2013 Moore tornado

2013 EF5 tornado in Moore, Oklahoma the 2013 Moore tornado Moore, Oklahoma tornado (disambiguation)Moore, Oklahoma tornado May 2025 May 2013 infobox 1/2 300 May 20, 2013 Moore, Oklahoma tornado.JPG 2013 Moore tornado radar KCRI 2013-05-20 2008Z.jpg A wooden cross stands as a monument to one of the students killed at the Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla., May 28, 2013 130528-Z-VF620-4060.jpg Tornado path 130522-F-IE715-500.jpg Clockwise from top: The tornado as it was approaching the city of Moore; a cross honors one of the students killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School, which sustained very severe damage; aerial view of the damage to Moore; radar image of the tornado with a debris ball and hook echo signature May 20, 2013, 2:56 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00) 39 minutes May 20, 2013, 3:35 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00) atl 1900 yd mi km 2 13.85 mi km 200-210 mph km/h on EF5 2013 24 (+2 indirect) 212 $2 billion (2013 USD) McClain and Cleveland counties in Oklahoma; particularly the city of Moore Tornado outbreak of May 18–21, 2013 and Tornadoes of 2013 The 2013 Moore tornado was a large and extremely violent EF5 tornado that ravaged Moore, Oklahoma, and adjacent areas on the afternoon of May 20, 2013, with peak winds estimated at 200-210 mph km/h on, killing 24 people (plus two indirect fatalities)...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY HAS NOW RATED THE NEWCASTLE/MOORE TORNADO AS EF5... https://iowamesonet.github.io/sorry/?mode=blocked 2026-06-20 iowamesonet.github.io and injuring 212 others.National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma Oklahoma Event Report: EF5 Tornado https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/storm-events-database/event-details/451572 National Centers for Environmental Information 2013 May 11, 2018 May 12, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180512113956/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/storm-events-database/event-details/451572 live The tornado was part of a larger outbreak from a slow-moving weather system that had produced several other tornadoes across the Great Plains over the previous two days, including five that had struck portions of Central Oklahoma the day prior on May 19. The tornado touched down just northwest of Newcastle at 2:56 p.m. CDT (19:56 UTC), and quickly became violent, persisting for 39 minutes on a 13.85 mi km out on 3 path through a heavily populated section of Moore, causing catastrophic damage of EF4 to EF5 intensity, before dissipating at 3:35 p.m. CDT (20:35 UTC) outside of Moore. The tornado was over 1 mi km out in across at its peak width.13 The 2013 Moore tornado followed a roughly similar track to the deadlier 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado, which was rated F5; neither of the stricken schools in the area had acquired purpose-built storm shelters in the intervening years.Obama offers solace in tornado-ravaged Oklahoma http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/world/17335797/obama-travels-to-tornado-ravaged-oklahoma/ AFP Yahoo! News dead May 27, 2013 May 27, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130630003045/http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/world/17335797/obama-travels-to-tornado-ravaged-oklahoma/ June 30, 2013 The tornado caused catastrophic damage around the city of Moore, with 1,150 homes destroyed as a result. Damage estimates ranged up to $2 billion, making it the costliest tornado since the Joplin EF5 tornado in 2011. Taking a path through the heart of Moore, an estimated 13,500 people were directly affected by the tornado.National Weather Service Office in Norman, Oklahoma National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 23, 2013 May 24, 2013 May 20, 2013 EF-5 Tornado Path and LandScan Population Image .jpg http://www.srh.noaa.gov/images/fxc/oun/graphicast/image_full8.jpg live https://web.archive.org/web/20111016070622/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/images/fxc/oun/graphicast/image_full8.jpg October 16, 2011 Large swaths of the city were completely destroyed and unofficial estimates placed the number of severely damaged or destroyed buildings at 1,500 with another 4,000 affected. In contrast to the violent nature of the tornado, the death toll was relatively low. The tornado was ranked as the ninth-deadliest tornado in the state's history.National Weather Service Office in Norman, Oklahoma National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration January 12, 2013 May 21, 2013 Top Ten Deadliest Oklahoma Tornadoes (1882–Present) http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=tornadodata-ok-deadliest The lack of further fatalities was attributed to a 16-minute lead time on the Moore tornado given by the National Weather Service forecast office in Norman.Carey Gillam Ian Simpson amp Reuters May 22, 2013 May 24, 2013 Oklahoma tornado victims astounded at how they survived https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tornadoes-idUSBRE94J0TK20130523 Moore, Oklahoma live https://web.archive.org/web/20130524173912/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/23/us-usa-tornadoes-idUSBRE94J0TK20130523 May 24, 2013 Following the tornado, President Barack Obama declared a major disaster in Moore, ordering federal aid to the city, allowing recovery efforts to begin. The city would later adapt stronger building codes in response to the tornado, stricter than what is usually required in the United States. This was the most recent tornado to be rated EF5 until the 2025 Enderlin tornado in North Dakota, with a record EF5 drought of 12 years and one month in between such tornadoes. It is also the most recent F5/EF5 tornado to occur in the state of Oklahoma. Meteorological synopsis On May 20, 2013, a prominent central upper trough moved eastward toward the Central United States, with a lead upper low pivoting over the Dakotas and Upper Midwest region. A Southern stream shortwave trough and a moderately strong polar jet moved east northeastward over the southern Rockies to the southern Great Plains and Ozarks area, with severe thunderstorms forming during the peak time of heating. With the influence of moderately strong cyclonic flow aloft, the air mass was expected to become unstable across much of the southern Great Plains, Ozarks, and middle Mississippi Valley by the afternoon.May 20, 2013 0600 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2013/day1otlk_20130520_1200.html Storm Prediction Center National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 20, 2013 May 20, 2013 June 30, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130630042653/http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2013/day1otlk_20130520_1200.html live Evidence of an unstable air mass included temperatures in the low to mid 80s °F (27–30 °C), dewpoints that ranged in the upper 60s °F (20 °C) to the lower 70s °F (20–22 °C), and CAPE values ranging from 3500 to 5000 J/kg. Deep-layer wind shear speeds of 40 to 50 kn mph enhanced storm structure and intensity.May 20, 2013 2000 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2013/day1otlk_20130520_2000.html Storm Prediction Center National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 20, 2013 May 23, 2013 December 2, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131202225544/http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2013/day1otlk_20130520_2000.html live thumb|left|Modeled atmospheric sounding at the time of the tornado, from RAP. Note extreme MLCAPE values over 4500 j/kg, modest but adequate effective SRH exceeding 150, and anomalously strong low level instability (>200 j/kg 0-3km CAPE). These were present ahead of a cold front extending from a surface low in the eastern Dakotas, southwestward to near the Kansas City area and western Oklahoma, and ahead of a dry line extending from southwest Oklahoma southward into northwestern and west-central Texas. Outflow remnants from the previous night and the early day convection across the Ozarks and the middle Mississippi Valley were a factor in severe weather development with the most