From May 19–22, 1957, a tornado outbreak took place across the US Central Plains. A total of 59 tornadoes were reported from Colorado to the Mississippi Valley.[note 1][note 2] The most destructive tornado of the severe weather event—likely part of a long-lived family—was rated at F5, the highest level, and is often called the Ruskin Heights tornado, after the site of its worst damage, a suburb and housing development in southern Kansas City, Missouri. Additionally, a powerful F4 tornado virtually destroyed Fremont, Missouri, claiming seven lives, and an F3 tornado killed eight others in and near Belgrade, Missouri. A pair of F4s—one in Minnesota, the other in Kansas—also neared F5 intensity. In all, 59 people were killed during the outbreak, including 44 in the Ruskin Heights tornado.
 Map of tornadoes on May 21, highlighting the Fremont F4 | |
| Tornado outbreak | |
|---|---|
| Tornadoes | 59 |
| Maximum rating | F5 tornado |
| Duration | May 19–22, 1957 |
| Largest hail | 7 in (18 cm)[1] |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 59 |
| Injuries | 341 |
| Areas affected | Primarily Central United States |
Part of the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1957 | |
Background
edit
The outbreak 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) 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. Upon formation, severe thunderstorms traveled at up to 42 mph (68 km/h), attended by extremely large hail.[1][3]
Outbreak statistics
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 | |||
Confirmed tornadoes
edit| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 59 |
Several unconfirmed tornadoes were also reported:
- May 20: tornadoes were reported south of Solomon Rapids, Kansas, and east of Concordia, Kansas.[5]
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.[6][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.[10][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.
May 19 event
edit| F#[note 4] | Location | County / Parish | State | Start Coord.[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 | 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.[20][21] | ||||||||
| F1 | NW of Bayard | Scotts Bluff | NE | 41°48′N 103°22′W / 41.80°N 103.37°W | 01:30–? | 1.7 mi (2.7 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $30 |
| Watched by highway patrol, this tornado did little or no damage.[22][21] | ||||||||
| F2 | S of Vance | Morrill | NE | 41°45′N 103°07′W / 41.75°N 103.12°W | 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. According to the Climatological Data National Summary, this tornado hit 6+1⁄2 mi (10.5 km) west of Bayard, implying touchdown in Scotts Bluff County.[23][24][21] | ||||||||
| F1 | W of Gurley | Cheyenne | NE | 41°19′N 102°59′W / 41.32°N 102.98°W | 04:00–? | 2 mi (3.2 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $25,000 |
| This tornado damaged outbuildings.[25][21] | ||||||||
May 20 event
edit| F#[note 4] | Location | County / Parish | State | Start Coord.[note 6] | Time (UTC) | Path length | Width[note 7] | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 17:00–19:35 | 70.1 mi (112.8 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $310 |
| This tornado, once officially rated F2, caused very little damage. It was likely a family of several weak events.[26][27][28][29][30] | ||||||||
| F0 | Southeastern Phillipsburg | Phillips | KS | 39°45′N 99°19′W / 39.75°N 99.32°W | 17:55–18:10 | 1 mi (1.6 km) | 300 yd (270 m) | Unknown |
| Details are unavailable.[31][32][5] | ||||||||
| F0 | N of Downs | Osborne | KS | 39°33′N 98°33′W / 39.55°N 98.55°W | 19:15–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | Unknown |
| This tornado felled a shed, wires, and trees.[31][33][5] | ||||||||
| F0 | SW of Hunter | Mitchell | KS | 39°14′N 98°24′W / 39.23°N 98.40°W | 19:25–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | Unknown |
