2007 Greensburg tornado

2007 Greensburg tornado

Clockwise from top: The tornado, as seen at EF5 intensity in Greensburg; the photographer was located 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Greensburg. At this point, the tornado has taken on a large "wedge" shape,[note 1] a heavily damaged house in Greensburg, a radar image of the supercell that produced the tornado, disaster recovery workers clearing debris from Greensburg, damage to downtown Greensburg, which took a direct hit from the tornado.
Meteorological history
Formed	May 4, 2007, 9:00 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00)
Dissipated	May 4, 2007, 10:05 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00)
Duration	65 minutes
EF5 tornado
on the Enhanced Fujita scale
Highest winds	205 mph (330 km/h)
Satellite tornadoes
Tornadoes	10 confirmed
Maximum rating	EF1 tornado
Highest winds	Unknown
Overall effects
Fatalities	11
Injuries	63
Damage	95% of Greensburg damaged to some degree
Economic losses	$250 million (2007 USD)[1]
Areas affected	Greensburg, Kansas, US
Houses destroyed	622
Part of the Tornado outbreak of May 4–6, 2007 and Tornadoes of 2007

On the evening of May 4, 2007, amid a tornado outbreak, a large and devastating EF5 tornado moved through the town of Greensburg, located in southern Kansas, United States. The tornado, known as the Greensburg tornado, Greensburg, or GT in later studies, tracked 28.8 miles (46.3 km) through the area, killing eleven and injuring sixty-three others. The tornado was the first to be rated EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita scale after the retirement of the original Fujita scale in the United States in February 2007.^[2][3][4][5]

The tornado touched down in northern Comanche County, moving to the north while continuously widening. The nocturnal wedge tornado eventually entered into Kiowa County, crossing U.S. Route 183 before entering the city limits of Greensburg. The tornado heavily damaged Greensburg as it moved through; 662 structures in the town sustained some form of damage, and eleven were killed before the tornado left the area. Northwest of Greensburg, the tornado suddenly turned, looping back around before dissipating over an hour after first touching down.

The tornado devastated Greensburg, damaging 95% of the town and leaving $268 million (2007 USD) in damage. Rebuilding efforts after the tornado were intensive, and several major government agencies collaborated with state agencies to help rebuild the town with the goal of making it a "green town" using a Long-Term Community Recovery plan that included requiring all buildings in Greensburg to gain LEED Platinum certification, along with installing wind turbines in the city. In 2011, Kiowa County Memorial Hospital, destroyed in the tornado, was the first hospital in the United States to operate using carbon neutral energy.

As of 2024, the tornado is the most recent to receive an EF5 rating in Kansas, and ninth most recent nationwide. The tornado was also one of the deadliest in Kansas history, along with being the deadliest in the history of Comanche and Kiowa counties. The tornado is the second-widest officially surveyed tornado in Kansas history, at 1.7 miles (2.7 km); the 2 miles (3.2 km) width estimate from the 1896 Seneca–Oneida tornado is considered unofficial and the Trousdale tornado that touched down on the same day had a larger width, at 2.2 miles (3.5 km).

On May 4,^[6] a low stalled over the High Plains and additional moisture coming from the Gulf of Mexico moved in behind the warm front and increased amounts of instability across much of the region, with CAPE values as high as 5,500 J/kg.^[7] In addition, the dry line, which marks a divided line between the dry and humid air mass, was positioned over the southern High Plains. This allowed for the initiation of scattered supercells on May 4. High wind shear also allowed for intense rotation in the atmosphere. All of the ingredients were present in the atmosphere for the developing of supercell thunderstorms producing damaging wind, large hail and tornadoes.^[8]

The Storm Prediction Center issued a moderate risk for severe weather across western Kansas and small portions of Oklahoma, Colorado and Nebraska for May 4, while temperatures were in the mid to high 80s°F (near 30 °C). The atmosphere remained capped for much of the day, but storms began to develop in the late afternoon hours in western Oklahoma and the eastern Texas Panhandle.^[8][9] The most intense supercells developed in the early evening hours across northwestern Oklahoma and southwestern Kansas. These intense tornadic supercells eventually produced 25 tornadoes, including the Greensburg tornado.^[10][11]

At around 7:00 pm CDT, the National Weather Service office in Dodge City, Kansas began to detect a mesocyclone associated with a parent supercell. Several minutes later, a bounded weak echo region (BWER) began to be present on radar, located on then storm's northern flank. As the storm continued to move northeast, strong inflow was being detected in the lower levels of the supercell, and the supercell began to slow to 26.8 miles per hour (12.0 m/s). At around this time, two more mesocyclones were being tracked behind the main supercell; these were accompanied by BWERs. Multiple brief and weak tornadoes touched down as a result of these storms, including "twin" rope tornadoes that were documented by at least one storm chaser on the ground.^[12]

