May 1957 Central Plains tornado outbreak sequence
(Redirected from 1957 Ruskin Heights tornado)
The May 1957 Central Plains tornado outbreak sequence was a tornado outbreak sequence that took place across the US Central Plains from May 19 to May 21, 1957.[note 1][note 2] The most destructive tornado of the outbreak was rated at F5, the highest level, and is often called the Ruskin Heights tornado. The worst of the damage occurred in Ruskin Heights, a suburb and housing development in south Kansas City, Missouri. A total of 57 tornadoes were reported from Colorado to the Mississippi Valley and 59 people were killed during the outbreak, including 44 in the Ruskin Heights tornado.
 Tornadoes on May 21 | |
| Tornado outbreak | |
|---|---|
| Tornadoes | 57 |
| Maximum rating | F5 tornado |
| Duration | May 19–21, 1957 |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 59 |
| Injuries | 341 |
| Areas affected | Great Plains, Midwestern United States |
Part of the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1957 | |
Background
edit
| State | Total | County | County total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 7 | Franklin | 3 |
| Miami | 4 | ||
| Missouri | 52 | Carter | 7 |
| Jackson | 37 | ||
| St. Francois | 8 | ||
| Totals | 59 | ||
| All deaths were tornado-related | |||
The outbreak sequence coincided with elevated tornado activity: the period May 19–26 was one of the most intense to date, since the founding of the United States Weather Bureau. At 00:30 UTC (7:30 p.m. CDT) on May 20, a 75-to-80-knot (86 to 92 mph; 139 to 148 km/h) mid-level jet stream bisected dew points of 65 °F (18 °C), coincident with a 986-millibar (29.1 inHg) low-pressure area and warm front over southeastern Nebraska. Soundings and surface weather observations indicated a robust, unstable warm sector, showing 3,000 j/kg of surface-based convective available potential energy (CAPE) and the presence of strong wind shear. Favoring supercells, this setup led to the then largest one-day total of tornadoes in Weather Bureau history. At 17:00 UTC (12:00 a.m. CDT) that day the Severe Local Storms Unit (SELS) in Kansas City had already issued a severe weather watch, mentioning tornadoes, for the Kansas–Nebraska state line and its environs. Subsequent updates covered much of the eastern Great Plains, from the Green Country to southeastern Nebraska.[3][4]
Confirmed tornadoes
edit| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 57 |
Prior to 1990, there is a likely undercount of tornadoes, particularly E/F0–1, with reports of weaker tornadoes becoming more common as population increased. A sharp increase in the annual average E/F0–1 count by approximately 200 tornadoes was noted upon the implementation of NEXRAD Doppler weather radar in 1990–1991.[5][note 3] 1974 marked the first year where significant tornado (E/F2+) counts became homogenous with contemporary values, attributed to the consistent implementation of Fujita scale assessments.[9][note 4] Numerous discrepancies on the details of tornadoes in this outbreak exist between sources. The total count of tornadoes and ratings differs from various agencies accordingly. The list below documents information from the most contemporary official sources alongside assessments from tornado historian Thomas P. Grazulis.
| F#[note 4] | Location | County / Parish | State | Start Coord.[note 5] | Date[note 6] | Time (UTC) | Path length | Width[note 7] | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | ESE of West Park | Fresno | CA | 36°42′N 119°50′W / 36.70°N 119.83°W | May 19 | 16:18–16:23 | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $30 |
| A brief tornado—the third on record in the Fresno area—tore loose roof shingles, downed an almond tree, and mangled a rooftop air conditioning unit.[19][20] | |||||||||
| F1 | NW of Bayard | Scotts Bluff | NE | 41°48′N 103°22′W / 41.80°N 103.37°W | May 19 | 01:30–? | 1.7 mi (2.7 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $30 |
| Watched by highway patrol, this tornado did little or no damage.[21][20] | |||||||||
| F2 | W of Bayard | Scotts Bluff | NE | 41°45′N 103°07′W / 41.75°N 103.12°W | May 19 | 03:30–? | 5.1 mi (8.2 km) | 67 yd (61 m) | $25,000 |
| This tornado blew a farmhouse off its foundation and stripped most of its roof. It destroyed outbuildings on a few farms as well. The NCEI incorrectly list the path as south of Vance, Morrill County.[22][23][20] | |||||||||
| F1 | W of Gurley | Cheyenne | NE | 41°19′N 102°59′W / 41.32°N 102.98°W | May 19 | 04:00–? | 2 mi (3.2 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $25,000 |
| This tornado damaged outbuildings.[24][20] | |||||||||
| F0 | SSE of Bethune (CO) to near Herndon (KS) | Kit Carson (CO), Sherman (KS), Cheyenne (KS), Rawlins (KS) | CO, KS | 39°15′N 102°24′W / 39.25°N 102.40°W | May 20 | 17:00–19:35 | 70.1 mi (112.8 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $310 |
