Significant Tornado Events

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

While we're on topic - how big was the Oakwood tornado? I know Sherman was at least 60 yards when it hit the town and Seneca was up to two miles wide, but what about Oakwood?

Grazulis estimate is 800 yards...of course it may have been slightly larger or smaller then that (given how far long ago it occurred, no way to do a more thorough survey of its peak width) so I'd say it was slightly under a half mile. Flint-Beecher, MI was of a similar width, not often you have massive wedges in Michigan, usually tornadoes up there take on the narrow, drillbit or stovepipe formations.

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

The largest days of each of the "big" May tornado outbreak sequences:

5/27/1896 - 10+ tornadoes (4 F4s) - 305 fatalities - 138 sigtor miles

5/27/1917 - 20+ tornadoes (4 F4s) - 155 fatalities - 462 sigtor miles

5/20/1949 - 48+ tornadoes (2 F4s) - 5 fatalities - 617 sigtor miles

5/8/1965 - 37+ tornadoes (3 F4s 1 F5) - 4 fatalities - 531 sigtor miles

5/27/1973 - 41+ tornadoes (1 F4) - 9 fatalities - 325.5 sigtor miles

5/18/1995 - 77 tornadoes (2 F4s) - 4 fatalities - 169.9 sigtor miles

5/4/2003 - 86 tornadoes (4 F4s) - 38 fatalities - 483.3 sigtor miles

5/30/2004 - 88 tornadoes - 2 fatalities - 51.8 sigtor miles

5/23/2008 - 79 tornadoes (1 EF4) - 2 fatalities - 184.5 sigtor miles

5/27/2019 - 62 tornadoes (1 EF4) - 1 fatality - 106 sigtor miles

Interesting coincidence that 4 of these days are the 27th.

 

[Robinson lee]

I found some damage photos of Franklin tornado in 2003. Obviously, tornadoes should have received F5 rating in that era. The damage of tornadoes to trees is very profound, and the damage to vehicles is also considerable
The tornado inserted a stick into the tree

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

I found some damage photos of Franklin tornado in 2003. Obviously, tornadoes should have received F5 rating in that era. The damage of tornadoes to trees is very profound, and the damage to vehicles is also considerableView attachment 13233View attachment 13236View attachment 13237View attachment 13235
The tornado inserted a stick into the tree

View attachment 13238

Pretty sure stormchasers thought it was an F5 and should've been rated as such.

 

[tornado examiner]

shills on twitter trying the justify vilonias inexcusable rating. "lots of poor construction practices identified in the survey" they said. okay...lol...but what about all the very above average construction methods reduced to nothing and ignored in the official survey? i said.

 

[tornado examiner]

what do y'all think the pembroke tornado should be rated? high end EF-3 is most likely but a decent argument can be made for low end EF4 given how a bolted home was swept clean...lord knows how it was constructed though....

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

On September 9th, 1821, one of the most significant tornadic events in New England history would affect Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Hemisphere.

#1 - Berlin VT:
Very little is known about this tornado besides that it only hit fields and forests near the town of Berlin and crossed a river.

#2 - Haverhill NH:
This tornado moved ESE from south of Haverhill to south of East Haverhill. 100 acres of forest were destroyed with the path apparently being visible for many years after. One barn was destroyed.

#3 - Pittsford VT:
This significant tornado struck the villages of Pittsford and Hubbardston. 10-12 inch thick apple trees were reportedly carried over 100 yards, many acres of forest were destroyed, books were reportedly carried 5-6 miles, and many buildings were destroyed. Besides that, not much is known about this event.

#4 - New London NH:
This was the most destructive, deadliest, and longest tracked tornado of the entire outbreak and ranks as the deadliest tornado in NH history. This "giant elephant trunk" shaped funnel first touched down in either Vermont or northern Cornish NH, and moved ESE. It passed near Corydon, destroying a barn and a house, before striking a farm on the western shore of Lake Sunapee. All buildings on this farm including the brick house were "thrown to the ground" with heavy debris being wind-rowed 3/10 of a mile. Sadly here the tornado claimed its first victim, an 11-month old child who was thrown nearly a half-mile to his death. A large swath of forest was leveled in this area. The storm then crossed the lake before devastating the small settlement of New London. One example of the homes destroyed here was the John Davis house which was leveled with "not a piece of timber or a board being left on the ground where the house stood, nor a brick being left where the chimney stood." A 700-800 lb hearthstone was overturned and all the furniture was swept away and destroyed. There were no fatalities or serious injuries in this settlement.