| Details are unavailable.[31][34][5] | ||||||||
| F1 | N of Burr Oak | Jewell | KS | 39°55′N 98°18′W / 39.92°N 98.30°W | 20:05–? | 5.7 mi (9.2 km) | 300 yd (270 m) | $25,000 |
| Sounding train-like, this tornado damaged three homes and many outbuildings.[35][5] | ||||||||
| F0 | N of Red Cloud | Webster | NE | 40°06′N 98°31′W / 40.10°N 98.52°W | 20:15–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $30 |
| A brief tornado hit nothing substantial.[36][5] | ||||||||
| F1 | NE of Broken Bow | Custer | NE | 41°26′N 99°37′W / 41.43°N 99.62°W | 20:17–20:20 | 2.7 mi (4.3 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $30 |
| This tornado caused little damage.[37][5] | ||||||||
| F0 | E of Guide Rock | Nuckolls | NE | 40°04′N 98°16′W / 40.07°N 98.27°W | 20:20–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $30 |
| Noted by highway patrol, this tornado caused little or damage.[31][38][5] | ||||||||
| F4 | ENE of Glasco to NW of Morrowville | Cloud, Republic, Washington | KS | 39°23′N 97°44′W / 39.38°N 97.73°W | 20:50–? | 44.6 mi (71.8 km) | 400 yd (370 m) | $250,000 |
| Part of a family, this violent tornado struck 12 farms at F4 intensity, at one point approaching F5 status. The main event, it destroyed an entire farm near Haddam, and was accompanied by at least four—possibly up to eight—satellite tornadoes, along with many funnel clouds. The storm that produced the tornado damaged a 50-to-60-mile-long (80 to 97 km) swath.[39][23][40][5] | ||||||||
| F2 | SSE of Concordia | Cloud | KS | 39°31′N 97°38′W / 39.52°N 97.63°W | 20:50–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | Unknown |
| Details are unknown. Grazulis did not list the tornado as an F2 or stronger.[41][42][5] | ||||||||
| F2 | W of Huscher | Cloud | KS | 39°31′N 97°38′W / 39.52°N 97.63°W | 20:50–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | Unknown |
| This tornado destroyed a barn.[23][43][5] | ||||||||
| F2 | SW of Huscher | Cloud | KS | 39°28′N 97°38′W / 39.47°N 97.63°W | 20:50–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | Unknown |
| Details are unknown. Grazulis did not list the tornado as an F2 or stronger.[41][44][5] | ||||||||
| F3 | E of Rice to E of Hollis | Cloud | KS | 39°34′N 97°34′W / 39.57°N 97.57°W | 20:50–? | 6.1 mi (9.8 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | Unknown |
| This tornado destroyed a barn. Grazulis rated it F2.[23][45][5] | ||||||||
| F1 | WSW of Anselmo | Custer | NE | 41°36′N 99°56′W / 41.60°N 99.93°W | 21:00–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $2,500 |
| This tornado mainly affected remote areas.[46][47] | ||||||||
| F1 | N of Rockerville | Pennington | SD | 43°58′N 103°21′W / 43.97°N 103.35°W | 21:00–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $2,500 |
| This tornado blew down a barn.[48][5] | ||||||||
| F2 | W of Reynolds to E of Palmyra | Thayer, Jefferson, Saline, Lancaster | NE | 40°04′N 97°30′W / 40.07°N 97.50°W | 22:00–? | 75.3 mi (121.2 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $250,000 |
| This tornado hit more than 12 farms, destroying barns, and unroofed homes as well. On a farm it killed upward of 500 turkeys. In all, the tornado struck "15 sets" of structures. Grazulis listed a 30-mile (48 km) path.[49][50][47] | ||||||||
| F2 | Doniphan to NE of Phillips | Hall, Hamilton | NE | 40°46′N 98°22′W / 40.77°N 98.37°W | 23:00–? | 18.2 mi (29.3 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | Unknown |
| Producing scattered damage, this tornado hit three farms, one of them at "near-F3" intensity.[49][51][47] | ||||||||
| F2 | S of Maysville to NNE of Weatherby | DeKalb | MO | 39°51′N 94°21′W / 39.85°N 94.35°W | 23:00–? | 9.8 mi (15.8 km) | 200 yd (180 m) | $25,000 |
| This tornado hit eight farms, destroying buildings, including two or more barns.[49][52][47] | ||||||||
