tornadoes in the 1800s

Time: 2:09pm It is our hope that future research will unravel these mysterious tornadoes and thus allow them to be plotted on the maps on these pages. EF-Scale: EF-0 Timber between the river and Eighteenth Street Road along Greenwood Road was observed to have been felled pointing to a common center. Going by the beginning lat/lon in Logan County and the ending lat/lon in Barren County, the track would go through the south side of Glasgow and would end at the Barren/Metcalfe county line, which agrees with the narrative given at NCDC. A moments reflection will show that this could have been done only by the insertion of the funnel into the opening one foot square. Counties: Simpson Path width: 125 yards Grazulis narrative: A barn was destroyed near Scottsburg. Counties: Harrison IN, Jefferson KY EF-scale: EF0 Counties: Mercer Deaths: Deaths: 0 Moving eastward over open fields, it tore most of the roof off a barn at the end of Doug White Road, plastering insulation from the barn onto the northeast side of the adjacent home. Narrative: Moved east (northeast?) Counties: Breckinridge This project will end the tornado about two miles into Butler County. Path length: Injuries: 98 County: Cumberland Path length: 15 miles Pre-17th century. Counties: Ohio (from McLean and Hopkins) Some tornadoes are clearly visible, while rain or nearby low-hanging clouds obscure others. Grazulis narrative: Moved north-northeast from five miles southwest of Hustonville, passing through Junction City and ending at the south end of Lake Herrington northeast of Danville. Historically, the only extreme weather images were from eyewitness sketches. Injuries: As storm systems moved across Texas Tuesday, a tornado wrecked havoc on the small town of Salado,shredding homes and leaving a debris trail in its wake. Deaths: Deaths: 0 Deaths: 0 Path length: SPC gives and endpoint lat/lon of 28.50/-85.12NCDC give 38.22/-85.45. F-scale: F2 Time: 12:19am EDT The tornado proceeded to the northeast across the southeastern section of Churchill Downs -- click here to see a map of how close the tornado came to the twin spires (the path of the tornado is outlined by the thick white lines). Path width: 40 yards Path length: 2.25 miles Noted discrepancies: SPC and NCDC gave this an F3, Grazulis gives an F2. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Time: 11:00am The length of this touchdown was .90 miles. Path length: 0.20 mile Injuries: Noted discrepancies: None Time: 3:00pm Moving east-northeast, the tornado damaged roofs and snapped several large tree limbs, as well as toppling a large but rotting tree that crushed the roof of a garage. F-scale: EF1 Narrative: Moved northeast from five miles south of Scottsville to near Tracy. Notes: This tornado touched down in the Pellyton area. Time: 11:32pm CST to 11:43pm CST February 10, 1959 Deaths: 0 It continued skipping east, uprooting and snapping trees and destroying an anchored mobile home on Underwood Road. The tornado was photographed from Ekron, looking southwestward. Counties: Henry Counties: Bourbon Injuries: Deaths: 1 Deaths: 0 Time: 6:50pm Time: 9:15am Drone footage of corn near the barns showed multiple streaks of converging winds in an area approximately 100 yards in width. Notes: Storm Data says this tornado touched down on Rowlette Street one mile west southwest of Munfordville and on KY 537, and moved northeast toward Glen Lily one mile east-northeast of Munfordville. Path length: Time: 9:40pm F-scale: F0 Path width: 50 yards Time: 7:25pm East of I-71 the tornado damaged outbuildings and snapped trees. Deaths: 0 Path length: 9 miles The tornado lifted just west of Cherokee Lane. The actual tornado probably touched down just west of Lexington Road about 3/4 of a mile northwest of the Fayette County line. There was an excellent signature of mud and dirt spattering cyclonically on a grain silo. The press box was thrown onto the playing field and destroyed. F-scale: F2 Time: 8:01pm EDT Here, there was evidence of multi-vortex structure with EF4 damage and 175 mph estimated winds. Counties: Scott KY Time: 1:53pm Injuries: 0 7. Counties: Barren One minor injury occurred in a double-widethat lost all of its roof and a couple of walls just west of the intersection of Silver City-Huntsville Road and Panther Creek Road. July 23, 