Top 12 Most Powerful Tornadoes in the World: A Force of Nature's Fury

8. The Bridge Creek–Moore Tornado of 1999: Record-Breaking Winds

Particularly impacting the towns of Bridge Creek and Moore, a tornado of unheard-of strength tore across the Oklahoma City metropolitan region on May 3, 1999. Measuring by a Doppler on Wheels radar system, an F5 tornado, a component of a bigger outbreak, set a record for the highest wind speeds ever recorded on Earth at 301 mph. Along its 38-mile length and up to a mile width, the tornado caused terrible destruction. With damage estimates running about $1 billion, it killed 36 lives and injured almost 600 others. Not only was the Bridge Creek–Moore tornado significant for its high wind speeds, but also for the calibre of the data gathered about it. The tornado happened during the VORTEX research project, which let experts compile hitherto unheard-of data on its structure and behaviour. Our knowledge of tornado dynamics has been much improved by this information, which also helps to drive developments in tornado warning systems.