| F0 | N of Pawnee | Pawnee | OK | 36°21′N 96°48′W / 36.35°N 96.80°W | 23:00–? | 0.5 mi (0.80 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | $30 |
| A brief tornado snapped power lines and damaged roofing.[53][47] | ||||||||
| F2 | NE of Friend to N of Emerald | Saline, Gage, Lancaster | NE | 40°41′N 97°15′W / 40.68°N 97.25°W | 23:20–? | 23.9 mi (38.5 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $25,000 |
| This tornado intermittently touched down, destroying a few barns.[49][54][47] | ||||||||
| F0 | S of Hartford | Lyon | KS | 38°14′N 96°00′W / 38.23°N 96.00°W | 23:45–? | 0.5 mi (0.80 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | $250 |
| A weak tornado damaged windows, roofs, and trees.[31][55][56] | ||||||||
| F2 | NE of Hominy | Osage | OK | 36°25′N 96°23′W / 36.42°N 96.38°W | 23:45–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $25,000 |
| This tornado collapsed a warehouse, damaging equipment inside, and mangled girders. Grazulis did not rate it F2 or stronger.[41][57][56] | ||||||||
| F2 | NW of Prague | Lincoln | OK | 35°30′N 96°42′W / 35.50°N 96.70°W | 00:00–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $2,500 |
| This tornado hit at least eight farms, downing outbuildings, fences, and trees. It also damaged farmhouses.[49][58][56] | ||||||||
| F0 | NW of Madison | Greenwood | KS | 38°10′N 96°10′W / 38.17°N 96.17°W | 00:15–? | 1 mi (1.6 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | Unknown |
| This tornado caused minimal damage to old sheds, trees, and roofs.[31][59][56] | ||||||||
| F5 | SW of Williamsburg (KS) to E of Raytown (MO) | Franklin (KS), Miami (KS), Johnson (KS), Jackson (MO) | KS, MO | 38°27′N 95°30′W / 38.45°N 95.50°W | 00:15–01:53 | 71 mi (114 km) | 440 yd (400 m) | $2,500,000 |
| 44 deaths – See section on this tornado – 531 people were injured. | ||||||||
| F0 | WNW of Kiefer | Creek | OK | 35°57′N 96°05′W / 35.95°N 96.08°W | 01:00–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | Unknown |
| This tornado killed a cow and destroyed outbuildings.[60][56] | ||||||||
| F0 | E of Hogshooter | Nowata | OK | 36°42′N 95°46′W / 36.70°N 95.77°W | 01:00–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $30 |
| This tornado tore up a 500-yard-long (1,500 ft) stretch of fence and blew an oil tank into a ditch.[61][56] | ||||||||
| F1 | Northern Broken Arrow | Tulsa | OK | 36°04′N 95°48′W / 36.07°N 95.80°W | 01:30–? | 3.6 mi (5.8 km) | 500 yd (460 m) | $250,000 |
| This tornado moved through town, causing roof and other damage—mostly minimal—to roughly 200 homes, one of which lost its roof entirely. The tornado also overturned cars, downed trees, and destroyed outbuildings. Grazulis rated it F2.[49][62][56] | ||||||||
| F3 | Homewood | Franklin | KS | 38°30′N 95°26′W / 38.50°N 95.43°W | 01:37–? | 5.6 mi (9.0 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | Unknown |
| This tornado may have been related to or the same as the Ruskin Heights F5. Grazulis did not rate it F2 or stronger. Further details are unavailable.[41][1][63][56] | ||||||||
| F2 | N of Sibley to Richmond | Jackson, Ray | MO | 39°12′N 94°12′W / 39.20°N 94.20°W | 01:37–? | 12.8 mi (20.6 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $25,000 |
| Related to the Ruskin Heights F5, this tornado caused "considerable" damage, and strewed debris over a 40-acre (16 ha) field. However, Grazulis did not rate it F2 or stronger.[41][64][65] | ||||||||
| F0 | SW of Beggs | Okmulgee | OK | 35°42′N 96°07′W / 35.70°N 96.12°W | 02:04–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $30 |
| Seen by Ground Observer Corps, this tornado apparently did little or no damage.[66][67] | ||||||||
| F1 | W of Chelsea | Rogers | OK | 36°32′N 95°28′W / 36.53°N 95.47°W | 04:30–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | Unknown |