aggressive heating and destabilization on the western edge of this activity across the southern Great Plains and just ahead of a cold front. The National Weather Service office in Norman, Oklahoma had warned as early as May 15 that there would be a possibility of severe weather on May 20.May 20, 2013 Newcastle-Moore Tornado http://www.srh.noaa.gov/images/oun/wxevents/20130520/products_presentation.pdf National Weather Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 21, 2013 June 1, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20150703050441/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/images/oun/wxevents/20130520/products_presentation.pdf July 3, 2015 The most intense severe weather activity was expected to come across the southern Great Plains, specifically Central Oklahoma, during the afternoon on that Monday. As such, the Storm Prediction Center issued a moderate risk of severe thunderstorms during the early morning of May 20 from southeastern Missouri to north-central Texas. The degree of wind shear, moisture, and instability within the warm sector favored the development of supercells. Very large hail and tornadoes were both expected with these supercells, with the possibility of a few strong tornadoes. The Storm Prediction Center issued a tornado watch at 1:10 p.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT) early that afternoon for the eastern two-thirds of Oklahoma, northwestern Arkansas, and portions of north-central Texas. Given the atmospheric parameters thought to be in place at the time, the Storm Prediction Center inadvertently underestimated the threat of tornadic activity that afternoon; the probability table for the tornado watch – the 191st severe weather watch issued by the guidance center in 2013 – indicated a 40% (or "moderate") probability of two or more tornadoes and a 20% (or "low") probability of one or more tornadoes reaching between EF2 and EF5 intensity within the watch area. The watch did, however, say that "one or two strong tornadoes" were possible.Tornado Watch 191 https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/watch/2013/ww0191_prob.html Storm Prediction Center National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 20, 2013 April 22, 2019 April 23, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190423234330/https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/watch/2013/ww0191_prob.html liveNational Weather Service Norman, Oklahoma May 20, 2013 May 28, 2013 2013 OUN Tornado Watch #191 http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/vtec/#2013-O-NEW-KOUN-TO-A-0191/USCOMP-N0Q-201305201810 April 19, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110419050352/http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/vtec/#2013-O-NEW-KOUN-TO-A-0191/USCOMP-N0Q-201305201810 liveNational Weather Service Tulsa, Oklahoma May 20, 2013 May 28, 2013 2013 TSA Tornado Watch #191 http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/vtec/#2013-O-NEW-KTSA-TO-A-0191/USCOMP-N0Q-201305201810 April 19, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110419050352/http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/vtec/#2013-O-NEW-KTSA-TO-A-0191/USCOMP-N0Q-201305201810 live Development and track thumb|400px|Official track and intensity map of the tornado released by the National Weather Service (zoomable map)Key #7ef4d4 EF0 65–85 mph #acfb82 EF1 86–110 mph #f5f57b EF2 111–135 mph #eac57b EF3 136–165 mph #eb817d EF4 166–200 mph #A188FC EF5 >200 mph end|alt=A map with several polygons and lines showing the tornado's strength at a given location The thunderstorm that eventually produced the tornado developed less than one hour after the tornado watch was issued, around 2:00 p.m. CDT, across northern Grady County. Its rapid intensification resulted in the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Norman issuing a severe thunderstorm warning for northern Grady, northwestern Cleveland, northern McClain, and southwestern Oklahoma Counties (including southwestern portions of the immediate Oklahoma City area) at 2:12 p.m. CDT.2013 OUN Severe Thunderstorm Warning #316 http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/vtec/#2013-O-NEW-KOUN-SV-W-0316/USCOMP-N0Q-201305201910 National Weather Service Norman, Oklahoma Iowa Environmental Mesonet May 20, 2013 May 25, 2013 April 19, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110419050352/http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/vtec/#2013-O-NEW-KOUN-SV-W-0316/USCOMP-N0Q-201305201910 live The thunderstorm quickly attained supercell characteristics, with rotation at the mid-levels of the storm's cloud structure becoming apparent even before it was officially classified as severe, due to the sufficient amounts of wind shear present over central Oklahoma. Due to the expected intensity of the storms, three of the Oklahoma City market's five television news outlets − NBC affiliate KFOR-TV (channel 4), ABC affiliate KOCO-TV (channel 5) and CBS affiliate KWTV (channel 9) − suspended normal programming and went into wall-to-wall weather coverage immediately after the tornado watch went into effect.The Mercy of the Sky 2:45 P.M., May 20 Holly Bailey Viking Books 124–127 2015 978-0-525-42749-0 Fox affiliate KOKH-TV (channel 25) and Telemundo affiliate KTUZ-TV (channel 30) began their coverage as the first severe thunderstorms erupted southwest of the state capital and subsequently began relaying their audio feeds to radio stations throughout central Oklahoma. As the forecast suggested that the most significant severe weather would occur in the mid-afternoon, around the time classes concluded for the day, many worried parents began arriving at schools throughout Moore and south Oklahoma City to pick up their children in advance of the storms.The Mercy of the Sky Plaza Towers Elementary, May 20 Holly Bailey Viking Books 122 2015 978-0-525-42749-0The Mercy of the Sky 3:05 P.M., May 20 Holly Bailey Viking Books 143–149 2015 978-0-525-42749-0 At 2:40 p.m. CDT, as rotation in the supercell was increasing at the cloud base, a tornado warning was issued for far northeastern Grady, western Cleveland, northern McClain, and southern Oklahoma Counties, as the storm approached the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.2013 OUN Tornado Warning #24 http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/vtec/#2013-O-NEW-KOUN-TO-W-0024/USCOMP-N0Q-201305201940 National Weather Service Norman, Oklahoma Iowa Environmental Mesonet May 20, 2013 May 21, 2013 April 19, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110419050352/http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/vtec/#2013-O-NEW-KOUN-TO-W-0024/USCOMP-N0Q-201305201940 live The rapid formation of the storm may have been associated with a descending reflectivity core and interplay of complex cell mergers.Tornadogenesis in High-end Tornadic Supercells (Part 3) Moore, Oklahoma EF5 on May 20, 2013 A Case Representative of Tornadogenesis https://www.spc.noaa.gov/publications/broyles/tgen3.pdf Formation and initial intensification thumb|right|Timelapse of the Moore tornado via radar images from its formation to dissipation. Note the large debris ball signature. NCDC Storm Data for the 2013 Moore tornado NOAA's damage survey and analysis for the Moore EF5 tornado The tornado touched down at 2:56 p.m. CDT in northwestern McClain County, near Long Drive to the southwest of the North Country Club Road and SH-37 intersection, roughly 4.4 mi km northwest of downtown Newcastle. Initially a narrow rope-shaped tornado, it first caused EF1 damage to a home and some trees before crossing SH-37 and rapidly intensifying as it struck a semi-rural subdivision, where several homes were destroyed, two of which were leveled at EF4 intensity.Damage Assessment Toolkit https://apps.dat.noaa.gov/StormDamage/DamageViewer/ apps.dat.noaa.gov National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 20, 2013 November 25, 2014 April 23, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200423095631/https://apps.dat.noaa.gov/stormdamage/damageviewer/ live At this point, the tornado began to grow rapidly in size over the course of 2 minutes; the rope-like funnel started to swell into a large stovepipe, before