Moore in bull's-eye twice, science may know why - CNN

Moore in bull's-eye twice, science may know why

By Sally Holland, CNN

Updated 1515 GMT (2315 HKT) May 22, 2013

Amber Landis walks among the remains of her home in Moore, Oklahoma, which was destroyed by an EF5 tornado on May 3, 1999. Forty-six people were killed in a <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/20/us/oklahoma-1999-tornado/index.html">string of tornadoes</a> that tore through Oklahoma on May 3, 1999, the strongest of which was an EF5 that hit the towns of Moore, Bridge Creek, Newcastle, Midwest City and Del City. Now this section of the country is dealing with <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/20/us/severe-weather/index.html?hpt=hp_t1">a fresh disaster that has eclipsed the 1999 outbreak</a>. Click through the gallery to see more pictures from 1999:
Photos: The devastating Oklahoma tornado of 1999
Oklahoma tornadoes of 1999 – Amber Landis walks among the remains of her home in Moore, Oklahoma, which was destroyed by an EF5 tornado on May 3, 1999. Forty-six people were killed in a string of tornadoes that tore through Oklahoma on May 3, 1999, the strongest of which was an EF5 that hit the towns of Moore, Bridge Creek, Newcastle, Midwest City and Del City. Now this section of the country is dealing with a fresh disaster that has eclipsed the 1999 outbreak. Click through the gallery to see more pictures from 1999:
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Nan Goines, right, hugs her granddaughter Ashley Thomas, on May 5, 1999, in front of the remains of her home in Midwest City, Oklahoma.
Photos: The devastating Oklahoma tornado of 1999
Oklahoma tornadoes of 1999 – Nan Goines, right, hugs her granddaughter Ashley Thomas, on May 5, 1999, in front of the remains of her home in Midwest City, Oklahoma.
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Destroyed homes lie in ruin in a section of Midwest City on May 5, 1999.
Photos: The devastating Oklahoma tornado of 1999
Oklahoma tornadoes of 1999 – Destroyed homes lie in ruin in a section of Midwest City on May 5, 1999.
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Peggy Lipscomb salvages belongings from what is left of her home in southeast Oklahoma City on May 4, 1999, following a series of deadly tornadoes that tore through the state.
Photos: The devastating Oklahoma tornado of 1999
Oklahoma tornadoes of 1999 – Peggy Lipscomb salvages belongings from what is left of her home in southeast Oklahoma City on May 4, 1999, following a series of deadly tornadoes that tore through the state.
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Nan Goines reacts as she looks at the remains of her daughter home on May 5, 1999, in Midwest City.
Photos: The devastating Oklahoma tornado of 1999
Oklahoma tornadoes of 1999 – Nan Goines reacts as she looks at the remains of her daughter home on May 5, 1999, in Midwest City.
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Moore residents remove possessions from their tornado-ravaged homes on May 4, 1999.
Photos: The devastating Oklahoma tornado of 1999
Oklahoma tornadoes of 1999 – Moore residents remove possessions from their tornado-ravaged homes on May 4, 1999.
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Velma Briscoe of Moore sits in front of what was her home on May 4, 1999.
Photos: The devastating Oklahoma tornado of 1999
Oklahoma tornadoes of 1999 – Velma Briscoe of Moore sits in front of what was her home on May 4, 1999.
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Residents survey the damage in Oklahoma City on May 4, 1999, following a series of deadly tornadoes that ravaged the state.
Photos: The devastating Oklahoma tornado of 1999
Oklahoma tornadoes of 1999 – Residents survey the damage in Oklahoma City on May 4, 1999, following a series of deadly tornadoes that ravaged the state.
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06 1999 Oklahoma tornado01 1999 Oklahoma tornado02 1999 Oklahoma tornado03 1999 Oklahoma tornado04 1999 Oklahoma tornado05 1999 Oklahoma tornado07 1999 Oklahoma tornado08 1999 Oklahoma tornado

Story highlights

  • Moore hit by devastating twisters twice since 1999
  • The biggest tornadoes usually don't strike populated areas
  • Oklahoma has one of the highest climates
  • Estimated peak winds in Monday's deadly storm were between 200-210 mph
The governor of Oklahoma, Mary Fallin, says it is "hard to believe" another monster tornado could devastate the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore.
