1955 Great Plains tornado outbreak

Tornado in the southern and central United States May 2025 February 2025 1955 Great Plains tornado outbreak 1955 F5 Blackwell and Udall tornado tracks.gif The tracks of the 1955 Blackwell and Udall F5 tornadoes. May 25–26, 1955 48 F5 ~30 hours 102-104 fatalities, 554 injuries >$30.0 millionNCDC Storm Events Database https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=%28C%29+Tornado&beginDate_mm=05&beginDate_dd=25&beginDate_yyyy=1955&endDate_mm=05&endDate_dd=26&endDate_yyyy=1955&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=-999%2CALL NCDC April 22, 2022 Central United States the tornado outbreaks of 1955 The 1955 Great Plains tornado outbreak was a deadly tornado outbreak that struck the southern and central U.S Great Plains States during the afternoon and evening hours of May 25–26, 1955. At least 48 tornadoes touched down across seven states, including a deadly F4 tornado near Aberdeen, Texas; a destructive F5 tornado at Blackwell, Oklahoma; and an even deadlier F5 tornado at Udall, Kansas. In total, the outbreak killed 102 people and caused at least 554 injuries; all of the deaths and the majority of the injuries were caused by the three violent tornadoes.North America Tornado Cases 1950 to 1959 https://bangladeshtornadoes.org/UScases50to59.html bangladeshtornadoes.org 21 April 2022 Unusual electromagnetic activity, including St. Elmo's fire, was observed during the event, especially from the Blackwell tornado.Storm Electricity Aspects of the Blackwell/Udall Storm of 25 May 1955 - Don Burgess, University of Oklahoma (CIMMS) Meteorological synopsis March 2024 North America Tornado Cases 1950 to 1959 https://bangladeshtornadoes.org/UScases50to59.html bangladeshtornadoes.org 19 October 2020 Confirmed tornadoes 48 12 17 13 3 1 2 Sources: SPC Tornado data, https://web.archive.org/web/20201020031401/https://www.weather.gov/oun/events-19550525-oktornadotable 2020-10-20 , , May 25 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, May 25, 1955nb 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 / ParishStateStartcoord. CoordinatesTime (UTC)Path lengthMax. Maximum widthSummary F0AltusJacksonOK34.67 -99.30 Altus (May. 25, F0)11:00–?0.1 mi km33 yd m on onA tornado embedded within a larger area of straight-line winds and hail caused minor damage, which was estimated $250. F4SW of Aberdeen, TX to S of Dempsey, OKCollingsworth (TX), Wheeler (TX), Roger Mills (OK)TX, OK211750 mi km1100 yd m on on 2 deaths – See section on this tornado F0SE of Sterling CitySterlingTX00000.1 mi m440 yd m on on F1E of ShattuckEllisOK00004.9 mi km400 yd m on on F1NE of Rush SpringsGradyOK00000.1 mi m33 yd m on on F0NE of MayfieldBeckhamOK00053.8 mi km300 yd m on onF1NE of KingfisherKingfisherOK01000.1 mi m33 yd m on on F1NW of AntoninoEllisKS01400.1 mi m33 yd m on on F2NE of CamargoDeweyOK02305.1 mi km300 yd m on onThis strong tornado destroyed five houses and a trailer, and the occupant of that trailer was seriously injured. Other houses were damaged along the path as well (Grazulis 1991). F3S of Deer CreekGrantOK030013.3 mi km440 yd m on onA house and several rural buildings were destroyed. One person was injured. Grazulis rated the tornado F2 (Grazulis 1991). F2NE of TonkawaKayOK03002.7 mi km500 yd m on onThis strong tornado destroyed at least four houses, numerous barns, and granaries. The tornado may have reached F3 intensity according to Grazulis (Grazulis 1991). F5SE of Tonkawa, OK to South Haven, KS Noble (OK), Kay (OK), Sumner (KS)OK, KS032628.4 mi km500 yd m on on20 deaths – See section on this tornado F5E of Peckham, OK to NE of Atlanta, KSKay (OK), Sumner (KS), Cowley (KS)OK, KS040056.4 mi km1300 yd