Just got back from driving around in the damaged areas from Riverside Drive (just north of 71st) where the tornado crossed the Arkansas River, going east —and we drove through the neighborhoods and across S. Peoria, about halfway between 61st and 71st, then continuing east through the neighborhoods and over to that shopping center with the roof facade which was blown off, at 61st and S Lewis. It’s across the street from the Souhern Hills Country Club...
I understand the tornado was on the ground for about 25 miles, and was moving along at about 65 MPH (of course, its own winds were higher than that). As far as I could see, it looked like the wind damage indicated a funnel that was as wide as perhaps one block wide (that would be about a 500 foot funnel (or at least for major wind damage, anyway)... and we were six blocks from its pathway ... hoo-boy! ... :-)
I only saw the pathway of the tornado from Riverside Drive, at the Arkansas River (the Eastside, going East), going over to S. Lewis and 61st, but I understand that there was more severe damage on the Westside and more homes damaged over there.
Well, that’s interesting, because it happened so fast for people (just before 5 AM) that by the time anyone took any action to secure themselves in a “safe place” in the house, it had already passed by. I guess with it moving at about 65 MPH, it was a fast moving one.
I had an apartment at 71st and Riverside.