The tornado continued to the ESE, continuing to intensify as it climbed the NW slope of Mt Kearsarge (~1200-1600 ft above sea level) before descending into a cluster of homes known as Kearsarge Grove. In this place, the tornado was likely at maximum intensity. One of the first farms to be destroyed was owned by Daniel Savory. All the buildings were not only leveled but "the materials and contents were dashed into ten thousand pieces and scattered in every direction." The brick house was leveled and swept away with "only part of the floor and some bricks remain to mark the site." 2 people died at this farm. 3 to 4 other homes were severely damaged or destroyed in this area including the Flanders farm which was "completely borne away." Another two people including an infant were killed at the Flanders farm. It then crossed into the corner of Salisbury and struck the farm of Joseph True. "Of the house, which was new, not a timber remained upon the foundation. It was blown into fragments and scattered to the winds." The cellar stairs were carried away and an 8-inch square brick hearth was removed. Bricks were strewn from the hearth and reportedly covered Mrs. True in a foot of bricks. One person later died from his injuries. All outbuildings on the farm were swept away with a loom reportedly being carried 200 yards. After destroying one more home the event dissipated in the woods near Boscawen.

The New London-Kearsage tornado was truly unprecedented in NH history. It left a scar in the forest that was still visible in 1890, it reportedly debarked some trees, "swept clean" potato and cornfields, and "it appeared as if a raging torrent had poured down the mountain for many days, the earth being torn up, the grass being withered, and nothing fresh and living to be seen in the path of desolation." Overall 5-6 people were killed and 30 were injured.

#5 - Warwick MA Tornado:
The second killer tornado from this outbreak touched down in Northfield and moved ESE through Warwick & Orange before dissipating 2 miles NW of Athol. 4 homes were destroyed in Northfield with one being "torn from its foundation." In NW Orange, a tavern-house was swept away and 5 homes were damaged or destroyed. Buildings were destroyed in southern Warwick as well. 2 people were killed and 17 injured. "The stoutest of trees were uprooted" and "even the surface of the earth itself was broken up as if with a plowshare of destruction." Shingles were carried 30 miles and a half-inch thick & 70-inch square book was found 45 miles away.

 

[buckeye05]

A bit of a long shot here, but I'm trying to remember the date of an unusual Dixie tornado outbreak, and an wondering if anyone can recall what I'm talking about? It wasn't particularly deadly or destructive, but definitely anomalous. I distinctly remember finding a tornado outbreak in Significant Tornadoes that impacted Dixie in June, some time in the 1950s or 1960s if I remember correctly. This is highly unusual, as tornado season in the Deep South typically winds down after April, and is pretty much over after mid-May, save for tropical cyclone induced outbreaks. The one I'm thinking of produced multiple F2/F3 tornadoes across MS/AL. Does this ring a bell to anyone at all? I know it's in there somewhere but it'll take forever to find.

 

[TH2002]

A bit of a long shot here, but I'm trying to remember the date of an unusual Dixie tornado outbreak, and an wondering if anyone can recall what I'm talking about? It wasn't particularly deadly or destructive, but definitely anomalous. I distinctly remember finding a tornado outbreak in Significant Tornadoes that impacted Dixie in June, some time in the 1950s or 1960s if I remember correctly. This is highly unusual, as tornado season in the Deep South typically winds down after April, and is pretty much over after mid-May, save for tropical cyclone induced outbreaks. The one I'm thinking of produced multiple F2/F3 tornadoes across MS/AL. Does this ring a bell to anyone at all? I know it's in there somewhere but it'll take forever to find.

Possibly June 27-28, 1957? Several F2's across TN, MS and AL but no F3's I could find.

 

[buckeye05]

Possibly June 27-28, 1957? Several F2's across TN, MS and AL but no F3's I could find.

Yup I think that may be it. Looks like it was spawned by Hurricane Audrey, so not as unusual as I thought. I did find another legitimately major non-tropical spawned Dixie outbreak though.

Tornado outbreak of June 5–6, 1916 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Another one that I'm trying to find is a deadly June tornado that hit a small town in Louisiana, killing 40 or so people. I think it took place prior to 1950, maybe in the 30s? I also recall a July F4 in Texas that wasn't related to a tropical cyclone.

 

[TH2002]

Yup I think that may be it. Looks like it was spawned by Hurricane Audrey, so not as unusual as I thought. I did find another legitimately major non-tropical spawned Dixie outbreak though.

