1972 Portland–Vancouver tornadoes

F-3 tornado that impacted Washington and Oregon in 1972 1972 Portland–Vancouver tornadoes April 5, 1972 4April 5, 1972 Tornadoes http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/1972/4/5/map Tornado History Project Storm Prediction Center 31 July 2020 27 August 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200827181932/http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/1972/4/5/map usurped F3 6 hours 65 mph km/h onPortland International AirportOregon Event Report: 55 kts. Thunderstorm Wind https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/storm-events-database/event-details/10103799 National Weather Service National Centers for Environmental Information 31 July 2020 6 fatalities, 301 injuries $25.55 million (1972 USD)Tornado Summaries https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=%28C%29+Tornado&beginDate_mm=04&beginDate_dd=05&beginDate_yyyy=1972&endDate_mm=04&endDate_dd=05&endDate_yyyy=1972&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=-999%2CALL National Weather Service National Centers for Environmental Information 31 July 2020 Northern Oregon, Washington The 1972 Portland–Vancouver tornadoes were caused by an unusually intense squall line with embedded strong tornadoes that struck Oregon and Washington on Wednesday, April 5, 1972. Of the four tornadoes, the most catastrophic event was a deadly F3 tornado that struck Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, the first F3 tornado to strike Oregon since June 3, 1894. It tracked 8.7 mi km across the heavily populated Portland–Vancouver metropolitan area, causing heavy damage, killing six people, and injuring 300 while causing $25.25 million (1972 USD) in damage. It was tied as the deadliest tornado in the United States in 1972 and remains the deadliest tornado in the history of the Pacific Northwest."Tornado of April 5, 1972, Vancouver, Washington" Details Waymark 2006-12-05 http://www.waymarking.com/wm/details.aspx?f=1&guid=5361b209-8bc3-430b-bd7f-eb1df084d896 In all, the outbreak killed six, injured 301, and caused $25.55 million in damage. Meteorological synopsis A sharp cold front triggered an intense squall line that moved into the Pacific Northwest during the late morning hours of April 5, 1972. After moving inland, the storms produced strong winds, large hail, and tornadoes to the region. Weakening of the storms did not take place until late that evening; by then storms had moved over 50 mi km inland. Confirmed tornadoes 2 2 4 April 5 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, April 5, 1972nb 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 https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/1520-0434%282004%29019%3C0310%3AOTROTP%3E2.0.CO%3B2 11 September 2019 American Meteorological Society Boston 2004WtFor..19..310B free subscription F#LocationCounty / ParishStateStartcoord. CoordinatesTime (UTC)Path lengthMax. Maximum widthSummary F3Faloma, OR to Image, WA to SE of Mill Plain, WAMultnomah (OR), Clark (WA)OR, WA45.60 -122.63 Faloma (April 5, F3)20:30–21:008.7 mi km on400 yd m on6 deaths – See section on this tornado – 300 people were injured and losses totaled $25.25 million.Storm Data Publication IPS National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/IPS/sd/sd.html www.ncdc.noaa.gov 31 July 2020Oregon-Washington F3 http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/19720405.41.1 Tornado History Project Storm Prediction Center 31 July 2020 24 February 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200224022947/http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/19720405.41.1 usurped Oregon Event Report: F3 Tornado https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/storm-events-database/event-details/10103800 National Weather Service National Centers for Environmental Information 31 July 2020Washington Event Report: F3 Tornado https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/storm-events-database/event-details/10146484 National Weather Service National Centers for Environmental Information 31 July 2020 F2HartlineGrantWA47.70 -119.10 Hartline (April 5, F2)00:30–?0.1 mi km on10 yd m onA wind event/possible tornado was later confirmed to be a tornado along with large hail up to 2 in cm. Flowers and shrub leaves were shredded, paint surfaces were speckled and peeled, four granaries were destroyed, and many buildings were damaged. Losses from the tornado reached $25,000. Tornado expert Thomas P. Grazulis did not rate the tornado F2 or stronger.Grazulis Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events July 1993 The Tornado Project of Environmental Films St. Johnsbury, Vermont 1130 1-879362-03-1 Washington F2 http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/19720405.53.2 Tornado History Project Storm Prediction Center 31 July 2020 24 February 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200224101421/http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/19720405.53.2 usurped Washington Event Report: F2 Tornado https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/storm-events-database/event-details/10146485 National Weather Service National Centers for Environmental Information 31 July 2020 F3CrestonLincolnWA47.75 -118.52 Creston (April 5, F3)01:30–?3 - 4 mi km on83 yd m onA twin-funneled, strong tornado moved through the east side of Creston. A trailer was obliterated, critically injuring the woman inside, and another was moved 3 ft m off its foundation. Two barns and a chicken house were destroyed as well. Losses totaled $250,000. Grazulis rated the tornado F2.Washington F3 http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/19720405.53.3 