1908 Dixie tornado outbreak

1908 windstorm in the central and southern United States May 2025 February 2025 1908 Dixie tornado outbreak Dixie tornado outbreak weather map, April 24, 1908.jpg Map of the low pressure system on April 24, that produced the tornado outbreak April 23–25, 1908 ≥ 31 confirmed F5 ≥ 3 days 3/4 in cm on ≥ 324 fatalities, ≥ 1,720 injuries nb Losses All losses are in 1908 USD unless otherwise noted. Midwestern and Southern United States On April 23–25, 1908, a destructive tornado outbreak affected portions of the Midwestern and Southern United States, including the Great Plains. The outbreak produced at least 31 tornadoes in 13 states, with a total of at least 324 tornado-related deaths. Of these deaths, most were caused by three long-tracked, violent tornadoes—each rated F4 on the Fujita scale and considered to be a tornado family—that occurred on April 24. Most of the deaths were in rural areas, often consisted of African Americans, and consequently may have been undercounted. One of the tornadoes killed 143 people along its path, 73 of them in the U.S. state of Mississippi, making the tornado the third deadliest in Mississippi history, following the 1936 Tupelo F5, with 216 deaths, and the 1840 Natchez tornado, with 317 deaths.Roger Edwards 19 March 2021 https://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/killers.html The 25 Deadliest U.S. Tornadoes The Online Tornado FAQ Storm Prediction Center Roger Edwards (meteorologist) 8 September 2021Grazulis Thomas P. Grazulis Doris Thomas P. Grazulis The Most "Important" US Tornadoes by State http://www.tornadoproject.com/alltorns/worstts.htm The Tornado Project Online The Tornado Project 23 February 2016 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080514002740/http://www.tornadoproject.com/alltorns/worstts.htm 14 May 2008 Grazulis 1993 56nb Outbreak 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 17 September 2019nb Fujita 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 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 25 February 2016 5 March 2015 Canada utilized 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 25 February 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220706/http://www.ec.gc.ca/meteo-weather/default.asp?lang=En&n=41E875DA-1 3 March 2016 6 June 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 25 February 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160305120332/http://www.torro.org.uk/tscale.php 5 March 2016 2016 dead nb Count 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.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 25 February 2016 5 March 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 A. R. Schaefer J. T. The Relation of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to Winter Tornado Outbreaks Monthly Weather Review American Meteorological Society Norman, Oklahoma Boston August 2008 136 8 3135 10.1175/2007MWR2171.1 2008MWRv..136.3121C free Confirmed tornadoes ≥ 31 ? ? ? 22 3 5 1 April 23 event + Confirmed tornadoes – Friday, April 23, 1908nb Date/Time 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.nb Width Prior to 1994, only the average widths of tornado paths were officially listed.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 10.1175/1520-0434(2004)019<0310:OTROTP>2.0.CO;2 American Meteorological Society Boston 2004WtFor..19..310B free F#LocationCounty / ParishStateTime (UTC)Path lengthMax. Maximum widthSummary F2W of Valley Springs, SD to E of Benclare, SD to MNMinnehaha (SD), Rock (MN)SD, MN18:30–?5 mi km onPossible tornado family struck three farmsteads, destroying stables, tearing roofs off homes, and killing a racehorse.Grazulis 1993 712 F2Oak Grove, TX to OKRed River (TX), Bowie (TX), McCurtain (OK)TX, OK22:15–?15 mi km on250 yd m onTornado destroyed 10 homes, a school, and a store. Only scattered concrete blocks remained at the school. Tornado crossed into Oklahoma before dissipating. Seven people were injured. F2W of Foreman to S of DeQueenLittle River, SevierAR22:30–?11 mi km on3 deaths — Tornado destroyed a home, killing a family of three. Leaves and twigs rained from the sky in DeQueen. F2W of InwoodLyonIA22:30–?10 mi km on100 yd m onTornado killed more than 100 head of livestock, including 81 hogs and several sheep. Tornado damaged or destroyed several barns and a school as well. One person was injured. F2Clifton to CayoteBosqueTX23:30–?10 mi km onTornado damaged or destroyed two homes and several other structures. Tornado tossed water 500 ft m on on high as it crossed the Bosque River. Trees along the river