The odds of one striking the same place twice are extremely rare -- rarer still if it's near a populated area. But if that place is Moore, science may offer an explanation.
"Oklahoma has one of the highest climatological likelihoods for tornadoes of any place in the nation," according to Bob Henson of the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
"So if two EF4/EF5 tornadoes are going to strike the same city within 15 years, Moore is as likely as any other place. Even so, this is an extremely rare occurrence," Henson said.
On average, 10 tornadoes a year reach the most dangerous classification and almost never strike populated areas.
A message is left by a homeowner who lost his home in the May 20 tornado on Monday, May 27, in Moore, Oklahoma. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/20/us/gallery/midwest-weather/index.html">View more photos of the aftermath in the region</a> and another gallery of <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/gallery/oklahoma-tornado-aerials/index.html">aerial shots of the damage</a>.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
A message is left by a homeowner who lost his home in the May 20 tornado on Monday, May 27, in Moore, Oklahoma. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/20/us/gallery/midwest-weather/index.html">View more photos of the aftermath in the region</a> and another gallery of <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/gallery/oklahoma-tornado-aerials/index.html">aerial shots of the damage</a>.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A message is left by a homeowner who lost his home in the May 20 tornado on Monday, May 27, in Moore, Oklahoma. View more photos of the aftermath in the region and another gallery of aerial shots of the damage.
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Left to right, Jaqi Castro, Angelica Morris-Smith and Cetoria Petties walk through a tornado ravaged neighborhood handing out supplies to residents and fellow volunteers on May 27.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Left to right, Jaqi Castro, Angelica Morris-Smith and Cetoria Petties walk through a tornado ravaged neighborhood handing out supplies to residents and fellow volunteers on May 27.
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Residents gather in the First Baptist Church for the Oklahoma Strong memorial service on Sunday, May 26, to honor victims of the recent deadly tornado in Moore, Oklahoma.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Residents gather in the First Baptist Church for the Oklahoma Strong memorial service on Sunday, May 26, to honor victims of the recent deadly tornado in Moore, Oklahoma.
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Preschooler Keltin Marazzi, front center, stands on stage with other school children during the memorial service.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Preschooler Keltin Marazzi, front center, stands on stage with other school children during the memorial service.
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Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin addresses the audience on May 26.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin addresses the audience on May 26.
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Tornado victims Christa and Russell Smith hug their children, Evan and Justin Smith, as the service takes place.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Tornado victims Christa and Russell Smith hug their children, Evan and Justin Smith, as the service takes place.
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Plaza Towers Elementary School teacher Jennifer Doan is comforted by her fiance, Nyle Rogers, on May 26.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Plaza Towers Elementary School teacher Jennifer Doan is comforted by her fiance, Nyle Rogers, on May 26.
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President Barack Obama is greeted as he tours the tornado-ravaged area near Moore, Oklahoma, on Sunday, May 26.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – President Barack Obama is greeted as he tours the tornado-ravaged area near Moore, Oklahoma, on Sunday, May 26.
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Volunteers bow their heads in reverence on Saturday, May 25, in front of a memorial at the Plaza Towers Elementary School where seven children died during the devastating tornado, in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Volunteers bow their heads in reverence on Saturday, May 25, in front of a memorial at the Plaza Towers Elementary School where seven children died during the devastating tornado, in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20.
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Mike Hitch prepares to pull a classic Corvette from under the debris of a home destroyed by Monday's tornado on May 25.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Mike Hitch prepares to pull a classic Corvette from under the debris of a home destroyed by Monday's tornado on May 25.
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Mike Hitch loads a salvaged Corvette pulled from the rubble onto a tow truck in Moore on May 25.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Mike Hitch loads a salvaged Corvette pulled from the rubble onto a tow truck in Moore on May 25.
