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Tornado outbreak of May 1927

Coordinates: 40°33′23″N 94°58′18″W / 40.5564°N 94.9716°W / 40.5564; -94.9716
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Tornado outbreak of May 1927
TypeTornado outbreak
DurationMay 7-9, 1927
Tornadoes
confirmed
≥ 35
Max. rating1F5 tornado
Fatalities≥ 217 deaths, ≥ 1,156 injuries
DamageUnknown
Areas affectedMidwestern United States, Southern United States
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

The Tornado outbreak of May 1927 occurred between May 7 and 9 in the Midwestern and Southern United States, producing numerous strong tornadoes and killing at least 217 people.[1]

Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
0 ? ? 18 8 8 1 ≥ 35

May 7 event

F# States Location County Time (UTC) Path length Damage
F5 KS SW of Aetna to SSW of McPherson Comanche, Barber, Kingman, Reno, McPherson 1800 95 miles 10 fatalities, 300 injuries May have been a tornado family, possibly starting in Oklahoma. Very visible funnel that may have been up to two miles wide at times allowed many people to seek shelter.

May 8 event

F# States Location County Time (UTC) Path length Damage
F3 NE 5m W of North Platte to E of Hershey Lincoln 0615 15 miles 3 injuries, narrow funnel 100 yards wide hit several farms
F3 NE W and NW of Stapleton Lincoln 1000 18 miles 1 injury, three farm houses hit
F2 IA Near Calumet to near Sutherland O'Brien 2000 6 miles 1 injury
F4 MO Near Macks Creek to near Olean Camden, Miller 2000 35 miles 4 fatalities, 33 injuries, major damage in western part of Elon. Damage in Olean may have been dissipation of tornado.
F4 MO 5m NW of Jefferson City S of Benton City Cole, Boone, CallowayAudrain 2115 40 miles 6 fatalities, 30 injuries, Well built home obliterated with concrete basement wall pulled over west of New Bloomfield.
F3 MO NW of Ava Douglas 2200 9 miles 2 fatalities, 30 injuries Nine homes destroyed, two men killed

May 9 event

F# States Location County Time (UTC) Path length Damage
F4 TX SW of Nevada to Tigertown Collin 0225 15 miles 19 fatalities, 100 injuries Western half of town of Nevada. Tornado formed so close to town that no roar was heard to warn residents. May have been more than 200 injuries, injured taken to many different surrounding hospitals. Further down path roar allowed people in path to take shelter.
F4 TX 8M NW of Greenville to near Wolfe Hunt 0300 15 miles 6 fatalities, 20 injuries Came from same storm that devastated town of Nevada. 20 farms hit.
F4 TX Garland Dallas 0310 1 mile 15 fatalities, 40 injuries Brief duration but extremely destructive tornado moved through Garland. Moved from SW to NE Garland with highly erratic path, at one point turning 180 degrees. Most casualties occurred in a five block area near 8th Street.
F2 AR NW of Holland to Beckett Mountain Faulkner 1300 12 miles Home and barn damaged
F3 IL Hickory Township Schuyler, Fulton 1410 12 miles 1 fatality, 12 injuries Moved parallel and north of the Illinois River. Five farm homes damaged, one boy killed.
F2 LA Shreveport Caddo 1425 1 mile Cut a one block wide damage path through part of Shreveport doing minimal F2 damage. No injuries reported.
F2 IL Near Eden, Peoria County, Illinois Peoria County, Illinois 1430 unk Farm house had roof torn off and carried a quarter of a mile away. No injuries.
F2 AR Scott to Lonoke Pulaski, Lonoke 1430 15 miles 7 injuries, many rural homes damaged
F3 AR W of Carlisle to Birdeye Lonoke, Prairie, Woodruff, St. Francis, Cross 1430 65 miles 8 killed, 69 injured Likely a tornado family. Many houses completely leveled over a long track.
F4 AR, MO N side of Imboden AR to NW of Poplar Bluff MO Lawrence AR, Randolph AR, Ripley MO, Butler MO 1435 60 miles 98 killed, 300 injured Produced F4 damage in rural Arkansas before devastating the larger town of Poplar Bluff MO. The tornado took three minutes to pass through the town, killing 83, 21 alone at the Melbourne Hotel. 31 square blocks were obliterated.
F4 AR Hoxie area Lawrence 1450 unk 11 killed, 200 injured Short track tornado devastated town of Hoxie. 100 buildings destroyed including a brand new high school, killing two students.
F2 AR NE of Kingsland to NW of Randall Cleveland, Lincoln 1510 28 miles 9 killed, 24 injured, all fatalities near Toledo and Randall. Tornado seemed to become more intense towards end of path
F3 AR SW of Egypt to NW of Lanieve Craighead, Lawrence, Greene 1550 27 miles 12 killed, 8 injured Mother and five children killed near Egypt, three people killed in postmaster's home near Lanieve.
F2 AR 5M N of Kingston Madison 1515 unk 4 injuries in home near Kingston
F2 AR Bethesda Independence 1520 unk Six homes damaged at Bethesda
F2 AR Norphlet Union 1530 2 miles 1 fatality, 35 injuries All buildings damaged in Norphlet
F4 AR SW to NE of Strong Union 1620 6 miles 24 fatalities, 72 injuries Most of town of Strong was leveled, many prominent citizens killed or injured
F2 IA NW of Long Grove to SE of DeWitt Scott, Clinton 1620 10 miles Several farms had buildings damaged
F3 IL E of Morrisonville to NE of Decatur Christian, Macon 1625 45 miles 1 fatalities, 116 injury Near F4 intensity in Christian Co as dozens were injured on farm on farm. Widened and weakened in Decatur area
F2 IL N to NE of Owaneco Christian 1630 5 miles Several barns destroyed
F2 LA E of Clarence Natchitoches 1630 3 miles 1 fatality, 10 injuries One woman killed in a tenant house
F3 IL SW of Centerville to NE of West Frankfort Williamson 1655 16 miles 21 injuries, many homes lost roofs in Centerville and West Frankfort
F2 LA SW to NE of Calvin Winn 1830 8 miles 800 yard wide tornado damaged unoccupied buildings
F2 KY, IL NW of Joppa KY E of Samoth McCracken KY, Massac 1830 10 miles 6 fatalities, 20 injuries, man on Ohio River towboat killed, several towns hit
F2 MO Renick to SW of Evansville Christian 1927 10 miles Several farm houses and barns destroyed
F2 MI W to NE of Walker Ottawa unk unk Several barns destroyed
F2 MI Loomis to Beaverton Isabella, Clare, Gladwin unk 10 miles 40 farms damaged

See also

References

  1. ^ Grazulis, 1993 & pp202-4

Bibliography

  • Grazulis, Thomas (1993), Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events, St. Johnsbury, Vermont: Environmental Films, ISBN 1-879362-03-1
  • National Historical Company (1882), "34: Tornadoes", The History of Nodaway County, Missouri, National Historical Company, pp. 502–11

40°33′23″N 94°58′18″W / 40.5564°N 94.9716°W / 40.5564; -94.9716