maturing further into a barrel shape. A debris ball grew around the funnel itself as it finally evolved into a large, wedge-shaped structure. Slight ground scouring began in this area, and several homes in a subdivision further to the northeast sustained EF3 damage.NWS Damage Survey for 5/20/2013 Newcastle/Moore Tornado Event – Update 3 http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=events-20130520 National Weather Service Norman, Oklahoma National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 21, 2013 May 23, 2013 May 23, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130523011727/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=events-20130520 liveDamage Survey and Analysis of the 20 May 2013 Newcastle-Moore, OK, EF-5 Tornado https://ams.confex.com/ams/94Annual/webprogram/Paper241554.html Tim Marshall Kiel Ortega American Meteorological Society February 5, 2014 March 12, 2014 March 13, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140313103301/https://ams.confex.com/ams/94Annual/webprogram/Paper241554.html live By 3:01 p.m. CDT, the National Weather Service issued a second, more strongly worded warning for the area: in a severe weather statement updating the existing tornado warning, the Norman forecast office declared a tornado emergency for southern Oklahoma City and Moore as various storm spotters confirmed that the large, violent tornado was approaching the area. The Twin Lakes dual-polarization NEXRAD radar (near Lake Stanley Draper) detected a tornado debris signature one mile in diameter within the accompanying hook echo, as the tornado crossed into portions of south Oklahoma City in northern Cleveland County.Special Weather Statement: Tornado Warning http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/vtec/#2013-O-NEW-KOUN-TO-W-0026/USCOMP-N0Q-201305202040 National Weather Service Norman, Oklahoma Iowa Environmental Mesonet May 20, 2013 May 21, 2013 April 19, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110419050352/http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/vtec/#2013-O-NEW-KOUN-TO-W-0026/USCOMP-N0Q-201305202040 liveThe Mercy of the Sky 3:00 P.M., May 20 Holly Bailey Viking Books 138–142 2015 978-0-525-42749-0 The supercell also produced straight-line winds of 80 mph km/h for at least one mile surrounding the tornadic circulation. South Oklahoma City thumb|left|Extreme vehicle damage and ground scouring at the Celestial Acres horse training area The tornado maintained at least EF3 intensity as it crossed the Canadian River into Cleveland County and a decommissioned US 62/US 277 bridge was severely damaged; most of this bridge had to be demolished after the tornado ripped part of it from its mount and tossed it across I-44/US 62/SH-37.Oklahoma tornadoes: Historic bridge near Newcastle damaged beyond repair http://newsok.com/oklahoma-tornadoes-historic-bridge-near-newcastle-damaged-beyond-repair/article/3833278 Jane Glenn Cannon The Oklahoman The Anschutz Corporation May 23, 2013 May 25, 2013 June 8, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130608231328/http://newsok.com/oklahoma-tornadoes-historic-bridge-near-newcastle-damaged-beyond-repair/article/3833278 live The tornado then continued moving east-northeastward through the extreme southern portion of Oklahoma City towards Moore, roughly following Southwest 149th Street. At that point, it began to grow rapidly in width, and a second brief area of EF4 damage was noted near South May Avenue, where several homes were leveled, and one was swept clean from its foundation (this home was determined to have been nailed, rather than bolted to its foundation). A vehicle frame, engine block, and various other vehicle parts were found tangled within a grove of completely debarked trees in this area. As the tornado began to cross into south Oklahoma City, a traffic jam had occurred for a stretch of several miles along Santa Fe Avenue, as residents attempted to either escape from or pick up their children at schools located near the tornado's path. As the station's news helicopter was capturing live video of the tornado, then-KWTV chief meteorologist Gary England − upon seeing footage of the backup that was being relayed by pilot Jim Gardner − urged drivers caught in the jam that may have been listening to the station's audio simulcast on area radio outlets to use nearby streets to detour out of the tornado's expected track. The tornado weakened briefly to EF3 strength before re-intensifying to EF4 intensity near Forman Drive, flattening several homes as it moved through mostly rural areas south of Southwest 149th Street. As the tornado struck an oil production site, four oil tanks were blown away, one of which was never found. The others were thrown considerable distances; one was found a mile away. thumb|248x248px|A still of a video captured by a resident as the tornado was entering Moore. The tornado maintained its intensity as it struck the Orr Family Farm and the Celestial Acres horse training area, where up to 100 horses were reported killed, some being tossed into and tangled in downed power lines or thrown on top of nearby buildings; several horses that survived the tornado suffered severe injuries, with some being impaled by tree limbs or boards.Farm battered by tornadoes: 'There is nothing there' http://www.today.com/news/farm-battered-tornadoes-there-nothing-there-6C10016196 Scott Stump Today NBC News May 21, 2013 live https://web.archive.org/web/20140124212900/http://www.today.com/news/farm-battered-tornadoes-there-nothing-there-6C10016196 January 24, 2014 January 24, 2014The Mercy of the Sky 3:23 P.M., May 20 Holly Bailey Viking Books 208–213 2015 978-0-525-42749-0 Every building at Celestial Acres was either leveled or swept away at EF4 intensity, the ground on the property was scoured to bare soil, debris from structures was granulated, and vehicles were thrown and stripped down to their frames. Surveyors noted that based on the contextual damage, the tornado was likely at EF5 intensity in this area, though the construction quality of the affected buildings only permitted an EF4 rating. A 10-ton propane tank on the Orr Farm property was picked up and thrown more than a half-mile through the air by the tornado, and a strip mall near the farm was completely leveled as well.Moore Tornado | StateImpact Oklahoma http://stateimpact.npr.org/oklahoma/tag/moore-tornado/ Stateimpact.npr.org NPR November 19, 2013 October 30, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131030063523/http://stateimpact.npr.org/oklahoma/tag/moore-tornado/ live The tornado continued east, heavily scouring an open grassy field before impacting Briarwood Elementary School, which was completely destroyed. The NWS originally rated this damage EF5, but further evaluation and a 2014 study published by the American Meteorological Society revealed evidence of poor construction at the school, and the rating was downgraded to EF4. Overall, no fatalities occurred at the school. Two 12,000-gallon water tanks that were also swept off of the Orr Family Farm grounds were thrown into this area; the roof of Briarwood Elementary was struck by one of them − potentially aiding in compromising the building's structural integrity as it bent the steel girders that held up the roof − shortly before the main vortex struck the building, while the other fell onto and destroyed a home a few blocks east of the school.The Mercy of the Sky 3:15 P.M., May 20 Holly Bailey Viking Books 160–166 2015 978-0-525-42749-0 Past Briarwood Elementary, the tornado intensified even further and entered densely populated areas just west of Moore, including the Westmoor subdivision where many well-built, anchor-bolted brick homes were flattened at EF4 intensity, and two were swept clean from their foundations, with damage at those two homes rated EF5.Tornado victims remembered: Shannon Quick http://kfor.com/2013/05/24/tornado-victims-remembered-shannon-quick/ KFOR-TV Local TV May 24, 2013 May 27, 2013 June 10, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130610070513/http://kfor.com/2013/05/24/tornado-victims-remembered-shannon-quick/ live Moore inline National Weather Service Tornado Damage Survey Map thumb|left|Meteorologist Tim