Joplin, MO Tornado: Remembering the EF5 Devastation of 2011
On May 22, 2011, Joplin, Missouri, experienced one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history. The EF5 tornado, with wind speeds reaching up to 200 mph (322 km/h), tore through the city, leaving a 6.2-mile (10 km) path of destruction up to 0.8 miles (1.3 km) wide. The storm claimed 158 lives, injured over 1,000 people, and caused an estimated $2.8 billion in damages. The tornado struck at 5:34 PM CDT and lasted approximately six minutes, devastating homes, businesses, and infrastructure. The National Weather Service attributed the tornado's formation to a combination of warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and a cold front, creating a highly unstable atmosphere. The event remains a stark reminder of the destructive power of severe weather and the resilience of affected communities. 