Tornado outbreak of June 5–6, 1916 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Another one that I'm trying to find is a deadly June tornado that hit a small town in Louisiana, killing 40 or so people. I think it took place prior to 1950, maybe in the 30s? I also recall a July F4 in Texas that wasn't related to a tropical cyclone.

The deadliest June tornado in Louisiana was an F2 that killed three people, but the May 1, 1933 Minden tornado might be what you're thinking of: https://press-herald.com/its-been-85-years-since-tragic-tornado/

 

[buckeye05]

The deadliest June tornado in Louisiana was an F2 that killed three people, but the May 1, 1933 Minden tornado might be what you're thinking of: https://press-herald.com/its-been-85-years-since-tragic-tornado/

Yup pretty sure it's Minden, which was in May not June like I had remembered, so also not terribly unusual. Still wish I could recall that July Texas F4. I remember Grazulis specifically mentioned that if the reports were accurate, that no other tornado event like it had occurred in the state of TX during the mid summer months. I think he may have mentioned it was rain-wrapped and surrounded by downburst damage, but I'm not positive.

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

Yup pretty sure it's Minden, which was in May not June like I had remembered, so also not terribly unusual. Still wish I could recall that July Texas F4. I remember Grazulis specifically mentioned that if the reports were accurate, that no other tornado event like it had occurred in the state of TX during the mid summer months. I think he may have mentioned it was rain-wrapped and surrounded by downburst damage, but I'm not positive.

There was an F4 in TX during July 1904.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

Yup I think that may be it. Looks like it was spawned by Hurricane Audrey, so not as unusual as I thought. I did find another legitimately major non-tropical spawned Dixie outbreak though.

Tornado outbreak of June 5–6, 1916 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Another one that I'm trying to find is a deadly June tornado that hit a small town in Louisiana, killing 40 or so people. I think it took place prior to 1950, maybe in the 30s? I also recall a July F4 in Texas that wasn't related to a tropical cyclone.

I mentioned this awhile back in the thread and it never got any traction for whatever reason but this event was exceptionally vicious in Arkansas, 76 fatalities alone there. I'm not sure I'd call this a full on Dixie outbreak as the majority of the tornadoes spawned in Arkansas. Also it's exceptional how many violent tornadoes Arkansas has had over the years and yet no official F5s ("official" I said).

 

[buckeye05]

There was an F4 in TX during July 1904.

Is it in Significant Tornadoes? The only July listings for 1904 are in Illinois and New York.

 

[A Guy]

Is it in Significant Tornadoes? The only July listings for 1904 are in Illinois and New York.

Tornado Archive has one for July 5 1905 in Montague County.

 

[buckeye05]

Tornado Archive has one for July 5 1905 in Montague County.

View attachment 13314
View attachment 13315

This is the one I was thinking of! Thank you.

 

[buckeye05]

I mentioned this awhile back in the thread and it never got any traction for whatever reason but this event was exceptionally vicious in Arkansas, 76 fatalities alone there. I'm not sure I'd call this a full on Dixie outbreak as the majority of the tornadoes spawned in Arkansas. Also it's exceptional how many violent tornadoes Arkansas has had over the years and yet no official F5s ("official" I said).

I thought Arkansas was considered a part of Dixie Alley, and I have always considered it as such, but I could understand why some would say it isn't. It almost straddles the line between Dixie Ally and traditional Tornado Alley.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

I thought Arkansas was considered a part of Dixie Alley, and I have always considered it as such, but I could understand why some would say it isn't. It almost straddles the line between Dixie Ally and traditional Tornado Alley.

I do consider it part of Dixie Alley, I just meant the 1916 outbreak doesn't to have been that widespread outside of Arkansas.

But yeah, based on this chart Arkansas does straddle two separate 'alleys'. Also my home state (Missouri) straddles 3, assuming you believe this chart.

 

[Austin Dawg]

I do consider it part of Dixie Alley, I just meant the 1916 outbreak doesn't to have been that widespread outside of Arkansas.

But yeah, based on this chart Arkansas does straddle two separate 'alleys'. Also my home state (Missouri) straddles 3, assuming you believe this chart.

View attachment 13316

Is Vilonia, AR somewhere in that area between alleys? That might explain the rating for the tornado there because the NWS just couldn't imagine an F5 tornado outside of the Tornado Alleys.

You might laugh but it's really not as bizarre as some of their surveys that I have read.