Juliett Bravo Kilo
Member
Never seen the debarked trees from Lubbock, seems like this thing was a bit more violent then I previously thought, the majority of damage photos I've seen from it didn't strike me as being more then F4-level damage.
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Significant Tornado Events
- Thread starter locomusic01
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Never seen the debarked trees from Lubbock, seems like this thing was a bit more violent then I previously thought, the majority of damage photos I've seen from it didn't strike me as being more then F4-level damage.
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locomusic01
Member
Lubbock was pretty nasty; the worst of the damage was fairly localized, but it was quite violent. I'll post some stuff later, but in the meantime the City of Lubbock did an awesome Story Map for the 50th Anniversary w/a bunch of photos and other info that's worth checking out: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/34fc3a50465e408f9d050ddf443d6bcd
MNTornadoGuy
Member
Damage from the 1976 West Bloomfield MI tornado. This was the last violent tornado in Michigan after an active period in the 1950s-1960s.
MNTornadoGuy
Member
The April 23-24, 1908 tornado outbreak was one of the deadliest, most widespread, and devastating tornado outbreaks in American history. The outbreak was associated with a deep, long-lived, and large weather system that spawned tornadoes in two main areas; the Deep South, and the Sioux River Valley.
The most notable tornado of the Sioux River Valley sector of the outbreak was the Pender NE F5. This violent tornado completely swept away a two-story well-built farmhouse killing 3 people at that location. Other farms were devastated but no other fatalities were reported.
On the same day as the F5, in TX, a violent F4 tornado passed through the town of Deport, devastating the eastern side. Many homes were leveled, some being "torn to fragments" with debris being scattered for miles.
On April 24th, the outbreak would reach its climax as multiple long-tracked violent tornadoes would devastate the Deep South.
The first violent event begin near Richland LA and would move into MS. Despite never hitting any towns, this tornado would kill 91 people which is likely one of the highest rural death totals in tornado history. In the Mississippi River Valley area, the devastation was at its worse. The area resembled a "deserted battlefield" with shrubs being torn up and numerous homes including large plantation mansions being leveled.
Near Weiss LA, a massive and extremely violent tornado would develop and move through the towns of Amite and Purvis. In Amite, multiple homes were reported to have been obliterated with not a trace of them being found with the exception of garments half a mile away. A corrugated iron tank was carried a half-mile, a handcar was thrown 400 ft, and >29 people were killed in Amite alone. The tornado then crossed in MS and leveled most of Purvis. Here, ~9% (55 people) of the town's population was killed. Trees were snapped off near ground level, some homes reportedly vanished, and only 7 buildings in town were left standing. The tornado would eventually dissipate in Wayne County MS. 143 people were killed by this tornado making it one of the deadliest in history.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/WJZMEODXKBFZBGPH3NC6EWHI3U.jpg)
The 3rd violent tornado of this event was the first one in AL. The tornado passed through mostly sparsely populated areas of northern AL. However, two towns would be hit hard by this massive tornado; Bergens, and Albertville. In Bergen, all but 3 buildings were destroyed. Heavy railcar parts were carried 100 ft, and the railroad buildings were completely destroyed. In Albertville, the tornado likely reached peak intensity. A 9-ton oil tank was reportedly carried a half-mile, and multiple homes were leveled. 35 people were killed.
The final violent tornado moved from near Bluffton AL to Cave Spring GA. Not a home was reportedly left standing in the tornado's path as it leveled multiple homes. 11 people were killed.
The most notable tornado of the Sioux River Valley sector of the outbreak was the Pender NE F5. This violent tornado completely swept away a two-story well-built farmhouse killing 3 people at that location. Other farms were devastated but no other fatalities were reported.
On the same day as the F5, in TX, a violent F4 tornado passed through the town of Deport, devastating the eastern side. Many homes were leveled, some being "torn to fragments" with debris being scattered for miles.
