“Twister: Caught in the Storm” on Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
To mark the start of tornado season, Netflix’s new documentary, The Twister: Caught in the Storm, revisits the catastrophic EF-5 tornado that tore through Joplin, Missouri, on May 22, 2011. One of the deadliest U.S. twisters since 1953, it left a path of devastation and forever changed the lives of Joplin residents.
Told from the perspective of young people in Joplin, including members of the Joplin High School Class of 2011, the documentary captures the events of their graduation day on May 22, 2011—just one day after Christian fundamentalist Harold Camping’s predicted apocalypse failed to happen. As the graduates celebrated, many were unaware that a nearly mile-wide EF-5 tornado was tearing through their hometown and their alma mater.
“This catastrophic event ravaged Joplin, and yet its community overcame, rebuilt, and became an enduring symbol of hope. The film features adrenaline-inducing real-life footage, filmed by people in Joplin, taking us into the eye of the storm,” Netflix’s synopsis reads. The documentary also features never-before-seen footage captured by Joplin residents who experienced the tornado firsthand.
Keep reading to learn all about the historic 2011 twister, including its monstrous size and width, path, and how it became one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history.
How Did The Joplin Tornado Form?
“Twister: Caught in the Storm” on Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
In the afternoon of May 22, 2011, a supercell thunderstorm from southeastern Kansas traveled into southwestern Missouri. According to Meteorologist Doug Kahn, a strong low pressure system rotating in the northern Plains collided with warm, moist air from the Gulf, while on its backside, cold, dry air was being funneled down.
Then, the supercell “developed a tight couplet of weak east-west rotation, resulting in a weak EF-0 tornado. However, the tornado quickly grew in intensity and soon became an EF-5, three-fourths of a mile-wide mammoth,” Kahn wrote for WeatherBug.
The year 2011 will be remembered as one of the most devastating for tornadoes in the U.S. and worldwide. More than 1,700 tornadoes were reported across the country, including the historic April 27 Super Outbreak and six EF-5 tornadoes—one of which struck Joplin.
How Wide Was The Joplin Tornado?
A view of tornado damage as Air Force One carries US President Barack Obama to Joplin, Missouri, on … [+] May 29, 2011. The death toll stood at 142 one week after the tornado cut a path of death and destruction through the heart of this town of 50,000. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon said Sunday that 44 people remain missing. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
As the rotating supercell hovered over Joplin, Missouri, it spawned a powerful EF-5 tornado with winds exceeding 200 miles per hour. The twister grew to a maximum width of nearly a mile, destroying nearly everything in its path, including homes, vehicles, and buildings.
How Long Did The Joplin Tornado Last?
“The Twister: Caught In The Storm” on Netflix.
Courtesy of Netflix
The Joplin tornado first touched down at 5:41 PM local time and remained on the ground for 32 minutes. It began in the southern part of the city, near the intersection of JJ Highway and West 32nd Street, and tracked eastward, causing destruction along a 13-mile path, according to White House archives.
What Did The Joplin Tornado Do To Buildings and Vehicles?
A wrecked car is seen in what appears to be the foundation of a house in tornado ravaged Joplin, … [+] Missouri on Tuesday, May 24. Rescuers combed through overturned cars and flattened buildings Tuesday hunting for survivors after this Missouri town was struck by one of the strongest tornadoes ever recorded in the US. A massive mile-wide funnel-cloud, with winds of up to 200 miles (320 kilometers) an hour, tore with devastating force through the town of Joplin late Sunday, leaving 116 people dead and hundreds more missing. AFP PHOTO / Mira OBERMAN (Photo credit should read MIRA OBERMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
One week after the storm, the National Weather Service estimated that 6,954 homes had been completely destroyed, while 359 sustained major damage. St. John’s Regional Medical Center took a direct hit—every window was shattered, and the top two floors were torn from the structure, according to the White House archives.
