1995 Texas Panhandle tornado outbreak

none May 2025 1995 Texas Panhandle tornado outbreak infobox 1/2 300 19950608 kama pampa bv.gif 1995 Allison, Texas F4 tornado.png Project VORTEX damage surveys of tornadoes around McLean, Texas on June 8, 1995.png 300 Clockwise from top: Radar Loop – Tornado map – wedge tornado Clockwise from top: A radar loop showing several tornadic supercells across the Texas Panhandle on June 8 – A map of several tornadoes around McLean, Texas after damage surveys conducted by Project VORTEX – A large wedge tornado west of Allison being backlit by lightning. June 8, 1995 29 F4 0 11 > $30 million 30000000 1995 Texas Panhandle, Western Oklahoma Tornadoes of 1995 The 1995 Texas Panhandle tornado outbreak, alternatively known as the tornado outbreak of June 8, 1995, was a severe and localized outbreak that struck the Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma, on June 8, 1995. It is most well known for the tornado that hit Pampa, along with the Allison F4, the Kellerville F4, and the Hoover F2. Each of these tornadoes has sparked controversy over their rating, with many claiming that they had reached F5 intensity. In total, 29 tornadoes were recorded during that day, with 23 being in Western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. One cyclic supercell in the Texas Panhandle produced at least 5 of those 23 tornadoes, while another spawned at least 8. There were 3 F4s, and the tornadoes caused 11 injuries. Meteorological synopsis An unusually high dewpoint of 22-23C caused extremely high CAPE values of over 5000 J/kg. The environment supported supercells, and with a large amount of shear and curvature in the hodograph, supercell development was supported.Dowell David C. Bluestein Howard B. 2002-11-01 The 8 June 1995 McLean, Texas, Storm. Part I: Observations of Cyclic Tornadogenesis Monthly Weather Review EN 130 11 2626–2648 10.1175/1520-0493(2002)130<2626:TJMTSP>2.0.CO;2 2002MWRv..130.2626D 1520-0493 free 4 These conditions lead to several tornadic supercells, which were studied by the VORTEX project.2 Confirmed tornadoes All data are from NWS monthly storm data publication and NWS storm reports archive.Center Storm Prediction NOAA's NWS Storm Prediction Center Storm Reports Historical Data https://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/historical.html 2024-10-21 www.spc.noaa.gov EN-USStorm Data Publication IPS National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/IPS/sd/sd.html 2024-10-21 www.ncdc.noaa.gov 29 16 5 5 0 3 0 no F#LocationCounty and StateStart Time (UTC)Path lengthMax WidthProgression/Non-injury EffectsInjuries F0NE of Idaho FallsBonneville County, Idaho22150.1 miles (0.16 km)10 yd (9 m)No damage was reported.0 F1Seligman to Eagle RockBarry County, Missouri210412 miles (19.3 km)250 yd (229 m)This tornado went through Roaring River State Park, uprooted trees, and caused $100,000 100000 1995 in damages by damaging nearly 100 camper-trailers.3 F0SE of Poplar BluffButler County, Missouri22520.25 miles (0.40 km)50 yd (46 m)Some trees were downed.0 F0ForsythTaney County, Missouri00280.1 miles (0.16 km)100 yd (91 m)0 F1SelmanHarper County, Oklahoma22150.2 miles (0.32 km)30 yd (27 m)Caused $4000 4000 1995 in damage.1 F0NNE of ShattuckEllis County, Oklahoma01170.1 miles (0.16 km)30 yd (27 m)0 F2NNE of ReydonRoger Mills County, Oklahoma02185 miles (8 km)300 yd (274 m)Caused $5000 5000 1995 in damage.0 F0NE of RoxboroPerson County, North Carolina23521.0 miles (1.6 km)35 yd (32 m)Some trees were downed.0 F0SSE of West ForkWashington County, Arkansas00200.1 miles (0.16 km)30 yd (27 m)0 F0SSW of PampaGray County, Texas21270.1 miles (0.16 km)50 yd (46 m)First tornado produced by the Pampa supercell.0 