| This tornado, at one point officially rated F2, caused very little damage. It was likely a family of several weak events.[25][26][27][28][29] | |||||||||
| F0 | Southeastern Phillipsburg | Phillips | KS | 39°45′N 99°19′W / 39.75°N 99.32°W | May 20 | 17:55–18:10 | 1 mi (1.6 km) | 300 yd (270 m) | Unknown |
| Details are unavailable.[30][31][32] | |||||||||
| F0 | N of Downs | Osborne | KS | 39°33′N 98°33′W / 39.55°N 98.55°W | May 20 | 19:15–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | Unknown |
| This tornado felled a shed, wires, and trees.[33][31][32] | |||||||||
| F0 | SW of Hunter | Mitchell | KS | 39°14′N 98°24′W / 39.23°N 98.40°W | May 20 | 19:25–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | Unknown |
| Details are unavailable.[34][31][32] | |||||||||
| F1 | N of Burr Oak | Jewell | KS | 39°55′N 98°18′W / 39.92°N 98.30°W | May 20 | 2005 | 5.7 mi (9.2 km) | 300 yd (270 m) | $25,000 |
| Sounding train-like, this tornado damaged three homes and many outbuildings.[35][32] | |||||||||
| F0 | N of Red Cloud | Webster | NE | May 20 | 2015 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| F1 | NE of Broken Bow | Custer | NE | May 20 | 2017 | 2.7 miles (4.3 km) |
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| F0 | E of Guide Rock | Nuckolls | NE | May 20 | 2020 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| F4 | E of Glasco to N of Morrowville | Cloud, Republic, Washington | KS | May 20 | 2050 | 44.6 miles (71.4 km) |
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| Wedge tornado produced "near-F5" damage on several farms and was observed with multiple satellite tornadoes. Several different tornadoes may have produced the damage, perhaps a tornado family. | |||||||||
| F2 | NW of Aurora | Cloud | KS | May 20 | 2050 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| Satellite tornado to the Glasco tornado. A barn was leveled. | |||||||||
| F2 | W of Huscher (1st tornado) | Cloud | KS | May 20 | 2050 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| Satellite tornado to the Glasco tornado. One barn was destroyed. | |||||||||
| F2 | W of Huscher (2nd tornado) | Cloud | KS | May 20 | 2050 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| F3 | NE of Rice | Cloud | KS | May 20 | 2050 | 6.1 miles (9.8 km) |
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| Tornado destroyed one barn east of Hollis. May have been only F2 in intensity. Was a satellite tornado to the Glasco tornado. | |||||||||
| F1 | SW of Anselmo | Custer | NE | May 20 | 2100 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| F1 | N of Rockerville | Pennington | May 20 | 2100 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| F2 | W of Reynolds to E of Palmyra | Thayer, Jefferson, Saline, Lancaster | May 20 | 2200 | 75.3 miles (120.5 km) |
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| Homes had their roofs torn off near Alexandria and multiple outbuildings were destroyed. Over 500 turkeys were killed on one farm. | |||||||||
| F2 | Doniphan to NE of Phillips | Hall, Hamilton | May 20 | 2300 | 18.2 miles (29.1 km) |
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| Three farms were damaged by the tornado. | |||||||||
| F2 | W of Weatherby | DeKalb | May 20 | 2300 | 9.8 miles (15.7 km) |
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| Barns and outbuildings were destroyed. | |||||||||
| F0 | N of Pawnee | Pawnee | May 20 | 2300 | 0.5 mile (0.8 km) |
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| F2 | NE of Friend to N of Emerald | Saline, Gage, Lancaster | May 20 | 2320 | 23.9 miles (38.2 km) |
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| Barns were destroyed on two farms. | |||||||||
| F0 | S of Hartford | Lyon | May 20 | 2345 | 0.5 mile (0.8 km) |
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| F2 | NE of Hominy | Osage | May 20 | 2345 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| F2 | NW of Prague | Lincoln | May 20 | 0000 | unknown | ||||
| Tornado damaged eight farms near Prague. | |||||||||
| F0 | NW of Madison | Greenwood | May 20 | 0015 | 1 mile (1.6 km) |
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| F5 | SW of Williamsburg to E of Raytown, MO | Franklin, Miami, Johnson, Jackson (MO) | May 20 | 0015 | 71 miles (111 km) |
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| 44 deaths – See section on this tornado – 531 people were injured. | |||||||||
| F0 | NW of Kiefer | Creek | May 20 | 0100 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| F0 | E of Hogshooter | Nowata | May 20 | 0100 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| F1 | Broken Arrow area (SE Tulsa) | Tulsa | May 20 | 0130 | 3.6 miles (5.8 km) |
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| Tornado moved through the town causing roof damage to at least 200 homes, one of which lost its roof entirely. | |||||||||
| F3 | Homewood area | Franklin | May 20 | 0137 | 5.6 miles (9 km) |
