Pecos Hank | KILLER EF-5 TORNADO El Reno Oklahoma - The Darkest Day! @PecosHank | Uploaded March 2014 | Updated October 2024, 1 week ago.
This killer tornado tossed vehicles 100's of yards, demolished well built homes and debarked trees. To this day, I've never seen a darker afternoon. To license tornado footage contact hankschyma@yahoo.com
May 24, 2011: The El Reno / Piedmont Oklahoma EF-5 Tornado touched down near Hinton OK at 3:50 PM CDT and quickly became obscured in rain as it took on the form of a wedge tornado approximately 3/4 to 1 mile wide (my observation). I witnessed the tornado engulf a small community just South of interstate 40 while a horizontal vortex spun out of the North side of the wedge wall. Violent winds well away from the debris cloud and condensation funnel were still strong enough to cause substantial destruction.
A fender was ripped off an 18 wheeler as the outer edge of the tornado passed over his truck. When I approached, the driver popped his head up with a huge grin on his face and said "That was close."
The tornado then crossed I40 where it leveled the Cactus 117 oil rig and rolled a 1,900,000 lb (861,830 kg) oil derrick several times. While pursuing the tornado I came across the first destroyed community and had to end the chase and assist victims. The first house I observed was sliced in half while people and there animals rode out the storm in the intact half. The house next door was completely demolished while nobody was home. The house next to that was cut in half while 2 woman rode out the tornado in the half that remained and i assisted them out their broken back window. The next home was completely destroyed while nobody was home. This was the trend and as far as I know, miraculously no lives were lost in the community I assisted, however when the tornado crossed I40 it tossed two cars a great distance killing the passengers.
This long-tracked tornado was on the ground 1 hour 45 minutes and finally dissipated after striking the NW side of Guthrie at 5:35 PM CDT.
Estimated winds were greater than 210 mph, the storm was on the ground for 65 miles (105 KM) yet only 9 people lost their lives. This was a "High Risk" day issued by the SPC.
This killer tornado tossed vehicles 100's of yards, demolished well built homes and debarked trees. To this day, I've never seen a darker afternoon. To license tornado footage contact hankschyma@yahoo.com
May 24, 2011: The El Reno / Piedmont Oklahoma EF-5 Tornado touched down near Hinton OK at 3:50 PM CDT and quickly became obscured in rain as it took on the form of a wedge tornado approximately 3/4 to 1 mile wide (my observation). I witnessed the tornado engulf a small community just South of interstate 40 while a horizontal vortex spun out of the North side of the wedge wall. Violent winds well away from the debris cloud and condensation funnel were still strong enough to cause substantial destruction.
A fender was ripped off an 18 wheeler as the outer edge of the tornado passed over his truck. When I approached, the driver popped his head up with a huge grin on his face and said "That was close."
The tornado then crossed I40 where it leveled the Cactus 117 oil rig and rolled a 1,900,000 lb (861,830 kg) oil derrick several times. While pursuing the tornado I came across the first destroyed community and had to end the chase and assist victims. The first house I observed was sliced in half while people and there animals rode out the storm in the intact half. The house next door was completely demolished while nobody was home. The house next to that was cut in half while 2 woman rode out the tornado in the half that remained and i assisted them out their broken back window. The next home was completely destroyed while nobody was home. This was the trend and as far as I know, miraculously no lives were lost in the community I assisted, however when the tornado crossed I40 it tossed two cars a great distance killing the passengers.
This long-tracked tornado was on the ground 1 hour 45 minutes and finally dissipated after striking the NW side of Guthrie at 5:35 PM CDT.
Estimated winds were greater than 210 mph, the storm was on the ground for 65 miles (105 KM) yet only 9 people lost their lives. This was a "High Risk" day issued by the SPC.