At the time of these tornadoes, discrete circulation began to be monitored within the Greensburg supercell, which was beginning to become stronger. Shortly after this circulation was first found, the Greensburg tornado would touch down.^[12]

Prior to touching down, the tornado discretely cycled and begun rotating under the southwest flank of its parent supercell,^[13] accompanied by several small rope tornadoes and funnel clouds.^[14] One of these rope tornadoes, located on the westernmost side of the mesocyclone would begin to rapidly strengthen, taking on a wedge shape shortly after touching down.^[15] Several storm chasers captured the formation of a tornado south of Greensburg around 9:20 pm CDT, which apparently strengthened as it neared Greensburg and began moving due-north towards the town, and at 9:38 pm CDT, storm chasers reported that it had grown to over 0.5 miles (0.80 km) in diameter. Eyewitnesses and storm chasers reported that multiple vortices were circulating around the perimeter of the large, wedge-shaped tornado during its early stages. A short time later, at least two distinct satellite tornadoes, including a narrow rope tornado, were reported by local media and observed by multiple weather spotters and storm chasers.^[16]

As the main tornado continued through rural areas, many trees were snapped and debarked, severe ground scouring occurred, and oil tanks were destroyed, with oil strewn across pastures and roads.^[17][18] It continued to grow in size as the very large wedge tornado approached the city of Greensburg from the south. As the tornado crossed Highway 183 south of town, it reached its maximum width of 1.7 miles (2.7 km). Several farmsteads along the highway were damaged or destroyed, livestock was killed, and trees were denuded and debarked in this area as well. At 9:41 pm CDT, the National Weather Service office in Dodge City issued a tornado emergency for Greensburg,^[19][20][21] which read:^[22]

..A TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR GREENSBURG...

AT 937 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS AND STORM SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTH OF GREENSBURG…MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH.

A VIOLENT TORNADO WAS ON A DIRECT PATH FOR PORTIONS OF GREENSBURG… ESPECIALLY THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF TOWN. TAKE IMMEDIATE TORNADO PRECATIONS…THIS IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION FOR GREENSBURG

The massive tornado continued due-north, following Main Street into the south side of Greensburg. Multiple homes, including an entire row of seven adjacent residences, were completely swept away and scattered across a field in this area at the south edge of town. Three of the houses were well-bolted to their foundations, and ground scouring occurred nearby. Damage in this area was rated EF5 as a result.^[23] The tornado weakened slightly as it entered residential areas in southern Greensburg, but remained violent as it directly impacted Delmar Day Elementary School, completely leveling a section of the building and flattening many homes nearby at EF4 intensity. Continuing north, downtown Greensburg was completely devastated by the tornado, with numerous businesses destroyed. Two schools, a Tractor Supply Company store, the Greensburg City Hall and other businesses fell victim to the violent winds and were destroyed or flattened. A motel on the west side of town was severely damaged, trees throughout the town were completely denuded and stripped clean of all bark, and vehicles were thrown hundreds of yards and mangled beyond recognition.^[24]

The Greensburg High School, located around one block east of the tornado's convergence line, was heavily damaged.^[25] Numerous homes were swept away across from the high school, four of which were well-bolted to their foundations, warranting an EF5 rating at those residences.^[23] Several fire hydrants were ripped from the ground in town as well. The city's water tower was completely toppled and smashed, and the visitor's center at the Big Well (which is the world's largest hand-dug well) was completely destroyed. Train cars were also overturned and hazardous materials teams were called to inspect the wreckage. A tank car carrying about 14,000 gallons (53,000 liters) of ammonia started to leak when workers lifted it. The courthouse and the grain elevator were spared the worst of the tornado's effects. Meanwhile, the Greensburg meteorite, which was feared to have been blown away, was found and recovered a few days afterwards.^[23][26]

Past downtown, neighborhoods in northern Greensburg were completely flattened, and many homes were swept cleanly away. A large brick Mennonite Church in this area was completely leveled with the foundation partially swept clean of debris, vehicles were thrown and mangled, trees sustained complete debarking, and severe ground scouring occurred before the tornado left the city limits.