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| F2 | SW of Richmond | Jackson, Ray | May 20 | 0137 | 12.8 miles (20.5 km) |
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| F0 | SW of Beggs | Okmulgee | May 20 | 0204 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| F1 | W of Chelsea | Rogers | May 20 | 0430 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| F1 | NW of Centralia | Craig | May 21 | 0500 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| F1 | NE of Vinita | Craig | May 21 | 0500 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| F3 | NW of Garland to NE of Sallisaw | Mayes, Delaware | May 21 | 0510 | 20.4 miles (32.6 km) |
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| Barns were destroyed by the tornado. 40 buildings were damaged in and around Spavinaw. One home was destroyed near Lone Chapel as well. | |||||||||
| F1 | E of Cardwell to N of Deering | Dunklin, Pemiscot | May 21 | 0545 | 23.7 miles (37.9 km) |
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| Tornado caused roof and barn damage. | |||||||||
| F2 | W of Kennett | Dunklin | May 21 | 0545 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| F2 | W of English | Carroll | May 21 | 0700 | 0.8 mile (1.3 km) |
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| F1 | NE of Staples | Todd, Cass | May 21 | 1800 | 3.8 miles (6.1 km) |
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| A barn and a garage were destroyed. Pine trees were snapped as well. | |||||||||
| F4 | E of Rush City | Chisago | May 21 | 1900 | 9.2 miles (14.7 km) |
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| Eight barns and four homes were destroyed. One home was completely swept away with near-F5-level damage. | |||||||||
| F3 | E of Doss | Dent | May 21 | 2100 | 10.2 miles (16.3 km) |
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| Three homes were destroyed, one of which was leveled. Two other homes were damaged. | |||||||||
| F2 | S of Squires | Taney, Douglas | May 21 | 2115 | 14.5 miles (23.2 km) |
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| Homes and one school was destroyed. The teacher and 11 students survived by driving to a farmhouse with a basement. | |||||||||
| F1 | NE of Mill Spring | Wayne | May 21 | 2130 | 13 miles (20.8 km) |
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| Homes had their roofs torn off and buildings were damaged on four farms. | |||||||||
| F1 | S of Centerville | Reynolds | May 21 | 2145 | 0.2 mile (0.32 km) |
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| F3 | SW of Sunlight to Desloge | Washington, St. Francois | May 21 | 2145 | 22.2 miles (35.5 km) |
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| 8 deaths Multiple homes and 24 barns were destroyed. 20% of the town of Belgrade was destroyed. An F4 tornado also hit Belgrade on March 19, 1948.[36] | |||||||||
| F4 | Fremont area | Carter | May 21 | 2153 | 9.1 miles (14.6 km) |
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| 7 deaths - Fremont was devastated, with homes, businesses, and schools destroyed on the east side of town. Damage also occurred on the south side of Van Buren. May have been an F5.[37] | |||||||||
| F2 | N of Burfordville | Cape Girardeau | May 21 | 2300 | 5.1 miles (8.2 km) |
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| Several farms were damaged by the tornado. Barns were destroyed and a house had its roof torn off. | |||||||||
| F1 | E of Lewistown | Lewis | May 21 | 2330 | 7.4 miles (11.8 km) |
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| Struck the northwest side of Monticello. Four homes were destroyed and a three-story apartment building was badly damaged. | |||||||||
| F2 | S of Columbia to SE of Shiloh | Monroe, St. Clair | May 21 | 2150 | 19.7 miles (31.5 km) |
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| F2 | SE of Claremont | Richland | May 21 | 2300 | 3.6 miles (5.8 km) |
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| Four farms were struck by the tornado. | |||||||||
| F2 | W of Stockton | Cedar, Muscatine, Scott | May 21 | 2300 | 8.9 miles (14.2 km) |
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| Several barns and a grain elevator were destroyed. | |||||||||
| F3 | S of Makanda | Union, Jackson | May 21 | 0007 | 8.5 miles (13.6 km) |
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| 25 structures and over 5,000 fruit trees were destroyed. | |||||||||
| F3 | N of Good Hope | McDonough | May 21 | 0140 | 13.7 miles (21.9 km) |
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| Two homes were destroyed on the southeast edge of Colmar. | |||||||||
| F2 | SW of Pelzer | Warrick | May 21 | 0203 | 0.1 mile (0.16 km) |
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| A home was spun 150 feet (46 m) off its foundation. The roof was carried 500 feet (150 m). Two people were injured. | |||||||||
