Weather Service Rates Broken Arrow Tornado EF-2, Inola EF-1

The National Weather Service completed its assessments in Broken Arrow and Inola, confirming the presence of two twisters over the weekend in Green Country.

Monday, May 18th 2015, 7:44 am

By: News On 6


Two tornadoes moved through Green Country over the weekend. The National Weather Service completed its assessments in Broken Arrow and Inola, confirming the presence of the twisters.

The Broken Arrow tornado has been rated an EF-2 while the Inola tornado was found to be an EF-1.

"The team surveyed a swath of damage from near the Wagoner/Tulsa county line at East 131st Street South northeast to the Verdigris River at the Wagoner/Rogers County line at the East 620 Road," the preliminary report states.

Another swatch of damage was surveyed northwest of Inola. The NWS in Tulsa reports they will resume their surveys Monday and also look at areas northeast of Inola to the Missouri border.

5/17/2015 Related Story: Wagoner County Woman Clings To Tub, Prays As Tornado Rips Off Roof

Broken Arrow residents in the path of the storm are continuing to clean up debris. The damage ranges from snapped trees to homes with ripped off roofs.

The NWS said wind speeds reached 110 to 120 miles per hour, and the tornado's path was at least 12 miles. They have not yet determined the width of the path, a report states.

The Broken Arrow tornado developed near East 131st Street South, just east of the county line between Wagoner and Tulsa counties. It moved rapidly northeast and likely ended northeast of the intersection of East 51st Street South and South 329th East Avenue in open country.

Several homes were destroyed, but no injuries were reported.

Shawn and Laura Dawson say their family of five was hundred down inside their bathroom when the tornado hit late Saturday night.

"It was really scary," said Laura Summers-Dawson. "It rumbled the house, and the sirens were going off. We sat in there for a while and then we got out. It was just complete dark."

5/17/2015 Related Story: Classic Cars, Lifelong Labor Damaged By Inola Tornado

Their roof had been ripped from the house; debris littered the lawn. Their garage door was bent - but they were OK.

"I think we were just being watched over because nobody was hurt," said Laura Summers-Dawson.

"My biggest surprise was out of everything in here, my old Camaro still had no damage on it," Shawn said.

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