May 3, 1999 Tornado Outbreak

On this day in 1999, a swarm of tornadoes formed over Kansas and Oklahoma, producing 70 tornadoes, killing more than 40 people. This produced the Moore, Oklahoma F5 tornado, and re-sparked the hiding under a highway overpass debate, which has long since ended, and is generally not recommended.  At least two people died as a result of trying to take shelter under an overpass. KOCO, KFOR, and KWTV in Oklahoma City all did wall-to-wall coverage until early on May 4, as other major tornadoes hit places such as Dover, Mulhall, and Stroud, Oklahoma.


The Moore tornado was the first single tornado to cause $1 billion in damages. This was also the first time the National Weather Service used the term "Tornado Emergency" in a statement.

...TORNADO EMERGENCY IN SOUTH OKLAHOMA CITY METRO AREA...

AT 6:57 PM CDT...A LARGE TORNADO WAS MOVING ALONG INTERSTATE 44 WEST OF 
NEWCASTLE. ON ITS PRESENT PATH...THIS LARGE DAMAGING TORNADO WILL 
ENTER SOUTHWEST SECTIONS OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY METRO AREA BETWEEN 7:15  
AND 7:30 PM. PERSONS IN MOORE AND SOUTH OKLAHOMA CITY SHOULD TAKE 
IMMEDIATE TORNADO PRECAUTIONS! 

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. IF YOU 
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE TORNADO...TAKE COVER 
IMMEDIATELY. 

DOPPLER RADAR HAS INDICATED THIS STORM MAY CONTAIN DESTRUCTIVE HAIL TO THE 
SIZE OF BASEBALLS...OR LARGER.