m on on80 deaths – See section on this tornado F1E of RotanFisherTX04300.3 mi m440 yd m on on F1W of MarthaJacksonOK05006.2 mi km300 yd m on on F2SW of BenjaminKnoxTX053011.9 mi km300 yd m on onThis strong tornado destroyed a barn and damaged two houses (Grazulis 1991). F2Wichita Falls areaWichitaTX07381.3 mi km33 yd m on onSource: SPC Tornado data, Historical Tornado Cases for North America 1950-1959, NCDC reports, CDNS report, Grazulis 1991 May 26 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Thursday, May 26, 1955nb 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.F#LocationCounty / ParishStateStartcoord. CoordinatesTime (UTC)Path lengthMax. Maximum widthSummary F2E of Osage City to LeavenworthOsage, Douglas, LeavenworthKS062766.2 mi km33 yd m on onThis long-tracked tornado, which may have been a tornado family based on its skipping damage path, leveled barns, and produced $200,000 in rural farm damage (Grazulis 1991). F0Velma areaStephensOK08300.1 mi m33 yd m on on F1N of ChickashaGradyOK08300.1 mi m33 yd m on on F1South Oklahoma CityOklahomaOK09000.5 mi m50 yd m on on F1E of MooreClevelandOK090011.6 mi km70 yd m on on F0SW of ShawneePottawatomieOK09300.1 mi m33 yd m on on F0CushingPayneOK10000.1 mi m33 yd m on on F0DurantBryanOK11204.5 mi km50 yd m on on F1Sallisaw to NE of Stony PointSequoyahOK124514.2 mi km400 yd m on on F1JoplinJasperMO13002.7 mi km50 yd m on on F0CorsicanaNavarroTX14300.1 mi m3 yd m on on F1SW of ClarksburgMoniteauMO15450.2 mi m10 yd m on on F2E of CoatsburgAdamsIL17501.5 mi km500 yd m on on F0N of McPhersonMcPhersonKS19000.1 mi m33 yd m on on F2SE of PekinTazewellIL20491.5 mi km100 yd m on on F1BurbankCookIL22001.5 mi km100 yd m on on F1W of Filckerville to W of BeecherKankakee, WillIL223018.7 mi km400 yd m on on F3Jessieville area to NW of PinnacleGarland, SalineAR224528.8 mi km1,000 yd m on onThis tornado damaged 23 homes, primarily in the community of Blakely with total losses being estimated at $200,000. Grazulis rated the tornado F2 (Grazulis 1991). F1SE of HubbardDakotaNE23004.3 mi km17 yd m on on F2SE of Pleasant ValleyPerryAR23204.5 mi km880 yd m on onThis tornado destroyed five barns and damaged six others (Grazulis 1991). F2NE of WayneWayneNE23306.5 mi km167 yd m on onBuildings were destroyed on five farms (Grazulis 1991). F2W of St. Joseph, MODoniphanKS23307.8 mi km220 yd m on onEight buildings on a farm were destroyed, while two other farms were also damaged. F0N of NorborneCarrollMO00000.2 mi m10 yd m on onThis brief tornado unroofed and shifted a farmhouse 20 ft m off its foundation. Grazulis rated the tornado F2 due to roof removal (Grazulis 1991). F0S of RedfieldBourbonKS00300.1 mi m33 yd m on on F0NW of Baxter SpringsCherokeeKS01000.1 mi m33 yd m on on F1SW of KoshkonongHowellMO01002 mi km10 yd m on on F1SW of LinneusLinnMO01000.2 mi m10 yd m on on F2N of WorthingtonSchuylerMO020011.7 mi km27 yd m on onThis strong tornado snapped hundreds of trees and destroyed many homes on five separate farms. A couple was injured when their home was nearly leveled, indicating possible F3 damage (Grazulis 1991). F2'SW of WeldonWoodruff, JacksonAR02207.5 mi km33 yd m on onThis strong tornado destroyed six homes and damaged 25 others (Grazulis 1991).Source: SPC Tornado data, Historical Tornado Cases for North America 1950-1959, NCDC reports, CDNS report, Grazulis 1991 Wellington–Aberdeen, Texas/Sweetwater–Dempsey, Oklahoma Wellington–Aberdeen, Texas/Sweetwater–Dempsey, Oklahoma May 25, 1955 207-260 miles per hour F4 2 18 This violent F4 tornado moved northeast from 10 to 12 miles north of Wellington, Texas, and passed just east of Aberdeen. The tornado ended northeast of Sweetwater, Oklahoma, or just south of Dempsey. F4 damage occurred in both Texas and Oklahoma. 