards prompted reviews of construction standards for storm shelters and safe rooms, with grants allocated through programs administered by FEMA and state agencies. Policy discussions referenced prior mitigation initiatives following the 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado and involved federal grant processes for resilient infrastructure led by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The event spurred multidisciplinary research at institutions including the National Severe Storms Laboratory, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, and the University of Colorado Boulder. Studies examined tornadogenesis, inflow dynamics, damage indicators, and the performance of concrete and wood-framed structures, often citing comparisons to the Jarrell, Texas tornado and analyses published by the American Meteorological Society and American Geophysical Union. Advances included improved rapid-update radar analyses, refinements to the Enhanced Fujita scale, and enhancements in warning dissemination integrating social science research by agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for public health communication. The disaster influenced emergency management training at institutions like the FEMA Emergency Management Institute and contributed to community resilience literature used by planners and civil engineers.
Category:2013 natural disasters in the United States Category:Oklahoma tornadoes Category:May 2013 events in the United States