Marshall surveys a neighborhood that was devastated The tornado continued generally northeast at EF4 strength, completely debarking trees and leveling entire neighborhoods as it moved into the western city limits of Moore. Many homes were flattened in neighborhoods to the east of South Santa Fe Avenue.Damage Survey and Analysis of the 20 May 2013 Newcastle-Moore, OK, EF-5 Tornado (Presentation) https://ams.confex.com/ams/94Annual/webprogram/Handout/Paper241554/828_sls_ortega_et_al_moore_tornado.pdf Tim Marshall Kiel Ortega American Meteorological Society February 5, 2014 March 12, 2014 March 13, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140313124742/https://ams.confex.com/ams/94Annual/webprogram/Handout/Paper241554/828_sls_ortega_et_al_moore_tornado.pdf live The tornado was initially rated EF5 in this area as only the bare slab of an anchor-bolted home remained. However, it was later downgraded to an EF4 as an inspection revealed the home's anchor bolts were missing their nuts and washers. The tornado then destroyed Plaza Towers Elementary School at EF4 intensity where seven children were killed when a cinder block wall collapsed on top of them. More than a dozen homes in a subdivision just to the south of Plaza Towers Elementary were completely swept away, all revealed to have been nailed rather than bolted to their foundations. Damage to this subdivision was subsequently rated EF4, though the tornado was possibly stronger than this rating suggests as lawns were completely scoured down to bare soil. Entire blocks of homes were flattened, trees were completely debarked and denuded, vehicles were thrown and mangled, and the ground was severely scoured in other residential areas nearby. The damage also earned an EF4 rating in these areas. Most of the fatalities from the tornado occurred in the Plaza Towers neighborhood of Moore. In one of these houses (a block away from Plaza Towers Elementary), a woman was killed as she tried to seek shelter in a closet.Tornado victims remembered: Deanna Ward http://kfor.com/2013/05/24/tornado-victims-remembered-deanna-ward/ KFOR-TV Local TV May 24, 2013 May 27, 2013 June 18, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130618002230/http://kfor.com/2013/05/24/tornado-victims-remembered-deanna-ward/ live thumb|right|The Moore Medical Center and many vehicles left in ruins after the tornado Further to the northeast, at least a dozen cars were piled up against the front entrance of the Moore Medical Center, which sustained EF4 damage. One car was lofted and thrown onto the roof. Many homes in neighborhoods near the medical center were completely destroyed, including a row of four well-built brick homes with anchor bolts that were swept away, with damage to those four homes rated EF5. An open field directly behind this row of homes was deeply scoured, with only bare soil and clumps of dirt remaining. A nearby manhole cover was removed, and multiple vehicles were mangled beyond recognition and caked in mud in this area as well.May 20th, 2013 Oklahoma tornado damage about 1 hour after https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjFhz-fxGK4 Trevor Welch Motion picture Moore, Oklahoma YouTube May 20, 2014 September 4, 2014 The nearby Warren Theater was spared a direct hit, but still sustained considerable damage to its exterior.Assessing the Damage Along the Tornado's Path in Oklahoma https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/05/20/us/oklahoma-tornado-map.html?ref=science&_r=0 Mike Bostock Joe Burgess Amanda Cox Matthew Ericson Hannah Fairfield Ford Fessenden Tom Giratikanon Josh Keller Haeyoun Park Sergio Peçanha Kevin Quealy Graham Roberts Archie Tse Derek Watkins Timothy Wallace The New York Times May 24, 2013 May 25, 2013 May 31, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130531171530/http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/05/20/us/oklahoma-tornado-map.html?ref=science&_r=0 live A bowling alley in the area was leveled, and a 7-Eleven which was on the northern part of the damage path, was completely flattened with four people killed inside (including a three-month-old infant).Mother, infant who sought shelter in 7-Eleven among tornado victims identified http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/22/18419611-mother-infant-who-sought-shelter-in-7-eleven-among-tornado-victims-identified?lite Elizabeth Chuck Gabe Gutierrez NBC News May 22, 2013 May 25, 2013 June 8, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130608083219/http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/22/18419611-mother-infant-who-sought-shelter-in-7-eleven-among-tornado-victims-identified?lite live The nearby Moore Cemetery was heavily damaged as well.Volunteers clean Moore Cemetery in advance of burials http://mooreamerican.com/local/x609260969/Volunteers-clean-Moore-Cemetery-in-advance-of-burials Dale Denwalt The Moore American Community Newspaper Holdings May 23, 2013 May 25, 2013 June 30, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130630045153/http://mooreamerican.com/local/x609260969/Volunteers-clean-Moore-Cemetery-in-advance-of-burials livethumb|A still of the tornado captured by a Highland East Jr. High school security cameraThe tornado briefly weakened and caused EF3 damage to some other businesses near I-35/US 77, before crossing the interstate and mangling several vehicles in the process. The tornado regained EF4 intensity on the other side of the Interstate as it tore through several neighborhoods and destroyed numerous additional homes (though the EF4 damage swath was narrower at this point). A large grassy field between two subdivisions in this area was scoured to bare soil, with wind-rowed structural debris and several mangled vehicles strewn to the east. One brick home on Hunters Glen Court sustained EF5 damage, with only the slab foundation and anchor bolts remaining. Very little structural debris or house contents was recovered from that residence, and the small number of debris that remained was wind-rowed well away from the site. Two vehicles were also lofted from the residence, one of which was thrown over 100 yd m. The tornado continued through Moore's eastern neighborhoods. Highland East Jr. High's main building was spared, but the separate gymnasium building was completely destroyed, and a set of lockers from the structure was lofted and thrown a considerable distance into a nearby neighborhood. The Moore Public Schools administration building, a converted former hospital located a few blocks to the east, was also struck and destroyed.The Mercy of the Sky 3:27 P.M., May 20 Holly Bailey Viking Books 223–229 2015 978-0-525-42749-0 thumb|left|A large, well-built home that sustained EF5 damage in eastern Moore The tornado was noticeably narrower at this point, but was still causing a continuous swath of EF4 damage to numerous homes as it moved through multiple subdivisions. A well-built, anchor-bolted home at the corner of Heatherwood Drive and Southeast 5th Street was reduced to a bare slab, sustaining EF5 damage. A large, well-bolted-down home at the end of a private drive off of Southeast 4th Street (SH-37) was also swept cleanly away at EF5 intensity. Debris was scattered well away from the site, a vehicle was thrown over 100 yd m, and wind-rowing was again noted at that location. Weakening and dissipation Further east, the tornado weakened to EF3 strength as it exited Moore, destroying six industrial buildings and damaging two others. A final small area of EF4 damage was noted nearby as two homes and a concrete building were leveled. The tornado then began to rapidly narrow and weaken, snapping and uprooting several trees and causing EF2 damage to a farm just east of Moore, where the house lost its roof and an outbuilding was destroyed. A pickup truck slid 200 ft m away from the farm into a field while remaining upright. At 3:35 p.m. CDT, the tornado dissipated at a nearby tree line about 1/3 mi km in east of South Air Depot Boulevard. The tornado traveled a total of 13.85 mi km out 3 over 39 minutes,13 moving at an average rate of 9.5 m/s mph out output only flip (9.5 m/s km/h out output only).4 It reached a maximum width of 1900 yd m out 4.13 The violent updrafts in the supercell