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Eunice Lassiter sits in the driveway of a friend's tornado-damaged home on May 25 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Eunice Lassiter sits in the driveway of a friend's tornado-damaged home on May 25 in Moore.
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A volunteer signs a cross on May 25 at a makeshift memorial outside of the destroyed Plaza Towers Elementary School where seven children were killed in Monday's tornado in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A volunteer signs a cross on May 25 at a makeshift memorial outside of the destroyed Plaza Towers Elementary School where seven children were killed in Monday's tornado in Moore.
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Volunteers unload donated items for tornado victims at the Yellow Rose Theater on May 25 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Volunteers unload donated items for tornado victims at the Yellow Rose Theater on May 25 in Moore.
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Volunteer Brittany Pendergraft organizes donated tornado relief items inside the Yellow Rose Theater on May 25 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Volunteer Brittany Pendergraft organizes donated tornado relief items inside the Yellow Rose Theater on May 25 in Moore.
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Eddie Jones of the Christian Life Center in Rolla, Missouri, cooks for residents and volunteers helping with tornado relief on May 25 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Eddie Jones of the Christian Life Center in Rolla, Missouri, cooks for residents and volunteers helping with tornado relief on May 25 in Moore.
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Carol Kawaykla holds a picture of her mother she found in the rubble of her tornado-devastated home in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 24.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Carol Kawaykla holds a picture of her mother she found in the rubble of her tornado-devastated home in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 24.
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The sun sets over debris from houses littering the ground in Moore, Oklahoma, on Thursday, May 23, three days after the town was damaged by a tornado.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – The sun sets over debris from houses littering the ground in Moore, Oklahoma, on Thursday, May 23, three days after the town was damaged by a tornado.
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Debris is scattered across a driveway on May 23. Severe thunderstorms barreled through this Oklahoma City suburb at dawn Thursday, complicating cleanup efforts.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Debris is scattered across a driveway on May 23. Severe thunderstorms barreled through this Oklahoma City suburb at dawn Thursday, complicating cleanup efforts.
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Lightning strikes during a thunderstorm as people search for items that can be saved from their devastated home on May 23.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Lightning strikes during a thunderstorm as people search for items that can be saved from their devastated home on May 23.
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A devastated neighborhood is seen on May 23 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A devastated neighborhood is seen on May 23 in Moore.
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A woman searches for belongings at a home on May 22 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A woman searches for belongings at a home on May 22 in Moore.
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Michael Pritz swings a golf club while taking a break from helping his friend to salvage belongings on May 22.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Michael Pritz swings a golf club while taking a break from helping his friend to salvage belongings on May 22.
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Debris litters what remains of a classroom at Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22. Seven children died at the school in Monday's tornado.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Debris litters what remains of a classroom at Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22. Seven children died at the school in Monday's tornado.
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A makeshift shelter stands next to a home destroyed by the tornado on May 22.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A makeshift shelter stands next to a home destroyed by the tornado on May 22.
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Casey Angle walks on the bunk bed she shared with her sister Sydney, who was among the students killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School during the tornado.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Casey Angle walks on the bunk bed she shared with her sister Sydney, who was among the students killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School during the tornado.
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Tara McDonald shows some items salvaged from her home on May 22.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Tara McDonald shows some items salvaged from her home on May 22.
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A swing set sits warped at Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A swing set sits warped at Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22.
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Plaza Towers Elementary School students Monica Boyd and Lavontey Rodriguez sit at the parking lot of their tornado devastated school.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Plaza Towers Elementary School students Monica Boyd and Lavontey Rodriguez sit at the parking lot of their tornado devastated school.
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Travis French and his wife, Amy, of Capitol Hill Baptist Church hand out fresh fruit, water and hygiene packs to Thomas and Kelcy Trowbridge.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Travis French and his wife, Amy, of Capitol Hill Baptist Church hand out fresh fruit, water and hygiene packs to Thomas and Kelcy Trowbridge.
