zpostcode
'You certainly don't see this every day': Ultra-rare backward-spinning tornado formed over Oklahoma
Apr 30, 2026 10:56 PM

An ultra-rare backward-spinning tornado was spawned Tuesday (April 30) from a powerful supercell thunderstorm that formed over the Oklahoma-Texas border.

This backward tornado burst to life in the wake of another odd twister, which was unusual in that it looped back over its own path, CNN reported. Tornadoes tend to travel from west to east, because the prevailing winds in the U.S. travel in that direction and thus push storm systems that way. However, tornadoes can sometimes turn back on themselves as they lose strength; in this case, the tornado completed a full loop over its original path before dying out.

This looping tornado had formed north of Loveland, Oklahoma, around 10 p.m. local time. It traveled east before heading north, west and then east again, over the same area it had already hit.

To be clear, in this loop we have a westward moving, dissipating cyclonic tornado AND and newly developed anticyclonic tornado also moving west-southwest with a debris signature. This is so incredibly rare its hard to describe. pic.twitter.com/SCpnyWXOgAMay 1, 2024

"You certainly don't see this every day," Rick Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Norman, Oklahoma, told CNN.

Related: 'Wedge tornado' in Mississippi is the deadliest in more than 50 years

As the looping tornado died down, the backward-spinning twister appeared a few miles southeast of Loveland, just before 10:30 p.m. Smith told CNN that both tornadoes were likely active for a brief period.

A weather service warning called the tornado "large and extremely dangerous" and noted that it was "nearly stationary or moving very slowly south." It warned people located in Loveland, Grandfield and Devol that "This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!"

RELATED STORIESDeadly cyclone 'Freddy' may be the longest-lived and most energetic storm ever recorded

How the 'deadly December tornado' carved a 250-mile path through 4 states

Most powerful solar storm in 6 years caused auroras all over the US. And nobody saw it coming

According to the NWS, nearly all tornadoes in the Northern Hemisphere have winds that whip counterclockwise around a central point; this motion is known as "cyclonic." But in about 1% of cases, twisters spin in the opposite direction; these are called anticyclonic. (In the Southern Hemisphere, cyclonic tornadoes spin clockwise, while anticyclonic ones spin counterclockwise.)

It was unusual enough to see a backward-spinning tornado, but the cyclone's lack of movement was also odd, Smith told CNN. And radar suggested the storm was strong enough to chuck debris thousands of feet into the air, even though anticyclonic tornadoes are often relatively weak.

Thankfully, the tornadoes mostly traveled over farmland, according to recent updates issued by Tillman County Emergency Management on Facebook. There have been no injuries, deaths or extensive structural damage reported, according to CNN.

Oklahoma has seen more than two dozen tornadoes this week. On April 27 and 28, a "slow-moving, but potent" storm triggered at least 27 tornadoes in Oklahoma and Texas, with 24 confirmed in Oklahoma, the NWS reported.

Comments
Welcome to zpostcode comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Recommend >
Balto
     Balto After leading musher Gunnar Kaasen's team during the last leg of the Great Race of Mercy—a relay that delivered diphtheria antitoxin to Nome, Alaska—Balto the Siberian Husky rose to national fame. (more) Balto dog Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Print print Print Please select which sections you would like to print: Table Of Contents Cite verifiedCite...
extrinsic value
     An option's theta is a reflection of the decay of its extrinsic value.Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.In options trading, extrinsic value—also called time value—is the current market value of uncertainty in the option between now and the option’s expiration. If an option is in the money, the extrinsic value is the amount of the premium over and above its intrinsic value. If an...
Get Shorty
     Elmore Leonard Elmore Leonard, author of Get Shorty (1990), in 2003. (more) Get Shorty novel by Leonard Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Andrew Pepper Andrew Pepper is a Lecturer in English and American literature at Queen's University Belfast. He is the author of The Contemporary American Crime Novel (2000) and the co-author...
Susie Wiles
     The future first female chief of staff Susie Wiles, pictured in 2024, is scheduled to become Donald Trump's chief of staff in January 2025. (more) Susie Wiles American political consultant Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: Susan Summerall Written by Amy Tikkanen Amy Tikkanen is Managing Editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. Amy Tikkanen...
Information Recommendation
The Human Stain
     Philip Roth Philip Roth, author of The Human Stain (2000), c. 1980–90. (more) The Human Stain novel by Roth Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Anna Foca Anna Foca's work appears in Encyclopaedia Britannica as part of a joint publishing agreement with the publisher of 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die,...
Want to become a yield farmer? A 6-step process to target a return on crypto investments
     How to grow crypto interest, fees, or rewards.© domnitsky/stock.adobe.com, © reshoot/stock.adobe.com, © maxbelchenko/stock.adobe.com, © graphixmania/stock.adobe.com; Photo illustration Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Imagine rows of crops on a farm—neatly arranged and optimized to yield the most food possible. Cryptocurrency yield farming is broadly similar, except your objective as the “farmer” is to generate the highest possible yields—interest, fees, or rewards, for example—from...
Richat Structure
  Richat Structure geographic feature, Mauritania Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: Eye of Africa, Eye of the Sahara, Guelb er Richât Written by Frannie Comstock Frannie Comstock is a writer based in Chicago. Frannie Comstock Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive...
Capture of Savannah
     Archibald Campbell As a lieutenant colonel, Archibald Campbell (1739–1791) commanded 3,500 British troops in the Capture of Savannah in December 1778 during the American Revolution. He would rise in rank to major general and be knighted for his services. The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library Digital...
...
intrinsic value
  In finance, intrinsic value is a measure of the true worth, in dollar terms, of an asset or company based on an accurate assessment of fundamental values. For a company, intrinsic value, as estimated by professional stock analysts, would be the sum of all tangible and intangible assets if converted to cash. Some value investors seek companies whose market capitalization is lower than their intrinsic value.   In option...
HYBE Corp.
     HYBE Corp. transformed K-pop globally through boy band BTS and fan engagement.© ANTHONY WALLACE —AFP/Getty Images formerly:Big Hit EntertainmentHYBE Corp. is a South Korean global entertainment company established in 2005 by Bang Si-hyuk, an entrepreneur, composer, and music executive. Founded as Big Hit Entertainment Co., Ltd., the company has grown to become a multinational corporation with subsidiaries specializing in...
Hiroshima
     John Hersey John Hersey, author of Hiroshima (1946). (more) Hiroshima work by Hersey Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Print Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA...