A Devastating F4 Tornado in 1941!

6 tornadoes in Florida earlier this month....

October 23, 2023

🌪 It’s another Monday and you know what that means….MORE tornado history!

Our latest This Week In Tornado History video is now up on YouTube! We look back at an estimated F2 tornado from October 23, 1934. It crossed through parts of Maryville, MO. 60 homes were damage. A depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps camp was struck and five were killed.

Here’s a quick peek at this week’s newsletter:

  • A look at a tornado described as a “big vacuum cleaner”….

  • What happened at Murfreesboro in 2009?

  • EF2s in Florida a few weeks ago!

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🌪️ This Week In Tornado History

October 23, 1934 - Holstein, IA: An estimated F2 tornado struck a farm six miles SW of Holstein, IA. All buildings except the house was destroyed. There was one injury.

October 24, 1925 - Tennessee: An F2 tornado destroyed three barns and two dozen small homes at “Mt. Carmel,” NE of Covington, TN. “Giant forest trees” were uprooted. Source: Thomas Grazulis.

October 25, 2010 - Alabama/Georgia: An EF2 tornado tracked for 20 miles across parts of Jackson and Dekalb Counties in Alabama and across the Georgia state line into Dade County. Along the 20 mile path, several buildings were damaged or destroyed, and bleachers were torn apart at the Ider High School Football Field. There was also extensive tree damage.

Image from NWS Huntsville.

October 26, 1941 - Hamburg, AR: A devastating F4 tornado struck Hamburg in Ashley County, AR. 75 were injured and there were 15 fatalities. Several leveled homes were “the best in town.” Most of the deaths were in larger homes.

Image from newspapers.com.

October 27, 2003 - Hainesport Township, NJ: An F0 tornado touched down briefly in a wooded area near the Holly Bowl bowling alley in Hainesport Township in New Jersey and then tracked east for 0.50 miles. A 77-year-old woman was struck by a flying tree branch and killed as she was entering her car in the parking lot at the bowling alley. This was the first killer tornado in New Jersey since August 25, 1941.

October 28, 1974 - Baytown, TX: A total of 12 tornadoes pushed across parts of Texas and Louisiana on October 28, 1974. The one that hit Baytown was rated F3. It hit the south end of the Baytown tunnel at rush hour. A tunnel guard described the event, “It was just like a big vacuum cleaner.” At least a dozen cars were picked up at the end of the tunnel. There was one fatality.

Image from newspapers.com

October 29, 1956 - Dorrance-Hunter, KS: Three homes, many barns & sheds were “demolished” by this F3 tornado. A large dairy was struck west of Dorrance. A mom & her baby were thrown out of a house into a field 50-60 feet away. They suffered only cuts and bruises.

Image from newspapers.com.

Which of these tornadoes did you like best? Want to see your favorite tornado highlighted in this section?

Twister Tales

A substantial tornado outbreak swept across portions of the South throughout April 10, 2009. The strongest was an EF4 that rolled through the northern side of Murfreesboro. We have a free summary that provides a detailed analysis of the damage and documents the personal stories of those who lived through it. Here is an excerpt:

An officer of the Murfreesboro Police Department, Kevin Dunn, arrived on Penny Lane to a woman, Trina Brewington, searching for her ten-year-old missing son Ethan. While Trina’s home was not hit, her child was at a friend’s house in the damage path. Kevin soon found the boy about a block away. While Ethan was unhurt, he couldn’t get up and walk due to recent surgery on his legs. Kevin gave him a piggyback ride to his mother, who was very grateful for his help. When commended for his actions that day, Kevin responded in an April 19, 2009 article by The Daily News Journal, “I gave a scared kid a piggyback ride to his scared momma. I was just doing my job, along with the other officers out there.”

Read the detailed summary about Murfreesboro!

Article of the Week

It wasn’t just 2 tornadoes in the region last week. Officials now count 6.

The NWS in Tampa Bay has confirmed six tornadoes in their county warning area on October 12. The strongest were rated EF2. One struck in the Clearwater area and the other at Crystal River. This article from The Tampa Bay Times gives a great overview of the twisters and the damage that occurred.

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