F4PampaGray County, Texas21313 miles (4.8 km)200 yd (183 m)Second, and most destructive, tornado produced by the Pampa supercell (see also #Pampa, Texas)7 F0E of PampaGray County, Texas21500.3 miles (0.48 km)100 yd (91 m)Third tornado produced by the Pampa supercell.0 F2HooverGray County, Texas21506 miles (9.6 km)400 yd (366 m)Fourth tornado produced by the Pampa supercell. Caused $100,000 100000 1995 in damage. This tornado passed close to the Rufe Jordan Unit.1995-06-08 Pampa - Hoover, Texas Chase Tempest Tours Storm Chasers https://www.tempesttours.com/blog/pampa-hoover-texas-chase 2024-10-23 Tempest Tours en-US and stripped asphalt from roads.0 F1NW of MiamiRoberts County, Texas21553 miles (4.8 km)200 yd (183 m)0 F1NNE of PampaGray County, Texas22002 miles (3.2 km)250 yd (229 m)0 F0S of PerrytonOchiltree County, Texas22151 mile (1.6 km)73 yd (67 m)0 F0SW of ClarendonDonley County, Texas22192 miles (3.2 km)100 yd (91 m)0 F1W of MiamiRoberts County, Texas223510 miles (16 km)250 yd (229 m)Caused $300,000 300000 1995 in damage.0 F2SW of McLeanDonley County, Texas225510 miles (16 km)500 yd (457 m)First tornado produced by the McLean supercell. Rated as F3 by VORTEX.Wakimoto Roger M. Murphey Hanne V. Dowell David C. Bluestein Howard B. 2003-10-01 The Kellerville Tornado during VORTEX: Damage Survey and Doppler Radar Analyses https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/mwre/131/10/1520-0493_2003_131_2197_tktdvd_2.0.co_2.xml#i1520-0493-131-10-2197-Wakimoto7 Monthly Weather Review EN 131 10 2197–2221 10.1175/1520-0493(2003)131<2197:TKTDVD>2.0.CO;2 2003MWRv..131.2197W 1520-04930 F2SW of McLeanGray County, Texas22594 miles (6.4 km)300 yd (274 m)Caused $100,000 100000 1995 in damage.0 F0McLeanGray County, Texas23102 miles (3.2 km)100 yd (91 m)0 F2SW of McLeanGray County, Texas23104 miles (0.16 km)400 yd (366 m)Second tornado produced by the McLean supercell.0 F0SW of McLeanGray County, Texas23211 miles (1.6 km)50 yd (46 m)Third tornado produced by the McLean supercell.0 F4N of McLean - NE of MobeetieGray County, Texas, Wheeler County, Texas233529 miles (46.7 km)600 yd (550 m)This is most well known as the Kellerville tornado.Winds exceeding 110 m/s (246 mph, 396 km/h) were recorded by Doppler radar. This was the fourth (and strongest) tornado produced by the McLean supercell. Caused over $10 million 10000000 1995 in damage to crops and other property. Several structures were damaged. Severe ground scouring occurred in rural areas. Rated as F5 by VORTEX.0 F0NW of CanadianHemphill County, Texas23434 miles (6.4 km)150 yd (137 m)0 F0WNW of CanadianRoberts County, Texas23530.5 miles (0.8 km)50yd (46 m)0 F0N of McLeanGray County, Texas23550.1 miles (0.16 km)10 yd (9 m)0 F0N of McLeanGray County, Texas23550.1 miles (0.16 km)30 yd (27 m)0 F4SW of Allison - N of AllisonWheeler County, Texas, Hemphill County, Texas004515 miles (24.1 km)2200 yd (2010 m)This tornado was a large tornado, with some spotters reporting it as "one of the biggest and meanest tornadoes they had ever seen". It caused at least $2 million 2000000 1995 in damage. It killed at least 800 heads of livestock in Wheeler County. Despite every spotter report putting it as an F5, the NWS rated it an F4 due to lack of structural interactions.0 Pampa, Texas Pampa, Texas 1995 Pampa, Texas tornado.jpg 300 The tornado approaching Pampa 20 minutes June 8, 1995 June 8, 1995, 6:55 p.m. CDT (UTC–05:00) June 8, 1995, 4:47 p.m. CDT (UTC−21:31) F4 207-260 mph km/h on 0 7 $30 million (1995 USD) 1995 Pampa tornado This extremely powerful but short lived F4 tornado formed near Pampa, Texas, just after the parent storm produced an F0 tornado to the southwest. Despite only having a path 3 miles long, it caused 7 injuries, comprising