Draft:1999 Mulhal F4

On May 3rd, 1999, A large tornado outbreak with violent (F4-F5) tornadoes hit Oklahoma and Kansas. There were a total of 74 tornadoes that occurred on that day. Including the well known and documented, 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore F5 that impacted Southern Oklahoma City. Later after the F5, a large, multivortex wedge tornado touched down near Cimarron City in Logan County. The tornado then moved East-Northeast as it started to approach the town of Mulhall, becoming violent and wide. The main Vortex was measured just over 1 mile wide by a Doppler on Wheels (DOW) truck. The tornado would also measure a circulation of about 4.3 miles (6.9 Kilometers) at its peak intensity. The outer circulation would measure winds up to 96 miles per hour. (154km/h).

Atmospheric Conditions and the May 3rd 1999 Outbreak.

On the days leading to May 3rd, 1999, The National Weather Service (NWS) noted the more increasingly high risks. Starting out as a "Slight" (level 2 out of 5) risk, it was later changed to a "Moderate" (level 4 out of 5) risk. This day would be the first time the National Weather Service would use the new "Tornado Emergency" Upgraded Tornado Warning. Which is only used for large and very violent tornadoes. Which could be life threatening. With the Dew Point hitting the 60's and 70's, and the perfect wind shear, as well as over 4,000 Joules Per Kilogram, this was the exact ingredients needed for Supercell Thunderstorms to form. At around 3:30, the first Supercells began to fire along the rapidly intensifying Dryline. Around 4:15 PM, a Tornadic Supercell spawned a very weak tornado (around F0 or F1 on the Fujita Scale) near the town of Lawton, Oklahoma. This was the start of the Super Outbreak of May 3rd, 1999. After about 6 hours since the first tornado in Lawton and around 2 1/2 since the Bridge Creek-Moore F5 which devastated Oklahoma City, around 9:25 PM The Mulhall Tornado touched down in Logan County.

Lifespan of the Mulhall Tornado.

At about 9:25 PM, the Tornadic Supercell Storm "B" which had earlier spawned the Bridge Creek-Moore F5, got it's updraft rotating and spawned it's 11th and final Tornado of the outbreak. The tornado touched down near Cimarron City in Logan County. Not causing too much damage early in the tornadoes life, it eventually started to intensify. Dealing significant F4 damage (possibly F5*) to multiple structures, destroying barns, a school, cotton gins, and even an Oil Rig. The Mulhall tornado even started to scour the Earth. Only the most intense and violent tornadoes are capable of this. Around 9:40 PM, a Doppler on Wheels (DOW) truck started scanning the Mulhall tornado. There, they found winds of around 257 Mph (413 Km/h). That's F5 wind speeds. F5 tornadoes have 200+ Mph winds on both Fujita scales. At 10:11 PM,the Violent, mile-wide wedge entered Mulhall. Heading from the Southwest at 30 Mph, the wedge tornado slammed into Mulhall. The tornado destroyed 75% of Mulhall in about 4 minutes. Fortunately, nobody died in Mulhall. However, there were 26 injuries. Some who sheltered underneath highway overpasses had life-threatening injuries. When the tornado tracked across a highway outside of town, 2 people died. 1 of which was direct to the tornado. Alan McClure (45), was driving with his son on Interstate 35 after picking up a truck. When the storm intensified, he hid underneath Lakeview Road Overpass near Perry. When on of the tornadoes subvortex directly struck his vehicle, throwing it around 70 yards, sadly killing him. His son, who was in a separate vehicle, survived.

Aftermath of the Mulhall F4.

After the tornado, Mulhall's people started immense cleanups, rebuilding efforts, making new codes for buildings, and more. People said it looked like a "war zone" because of the utter devastation. First Responders were quickly on the scene. In the days after the May 3rd Outbreak, National Weather Service survey teams and people were investigating damage and helping in the clean-up efforts. The National Weather Service team that was surveying damage from Tornado B20 (Mulhall tornado), Concluded the tornado was a high-end F4 Tornado on the Fujita scale. With wind speeds that are associated with F5. (200+ Mph or 321 Km/h)

National Weather Service's map of Tornadoes in Logan County, Oklahoma

The Mulhall tornado is often forgotten due to it being overshadowed by the more well-known Bridge Creek-Moore F5.

References

Google, Wikipedia, NOAA, NWS