Joplin High School was also leveled just minutes after seniors received their diplomas off campus at nearby Missouri Southern State University. Several churches, elementary schools, a high school, two fire stations, a Walmart, a Home Depot, grocery stores, and more were also damaged.
Over 15,000 vehicles, including heavy buses and tractor-trailers, were lifted and carried by the winds. Cars were twisted into balls of mangled metal and shattered glass, while in parking lots, concrete barriers designed to stop cars (each weighing 200 to 300 pounds and anchored into asphalt with rebar), were ripped from the ground and hurled up to 60 yards, demonstrating the storm’s immense strength,
How Many People Died In The Joplin Tornado?
JOPLIN, MO – MAY 20: (L-R) Morgan Osburn, David Hoosier and Kim Hoosier spend a quiet moment … [+] together in front of a memorial built for their friend Lance Hare who was killed when the town was hit by a massive tornado almost one year ago on May 20, 2012 in Joplin, Missouri. Tuesday will mark the one-year anniversary of the EF-5 tornado that devastated the town. The tornado left behind a path of destruction along with 161 deaths and hundreds of injuries, but one year later there are signs that the town is beginning to recover. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Getty Images
A total of 161 people lost their lives in Joplin from the catastrophic tornado, with nearly 1,000 others injured. The Joplin tornado was only the second EF-5 to hit Missouri since 1950. According to Storm Aware, it ranks as the seventh-deadliest tornado in U.S. history and the 27th-deadliest worldwide.
Who Were Some of The Joplin, Tornado Victims?
The tornado claimed the lives of seven Joplin High School students, including one recent graduate, as well as a high school staff member. Here are some of the victims of the Joplin tornado, according to the Springfield News-Leader.
- Sarah Anderson, 47, and her husband, William Anderson, lost their lives in the tornado. Sarah had worked as a school district secretary for a decade. “She took her job seriously but always had a sense of humor with her coworkers and the students,” a tribute read.
- Grace Layug Aquino, 46, was killed in the tornado. A native of the Philippines, she worked as a hostess at the China Pantry and was a devoted member of Harmony Heights Baptist Church. According to her obituary, she shielded her 12-year-old son, Malachi, during the storm, saving his life.
- Tami L. Campbell, 28, lost her life in the tornado while at home in Joplin. She and her husband, who survived, had sent their two sons to their grandparents’ house down the street, where they were safe in a basement.
- Tripp Miller, 50, succumbed to severe injuries endured from the tornado. He worked at Joplin Workshop, Inc. and was a passionate Special Olympics participant since his school days. In the fall of 2010, he won his final gold medal at the State Special Olympics.
- Randy England, 34, lost his life in the tornado, believed to have died inside the Home Depot store while his truck remained parked outside. He and his friend, Dennis Osborn, had gone there to look for a car part. He loved working automobiles, playing golf, watching movies, and spending time with friends.
- Betty Fisher, 86, was killed in the tornado. She was the owner of Betty’s Beauty Shop in Joplin and an active member of Blendville Christian Church. A 4-H leader and volunteer at St. John’s Regional Medical Center, she also had a love for square dancing.
- Don Lansaw, 31, lost his life while protecting his wife, who survived. The couple had been married for six years. “He is my hero,” Bethany Lansaw wrote on her Facebook page. “He gave his life to protect mine. I love you so much… My heart is broken, but everyone’s words are little pieces of tape trying to put it back together again. Thank you so very much.”
- Will Norton, 18, was killed in the tornado. He was ejected or sucked from his vehicle by the storm while driving home from his high school graduation with his father. His family discovered his body in a pond near where his truck was located.
- Christopher Lucas, 27, lost his life in the tornado. A Navy veteran, he was working at Pizza Hut when the storm hit, ushering more than a dozen employees and customers into a freezer for safety. He left to find a rope or cord to secure the door shut, but was killed. President Barack Obama later honored him for his heroism.
The Twister: Caught in the Storm is streaming on Netflix. Watch the official trailer below.
