Tornado outbreak of May 29, 1953
Type | Tornado outbreak |
---|---|
Duration | May 29, 1953 |
Tornadoes confirmed | 9 |
Max. rating1 | F5 tornado |
Duration of tornado outbreak2 | 9 hours |
Fatalities | 2 fatalities, 22 injuries[2] |
Damage | $827,500 (1953 USD)[1] |
Areas affected | Great Plains |
Part of the tornado outbreaks of 1953 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado |
A destructive outbreak of nine tornadoes struck the Great Plains on May 29, 1953. The worst one was an F5 tornado that hit Fort Rice, North Dakota, destroying multiple structures and causing the majority of the casualties that day. Other strong tornadoes occurred that day, including an F2 tornado that did major damage when it struck McLaughlin, South Dakota. Overall, the outbreak killed two people, injured 22 others, and caused $827,500 (1953 USD) in damage.
Meteorological synopsis[]
An unusually strong surface low-pressure system moved into northwestern South Dakota during the afternoon of May 29, 1953. Surface observations indicated that it, along with another nearby low to its southeast, had a pressure that 936 mbars or lower. A dryline extended from this strong low southward ahead of a cold front that curled southwestward while a warm front extended east-northeastward into the Coteau des Prairies of southeastern North Dakota Behind the surface low, an upper-level low moved northeastward through Montana, increasing the pressure gradient over the Northern Plains and inducing high wind shear across the area. Temperatures that afternoon reached anywhere from the upper-80s to mid-90s and with dew points from 60-70°F, the atmosphere was ripe for an outbreak of severe thunderstorms.[3][4]
Confirmed tornadoes[]
FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
May 29 event[]
F# | Location | County / Parish | State | Start coord. |
Time (UTC) | Path length | Max. width | Summary | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
F1 | ENE of | Sheridan | WY | 44°45′N 106°10′W / 44.75°N 106.17°W | 20:00–? | 0.2 mi (0.32 km) | 10 yd (9.1 m) | The amount of damage is unknown.[nb 3] | [6][7] |
F2 | Bloom | Ford | KS | 37°29′N 99°55′W / 37.48°N 99.92°W | 21:00–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 10 yd (9.1 m) | Strong tornado struck the town of Bloom, although the amount of damage is unknown. Tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis did not classify the tornado as an F2 or stronger. | [8][9][10] |
F2 | McLaughlin | Corson | SD | 45°49′N 100°49′W / 45.82°N 100.82°W | 21:45–? | 0.5 mi (0.80 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | This brief, but strong tornado hit the town of McLaughlin. An auditorium was unroofed, barns and outbuilding were destroyed and seven homes and two businesses were damaged or destroyed. Two people were injured and damages totaled $250,000. | [4][10][11] [12] |
F5 | NNW of Cannon Ball to Fort Rice to SSW of | Morton, Emmons, | ND | 46°27′N 100°40′E / 46.45°N 100.67°E | 23:00–23:30 | 14.8 mi (23.8 km) | 600 yd (550 m) | 2 deaths – A large, violent tornado struck Fort Rice, destroying 16 homes and levelling a church. Pews from the church were driven 4 ft (1.2 m) into the ground. Additionally, components of a car were transported for 1⁄2 mi (0.80 km). The tornado also crossed Lake Oahe before dissipating. One person was killed in Fort Rice while another person was killed near the touch down point north of Cannon Ball. There were 20 injuries and $500,000 in damage. Despite the damage, tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis questioned some of the construction of the buildings and rated this as an F4 tornado. | [4][10][13] [14][15] |
F2 | S of Wyndmere | Richland | ND | 46°12′N 97°08′W / 46.20°N 97.13°W | 00:00–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 10 yd (9.1 m) | This brief, but strong tornado wrecked or flattened several large barns, one of which measured up to 70 ft (21 m) in length, causing $2,500 in damage. | [4][10][16] [17] |
F1 | NW of Conde | Spink | SD | 45°10′N 98°07′W / 45.17°N 98.12°W | 03:00–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 10 yd (9.1 m) | This brief, but destructive tornado caused $25,000 in damage. | [4][18][19] |
F2 | NNE of Willow Lake to WSW of Vienna | Clark | SD | 44°39′N 97°37′W / 44.65°N 97.62°W | 03:30–? | 1.9 mi (3.1 km) | 10 yd (9.1 m) | This strong tornado formed near Willow Lake and moved northeastward, causing an estimated $25,000 in damage, although Grazulis did not classify the tornado as an F2 or stronger. | [4][10][20] [21] |
F1 | NW of Chapman | Hall | NE | 41°03′N 98°13′W / 41.05°N 98.22°W | 03:30–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 10 yd (9.1 m) | Damage estimates are unknown. | [22][23] |
F2 | E of Gardner to NW of Perley, MN | Cass | ND | 47°09′N 96°56′W / 47.15°N 96.93°W | 05:00–? | 3.6 mi (5.8 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | Strong tornado moved northeast, causing $25,000 in damage before lifting just west of the Red River at the Minnesota border. Grazulis did not classify the tornado as an F2 or stronger. | [4][10][24] [25] |
See also[]
- List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of F5 and EF5 tornadoes
- June 20–23, 1957 tornado outbreak sequence
Notes[]
References[]
- ^ "Tornado Summaries". National Weather Service. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "May 29, 1953 Tornadoes". Tornado History Projects. Storm Predicition Center. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ "Climatological Data National Summary Publication | IPS | National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)". www.ncdc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g "North America Tornado Cases 1950 to 1959". bangladeshtornadoes.org. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ Brooks, Harold E. (April 2004). "On the Relationship of Tornado Path Length and Width to Intensity". Weather and Forecasting. Boston: American Meteorological Society. 19 (2): 310. doi:10.1175/1520-0434(2004)019<0310:OTROTP>2.0.CO;2. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ "Wyoming F1". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ Wyoming Event Report: F1 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ "Kansas F2". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ Kansas Event Report: F2 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f Grazulis, Thomas P. (July 1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. p. 972. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
- ^ "South Dakota F2". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ South Dakota Event Report: F2 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ "North Dakota F5". National Weather Service. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ North Dakota Event Report: F5 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ North Dakota Event Report: F5 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ "North Dakota F2". Tornado History Projects. Storm Predicition Center. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ North Dakota Event Report: F2 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "South Dakota F1". Tornado History Projects. Storm Predicition Center. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ South Dakota Event Report: F1 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "South Dakota F2". National Weather Service. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "South Dakota Event Report: F2 Tornado". National Weather Service. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "Nebraska F1". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ Nebraska Event Report: F1 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "North Dakota F2". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ North Dakota Event Report: F2 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- Tornadoes of 1953
- Tornadoes in Nebraska
- Tornadoes in Kansas
- Tornadoes in Wyoming
- Tornadoes in North Dakota
- Tornadoes in South Dakota