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The May 22-23, 1981 Tornado Outbreak was a series of destructive tornadoes which injured 12 people and caused $32.8 million (1981 USD) in damage. However, the outbreak is most notable for the spectacularly photogenic Cordell, Oklahoma tornado seen above, which has appeared in many tornado videos and documentaries. Tornadoes are normally oriented vertically, however this tornado was impacted by a gust front from its parent thunderstorm, which stretched it in a horizontal direction. The tornado produced F2 damage, and dissipated shortly after this photo was taken.

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