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Tornado outbreak of June 8, 1995

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Tornado outbreak of June 8, 1995
A radar loop showing several tornadic supercells on the afternoon of June 8
Meteorological history
DurationJune 8, 1995
Tornado outbreak
Tornadoes29
Maximum ratingF4 tornado
Overall effects
Fatalities0
Injuries11
Damage> $30 million ($60 million in 2023)
Areas affectedTexas Panhandle, Western Oklahoma

Part of the Tornadoes of 1995

The tornado outbreak of June 8, 1995 was a severe, localized outbreak in the Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma. It is most well known for the tornado that hit Pampa, along with the Allison F4, the Kellerville F4, and the Hoover F2. In total, 29 tornadoes were recorded during that day, with 23 being in Western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. Two cyclic supercells in the Texas Panhandle produced at least 9 of those 23 tornadoes. There were 3 F4s, and the tornadoes caused 11 injuries.

Meteorological synopsis

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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.[1]: 4  These conditions lead to several tornadic supercells, which were studied by the VORTEX project.[1]: 2 

Confirmed tornadoes

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All data are from NWS monthly storm data publication and NWS storm reports archive.[2][3]

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
0 16 5 5 0 3 0 29
F# Location County and State Start Time (UTC) Path length Max Width Progression/Non-injury Effects Injuries
F0 NE of Idaho Falls Bonneville County, Idaho 2215 0.1 miles
(0.16 km)
10 yd
(9 m)
No damage was reported. 0
F1 Seligman to Eagle Rock Barry County, Missouri 2104 12 miles
(19.3 km)
250 yd
(229 m)
This tornado went through Roaring River State Park, uprooted trees, and caused $100,000 ($199,956 in 2023) in damages by damaging nearly 100 camper-trailers. 3
F0 SE of Poplar Bluff Butler County, Missouri 2252 0.25 miles
(0.40 km)
50 yd
(46 m)
Some trees were downed. 0
F0 Forsyth Taney County, Missouri 0028 0.1 miles
(0.16 km)
100 yd
(91 m)
0
F1 Selman Harper County, Oklahoma 2215 0.2 miles
(0.32 km)
30 yd
(27 m)
Caused $4000 ($7,998 in 2023) in damage. 1
F0 NNE of Shattuck Ellis County, Oklahoma 0117 0.1 miles
(0.16 km)
30 yd
(27 m)
0
F2 NNE of Reydon Roger Mills County, Oklahoma 0218 5 miles
(8 km)
300 yd
(274 m)
Caused $5000 ($9,998 in 2023) in damage. 0
F0 NE of Roxboro Person County, North Carolina 2352 1.0 miles
(1.6 km)
35 yd
(32 m)
Some trees were downed. 0
F0 SSE of West Fork Washington County, Arkansas 0020 0.1 miles
(0.16 km)
30 yd
(27 m)
0
F0 SSW of Pampa Gray County, Texas 2127 0.1 miles
(0.16 km)
50 yd
(46 m)
First tornado produced by the Pampa supercell. 0
F4 Pampa Gray County, Texas 2131 3 miles
(4.8 km)
200 yd
(183 m)
Second, and most destructive, tornado produced by the Pampa supercell (see also § Pampa, Texas) 7
F0 E of Pampa Gray County, Texas 2150 0.3 miles
(0.48 km)
100 yd
(91 m)
Third tornado produced by the Pampa supercell. 0
F2 Hoover Gray County, Texas 2150 6 miles
(9.6 km)
400 yd
(366 m)
Fourth and final tornado produced by the Pampa supercell. Chasers say that this tornado is underrated, with Martin Lisius rating it as F5.[4] Caused $100,000 ($199,956 in 2023) in damage. This tornado passed close to the Rufe Jordan Unit.[5] and stripped asphalt from roads. 0
F1 NW of Miami Roberts County, Texas 2155 3 miles
(4.8 km)
200 yd
(183 m)
0
F1 NNE of Pampa Gray County, Texas 2200 2 miles
(3.2 km)
250 yd
(229 m)
0
F0 S of Perryton Ochiltree County, Texas 2215 1 mile
(1.6 km)
73 yd
(67 m)
0
F0 SW of Clarendon Donley County, Texas 2219 2 miles
(3.2 km)
100 yd
(91 m)
0
F1 W of Miami Roberts County, Texas 2235 10 miles
(16 km)
250 yd
(229 m)
Caused $300,000 ($599,869 in 2023) in damage. 0
F2 SW of McLean Donley County, Texas 2255 10 miles
(16 km)
500 yd
(457 m)
First tornado produced by the McLean supercell. 0
F2 SW of McLean Gray County, Texas 2259 4 miles
(6.4 km)
300 yd
(274 m)
Caused $100,000 ($199,956 in 2023) in damage. 0
F0 McLean Gray County, Texas 2310 2 miles
(3.2 km)
100 yd
(91 m)
0
F2 SW of McLean Gray County, Texas 2310 4 miles
(0.16 km)
400 yd
(366 m)
Second tornado produced by the McLean supercell. 0
F0 SW of McLean Gray County, Texas 2321 1 miles
(1.6 km)
50 yd
(46 m)
Third tornado produced by the McLean supercell. 0
F4 N of McLean - NE of Mobeetie Gray County, Texas, Wheeler County, Texas 2335 29 miles
(46.7 km)
600 yd
(550 m)
This is most well known as the Kellerville tornado. Some researchers claim that it was F5 strength.[6] Winds exceeding 110 m/s[6] (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 ($20 million in 2023) in damage to crops and other property. Several structures were damaged. 0
F0 NW of Canadian Hemphill County, Texas 2343 4 miles
(6.4 km)
150 yd
(137 m)
0
F0 WNW of Canadian Roberts County, Texas 2353 0.5 miles
(0.8 km)
50yd
(46 m)
0
F0 N of McLean Gray County, Texas 2355 0.1 miles
(0.16 km)
10 yd
(9 m)
0
F0 N of McLean Gray County, Texas 2355 0.1 miles
(0.16 km)
30 yd
(27 m)
0
F4 SW of Allison - N of Allison Wheeler County, Texas, Hemphill County, Texas 0045 15 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 ($4 million in 2023) 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

