| Timespan | February 12 — December 24 |
|---|---|
| Maximum rated tornado | F5 tornado
|
| Tornadoes in U.S. | ≥136[note 1] |
| Damage (U.S.) | ~$21,724,500 (U.S. Weather Bureau)[1] |
| Fatalities (U.S.) | |
| Fatalities (worldwide) | ≥205 |
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1945, primarily in the United States. Most recorded tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
All documented significant tornadoes prior to 1950 in the United States were given unofficial ratings by tornado experts like Thomas P. Grazulis, which this article uses for the ratings below. Most of these records are limited to significant tornadoes; those rated F2 or higher on the Fujita scale, or which caused a fatality. Some listed events were tornado families rather than single tornadoes.[3] There are also no official tornado counts for each month, so not every month is included in this article. In subsequent years, the documentation of tornadoes became much more widespread and efficient, with the average annual tornado count being around 1,253.[4] Outside the United States, various meteorological organizations, like the European Severe Storms Laboratory rated tornadoes, which are considered official ratings.
Events
editUnited States yearly total
edit| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≥ | ? | ? | ≥67 | ≥29 | ≥8 | ≥1 | ≥105 |
February
editFebruary 12
editApril
editApril 12
edit| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ? | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
September
editSeptember 2 (Soviet Union)
editA tornado, rated F3 by the European Severe Storms Laboratory struck Valentinovka, Soviet Union, which is a suburb of Moscow. It was noted that a damage survey was conducted by a “severe weather expert” to determine the rating and that the tornado had a path length of 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) with a maximum width of 300 metres (330 yd). No information was provided about the damage caused by the tornado.[5]
September 21 (Argentina)
editAn F2 tornado struck Armstrong in Argentina.[6][7]
September 26 (Belarus)
editA tornado, rated F1 by the European Severe Storms Laboratory struck Barsuki, Belarus, injuring one person. It was noted that the rating was based on a written account of the damage.[5]
October
editOctober 20 (United Kingdom)
editA tornado, rated F2/T4 by the European Severe Storms Laboratory struck Titchfield, England. It was noted that a damage survey was conducted by a “severe weather expert” with no further information given.[5]
Notes
edit- ^ Totals are from J. L. Baldwin, who worked for the U.S. Weather Bureau and wrote an academically peer reviewed paper in Monthly Weather Review
- ^ Totals are from Grazulis, who only lists F2 and stronger tornadoes and F1/F0 tornadoes with fatalities.
References
edit- ^ a b L. J. Baldwin (U.S. Weather Bureau) (1 December 1945). "PRELIMINARY REPORT ON TORNADOES IN THE UNITED STATES DURING 1945". Monthly Weather Review. 73 (12): 207–210. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1945)073<0210:PROTIT>2.0.CO;2. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
- ^ Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant tornadoes, 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: Environmental Films. pp. 922–925. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
- ^ Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). "Preface". Significant tornadoes, 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: Environmental Films. p. xvi. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
- ^ "U.S. Tornado Climatology | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) formerly known as National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)". www.ncdc.noaa.gov. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
- ^ a b c "European Severe Weather Database". European Severe Storms Laboratory. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- ^ "Tornado Archive Data Explorer". Tornado Archive. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- ^ "ENFOQUE CIENTÍFICO DEL RIESGO – EVALUACIÓN DEL POTENCIAL DE TORNADOS EN ARGENTINA" (PDF). Retrieved 10 December 2022.