The tornado was caused by a strong low pressure system that developed across the Rocky Mountains, near Denver, Colorado.

[2][3] As happened on numerous other occasions, such storms produced a large moist and warm flow from the Gulf of Mexico as well as much instability in the atmosphere.

Being in May, storm systems produced large contrasts of temperatures, which added more ingredients for the development of powerful thunderstorms with possible damaging tornadoes.

[citation needed] A second and more destructive tornado touched down just after 8:00 PM CST near the Kiowa/Greer County line and merged with the remnants of the first cyclone.

In 1905, only telephones and telegraphs existed which made recovery efforts difficult, especially since both methods of communications were knocked out by the tornado.

In the coming days, several neighboring towns across southern and central Oklahoma assisted in the recovery efforts, with doctors being assigned and many supplies shipped in by trains towards the devastated region.

[5] The Fujita scale was not established at that time, but due to the heavy damage, the tornado has been retroactively rated F5.