Tornado History Project Storm Prediction Center 31 July 2020 24 February 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200224064323/http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/19720405.53.3 usurped Washington Event Report: F3 Tornado https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/storm-events-database/event-details/10146486 National Weather Service National Centers for Environmental Information 31 July 2020 F2W of Kettle FallsStevensWA48.60 -118.10 Kettle Falls (April 5, F2)02:30–?1 mi km on100 yd m onTrees were damaged in circular pattern near the mouth of the Colville River, including some that were uprooted. Losses totaled $25,000. Grazulis did not rate the tornado F2 or stronger.Washington F2 http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/19720405.53.4 Tornado History Project Storm Prediction Center 31 July 2020 25 February 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200225071841/http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/19720405.53.4 usurped Washington Event Report: F2 Tornado https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/storm-events-database/event-details/10146487 National Weather Service National Centers for Environmental Information 31 July 2020 Portland, Oregon/Vancouver, Washington Portland, Oregon/Vancouver, Washington Vancouver school after 1972 tornado.jpg 300 A school in Vancouver after the tornado F3 6 fatalities, 300 injuries $25.25 million The National Weather Service tracked a very turbulent squall line of thunderstorms moving northeasterly across Portland, Oregon, the strongest of which was near the city of Tigard. The tornado formed from this storm and touched down near the edge of the Columbia River, moving 1 + 1/2 mi km on before crossing the river. The tornado was difficult to observe because of the fog and the mud and flying debris drawn up by the tornado. After making landfall on the Washington side of the river, it continued its 9 mi km on journey before dissipating.National Weather Service 2006 NWS Forecast Office - Portland Oregon - Some of the Area's Tornadoes NWS division of NOAA 2021-02-23 http://www.weather.gov/pqr/paststorms/tornado.php dead https://web.archive.org/web/20181003100816/https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/paststorms/tornado.php 2018-10-03 The storm was classed as a tornado by the National Weather Service on April 6.Spiro Richard Vancouver twister classified tornado by weather bureau https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42955279/longview_daily_news/ Longview Daily News April 7, 1972 Longview, WA 5 Newspapers.com While officially rated F3, the tornado was assessed as F2 by tornado historian Thomas P. Grazulis, who noted that only some homes lost walls and "no F3 damage was evident". In Portland, Oregon, the tornado damaged four boat moorings and 50 small boats. Damage in Oregon from the tornado totaled up to $250,000 (1972 USD).https://data.statesmanjournal.com/tornado-archive/oregon/10103800/ Tornado Archive EF3 tornado on Apr. 05, 1972 14:50 PM CST statesmanjournal.com Statesman Journal 2021-02-23 Vancouver, Washington, suffered the most significant damage from the tornado. The tornado struck east Vancouver at 12:51 p.m. (PST) on April 5, 1972, where it destroyed a grocery store, along with Peter S. Ogden Elementary School injuring 70 students.http://www.columbian.com/history/Disasters/tornado.cfm https://web.archive.org/web/20070307101906/http://www.columbian.com/history/Disasters/tornado.cfm dead Columbian.com - History March 7, 2007 Nearby, the storm demolished a bowling alley and a drive-in theater screen, while damaging the roofs of around 100 homes, some severely. Trees and power lines were downed and several vehicles were flipped as well.NBC Evening News 1972 Headline: Washington Tornado Vanderbilt Television Archive 2006-12-05 http://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/program.pl?ID=463915 https://web.archive.org/web/20110930042843/http://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/program.pl?ID=463915 2011-09-30 live The Oregon National Guard and the Oregon State Police crossed the state border to help transport the injured and direct traffic in the aftermath of the tornado.6 Die, 250 Hurt as Wind Rips Roofs Off School, Stores https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42955928/ The Muncie Star UPI April 6, 1972 Muncie, IN 2 Newspapers.com Non-tornadic events High winds brought by the thunderstorms caused minimal tree damage. In Tigard, the thunderstorm that spawned the tornado tore the roof off a warehouse and damaged several parked cars. A pressure jump of 0.12 in mm was recorded by the National Weather Service. The Portland, Oregon National Weather Service office, approximately one mile east of the tornado touchdown, recorded winds gusting up to 63 mi/h km/h on. Another weather station reported sustained winds of 80 mi/h km/h on. Aftermath Overall, the Portland–Vancouver F3 tornado killed six people and left $25.25 million (1972 USD) in damage. The small outbreak was the deadliest and most significant tornado event to occur in the Pacific Northwest, with two F3 tornadoes.Robinson Erik April 5, 2002 Vancouver's tornado of 1972: What a twister turned deadly A1 The Columbian See also List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks Tornado outbreak sequence of January 7–11, 2008 – An EF1 tornado struck the northern suburbs of Vancouver, Washington Notes nb References 1972-04-05 04-05 1972-04-05 1972-04-05 Category:1972 in Oregon Category:1972 in Washington (state) Category:History of Vancouver, Washington Category:April 1972 in North America 1972-04-05