were thrown 1/2 mi km on away. 10 people were injured.Grazulis 1993 713 F5SW of Pender to S of ThurstonCuming, ThurstonNE00:00–?15 mi km on400 yd m on3 deaths — Tornado devastated several farms, one of which it obliterated, including a well-constructed multi-story farmhouse. Shingles and a picture from one of the farms rained from the sky in the town of Goodwin, 35 mi km on away. 10 people were injured. F4Deport to W of FulbrightLamar, Red RiverTX00:00–?10 mi km on300 yd m on1 death — Tornado destroyed the business district, 25 homes, a pair of churches, and a cottonseed oil mill in Deport. Debris from homes were found 2 mi km on away. Six people were injured and losses totaled $125,000.One Man Killed at Deport http://www.gendisasters.com/texas/3088/deport,-tx-tornado,-apr-1908 8 September 2021 The Dallas Morning News April 24, 1908 Deport, Texas Dallas F3S of RiceNavarroTX00:30–?7 mi km on150 yd m on3+ deaths — 1/2 mi km mid -wide tornado struck a farm, destroying the manager's house, 14 tenant houses, and all barns on the property. Several other farmhouses were damaged or destroyed along the path. Six people were injured. Tornado may have continued into Wood County and caused four additional fatalities. F2SE of DaingerfieldMorrisTX03:00–?10 mi km on100 yd m onTornado destroyed or damaged 17 homes, including four farmhouses. Five people were injured. F2HectorPopeAR3 deaths — Tornado damaged or destroyed the entire town, injuring 20 people. April 24 event + Confirmed tornadoes – Saturday, April 24, 1908nb Date/Timenb WidthF#LocationCounty / ParishStateTime (UTC)Path lengthMax. Maximum widthSummary F2Southern WallsDeSotoMS08:30–?7 mi km onTornado destroyed a store, a depot, and three homes. A station agent was injured and losses totaled $1,500.Selden 1908 133 F2MasonFayette, TiptonTN09:00–?3 mi km onTornado destroyed three churches and a few homes. F2BuntynShelbyTN09:00–?5 mi km on400 yd m onTornado destroyed or unroofed 12 homes. 15 people were injured. F4N of Lamourie, LA to Tillman, MSRapides (LA), Avoyelles (LA), Catahoula (LA), Concordia (LA), Adams (MS), Jefferson (MS), Claiborne (MS)LA, MS11:00–?105 mi km on700 yd m on91 deaths — See section on this tornado F2Northern BraxtonSimpsonMS15:15–?Tornado destroyed several homes. 10 people were injured and losses totaled $10,000.Selden 1908 133 F2N of Wahalak to S of ShuqualakKemper, NoxubeeMS17:45–?10 mi km on3 deaths — Tornado swept away three small homes. 10 people were injured and losses totaled at least $5,000.Selden 1908 133 F4Weiss, LA to Amite, LA/Purvis, MS to SW of Richton, MSLivingston (LA), St. Helena (LA), Tangipahoa (LA), Washington (LA), Marion (MS), Lamar (MS), Forrest (MS), Perry (MS), Wayne (MS)LA, MS17:45–?155 mi km on3520 yd m on143 deaths — See section on this tornado F4SW of Dora to Southern Albertville to Northern SylvaniaWalker, Jefferson, Blount, Marshall, DeKalbAL20:40–22:15> 105 mi km on500 yd m on35 deaths — See section on this tornado F2N of Brooklyn to S of JanetForrest, Perry, GreeneMS20:45–?25 mi km on5+ deaths — Tornado may have caused as many as seven fatalities. 20 people were injured and losses totaled $290,500.Selden 1908 133 F2Thomasboro to RantoulChampaignIL23:30–?6 mi km on30 yd m onTornado unroofed several homes.Grazulis 1993 714 F4Bluffton, AL to Cave Spring, GACherokee (AL), Polk (GA), Floyd (GA)AL, GA01:10–?16 mi km on400 yd m on11 deaths — Tornado leveled many small homes and damaged other structures. Bodies were found 1/4 mi km on away. 50 people were injured. F2Fort DepositLowndesAL03:00–?5 mi km on250 yd m on2 deaths — Tornado destroyed 50 structures. 22 people were injured and losses totaled $80,000.Chaffee 1908 133–4 F3E of Cleveland to ClimerBradleyTN03:00–?10 mi km on400 yd m on1 death — Tornado struck 20 farms and damaged or destroyed numerous structures, including five homes. Eight people were injured. F2NE of MontgomeryMontgomery, ElmoreAL03:10–?4 mi km onTornado destroyed a small building and a barn. Losses totaled $3,000.Chaffee 1908 134 April 25 event + Confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, April 25, 1908nb Date/Timenb WidthF#LocationCounty / ParishStateTime (UTC)Path lengthMax. Maximum widthSummary F2Southern AtlantaFultonGA05:00–?50 yd m onOne home shifted on its foundation and another was torn in half. F3Pine Mountain to S of GreenvilleHarris, MeriwetherGA06:00–?15 mi km on150 yd m on10 deaths — Tornado destroyed 40 homes, four churches, and a hotel. 40 people were injured and losses totaled $200,000. F2N of ColumbusMuscogeeGA06:30–?2 mi km on200 yd m on2 deaths — Tornado destroyed several homes. 