Williamsburg−Spring Hill, Kansas/Ruskin Heights–Raytown, Missouri
edit The tornado in its formative stage, in Kansas | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 20, 1957, 7:15 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00) |
| Duration | 1 hour and 38 minutes |
| F5 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | >261 mph (420 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 44 |
| Injuries | 531 |
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
This violent, long-tracked, multiple vortex F5 tornado began near Williamsburg, and moved NE through several counties. Major damage occurred in rural areas near Ottawa and Spring Hill, where homes were completely leveled and several fatalities occurred. The tornado continued into the southern suburbs of Kansas City, tearing through Martin City, Raytown, Hickman Mills, and Ruskin Heights. Entire blocks of homes were completely leveled, many of which were swept cleanly away with debris wind-rowed long distances through nearby fields. Some homes had their anchor-bolted subflooring ripped away, leaving only basements behind. Many businesses including a grocery store, a shopping center, and restaurants were completely destroyed. A few of the businesses at the shopping center sustained F5 damage. Vehicles were thrown through the air and destroyed, and the steel-reinforced Ruskin Heights High School was badly damaged. A canceled check from Hickman Mills was found 165 miles away in Ottumwa, Iowa. This event might have been a tornado family rather than a single tornado, as there was possible break in the damage path south of Wellsville, Kansas. Grazulis rated the tornado an F4, but said probable F5 damage occurred in Ruskin Heights; he subsequently rated the tornado F5.[38][39]
See also
editBibliography
edit- Caught in the Path, (ISBN 0-9655774-0-6) by Carolyn Glenn Brewer.
Notes
edit- ^ An outbreak is generally defined as a group of at least six tornadoes (the number sometimes varies slightly according to local climatology) with no more than a six-hour gap between individual tornadoes. An outbreak sequence, prior to (after) the start of modern records in 1950, is defined as a period of no more than two (one) consecutive days without at least one significant (F2 or stronger) tornado.[1]
- ^ All damage totals are in 1957 United States dollars unless otherwise noted.
- ^ Historically, the number of tornadoes globally and in the United States was and is likely underrepresented: research by Grazulis on annual tornado activity suggests that, as of 2001, only 53% of yearly U.S. tornadoes were officially recorded. Documentation of tornadoes outside the United States was historically less exhaustive, owing to the lack of monitors in many nations and, in some cases, to internal political controls on public information.[6] Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.[7] Significant low biases in U.S. tornado counts likely occurred through the early 1990s, when advanced NEXRAD was first installed and the National Weather Service began comprehensively verifying tornado occurrences.[8]
- ^ a b The Fujita scale was devised under the aegis of scientist T. Theodore Fujita in the early 1970s. Prior to the advent of the scale in 1971, tornadoes in the United States were officially unrated.[10][11] Tornado ratings were retroactively applied to events prior to the formal adoption of the F-scale by the National Weather Service.[12] While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,[13] Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013;[14] nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.[15]
- ^ All starting coordinates are based on the NCEI database and may not reflect contemporary analyses
- ^ All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time and dates are split at midnight CST/CDT for consistency.
- ^ The listed width values are primarily the average/mean width of the tornadoes, with those having known maximum widths denoted by ♯. From 1952 to 1994, reports largely list mean width whereas contemporary years list maximum width.[16] Values provided by Grazulis are the average width, with estimates being rounded down (i.e. 0.5 mi (0.80 km) is rounded down from 880 yards to 800 yards.[17][18]
References
edit- ^ Schneider, Russell S.; Brooks, Harold E.; Schaefer, Joseph T. (2004). Tornado Outbreak Day Sequences: Historic Events and Climatology (1875–2003) (PDF). 22nd Conf. Severe Local Storms. Hyannis, Massachusetts: American Meteorological Society. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, Events reported
- ^ "Ruskin Heights Tornado of May 20 1957". Kansas City/Pleasant Hill, MO Weather Forecast Office. Pleasant Hill, Missouri: National Weather Service. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ Jonathan Finch. "North America Tornado Cases 1950 to 1959". Bangladesh Tornadoes. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ Agee and Childs 2014, p. 1496.
