5. Lubbock, Texas, on May 11, 1970
At 8:10 p.m., a funnel cloud located 7 miles south of the Lubbock Municipal Airport was reported by an off-duty policeman. Around that same time, a severe weather statement was issued, alerting to grapefruit-sized hail 2 to 3 miles south of the city limits. Five minutes later, a tornado warning was issued for Lubbock.
At approximately 9:35 p.m., the tornado touched down southwest of the airport. As it moved northeast, it covered around 15 square miles of the city, resulting in devastating damage. The tornado lifted and dissipated as it reached the airport shortly after 10 p.m.