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Teachers from Fairview Elementary School help clean up former school counselor Kay Taylor's home in south Oklahoma City on May 22, two days after an extremely powerful tornado tore through Moore, Oklahoma.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Teachers from Fairview Elementary School help clean up former school counselor Kay Taylor's home in south Oklahoma City on May 22, two days after an extremely powerful tornado tore through Moore, Oklahoma.
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Jake English, 12, cleans up retired school counselor Kay Taylor's home on May 22 in south Oklahoma City, just west of Moore. The storm was part of a tornado outbreak that began in the Midwest and Plains on Sunday, May 19.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Jake English, 12, cleans up retired school counselor Kay Taylor's home on May 22 in south Oklahoma City, just west of Moore. The storm was part of a tornado outbreak that began in the Midwest and Plains on Sunday, May 19.
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A man talks on his cell phone in front of a destroyed house on May 22.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A man talks on his cell phone in front of a destroyed house on May 22.
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A man looks through a pile of clothing at a roadside relief camp on May 22 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A man looks through a pile of clothing at a roadside relief camp on May 22 in Moore.
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Volunteers form a chain to retrieve clothing and other household items on May 22.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Volunteers form a chain to retrieve clothing and other household items on May 22.
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Jon Booth moves a piece of debris from his mother's destroyed home across the street from Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Jon Booth moves a piece of debris from his mother's destroyed home across the street from Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22.
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Matt Johnson salvages items from his grandparents' home on Tuesday, May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Matt Johnson salvages items from his grandparents' home on Tuesday, May 21.
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An aerial view of the destruction on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – An aerial view of the destruction on May 21.
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The storm, which touched down near Newcastle, Oklahoma, spanned 1.3 miles. Some areas along the path were completely flattened.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – The storm, which touched down near Newcastle, Oklahoma, spanned 1.3 miles. Some areas along the path were completely flattened.
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Two men fold an American flag found in the debris of a house on May 21 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Two men fold an American flag found in the debris of a house on May 21 in Moore.
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A young girl stands among the rubble outside Briarwood Elementary School on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A young girl stands among the rubble outside Briarwood Elementary School on May 21.
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A doll covered in dirt is among the rubble scattered throughout a neighborhood in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A doll covered in dirt is among the rubble scattered throughout a neighborhood in Moore on May 21.
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Bonnie Lolofie, left, and Ashley Do carry belongings from their apartment, which has no power, on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Bonnie Lolofie, left, and Ashley Do carry belongings from their apartment, which has no power, on May 21.
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Residents salvage belongings from their demolished homes in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Residents salvage belongings from their demolished homes in Moore on May 21.
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Kelli Kannady weeps after finding a box of photographs of her late husband in the rubble near where her home once stood in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Kelli Kannady weeps after finding a box of photographs of her late husband in the rubble near where her home once stood in Moore on May 21.
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Tufts of pink insulation hang from the rafters of a store in Moore on May 21 that was destroyed in the storm.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Tufts of pink insulation hang from the rafters of a store in Moore on May 21 that was destroyed in the storm.
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Natalie Johnson searches through her mother's destroyed car outside Briarwood Elementary School in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Natalie Johnson searches through her mother's destroyed car outside Briarwood Elementary School in Moore on May 21.
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Rescuers dig out a house in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Rescuers dig out a house in Moore on May 21.
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June Simson embraces her cat Sammi after she found him standing among the rubble of her destroyed home in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – June Simson embraces her cat Sammi after she found him standing among the rubble of her destroyed home in Moore on May 21.
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A man stands on the roof of a destroyed home in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A man stands on the roof of a destroyed home in Moore on May 21.
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A man helps move a resident's belongings from a destroyed home on May 21 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A man helps move a resident's belongings from a destroyed home on May 21 in Moore.
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Air Force Airman First Class Justin Acord sifts through the rubble of his father-in-law's home in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Air Force Airman First Class Justin Acord sifts through the rubble of his father-in-law's home in Moore on May 21.
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People recover belongings from the rubble of a home in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – People recover belongings from the rubble of a home in Moore.
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People sort through a leveled home in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – People sort through a leveled home in Moore on May 21.
