Significant Tornado Events

[Marshal79344]

Yeah, that was a significant tornado for sure. Had that occurred this year, an EF3 rating could have been applied based on the new definition of EF3 tree damage (though it is MEG so maybe not).

The EF1 Parrish, WI tornado of April 10, 2011 also needs an upgrade to EF3, as it completely flattened a huge area of dense forest, with over 1 million trees downed.

The Trout, LA EF2 of April 2, 2017 produced huge areas of total deforestation too, and would also meet the current definition of EF3 tree damage.

There was one case with an Isaias Tornado that ate a LOT of trees in the Great Dismal Swamp near Suffolk. It was rated EF1. The tornado ended up producing EF1 damage when it ripped the sidewall off of a building in downtown when it actually hit Suffolk, but did no other damage. The funny thing is that all hints of the tornado's effects cut off the instant it exited the Great Dismal Swamp, after which only EF1 damage was confirmed, but satellite evidence sure doesn't support the "EF1" Theory. There are many events that deserved to be re-analyzed and given their proper ratings. I wish that someone will do something about it, and such a movement will come to fruition.

 

[buckeye05]

Hey WIL9287, are you planning on ever doing a Vilonia deep-dive and re-analysis? You’ve done an incredible job of finding and verifying many previously unknown details from previous tornadoes. IDK how possible it is, but a detailed look and all the structures that were ignored on the DAT, and an objective review of the damage and case for an EF5 rating would really tell the whole story, which NWS Little Rock failed to do.

 

[WIL9287]

Hey WIL9287, are you planning on ever doing a Vilonia deep-dive and re-analysis? You’ve done an incredible job of finding and verifying many previously unknown details from previous tornadoes. IDK how possible it is, but a detailed look and all the structures that were ignored on the DAT, and an objective review of the damage and case for an EF5 rating would really tell the whole story, which NWS Little Rock failed to do.

Yes! We probably won't get around to it until next year, though, but that is on our ever-growing list of summaries that we want to do. Right now, the priority is Super Outbreak; we still have many events that we are working on for the 10th anniversary. Super Outbreak articles will continue to be dripped out through May. After that, we will be releasing a minimum of three new summaries per month, in addition to updating and revamping all of the prior summaries. My hope is we will have a deep dive for Vilonia in time for the anniversary next year. It is one of the events that I am itching to get to.

 

[pohnpei]

Yeah, that was a significant tornado for sure. Had that occurred this year, an EF3 rating could have been applied based on the new definition of EF3 tree damage (though it is MEG so maybe not).

The EF1 Parrish, WI tornado of April 10, 2011 also needs an upgrade to EF3, as it completely flattened a huge area of dense forest, with over 1 million trees downed.

The Trout, LA EF2 of April 2, 2017 produced huge areas of total deforestation too, and would also meet the current definition of EF3 tree damage.

One more tornado to add from MEG was Guntown MS tornado 2019/12/16. The 125mph rating EF2 tornado completely leveled a church with debris carried out considerable distance. I don't know the construction details of this building but 125mph rating to me seems very questionable at least.

 

[WIL9287]

If you haven't signed up for our newsletter yet, you can do so here. Tomorrow we plan to be launching our summary on the April 25, 2011, Vilonia EF-2!

 

[pohnpei]

If you haven't signed up for our newsletter yet, you can do so here. Tomorrow we plan to be launching our summary on the April 25, 2011, Vilonia EF-2! View attachment 9260

It is very interesting to me that Vilonia 2014 tornado's radar was such a reminiscent of Vilonia tornado 2011's but the damage they made was so different. I still remember reed once thought Vilonia 2011 tornado was likely EF5 tornado when the radar image just came out.

radar from oakhurst

 

[buckeye05]

One more tornado to add from MEG was Guntown MS tornado 2019/12/16. The 125mph rating EF2 tornado completely leveled a church with debris carried out considerable distance. I don't know the construction details of this building but 125mph rating to me seems very questionable at least.
View attachment 9259

At this point, MEG needs to consult a tornado damage expert for oversight during their surveys. They desperately need help and clarification on how to use the EF scale, and how to identify certain damage signatures.

 

[eric11]

Here are some very rare tornado videos that have almost become pieces of lost media:

First video is of the 8/24/2006 Nicollet, MN tornado, filmed by two storm chasers.
Have you seen this picture of the tornado?

This photo was taken by Joshua Jans. He was one of the people behind this particular storm chase.
Here's the video, which has already been unlisted for unknown reasons. The site which originally offered the video for download also no longer has the video at all.



Second video is of a large wedge tornado that occurred near the town of Shatuny, Nytvensky district, Perm Krai, Russia. Unfortunately haven't been able to find any information on damage the tornado caused. The video was originally on the page of a meteorology group on VK, but has since been completely removed from that platform and this YouTube upload has again been unlisted for unknown reasons:



My only advice about videos like these: Save them while you can, before they become completely lost like the Anderson Hills tornado footage. Let's see how many tornado videos we can save from suffering the same fate.

Nicollet looks a solid violent to me, I have one pic which was taken seconds before your first pic, but have no idea if there's a video at this viewpoint

Here's another photo taken on a highway close to Kasota MN

Here's a damage survey conducted by Bill Doms

August 24 2006 Nicollet County Tornado Damage Bill Doms Domes

Some aerial pic

 

[eric11]

2:05 in this vid you can see the massive dent:

Several more damage pics I'm able to find, possibly photographed near the junkyard you called

Here's some extreme ground scouring or sth else near Calumet OK, I'm not totally sure.The muddy extent looks as if this area was once a pond before.

