Moore - OKC F5 Tornado - Part 1

[LastEmperorOfTime]

i was there i saw the twister when i was 9

[RagingMoon1987]

I remember when these used to come on TLC...If I recall (please correct me if I'm wrong) there were three seperate hour-long programs: this one, one that recapped the whole 1999 season, and one that gave a rundown on tornadoes in general. I loved the shows (and the background music) and I wish I'd taped them now. Thank you for posting this!

[cbehr91]

@RagingMoon1987 There were four I think. Tornado Touchdown, Rampage, Chasers, and Awesome Force. They aired on and off until about 2004. Now, who knows. The tapes are probably collecting dust in TLC's archives.

[RagingMoon1987]

@cbehr91 So there were four of them, then? That's cool...thank you for the info! Thank you for the tornado videos, too--I've never seen some of these before.

[zachhwellsss]

lmfao at 2:18, bye bye cow..

[360000190]

It nothing to bitch about, I mean if your in it's path ya u better get the fuck outta it way, but looking at it will be so interesting, how often do u get to see a tornado?

[789789789789789yay]

we are in the danger of an f5 hitting our house

[bigleague5]

the music is perfect.

[AllAboutDogs101]

I witnessed the huge tornado yesterday.

[Banny132]

lol i love how here its a mass destruction, yet in england few months back the tiniest tornado ever occurred, and a couple tiles were blown off the roof, and people were traumatized. 

[zosojb]

Wonder how good a blowjob it would give?

[jmeier37]

Undoubtedly the god of all tornadoes. The rotation associated was off the charts. Chasing this storm must have been an absolute terror, it definitely made Reed Timmer's career.

[XxseanlfcfanxX]

anyone else wanna just smack that rick dude upside the head? could've got him and his friend killed. lucky the other guy knew it was dangerous to get any closer to that tornado, no matter how far away it appeared to me. thing was colossal.

[vboolka1084]

is there a part 3 after this video?

[cbehr91]

@vboolka1084 No.

[MultiBigace]

Crap!

[ILovestorms]

They had a repeat of this on May 10 of this year, though their were not nearly as many fatalities.

[BrianFalconsFan29]

Aw man this was back when TLC used to show nothing but tornado shows i used to watch these all the time thanks for posting i remember this coming on mid 2001

[Soonerbrookie]

@elite542.

It's not that bad.

[Soonerbrookie]

Gary England.

Val Castor.

KICK ASS.

:)

[cryhwks]

@Soonerbrookie yeap 

[cryhwks]

@Soonerbrookie yeap ps...I love Oklahoma

[Nxtl68]

Rick and Chase almost got pwned

[chrisz71]

Those amateur chasers scared me on this video- I can't imagine how bad it would be riding in their car!

[elite542]

I would fucking hate to live in tornado valley, so glad I live in Canada .

[cbehr91]

I have linked in the video description box an Amazon.com link to purchase the tape I captured this from.

[MultiBigace]

what is this show and what channel is it on? I have brighthouse.

[cbehr91]

@MultiBigace It's called "Tornado Chasers" and it was on TLC...like 10 years ago.

[onimotoko]

@cbehr91 Ya, back in the day when they showed good stuff.

[justintime2989]

@cbehr91 yea im glad i found this clip on youtube finally and all

[PringlesRAshley]

I wonder if like a plane or something flew overtop the tornado and you looked down, if you can see in the, middle of the tornado and if you could see the ground.

[spencerrox34]

come on f5 is way bigger no way it looks like a f2 or f3

[dragonridley]

@spencerrox34

First off, this tornado got much bigger later on. It was a mile wide at one point.

Even then, the rating of a tornado cannot be determined by it's size.

[nenblom1]

When does a funnel cloud actually become a tornado? Is it when it hits the ground?

[cbehr91]

@nenblom1 When a funnel cloud touches the ground it becomes a tornado. So you are correct.

[julie1995able]

@cbehr91 Oh thanks. i didnt know

[gumchewer58]

@nenblom1 i think its actually as soon as a deris cloud forms near the ground, the actual funnel does not have to appear on the ground for it to be a tornado.