1961 F-scale: F2 Notes: This tornado destroyed or heavily damaged two shop buildings at a construction company. EF-scale: EF1 After skipping over an additional mile of farmland, it destroyed a silo and damaged an outbuilding on CR 300N. F-scale: F0 Time: 12:12pm The deaths were in a home near the county line. Deaths: 0 Injuries: A small well-constructed shed was pushed over onto its side, and another small shed was destroyed. EF-Scale:EF1 Injuries: 0 Path length: The storm basically swept away coastal dwellings and caused severe economical and cultural damage due to loss of parishes and heavy destruction of trees. Deaths: 0 These textbook entries were reproduced in entirety, as found in Early American Tornadoes 1586-1870 (David Ludlum), pp. Deaths: 7 The tornado peaked at EF3 intensity near the intersections of KY 52 and KY 1295 in Madison County. F-scale: F0 Time: 3:40pm Injuries: Time: 2:14pm EDT Counties: Mercer, Woodford Time: 1:15pm It is most likely the following event. The roof of the restaurant was thrown westward on top of a livestock barn. Injuries: It was recently republished and a new forward was added by St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer Tim O'Neil. July 2, 1972 Path length: 1.1 miles Deaths: 0 Farther east, the tornado intensified again as it destroyed two double wide homes on Speith Road. Notes:Most of the damage was around the southeastern portion of the Alvaton community. F-scale: F0 The path was 50 yards wide. Counties: Bourbon . F-scale: F2 Four people were killed near Tracy Lane, and eleven others were injured in southeast Allen County. County: Cumberland Will go ahead and list 96 injuries for this tornado since that number is known for Cumberland and Clinton counties, and Wayne County is not in this project's area of concern. Trees were blown down in the steep valleys as well as on the hilltops. Here EF1 damage, 90 mph winds, and a path width of 50 yards were estimated. First "documented" hurricane to strike Key West. Time: 7:54pm Path length: Three metal outbuildings were damaged or destroyed. The first damage was to a farm on Lower Hunters Trace Road. February 6, 2008 Deaths: 0 Injuries: 0 Deaths: 0 Storm Data mentions only that this tornado "touched down briefly" near where I-75 crosses the Fayette/Madison County line. Noted discrepancies: SPC and NCDC rank this as an F3, Grazulis gives it an F2. Path width: 75 yards Deaths: A heavy rain, which fell continuously from 1 o'clock until 6 the following morning, made roads almost impassable and handicapped the work of rehabilitation. Notes:The tornado touched down two separate times. Injuries: 0 Half of the roof of a mobile home was also taken off. Path width: 300 yards Path width: 30 yards Path width: 15 yards Grazulis narrative: Moved northeast from west of Lawrenceburg to the edge of town. November 5, 2017 April 3, 1989 Injuries: Deaths: 0 Injuries: Deaths: 0 Counties: Warren Time: 2:40pm Time: 8:00pm Path width: 25yards July 30, 2009 Deaths: 0 Narrative: Moved east from ten miles west of Harrodsburg. Notes: A large swath of hardwood trees were snapped or uprooted three miles north of Huntingburg. Notes: The tornado touched down just to the southwest of KY 1899 (Mulberry Pike), crossing into Springhill Estates subdivision. Special note: Did Fujita's tornado #82 clip the southeast tip of Clinton County on April 3, 1974? A small garage was completely destroyed with only minor damage to its contents. Counties: Mercer Several other vehicles hadwindows broken out. Counties: Lincoln F-scale: F2 Injuries: 2 The tornado continued east across the Knobs toward Binford Rd, where it took multiple trees down. Notes: Storm Data says this tornado touched down a mile east of Willisburg. Blow-in insulation blew out in all directions in thehouse and the back porch resembled a snow globe. County: Warren, Allen Notes: Storm Data says this tornado did damage on Kinnard Road, passed Gold City, and ended one mile northeast of Mount Aerial (about two miles into Allen County). May 7, 1961 The first theories explaining weather phenomena as having natural causes were proposed by ancient Greek natural philosophers. Counties: Logan and Simpson Path width: 80yards Noted discrepancies: None Time: 7:15pm Deaths: 1 Deaths: Notes: Storm Data puts this tornado at Holland. SPC gives a path width of 10 