12 people were injured and losses totaled $30,000. F2W of Griffin to S of McDonoughSpalding, HenryGA07:30–?15 mi km on200 yd m on8 deaths — Tornado struck several frail homes at a mill. 100 people were injured and losses totaled $140,000. F2PoulanWorthGA11:00–?100 yd m onTornado destroyed or damaged several homes and barns. Four people were injured. F2Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military ParkWalkerGA18:30–?3 mi km on100 yd m onTornado severely damaged the historic monument, then called Chickamauga National Historic Park, downing at least 100 large trees, some of which it hurled 300 yd ft mi km on through the air. Tornado also destroyed three historic homes. F2DiamondGilmerGA20:00–?3 mi km on200 yd m onTornado unroofed and destroyed several homes. Five people were injured. Concordia Parish, Louisiana/Pine Ridge–Church Hill, Mississippi Concordia Parish, Louisiana/Pine Ridge–Church Hill, Mississippi F4 ≥ 91 fatalities, ≥ 400 injuries $182,000 (1908 USD)$US 182,000 1908 -4 (US USD) The first of two major, long-tracked, violent tornadoes first began at about 5:00 a.m. CST just north of Lamourie. Upon touching down, the tornado immediately killed three people at Richland and then four more at Ruby soon after touching down. As it crossed into Avoyelles Parish, it caused 25 injuries between the communities of Effie and Center Point. Farther along the path, two more people were killed near New Era. Upon crossing into Concordia Parish, the tornado rapidly widened to 700 yd m on on or more and intensified, destroying numerous large plantations. At least 30 people died in Concordia Parish as many tenant homes were completely leveled. The massive tornado then crossed into Mississippi just north of Vidalia, Louisiana, and Natchez, Mississippi, devastating many more plantations, killing at least 30 more people, and injuring about 200, especially near Pine Ridge. Large antebellum mansions were destroyed, and witnesses reported that areas along the Mississippi River resembled a "deserted battlefield". The tornado then struck the Church Hill area, killing 21 people in frail tenant homes before dissipating near Tillman. At least 400 people were injured along the path, though the actual total, as in other tornadoes this day, was likely higher as most newspapers in the South failed to list Black dead and injured, many of whom were poor sharecroppers.Grazulis 2001a 293Grazulis 1993 184Heidorn Keith C. Deadly Tornadoes of April 1908 http://www.islandnet.com/%7Esee/weather/almanac/arc2008/alm08apr.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20120519163159/http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/arc2008/alm08apr.htm May 19, 2012 April 1, 2008 dead Valemount, British Columbia The Weather Doctor Islandnet.comCline 1908 132Selden 1908 133 Amite–Pine, Louisiana/Purvis–Richton, Mississippi Amite–Pine, Louisiana/Purvis–Richton, Mississippi F4 ≥ 143 fatalities, ≥ 770 injuries $1.157 million (1908 USD)$US 1,157,000 1908 -4 (US USD) The second of the two long-tracked F4s was one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history. An exceptionally large and intense tornado, it first began at about 11:45 a.m. CST in Weiss, just north of Denham Springs. Two people were killed at Dennis Mills near the beginning of the path. Two others were killed near Montpelier as well. The tornado then struck Amite directly, carving a path of destruction 2 mi km on wide through the town. Many structures were completely destroyed in Amite, and 29 people were killed. Four others were killed near Wilmer, along with nine additional fatalities occurring near Pine. The tornado crossed into Mississippi, killing two before tearing through Purvis and devastating most of the town. Only seven of the town's 150 buildings were left standing, and 55 people were killed. Five other fatalities were documented in rural areas outside Purvis as well. Four railroad crew workers were killed farther along the path near McCallum, located 8 mi km on on to the south of Hattiesburg, as they tried to seek shelter in a boxcar. The boxcars were thrown 150 ft m on on and torn apart by the tornado. Several other fatalities occurred near Richton before the tornado dissipated. At least 770 people were injured along the entire path, though the real total was likely higher, perhaps significantly so, as many minor injuries were probably ignored—an omission still common in contemporary tornado disasters. With at least 143 deaths, the Amite–Purvis tornado is officially the eighth deadliest in U.S. history, though its long path may have