As the tornado exited the city limits of Greensburg, it began to weaken while turning to the northwest,^[27] before almost looping on itself and then dissipating in a farm field.^[28] The total path length was 22.8 miles (37 km),^[29] and the width of the funnel reached 1.7 miles (2.7 km). Overall, 95% of Greensburg was destroyed.^[30] A total of 961 homes and businesses were destroyed, 216 received major damage and 307 received minor damage.^[31][32][33]

During the early stages of the tornado's life, numerous videos and later research showed that at least ten satellite tornadoes existed around the main tornado, located various distances away from the main funnel but still within circulation.^[34] It was shown that these tornadoes were largely associated with high shear regions, which were located to the east and southeast of the main tornado and another two located to the north and south; the southern region of circulation was anticyclonic.^[35] This region of anticyclonic wind would produce an anticyclonic tornado, which was a satellite of the main tornado.^[36] Three of these satellite tornadoes would end up producing tornadic debris signature that were visible on radar.^[37]

One of these anticyclonic tornadoes would cross over the same damage path produced by the main tornado, and shortly later two more satellite tornadoes, one anticyclonic, would touch down around the larger tornado, now tracking towards Greensburg. The largest satellite tornado was located 2.4 miles (3.9 km) southeast of the main tornado, producing a cyclonic shear signature.^[36]

Shortly after the Greensburg tornado lifted, another large and intense tornado would form to the east of Greensburg. The tornado would rapidly widen as it moved to the north, reaching a maximum width of 2,110 yards (1,930 m) at it moved towards the community of Trousdale, located in Edwards County. The tornado would then move past Fellsburg before almost impacting Trousdale. Several homes on the outskirts of the town were destroyed, and a patrol car was destroyed. One person would be killed near Trousdale and two others would be injured. The tornado would begin to weaken as it moved away from Trousdale before curving to the west. The tornado would dissipate twenty minutes after touching down.^[39]

At the time, the tornado was second-largest ever documented, behind the 2004 Hallam tornado, before being surpassed by the 2013 El Reno tornado, the 2016 Jiangsu tornado, and the 2020 Bassfield tornado.^[40][41][42]

Greensburg was devastated by the tornado,^[43] with 95% of structures within city limits sustaining some degree of tornado-related damage.^[44][45][46] Over 800,000 cubic yards (610,000 m³) of tornado-related debris were removed from Greensburg in the aftermath of the tornado.^[47][48] Initial recovery attempts in the days following the tornado were stunted by rain and other bad weather conditions that made it difficult to clean up the town.^[49]

The tornado was the first to be rated EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, as well as the most recent EF5 tornado to hit Kansas.^{[note 3][50]} The tornado was also one of the deadliest in Kansas history, along with being the deadliest in the history of Comanche and Kiowa counties.^{[note 3]} The tornado is the second-widest officially surveyed tornado in Kansas history; the 2 miles (3.2 km) width estimate from the 1896 Seneca–Oneida tornado is considered unofficial and the Trousdale tornado that touched down later on May 4 had a larger width, at 2.2 miles (3.5 km).^{[note 3][50]}

A damage survey conducted by Timothy P. Marshall, Joshua Wurman and several other experts found that a total of fifty-three homes were slid off of brick foundations that anchored the homes to the ground; this damage would later receive an EF2 rating.^[44] 194 homes sustained EF0 damage; the vast majority of these homes were located along the outer path of the tornado on the east and west side of town.^[44] The survey also concluded that damage on the tornado's east side was more severe than damage of that on its west side.^[44]

The survey also found that only seventeen percent of homes damaged by the tornado were damaged to the point where occupation would not be possible, and 28 manufactured homes were destroyed.^[51] Multiple structures located along Main Street sustained EF5 damage, including seven homes.^[52] The water tower located above the Big Well, holding 55,000 U.S. gallons (210,000 L) of water at the time of the tornado, was destroyed; the well survived.^[52]

The Greensburg High School, located around one block east of the tornado's convergence line, was heavily damaged.^[25] As the tornado moved through the area, northward-facing winds battered the building, causing the top floor of the main building and the southern wall of an adjacent building to collapse inward. The east-facing walls of the high school also collapsed inward; the west-facing walls collapsed in an outward direction due to the movement of wind. In a damage survey conducted after the tornado, it was found that the building's large window sills anchored by hinge lines were unable to hold up against high winds, causing the collapse.^[53][23] Numerous homes were swept away across from the high school, four of which were well-bolted to their foundations, warranting an EF5 rating at those residences.^[23]

The Delmer Day Elementary School was the subject of an in-depth damage survey, which detailed how the school collapsed. Similarly to the Greensburg High School, the elementary was located to the east of the tornado's convergence line, and strong winds initiated a collapse on the school's south and east-facing walls.^[54] A lack of steel vertical columns along the school's window sills, accompanied by weak hinge lines, was concluded to be the cause of the collapse. Damage inflicted to the school was eventually given an EF4 rating.^[54][55]

The Kiowa County Memorial Hospital was reinforced with internal vertical steel beams which extended along the floors and ceilings, along with double-thick masonry walls. Despite this, the hospital sustained heavy damage, and a 9,900 pounds (4,500 kg) steel beam was lifted from the hospital's frame and lofted into a vehicle to the hospital's northeast. A damage survey concluded that winds of 147 miles per hour (66 m/s) were needed to lift and toss the beam, which garnered damage to the hospital an EF3 rating.^[56][57]

