Tornado outbreak of late-April 1909

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Tornado outbreak of April 1909
TypeTornado outbreak
DurationApril 29-May 1, 1909
Tornadoes
confirmed		≥ 35
Max. rating1F4 tornado
Duration of
tornado outbreak2		~28 hours
Fatalities≥ 164 fatalities, ≥ 695 injuries
Areas affectedMidwestern and Southern United States
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale
2Time from first tornado to last tornado

The tornado outbreak of late-April 1909 was a deadly tornado outbreak that affected much of the central and Southern United States between April 29 and May 1, 1909. Affecting particularly the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys, it killed over 150 people, 60 of them in the U.S. state of Tennessee alone. It was the deadliest known tornado outbreak to affect Tennessee until March 21, 1952, when 64 people died statewide. To this day, the 1909 outbreak remains the second-deadliest on record in Tennessee—even the April 3–4, 1974 Super Outbreak and the February 5–6, 2008, Super Tuesday outbreak produced just 45 and 31 deaths each in the state.[1]

Meteorological synopsis[]

During the late afternoon and the overnight hours of April 29, 1909, numerous strong to violent tornadoes affected the areas of northern Alabama, eastern Arkansas, southern Illinois, northern Mississippi, southeastern Missouri, and western Tennessee (the NWS Memphis, Tennessee, coverage area). In that general area, at least 55 were killed by tornadoes.

The deadliest tornado touched down just south of the Tennessee-Mississippi state line in Desoto County and tracked east-northeast for about 125 miles (201 km) across Shelby, Fayette, Hardeman, Chester, Henderson and Decatur Counties. While it was estimated to be an F4, some reports indicate that there was more than one tornado. Among the towns affected were Horn Lake, Mississippi, where about half of the fatalities were recorded, and Whitehaven, Tennessee, where the tornado damaged 30 homes. The parent supercell thunderstorm continued on to produce additional tornadoes in Scott County.

North of Memphis, Tennessee, two F3 tornadoes killed a total of 22 from Crittenden County, Arkansas, to Carroll County, Tennessee. Homes were destroyed in Marion, Arkansas, resulting in five deaths in Arkansas. In Tennessee, the town of was mostly destroyed by the first F3 tornado. The second F3 tornado flattened structures near Covington and Medina. Several of the injured people who later died were plantation workers. A family of tornadoes also affected later Hickman and Williamson Counties southwest of Nashville and later moved into Cookeville and Putnam Counties. Three other tornadoes killed four people in the Memphis coverage area, including in St. Francis and Lee Counties in Arkansas and Haywood County in Tennessee.

Other F4 recorded were reported in Missouri near Golden, in Illinois near Texas City, and in south-central Tennessee near , just north of the Alabama state line. 11 deaths were recorded in the Missouri storm, 5 near Texas City and 29 along the Alabama-Tennessee state line. The tornado touched down in northernmost Limestone County, Alabama, before crossing the into Lincoln and Giles Counties in Tennessee. Hardest-hit areas were in and around Pulaski, and Fayetteville. Another strong tornado struck Franklin County near Decherd.[2]

Historical perspective[]

The April 1909 outbreak was part of an active and deadly year nationally for tornadoes. The 77 killer tornadoes recorded in the year 1909 marked an all-time yearly record for the number of killer tornadoes, a total that was only equaled in the year 1917.[3] However, the 1909 outbreak did not produce any F5 tornadoes on the Fujita scale; only one such event occurred in Tennessee on April 16, 1998.[4]

Confirmed tornadoes[]

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
? ? ? 24 7 4 0 ≥ 35

April 29 event[]

