April 1982 tornado outbreak
| Type | Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Duration | April 1–3, 1982 |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 77 confirmed |
| Max rating1 | F5 tornado |
| Duration of tornado outbreak2 | 46 hours |
| Damage | $390.5 million |
| Casualties | 29 fatalities, 170 injuries |
| Areas affected | Midwestern and Southern United States |
|
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado | |
The April 2–3 1982 tornado outbreak was a major tornado outbreak that resulted in over sixty tornadoes and 29 fatalities. Three tornadoes were rated F4, and one F5 near Broken Bow, Oklahoma (no fatalities), although that rating is disputed. One F4 tornado in Paris, Texas resulted in 10 fatalities and 170 injuries.[1][2][3]
Meteorological synopsis
Beginning on April 2, a series of tornadic supercells formed across portions of northeast Texas and southeastern Oklahoma. A separate supercell spawned an arguably F5-rated tornado that crossed mostly rural areas near Speer and Broken Bow, OK, and deposited a motel sign from Broken Bow 30 miles away in Arkansas.[4]
After dark, the outbreak shifted into southwestern Arkansas, with several more deaths from tornadoes produced by the same supercells that ravaged the Broken Bow and Paris areas.