Looking Back at the El Reno Tornado (credit: This Day in Weather History via NWS Norman, Oklahoma)5/31/2017  DISCUSSION: As we look back to just 4 years ago today, it is what many people refer to as being a fairly "surreal" day in United States weather history. On May 31st, 2013, many people across areas in and around central Oklahoma experienced one of the more infamous tornadoes in U.S. history. This tornado would quickly become known as the "El Reno" tornado since it became at its largest maximum size near the city of El Reno, Oklahoma. It was at around that point in time in the tornado's existence that it achieved a maximum diameter of approximately 2.6 miles which still remains to be the largest tornado to touchdown in United States tornado history. Moreover, the impacts of this massive tornado were astounding and deadly by the same token. In the video attached above, further insights are discussed in regards to the predecessor factors which to this historic tornado. In looking from the most upper levels of the atmosphere and all the way down to the surface, we find multiple factors which led to this scary and historic severe weather event.
To learn more about other past historic weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz
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 DISCUSSION: As we look back to just over 20 years ago today, we arrive at a fairly historic and frightening day in Texas state weather history. On May 27th, 1997, there was a substantial severe weather outbreak across several parts of central Texas. As quoted by the original storm summary (courtesy of the Austin/San Antonio National Weather Service forecast office located in New Braunfels, Texas):
"A deadly severe weather episode unfolded across portions of Central Texas during the afternoon and evening hours on Tuesday, May 27th, 1997. This event was made infamous by one of the most powerful tornadoes on record: an F5 which tore through a subdivision of Jarrell called Double Creek Estates in extreme northern Williamson County during the mid-afternoon. Some of the most extreme damage on record occurred with this tornado, and one account states that “the earth was scoured bare, pavement was ripped from roadways, [and] homes and other buildings were completely pulverized” (Lon Curtis, Weather Bulletin). Two tornadoes also touched down in the Austin Metro area: an F3-rated tornado in Cedar Park and an F4-rated tornado near Lakeway." To learn more details and specifics pertaining to this historic central Texas severe weather outbreak, click on the following link! To learn more about other past historic weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz 
DISCUSSION: As the severe weather season kicked into high-gear across many parts of the central Plains region of the United States, many people living across various parts of the nation experienced a truly phenomenal severe weather experience in late May. On May 24th, 2016, people living in and around the city of Woodward, Oklahoma bore witness to the occurrence of a tornado in the vicinity of sunset which allowed for many people to see a classic tornado being lit by the natural ambient light from the ongoing period of sunset. Note how during the course of this tornado footage attached above, you can clearly see how the character of the tornado rapidly changed during the course of its existence. During the latter part of this particular tornado footage, you can see how the tornado actually lifts up off the ground and begins to start the process of roping out. This is quite typical of a normal tornado life cycle as time evolves during the course of a typical tornadogenesis cycle.
To learn more about other past historic weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz Anniversary of Destructive May 2013 Moore, OK Tornado (credit: This Day in Weather History)5/28/2017  DISCUSSION: As we turn the clocks all the way back to May 20th, 2013, we arrive at a dangerous and regionally historic day in the state of Oklahoma in the south-central United States. On this date back in May 20th, 2013, parts of central and south-central Oklahoma experienced a scary and destructive severe weather event. On that date back in May 2013, a weak low pressure system was gradually strengthening across the southern Plains and was consequently bringing a large amount of warm, moist air into the southern Plains states. As this strong warm air advection continued along with there being strong vertical wind shear present throughout that day, this set the stage for a very ominous and threatening tornadic threat. As it eventually turned out, a very large and destructive tornado touched down later that day before impacting the city of Moore, Oklahoma which also impacted several populated areas including a school which was in session. Hence, this was a scary and devastating severe weather event which rattled many people living across the state of Oklahoma and beyond. To see more details regarding this past tornado event, feel free to click on the following link to gain more insights into the specifics of this tornado's regional impact.
To learn more about other past historic weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz Remembering the Anniversary of Historic Oklahoma Tornadoes! (credit: This Day in Weather History)5/22/2017  DISCUSSION: As we turn the clocks back to May 20th, 2013, several supercell thunderstorms developed during the early afternoon of May 20th along a dry line in central Oklahoma. One of these storms developed near Chickasha and rapidly intensified, producing a tornado which touched down at 2:56 PM CDT on the west side of Newcastle. The tornado became violent within minutes, then tracked east-northeastward across the city of Moore and parts of south Oklahoma City for about 40 minutes before finally dissipating near Lake Stanley Draper. The tornado caused catastrophic damage in these areas and was given a maximum rating of EF-5. Thus, this was an incredibly scary for many people living across the state of Oklahoma on that late-Spring Oklahoma afternoon/evening. The tornado claimed 24 lives, injured many people, and caused several billions of dollars in damage across many areas within the state of Oklahoma. To learn more about this historic tornado event, feel to click on the following link (http://www.weather.gov/oun/events-20130520).
