We all know Oklahoma is well-known for its tornadoes, but did you know that we hold the record for the largest tornado EVER recorded in history? Oklahomans (and the world) remember back to the dreadful day of May 31, 2013, when an EF-3 tornado reared its ugly head in the El Reno area near Oklahoma City. No one thought another big tornado would hit us again so soon, when just 11 days prior, another EF-5 tornado ripped through Moore, Oklahoma, killing 24 people and destroying thousands of homes.

When the tornado sirens sounded their alarms on that day in May, 2013, no one imagined the record that was about to be broken. The tornado grew to 2.5 miles wide, setting the record for the widest tornado ever recorded in history. Not only was it the widest tornado in history, but it was also responsible for taking the lives of four storm chasers – the first deaths ever recorded in storm chasing history. Here is the story of this record-breaking tornado, from birth to death:

Let’s hope we don’t ever break that record again!

Have you seen the video of one of the worst hail storms in Oklahoma? If not, you can view it here.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.