13 farm homes were destroyed, some of which were swept away. 100 cattle were killed and a car was carried 700 feet (0.13 mi). Two people were killed on the Oklahoma side of the path, and 18 were injured in both states. Tonkawa–Blackwell, Oklahoma/South Haven, Kansas Tonkawa-Blackwell, Oklahoma/South Haven, Kansas Tornado damage. Blackwell, Oklahoma - NARA - 283884.jpg F3 to F5-level damage on the eastern part of Blackwell, Oklahoma, where 20 people were killed. 261 to 318 mph (420 to 512 km/h) F5 20 280 This deadly and powerful tornado formed in extreme northern Noble County at around 9:00 p.m. CDT, just west of Marland, before crossing the county line, passing east of Tonkawa, and through the eastern portions of the Kay County town of Blackwell as an F5 tornado up to 400 yd m out wide (Grazulis 1991). It claimed the lives of 20 people in Blackwell and injured over 200 before crossing into and dissipating over Sumner County, Kansas. Along with the Acme Foundry and the Hazel Atlas Glass plant, the tornado destroyed or swept away at least 400 homes and caused damage to approximately 500 other homes. Grazulis Thomas P Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991 July 1993 The Tornado Project of Environmental Films St. Johnsbury, VT 1-879362-03-1 60 businesses were also destroyed, and the local hospital sustained major damage. Most of the western half of the town was spared the worst of the damage. Multiple eyewitnesses reported seeing a prominent blue light in the funnel. Braman, Oklahoma/Geuda Springs–Oxford–Udall–Atlanta, Kansas 1955 Udall tornado Braman, Oklahoma/Geuda Springs–Oxford–Udall–Atlanta, Kansas Car wrapped around large tree by tornado. Udall, Kansas - NARA - 283886.jpg A vehicle that was wrapped around a large tree in Udall, Kansas. F5-level winds were not needed for this to occur, according to Thomas P. Grazulis, the author of Significant Tornadoes. 261 to 318 mph (420 to 512 km/h) F5 80-82; Deadliest in the state of Kansas; Meteorologist Eric Brown has the death toll at 82, while other official sources and Thomas P. Grazulis have listed this event as killing 80 people. 273 About 30 minutes after producing the Blackwell tornado, the same supercell produced this large, violent, and long-tracked tornado just east of the first tornado track near the Kansas/Oklahoma border. It proceeded northward across Sumner and Cowley Counties. The town of Udall was especially hard hit with F5 damage that included the disintegration of numerous structures and homes all across the town. Even the town's water tower was toppled. The funnel, about 1300 yd m out wide, hit Udall at around 10:30 p.m. CDT. Half of the town's population was killed or injured. Numerous homes and businesses were destroyed, many of which were swept away, including a 30-by-40-foot concrete block building that was obliterated, with the foundation left mostly bare of any debris. Vehicles were thrown hundreds of yards and mangled beyond recognition, including a pickup truck that was wrapped around a tree and stripped of everything but its frame and tires. The Udall public school building sustained major damage, with beams snapped and blown away.The Indefinitive List of the Strongest Tornadoes Ever Recorded (Pre-1970): Part II | http://extremeplanet.me/2013/04/20/the-indefinitive-list-of-the-strongest-tornadoes-ever-recorded-pre-1970-part-ii/ https://web.archive.org/web/20130731074041/http://extremeplanet.me/2013/04/20/the-indefinitive-list-of-the-strongest-tornadoes-ever-recorded-pre-1970-part-ii/ 2013-07-31 live 2013-06-23 US Department of Commerce NOAA Info on the Udall Kansas tornado