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Debris lies among headstones in the Moore Cemetery on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Debris lies among headstones in the Moore Cemetery on May 21.
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Workers clean up the Warren movie theater in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Workers clean up the Warren movie theater in Moore on May 21.
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Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett surveys damage in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett surveys damage in Moore on May 21.
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Piles of debris lie around the north side of Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Piles of debris lie around the north side of Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore on May 21.
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As dawn breaks, storm clouds roll in over a devastated neighborhood in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – As dawn breaks, storm clouds roll in over a devastated neighborhood in Moore on May 21.
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Members of the Oklahoma National Guard look for survivors in rubble in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Members of the Oklahoma National Guard look for survivors in rubble in Moore on May 21.
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A National Guardsman assists in the search for victims on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A National Guardsman assists in the search for victims on May 21.
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A rescue worker leads a horse from the wreckage of a day care center and barns on Monday, May 20, in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A rescue worker leads a horse from the wreckage of a day care center and barns on Monday, May 20, in Moore.
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Men tie an American flag on debris in a neighborhood off Telephone Road in Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Men tie an American flag on debris in a neighborhood off Telephone Road in Moore on May 20.
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Children wait for their parents to arrive at Briarwood Elementary School in south Oklahoma City on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Children wait for their parents to arrive at Briarwood Elementary School in south Oklahoma City on May 20.
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Teachers carry children away from Briarwood Elementary School on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Teachers carry children away from Briarwood Elementary School on May 20.
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Teachers lead children away from Briarwood Elementary School on May 20. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/oklahoma-tornado-school-photo/index.html?hpt=hp_c2" target="_blank">Read more about the photo.</a>
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Teachers lead children away from Briarwood Elementary School on May 20. Read more about the photo.
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A fire official drives through the rubble of Moore Medical Center on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A fire official drives through the rubble of Moore Medical Center on May 20.
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Abby Madi, left, and Peterson Zatterlee comfort Zatterlee's dog, Rippy, on Monday, May 20, in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Abby Madi, left, and Peterson Zatterlee comfort Zatterlee's dog, Rippy, on Monday, May 20, in Moore.
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A woman is treated for her injuries on May 20 at a triage area set up for the wounded.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A woman is treated for her injuries on May 20 at a triage area set up for the wounded.
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Two girls stand in rubble in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Two girls stand in rubble in Moore.
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Rescue workers help free one of more than a dozen people who were trapped at a medical center in Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Rescue workers help free one of more than a dozen people who were trapped at a medical center in Moore on May 20.
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Oklahoma City firefighters check on Gene Tripp on May 20 as he sits in his rocking chair where his home once stood.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Oklahoma City firefighters check on Gene Tripp on May 20 as he sits in his rocking chair where his home once stood.
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A nurse helps an older man who suffered a head injury on May 20 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A nurse helps an older man who suffered a head injury on May 20 in Moore.
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Cars marked with an orange X, meaning they have been checked for occupants, are piled up in front of the entrance to the damaged Moore Medical Center on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Cars marked with an orange X, meaning they have been checked for occupants, are piled up in front of the entrance to the damaged Moore Medical Center on May 20.
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Jim Routon hugs his neighbor, 7-year-old Hezekiah, after the tornado strikes on May 20. An earlier version of this caption incorrectly stated that Routon was Hezekiah's teacher. <a href="http://outfront.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/21/neighbors-comfort-boy-in-tornado-aftermath/">See an interview with the pair.</a><strong> </strong>
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Jim Routon hugs his neighbor, 7-year-old Hezekiah, after the tornado strikes on May 20. An earlier version of this caption incorrectly stated that Routon was Hezekiah's teacher. See an interview with the pair.
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People look through the wreckage of their neighborhood after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – People look through the wreckage of their neighborhood after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20.
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Dana Ulepich searches inside a room left standing at the back of her destroyed house in Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Dana Ulepich searches inside a room left standing at the back of her destroyed house in Moore on May 20.
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Residents look through the debris in Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Residents look through the debris in Moore on May 20.