| This tornado uplifted and shifted a home. It also leveled many outbuildings.[68][67] | ||||||||
May 21 event
edit| F#[note 4] | Location | County / Parish | State | Start Coord.[note 6] | Time (UTC) | Path length | Width[note 7] | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | NW of Centralia | Craig | OK | 36°48′N 95°23′W / 36.80°N 95.38°W | 05:00–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $30 |
| This tornado extensively damaged ranchland, hitting a farmhouse and outbuildings.[69][67] | ||||||||
| F1 | NE of Vinita | Craig | OK | 36°39′N 95°08′W / 36.65°N 95.13°W | 05:00–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $30 |
| This tornado uplifted roofing and damaged a trio of barns.[70][67] | ||||||||
| F3 | SW of Spavinaw to NE of Jay | Mayes, Delaware | OK | 35°21′N 95°05′W / 35.35°N 95.08°W | 05:10–? | 20.4 mi (32.8 km) | 200 yd (180 m) | $5,000 |
| Passing near Lone Chapel, this tornado destroyed or damaged 40 outbuildings, a home, and a barn. The tornado caused an injury as well. Grazulis rated it F2.[49][71][72][67] | ||||||||
| F1 | NE of Staples | Todd, Cass | MN | 46°21′N 94°47′W / 46.35°N 94.78°W | 18:00–? | 3.8 mi (6.1 km) | 300 yd (270 m) | $25,000 |
| This tornado splintered pine trees. It also destroyed a garage and barn. Grazulis rated it F2.[49][73][74] | ||||||||
| F4 | E of Rush City | Chisago | MN | 45°35′N 92°52′W / 45.58°N 92.87°W | 19:00–? | 9.2 mi (14.8 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | $25,000 |
| This violent tornado sheared off 2-foot-thick (0.61 m) trees and produced borderline-F5 damage to a home. It destroyed a total of four homes and eight barns. It injured a few people as well.[39][49][75][74] | ||||||||
| F3 | SSE of Custer to E of Doss to NNE of Stone Hill | Dent | MO | 37°33′N 91°30′W / 37.55°N 91.50°W | 21:00–? | 10.2 mi (16.4 km) | 440 yd (400 m) | $25,000 |
| This intense tornado destroyed three homes, one of which it leveled, and damaged a few others.[49][76][74] | ||||||||
| F2 | ENE of Brownbranch to Squires to WSW of Sweden | Taney, Douglas | MO | 36°48′N 92°48′W / 36.80°N 92.80°W | 21:15–? | 14.5 mi (23.3 km) | 500 yd (460 m) | $250,000 |
| This tornado destroyed a home and school, forcing 11 students and a teacher to shelter underground in a farmhouse. Grazulis rated it F3.[49][77][74] | ||||||||
| F1 | WSW of Leeper to W of Silva | Wayne | MO | 37°04′N 90°43′W / 37.07°N 90.72°W | 21:30–? | 13 mi (21 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $2,500 |
| Possibly related to the Fremont F4, this tornado hit four farms, damaging structures. It also unroofed a few homes. Grazulis rated it F2.[49][78][79] | ||||||||
| F1 | SSW of Centerville | Reynolds | MO | 37°25′N 90°58′W / 37.42°N 90.97°W | 21:45–? | 0.2 mi (0.32 km) | 17 yd (16 m) | $30 |
| This tornado damaged a number of buildings.[80][74] | ||||||||
| F3 | SE of Sunlight to Belgrade to Desloge | Washington, St. Francois | MO | 37°46′N 90°55′W / 37.77°N 90.92°W | 21:45–? | 22.2 mi (35.7 km) | 400 yd (370 m) | $75,000,000 |
| 8 deaths – This intense tornado destroyed 20% of Belgrade, as well as 24 barns and large, rural homes. It also destroyed structures at a school, in addition to multiple churches. It injured 50 people as well. An F4 tornado also hit Belgrade on March 19, 1948.[81][82][83][84][74] | ||||||||
| F4 | Fremont to Van Buren | Carter | MO | 36°57′N 91°10′W / 36.95°N 91.17°W | 21:53–? | 9.1 mi (14.6 km) | 500 yd (460 m) | $250,000 |
| 7 deaths – See section on this tornado – 75 people were injured. | ||||||||
| F2 | WNW of Burfordville to ESE of Millersville | Cape Girardeau | MO | 37°23′N 89°50′W / 37.38°N 89.83°W | 23:00–? | 5.1 mi (8.2 km) | 500 yd (460 m) | $25,000 |
| This tornado hit 12 farms, destroying four barns and damaging other structures. It also unroofed a home and felled trees.[49][85][86] | ||||||||
