Significant Tornado Events

[A Guy]

Anyhoo, now that's out of my system, I have a more interesting question. A few days ago, on a social media site that shall remain nameless, I saw an interesting claim. The person said that the 2010 Yazoo City tornado was actually three tornadoes, and that they observed three cycles on the radar. Anyone else got opinions on this?

One frustrating aside is that Sentinel Hub is now paywalled and no alternative site has both its capabilities and the Landsat 1-4 imagery from before 1982, though the ESRI viewer is decent for more recent stuff.

 

[Lake Martin EF4]

Anyhoo, now that's out of my system, I have a more interesting question. A few days ago, on a social media site that shall remain nameless, I saw an interesting claim. The person said that the 2010 Yazoo City tornado was actually three tornadoes, and that they observed three cycles on the radar. Anyone else got opinions on this?

- found a map and images of the radar. This would make the main Yazoo path about 104 miles:


On the topic of VLT tornadoes, what are your opinions on some of the notable ones from before 1976, as well as the newly-analyzed Franklin, AR 119 mile EF4?

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

- found a map and images of the radar. This would make the main Yazoo path about 104 miles:


On the topic of VLT tornadoes, what are your opinions on some of the notable ones from before 1976, as well as the newly-analyzed Franklin, AR 119 mile EF4?

No surprise here. I sometimes wonder if 2021 Mayfield cycled at least once in its life.

 

[AJS]

No surprise here. I sometimes wonder if 2021 Mayfield cycled at least once in its life.

I would be very surprised if Mayfield cycled. The radar loop was super consistent throughout the whole 165 mile path. However, people once thought the 250 mile path length between the two tornadoes was legit, but the storm made a very quick cycle in between Tennessee and Kentucky. So the two LT tornadoes were very close to continuous activity.

 

[ColdFront]

I would be very surprised if Mayfield cycled. The radar loop was super consistent throughout the whole 165 mile path. However, people once thought the 250 mile path length between the two tornadoes was legit, but the storm made a very quick cycle in between Tennessee and Kentucky. So the two LT tornadoes were very close to continuous activity.

I agree. I think Mayfield was a continuous 165 mile path. It’s a given some of our older long trackers were families, however, you can see how an event like Tri State could occur. I guarantee you had Mayfield happened 100 years ago it would have been deemed one path.

What’s extremely interesting is that I posted an email from a NWS Paducah employee who was responding to an email sent to a user about the rating. He stated his belief it could have very well been a continuous path, and he wished they could have studied the Obinion TN cycles more in depth, but they had so much other damage to survey and couldn’t devote the time

 

[AJS]

Also, this image of the CC as it impacted Mayfield is still absolutely gut wrenching to look at. In my opinion one of the most iconic radar images in history.

 

[AJS]

I agree. I think Mayfield was a continuous 165 mile path. It’s a given some of our older long trackers were families, however, you can see how an event like Tri State could occur. I guarantee you had Mayfield happened 100 years ago it would have been deemed one path.

What’s extremely interesting is that I posted an email from a NWS Paducah employee who was responding to an email sent to a user about the rating. He stated his belief it could have very well been a continuous path, and he wished they could have studied the Obinion TN cycles more in depth, but they had so much other damage to survey and couldn’t devote the time

You know, that’s actually a good point. The period between the storms path in Tennessee isn’t very well documented.

 

[Aaron Rider]

So, I was putting together a list of violent tornadoes by month for a friend of mine who asked which months are worse. Of course I noticed the infamous lack of violent tornadoes in 2018. Officially, there were no EF4s in North America in 2018 besides the EF4 in Alonsa, Manitoba.

First, was Alonsa's rating appropriate?

Were the ratings of these American EF3s appropriate? Or should any of them have been higher? I've bolded the ones I'm especially curious about.

Elon, Virginia (April 15)
Tescott, Kansas (May 1) (based on scouring pictures, I think I already know the answer - the pictures I've seen have the "look" of something violent; pick-ups tossed long distances into scoured mudholes, etc)
Gillette, Wyoming (June 1)
Laramie, Wyoming (June 6)
Eureka, Kansas (June 26)
Camp Crook, South Dakota (June 28) (Once again, I think I already know the answer...)
Pella, Iowa (July 19)
Marshalltown, Iowa (July 19)
Douglas, Wyoming (July 28)
Dunrobin-Gatineau, Quebec (September 21)
Taylorville, Illinois (December 1)
Kings Bay, Georgia (December 2)

Then let's just throw this just in: the EF2 at Port Orchard, Washington

Busy year for Wyoming! What a crazy year in general. I don't think this year gets enough attention. Dixie Alley doesn't make any appearances at all, unless you count Kings Bay and, I mean, that's pretty crazy. That's all the way down on the Atlantic coast of Georgia at the missile sub base. Only 4 significant (EF3 or up) tornadoes touched down east of the Mississippi at all and, excepting one in Illinois, all were VERY far from any typical tornadic areas. I mean, come on!: QUEBEC!!