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A man looks through the remains of a home after the massive tornado struck Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A man looks through the remains of a home after the massive tornado struck Moore on May 20.
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A woman is transported on a stretcher after she was rescued from the damaged medical center in Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A woman is transported on a stretcher after she was rescued from the damaged medical center in Moore on May 20.
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A woman walks through debris in Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A woman walks through debris in Moore on May 20.
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A man is taken away from the IMAX Theater in Moore that was used as a triage center on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A man is taken away from the IMAX Theater in Moore that was used as a triage center on May 20.
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A girl wraps herself in a blanket near the Moore Hospital on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A girl wraps herself in a blanket near the Moore Hospital on May 20.
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A nurse walks by the destruction at a Moore hospital on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A nurse walks by the destruction at a Moore hospital on May 20.
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Destroyed cars scatter the landscape in Moore, Oklahoma, where hundreds of homes and buildings were put to ruin on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Destroyed cars scatter the landscape in Moore, Oklahoma, where hundreds of homes and buildings were put to ruin on May 20.
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A woman with an arm injury is helped on May 20 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A woman with an arm injury is helped on May 20 in Moore.
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Extensive damage from the tornado destroyed cars and demolished structures in Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Extensive damage from the tornado destroyed cars and demolished structures in Moore on May 20.
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Onlookers stop to view a portion of the destruction left behind on May 20 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Onlookers stop to view a portion of the destruction left behind on May 20 in Moore.
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Overturned cars are among the rubble from the tornado that hit Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Overturned cars are among the rubble from the tornado that hit Moore on May 20.
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A woman is comforted after the May 20 tornado in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A woman is comforted after the May 20 tornado in Moore.
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A shredded tree stands amid debris in the aftermath of the storm in Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A shredded tree stands amid debris in the aftermath of the storm in Moore on May 20.
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A shopping center parking lot is covered with debris and damaged cars on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A shopping center parking lot is covered with debris and damaged cars on May 20.
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Law enforcement officers block a roadway in Moore where there was extensive damage from the tornado.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Law enforcement officers block a roadway in Moore where there was extensive damage from the tornado.
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A massive tornado approaches Moore on May 20. The storm first touched down to the west of the city near Newcastle, Oklahoma. Visit <a href="http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/impact.your.world/">CNN.com/impact</a> for ways to help the victims.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A massive tornado approaches Moore on May 20. The storm first touched down to the west of the city near Newcastle, Oklahoma. Visit CNN.com/impact for ways to help the victims.
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Monday's deadly storm was the exception.
Oklahoma City area hammered by EF5 tornado in 1999
Moreover, it partly followed the path of an EF5 tornado that walloped metro Oklahoma City in 1999, killing three dozen people. That twister tracked a path that included Moore, a southern suburb of more than 50,000 people.
It was one of the costliest tornadoes in U.S. history.
Dallas-Fort Worth, Kansas City and St. Louis are also considered high risk for severe tornadoes, according to Harold Brooks of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma.
Deadliest tornadoes on record
Yet, none of those metro areas has been through what Moore has experienced.
Monday's storm caused enormous property destruction and killed at least two dozen people.
"Yet it was a relatively ordinary violent tornado," according to Brooks, an acknowledged expert on the climatology and probability of twisters.
Tornado prediction is improving
Such twisters are defined as those that have winds of at least 200 mph, are a half-a-mile or more wide, and produce the most fatalities.
When they touch down, they normally stay on the ground for 30 to 60 minutes.
The National Weather Service said Monday's tornado was 1.3 miles wide as it tore through Moore.
The estimated peak winds ranged from 200 to 210 mph -- which would make it an EF5, the most powerful category.
Judging by the vast destruction of homes and buildings, experts say it was on the ground for about 40 minutes.
The number of tornadoes overall seems to be more variable.
"In the last three years we have set records for the most tornadoes in 12 consecutive months and the least number of tornadoes in 12 consecutive months," Brooks said.
He has no explanation for the inconsistency.
EF5 tornadoes are terrifying perfect storms