| F2 | E of Lewistown to northwestern Monticello to SW of Benjamin | Lewis | MO | 40°05′N 91°47′W / 40.08°N 91.78°W | 23:30–? | 7.4 mi (11.9 km) | 400 yd (370 m) | $500,000 |
| This tornado unroofed and destroyed a three-story apartment, along with four homes. It also damaged a barn. A few injuries occurred.[49][87][88][86] | ||||||||
| F2 | S of Columbia to SE of Shiloh | Monroe, St. Clair | IL | 38°25′N 90°12′W / 38.42°N 90.20°W | 21:50–? | 19.7 mi (31.7 km) | 150 yd (140 m) | $250,000 |
| This tornado hit Scott Air Force Base, but did its worst damage near Columbia. Grazulis did not rate it F2 or stronger.[41][89][86] | ||||||||
| F2 | SE of Claremont | Richland | IL | 38°42′N 87°59′W / 38.70°N 87.98°W | 23:00–? | 3.6 mi (5.8 km) | 150 yd (140 m) | $25,000 |
| This tornado hit four farms, destroying a barn.[49][90][86] | ||||||||
| F2 | SSE of Wilton to ENE of Stockton | Cedar, Muscatine, Scott | IA | 41°33′N 91°00′W / 41.55°N 91.00°W | 23:00–? | 8.9 mi (14.3 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | $250,000 |
| Perhaps part of a family, this tornado destroyed a grain elevator. It also hit four farms, destroying or damaging barns. Grazulis indicated a path near West Branch.[49][91][86] | ||||||||
| F3 | Alto Pass to ENE of Makanda | Union, Jackson | IL | 37°34′N 89°19′W / 37.57°N 89.32°W | 00:07–? | 8.5 mi (13.7 km) | 200 yd (180 m) | $250,000 |
| This tornado destroyed 25 or more buildings and wrecked a high school. It also toppled 5,000 fruit trees. Grazulis rated it F2.[49][92][86] | ||||||||
| F3 | Southeastern Colmar | McDonough | IL | 40°30′N 90°48′W / 40.50°N 90.80°W | 01:40–? | 13.7 mi (22.0 km) | 120 yd (110 m) | $250,000 |
| This intense tornado destroyed a few homes.[49][93][86] | ||||||||
| F2 | Paradise | Warrick | IN | 37°58′N 87°17′W / 37.97°N 87.28°W | 02:03–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $25,000 |
| This tornado lofted and spun a home 150 ft (46 m), injuring a few occupants. The roof of the home was moved 500 ft (150 m). Grazulis rated the tornado F3.[49][94][86] | ||||||||
May 22 event
edit| F#[note 4] | Location | County / Parish | State | Start Coord.[note 6] | Time (UTC) | Path length | Width[note 7] | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | E of Cardwell to N of Deering | Dunklin, Pemiscot | MO | 36°03′N 90°16′W / 36.05°N 90.27°W | 05:45–? | 23.7 mi (38.1 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $50,000 |
| This tornado damaged treetops, as well as the roofs of barns and homes. Shortly before dissipation, it wrecked all barns on a farmstead. Grazulis rated it F2.[95][96][97][98] | ||||||||
| F1 | W of Kennett | Dunklin | MO | 36°14′N 90°04′W / 36.23°N 90.07°W | 05:45–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 10 yd (9.1 m) | $2,500 |
| This brief tornado damaged a 1-mile-long (1.6 km) stretch.[99][98] | ||||||||
| F2 | SSW of Carrollton | Carroll | KY | 38°37′N 85°12′W / 38.62°N 85.20°W | 07:00–? | 0.8 mi (1.3 km) | 440 yd (400 m) | $25,000 |
| Hitting west of English, this tornado destroyed a quartet of barns and tore the roof off a home.[100][101][102] | ||||||||
| F0 | Southern Charleston | Charleston | SC | 32°45′N 79°55′W / 32.75°N 79.92°W | 13:50–? | 2 mi (3.2 km) | 7 yd (6.4 m) | $30 |
| A waterspout moved ashore, causing little damage.[103][102] | ||||||||
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) |
| Dissipated | May 20, 1957, 8:53 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 |
| Damage | $2,500,000 ($27,120,000 in 2024 USD) |
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