that produced the tornado lofted debris from homes and other buildings in Moore at least 10 mi km outside of the tornado's outer circulation, with reports of various objects and personal possessions being found as far away as Midwest City.The Mercy of the Sky 3:35 P.M., May 20 Holly Bailey Viking Books 235–242 2015 978-0-525-42749-0 Impact Damages thumb|An aerial view of destroyed homes in Moore, taken by the Oklahoma National Guard The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management reported that 25 people were killed (with another death indirectly attributed to the tornado). The Oklahoma Medical Examiner recognizes 25 fatalities.May 21, 2013 Moore, Okla. Tornado Death Toll Rises The Weather Channel The Weather Company http://www.weather.com/news/moore-okla-tornado-death-toll-rises-20130805 live November 19, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131112031647/http://www.weather.com/news/moore-okla-tornado-death-toll-rises-20130805 November 12, 2013 An estimated 1,150 homes were destroyed, resulting in an estimated $2 billion in damages.Satellite picture reveals the scar left behind by Moore tornado http://www.nbcnews.com/science/satellite-picture-reveals-scar-left-behind-moore-tornado-6C10219235?franchiseSlug=sciencemain Andrea Thompson NBC News June 5, 2013 January 24, 2014 live https://web.archive.org/web/20140124204742/http://www.nbcnews.com/science/satellite-picture-reveals-scar-left-behind-moore-tornado-6C10219235?franchiseSlug=sciencemain January 24, 2014 The number of injured was 377.Students, teachers from tornado-leveled school say goodbye http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/23/us/oklahoma-tornado-main/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 Josh Levs CNN Time Warner May 24, 2013 March 14, 2014 January 27, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140127180539/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/23/us/oklahoma-tornado-main/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 liveTornado had winds over 200 mph https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2013/05/21/oklahoma-tornadoes/2344923/ Trevor Hughes Rick Jervis Jonathan Shorman William M. Welch USA Today Gannett Company May 21, 2016 March 14, 2014 May 21, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130521120222/http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2013/05/21/oklahoma-tornadoes/2344923/ live Entire subdivisions were obliterated, and houses were flattened in a large swath of the city. The majority of a neighborhood just west of the Moore Medical Center was destroyed.Assessing the Damage Along the Tornado's Path in Oklahoma https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/05/20/us/oklahoma-tornado-map.html?_r=1& Mike Bostock Joe Burgess Amanda Cox Matthew Ericson Hannah Fairfield Ford Fessenden Josh Keller Tom Giratikanon Haeyoun Park Sergio Peçanha Kevin Quealy Graham Roberts Archie Tse Derek Watkins Timothy Wallace The New York Times May 24, 2013 May 24, 2013 May 23, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130523210213/http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/05/20/us/oklahoma-tornado-map.html?_r=1& live Witnesses said the tornado more closely resembled "a giant black wall of destruction" than a typical twister.Massive Tornado Hits Moore, OK http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2013/05/20/massive-tornado-hits-moore-ok.html The Daily Beast IAC May 20, 2013 May 20, 2013 May 20, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130520223522/http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2013/05/20/massive-tornado-hits-moore-ok.html live Briarwood Elementary School Cobb family staggering out of Briarwood Elementary School Among the hardest hit areas were two public schools: Briarwood Elementary School and Plaza Towers Elementary School. A preliminary study of Briarwood Elementary School conducted in September 2013 by a group of structural engineers found some structural deficiencies that led to its collapse during the tornado. Chris Ramseyer, a structural engineer and an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma determined that the building's walls that were not reinforced with concrete, there had been a lack of connection between the masonry walls and support beams in several portions of the building, and anchor bolts were pulled from the ground by the tornado. Another engineer that was involved in the study stated that the deficiencies that Ramseyer pointed out were not uncommon building practices at the time, and that current building code standards would not ensure that Briarwood would have withstood winds in excess of 200 mph km/h.Structural faults found in destroyed Moore elementary school, engineer says http://newsok.com/structural-faults-found-in-destroyed-moore-elementary-school-engineer-says/article/3936119 The Oklahoman The Anschutz Corporation February 21, 2014 March 11, 2014 March 9, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140309141155/http://newsok.com/structural-faults-found-in-destroyed-moore-elementary-school-engineer-says/article/3936119 live Plaza Towers Elementary School thumb|left|Over a dozen emergency workers comb through the rubble of Plaza Towers Elementary School At Plaza Towers, the second school to be hit, parents had been allowed to collect their children early in preparation for the oncoming storm. Therefore, by the time the tornado struck only about 75 students and teachers were in the building. Many students and teachers took shelter in bathrooms and closets, but in a newer addition to the building which housed the school's second and third grade classrooms, seven fatalities occurred. Third grade teacher Jennifer Doan was taking shelter with eleven of her students in a hallway when the tornado struck. Doan and her students were trapped when the walls of the corridor collapsed on top of them. Doan, who was two months pregnant with her third child at the time, suffered severe injuries to her back, but did not lose the baby. She and five of her students were pulled out, with the children suffering only minor to moderate injuries. Another six of her students along with a student from another third-grade class died.Oklahoma lowers tornado death toll amid frantic search https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tornadoes-idUSBRE94J0TK20130521 Carey Gillam Ian Simpson Reuters May 21, 2013 May 21, 2013 March 5, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160305153424/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tornadoes-idUSBRE94J0TK20130521 liveThe Hallway https://oklahoman.com/article/3855448/the-hallway Phillip O'Connor William Crum The Oklahoman June 23, 2013 January 6, 2021 January 6, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210106074738/https://oklahoman.com/article/3855448/the-hallway live Other regions thumb|Damage from the tornado still evident one month later The Moore Medical Center was heavily damaged, but no one present in the building was injured by the tornado. The center's staff had to relocate 30 patients to a hospital in Norman and another hospital. Part of I-35 was shut down due to debris that had been thrown onto the freeway.Massive Tornado Kills At Least 24 In Moore, Hits Elementary Schools http://www.news9.com/story/22301266/massive-tornado-kills-at-least-51-in-moore-hits-elementary-school KWTV-DT Griffin Communications May 21, 2013 May 21, 2013 June 9, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130609100128/http://www.news9.com/story/22301266/massive-tornado-kills-at-least-51-in-moore-hits-elementary-school live On May 21, Moore still did not have running water.The day after, tornado survivors tell harrowing stories http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/oklahoma-tornado-scene/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 Ashley Fantz Ed Lavandera CNN Time Warner May 22, 2013 May 22, 2013 May 21, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130521234123/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/oklahoma-tornado-scene/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 live There were more than 61,500 power outages related to the tornado.President pledges to aid Moore disaster