On April 24th, the outbreak would reach its climax as multiple long-tracked violent tornadoes would devastate the Deep South.
The first violent event begin near Richland LA and would move into MS. Despite never hitting any towns, this tornado would kill 91 people which is likely one of the highest rural death totals in tornado history. In the Mississippi River Valley area, the devastation was at its worse. The area resembled a "deserted battlefield" with shrubs being torn up and numerous homes including large plantation mansions being leveled.
Near Weiss LA, a massive and extremely violent tornado would develop and move through the towns of Amite and Purvis. In Amite, multiple homes were reported to have been obliterated with not a trace of them being found with the exception of garments half a mile away. A corrugated iron tank was carried a half-mile, a handcar was thrown 400 ft, and >29 people were killed in Amite alone. The tornado then crossed in MS and leveled most of Purvis. Here, ~9% (55 people) of the town's population was killed. Trees were snapped off near ground level, some homes reportedly vanished, and only 7 buildings in town were left standing. The tornado would eventually dissipate in Wayne County MS. 143 people were killed by this tornado making it one of the deadliest in history.
The 3rd violent tornado of this event was the first one in AL. The tornado passed through mostly sparsely populated areas of northern AL. However, two towns would be hit hard by this massive tornado; Bergens, and Albertville. In Bergen, all but 3 buildings were destroyed. Heavy railcar parts were carried 100 ft, and the railroad buildings were completely destroyed. In Albertville, the tornado likely reached peak intensity. A 9-ton oil tank was reportedly carried a half-mile, and multiple homes were leveled. 35 people were killed.
The final violent tornado moved from near Bluffton AL to Cave Spring GA. Not a home was reportedly left standing in the tornado's path as it leveled multiple homes. 11 people were killed.
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The most intense home damage I could find from the Plainfield tornado (albeit after probable cleanup):
A dumpster wrapped around the top of a tree:
The Plainfield Public Library's photo collection on flickr:
www.flickr.com
A dumpster wrapped around the top of a tree:
The Plainfield Public Library's photo collection on flickr:
1990 Plainfield Tornado Photos
These photos are from the Plainfield Tornado Collection at the Plainfield Public Library. Contact the Plainfield Public Library for rights and permissions.
www.flickr.com
Shakespeare 2016
Member
I am curious if anyone remembers the Darien, Georgia EF4 tornado on May 11, 2008!
Tornado Outbreak - May 11, 2008
www.weather.gov
Western_KS_Wx
Member
Here’s some pretty intense damage pictures from the Greensburg tornado:
Homes swept away near the High School, damage in this area was rated EF5.
Extreme damage in a residential area of Greensburg.
More damage just south of Greensburg, there used to be a row of 3 homes in this area all of which were swept away.
Home swept away south of Greensburg, note the almost complete debarking of trees.
Well constructed home swept away just south of Greensburg in the main EF5 damage swath.
Ground scouring and debris granulation in a field north of east Scott avenue.
House swept away in a residential area of Greensburg, note the intense vegetation damage.
Entire neighborhood obliterated near the railroad tracks in north Greensburg.
A mangled Sprinkler pivot thrown hundreds of yards north from the BTI John Deere Company, note the bent railroad tracks as well.
Complete destruction to an elementary school in South Greensburg.
While it may not have produced damage as intense as the Parkersburg tornado and other official EF5 tornadoes the Greensburg tornado was still extremely violent and was more than deserving of its EF5 rating. Another interesting fact the tornado was actually occluding as it began to tear through Greensburg and very likely reached peak intensity south of town in rural areas, likely around Highway 183 where it reached its maximum width of 1.7 miles. While initially moving northeast, the tornado curled northwestward through town and began to weaken very rapidly just moments after exiting Greensburg.
Homes swept away near the High School, damage in this area was rated EF5.
Extreme damage in a residential area of Greensburg.
More damage just south of Greensburg, there used to be a row of 3 homes in this area all of which were swept away.
