Tornado outbreak of May 1927
The tornado outbreak of May 1927 occurred between May 7–9 in the Midwestern and Southern United States, producing numerous strong tornadoes and killing at least 217 people.[1]
| Type | Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Duration | May 7–9, 1927 |
| Tornadoes confirmed | ≥ 34 |
| Max. rating1 | F5 tornado |
| Fatalities | ≥ 217 deaths, ≥ 1,156 injuries |
| Damage | Unknown |
| Areas affected | Midwestern United States, Southern United States |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
Confirmed tornadoes
| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ? | ? | ? | 17 | 8 | 8 | 1 | ≥ 34 |
| F# | Location | County / Parish | State | Start coord. |
Date | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F5 | SW of Aetna to SSW of McPherson | Comanche, Barber, Kingman, Reno, McPherson | KS | — | May 7 | 0000 | 95 miles (153 km) | 3,520 yd (3,220 m) | 10 deaths – This intense, long-lived tornado family consisted of at least two tornadoes, the first touchdown of which may have occurred in Oklahoma. Both tornadoes were of immense size, up to 2 mi (3.2 km) wide at times, but their visibility allowed many people to seek shelter.[2] The tornadoes struck over one hundred farms, some of which were obliterated. Four deaths occurred southeast of Medicine Lodge, and another person died west of Kingman.[2] The tornado family also impacted the eastern side of Hutchinson, where three deaths and $750,000 in damages occurred.[nb 2] Two final deaths took place near McPherson before the tornadoes dissipated. Three hundred people were injured along the entire path,[2] and total losses reached $1.3 million.[3] |
| F3 | W of North Platte to E of Hershey | Lincoln | NE | — | May 8 | 1215 | 15 miles (24 km) | 100 yd (91 m)[3] | A narrow tornado struck eight farms, four of which incurred F3-level damage. Three people were injured, and losses totalled $45,000.[4] Operationally, this and the succeeding event were considered a single tornado with a total path length of 34 mi (55 km),[3] but a reanalysis by Thomas P. Grazulis split them into two distinct tornadoes.[4] |
| F3 | W and NW of Stapleton | Lincoln | NE | — | May 8 | 1600 | 18 miles (29 km) | — | This tornado, the second to strike Nebraska on May 8, wrecked at least three homes on ranches. One person was injured, and damages totalled $50,000.[4] |
| F2 | Near Calumet to near Sutherland | O'Brien | IA | — | May 8 | 0200 | 6 miles (9.7 km) | — | One injury |
| F4 | Near Macks Creek to near Olean | Camden, Miller | MO | — | May 8 | 0200 | 35 miles (56 km) | — | 4 deaths, thirty-three injuries – major damage in western part of Eldon. Damage in Olean may have been dissipation of tornado.[1] |
| F4 | NW of Jefferson City to S of Benton City | Cole, Boone, Callaway, Audrain | MO | — | May 8 | 0315 | 40 miles (64 km) | — | 6 deaths, thirty injuries – Well-built home obliterated with concrete basement wall pulled over west of New Bloomfield. |
| F3 | NW of Ava | Douglas | MO | — | May 8 | 0400 | 9 miles (14 km) | — | 2 deaths, thirty injuries – Nine homes destroyed, two men killed |
| F4 | Nevada | Collin | TX | — | May 9 | 0825 | 15 miles (24 km) | — | 19 deaths, one hundred injuries – Formed southwest of Nevada, impacted western half of town. Tornado formed so close to town that no roar was heard to warn residents. May have been more than two hundred injuries; injured placed in several nearby hospitals. Further down path roar allowed people in path to take shelter.[1] |
| F4 | NW of Greenville to near Wolfe City | Hunt | TX | — | May 9 | 0900 | 15 miles (24 km) | — | 6 deaths, twenty injuries – Developed from the previous storm. Twenty farms hit.[1] |
| F4 | Garland | Dallas | TX | — | May 9 | 0910 | 1 mile (1.6 km) | — | 15 deaths, forty injuries – Brief but extremely destructive tornado moved through Garland. Moved from southwest to northeast of town with highly erratic path, at one point turning 180°. Most casualties occurred in a five-block area.[1] |
| F2 | NW of Holland to Beckette Mountain | Faulkner | AR | — | May 9 | 1900 | 12 miles (19 km) | — | Home and barn damaged |
| F3 | Hickory Township | Schuyler, Fulton | IL | — | May 9 | 2010 | 12 miles (19 km) | — | One death, twelve injuries – Moved parallel to and north of the Illinois River. Five farm homes damaged, one boy killed.[1] |
| F2 | Shreveport | Caddo | LA | — | May 9 | 2025 | 1 mile (1.6 km) | — | Cut a block-wide damage path through part of Shreveport, doing minimal F2 damage. No injuries reported.[1] |
| F2 | Near Eden | Peoria | IL | — | May 9 | 2030 | — | — | Farm house had roof torn off and carried 1⁄4 mi (0.40 km) away. No injuries.[1] |