[santoner91deep]

i wonder wtf  y ur gay

[ILoveGodsWord413]

@nenblom1 Actually according to the Storm Prediction Center out of Norman, Oklahoma and according to Severe Storm Specialists, a funnel cloud becomes a tornado as soon as you see debris forming at the bottom of the funnel. You do not need to have a "visible funnel" or cloud to ground for there to be a tornado. The cloud part is just condensation. The best example of this is Xenia, Ohio tornado. There was no visible funnel only a huge debri field. That tornado was rated an F-5. :)

[Drzeaius]

BE CAREFUL RICKY!

[SalienMovies]

6:13

3 Tornadoes?!

Where they met must have been horrible.

[SalienMovies]

That tornado looked absolutely solid when it was turning. Dang!

[holyjewel]

I live in moore :(

[24jeffgordan88JRfan]

@ 5:36 I WAS IN FLETCHER

[58alaska]

I have lived in ark. for 30 yrs., never seen a tornado.Hope i never do

[24jeffgordan88JRfan]

it's cool if ur distanced and you kow wut ur doing but other wise it's really scary. for me it's an adrinle rush

[jayhoyt28]

Did it blow away your spelling books? Jesus Christ you cant even spell the name of the Nascar driver you put in your userID. If you find yourself in a tornado's path again try to ride it. It might be fun.

[24jeffgordan88JRfan]

@jayhoyt28 wow ur cool and yea i know my id is wrong, b/c someone had the same one and i liked it so i just swiched the o w/ an a and i spell bad b/c in dylexic so plz dnt talk to and go back to ur mom basement and do wut ever it is you do :)

[Zoomer30]

If Ricky Bobby had been a storm chaser and not a NASCAR racer.

[oldstyle1957]

NO, STOP RICKY AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

[clumpyshane]

rated. wow

[Momejie]

I remember it got really serious, I think Gary England even cussed when he was warning everyone to get to safety.

[SpottedleafCCRVMK]

I can't believe these freaking idiots think running in a car is the best solution. IT'S NOT.

JUST GET IN A DITCH. I'd rather have my coat soaking wet then be torn apart by debris. JUST GET IN A DITCH! Leaving in a car is the worst thing you can ever do.

Or are you afraid to get your car hit?

Ooooooo.

[roundhouser]

With the advanced weather technology that we have now, you should have ample time to haul ass. If I knew this monster was coming, i'd be hiting the road.

[Bullzeye95]

Maybe you're not familiar with the concept of an F5.

Even a well-built frame house is no defense at all against 300 mph winds. It simply tears the house to pieces in about 2 seconds and flings everything away. If you're not underground, you generally die. Ditches won't help. Many people died this way in the Moore/OKC tornado.

The NWS is content to consider these F5 deaths to be more or less a necessary write-off compared to the "chaos" that would result if immediate evacuation was condoned.

[SpottedleafCCRVMK]

I believe you're talking about hiding under a underground passage. Many people died that way in the May 3, 1999 tornado.

Ditches are better then being under a bridge where winds can excelerate.

And what are you going to do when a tornado (let's use this tornado as a example.) is coming towards you at 40-50 mph? You can't keep driving. By that time, if you're on the highway, it's gone to a slowdown with people getting out of their cars and going to a bridge.

I say, take the ditch.

[Bullzeye95]

I didn't mean a bridge overpass. Those were proven to be zero defense against a tornado at OKC because they've open on one side. Plus, all the ones in OKC where people died had NO protection at all!

What I meant was....the Moore F5 was a massive, classical wedge when it entered the most populated areas. I'd shelter in a ditch for a lesser, smaller tornado where a ditch would likely save your life, but for an F5 not being in a basement or storm shelter means death or injury, period.

[SpottedleafCCRVMK]

...oh D:

But what do you do.... if there's a.. dare I say it, f1/f2/f3/f4/f5 tornado near you on the road, and traffic is to a crawl?

[Bullzeye95]

That's the nightmare scenario, really, but is also 100% in your power to prevent.

Easiest way to survive any tornado: If there's a real risk of tornadoes for your area, pay the hell attention! As in do what the hell the NWS tells you. Don't get on the highway if there's dangerous storms to the west or southwest. Know where your family is. Have a plan!!!