- ^ Grazulis 2001a, pp. 251–4.
- ^ Edwards, Roger (March 5, 2015). "The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC)". Storm Prediction Center: Frequently Asked Questions about Tornadoes. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
- ^ Cook & Schaefer 2008, p. 3135.
- ^ Agee and Childs 2014, pp. 1497, 1503.
- ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 141.
- ^ Grazulis 2001a, p. 131.
- ^ Edwards et al. 2013, p. 641–642.
- ^ Edwards, Roger (March 5, 2015). "Enhanced F Scale for Tornado Damage". The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC). Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
- ^ "Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale)". Environment and Climate Change Canada. Environment and Climate Change Canada. June 6, 2013. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
- ^ "The International Tornado Intensity Scale". Tornado and Storm Research Organisation. Tornado and Storm Research Organisation. 2016. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
- ^ Agee and Childs 2014, p. 1494.
- ^ Brooks 2004, p. 310.
- ^ Grazulis 1990, p. ix.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #9990162
- ^ a b c d USWB 1957, p. 182.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10069875
- ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 1006.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10069876
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10069877
- ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 81.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #9990306
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10028873
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10028874
- ^ USWB 1957, pp. 182–3.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10028875
- ^ a b c "Severe Weather Database Files (1950-2021)". Storm Prediction Center Maps, Graphics, and Data Page. Norman, Oklahoma: Storm Prediction Center. July 11, 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d USWB 1957, p. 183.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10028876
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10028877
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10028878
- ^ Grazulis 1993, pp. 934, 1007.
- ^ Christine L. Wielgos (23 May 2007). "50th Anniversary of the Carter County, MO F4 Tornado: May 21st, 1957". NOAA's National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Paducah, KY. West Paducah, Kentucky: National Weather Service. Archived from the original on 28 May 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ "55th Anniversary of the Ruskin Heights-Hickman Mills Tornado". NOAA's National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Kansas City/Pleasant Hill, MO. Pleasant Hill, Missouri: National Weather Service. Archived from the original on June 5, 2008. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ "Ruskin Heights Tornado Memorial". Ruskin Heights Tornado. Ruskin Heights, Missouri: Ruskin Heights Memorial Tree Arbor Foundation. 11 June 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
Sources
edit- Agee, Ernest M.; Childs, Samuel (June 1, 2014). "Adjustments in Tornado Counts, F-Scale Intensity, and Path Width for Assessing Significant Tornado Destruction". Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology. 53 (6). American Meteorological Society: 1494–1505. doi:10.1175/JAMC-D-13-0235.1.
- Brooks, Harold E. (April 2004). "On the Relationship of Tornado Path Length and Width to Intensity". Weather and Forecasting. 19 (2): 310–19. Bibcode:2004WtFor..19..310B. doi:10.1175/1520-0434(2004)019<0310:OTROTP>2.0.CO;2.
- Cook, A. R.; Schaefer, J. T. (August 2008). "The Relation of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to Winter Tornado Outbreaks". Monthly Weather Review. 136 (8): 3121–3137. Bibcode:2008MWRv..136.3121C. doi:10.1175/2007MWR2171.1.
- Edwards, Roger; LaDue, James G.; Ferree, John T.; Scharfenberg, Kevin; Maier, Chris; Coulbourne, William L. (May 1, 2013). "Tornado Intensity Estimation: Past, Present, and Future". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 94 (5). American Meteorological Society: 641–653. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-11-00006.1.
- Grazulis, Thomas P. (May 1984). Violent Tornado Climatography, 1880–1982. OSTI (Technical report). NUREG. Washington, D.C.: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. OSTI 7099491. CR-3670.
- — (November 1990). Significant Tornadoes 1880–1989. Vol. 2. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-02-3.
- — (July 1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
- — (2001a). The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-3538-0.
- — (2001b). F5-F6 Tornadoes. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films.
- National Weather Service. Storm Data Publication (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information – via Storm Events Database.
- U.S. Weather Bureau (May 1957). "Storm data and unusual weather phenomena". Climatological Data National Summary. 8 (5). Asheville, North Carolina: National Climatic Data Center: 182–89.
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