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🌪️The Latest from Tornado Talk…..

Hello Tornado Talk fans! I have been on the road since October 25. Time got away from my last week and didn’t get a newsletter out but wanted to get it back going this week! I will be heading how over the next couple of days. Since I left, I have visited 6 libraries, 3 memorials and 1 history center. I have 3 more history spots to hit this week. I am doing miscellaneous research on tornado events!

The main goal of this trip though: To meet my tornado history hero! For those who may not know, Thomas Grazulis is the expert on researching tornado history events. He has written several books including the definitive one entitled Significant Tornadoes. The latest version of the book documents tornadoes from 1974 through 2022. He will have another edition for tornadoes prior to 1974 coming out over the next few years. There is NO Tornado Talk without Thomas Grazulis. We rely heavily on his research. It was a life-change visit with Tom and his wife Doris, a time I will never forget. And I can’t wait to visit again!

🌪️ This Week In Tornado History

November 4, 1922 - Shamrock-Drumright, OK: Hit at 1730 local time. There were 40 injuries and 11 fatalities. The path length was 25 miles and the width 300 yards. Rating given: F4. Frail homes and the pieces of over 130 oil rigs were scattered for miles.

November 5, 2002 - Alabama:  An F2 tornado tracked right through the center of Abbeville, AL. Several homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. One person was killed, and 20 others were injured.

November 6, 2005 - Evansville, IN: During the early morning of November 6, 2005, a devastating tornado traveled just over 41 miles from near Smith Mills, KY through southern Evansville, IN northeast to near Gentryville, IN. The tornado crossed the Ohio River three times. 25 people lost their lives along the path. It was the deadliest tornado to hit Indiana since 1974.

November 7, 1943 - Louisiana: A possible F3 tornado moved 3 miles through Vermilion Parish, LA. A dozen homes were destroyed at the south and east parts of Maurice. Three people were killed and 20 injured.

November 8, 1879 - Missouri: Thomas Grazulis documents a family of tornadoes that moved through parts of Cass, Johnson and Lafayette Counties in Missouri. At Strasburg, a church, three homes and four stores were destroyed. 11 miles SE of Lexington, the railroad depot and several homes were devastated. Two people were killed.

November 9, 2002 - Tennessee: This summary looks at one of the 76 tornadoes that occurred in the Veteran’s Day Weekend Tornado Outbreak of November 9-11, 2002. It tracked 10 miles through parts of Carroll County, TN. 15 were injured, 2 were killed in a mobile home.

November 10, 1915 - Kansas: A possible F4 tornado moved 35 miles through Pawnee and Barton Counties in Kansas. It moved from 16 miles SW of Great Bend and swiped the southeast part of town. 160 homes destroyed at Great Bend. Debris from the town was carried 85 miles. Eleven people were killed. “Hundreds of dead ducks fell from the sky 25m NE of the end of the path, which was west of Claflin.”

🌪️Check This Out!

There has been an increase over the past few days of severe weather and tornadoes across parts of the country. Late Saturday night/Sunday morning, several twisters struck portions of Oklahoma including the Oklahoma City area. The NWS Norman office has been working hard doing tornado surveys and as of this writing have already found two EF3 tornadoes. Here is a damage photo from OKC.

Many thanks to all of you for subscribing to our newsletter!

- Jen Narramore, Owner Tornado Talk