recovery http://www.edmondsun.com/local/x6238249/President-pledges-to-aid-Moore-disaster-recovery Mark Schlachtenhaufen Edmond Sun May 21, 2013 May 21, 2013 June 30, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130630010806/http://www.edmondsun.com/local/x6238249/President-pledges-to-aid-Moore-disaster-recovery dead More than 100 people were rescued from areas that sustained significant damage from the tornado.Oklahoma tornado spread destruction like a 'two-mile-wide lawnmower blade' http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/severe-weather/index.html CNN Time Warner May 21, 2013 May 22, 2013 May 22, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130522182303/http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/severe-weather/index.html live The Oklahoma Department of Insurance estimated that insurance claims for damage would likely be more than $1 billion.'We will come back strong,' governor vows http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/21/live-tornado-devastates-oklahoma-city-area/ Jason Hanna Rachel Clarke CNN Time Warner May 21, 2013 May 22, 2013 June 8, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130608064616/http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/21/live-tornado-devastates-oklahoma-city-area/ dead Some meteorologists estimated that the energy released by the storm could have been eight to more than 600 times greater than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.Borenstein Seth May 21, 2013 Power of Moore tornado dwarfs Hiroshima bomb Associated Press News https://apnews.com/779e55edec9f466581043606bfd5f8ea live October 10, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231010132424/https://apnews.com/779e55edec9f466581043606bfd5f8ea October 10, 2023 Casualties In addition to erroneous reports concerning the status of Briarwood and Plaza Towers students, various reports regarding fatality and injury counts as well as persons unaccounted for were circulated by traditional and social media outlets in the immediate time after the tornado struck, which could not immediately be confirmed or refuted due to communications disruptions in the affected areas or were the result of incorrect counting due to miscommunication of estimates.The Mercy of the Sky 3:45 to 6:00 P.M., May 20 Holly Bailey Viking Books 243–256 2015 978-0-525-42749-0The Mercy of the Sky May 21 Holly Bailey Viking Books 266–277 2015 978-0-525-42749-0 Within the first two days, it was reported that between 237Oklahoma governor says 237 people injured in tornado – as it happened https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/21/oklahoma-city-tornado-live-updates Tom McCarthy Haroon Siddique The Guardian May 21, 2013 May 23, 2013 live https://web.archive.org/web/20140124213824/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/21/oklahoma-city-tornado-live-updates January 24, 2014 and 240 people had been injured, with the tally later increasing to over 350.Death Toll Revised Lower in Oklahoma Tornado https://www.voanews.com/a/death-toll-revised-lower-in-oklahoma-tornado/1665174.html Voice of America May 21, 2013 May 21, 2013 June 10, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130610044325/http://www.voanews.com/content/death-toll-revised-lower-in-oklahoma-tornado/1665174.html live The final count of injuries was later adjusted downward to 212.F5/EF-5 Tornadoes in Oklahoma (1905-Present) https://www.weather.gov/oun/tornadodata-ok-f5tornadoes live https://web.archive.org/web/20230814192923/https://www.weather.gov/oun/tornadodata-ok-f5tornadoes August 14, 2023 October 10, 2023 National Weather Service in Norman, OK National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration On the morning of May 21, the medical examiner's office incorrectly stated that 91 bodies of tornado victims had been received.Oxford Nick Schwirtz Michael May 20, 2013 Vast Oklahoma Tornado Kills Dozens The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/21/us/tornado-oklahoma.html live October 10, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230214183052/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/21/us/tornado-oklahoma.html February 14, 2023 0362-4331 This number was up from the earlier report of 51 bodies that were incorrectly stated as having been received. Upon the office's discovery that some victims were mistakenly counted twice due to communication errors made by Moore rescue response units that the bodies were admitted to area funeral homes (nearly all of the deceased were actually transported to the examiner's office in Oklahoma City), the actual number was revised downward and later confirmed at 24 tornado victims. The number was later increased to 25, with one indirect victim. The first two deaths occurred in a house in the Westmoor subdivision east of Briarwood Elementary School; the next was a homeless person who was standing at the intersection of SW 144th St and Santa Fe Avenue; seven occurred following a wall collapse at Plaza Towers Elementary; nine occurred in the neighborhood immediately west of Plaza Towers Elementary between SW 10th Street and SW 14th Street, including one on SW 6th Street near Telephone Road; three occurred at a 7-Eleven Gas Station at the SW 4th Street and Telephone Road intersection, including a young mother and her newborn babyhttps://www.oklahoman.com/story/weather/2013/05/22/oklahoma-tornadoes-mother-newborn-died-seeking-refuge-from-the-storm/60942543007/ and a gas station employee; one occurred in the neighborhood alongside the east side of Interstate 35; and one occurred in a home that was destroyed between Eastern Avenue and Bryant Avenue. The medical examiner's office increased the death toll to 25 after a 90-year-old woman who suffered a fractured skull during the tornado died on August 1.Diana Baldwin Victim dies 73 days after tornado http://newsok.com/article/3868413 The Oklahoman August 2, 2013 May 11, 2018 December 11, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131211123846/http://newsok.com/article/3868413 live On May 6, 2018, nearly five years after the tornado, a 14-year-old survivor who suffered posttraumatic stress disorder after losing seven of his friends at Plaza Towers Elementary School committed suicide.2013 teen survivor of Moore school destroyed by tornado commits suicide http://kfor.com/2018/05/10/2013-teen-survivor-of-moore-school-destroyed-by-tornado-commits-suicide/ KFOR News May 10, 2018 May 11, 2018 May 11, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180511080156/http://kfor.com/2018/05/10/2013-teen-survivor-of-moore-school-destroyed-by-tornado-commits-suicide/ live Patients were taken to Integris Southwest Medical Center and The Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City. Over 140 patients, including at least 70 children, were treated at hospitals.May 20, 2013 Hospitals treat more than 140 after Oklahoma tornado, including 70 children New Haven Register Associated Press https://www.nhregister.com/connecticut/article/Hospitals-treat-more-than-140-after-Oklahoma-11399601.php live October 10, 2023 https://archive.today/20231010133415/https://www.nhregister.com/connecticut/article/Hospitals-treat-more-than-140-after-Oklahoma-11399601.php October 10, 2023 Aftermath Initial aid thumb|President Barack Obama talks on the phone to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin in the Oval Office Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin declared a state of emergency on May 20. She held her first post-tornado news conference at noon on May 21. The Federal Emergency Management Agency deployed urban search and rescue teams to the tornado-hit areas, and provided incident command personnel to organize and support rescue efforts.https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2013/05/20/fema-federal-partners-support-response-severe-storms-oklahoma FEMA, Federal Partners Support Response to Severe Storms in Oklahoma Federal Emergency Management Agency May 20, 2013 May 21, 2013 February 1, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200201145150/https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2013/05/20/fema-federal-partners-support-response-severe-storms-oklahoma dead The Oklahoma National Guard was