When people stop ignoring warnings, learn to pay attention and spend 15 minutes making a plan is when tornado deaths will mostly stop.

[WayneAndSouljaSucks]

being in underpass during a tornado is a big no no you thought that maybe we would've learn from the april 10, 1979 witchita falls , texas monster tornado

[SpottedleafCCRVMK]

Yes, being in a underpass is..... very bad. VERY BAD. I'd rather fall off a cliff then take shelter in a underpass in a tornado.

Stupid thing is, in the may 3 killer, people drove away from their homes and then took shelter on a underpass.

First, a underpass is not underground. Unless you want to have your faces blown off, just stay underground in a tornado. f0 or f5.

[Taydrum]

RICKY ZOMFG PULL OVER NAO!

[TheDawnAwakening2020]

318mph winds recorded at the surface, highest on the earth's surface in recorded history. Amazing storm.

[dragonridley]

Actually it wasn't at the surface. It was taken from a point on the tornado about 107 feet of the ground.

[soonergaret]

Whooo buddy, you see that Ricky?!?!?! Ricky adrenaline drunk LOL

[lateintheday2007]

Where's the next part!!

[cbehr91]

I take much comfort into the fact that people pay absolutely no attention to the "Related Videos" box, or the links to videos that scroll after this one is done. OR you could type "Moore/OKC F5 Tornado Part 2" into the search bar at the top of the page.

Honestly, the collective IQ of this site has to be nil.

[dambreaker]

I concur

[txbadgirl1]

And the most sad part, some of those idiots are out there "chasing" these storms....good way to get yourself killed

[roguegirl29]

You mean newbie storm chasers? Yeah. I agree that when you're inexperienced, it's a good way to get yourself killed.

[dragonridley]

You gotta start somewhere

[SpottedleafCCRVMK]

@txbadgirl1: I agree with you if you're talking about Newbie Chasers. Newbie Chasers should be with a storm chaser, not zooming off in their little cars and then... BOOM. After stumbling out of your storm shelter, you see "People killed by debris hitting them as they get out of the car"

This video... scares the heck out of me.

[lcs71991]

@txbadgirl1 these guyys aren't "idiots" as you say, they are professional chasers they know what they are doing.

[ncatina]

LOL!!!

[WillieDines1]

I don't think 42 people's lives being stolen from them, 1000's being injured or over $1billion of property damages is a joke or something that can be faked.

The Moore, OKC F5, destroyed something like 10,000 cars and at least 1 of them is known to have been thrown over at least a 1/4 mile away from where it was parked.

I can't believe this was over 10 years ago, because I still remember the news reports like it was yesterday and my heart still sinks everytime I see the footage.

[tbest405]

i know they tried to dramatize this but it is not fake by no means this thing destroyed my elementary school and killed one of my friends

[camillajonsson]

it's hot fake

[twcrockstar51]

What does that mean? lol

[mryjn420090]

FAKE

[dragonridley]

And this is fake because?

[dragonridley]

That's a very lofty goal.

[tyhgv]

done...

[lenowin]

Are you a fucking idiot?

[DreadnoughtMetal2006]

I did see a tornado one time. I live in England, UK so they're rare anyway. Anyways, it just blew right past my girlfriends front door and as we only live about 400 yards apart, we both got a good view. It just created a total white-out. Wall of water doesn't describe it. It was listed as an F1. The damage was an upturned 10x6 foot caravan and some loose tiles and fence panels ripped of some of the older houses. Nothing as bad as this though.

[LOLimajeepithink]

i want to see a tornado with my own eyes some day, but then again maybe when i do see it i might wish i never did

[PaulG85]

It's just amazing how that tiny little pale tornado became a dark and savage monster.

[ropeskipper97]

i remmeber seeingthe enws and telling us we had to get underground or we wuldnt surrvivre iwas in north Norman we got to underground shelter

[burtonfan2]

TLC tried to dramatize this, but this day didnt need it. i wish they could tell the story straight and not try to make it into a hollywood movie. also, they tried to make it seem like the F5 was on the ground from Cyril, even though it didnt touch donw until Amber

[OkieClouds]

I agree this video did make it sound like it was a Monster tornado the entire time. It didn't go to F5 status until 2 SSW of Amber.

