On Thursday, April 23, 2026, a violent tornado tore through Enid, Okla. Officially rated an EF4 by the National Weather Service (NWS), the twister carved a 600-yard-wide, 10-mile-long path across the Oklahoma landscape. On the ground for 30 to 40 minutes, with winds of up to 180 mph, the tornado damaged at least 40 homes, with some blown completely off their foundations. Despite the devastating fury of this storm, no one was killed and only minor injuries were reported.
As the storm dissipated and the skies cleared, NSSL jumped into action. In conjunction with The Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations (CIWRO), our Tornado Survey Science and Social Science teams were on scene and collected an extraordinary dataset on the destruction left behind by the photogenic twister.
Gathering new insights from the damage
Damage assessments are the most common way of estimating the intensity and impact of tornadoes. But most damage survey assessments are limited by the established damage indicators of the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale and the ability to access them.
As part of the Tornado Survey Science project, two teams of NSSL scientists set out to document unique damage indicators associated with the Enid tornado. One team performed detailed ground surveys of the damage, compiling detailed documentation of unique damage indicators not currently included in the EF scale. These include the movement and lofting of numerous large objects like RVs, power poles, dumpsters, and large pipes. The team also collected information on nearby damage indicators standard to the EF scale that could be compared to these non-standard damage indicators.
The second team of NSSL scientists collected UAS imagery to reveal the complete extent of damage, including in areas that were difficult or dangerous to access on foot. Their broader overhead view also captured spatial variations in damage that reflect gradients in tornado and storm wind intensity. NSSL uses a fixed-wing, airplane-style drone to collect high-resolution, multi-spectral imagery at resolutions as fine as 2.5 cm. The combination of detailed ground surveys and UAS data can be used to validate radar observations and improve our understanding of surface interactions with storms. This opens the doors to even more cases for study and the data speaks volumes about wind patterns within tornadoes and storms at the ground.
SOCIAL SCIENCE
NSSL scientists know that a perfect forecast can only go so far. People need to be able to make quick, effective decisions using those forecasts to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. After the storms, NSSL social scientists assisted the Norman Weather Forecast Office with the damage survey, talking to those who were impacted and documenting their experiences using the Tornado Tales survey.
The Enid tornado was incredibly strong and very visible right before it did the worst damage. This visibility and the fact that it happened during the day likely saved lives. Many survivors reported sheltering in their safe rooms or going to a neighbors house who had a shelter. They knew they had to act quickly because they could see the tornado approaching and they knew how long it would take them to get to a safe place. Scientists use these experiences to help shape how forecasters communicate during these dangerous events — the more we know about how people get warnings and what they do afterwards, the better we can tailor our messaging.