https://www.weather.gov/ict/udall www.weather.gov 19 October 2020 EN-UShttp://www.kansas.com/2010/02/10/1174869/1955-udall-tornado.html 1955 Udall Tornado | Wichita Eagle 2013-10-09 https://web.archive.org/web/20131119071847/http://www.kansas.com/2010/02/10/1174869/1955-udall-tornado.html 2013-11-19 dead The tornado later dissipated after traveling over 50 mi km out from the Oklahoma border to southeast of Wichita. Almost immediately, volunteers and rescue workers descended into the darkness to aid the survivors. Ambulances and automobiles of all kinds rushed the growing numbers of injured to hospitals in three neighboring towns. The closest hospitals were William Newton and St Mary's Hospitals, 17 miles southeast in Winfield, the former of which took in 129 patients that night. Several were taken to St Luke's Hospital in Wellington, 23 miles to the southwest, while the remainder were taken to three hospitals in Wichita to the northwest.Minick, Jim. "Without Warning". p. 81, 85. This tornado was the deadliest in the state's history with 80 fatalities and 273 injuries.Here are 10 numbers to know about Kansas' history with tornadoes, CJOnline, April 26, 2021 Other tornadoes and further notes +Outbreak death tollStateTotalCounty CountytotalKansas80-82Cowley75-77Sumner5Oklahoma22Kay20Roger Mills2Totals102-104 All deaths were tornado-related In addition to the F5 tornadoes, NWS officials confirmed an additional F2 tornado near Tonkawa which may have been either part of the Blackwell tornado or a satellite tornado. Other tornadoes in the region occurred on May 27 near the same region but did little damage. Among them were those produced by a thunderstorm which traveled through the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area, where it produced weak tornadoes with minimal damage in the towns of Norman and Chickasha. The final tornado in the hardest-hit region occurred during the early morning hours of May 26 when a weak tornado occurred in Salisaw in Sequoyah County near the Arkansas border. Numerous tornadoes occurred across the Midwestern states from Arkansas to Illinois. The strongest tornado was located near the Little Rock area, but no fatalities were reported with this tornado or any other on May 26. While filming the movie Picnic in Halstead, Kansas, a tornado swept through the area, forcing the cast and crew to take cover. While the storm spared the set, it devastated the nearby town of Udall, and the film crew drove their trucks and equipment there to help clean up the damage. Actress Rosalind Russell, one of the stars of the film, agreed to appear during a baseball game in Wichita to cast the opening pitch and make a plea for funds to help the tornado victims. See also List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks List of F5 tornadoes Radio atmospheric Notes nb References Bibliography Thomas P. Grazulis (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991, A Chronology and Analysis of Events. The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. 1-879362-00-7 (hardcover). External links Tornado Table from NWS Norman, Oklahoma https://web.archive.org/web/20201020031401/https://www.weather.gov/oun/events-19550525-oktornadotable 2020-10-20 Outbreak Summary from NWS Norman, Oklahoma NWS Wichita, Kansas page on the Udall tornado Full map of 1955 Great Plains tornado outbreak Tornado History Project Category:F5, EF5 and IF5 tornadoes 05-25 Category:Tornadoes in Kansas Category:Tornadoes in Oklahoma Category:Tornadoes in Texas Category:Tornadoes in Arkansas Category:Tornadoes in Illinois Category:Tornadoes in Missouri Category:1955 natural disasters in the United States Category:May 1955 in the United States 1955-05-25