Home swept away south of Greensburg, note the almost complete debarking of trees.
Well constructed home swept away just south of Greensburg in the main EF5 damage swath.
Ground scouring and debris granulation in a field north of east Scott avenue.
House swept away in a residential area of Greensburg, note the intense vegetation damage.
Entire neighborhood obliterated near the railroad tracks in north Greensburg.
A mangled Sprinkler pivot thrown hundreds of yards north from the BTI John Deere Company, note the bent railroad tracks as well.
Complete destruction to an elementary school in South Greensburg.
While it may not have produced damage as intense as the Parkersburg tornado and other official EF5 tornadoes the Greensburg tornado was still extremely violent and was more than deserving of its EF5 rating. Another interesting fact the tornado was actually occluding as it began to tear through Greensburg and very likely reached peak intensity south of town in rural areas, likely around Highway 183 where it reached its maximum width of 1.7 miles. While initially moving northeast, the tornado curled northwestward through town and began to weaken very rapidly just moments after exiting Greensburg.
Shakespeare 2016
Member
I do totally agree the EF5 rating was warranted.
Juliett Bravo Kilo
Member
Same, I get tired of people acting like Greensburg was a "minimal" EF5 or not deserving of its rating, these pictures fully demonstrate it. Also, one of the few times I've seen bent railroad tracks from a tornado.
MNTornadoGuy
Member
I don't think the railroad tracks were bent by the tornado itself and instead was bent by the farm equipment impacting it.
Juliett Bravo Kilo
Member
Still an impressive feat, you don't see that too often with modern Class III rails. But yeah Chapman is way more impressive as it was the wind itself that did it.
Western_KS_Wx
Member
Yeah the vegetation damage around the area supports that theory, but still very impressive as the pivot was thrown over 1/4 mile through the air and impacted the rails with such force it bent both of them. Here’s another picture that really sticks out to me showing a tire likely from the BTI John Deere company (at least 560 yards to the south of where this picture was taken) caught in a completely debarked tree near the lake north of town.
MNTornadoGuy
Member
Wow, that is very intense vegetation damage. The Greensburg tornado family was a very impressive event, it kept producing massive and intense-violent tornadoes.
Shakespeare 2016
Member
If you were to talk about say the 100 or so most violent tornadoes ever recorded Greensburg would be out there somewhere in the middle of all of them.
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Shakespeare 2016
Member
Yeah, it is more violent than what I originally thought too. I think is way too much of a stretch to call it the most violent tornado ever recorded like Mike Smith does although.
tornado examiner
Member
if the new ef-scale is gonna be even more strict for construction than they might as well just not even update it.
its gonna be rare to see ef4's anymore now. while ef5's just go completely extinct.
its gonna be rare to see ef4's anymore now. while ef5's just go completely extinct.
Cartier God
Member
Damage from the 1976 West Bloomfield MI tornado. This was the last violent tornado in Michigan after an active period in the 1950s-1960s.
There were actually two lesser known F4 tornadoes that occurred in Michigan after the 1976 Bloomfield tornado, both on 4/2/1977. The first of these struck Augusta, Michigan, northwest of Kalamazoo, and the second hit mainly farmlands in central Eaton county. Since then, no tornadoes have been rated F4/EF4 in Michigan, and only 2 tornadoes have been rated F3/EF3 since 1997.
Two things:
A). What does that have to do with this current discussion whatsoever?
B.) Do you have sources that say this is going to happen, or are you just non-productively griping about hypothetical scenarios? If it's the latter, then just stop. Constant complaining doesn't make for meaningful, nor interesting discussion.
MNTornadoGuy
Member
April 19-29, 1912 was probably one of the most impressive periods of tornadic activity on the Great Plains. Two major tornado outbreaks occurred, one with 6 violent tornadoes, and the other with 7 violent tornadoes only 7 days apart. During this same period, there were 2 F4s in IL and one F4 in GA.
