FOX 17– One of the deadly tornadoes that hit Oklahoma on May 31 has been classified as an EF-5, with estimated winds at an incredible 295 miles per hour. This is the tornado that passed near the city of El Reno, Okla. It further set a new record for the widest tornado on record. At one point, the storm was 2.6 miles wide.
To put this in perspective, look at the map above. The width of this tornado is the same distance as going from Downtown Grand Rapids all the way to nearly 28th street. Here’s another example from Kalamazoo. The Oklahoma tornado was as wide as the distance from Downtown Kalamazoo all the way to nearly U.S. 131.
Luckily, West Michigan has been largely spared from severe weather this warm season. When that changes, we’ll give you a heads up on FOX 17 News, or you can visit the weather page at http://www.fox17online.com/weather