This violent, long-tracked, multiple-vortex event was likely a family of tornadoes. Forming near Williamsburg, it moved northeastward through several counties, producing near-continuous damage; a single tornado was likely present for 50 mi (80 km) or more. Around Homewood, the tornado was attended by up to 10 tentacle-like vortices or satellite tornadoes, producing major damage to rural property and carrying gravestones miles away. Passing near Ottawa, Rantoul, and Spring Hill, it leveled many homes and caused seven fatalities. It also damaged a drive-in, motel, and truck stop. South of Wellsville, the tornado may have dissipated and reformed; it then continued uninterruptedly for the rest of its life.
Along the Kansas–Missouri border the tornado followed a near-straight line, causing $1 million in losses in Kansas. Affecting the southern suburbs of Kansas City, it entered Missouri, tearing through Martin City, Hickman Mills, and Ruskin Heights, along with the northeastern side of Grandview. Housing incurred F5 damage, besides some businesses at a shopping center. Some areas were reportedly "swept clean", and a newly built brick school in Ruskin Heights was badly damaged. 85% of Martin City was uninhabitable. In all the tornado claimed 37 lives in Missouri and injured 500 or more people. Debris from Hickman Mills was found in Iowa, 165 mi (266 km) away, and other debris was carried aloft 30,000 ft (9,100 m; 5.7 mi; 9.1 km).
Historically, the 1957 F5 was not the only significant tornado to affect the area: an F3 tornado also affected Martin City and nearby Holmes Park on May 23, 1946, destroying or damaging chicken coops, silos, a marketplace, barns, and homes. The tornado killed a couple and injured five people.[104]
Fremont–Van Buren, Missouri
edit| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 21, 1957, 4:53 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00) |
| F4 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 7 |
| Injuries | 75 |
| Damage | $250,000 ($2,710,000 in 2024 USD) |
A cyclic supercell was likely responsible for this deadly, violent tornado, which probably formed over remote parts of the Mark Twain National Forest. The tornado, possibly a member of a long-lived family, did little or no damage before Fremont. Entering town, the tornado rendered unusable all but seven structures, causing "F5-appearing" damage. Hardest hit were schools, businesses, and homes on the eastern side of Fremont, along and near the railroad; these were poorly built, so the tornado was rated F4, but F5 winds could have occurred. A three-story brick school was nearly leveled, and trees in town were partly debarked. In all, the tornado badly damaged or destroyed 50 homes in Fremont, while causing lesser damage to 31 others. The tornado also severely damaged a dozen other buildings in town, as well as eight small businesses. Past Fremont, the tornado remained intense, damaging structures in Van Buren at "near-F3" intensity. In Van Buren the tornado destroyed 25 homes and severely damaged 35 more. It also badly damaged or destroyed 91 other structures and caused significant damage to three small businesses. In all, it damaged about half of Van Buren. Its path may have been 25 mi (40 km) long. Six of the seven fatalities were at Fremont, where over 25% of the population was killed or injured.[105]
See also
editNotes
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.[2]
- ^ 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.[7] Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.[8] 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.[9]
- ^ a b c d e 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.[11][12] Tornado ratings were retroactively applied to events prior to the formal adoption of the F-scale by the National Weather Service.[13] While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,[14] Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013;[15] nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.[16]
- ^ a b c d 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.