a majority of the injuries caused by the outbreak. It also caused $30 million 30000000 1995 in damage as it travelled through Pampa before it lifted in the middle of the city. Per Thomas P. Grazulis, the F4 rating is based on movement of industrial equipment, as only F2-F3 damage occurred in Pampa because the tornado had weakened by then.Grazulis Thomas Significant Tornadoes 1974-2022 In total, it destroyed 75 structures and damaged 175. Tornado expert Thomas P. Grazulis stated in F5–F6 Tornadoes; "In my opinion, if there ever was an F6 tornado caught on video, it was the Pampa, Texas tornado of 1995".Thomas P. Grazulis F5-F6 Tornadoes 2021 The Tornado Project thumb|left|Photo of the Hoover, TX F2 taken by Martin Lisius. Copyright Martin Lisius. Photo shows the Rufe Jordan Unit prison in front of the tornado.After the tornado dissipated, the storm produced a short-lived F0 and the Hoover, TX tornado, which was officially rated an F2 but some storm chasers argue it was stronger. Kellerville, Texas Kellerville, Texas 1995 Kellerville tornado near Wheeler, Texas.png 300 The tornado during its stovepipe phase near the community of Wheeler, Texas. 35 minutes June 8, 1995 June 8, 1995, 6:55 p.m. CDT (UTC–05:00) June 8, 1995, 7:30 p.m. CDT (UTC–05:00) F4 207-260 mph km/h on 0 0 $10 million (1995 USD)A large and violent F4 tornado formed near McLean, Texas at 6:55 PM local time. This tornado was part of a tornado family, and was documented heavily by the VORTEX project.Storm Prediction Center Maps, Graphics, and Data Page https://www.spc.noaa.gov/wcm/#data 2026-10-17 www.spc.noaa.gov The tornado's track then showed sinusoidal movement at the beginning of its life as it was near the community of Kellerville.American Meteorological Society October 1, 2003 The Kellerville Tornado during VORTEX: Damage Survey and Doppler Radar Analyses https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/mwre/131/10/1520-0493_2003_131_2197_tktdvd_2.0.co_2.xml live October 17, 2026 2 homes were completely destroyed and another severely damaged along County Line Road.Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/storm-events-database/event-details/10355287 live 2026-10-18 www.ncei.noaa.gov The tornado continued northeast, tracking a few miles west to the community of Wheeler. The tornado continued northeast, where it damaged several other homes and businesses in its path. The tornado then shifted in direction, moving northwest and began to weaken, decreasing in width. The tornado then lifted at 7:30 PM near the community of Mobeetie.left|thumb|Residential damage near the unincorporated community of Kellerville, Texas following the tornado. Non-tornadic effects Several reports of large hail were made in Texas and Oklahoma, with the largest being 4.5 inches. The hail caused considerable damage, including denting some cars. Severe thunderstorms also moved through northern Oklahoma, causing straight-line wind damage(which caused one injury), lightning, and flash flooding. In the Texas Panhandle, wind damaged occurred to buildings and fences, and minor roof damage was reported from hail. See also Disagreements on the intensity of tornadoes Tornado outbreak sequence of May 6-27, 1995 References Category:F4, EF4 and IF4 tornadoes 06-08 Category:Tornadoes in Arkansas Category:Tornadoes in Idaho Category:Tornadoes in Missouri Category:Tornadoes in North Carolina Category:Tornadoes in Oklahoma Category:Tornadoes in Texas Category:1995 natural disasters in the United States Category:1995 in Arkansas Category:1995 in Idaho Category:1995 in Missouri Category:1995 in North Carolina Category:1995 in Oklahoma Category:1995 in Texas Tornado, 08 Category:Tornado outbreaks in the United States