[ProfessorIgor]

it was an F5 only in a few places really... Bridge Creek area, and a few scattered places in Moore... most of the damage was strong F4.... I am NOT, I repeat NOT trying to downplay this tornado, it was one in a million, but the media sure loves to take a bone from a dog and call it a steak.

[steven85buster]

i feel you on that one bro. the musik and shit was not needed. that day was big enuff itself.

[ILovestorms]

Next Sunday, May 3, 2009, is the 10-year anniversary of this infamous tornado and tornado outbreak.

[BMPmama698]

Yep, I'm attending the 10th Anniversary Severe Weather confrence at the National Weather Service on Friday. I can't wait.

[BMPmama698]

You know the announcer of the TLC program was wrong when he said "Gary England told people to get underground or run away from the tornado". He NEVER once (and never has on tv) told people to run from a storm.

[cbehr91]

That doesn't surprise me. These four shows were filled with factual inaccuracies, some more severe than others.

[ILovestorms]

Does Gary know that trying to run from and escape in a vehicle is a very dangerous thing to do?

So what the TLC announcer said about Gary telling people to escape is not true?

[BMPmama698]

Of course Gary knows that trying to run and escape in a vechile is dangerous. He began studying weather in 1956.

Yes, when the TLC announcer said " Gary England stressed that running away or hiding under the ground where the only options for survival" he was incorrect. NEVER on May 3, 1999 did Gary Engalnd tell people to run from the storm.

I did remember him saying "Folks, you need to be underground or you'll die" that's what I knew it was deadly serious.

[BMPmama698]

No, I am not a Gary England fan, in fact, I dislike him, but I hate seeing an error like this made without pointing it out.

[ILovestorms]

Why don't you care for him? What do have against him?

[BMPmama698]

I've met him a few times and just as a person I don't ccare for him. Also I think he's too overly excited during most of his weather reports.

[gt3corn]

Everyone knows that sometimes running in a car is the only way out. Life or death. He was right in this situation if you wasn't under ground what else could somebody do?

[sbunkboy3]

I find that hard to believe. At least the "in a car" part. He did say running away, but as far as I know, running away in a car is possibly the worst thing you can do. You should NEVER try to out run a tornado, especially in a car. In fact, I'm not sure why he said "running away" at all. Maybe he meant like running to the nearest secure shelter.

[gt3corn]

If you were on a road in Oklahoma in the middle of no where, would you jump in a ditch, or use your car? I'd use the car.

[dragonridley]

Jump in a ditch you should be safe. Get in the car you could get lifted and if that happens you will not survive.

[lcs71991]

@dragonridley if you jump in a ditch, debris will be hurdled at you, in this case, at over 320 mph, think i'd take my chances under ground. as gary said, "if you're not underground you will not survive".

[dragonridley]

@lcs71991

Yes, a basement or storm cellar is the best place, bu t if you're caught in the open a ditch is your best bet.

Tornadoes with 300+ mph winds extremely rare. Fewer than one in every thousand tornadoes is rated F5. People have escaped tornadoes in in ditches even as their cars were carried over them to their destruction. I would estimate such a tornado to be high F2 or F3.

[cbehr91]

So you'd rather get run-over by a strengthening 880 yard wide, F3-F4 tornado than have an opportunity to escape danger at a reasonable, safe speed, where the greatest danger would be hydroplaning? That portion of the storm did not have considerable lightning or hail so you'd be reasonably safe.

I think not.

[twilightseven]

@sbunkboy3 also in this situation, hiding in a ditch or under an overpass is most likely not the best thing to do, not likely to survive. Best thing to hope for is to find a stable structure, hoping that it might withstand this massive tornado.

[sbunkboy3]

@twilightseven Allow me to clarify a few things, please. When I made that comment, I was referring to a situation where you had only two choices: try to outrun the tornado in a car, or hide in a ditch. My statement was that you should NEVER try to outrun a tornado in a car. I don't have statistics to back this up, but of those two, hiding in the ditch is the best option. You're right about the best solution, but when options are limited, its easier to survive a F0~F2 in a ditch than a car.