Following the tornado, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) activated the Long-Term Community Recovery (LTRC) program, which was designed to help recovery efforts with joint cooperation with the State of Kansas and other federal agencies willing to help.^[58][59] The United States Department of Energy (USDoE) collaborated with other agencies during the rebuilding process, and converted Greensburg's main energy source from fossil fuels to wind, collected using wind turbines.^[60] As a result, the Greensburg Wind Farm was developed, consisting of ten 13-megawatt turbines.^[61][62]

Along with changes to Greensburg's energy sources, the LTRC also required that all buildings built within the city limits of Greensburg meet LEED Platinum certifications; only the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital was an exception to this requirement, although the hospital later garnered an LEED Platinum certification.^[60]

In 2011, after being rebuilt,^[63] the hospital became the first in the United States to operate using carbon neutral energy.^[64] In 2012, the hospital became the first to use entrapped rainwater to run water-based utilities, such as toilets.^[60] A 50-kilowatt wind turbine was installed on the site of the hospital to further reduce fossil fuel usage.^[60][63][65] George W. Bush, who was the president of the United States at the time of the tornado, visited the town to survey damage.^[66][47] Rod Blagojevich, governor of Illinois at the time, wrote a letter to the governor of Kansas, offering his condolences and support. The letter, which was sent three days after the tornado, read:^[67]

"On behalf of the people of Illinois, I express my sadness at the devastation caused by last weekend's tornadoes. I offer my condolences on the loss of lives and the families broken apart by this disaster."

— Rod R. Blagojevich, May 7, 2007

Almost 500 soldiers from the United States National Guard were deployed to Greensburg to aid with recovery efforts, and the crews provided machinery and communications for the area.^[68] Many homes in Greensburg were rebuilt in the years following the tornado, all of which had basements and utilized carbon-neutral technology as part of the LTRC.^[69]

The tornado was the first in over 50 years to kill at least one person in Kiowa County.^[70] Eleven people were killed by the tornado, all of whom lived in Greensburg.^[71][48] The initial fatality estimate ranged from nine to eleven, but an additional death was later concluded to be a false report.^[72][73] Claude Hopkins, who was 79 at the time of the tornado, was found dead 100 yards (91 m) from his home; he was likely killed attempting to escape the tornado via car. Larry Hoskins, 51, was killed at an unknown location, and David Lyon, who was 48 at the time, was killed when the mobile home he lived in took a direct hit from the tornado. Colleen Panzer, 77, was found dead after the tornado, and Ron Rediger, who was 57 at the time, was found in the rubble of his home, which lacked a basement.^[74][75]

Evelyn Kelly, 75, was killed when the apartment complex she lived in collapsed. Sarah Tackett, 72, Beverly Volz, 52, and Max McColm, 77, were all found dead in different parts of Greensburg; their cause of death is unknown. Richard Fry, who was 62, was also found dead. Harold Schmidt, who was 77 at the time of the tornado, was seriously injured when a pickup truck landed inside of the basement that he and his wife were sheltering in; he died as a result of his injuries ten days after the tornado.^[74][75] In total, 74 casualties were recorded, including sixty-three injuries and eleven deaths directly relating to the tornado.^[74]

A study carried out by the University of Kansas Health System in April 2013 concluded that the critical mortality rate from the tornado was 18%, and that age was related to the degree of injuries sustained from the tornado.^[76]

The tornado and its aftermath have been depicted in several television productions.

• Greensburg, a show documenting the rebuilding efforts in Greensburg.^[77]
• Greensburg: Relive the Most Destructive Tornado in History, a series that documents the immediate aftermath of the tornado, aired on PBS.^[78]

Damage in Greensburg

A debarked tree in Greensburg in May 2010.

EF4-rated damage to the Greensburg High School, which took an indirect hit from the tornado.

Damage to a home in Greensburg.

Recovery efforts in Greensburg

A burn pit in Greensburg. The pit was set up to help burn debris left by the tornado.

An excavator razing a house in Greensburg, to mitigate debris.

FEMA trailers in Greensburg after the tornado, which were erected to provide shelter to residents who lost their homes.

• 2008 Parkersburg–New Hartford tornado — Another EF5 tornado that occurred in Iowa a year later
• 2011 Joplin tornado — Another large EF5 tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri four years later
• List of tornadoes in the tornado outbreak of May 4–6, 2007
• 2007 Elie tornado — An F5 tornado that struck Elie, Manitoba, Canada a month and a half later
• List of F5, EF5, and IF5 tornadoes

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37°36′16″N 99°17′37″W / 37.604316°N 99.293488°W / 37.604316; -99.293488