1881 Minnesota tornado outbreak

Weather event in Minnesota, United States May 2025 February 2025 1881 Minnesota tornado outbreak Weather map 7-15-1881 (437800).jpg Weather map of the low pressure system near Canada that would produce the tornado outbreak over Minnesota on July 15, 1881. July 15–16, 1881 ≥ 6 F4 1881 > $300,000 ($ in US USD)All losses are in 1881 United States dollars unless otherwise noted. note Losses 24 123 Minnesota tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1881 On July 15–16, 1881, a deadly tornado outbreak struck southern Minnesota, featuring at least six tornadoes, 24 deaths, and 123 injuries. The deadliest tornado of the outbreak, retroactively rated F4 on the Fujita scale, killed 20 people in and near New Ulm; it was likely a long-tracked tornado family and may have caused F5 damage to rural farmsteads. An F4 tornado elsewhere in Minnesota killed four more people, and additional strong tornadoes occurred in the state.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.http://www.spc.noaa.gov/publications/schneider/otbrkseq.pdf Tornado Outbreak Day Sequences: Historic Events and Climatology (1875–2003) Schneider Russell S. Brooks Harold E. Schaefer Joseph T. Harold E. Brooks 2004 American Meteorological Society Hyannis, Massachusetts 22nd Conf. Severe Local Storms https://ams.confex.com/ams/11aram22sls/techprogram/programexpanded_230.htm September 17, 2019 note Outbreak Confirmed tornadoes ≥6 ? ? 3 1 2 0 no 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.Agee and Childs 2014 1496Historically, 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.Grazulis 2001a 251–4 Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.Edwards Roger The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC) http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/#Climatology Storm Prediction Center: Frequently Asked Questions about Tornadoes Storm Prediction Center February 25, 2016 March 5, 2015 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.Cook Schaefer 2008 3135 note NCEI 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.Agee and Childs 2014 1497, 1503note Fujita 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. July 15 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Friday, July 15, 1881F#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.Grazulis 1993 141Grazulis 2001a 131 Tornado ratings were retroactively applied to events prior to the formal adoption of the F-scale by the National Weather Service.Edwards et al. 2013 641–642 While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,Edwards Roger Enhanced F Scale for Tornado Damage http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/ef-scale.html The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC) Storm Prediction Center February 25, 2016 March 5, 2015 Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013;Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale) https://www.ec.gc.ca/meteo-weather/default.asp?lang=En&n=41E875DA-1 Environment and Climate Change Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada February 25, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220706/http://www.ec.gc.ca/meteo-weather/default.asp?lang=En&n=41E875DA-1 March 3, 2016 June 6, 2013 dead nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.The International Tornado Intensity Scale http://www.torro.org.uk/tscale.php Tornado and Storm Research Organisation Tornado and Storm Research Organisation February 25, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160305120332/http://www.torro.org.uk/tscale.php March 5, 2016 2016 dead note FujitaLocationCounty / ParishStateTime (UTC)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. note Date/TimePath lengthWidthnote Width 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.Agee and Childs 2014 1494 Values provided by Grazulis are the average width, with estimates being rounded down (i.e. 0.5 mi km on is rounded down from 880 yards to 800 yards.Brooks 2004 310Grazulis 1990 ixDamage F4SE of Ortonville to Fairfield to N of AppletonLac qui Parle, Big Stone, SwiftMN20:00–?30 mi km on on600 yd m on on4 deaths – This long-lived, violent tornado may have formed across the Minnesota–South Dakota state line, damaging six farms near Odessa, but with no deaths. It leveled numerous farms in the Odessa–Correll area before killing four people in and near Fairfield. 15 injuries occurred.Grazulis 1993 612 F4+Western Bird Island to S of New UlmRenville, Sibley, Nicollet, BrownMN21:30–?40 mi km on on1,760 yd m on on♯300,000 $20 deaths – See section on this tornado – 93 people were injured.Grazulis 1984 A-6Grazulis 1993 612Seely 2006 183 F2+S of Sleepy EyeBrown, WatonwanMN22:50–?