Follow up post about the NE/MO/IA violent tornadoes from the March 23, 1913 outbreak.
Omaha NE F4:
This tornado was actually likely the weakest out of all the F4s from this event though it was by far the deadliest. This wedge tornado formed SW of the Omaha area and moved through Ralston. In this town, multiple homes were leveled and a large steel safe was reportedly carried 300 ft. The storm then cut a devastating swath through northern and western Omaha. 600 homes (a lot of these were not well-built) were destroyed and several were leveled or swept away, especially near Bemis Park. A pool hall collapsed killing around a dozen people, brick business buildings were severely damaged, and trees were stripped of branches. The tornado then crossed the Missouri River into Iowa. In Iowa, a farmhouse near Beebeetown was leveled killing two children.
Flag Springs MO F4:
An intense tornado would touch down SW of Savannah and move to east of Albany. The tornado likely first produced violent damage near Flag Springs where a house was swept away with the debris pile being deposited 50-60 ft away. Two people were killed here. The storm likely would reach maximum intensity north of King City where an entire farm was completely swept away with "all the contents cleaned from the premises, not leaving apparel or other household goods." Reportedly some of the foundation of the farmhouse was destroyed. The "Greenwall Ford" bridge over a river was destroyed and hurled into the riverbed, with one of the approaches being ripped up. All along the path grass and shrubbery were beaten down.
Council Bluffs IA F4:
This event was the 2nd deadliest tornado of the outbreak and the most poorly documented of the F4s due to it being overshadowed by the Omaha tornado just across the river. It touched down south of Bellvue and crossed the river into Iowa. It devastated small settlements and neighborhoods near Lake Manawa, sweeping away and leveling dozens of small homes. Next, the tornado churned its way through extreme southern Council Bluffs possibly at maximum intensity. A brick farmhouse in the area was reportedly swept away. A group of homes at/along South Ave and White Pole Road were virtually leveled. Multiple homes were completely swept away with only the brick foundations remaining and debris was strewn up to a quarter-mile from these homes. Bits of boards with "sharp cutting edges" were scattered everywhere along with heavier pieces of timber. Standing trees were plastered with mud and "there was scarcely a place where the bark had not been torn off." Clay banks were pitted with "millions of small holes" from debris impacts and 6-inch telephone poles were broken into "stovewood lengths." 17 people died in this part of the path. The tornado then moved through rural areas of Pottawattamie, Harrison, and Shelby Counties, killing 8 other people.
Yutan NE F4:
This major event began 1 mile SE of Mead and rapidly intensified, sweeping away a farm before moving through and devastating the town of Yutan. Very intense damage occurred in this town as a 125-foot high metal water tower collapsed, several homes/buildings in town were swept away including "the finest residence" which had "nothing but the foundation left intact," a cement sidewalk was "curved out of line," and trees were debarked "as smoothly as could be done with a knife." 17 people were killed in Yutan, half of which were children. The tornado continued into northwestern Douglas County still producing violent damage as multiple farms were leveled. Then it moved into Washington County where more violent damage was done as 4 farms were swept away and a school was obliterated with debris being scattered over a 30-acre area. 3 people died in rural areas of Nebraska. The tornado then crossed into Iowa with lesser intensity. Farmhouses in Harrison County, IA were reportedly "blown into splinters" and two people were killed near Logan. A photograph from Yutan was found 81 miles away in Iowa and reportedly a trunk was from town was carried across the Iowa border (>25 miles).
Berlin NE F4:
This massive and violent tornado touched down 4 miles south of Douglas and began to cut a devastating swath through the countryside. Farm after farm was leveled with 3 farms being completely swept away north of Syracuse. The tornado then made a direct hit on the town of Berlin (now Otoe), virtually leveling a large area of the town. Multiple homes were swept away, large trees had bark stripped off "more easily than could be done by hand," the ground was apparently scoured as "it had the appearance of being scoured as much as if a swift stream of water had passed over," and one body was carried a quarter-mile. 12 people were killed in or near Berlin. The tornado continued its devastation, sweeping away 2 farms in Cass County before crossing the river into Mills County Iowa. In Mills County, 10 farms were destroyed with one being completely swept away. The tornado later dissipated east of Macedonia. 5 people were killed in Iowa while at least one was killed in rural areas of Nebraska.
This outbreak was a high-end event and unprecedented in human impact-wise for the area. I believe that the Yutan and Berlin tornadoes are F5 candidates.
