1991 Great Plains tornado outbreak
37°41′24″N 97°08′10″W / 37.69°N 97.136°W
|duration= parameter from the infobox header or from another 'History' box instead.Storm reports on April 26 and early April 27, 1991 | |
| Tornado outbreak | |
|---|---|
| Tornadoes | 55 |
| Maximum rating | F5 tornado |
| Duration | April 26–27, 1991 |
| Highest winds | 280 mph (450 km/h), from the Red Rock tornado |
| Highest gusts | 100 mph (160 km/h) |
| Largest hail | 4 in (100 mm) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 21 |
| Injuries | 313 |
| Damage | $589 million ($1,392,270,000 in 2025 USD) |
| Areas affected | United States Great Plains |
Part of the tornado outbreaks of 1991 | |
From April 26 to 27, 1991, multiple supercells across Oklahoma and Kansas led to a regional tornado outbreak. Forced by a potent trough and focused along a dryline, these distinct thunderstorms moved northeast through a moist and highly unstable environment. A total of 55 tornadoes were confirmed, many of which were strong, F2 or greater on the Fujita scale. A widely documented F5 tornado tore through Andover, Kansas, killing 17 people. Additional fatalities occurred from significant tornadoes in other portions of Kansas and Oklahoma, with 21 deaths recorded in total. An F4 tornado was detected by a mobile doppler weather radar team which observed winds up to 270 mph (430 km/h) at the top of the funnel, the first time winds of F5 intensity were measured by radar, and the highest winds recorded by radar at the time. A news team filming an F2 tornado sought shelter under a Kansas Turnpike overpass, causing a misconception that overpasses can provide adequate shelter during a tornado. This outbreak occurred within a transition period for the National Weather Service and proved the value of NEXRAD radars, which were utilized in Oklahoma to provide advanced warning to residents.