1953 Vicksburg, Mississippi tornado outbreak
The 1953 Vicksburg, Mississippi tornado outbreak was a deadly severe weather event that affected northeastern Louisiana, southeastern Arkansas, and western Mississippi on December 5, 1953. At least four confirmed tornadoes touched down; one of the tornadoes produced F5 damage on the Fujita scale as it moved through the city of Vicksburg, causing 38 deaths in the area. It remains the fourth deadliest tornado to affect the U.S. state of Mississippi; behind the 1840 Natchez tornado, the 1936 Tupelo tornado - see Tupelo-Gainesville tornado outbreak - and the March 3, 1966 Jackson tornado. It is one of four F5 tornadoes recorded in Mississippi since 1950.
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[edit] Summary
The first tornado touched down near Bernice, Louisiana and moved northeast to the Mount Union area, injuring 16 people.[1] The second tornado featured the longest continuous track of the event, traveling 58.3 miles (93.8 km) across northeastern Louisiana and southeastern Arkansas.[1] Both tornadoes caused damage equivalent to F2 intensity. The third tornado became the deadliest event during the outbreak. It touched down over the Mississippi River and moved northeast across the city of Vicksburg, dissipating south of Villanova, Mississippi. The tornado was preceded by heavy rains as it moved through the city.[1] Twelve blocks of the city's business district were affected by the tornado, and fires also burned cotton.[2] The tornado broke the city's gas line, and it remained out of service after repairs.[3] Residents were forced to avoid cooked food as temperatures dropped to 31°F overnight on December 6.[3] In total, 270 people received injuries.[1] The tornado is officially estimated to have been a F5 tornado on the Fujita scale; however, the rating is questionable, since the tornado demolished frail structures.[4] The final tornado of the outbreak produced F2 damage and caused 11 injuries near the Mississippi River in Coahoma County, Mississippi.[1] In addition, severe thunderstorm winds injured seven people near Clarksdale, Mississippi.[5]
[edit] Tornado table
| Confirmed Total |
Confirmed F0 |
Confirmed F1 |
Confirmed F2 |
Confirmed F3 |
Confirmed F4 |
Confirmed F5 |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
[edit] Confirmed tornadoes
| Official tornadoes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F# | Location | County | Time (UTC) | Path length | Damage | |
| Louisiana | ||||||
| F2 | S of Bernice to S of Mount Union | Union | 2300 | 9.7 miles (15.6 km) |
Unknown | |
| F2 | N of Spencer, Louisiana to NNW of Cosgrove, Arkansas | Union, Morehouse (Louisiana), Ashley (Arkansas) | 2400 | 58.3 miles (93.8 km) |
Heavy damages to homes were reported near Spencer and Rocky Branch. 11 injuries were confirmed.[6] | |
| Mississippi | ||||||
| F5 | NE of Delta to NE of Vicksburg | Warren | 2445 | 9 miles (14.5 km) |
38 fatalities occurred. The tornado destroyed electrical services to the city, and it also initiated several fires.[6][7] Buildings were "shambles" along four city blocks, and the downtown business district was adversely affected. Many automobiles were submerged by debris.[6] 937 buildings were demolished or received damage, while nearly 1,300 people lost their homes. Damages approached $25 million (1953 USD).[2] | |
| F2 | SW of Sherard to SE of Ragan | Coahoma | 0215 | 8.2 miles (13.2 km) |
Unknown | |
| Sources: NCDC Storm Event Database, SPC Storm Data, Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: Chronology and Analysis of Events by Thomas P. Grazulis | ||||||
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e "NCDC Storm Event Database". Archived from the original on 2008-08-12. http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwEvent~Storms. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- ^ a b The Associated Press (1953). "28 Killed, 230 Hurt as Twister Shakes City of Vicksburg". Beckley Post-Herald. http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=86357622_clean&firstvisit=true&src=search¤tResult=1¤tPage=0. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- ^ a b The Associated Press (1953). "Tornado". Newport Daily News. http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=55685674_clean&firstvisit=true&src=search¤tResult=4¤tPage=0. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- ^ Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: Chronology and Analysis of Events. Environmental Films.
- ^ "230 Injured as Tornado Rips Vicksburg, Miss.". Charleston Daily Mail. http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=40575465_clean&firstvisit=true&src=search¤tResult=0¤tPage=0. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- ^ a b c "More Than 100". Charleston Daily Mail. http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=40575372_clean&firstvisit=true&src=search¤tResult=1¤tPage=0. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- ^ "Vicksburg Storm". Charleston Daily Mail. http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=39882904_clean&firstvisit=true&src=search¤tResult=0¤tPage=0. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