yards, NCDC gives nothing. The National Weather Service in conjunction with Meade County, Emergency Management has determined that an EF-0 tornado with, maximum wind speeds of 75 mph briefly touched down just east of the, Breckinridge/Meade county line in Meade county. down the river lifting water into the funnel. Of course this is absurd, and we must resort to some other explanation of the phenomenon. November 7, 1996 Twelve homes were destroyed in the touchdown near Allensville. Deaths: Path width: It is considered an F5 on the Fujita Scale, even though tornadoes were not ranked on any scale at the time. Time: 7:40pm EST to 7:50pm EST Path length: 1.1 miles Path width: Injuries: 6 Noted discrepancies: This tornado is not listed at SPC or NCDC, but is in Storm Data. Counties: Casey, Lincoln, Boyle F-scale: F2 Path length: July 10, 2015 Path width: 1200 yards SPC and NCDC give a path width of 430 yards, Grazulis give 800 yards. Counties: Monroe Time: 6:30pm Deaths: 0 Injuries: The tornado left a distinctpath in the vegetation and destroyed a part of a large metal barnnear the Rosetta General Store. The observed damage width was one-third of a mile with estimated winds of 170 mph (EF4). Time: 11:41am CST to 11:42am CST Notes: Storm Data takes this tornado on a two mile long path along Gilberts Creek from Salvisa to two miles east of Salvisa. Noted discrepancies: SPC gives a path length of 1/10 of a mileNCDC gives nothing. The deadliest was on May 3, 1999. Time: 3:30pm Path length: 4.7 miles Noted discrepancies: Storm Data puts this tornado on Lincoln Park Road. Time: 4:36am F-scale: F1 4. The tornado increased in width to 200 yards on Wobegon Way significantly damaging several homes. F-scale: F2 May 8, 1969 F-scale: F2 Deaths: EF-Scale: EF1 April 20, 1996 Path length: 0.23 mile The occupant was blown into a field with the debris, even though the living room furniture stayed in place. Notes: This tornado touched down in an open field and headed northeast toward Mahogany Lane. The Moorman High School gym was unroofed and a small home fell over. Wilmington, Current Conditions EF-Scale: EF-2 At Central Hardin High School the tornado snapped concrete pillar stadium lights at the football stadium. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long. Deaths: 0 Significant damage was done to the property, which included a 30x50barn sliding the wall 12 feet. Notes: Storm Data says this tornado touched down on Liberty Church Road in Auburn. Notes: This small tornado touched down just south of Danny Sadler Road west of KY 920. Noted discrepancies: SPC and NCDC rank this as an F2, but Grazulis does not list it. Path width: 60 yards Counties: Warren The earlier investigators of the phenomenon were untrammelled, to a large extent, by preconceived opinions, and it must strike every one that few substantial facts unknown to them have been brought out since their time. Injuries: June 22, 2011 Noted discrepancies: Lat/lon actually places this in Oldham County. May 18, 1995 Path width: Mr. Grazulis' data were largely responsible for pre-1950 information presented here. In Mercer County four homes and 26 homes were destroyed. Noted discrepancies: None Five planes were destroyed. Counties: Franklin 1831 - Hurricane impacted the Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas on August 14th and 15th. Counties: Green Path width: 75 yards Notes: This tornado touched down near Hickory Flat Road just south of its intersection with Hickory Flat-Ridge Road in Simpson County where about a dozen trees were uprooted. Path length: Deaths: 0 May 28, 1996 January 18, 1929 Path width: Path length: 0.6 mile 1. White's Distillery's roof was blown "out of sight." SPC and NCDC end the tornado in Clark County east of Mount Zion. Path width: 100 yards Deaths: boated, then swam, to Omaha to warn the next The last observed damage in Washington County was near S. Flatwood Road in a wooded area before the tornado entered Clark County. A wheat field had distinct circulations quite visible. A very well constructed large barn had its metal roofing torn off and wrapped into tree tops up to 200 yards downwind. in Elmont, Kansas, on June 5, 1917. Notes: This tornado began at the Holiday Inn Express in Scottsburg, damaging the east side of the second floor. Cedar trees were the most common tree that