1973 Union City tornado
The tornado, photographed by a National Severe Storms Laboratory research team | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 24, 1973, 3:38 p.m. CDT (UTC–06:00) |
| Dissipated | May 24, 1973, 4:04 p.m. CDT (UTC–06:00) |
| Duration | 26 minutes |
| F4 tornado | |
| F5 tornado | |
| Highest gusts |
|
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 2 |
| Injuries | 4 |
| Damage | $7.25 million |
| Areas affected | Canadian County, Oklahoma, specifically Union City, Oklahoma. |
Part of the Tornadoes of 1973 | |
On May 24, 1973, a large and well-documented tornado moved across Canadian County, Oklahoma, striking the town of Union City. The tornado, which was on the ground for 26 minutes, killed two people and injured four others along a 10.6-mile (17 km) path. Damages from the tornado totaled an estimated $1 million (1973 USD). Numerous structures in Union City were severely damaged or destroyed by the tornado, including multiple grain elevators, farmsteads and mobile homes.
The tornado marked the first time that researchers were able to directly intercept a tornado, which provided crucial data that had been unknown up to that point, including the discovery of the tornado vortex signature. Additionally, it was one of the most well-studied tornadoes in history, with multiple National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) research teams observing and documenting the tornado.