Edit: I forgot the Jacksonville, Alabama tornado of March 18. Of course, 11/14 significant/violent tornadoes occurred after May 31. Also crazy.

 

[locomusic01]

Everything about it is absurd. Even OFFICIALLY, it had 18 violent tornadoes. And you're right, the proportion of violent tornadoes to tornadoes overall is insane.

The jet streak was BLASTING away and all of these storms were faster than I ever drive, some apparently as fast as 75 MPH.

I'm STILL trying to find information and pictures on the Williams Bay-Lake Como, WI tornado that day. I know, I distinctly remember someone in this thread posting extremely impressive damage from an obscure "F1" in southern WI. I found these in a local historical society picture but while this indicates the possibility of something greater than F1, it isn't clear.

Oooooh man, you have no idea lol. Palm Sunday may be one of the most underrated tornado outbreaks I've ever researched — literally. A ton of the tornadoes are rated too low (in some cases significantly), which is a crazy thing to say about an outbreak with such a high percentage of strong/violent ratings. I meant to do a post for the anniversary yesterday but didn't have time; hopefully I can put something together in a bit. Eventually I'd love to revisit my article on the outbreak because I really don't think I did it justice and I've got a lot more to add now.

 

[locomusic01]

Oh, here are a couple from the "F1" in Williams Bay, WI. Pretty sure I've got more but I must not have sorted through them yet.

 

[locomusic01]

Another piddly little "F1" that struck Monroe, WI (apparently we're limited to 10 images per post now, so here's the album):

 

[Lake Martin EF4]

So, I was putting together a list of violent tornadoes by month for a friend of mine who asked which months are worse. Of course I noticed the infamous lack of violent tornadoes in 2018. Officially, there were no EF4s in North America in 2018 besides the EF4 in Alonsa, Manitoba.

First, was Alonsa's rating appropriate?

Were the ratings of these American EF3s appropriate? Or should any of them have been higher? I've bolded the ones I'm especially curious about.

Elon, Virginia (April 15)
Tescott, Kansas (May 1) (based on scouring pictures, I think I already know the answer - the pictures I've seen have the "look" of something violent; pick-ups tossed long distances into scoured mudholes, etc)
Gillette, Wyoming (June 1)
Laramie, Wyoming (June 6)
Eureka, Kansas (June 26)
Camp Crook, South Dakota (June 28) (Once again, I think I already know the answer...)
Pella, Iowa (July 19)
Marshalltown, Iowa (July 19)
Douglas, Wyoming (July 28)
Dunrobin-Gatineau, Quebec (September 21)
Taylorville, Illinois (December 1)
Kings Bay, Georgia (December 2)

Then let's just throw this just in: the EF2 at Port Orchard, Washington

Busy year for Wyoming! What a crazy year in general. I don't think this year gets enough attention. Dixie Alley doesn't make any appearances at all, unless you count Kings Bay and, I mean, that's pretty crazy. That's all the way down on the Atlantic coast of Georgia at the missile sub base. Only 4 significant (EF3 or up) tornadoes touched down east of the Mississippi at all and, excepting one in Illinois, all were VERY far from any typical tornadic areas. I mean, come on!: QUEBEC!!

Edit: I forgot the Jacksonville, Alabama tornado of March 18. Of course, 11/14 significant/violent tornadoes occurred after May 31. Also crazy.

Yeah, Camp Crook for sure. Not only was it violent, but to put it plainly as possible it should have been rated EF5. Laramie, WY I've also heard may have been violent.

Oooooh man, you have no idea lol. Palm Sunday may be one of the most underrated tornado outbreaks I've ever researched — literally. A ton of the tornadoes are rated too low (in some cases significantly), which is a crazy thing to say about an outbreak with such a high percentage of strong/violent ratings. I meant to do a post for the anniversary yesterday but didn't have time; hopefully I can put something together in a bit. Eventually I'd love to revisit my article on the outbreak because I really don't think I did it justice and I've got a lot more to add now.

This brings me back to a question I asked in the EF debate thread before The Thing(tm) happened: what are all the F5 candidates from that event? I counted around 13 from my estimate, but I'd like to have a refined number.

Also, as a challenge, what would all of your rating changes be if you reanalyzed the outbreak yourself? (Keep it to the siggies, because I want to see what the OIS for this would be using said rating changes)

 

[HAwkmoon]

Some Tri-state stuff cause I'm feeling bored. IK I basically gave everyone a large majority of the entire photo collection I hold in the article which has well 1200, but here are some of the best quality pictures I acquired from the Illinois State Archives, Highway Projects Photographs and Negatives," Record Series 242.001. (A couple I didn't put in the article). I did have to downsize these though as the original photos are just too large.


The Primary Tipple and Re-Screener from the back at the New Orient 2. This side was less exposed to the wind and not as badly damaged, even though the other side is completely wrecked.


A shot of the very large Reliance Mill. This was originally a massive structure but is almost completely demolished as you can see. Also check out the car.