List of confirmed tornadoes – April 29, 1909
F#
Location
County
Time (UTC)
Path length
Damage
Arkansas
F2 Vidette area Baxter, Fulton unknown unknown Tornado destroyed two homes about 7 mi (11 km) south of Bakersfield, Missouri.
F2 E of Hot Springs Garland unknown unknown Tornado transported a tank weighing 1,300 pounds (21,000 oz) for .25 miles (1,300 ft). Also destroyed a small home, injuring four family members, and unroofed and destroyed others.
F2 Caddo Gap Montgomery 1900 unknown 4 deaths — Tornado struck north end of Caddo Gap, destroying ten homes and killing four people, all in one family. Large trees toppled onto homes.
F2 E of Van Buren to S of Alma Crawford 2240 4 miles (6.4 km) 1 death — Tornado destroyed or severely damaged at least 12 small homes as it moved northeast, skirting the edges of and Kibler.
F2 NW of Brinkley to N of Palestine Monroe, St. Francis 2300 20 miles (32 km) 1 death — Tornado killed a fleeing tenant farmer just northwest of Wheatley. Went on to strike 14 occupied homes near Palestine, injuring 21 people. 30 total injuries along the entire path.
F2 Charleston area to N of to Hector area Franklin, Logan, Johnson, Pope 2300 60 miles (97 km) Probable tornado family skipped along, injuring six people south of Prairie View, eight near Piney, and four near Moreland. Destroyed barns at more than twelve different sites.
F2 Moreland Pope 2330 unknown Tornado destroyed six homes at Moreland. Spawned by the same thunderstorm that produced the Charleston tornado family.
F2 NE of Forrest City to E of Earle St. Francis 0000 ≥ 20 miles (32 km) Tornado passed from north of to , about 20 mi (32 km) to the northeast. Total damage $16,000 with small homes destroyed. Produced by the same thunderstorm that hit near Palestine.
F2 E of Formosa to Bee Branch Van Buren 0015 5 miles (8.0 km) 1 death — Tornado destroyed the town of Bee Branch, causing numerous fires in its wake. Four other deaths may have occurred but went unreported. Total losses greater than $50,000. Tornado was produced by the thunderstorm that hit Moreland.
F2 SW of Marianna Lee 0015 10 miles (16 km) 1 death — Tornado damaged or destroyed roughly 40 sharecroppers' homes along with six farms. Killed one woman in a farmhouse. Passed just north of Marianna. Parent thunderstorm later produced an F4 tornado family that began in northern Mississippi.
F3 N of Marion to N of Millington, Tennessee Crittenden, Shelby (TN), Tipton (TN) 0030 20 miles (32 km) 8 deaths — Tornado destroyed 12 or more small homes north of Marion (five deaths) and later destroyed much of in Tennessee. Went on to kill three more people, possibly as many as eight, east of . Was the first of eight F3–F4 tornadoes to kill five or more people each. Produced by the same thunderstorm that moved from near Forrest City to near Earle.
F2 W of Heber Springs to N of Floral Cleburne, Independence 0230 25 miles (40 km) 4 deaths — Tornado followed the main activity that had departed from Arkansas two hours earlier. Deaths occurred in and near the community, just northwest of Heber Springs.
Missouri
F4 SW of Shell Knob Barry, Stone 2300 15 miles (24 km) 11 deaths — Occurred in what is now part of the Mark Twain National Forest. A tornado began just southwest of Golden and moved through that community, killing eight people and leveling homes (F4-level damage). More F4 destruction and three additional deaths occurred on farms southwest of Viola, though the tornado missed that community to the south. One of the top five deadliest tornadoes of the entire outbreak.
F3 S of Raymondville Texas 0110 15 miles (24 km) 2 deaths — Tornado struck just west of Yukon and downed more than 3,000,000 board feet (7,100 m3) of timber in Texas County. Also destroyed four homes.
F3 E of Alton Oregon 0200 8 miles (13 km) 6+ deaths — Tornado destroyed five homes. Actual death toll may have been eight rather than six people.
Tennessee
F2 Brownsville area Haywood unknown unknown 2 deaths — Tornado damaged or destroyed 20 homes at "Hanley", located about 9 mi (14 km) from Brownsville.
F3 SE of Covington to Medina Tipton, Haywood, Crockett, Madison, Gibson, Carroll 0045 60 miles (97 km) 14 deaths — Tornado family, related to the Millington tornado, first destroyed barns and small homes near Covington but was not then continuous. Single tornado path began at Bells and continued on to Medina, causing severe (F3-level) damage and all 14 deaths. Was the third-deadliest tornado of the entire outbreak.
F3 Sango area Montgomery 0230 15 miles (24 km) 2 deaths — Tornado passed near Clarksville, destroying parts of three separate farms. Was a member of the Medina tornado family. Damage $25,000.
F2 W of Dickson to Bellsburg Dickson 0300 20 miles (32 km) Tornado destroyed up to nine homes and hit buildings in Charlotte. 25 structures damaged or destroyed at Charlotte.
F3 W of to Centerville to N of Franklin Hickman, Maury, Williamson 0415 45 miles (72 km) 10 deaths — Tornado damaged or destroyed 75 homes in Centerville with $100,000 losses. Four people died at Leiper's Fork.
F2 SW of Nolensville to Statesville area Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson 0515 40 miles (64 km) 2 deaths — Tornado developed from the previous event. Moved south of Smyrna and north of Walterhill, destroying 10 homes. Ended in a massive downburst at Statesville with numerous trees blown down and much cattle killed. Other possible but unconfirmed tornadoes occurred along a path covering more than 100 mi (160 km) through six counties northeast of the known path.
Illinois
F4 N of Eldorado Saline, Gallatin 0100 8 miles (13 km) 5 deaths — Northernmost violent tornado of the outbreak leveled a farmhouse near Texas City, leaving bodies .25 mi (0.40 km) from the homesite. Entire family of five people killed.
Mississippi
F4 SSW of Horn Lake to E of Parsons, Tennessee DeSoto, Shelby (TN), Fayette (TN), Hardeman (TN), Chester (TN), Henderson (TN), Decatur (TN) 0130 125 miles (201 km) 29 deaths — Tornado family of two or more tornadoes likely began as a "double tornado" at Horn Lake, much like the "double tornado" that hit Indiana on April 11, 1965. At least 14 and perhaps 20 deaths north and south of Horn Lake in Mississippi. Damage to 30 homes in the Whitehaven area. Much F4 damage from to northwest of Bolivar, including to six farms. Tied with the Bee Springs tornado as the deadliest tornado of the outbreak.
Ohio
F2 Sidney Shelby 0445 unknown Tornado caused $60,000 in damage at Sidney. Intensity was unclear but probably F2 based upon descriptions.
Alabama
F4 N of Elkmont to NW of Fayetteville, Tennessee Limestone, Giles (TN), Lincoln (TN) 0500 25 miles (40 km) 29 deaths — Began in northernmost Limestone County and crossed southeast Giles County before hitting Bee Springs and . It caused F4 damage to Bee Springs and Millville with 22 deaths in and near Bee Springs, including five and seven deaths each in two nearby homes. Even well-built homes were completely leveled. Other deaths may have occurred near Fayetteville but could not be verified. It killed 29 people while traveling for about 25 mi (40 km), becoming Middle Tennessee's third deadliest tornado ever.[1]
Sources: Grazulis 1991