≥8 mi km on on200 yd m on onA tornado leveled barns and snapped or uprooted trees. Grazulis originally rated it F4, noting a 50 mi km on path and 30 injuries in 1984, but subsequently downgraded it.Grazulis 1984 A-6Grazulis 1993 612 F2N of WinnebagoBlue Earth, FaribaultMN00:00–?5 mi km on on400 yd m on onA tornado hit and destroyed 12 farm buildings, including three or more barns. 11 injuries occurred.Grazulis 1993 612 F3S of Mountain Lake to W of OdinCottonwood, WatonwanMN00:10–?8 mi km on on200 yd m on onAn intense tornado nearly leveled a farmhouse, except for a wall fragment. It also tore apart four other farmhouses, each of which it unroofed, and killed cattle as well. Four injuries occurred.Grazulis 1993 612 July 16 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Saturday, July 16, 1881F#note FujitaLocationCounty / ParishStateTime (UTC)note Date/TimePath lengthWidthnote WidthDamage F2Boys LakeRedwoodMNA tornado swept away outbuildings, a stable, and a farmhouse, leaving "hardly a vestige" behind, according to an account quoted by Grazulis.Grazulis 1993 612 Bird Island–New Ulm, Minnesota Bird Island–New Ulm, Minnesota NewUlm1881.jpg Damage in New Ulm from the tornado F4+ 20 93 $300,000 ($ in US USD) A potent, long-lived tornado family—likely of F5 intensity—devastated farms and the western side of New Ulm. It struck five farms in Wellington Township, obliterating every building on each of them and causing a few deaths. The tornado killed five more people in Cairo Township, all in one family. A boy and his herd of 40 cattle perished as well. On the Minnesota River, the tornado razed nine homes in West Newton, claiming five more lives. Observers reported two parallel damage swaths nearby, indicating two or more tornadoes in the area and possible reformation into a distinct event. Next, the tornado veered sharply to the left as it entered the western side of New Ulm, destroying that section of town, demolishing 47 structures, and killing half a dozen people. The town was hard hit, with 247 buildings damaged or destroyed; many homes in town were leveled as well. In New Ulm the tornado was up to 1 mi km on wide, following a zigzag track.Grazulis 1984 A-6Grazulis 1993 612Seely 2006 183 See also Climate of Minnesota List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks Notes note References 2 Sources Ernest M. Agee Samuel Childs Adjustments in Tornado Counts, F-Scale Intensity, and Path Width for Assessing Significant Tornado Destruction Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology June 1, 2014 53 6 1494–1505 10.1175/JAMC-D-13-0235.1 American Meteorological Society free 2014JApMC..53.1494A Agee and Childs 2014 Brooks Harold E. Harold E. Brooks On the Relationship of Tornado Path Length and Width to Intensity Weather and Forecasting April 2004 19 2 310–19 10.1175/1520-0434(2004)019<0310:OTROTP>2.0.CO;2 free 2004WtFor..19..310B Cook A. R. Schaefer J. T. The Relation of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to Winter Tornado Outbreaks Monthly Weather Review August 2008 136 8 3121–3137 10.1175/2007MWR2171.1 free 2008MWRv..136.3121C Roger Edwards James G. LaDue John T. Ferree Kevin Scharfenberg Chris Maier William L. Coulbourne Tornado Intensity Estimation: Past, Present, and Future Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society May 1, 2013 94 5 641–653 10.1175/BAMS-D-11-00006.1 free American Meteorological Society 2013BAMS...94..641E Edwards et al. 2013 Grazulis Thomas P. Thomas P. Grazulis May 1984 Violent Tornado Climatography, 1880–1982 NUREG CR-3670 OSTI Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 7099491 free Grazulis Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1880–1989 November 1990 The Tornado Project of Environmental Films St. Johnsbury, Vermont 1-879362-02-3 2 1 Grazulis Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events July 1993 The Tornado Project of Environmental Films St. Johnsbury, Vermont 1-879362-03-1 1 Grazulis Thomas P. The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz registration 2001a University of Oklahoma Press Norman 978-0-8061-3538-0 1 Grazulis Thomas P. F5-F6 Tornadoes The Tornado Project of Environmental Films 2001b St. Johnsbury, Vermont 1 Seely Mark W. 2006 Minnesota Weather Almanac 1st Minnesota Historical Society Press 0-87351-554-4 registration https://archive.org/details/minnesotaweather0000seel External links Minnesota Tornado History and Statistics Gendisasters.com https://web.archive.org/web/20120919001344/http://www3.gendisasters.com/minnesota/11184/new-ulm-west-newton-cairo-mn-tornado-destruction-july-1881 2012-09-19 Category:F4, EF4 and IF4 tornadoes Category:19th-century tornadoes Tornado Outbreak, 07-15 Category:Tornadoes in Minnesota Tornado, 07-15 Category:1881 natural disasters in the United States Tornado Outbreak, 15 1881-07-15