To learn more about other past historic weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz  DISCUSSION: As we go all the way back to May 17th, 1896, an estimated F5 tornado tracked 100 miles through northeastern Kansas and extreme southeastern Nebraska. Seneca, Oneida, Sabetha, and Reserve, Kansas sustained severe damage. While passing through Reserve, the tornado was 2 miles wide. This goes without saying that a tornado of that size and intensity likely had a tremendous impact on the region both in terms of infrastructural damage as well as the overall loss of life (both human and animals). In the image attached above, you can see the 500-mb geopotential height pattern which was observed at that time which greatly helped to facilitate the tornado outbreak discussed above. The 500-mb geopotential height pattern indicated the presence of a strong deep layer temperature contrast which are often associated with tornado outbreaks since temperature outbreaks are synonymous with forntal boundaries of various types which are often associated various tornado threats as well. Collectively, 25 people were killed, and 200 were injured. U.S. Tornadoes has a great post the tornadoes during the second half of May in 1896. To learn more about this particular tornado outbreak, feel free to click on the following link.
To learn more about other past historic weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz  DISCUSSION: As we turn the clocks back to May 13th, 1980, an F3 tornado ripped directly through the center of Kalamazoo, Michigan, killing five people, injuring 79, and leaving 1,200 homeless. The tornado passed directly over the American Bank, where a barograph reported a pressure drop of 0.59 inches. Thus, as far as tornadoes are concerned, this was a very impressive tornado being as though there was such a substantial pressure drop measured as this particular tornado passed through the downtown section of Kalamazoo, Michigan. To learn more about this particular tornadic event, feel free to click on the following link.
To learn more about other past historic weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz  DISCUSSION: As we look back to May 12th, 1997, we arrive at a fairly historic day in Florida state weather history. On this day back in 1997, many people across southern sections of the state of Florida bore witness to a fairly historic tornado in Florida state history. This tornado formed as the result of a weak pulse of energy moving across portions of central to southern Florida during the morning and afternoon hours of May 12th. As convection fired up later in the day on May 12th, there was also a substantial degree of low to mid-level rotation in the region which allowed the deeper convection to develop notable rotation. Hence, this allowed for the development of a sizable tornado just offshore from Biscayne Bay in the vicinity of downtown Miami.
To learn more about other past historic weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz  DISCUSSION: As we turn the clocks back to May 11th, 1934, we arrive at the onset of a what eventually would turn out to be a historic dust storm which affected the Plains as the Dust Bowl era was in full swing. According to The New York Times, dust "lodged itself in the eyes and throats of weeping and coughing New Yorkers," and even ships some 300 miles offshore sawdust collect on their decks. There is no question about it that the persistently dry conditions coupled with the prevailing westerly flow across much of the United States at that point in history greatly helped to facilitate the eastward progression of the dust storm which impacted portions of the eastern United States. To learn more about this historic dust storm event, feel free to click on the following link.
To learn more about other past historic weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz  DISCUSSION: A little over 14 years ago today, areas both in and around Oklahoma City, Oklahoma experienced one of the more historic and scary days in United States weather history. This convective highlight of this day consisted of an F4 tornado which struck the city of Moore, Oklahoma and other adjacent cities/towns. Attached below are some neat insights from this and other related major tornado events from the greater central Oklahoma region. Aside from the detailed insights attached below, you can learn more about this major tornado event at the following link.
"Two tornadic supercells produced four tornadoes during the afternoon hours of May 8, 2003. These thunderstorms developed near and along a strong dryline which was located across central Oklahoma. One supercell produced three tornadoes that affected Moore, southern Oklahoma City, Midwest City, and Choctaw. A few locations in Moore and southeast Oklahoma City had also been hit by an F5 tornado that moved through the area on May 3, 1999. The General Motors Plant in southeast Oklahoma City sustained some of the most significant damage. Another supercell went on to produce a weak tornado near the town of Red Rock in Noble County, and an F3 tornado in Osage County in the NWS Tulsa forecast area. This event was the second tornadic event of the day. Several tornadoes moved across south central Oklahoma during the early morning hours of May 8th. This event was also the first of two days in a row where the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area was affected by tornadoes. Several tornadoes, including an F3 tornado, hit the northern parts of the metro area on May 9, 2003. This event occurred during a very active severe weather period in the United States during the first half of May 2003. More than a dozen tornadoes struck the U.S. each day from May 3-11, 2003." To learn more about other past historic weather events from around the world, be sure to click here! ©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz |
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