April 30 event[]

List of confirmed tornadoes – April 30, 1909
F#
Location
County
Time (UTC)
Path length
Damage
Alabama
F2 W of Thomasville Clarke unknown unknown 1 death — A tornado struck "Cunningham Landing", carrying debris for miles, leveling a church, and destroying three homes.
F2 SW of Moulton to N of Danville Lawrence, Morgan 1800 18 miles (29 km) 4 deaths — Deaths were reported in two destroyed homes. About 100 livestock were killed.
F2 Piedmont Calhoun 2245 unknown A tornado destroyed a church and three homes.
F2 W of Clay 0200 15 miles (24 km) A tornado destroyed three homes.
Tennessee
F2 Decherd area Franklin 0615 unknown A tornado destroyed 23 homes and damaged a depot and a hotel in Decherd.
F2 Red Bank Hamilton 1900 unknown Six homes were unroofed or destroyed.
Georgia
F3 SW of Felton to SW of Emerson Haralson, Polk, Paulding, Bartow 1030 30 miles (48 km) 13+ deaths — A tornado killed seven people in Felton and five more southeast of Rockmart. One other person died and nine others were injured south of Cartersville. Two other deaths near Stilesboro were unconfirmed.
F2 Roopville to SE of Carrollton Carroll 1130 7 miles (11 km) 2 deaths — The deaths were in (now part of Roopville) and .
F2 SW of Clermont Hall 2230 5 miles (8.0 km) 1 death — One man died as homes were destroyed at . Other homes were destroyed nearby.
F2 Hartwell area Hart unknown unknown Homes were reportedly damaged or destroyed.
Sources: Grazulis 1991

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Nunn, Roscoe (November 1921). "Tornadoes, with Special Reference to Those That Have Occurred in Tennessee". U.S. Weather Bureau. Mark A. Rose / National Weather Service. Archived from the original on 2009-05-10. Retrieved 17 December 2012. But the most disastrous tornadoes, so far as we have record, in Tennessee, occurred on April 29, 1909, when 60 perople were killed.
  2. ^ Rose, M. A. (2004). "A tornado climatology of middle Tennessee (1830-2003)" (PDF). NWAS Electronic Journal of Operational Meteorology. National Weather Association. 5 (4): 1–12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  3. ^ Grazulis, Thomas P. (2003). The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 352. ISBN 978-0806135380.
  4. ^ Gordon, John D.; Boyd, Bobby; Rose, Mark A.; Wright, Jason B. (2000). "The Forgotten F5: The Lawrence County Supercell During the Middle Tennessee Tornado Outbreak of 16 April 1998" (PDF). National Weather Digest. National Weather Association. 24 (4): 3–10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 December 2012. The authors sent a detailed letter to the SPC recommending the two tornadoes from 1974, and the 1952 tornado mentioned above, be downgraded to F4. The SPC agreed to all three of these changes. The SPC database now reflects the conclusions of Professor Fujita's map of 1974, and Grazulis 1952 tornado report (1993). ... The authors suggested that the three former F5 tornadoes in Tennessee should be reclassified as F4. These changes have been adopted, making the 16 April 1998 Lawrence County tornado the only documented F5 in the history of Tennessee.

Bibliography[]

  • Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
  • The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm. University of Oklahoma Press. 2003. ISBN 978-0-8061-3538-0.
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