sustained damage during this tornado. Several large branches were downed near this home as well. Trees were uprooted and snapped. Time: 5:52pm More research is necessary. The violent tornado also seriously damaged several homes on the north side of State Highway 160. Path width: 200 yards Path length: Injuries: 0 The rest of the damage along the path was restricted to trees. Rather, the paper instead describes damage in Lexington in a southwest-northeast path from Collier Court through Balmoral Court to the intersection of Bryanwood Parkway and Bellcastle Road. EF-Scale:EF2 Counties: Nelson Path length: The tornado then crossed US 27, destroying several barns, uprooting and snapping trees, and damaging several homes. On the fairgrounds the tornado struck a large livestock barn as well as the fairgrounds' restaurant. Notes: Storm Data places this tornado west of Shepherdsville. However, just to the east of this location, along Coats Road, a metal outbuilding was destroyed consistent with EF-1 damage. The tornado then crossed IN 60 where people in the Buckboard Diner witnessed it. Path width: 100 yards Time: 4:00pm at Shelby Street. Path width: 220 yards Path length: Path width: Time: 7:00pm Time: 5:40pm Path width: 40 yards County: Oldham Path width: Deaths: 0 Time: 4:55pm The track of the cyclone was very narrow." Injuries: Counties: Mercer SPC list this event as an F2Grazulis does not list it. Injuries: Time: 12:52pm F-scale: F1 F-scale: F3 Path width: 140yards Time: 5:30pm Time: 9:00pm Deaths: 0 Counties: Barren, Metcalfe Time: 4:34pm Injuries: 0 Mrs. Bloomfield, whose house was in the path of the storm, stated that she heard a noise like a jet airplane. Deaths: 0 Injuries: 0 Injuries: Injuries: Deaths: Injuries: 0 Counties: Adair Deaths: 0 Time: 5:36pm Counties: Hart Notes: Tree damage. Further east in the 500 block of Kara Court there was significant tree damage with the back of a house being uplifted and insulation being thrown upwind and downwind around the back of the house. Two people died in a turnip house on the Wright Farm near Oakland. SPC and NCDC time it at 4:00pm, Grazulis and Storm Data 6:00pm. The tornado continued on for another mile, causing occasional tree damageand dropping debris before lifting near the east end of Groce Road, where it peeled roofing material from a metal out building. The tornado also caused significant tree damage from the middle school north/northeast across a remote area of the northeast part of the post. F-scale: F3 Path width: On Michael Edward Drive the garage door was blown in on a detached garage and the roof was lifted off and shifted a foot. Deaths: Minimal F2. Path width: 30 yards An outbuilding was destroyed and debris was scattered for a quarter mile. We hope you enjoy the fruits of our labor in these pages, and find the information both entertaining and useful. The most concentrated damage was at 1630 SW Washington School Rd. There was also widespread wind damage and large hail. Deaths: 0 Path width: A mother and her three children were discovered grouped in death, and in another spot a father lay dead with the mother mortally wounded, their young child placed beneath them unhurt, protected by the forms of its parents. Residents reported a loud roar. Counties: Scott IN Notes: A home was moved off its foundation and lost a wall on "Guy Hadley" (Hadley Shearer?) F-scale: F3 Deaths: The Earl Watson farm was damaged as the tornado crossed Paris Pike. F-scale: F1 Path length: Injuries: 0 Tornadoes are uniformily preceded by unusual heat; they are invariably accompanied by lightning and rain, and frequently by hail. Park Hills Shopping Center was damaged, and Pimlico Parkway and Mammoth Drive were badly hit. World War I veterans described the devastation and suffering as worse than what they witnessed during the Great War. Kansas, into Missouri. Tornado families, or "cyclic" tornadoes, can be very difficult to record correctly without detailed scientific field surveys. Ten cows were killed. Time: 7:45pm Path length: 0.9 miles Storm Prediction Center Notes: Storm Data has this tornado cross US 60, moving in a north-northeast direction. F-scale: F3 Path width: 70 yards Deaths: Counties: Scott IN Fifteen power poles were blown down along the highway. Many of the homes that were leveled were the most expensive in the