also deployed. Governor Mary Fallin requested assistance from then-President Barack ObamaOklahoma governor calls out National Guard http://www.khou.com/news/national/Oklahoma-governor-calls-out-National-Guard-208229051.html https://archive.today/20130620153648/http://www.khou.com/news/national/Oklahoma-governor-calls-out-National-Guard-208229051.html dead June 20, 2013 Associated Press KHOU Belo Corporation May 20, 2013 May 21, 2013 who declared a major disaster in the state and ordered federal aid to the affected areas.Obama declares major disaster in Oklahoma http://www.boston.com/news/weather/2013/05/20/obama-declares-major-disaster-oklahoma/HhzzzIWG55dgOrW8tsoKBP/story.html Associated Press Boston Herald News Corp. May 20, 2013 May 21, 2013 May 2026 medicmedic Governor Fallin quickly dismissed an idea to make a law that would require all schools in Oklahoma to have a shelter that would protect children during severe weather (prior to the tornado, only two of the twelve schools in the Moore Public Schools district had storm shelters, Kelley Elementary and Westmoore High School, which were rebuilt with concrete safe rooms after both were destroyed in the 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado).Gov. Fallin: Okla. will not have law requiring storm shelters in schools http://kfor.com/2013/06/05/gov-fallin-okla-will-not-have-law-requiring-storm-shelters-in-schools/ KFOR-TV Local TV June 5, 2013 November 19, 2013 November 19, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131119200935/http://kfor.com/2013/06/05/gov-fallin-okla-will-not-have-law-requiring-storm-shelters-in-schools/ live Cleveland, Lincoln, McClain, Oklahoma, and Pottawatomie Counties received federal funding for hazard mitigation measure statewide.Gov. Fallin Announces Federal Assistance Granted for Oklahomans Devastated by Tornadoes http://www.ok.gov/triton/modules/newsroom/newsroom_article.php?id=223&article_id=11852 The State of Oklahoma May 21, 2013 May 21, 2013 May 22, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130522182719/http://www.ok.gov/triton/modules/newsroom/newsroom_article.php?id=223&article_id=11852 live Obama visited the disaster-stricken areas on May 26.President Obama Tours Tornado Damage in Moore, Oklahoma: "We've Got Your Back" https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2013/05/26/president-obama-tours-tornado-damage-moore-oklahoma-weve-got-your-back Ezra Mechaber May 26, 2013 National Archives whitehouse.gov May 28, 2013 January 25, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170125162427/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2013/05/26/president-obama-tours-tornado-damage-moore-oklahoma-weve-got-your-back livethumb|Governor Mary Fallin stands with a family that survived the devastating Moore tornado|left At noon on May 21, the U.S. Senate held a moment of silence for the victims.Cox Ramsey May 21, 2013 Senate holds moment of silence for victims of Okla. tornado The Hill https://thehill.com/video/senate/151171-senate-holds-moment-of-silence-for-victims-of-okla-tornado/ live October 10, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231010134031/https://thehill.com/video/senate/151171-senate-holds-moment-of-silence-for-victims-of-okla-tornado/ October 10, 2023 Delegates from several countries and Pope Francis offered condolences,The Queen's message to President Obama http://www.royal.gov.uk/LatestNewsandDiary/Speechesandarticles/2013/TheQueensmessagetoPresidentObamafollowingthetornad.aspx Monarchy of the United Kingdom May 22, 2013 June 7, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130607154118/http://www.royal.gov.uk/LatestNewsandDiary/Speechesandarticles/2013/TheQueensmessagetoPresidentObamafollowingthetornad.aspx liveTornade aux Etats-Unis http://www.elysee.fr/communiques-de-presse/article/tornade-aux-etats-unis/ Élysée Palace fr May 21, 2013 May 22, 2013 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130605100557/http://www.elysee.fr/communiques-de-presse/article/tornade-aux-etats-unis/ June 5, 2013 mdy-allKondolenztelegramm von Bundeskanzlerin Merkel an US-Präsident Obama http://www.bundeskanzlerin.de/Content/DE/Pressemitteilungen/BPA/2013/05/2013-05-21-kondolenztelegramm-obama.html Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany de May 21, 2013 May 22, 2013 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20131109032541/http://www.bundeskanzlerin.de/Content/DE/Pressemitteilungen/BPA/2013/05/2013-05-21-kondolenztelegramm-obama.html November 9, 2013 Pope praying for children, others struck by Oklahoma tornado https://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/pope-praying-for-children-others-struck-by-oklahoma-tornado Estefania Aguirre Catholic News Agency May 21, 2013 May 21, 2013 June 12, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130612060845/http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-praying-for-children-others-struck-by-oklahoma-tornado/ live and the United Nations offered assistance in the recovery efforts.UN global disasters forum opens with condolences for Oklahoma City tornado victims https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44959&Cr=disaster+risk&Cr1=#.UZzO_dJwrSh United Nations May 22, 2013 May 21, 2013 October 10, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131010005434/http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44959&Cr=disaster+risk&Cr1=#.UZzO_dJwrSh live The Canadian Red Cross accepted donations of money and supplies for their American counterparts to assist with disaster relief and recovery.2013 Tornadoes and Severe Weather USA http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=45673&tid=001 Canadian Red Cross May 21, 2013 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20140209100121/http://www.redcross.ca/donate/your-donation-in-action/past-appeals/international/2013/2013-tornadoes-and-severe-weather-usa 2014-02-09 The United Methodist Committee on Relief,UMCOR Assists Tornado Victims in Oklahoma http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/umcor-assists-tornado-victims-in-oklahoma-208403441.html PR Newswire May 22, 2013 May 22, 2013 January 17, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140117035924/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/umcor-assists-tornado-victims-in-oklahoma-208403441.html live Direct Relief,Cervenka Rachael June 3, 2013 Oklahoma tornadoes: California-based nonprofit donates medical supplies The Oklahoman https://www.oklahoman.com/story/lifestyle/health-fitness/2013/06/03/oklahoma-tornades-california-based-nonprofit-donates-medical-supplies/60928933007/ live October 10, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231010134412/https://www.oklahoman.com/story/lifestyle/health-fitness/2013/06/03/oklahoma-tornades-california-based-nonprofit-donates-medical-supplies/60928933007/#lnkdikpklm8h548486r October 10, 2023 Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder,Sports Xchange: Durant donates $1 million to tornado victims http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/chi-kevin-durant-donation-tornado-victims-20130521,0,2177194.story Chicago Tribune Tribune Publishing May 21, 2013 May 21, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130522015822/http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/chi-kevin-durant-donation-tornado-victims-20130521,0,2177194.story May 22, 2013 dead Continental Resources,Continental Resources Supporting Oklahoma Tornado Relief With $2.5 Million Donation http://www.wfsb.com/story/22346299/continental-resources-supporting-oklahoma-tornado-relief-with-25-million-donation https://archive.today/20130623120524/http://www.wfsb.com/story/22346299/continental-resources-supporting-oklahoma-tornado-relief-with-25-million-donation dead June 23, 2013 WFSB Meredith Corporation May 21, 2013 May 21, 2013 Devon Energy,Devon Energy Pledges Millions To Tornado Disaster Relief http://www.news9.com/story/22313269/devon-energy-pledges-millions-to-tornado-disaster-relief KWTV-DT Griffin Communications May 21, 2013 May 21, 2013 June 9, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130609044059/http://www.news9.com/story/22313269/devon-energy-pledges-millions-to-tornado-disaster-relief live ONEOK,ONEOK to Donate $1 Million to Tornado Disaster-Relief Efforts in Oklahoma http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oneok-to-donate-1-million-to-tornado-disaster-relief-efforts-in-oklahoma-208388061.html ONEOK Tulsa, Oklahoma May 21, 2013 May 23, 2013 ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE: OKE) today announced that the ONEOK Foundation will donate up to $1 million to support disaster-relief efforts in Oklahoma following this week's devastating tornado outbreak. January 17, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140117035921/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oneok-to-donate-1-million-to-tornado-disaster-relief-efforts-in-oklahoma-208388061.html live Koch Industries,Koch Industries, Inc. Donates to Oklahoma Tornado Relief http://www.fortmilltimes.com/2013/05/21/2706806/koch-industries-inc-donates-to.html Fort Mill Times The McClatchy Company The Herald May 21, 2013 May 21, 2013 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130619210403/http://www.fortmilltimes.com/2013/05/21/2706806/koch-industries-inc-donates-to.html June 19, 2013 Hobby Lobby,Oklahoma tornadoes: Hobby Lobby pledges $2 million to tornado relief http://newsok.com/oklahoma-tornadoes-hobby-lobby-pledges-2-million-to-tornado-relief/article/3834119 The Oklahoman The Anschutz Corporation May 25, 2013 May 25, 2013 June 14, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130614044357/http://newsok.com/oklahoma-tornadoes-hobby-lobby-pledges-2-million-to-tornado-relief/article/3834119 live and Carrie Underwood all pledged donations to the relief efforts.Carrie Underwood's Incredibly Generous Donation to Oklahoma http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/our-country/carrie-underwood-incredibly-generous-donation-oklahoma-172358677.html Yahoo! News May 24, 2013 May 24, 2013 June 8, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130608010810/http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/our-country/carrie-underwood-incredibly-generous-donation-oklahoma-172358677.html live Moore Mayor Glenn Lewis stated that he would attempt to get an ordinance passed requiring storm shelters or safe rooms in new housing projects.Oklahoma-Moore-Ordinance http://www.wyff4.com/news/national/URGENT-Oklahoma-Moore-Ordinance/-/9324256/20252020/-/usq73/-/index.html?absolute=true WYFF Hearst Television CNN May 22, 2013 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20131226095822/http://www.wyff4.com/news/national/URGENT-Oklahoma-Moore-Ordinance/-/9324256/20252020/-/usq73/-/index.html?absolute=true December 26, 2013 Television changes and documentary specials The third season finale of the sitcom Mike & Molly, titled "Windy City", was pulled by CBS from its original May 20 airdate within hours of the event due to the episode featuring a plotline involving a tornado descending on Chicago; the network later rescheduled the episode to air ten days later on May 30, 2013.'Mike And Molly' Finale: Tornado-Themed Episode Pulled In Wake Of Oklahoma Tragedy http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/mike-and-molly-finale-tornado-episode-pulled_n_3308913.html Chris Harnick The Huffington Post AOL May 20, 2013 May 21, 2013 May 22, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130522133827/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/mike-and-molly-finale-tornado-episode-pulled_n_3308913.html liveCBS' 'Mike & Molly' Tornado Finale Rescheduled for May 30 http://screencrush.com/cbs-mike-molly-tornado-finale-windy-city/ Screen Crush May 28, 2013 October 2, 2013 October 5, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131005013802/http://screencrush.com/cbs-mike-molly-tornado-finale-windy-city/ live thumb|left|An NWS preliminary comparison of the tracks of the 2013 Moore tornado (red), the 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado (green), and the 2003 Moore–Choctaw tornado (blue) On May 29, 2013, NBC aired Healing in the Heartland: Relief Benefit Concert, a fundraising concert that was held at Chesapeake Energy Arena in downtown Oklahoma City. The benefit was hosted by country singer and Oklahoma native Blake Shelton and featured performances from Miranda Lambert, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts, Usher, Darius Rucker and Luke Bryan. The concert raised more than $6 million for the United Way of Central Oklahoma.Blake Shelton Tornado Relief Concert Raises $6 Million https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/blake-shelton-tornado-relief-concert-raises-6-million-20130531 Erin Coulehan Rolling Stone Wenner Media LLC May 31, 2013 June 3, 2013 June 14, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130614073706/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/blake-shelton-tornado-relief-concert-raises-6-million-20130531 live On June 2, 2013, Discovery Channel aired an hour-long documentary about the storm titled Mile-Wide Tornado: Oklahoma Disaster. The documentary provides a comprehensive look at the tornado's impact and drew comparisons of the storm to the 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore tornado.About Mile Wide Tornado: Oklahoma Disaster http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/oklahoma-tornado/about/about-the-show.htm Discovery Channel Discovery Communications June 11, 2013 June 22, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130622225215/http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/oklahoma-tornado/about/about-the-show.htm live The Moore City Council proposed a measure making twelve changes to its residential building codes, include requiring that new home construction in the city include hurricane clips or framing anchors, continuous plywood bracing and wind-resistant garage doors in order for homes to withstand winds up to 135 mph km/h (equivalent to a high-end EF2 tornado). When the measure was passed in a unanimous vote held on March 17, 2014, Moore became the first city in the United States to adopt a building code addressing the effects of tornadoes on homes, which exceed the national standards set by the National Association of Home Builders.Moore considers enacting a stronger building code http://newsok.com/moore-considers-enacting-a-stronger-building-code/article/3941631 The Oklahoman The Anschutz Corporation March 10, 2014 March 11, 2014 March 11, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140311195817/http://newsok.com/moore-considers-enacting-a-stronger-building-code/article/3941631 liveMoore City Council takes historic step in bolstering homes http://newsok.com/moore-city-council-takes-historic-step-in-bolstering-homes/article/3944338 The Oklahoman The Anschutz Corporation March 17, 2014 March 30, 2014 March 18, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140318131723/http://newsok.com/moore-city-council-takes-historic-step-in-bolstering-homes/article/3944338 live See also Oklahoma Weather List of tornadoes in Cleveland County, Oklahoma List of notable media in the field of meteorology Tornado outbreak sequence of May 2003 – a tornado outbreak that spawned an F4 tornado that struck similar areas almost ten years earlier Tornado outbreak of May 10–13, 2010 – a tornado outbreak that spawned an EF4 tornado that struck nearby areas three years earlier References External links Preliminary Reconnaissance of the May 20, 2013, Newcastle-Moore Tornado in Oklahoma (National Institute of Standards and Technology) Moore, Oklahoma Tornadoes (1890–Present) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Videos HncWemM5fJc Radar loop of the Moore tornado XMF22_MEMJU Formation and initial impact of the Moore tornado 77jiaIn4BoY "Inside" The Moore Tornado xTpceWd8UE4 "Outside" The Moore Tornado UTNg5hwseZU May 20, 2013 Moore Tornado Family that lived through the tornado Maps Satellite images of Moore taken on May 22, 2013 – two days after the tornado from Google Crisis Response Map of tornado path and damage from The New York Times Map of tornadoes in OKC metro area since 1950 from the Los Angeles Times 2011 Moore City Map from City of Moore 2013 Oklahoma City Metro Map from Oklahoma Department Of Transportation 35.284 -97.628 title Moore tornado Moore tornado 2013-05-20 2013-05-20 05-20 Category:May 2013 in the United States