Large enough for satellites to see, the EF-4 tornado that devastated most of Bartlesville and Barndsall, Oklahoma, on Sunday left behind a scar.
The route was measured by NWS survey teams to be 39.1 miles long and nearly a mile wide at one point. This photo was taken on May 5, one day after the catastrophic storm, by a European Space Agency satellite.
From lower left to higher right, the disturbed path is plainly visible in the enlarged satellite image. The sun-synchronous satellite is located around 488 miles above Earth’s surface. The path is visible even in the true color satellite image, albeit it is less visible.
As it crosses the western branch, look for the brown line that passes through the foliage to the southwest of the lake.
It is once more observable to the northeast of the white cloud patch. It travels through the Osage Reservation, kicking up more dirt, until it reaches the southeast edge of Barnsdall.
As it gathers and disperses the siding, insulation, and lumber that were houses the day before, the debris trail becomes lighter.
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As the storm moved in on Monday night, the NWS issued a Tornado Emergency, the most serious tornado warning, for Osage County, Oklahoma. A “large and destructive tornado” that was headed toward Barnsdall and caused catastrophic destruction was described by the NWS.
As the storm moved in on Monday night, the NWS issued a Tornado Emergency, the most serious tornado warning, for Osage County, Oklahoma. A “large and destructive tornado” that was headed toward Barnsdall and caused catastrophic destruction was described by the NWS.
Eight more people were injured and one person died. There were forty damaged residences in Barnsdall alone. There was damage to the town water infrastructure. It’s only recently that utilities have gained control over sealing up gas leaks and fixing power poles.
