Tornadoes hit Garfield County and
make a long day for members of the
Sheriff's Department.
make a long day for members of the
Sheriff's Department.
The number of tornadoes that hit Garfield County on
Saturday May 23, 2008 is not known. The estimate of
approximately 10 tornadoes occurred. The strongest of those
was rated an EF2, with wind speeds between 111 mph and
135mph, according to Erin Maxwell, NWS meteorologist.
The tornado, nearly a mile wide, was on the ground 11.2
miles, first touching down seven miles southwest of
Covington, Ok in a path that stretched to 10 miles southeast
of Covington.
These series of tornado's started south of Garfield County
near Lacey,Ok where buildings was destroyed at a Seaboard
Foods pig farm, the farm took major damage. The storm then
moved into Garfield County near Bison, Ok where tornado's
again started doing damage and moved east. The storm, which
spotters reported as spawning a "large and..at times.. multiple
vortex tornado". The way the tornado's would keep coming
down and going back up made it real hard to keep a true
number count.
These storms did a lot of damage as they tracked though the
county. Powers lines, trees, homes and the 100 year old
Potter Church in the Covington area had only the cement
steps that led to the Church remaining. Oklahoma 74 highway
had to be closed for a time after a tornado ripped a trailer
from it's foundation & leaving it's contents scattered across
the highway.
Saturday May 23, 2008 is not known. The estimate of
approximately 10 tornadoes occurred. The strongest of those
was rated an EF2, with wind speeds between 111 mph and
135mph, according to Erin Maxwell, NWS meteorologist.
The tornado, nearly a mile wide, was on the ground 11.2
miles, first touching down seven miles southwest of
Covington, Ok in a path that stretched to 10 miles southeast
of Covington.
These series of tornado's started south of Garfield County
near Lacey,Ok where buildings was destroyed at a Seaboard
Foods pig farm, the farm took major damage. The storm then
moved into Garfield County near Bison, Ok where tornado's
again started doing damage and moved east. The storm, which
spotters reported as spawning a "large and..at times.. multiple
vortex tornado". The way the tornado's would keep coming
down and going back up made it real hard to keep a true
number count.
These storms did a lot of damage as they tracked though the
county. Powers lines, trees, homes and the 100 year old
Potter Church in the Covington area had only the cement
steps that led to the Church remaining. Oklahoma 74 highway
had to be closed for a time after a tornado ripped a trailer
from it's foundation & leaving it's contents scattered across
the highway.
These photos are by Under Sheriff Jerry Niles when he and other members
of the Sheriff's Department was storm spotting during these tornadoes.
of the Sheriff's Department was storm spotting during these tornadoes.
Web site
by
Roger Parson
All photos and web pages are
Copyrighted by Roger Parson and
the Garfield County Sheriff's Office.
2008
by
Roger Parson
All photos and web pages are
Copyrighted by Roger Parson and
the Garfield County Sheriff's Office.
2008