 

[speedbump305]

do

It is very interesting to me that Vilonia 2014 tornado's radar was such a reminiscent of Vilonia tornado 2011's but the damage they made was so different. I still remember reed once thought Vilonia 2011 tornado was likely EF5 tornado when the radar image just came out.
View attachment 9263View attachment 9264
radar from oakhurst

which one happens to be the 2011 vs 2014?

 

[pohnpei]

do

which one happens to be the 2011 vs 2014?

The first one was 2011 and the second one was 2014.

 

[CheeselandSkies]

Went ahead and dropped the $ on a Tornado Talk subscription. Paywalls annoy me, too but this one should be well worth it.

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

Nicollet looks a solid violent to me, I have one pic which was taken seconds before your first pic, but have no idea if there's a video at this viewpoint
View attachment 9261
Here's another photo taken on a highway close to Kasota MN
View attachment 9262
Here's a damage survey conducted by Bill Doms

August 24 2006 Nicollet County Tornado Damage Bill Doms Domes

Some aerial pic
View attachment 9265View attachment 9266
View attachment 9267

That tornado produce extensive and intense crop scouring. Per Earth Explorer imagery.

 

[pohnpei]

Did they mention the extreme ground scouring seen on satellite imagery too?

Yes, it dId mentioned the ground scouring made by this tornado.

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

Speaking of Minnesota tornadoes, one of the most interesting is the June 17, 2010 Parker's Prairie EF4. This mile-wide tornado appears to have produced very intense damage on satellite imagery. There was extensive wind-rowing of debris, significant scouring, intense tree damage, and possibly slabbed homes. Unfortunately, it is extremely hard to find ground photographs of the most severely damaged area.

 

[Marshal79344]

March 1948, much like March of 2020, was quite an active period for tornado activity. It's not common to see Midwestern Tornado Activity occurring this early in the year, but March of 1948 was different. Tornadoes came in two distinct waves, the first on March 19th, and the second on March 26th. However, there were two tornadoes in particular, one apiece from each of the two events, that sets itself apart.

On March 19th, 1948, a tornado touched down in Madison County Illinois, beginning what would become a long-tracked tornado family. The tornado struck the town of Forestburg directly, where it took the lives of 9 people.

Damage in Forestburg:


The same tornado proceeded to devastate the community of Bunker Hill, where it took 19 lives.



The track passed by the city of Gillespie before ending. The tornado killed 33 people, and the tornado family continued to result in significant tornadoes all the way into Kentucky.

The next week, on March 26th, another tornado was spawned by a supercell in Indiana, where it devastated several farms in rural areas before proceeding to slam directly into the town of Coatsville, which was devastated.



It's not common to see tornado events like this, especially repeated tornado patterns across the Midwest in late March. The only other event that comes to mind when the words March and Midwest are put together was March 18th, 1925.

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

March 1948, much like March of 2020, was quite an active period for tornado activity. It's not common to see Midwestern Tornado Activity occurring this early in the year, but March of 1948 was different. Tornadoes came in two distinct waves, the first on March 19th, and the second on March 26th. However, there were two tornadoes in particular, one apiece from each of the two events, that sets itself apart.

On March 19th, 1948, a tornado touched down in Madison County Illinois, beginning what would become a long-tracked tornado family. The tornado struck the town of Forestburg directly, where it took the lives of 9 people.

Damage in Forestburg:View attachment 9288
View attachment 9289View attachment 9291View attachment 9290

The same tornado proceeded to devastate the community of Bunker Hill, where it took 19 lives.
View attachment 9292
View attachment 9293

The track passed by the city of Gillespie before ending. The tornado killed 33 people, and the tornado family continued to result in significant tornadoes all the way into Kentucky.

The next week, on March 26th, another tornado was spawned by a supercell in Indiana, where it devastated several farms in rural areas before proceeding to slam directly into the town of Coatsville, which was devastated.

View attachment 9295View attachment 9296View attachment 9294

It's not common to see tornado events like this, especially repeated tornado patterns across the Midwest in late March. The only other event that comes to mind when the words March and Midwest are put together was March 18th, 1925.

The 3/29/1998, 3/15/1938, 3/30/1938, and 3/23/1913 were also major tornadic events that affected the Midwest during March.

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

The March 30, 1938 tornado outbreak was one of the most violent and largest March Midwest tornado outbreaks. At least 32 tornadoes touched down, 5 of which were intense (F3) and 3 of which were violent. F4s struck Columbus KS, Miller AR, and Neelyville MO. The deadliest tornado of the outbreak was an F3 that struck South Pekin IL. 40 people died during this tornado outbreak.

Columbus KS F4:

South Pekin IL F3:

 

[Casuarina Head]

March 1948, much like March of 2020, was quite an active period for tornado activity. It's not common to see Midwestern Tornado Activity occurring this early in the year, but March of 1948 was different. Tornadoes came in two distinct waves, the first on March 19th, and the second on March 26th. However, there were two tornadoes in particular, one apiece from each of the two events, that sets itself apart.

On March 19th, 1948, a tornado touched down in Madison County Illinois, beginning what would become a long-tracked tornado family. The tornado struck the town of Forestburg directly, where it took the lives of 9 people.

Damage in Forestburg:

This outbreak and attendant tornado has already been mentioned here. The link offers some higher-resolution images from Fosterburg IL:

 

[Marshal79344]

Just found an image of damage from the 1899 New Richmond Cyclone, and just woah....