[twilightseven]

@sbunkboy3 Actually there is a third option always with tornadoes in Oklahoma, sign up for the Tornado Warning alerts, watch the weather channel. And if you are in the middle of no where and you see in the distance way behind you extremely dark clouds forming that look like Tornadoes could form out of the clouds, you hurry your backside up and find shelter before its almost on top of you (this is if you aren't a storm chaser).

[sbunkboy3]

@twilightseven Ok, ok, yes, you're right :) Having situational awareness, and keeping updated on the weather is always the best way to stay alive. Let me ask you this: Do you agree that you should NEVER try to outrun a tornado in car? Cause that's the only point I'm really trying to make.

[twilightseven]

@sbunkboy3 acutally, if I had to choose between trying to hang on to concrete under a bridge (and wind up dying, as a couple of people did during this storm) or try to get out of its way in a car, I'm going for the car. Trust me, if youre trying to hide in a ditch and a 300+ mile an hour tornado is coming straight at you...you're not gonna end up still in that ditch.

[ILovestorms]

@twilightseven Go for the car ONLY if you have enough lead time. In Wichita Falls, Texas, on April 10th, 1979, many people were killed in that tornado because they were actually trying to escape in a vehicle.

[flskywarn]

@ILovestorms I disagree...If you see a tornado and want to outrun it.....DO NOT! Get in a ditch and cover your neck & head with your arms.

[ILovestorms]

@flskywarn Well, what Gary said was that you would either have to get underground or escape in a vehicle in order to survive this tornado - this monster F5. But, no I agree with you, never try to flee from a tornado in a vehicle, that is one of the worst things you can do.

[twilightseven]

@sbunkboy3 If such tornado can lift an entire house off its foundation and hurl it 3 blocks, what makes one thing that this same tornado can't pick you up out of the ditch and hurl you even farther? I've also heard that people say to hide under an over pass....but whats gonna keep this mile wide 300+mph Tornado from sucking one out from their hiding spot?

[twilightseven]

@sbunkboy3 To me it seems that you have just as much chance diein from trying to hide under an over pass or in a ditch as you do from getting in a car and getting around it.

[wxchaserJ]

I do remember him saying that if you have time to get out of the path of the storm you should do it now... this was before it entered the sw side of OKC, I think thats different than using the phrase "run from" though

[obijuana]

7:03. "Look at dat, look at dat!!" Ricky is tweaking while chasing. Good stuff.

[steven85buster]

at 6:42 that shit look so evil man.  mother nature is something else

[stormspinner1]

Wow.  Glad you made it: I do not ever ever want to experience anything like the tornadoes of May 3, 1999. This is why I say there should be mandatory underground shelters, or at least a safe room or cellar. None in my part of the Alley. Stay safe, 'hear?

[twinn429]

"Be careful Ricky" Classic lol. Awesome vid...along with part 2 as well. Peace.

[dadsbestchild]

Is there a place where I can download it! That would be wonderful!

[cbehr91]

No, I captured this from a tape called 'Tornado Chasers' by TLC. All of my videos are captured from either tapes or DVDs I have; none are downloaded off the internet. It's probably long out of print although you may be able to get it on eBay, Amazon etc.

[Unkownwatcher]

Why did they have to move?

[cbehr91]

Who?

[stormspinner1]

Was watching local TV here in DFW, Texas, when the breaking news came on: I was rivited. Gary England is usually unflappable but when I heard him say, "If you haven't gone to your center/basement, you need to go now," and "You need to be below ground level," I knew they were in trouble. Thank you for sharing this again, just as compelling as the first time I saw it. Five stars.

*StormSpinner1* in Texas

[wxtulsa]

"Gary England is usually unflappable"

That's a hilarious statement. I'm sure you were being sarcastic.

[cbehr91]

No, she's not being sarcastic. Gary England is a very stoic and professional T.V. meteorologist, much different than in most cities. And anybody should trust his professional opinion. If he were to tell you to take shelter, goddamn it, you should do it!

And honestly how the fuck is that hilarious?

[stormspinner1]

Actually, no: the times I've seen him on air, he was calm, cool, collected. I'd be panicking and saying, "We're all going to die."

[bumbleberry22]

I actually did say that exact thing in my bath tube when it hit! According to my husband I said it over anbd over!