zpostcode
'You certainly don't see this every day': Ultra-rare backward-spinning tornado formed over Oklahoma
Apr 1, 2026 2:19 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
Information Recommendation
What is investment banking? Connecting investors to corporate growth
     Investment banking is a business that facilitates capital markets and the larger financial community. Investment bankers connect investors to companies that are raising money by issuing stocks and bonds. Most investment banks also offer broker-dealer services to help customers—often institutional clients—buy and sell securities, and they may also provide businesses with advice on mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic transactions....
black caiman
  black caiman, (Melanosuchus niger), large caiman species best known as being the largest predator in the Amazon River basin and the largest member of the alligator family (Alligatoridae). The species is found in wetlands, flooded savannas, rivers, and other freshwater environments in northern South America, from eastern Ecuador eastward to southeastern Colombia, Guyana, French Guiana, and northern Brazil and southward...
Sam Manekshaw
  In full: Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw (Show more) Also called: Sam Bahadur (Sam the Brave) (Show more) Born: April 3, 1914, Amritsar, Punjab state, India (Show more) Died: June 27, 2008, Wellington, Tamil Nadu state (Show more) Sam Manekshaw (born April 3, 1914, Amritsar, Punjab state, India—died June 27, 2008, Wellington, Tamil Nadu state) was the first Indian military...
How different types of banks operate in the financial system
     Banks are financial intermediaries that collect money from people who have excess funds and use it to provide loans and financing to individuals, businesses, and governments. They also help customers conduct financial transactions, often through an affiliated broker-dealer and/or wealth management division.   Broadly speaking, banks in the United States fall into two categories: commercial banks and investment banks. Commercial...
Saina Nehwal
  Born: March 17, 1990, Hisar, Haryana state, India (Show more) Saina Nehwal (born March 17, 1990, Hisar, Haryana state, India) is the first Indian badminton player to win an Olympic medal. During the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Nehwal captured the women’s singles bronze medal. She has won more than 20 titles internationally and was a recipient of the prestigious...
Kirsten Dunst
  Born: April 30, 1982, Point Pleasant, New Jersey, U.S. (Show more) See all related content → Kirsten Dunst (born April 30, 1982, Point Pleasant, New Jersey, U.S.) is an American actress whose long career began when she was a child, stealing scenes from actors Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994). She remained...
list of pharaohs of ancient Egypt
  Pharaohs were kings of ancient Egypt. Though the term pharaoh referring to the king was not used in ancient Egypt until the New Kingdom period (c. 1539–c. 1077 bce), it is now used for all kings of ancient Egypt on the basis of its use in the Hebrew Bible. The list below includes Egyptian rulers and their regnal years from...
What was the impact of COVID-19?
  On February 25, 2020, a top official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention decided it was time to level with the U.S. public about the COVID-19 outbreak. At the time, there were just 57 people in the country confirmed to have the infection, all but 14 having been repatriated from Hubei province in China and the Diamond Princess...