ENID, Okla. – A powerful EF-4 tornado tore through the city of Enid in north-central Oklahoma on Thursday night, devastating the Gray Ridge neighborhood and triggering a massive search and rescue response.
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Both city and Garfield County officials confirmed Friday that the powerful twister caused only non-life-threatening injuries.
On Friday afternoon, the National Weather Service announced the tornado was rated an EF-4 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, this is the first EF-4 tornado of 2026, and the first EF-4 in Garfield County, Oklahoma, since April 26, 1991.
This is the first EF-4 tornado in Oklahoma since 2024, when two EF-4 tornadoes were reported in Marietta-Lake Murray on April 27, 2024, and Barnsdall and Bartlesville, Oklahoma on May 6, 2024.
Nearby Vance Air Force Base reopened Friday morning, and confirmed that no one was hurt on the base. Air Force base officials said Friday morning they were still conducting damage assessments.
At 8:22 p.m. CDT, the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma, issued a Tornado Emergency for Southeast Enid as a "confirmed large and destructive tornado" was located near Vance Air Force Base.
Local officials confirmed damage on Enid’s southern side, especially noting the Gray Ridge area. After the tornado swept through, officials reported residents trapped in homes and storm shelters.
Enid Mayor David Mason told FOX Weather on Friday that at least 40 homes were damaged in the Grey Ridge area.
Mayor Mason said homeowners in the Gray Ridge area have been allowed to return to their houses to salvage and assess damage.
"I am very grateful to report that while homes have sustained significant damage, there have been no fatalities and only minor injuries sustained," Mason said.
In the immediate aftermath of the storm, FOX Weather Meteorologist Haley Meier and the FOX Weather Beast Crew were positioned just outside Enid, where a steady stream of emergency crews moved into the city to support the immediate recovery effort.
"I saw a violent video of that active, violent stove-pipe tornado, and it was fairly stationary for a good bit. That tornado held on for as long as it could," Meier said.
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After viewing the impact of the tornado, Meier noted on Friday that NOAA's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed Enid under a Level 3 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms for Saturday — emphasizing the importance of cleaning up debris before the next storm.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt is touring the damage today.
Amid this prolonged stretch of severe weather expected to impact the Plains through the weekend, Gov. Stitt shared a message of solidarity.
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"Please join me in praying for the Enid community, which has been severely impacted by tonight’s tornado," Gov. Stitt wrote on X, "I have spoken with Enid’s local leaders and will continue working with them as they assess the damage and identify needs."
"My prayers are with everyone on Vance Air Force Base and the surrounding neighborhood, and I am asking God to bring healing and comfort in the days ahead."
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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