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Pampa, Texas
Meteorological history
Duration15 minutes
F4 tornado
on the Fujita scale
Highest winds207-260 mph(333-418 kmh)
Overall effects
Fatalities0
Injuries7
Damage$30 million (1995 USD)

An F4 formed near Pampa, Texas, just after the parent storm produced an F0 to the SW. 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 ($60 million in 2023) in damage as it travelled through Pampa before it lifted in the middle of the city.[3] 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.[7] In total, it destroyed 75 structures and damaged 175.

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[3] but some storm chasers argue it was stronger.

Non-tornadic effects

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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.[3]

See also

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Tornado outbreak sequence of May 6-27, 1995

References

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  1. ^ a b 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. 130 (11): 2626–2648. Bibcode:2002MWRv..130.2626D. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(2002)130<2626:TJMTSP>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 1520-0493.
  2. ^ Center, Storm Prediction. "NOAA's NWS Storm Prediction Center Storm Reports Historical Data". www.spc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  3. ^ a b c d "Storm Data Publication | IPS | National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)". www.ncdc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  4. ^ Tornadoes, Discover (2022-05-04). "F5 tornado narrowly misses Texas prison". Discover Tornadoes. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  5. ^ "Pampa - Hoover, Texas Chase Tempest Tours Storm Chasers". Tempest Tours. 1995-06-08. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  6. ^ a b 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". Monthly Weather Review. 131 (10): 2197–2221. Bibcode:2003MWRv..131.2197W. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(2003)131<2197:TKTDVD>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 1520-0493.
  7. ^ Grazulis, Thomas. Significant Tornadoes 1974-2022.