The overhead conveyor at Orient 2, ripped from the ground and blown over. Also the auxiliary tipple which has been stripped bare.

Here are the team of engineers analyzing the twisted remains of the water tower at Industrial Coal Mine 18 in Caldwell. It held a 20,000 gallon tank but I don't know what the tornado did with it lol.

Complete destruction to the reinforced buildings at Industrial Coal Mine 18, the mangled remains of the several hundred ton coal tipple is in the background. Not sure what those vertical pipe looking things are on the concrete slabs. All the bricks have been stacked by cleanup crews.



These two show damage to large transmission lines near a railroad on the tornado edge and some twisted "cyclone" trees. I am not sure where but these are definitely in Jackson County.

The wheel at mine 18 (AKA peabody 18). Though the Industrial Coal Company owned the site prior to its destruction and Peabody took over the rebuilding and ownership of the site fell to them.


I am particularly fond of this one of Longfellow School. I like how you can really see the interior details even the coat hangers.


The First Baptist Church in Murphysboro (the rebuilt one still stands today). This was on the edge of the devastated area and based on how Tim Marshal approached old religious churches in Mayfield, I think this is a pretty solid EF4 170 mph DI.

Tell me if yall would be interested in me doing a few more of these sort of posts in the future, as I am not particularly fond of sitting on so much content that most of the public have probably never seen (why I actually wrote the article to begin with). You can find it here. https://significanttornadoes.wordpress.com/2024/07/02/the-great-tri-state-tornado-of-1925/

Apologies for downsizing the photos, they were too large otherwise lol.

 

[Aaron Rider]

Another piddly little "F1" that struck Monroe, WI (apparently we're limited to 10 images per post now, so here's the album):

You saved the best for last. I know it might not be continuously welded, but Damn.

I hope everyone here looks through these.

So you've got Watertown, Monroe, and Williams Bay all at least F3 and probably F4 on the first from what I've read.

 

[Aaron Rider]

Yeah, Camp Crook for sure. Not only was it violent, but to put it plainly as possible it should have been rated EF5. Laramie, WY I've also heard may have been violent.


This brings me back to a question I asked in the EF debate thread before The Thing(tm) happened: what are all the F5 candidates from that event? I counted around 13 from my estimate, but I'd like to have a refined number.

Also, as a challenge, what would all of your rating changes be if you reanalyzed the outbreak yourself? (Keep it to the siggies, because I want to see what the OIS for this would be using said rating changes)

Officially
0 F5
17 F4
5 F3
9 F2
13 F1

Loco is the resident expert and I look forward to his answer but at my MOST conservative:

F5s: Sunnyside, Pittsfield
Heck, they once WERE rated such

Violent tornadoes with asterisks for ones that were definite F5 candidates (15):
Rainbow Lake*, Midway*, Crystal Lake, Lebanon - Sheridan*, Russiaville-Greentown*, Mulberry, Adams County IN, Tipton, IA (need more info), Coldwater Lake x1*, Coldwater Lake x2, Toledo*, Comstock Park*, DeWitt, Swanders, Bluffton

Upgraded to F4 (4)
Watertown, Koontz Lake - La Paz, Wanatah, Rockaway*

Upgraded to F3 minimum:
Monroe and Williams Bay

There were at least two more tornadoes after the event became a squall line in Cadiz, Ohio and way down in Princeton, West Virginia. So one has to wonder how many other smaller tornadoes were generated elsewhere.

Even being conservative, my numbers are:

F5: 2
F4: 19
F3: 4
F2: 8
F1: 11

 

[CheeselandSkies]

You saved the best for last. I know it might not be continuously welded, but Damn.

I hope everyone here looks through these.

So you've got Watertown, Monroe, and Williams Bay all at least F3 and probably F4 on the first from what I've read.

I wonder which rail line that was. Monroe once had two; the Milwaukee Road running east-west (which still exists today as part of the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad, but ends at the Badger State Ethanol plant on the west edge of town) and the Illinois Central Freeport, IL - Madison, WI branch running north-south, which was removed c. 1999-2000.

 

[AJS]

I know the Mayfield tornado has been discussed plenty of times on this thread. But I rarely hear anyone talk about the Tri State Tornado that occurred before the Mayfield monster. What’re y’all’s thoughts on this beast?

 

[locomusic01]

I'll get into some of the other Palm Sunday tornadoes tomorrow, and I know I've posted a lot of these before, but can we just acknowledge once again how baffling it is that this isn't officially in the books as an F5? Most of these photos are from the area around Sunnyside, but also further NE toward Middlebury.

 

[locomusic01]

Whoops, forgot a few. Adding some rambling to hit the word count:

 

[WhirlingWx]

With all the Palm Sunday 1965 talk in here recently I thought I'd share this post I came across showing WRF proximity soundings from the event. I'm not really sure how this stuff works to be honest (being able to retroactively produce model soundings like this... where does all the data come from? If anyone who knows could chime in, I'd greatly appreciate it).