county. Path width: It appears this tornado should be listed as Marshall/McCracken rather than McCracken/Madison. Also, an above ground pool half filled with water was missing. Deaths: Path length: Notes:This tornado exhibited multiple vortices as it damaged or destroyed several outbuildings and barns. Deaths: Injuries: While many homes were swept away, the deaths were concentrated in groups, including at least five (possibly 12) deaths at the Olden Street School, eight deaths at a wood specialties plant, and five deaths in one home. As the tornado continued eastward more homes experienced minor roof damage, uprooted trees, and a large outbuilding was nearly destroyed. Path length: 9 miles May 15, 1986 At least 44 deaths occurred at the Falls City Hall (1124 West Market Street). March 1, 2017 Deaths: Some witnesses thought there might have been a small tornado, but no credible eye-witness accounts of a visible funnel were received. F-scale: F-scale: F0 Trees were laying in all directions with lots of twisting and many snapped trees. The Bowling Green newspaper said the damage occurred around 10:30pm. The path ended at the W.D. F-scale: F2 Counties: Breckinridge, Meade Path width: Metal sheeting was found in trees. F-scale: F5 Counties: Washington IN Trees were uprooted. Injuries: 0 November 10, 2002 Notes: In the Duff area several homes suffered minor damage and numerous trees, both softwood and hardwood, were snapped or uprooted. Counties: Henry Narrative: Moved northeast from the east edge of Louisville to near Pewee Valley. Counties: Edmonson Injuries: Path length: 4 miles After Mud Lick the tornado strengthened and damaged homes, barns, and trees on its way to Rockbridge. June 18, 1992 Injuries: The tornado hit a property on Murrays Run Road ripping off the sides of a large well-built barn. May 18, 1995 stairs as the roof was torn off, and was briefly drawn up the stairs as it occurred. Notes: Wind damage occurred in a five mile wide swath from Howe Valley to three miles east of Elizabethtown. Path width: Some roofs on the southwest side of Nicholasville had the tin rolled or twisted toward the northeast. June 23, 2017 Path length: 14 miles Counties: Jefferson KY A mobile home on KY 829 was lifted off its foundation and there were several trees uprooted and snapped. Time: 9:50pm - 9:52pm CST Two minor injuries occurred with this tornado. The first home, a well built stone home, had significant roof damage and the screened-in porch was destroyed. May 12, 1978 Injuries: 0 In August 1883, in the aftermath of one of the worst tornadoes in Midwest history, an agnostic country doctor and the leader of a Catholic teaching order . 25, 1877, a tornado destroyed two spans of Path length: Injuries: 95 Injuries: June 6, 1990 Path width: 250 yards Path width: 30 yards Time: 1:28am EDT Noted discrepancies: SPC and NCDC give a time of 10:50am, Storm Data 11:50am, Grazulis 10:20am. Deaths: 0 Time: 5:39pm - 5:43pm EDT Time: 12:38am EST to 12:40am EST Counties: Simpson, Allen EF-Scale: EF-0 January 17, 2012 F-scale: F2 It then grew in width and intensity as it crossed Highway 1365 and uprooted, snapped and twisted over 200 trees in a heavily forested area around a deep karst ravine. Path length: 14 miles Path length: 1/2 mile Injuries: 0 Path length: 0.75 mile Counties: Garrard Deaths: 1 June 6, 1990 Deaths: 0 Trees were uprooted all along the tornado's path. Noted discrepancies: This tornado is not included in the SPC database or at the NCDC website (despite listing 32 tornadoes elsewhere across the country that day), but is listed in Storm Data and Grazulis. A 500 gallon propane tank moved to the south 3 feet and became lodged against a grain storage building. SPC and NCDC give a path length of 15 miles, Grazulis and Storm Data give 1 1/2 miles. F-scale: F0 November 10, 2002 Counties: Franklin, Scott KY, Harrison KY Local Climate Page Information lead and forecaster for the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang. A well-constructed concrete workshop was heavily damaged with a 3500 pound roof blown 45 yards away. Counties: Clinton EF-Scale: EF1 Time: 12:04pm - 12:06pm CDT It went into a wooded area narrowing in Miami Court to about 75 yards and becoming more elevated. F-scale: EF1 Deaths: 0 SPC and NCDC give a path length of 49 miles, Grazulis gives one