Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Oklahoma City, OK
Issued by NWS Oklahoma City, OK
235 NOUS44 KOUN 301913 PNSOUN OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-010715- Public Information Statement National Weather Service Norman OK 213 PM CDT Tue Apr 30 2024 ...NWS Damage Survey for 4/27/24 and 4/28/24 Tornado Event... .Update...Rating for the Sulphur damage is EF3. .Overview...Additional Surveys are currently going on in western north Texas, from Knox City to Seymour, and then northeast into Oklahoma near Devol. Additional information will be made available for these areas later today. For Sulphur, after reviewing damage details with National Weather Service damage crews and structural engineers, the Sulphur damage has been given a preliminary rating of EF3. This rating is based on several high-end EF3 points in or near historic downtown Sulphur. The building damage is extensive across the city, with the most intense damage occurring due to roof failure on multiple buildings downtown. The roof damage is consistent with 160 to 165 mph winds. The roofs became detached from the buildings but remained intact. Once the roofs failed, the structural integrity of the remaining buildings were compromised and additional damage occurred. .Sulphur... Rating: EF3 Estimated Peak Wind: 165 mph Path Length /statute/: 8.8 miles Path Width /maximum/: 440 yards Fatalities: 1 Injuries: To be determined Start Date: 04/27/2024 Start Time: 10:25 PM CDT Start Location: 1 SSW Sulphur / Murray County / OK Start Lat/Lon: 34.4908 / -96.9882 End Date: 04/27/2024 End Time: 10:37 PM CDT End Location: 3 NW Hickory / Pontotoc County / OK End Lat/Lon: 34.5965 / -96.903 Survey Summary: This tornado caused extensive damage in Sulphur, including the downtown area. && EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories: EF0.....65 to 85 mph EF1.....86 to 110 mph EF2.....111 to 135 mph EF3.....136 to 165 mph EF4.....166 to 200 mph EF5.....>200 mph NOTE: The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data. $$