actually consisted of two or more tornadoes.Grazulis 2001a 200Cline 1908 132Selden 1908 133 Bergens–Southern Albertville–Northern Sylvania, Alabama Bergens–Southern Albertville–Northern Sylvania, Alabama F4 35 fatalities, 188 injuries > $500,000 (1908 USD) > $US 500,000 1908 -4 (US USD) A destructive tornado first began at about 2:40 p.m. CST in southeast Walker County, Alabama, though its actual genesis may have occurred earlier. It first touched down somewhere southwest of Dora and moved northeast, whence it was seen to merge with a "black cloud," possibly another tornado which was then moving east and dissipating. Quickly intensifying and widening to about 1000 yd m on on, the tornado grew to F4 intensity and struck the nearby village of Bergens. According to reports, the damage swath on the west side of the tornado briefly shrank as it neared Bergens, causing nearby residents of Dora to believe that a row of hills had deflected the winds from their town. In Bergens, the tornado completely destroyed most of the homes and "leveled" the village church and the store. Of the 42 homes in Bergens, only one remained undamaged, and most of them were destroyed. A nearby depot in Bergens was also destroyed and three of 10 boxcars sitting empty on the railroad were overturned; heavy boxcar parts were reportedly carried 100 ft m on on away. Six people in Bergens died instantly and two more later expired of their injuries; of the 16 remaining injured, at least four more died to make the final death toll 12 at Bergens. Farther along the path, the tornado destroyed numerous homes in the village of Old Democrat, located 4 mi km on on northeast of Dora, killing two more people there. Next, the "coal-black" funnel struck Warrior and the town of Wynnville, killing two people each at both locations. Turning to the north-northeast, the tornado then crossed into Marshall County and struck Albertville, destroying half the town. An oil tank weighing 9 t lb on on was carried 1/2 mi ft yd m on on at this location, and a train was overturned and destroyed. At least 15 people died in Albertville and 150 were injured. The tornado continued through heavily forested areas along the remainder of its path, possibly dissipating and reforming into a new tornado. It passed through Ten Broeck and the northern edge of Sylvania before ending, having traveled at least 105 mi km on on and possibly as long as 125 mi km on within one hour and 35 minutes. Although the tornado killed 35 people, it only injured 188, likely due to the low population of the area impacted.Grazulis 2001a 295Walker to DeKalb County F4 Tornado April 24 1908 https://www.weather.gov/bmx/event_04241908_dora NWS Birmingham, Alabama Weather Forecast Office National Weather Service 8 September 2021 Calera, AlabamaChaffee 1908 133Lehman 1908 134 See also List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks April 1924 tornado outbreak – Produced a deadly F3 tornado in Pine Mountain 2008 Atlanta tornado outbreak – Produced an EF2 tornado in Downtown Atlanta Notes nb References 2 Sources Chaffee F. P. Tornadoes in Alabama, April 24 and 30, 1908 Monthly Weather Review May 1908 36 5 133–134 United States Weather Bureau Montgomery, Alabama Washington, D.C. 10.1175/1520-0493(1908)36<133:tiaaa>2.0.co;2 1908MWRv...36..133C free Cline I. W. Isaac Cline Tornadoes in Louisiana, April 24, 1908 Monthly Weather Review 1908 36 5 131–132 10.1175/1520-0493(1908)36<131b:TILA>2.0.CO;2 United States Weather Bureau New Orleans Washington, D.C. 1908MWRv...36..131C free Grazulis Thomas P. Thomas P. Grazulis 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 Grazulis Thomas P. Thomas P. Grazulis The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz registration 2001a University of Oklahoma Press Norman, Oklahoma 978-0-8061-3538-0 Grazulis Thomas P. F5-F6 Tornadoes The Tornado Project of Environmental Films 2001b St. Johnsbury, Vermont Lehman W. F. Tornado at Dora and Bergens, Ala., April 24, 1908 Monthly Weather Review May 1908 36 5 134 10.1175/1520-0493(1908)36<134:TADABA>2.0.CO;2 United States Weather Bureau Birmingham, Alabama Washington, D.C. 1908MWRv...36..134L free Selden W. S. May 1908 Tornadoes in Mississippi, April 24, 1908 10.1175/1520-0493(1908)36<132:TIMA>2.0.CO;2 free U.S. Weather Bureau Monthly Weather Review 36 5 132–3 1908MWRv...36..132B Category:F5, EF5 and IF5 tornadoes Category:20th-century tornadoes Tornado 04-23 Category:Tornadoes in Louisiana Category:Tornadoes in Mississippi Tornado 04-23 Tornado 04-23 Category:Tornado outbreaks in the United States Tornado 04-23 Tornado 23