| F2 | Scott to Lonoke | Pulaski, Lonoke | AR | — | May 9 | 2030 | 15 miles (24 km) | — | Seven injuries; many rural homes damaged |
| F3 | W of Carlisle to Birdeye | Lonoke, Prairie, Woodruff, St. Francis, Cross | AR | — | May 9 | 2030 | 65 miles (105 km) | — | 8 deaths, sixty-nine injuries – Likely a tornado family. Many houses leveled on a long track.[1] |
| F4 | Imboden to Poplar Bluff, MO | Lawrence (AR), Randolph (AR), Ripley (MO), Butler (MO) | AR, MO | — | May 9 | 2035 | 60 miles (97 km) | — | 98 deaths, three hundred injuries – Produced F4 damage in rural Arkansas before devastating the larger town of Poplar Bluff, Missouri. The tornado took three minutes to pass through the town, killing eight-three, twenty-one alone at the Melbourne Hotel. Thirty-one square blocks were obliterated.[1] |
| F4 | Hoxie | Lawrence | AR | — | May 9 | 2050 | 5 miles (8.0 km) | — | 11 deaths, two hundred injuries – Short-tracked tornado devastated town of Hoxie. One hundred buildings destroyed, including a new high school, killing two students.[1] |
| F2 | NE of Kingsland to NW of Randall | Cleveland, Lincoln | AR | — | May 9 | 2110 | 28 miles (45 km) | — | 9 deaths, twenty-four injuries – all fatalities near Toledo and Randall. Tornado seemed to become more intense toward end of path.[1] |
| F2 | N of Kingston | Madison | AR | — | May 9 | 2115 | — | — | Four injuries in home near Kingston |
| F2 | Bethesda | Independence | AR | — | May 9 | 2120 | — | — | Six homes damaged at Bethesda |
| F2 | Norphlet | Union | AR | — | May 9 | 2130 | 2 miles (3.2 km) | — | One death, thirty-five injuries – All buildings damaged in Norphlet |
| F3 | SW of Egypt to NW of Fontaine | Craighead, Lawrence, Greene | AR | — | May 9 | 2150 | 27 miles (43 km) | — | 12 deaths, eight injuries – Mother and five children killed near Egypt, three people killed in postmaster's home near Fontaine (known then as Lanieve). |
| F4 | SW to NE of Strong | Union | AR | — | May 9 | 2220 | 6 miles (9.7 km) | — | 24 deaths, seventy-two injuries – Most of town of Strong was leveled, many prominent citizens killed or injured |
| F2 | NW of Long Grove to SE of DeWitt | Scott, Clinton | IA | — | May 9 | 2220 | 10 miles (16 km) | — | Several farms had buildings damaged |
| F3 | E of Morrisonville to NE of Decatur | Christian, Macon | IL | — | May 9 | 2225 | 45 miles (72 km) | — | One death, 116 injuries – Near F4 intensity in Christian County as dozens were injured on farms. Widened and weakened in Decatur area.[1] |
| F2 | N to NE of Owaneco | Christian | IL | — | May 9 | 2230 | 5 miles (8.0 km) | — | Several barns destroyed |
| F2 | E of Clarence | Natchitoches | LA | — | May 9 | 2230 | 3 miles (4.8 km) | — | One death, ten injuries – One woman killed in a tenant house |
| F3 | SW of Chittyville to NE of West Frankfort | Williamson | IL | — | May 9 | 2255 | 16 miles (26 km) | — | Twenty-one injuries; many homes lost roofs in Chittyville (known then as Centerville) and West Frankfort |
| F2 | SW to NE of Calvin | Winn | LA | — | May 9 | 0030 | 8 miles (13 km) | — | Tornado damaged unoccupied buildings |
| F2 | NW of Joppa, IL, to E of Samoth | McCracken (KY), Massac (IL) | KY, IL | — | May 9 | 1830 | 10 miles (16 km) | — | 6 deaths, twenty injuries – man killed aboard towboat on Ohio River, several towns hit |
| F2 | Renick to SW of Evansville | Randolph, Monroe | MO | — | May 9 | 0127 | 10 miles (16 km) | — | Several farm houses and barns destroyed |
| F2 | W to NE of Walker | Ottawa | MI | — | May 9 | — | — | — | Several barns destroyed |
| F2 | Loomis to Beaverton | Isabella, Clare, Gladwin | MI | — | May 9 | — | 10 miles (16 km) | — | Forty farms damaged |
Notes
- All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time for consistency.
- All losses are in 1927 USD unless otherwise stated.
References
- Grazulis, Thomas P. (July 1993). Significant Tornadoes, 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. pp. 202–4. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
- Grazulis 1993, p. 808
- U.S. Weather Bureau (May 1927). "Severe Local Storms, May, 1927" (PDF). Monthly Weather Review. Washington, D.C.: American Meteorological Society. 55 (5): 247. Bibcode:1927MWRv...55..247.. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1927)55<247:SLSM>2.0.CO;2. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
- Grazulis 1993, p. 809
Bibliography
- National Historical Company (1882), "34: Tornadoes", The History of Nodaway County, Missouri, National Historical Company, pp. 502–11
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