- ^ a b c d All starting coordinates are based on the NCEI database and may not reflect contemporary analyses
- ^ a b c d 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.[17] 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.[18][19]
References
edit- ^ a b c "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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Jonathan Finch. "North America Tornado Cases 1950 to 1959". Bangladesh Tornadoes. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, Events reported
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n USWB 1957, p. 183.
- ^ 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
- ^ a b c d 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.
- ^ a b c d e f "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.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10028875
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10028876
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10028877
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10028878
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10069879
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10069880
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10069881
- ^ a b Grazulis 1984, p. A-67.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10027533
- ^ a b c d e f Grazulis 1993, pp. 1006–8.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10027531
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10028880
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10028879
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10027532
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10069882
- ^ a b c d e f USWB 1957, p. 184.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10112146
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Grazulis 1993, p. 1007.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10069884
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10069886
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10060411
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10094125
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10069887
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10027750
- ^ a b c d e f g h USWB 1957, p. 185.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10094126
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10094127
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10027751
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10094128
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10094129
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10094130
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10027754
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10060412
- ^ USWB 1957, pp. 185–6.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10094131
- ^ a b c d e USWB 1957, p. 186.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10094132
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10094133
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10094134
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10094136
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10094135
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10054296
- ^ a b c d e f USWB 1957, p. 187.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10054297
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10060425
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10060426
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10061278
- ^ USWB 1957, pp. 187–8.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10061279
- ^ Grazulis 1993, pp. 934, 1007.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10061280
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10061494
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10061495
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10061497
- ^ a b c d e f g h USWB 1957, p. 188.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10061498
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10061499
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10008621
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10008622
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10019206
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10008624
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10008625
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10002999
- ^ Grazulis 1993, pp. 1007–8.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10061501
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10061503
- ^ a b USWB 1957, p. 189.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10061502
- ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 1008.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10037039
- ^ a b USWB 1957, p. 191.
- ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10116326
- ^ Multiple sources:
- "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.
- Brewer 1997, pp. 5, 13, 31, 106–7
- Edwards, Roger, ed. (March 19, 2021). "F5 and EF5 Tornadoes of the United States, 1950-present". The Online Tornado FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Tornadoes. Norman, Oklahoma: Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
- Grazulis 1984, p. A-67
- Grazulis 1993, pp. 923, 1007
- Grazulis 2001b, p. 22
- "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.
- USWB 1957, p. 185
- ^ Multiple sources:
- "1957 Carter County Tornado". Paducah, KY Weather Forecast Office. West Paducah, Kentucky: National Weather Service. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
- "1957 Carter County Tornado". Paducah, KY Weather Forecast Office. West Paducah, Kentucky: National Weather Service. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
- "1957 Carter County Tornado". Paducah, KY Weather Forecast Office. West Paducah, Kentucky: National Weather Service. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
- 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.
- Grazulis 1984, p. A-67
- Grazulis 1993, p. 1007
- Storm Data Publication 1957, #10061281
- "1957 Carter County Tornado". Paducah, KY Weather Forecast Office. West Paducah, Kentucky: National Weather Service. Retrieved 18 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.
- Brewer, Carolyn Glenn (1997). Caught in the Path: the Fury of a Tornado, the Rebirth of a Community. Overland Park, Kansas: Leathers Publishing. ISBN 0-9655774-0-6 – via Internet Archive.
- 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.