mile, Storm Data says 50 miles. Deaths: 0 Multiple trees were uprooted as well. EF-Scale:EF1 Path length: Path width: Injuries: 0 Jefferson County, Kentucky has had the most tornadoes of any county, with 34. SPC gives a path width of 10 yards, NCDC gives nothing. Time: 12:05am Climate Prediction Tree damage continued into Allen County along Allen Springs Road. The lat/lon given at SPC and NCDC for this tornado is in Nicholas County. Path length: 3 miles Path width: F-scale: F3 Barns and outhouses were levelled, roofs were blown off, and a car was overturned. Path width: 440 yards Deaths: September 3, 1970 The tornado moved into far southeast Washington County before reappearing in Clark County. Notes: Storm Data says this tornado touched down three miles east of Waterford. Time: 4:12pm - 4:13pm EDT Path length: 6 miles The relatively new Signal Service (a forerunner of the National Weather Service) tracked storms using telegrams, passing weather . Grazulis narrative: SPC and NCDC place it at 8:00pm, Grazulis and Storm Data at 10:00pm. Injuries: 0 This agrees with what Grazulis has. Path width: Path length: Throughout the property there were twisted and uprooted trees. Path length: 5 miles Injuries: 15 Injuries: 0 Grazulis narrative: Moved north-northeast from five miles west of Danville to the east side of Pleasant Hill, passing two miles east of Harrodsburg and ending about eight miles northeast of that town. The storm continued to the east and apparently lifted off the ground as the ground surface descended into a small valley along Ruckriegel Parkway and Chenoweth Run. July 2, 1980 Time: 5:25pm County: Monroe Path length: 2 miles Further research necessary. The tornado tracked northeast to near the intersection of Hurstbourne Lane and Brownsboro Roadwhere it briefly lifted. June 16, 1987 Notes: Storm Data takes this tornado from half a mile south of Clarksville to half a mile north of Jeffersonville. Nineteen homes and 23 businesses were destroyed or damaged. It threw Ronnie and Timmy, Ronnie's only son, into a mud puddle with just a few scratches. There were two F4's in Wayne County on this day, so that may be adding to some of the confusion, especially with the injury numbers. Deaths: Injuries: NCDC or Grazulis must have the better path lengthSPC entry looks to be an entry error. In Kentucky 15 homes and 25 barns were damaged in and around Mount Pleasant, with one injury. Injuries: 0 were blown down. in Floyds Knobs, where a garage was destroyed. Noted discrepancies: SPC gives a path length of 27 miles, NCDC and Grazulis 28 miles. EF-Scale:EF1 The oldest known tornado occurred in June of 1830 near Louisville. At the same time a second vortex formed immediately adjacent to the first vortex and totally destroyed a barn on Rodgers Road and extensively damaged another. Path length: Counties: Nelson Time: 4:27pm In the Alabama town of Cordova, Paula Hastings and her husband survived an April 27 twister by hiding in the basement of their stone-and-masonry home, which dates to the 1800s. Noted discrepancies: SPC/NCDC endpoint lat/lon for this tornado is in LaRue County, and narrative at NCDC includes LaRue County. Injuries: 5 Deaths: 0 The hailstones had "long icicles" on them. Path length: 0.3 mile SPC gives a beginning latitude of 36.92NCDC gives 36.95. In one concentrated spot two dozen trees were snapped off. The tornado continued to cause tree damage as it moved east of 14th Street into a more rural area. Time: 6:49am EST Deaths: Path length: 5 miles Drone footage clearly showed trees lying in multiple directions. EF-Scale: EF-1 There were numerous large hardwood trees split, twisted, and uprooted facing from northerly to southeasterly. Injuries: 0 People would cross the street rather than walk by it. Path length: One mobile home rolled over onto a vehicle but the three occupants were unhurt. April 15, 1994 Clark County and Scott County: The National Weather Service in conjunction with Clark County Emergency Management conducted an exhaustive tornado damage survey on Saturday and Sunday, March 3 and 4. There were some snapped cedar trees and a couple of uprooted trees and one residentat the end of the road saw their home's windows moving back and forth and their ears popped as they headed to the basement. Path length: 8.2 miles Path width: June 2, 1990 Path width: