Central US Tornado Outbreak of 1990
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| Date of tornado outbreak: | March 13, 1990 |
| Duration1: | ?? hours |
| Maximum rated tornado2: | F5 tornado |
| Tornadoes caused: | 64 confirmed |
| Damages: | $??? million |
| Fatalities: | 2 |
| Areas affected: | Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa. |
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1Time from first tornado to last tornado |
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The Central US Tornado Outbreak of 1990 is a tornado outbreak that affected portions of the United States Great Plains and Midwest regions from Iowa to Texas from March 11 to March 13, 1990. The outbreak produced at least 64 tornadoes across the region including 4 violent tornadoes; two of which were rated F5 that touched down north and east of Wichita, Kansas in which the most publicized tornado of this outbreak struck Hesston. In Nebraska, several strong tornadoes touched down across the southern and central portion of the state including an F4 that traveled for over 125 miles. 2 people were killed in the outbreak in Kansas both from the F5 tornadoes.
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[edit] Overview
The Central U.S. tornado outbreak of March 13, 1990, was one of the most violent outbreaks March has ever seen (second only to the Palm Sunday tornado outbreak of 1965 in terms of violent tornadoes, and the March 2006 Tornado Outbreak Sequence in terms of the total number of tornadoes reported). Numerous tornadoes touched down across Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Iowa. Two tornadic thunderstroms with exceptional lifespans/tornado families were observed; one produced an F4 tornado in Eastern Nebraska that was on the ground for over 100 miles. The other produced an extensive tornado family in southern Kansas that included two F5 tornadoes. The first of these struck the town of Hesston, Kansas, and was one of the most photographed and documented violent tornadoes in history.
| Confirmed Total |
Confirmed F0 |
Confirmed F1 |
Confirmed F2 |
Confirmed F3 |
Confirmed F4 |
Confirmed F5 |
| 64 | 12 | 25 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 2 |
(based on NOAA Storm Data)
[edit] Reported tornadoes
[edit] March 11 event
| F# | Location | County | Time (UTC) | Path length | Damage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | ||||||
| F0 | Reno | Reno | 2300 | 0.1 miles (0.16 km) |
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| F1 | Rice | Rice | 2315 | 14 miles (22.6 km) |
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| Sources: NOAA Storm Data Tornado History Project - Storm Data, March 11, 1990 | ||||||
[edit] March 12 event
| F# | Location | County | Time (UTC) | Path length | Damage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | ||||||
| F0 | NW of Sawyer | Lee | 0440 | 0.2 miles (0.32 km) |
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| Kansas | ||||||
| F1 | SE of Topeka | Shawnee, Douglas | 0549 | 5 miles (4.8 km) |
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| F1 | W of McClouth | Jefferson | 0610 | 3 miles (4.8 km) |
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| Sources: NOAA Storm Data Tornado History Project - Storm Data - March 12, 1990 | ||||||
[edit] March 13 event
| F# | Location | County | Time (UTC) | Path length | Damage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | ||||||
| F1 | NW of Jetmore | Hodgeman | 0836 | 1 miles (1.6 km) |
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| F5 | Castleton to Hesston | Reno, Harvey, McPherson | 2234 | 48 miles (77.8 km) |
1 death - see section on this | |
| F1 | E of Thornburg | Smith | 2248 | 13 miles (20.8 km) |
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| F1 | NE of Esbon | Jewell | 2300 | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) |
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| F5 | Goessel to NE of Hillsboro | Harvey, McPherson, Marion | 2330 | 22.0 miles (35.7 km) |
1 death - see section on this | |
| F0 | SW of Portland | Sumner | 0004 | 0.1 miles (0.16 km) |
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| F0 | N of Conway Springs | Sumner | 0012 | 0.1 miles (0.16 km) |
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| F2 | W of Pilsen to NW of Volland | Marion, Morris, Geary, Wabaunsee | 0015 | 55 miles (88 km) |
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| F1 | SW of Webber | Jewell | 0020 | 5 miles (8 km) |
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| F1 | S of Danville | Harper | 0035 | 12 miles (19.2 km) |
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| F1 | E of Randall | Jewell, Cloud, Republic | 0045 | 13 miles (20.8 km) |
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| F3 | W of Moundridge | Reno, Harvey, McPherson | 0055 | 18 miles (28.8 km) |
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| F2 | W of Belleville | Republic | 0100 | 15 miles (24 km) |
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| F0 | S of Belleville | Republic | 0116 | 0.5 miles (0.8 km) |
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| F0 | Salina | Saline | 0150 | 0.2 miles (0.32 km) |
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| F1 | E of Wamego | Pottawatomie | 0203 | 2 miles (3.2 km) |
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| F0 | S of Concordia | Cloud | 0240 | 0.2 miles (0.32 km) |
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| F1 | S of Chetopa | Labette | 0645 | 2 miles (3.2 km) |
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| Iowa | ||||||
| F1 | N of Stiles to SE of Floris | Davis | 2132 | 14 miles (22.4 km) |
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| F0 | Bettendorf area | Sac | 2231 | 0.3 miles (0.5 km) |
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| F0 | E of Le Claire | Scott | 2242 | 0.2 miles (0.32 km) |
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| F3 | E of Le Claire, IA to SE of Albany, IL | Scott, IA, Rock Island, IL, Whiteside | 2245 | 15.5 miles (24.8 km) |
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| F4 | Prairieburg to Worthington | Linn, Jones, Delaware, Dubuque | 2253 | 19 miles (30.4 km) |
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| F1 | NE of Le Claire | Scott, Clinton | 2242 | 13 miles (20.8 km) |
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| F1 | Monticello area | Jones | 2308 | 6 miles (9.6 km) |
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| F1 | NE of Crescent | Pottawatomie | 2242 | 8 miles (12.8 km) |
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| F1 | S of Holy Cross | Dubuque | 2355 | 3 miles (4.8 km) |
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| F0 | NE of Ortonville | Dallas | 0120 | 0.1 miles (0.16 km) |
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| F2 | Ogden to E of Stanhope | Boone, Hamilton | 0125 | 22 miles (35.2 km) |
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| F1 | E of Ridgeport | Boone | 0135 | 1 miles (1.6 km) |
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| F2 | Ankeny to S of Maxwell | Scott | 0155 | 15 miles (24 km) |
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| F3 | E of Fernald | Story | 0236 | 9 miles (14.4 km) |
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| Oklahoma | ||||||
| F2 | NW of Bradley to E of Norman | Grady, McClain, Cleveland | 2244 | 28 miles (44.8 km) |
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| F3 | SE of Hawley to NE of Wakita | Grant | 2315 | 19 miles (30.4 km) |
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| F2 | W of Criner to W of Slaughterville | McClain, Cleveland | 2331 | 18 miles (28.8 km) |
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| F1 | NE of Norman | Cleveland | 2353 | 5 miles (8 km) |
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| F3 | NE of Wakita, OK to SW of Mayfield, KS | Grant, OK, Sumner, KS | 2354 | 22 miles (35.2 km) |
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| F2 | SW of Stella to SE of Jacktown | Cleveland, Pottawatomie, Lincoln | 2359 | 19 miles (30.4 km) |
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| F1 | W of Waurika to SW of Loco | Jefferson, Stephens | 0001 | 21 miles (33.6 km) |
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| F3 | SW of Loco to NW of Alpers | Jefferson, Stephens, Carter, Garvin | 0058 | 22 miles (35.2 km) |
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| F2 | NE of Tatums to NE of Paul's Valley | Garvin | 0150 | 28 miles (44.8 km) |
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| F2 | NE of Edna | Creek, Okmulgee | 0210 | 9 miles (14.4 km) |
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| Nebraska | ||||||
| F1 | NW of Shelton | Buffalo | 2245 | 1 miles (1.6 km) |
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| F3 | NW of Minden to S of Cairo | Kearney, Buffalo, Hall | 2300 | 32 miles (51.2 km) |
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| F4 | S of Red Cloud to E of Schuyler | Webster, Nuckolls, Clay, Fillmore, York, Seward, Butler, Colfax | 2305 | 131 miles (209.6 km) |
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| F2 | E of Sacramento | Kearney | 2320 | 8 miles (12.8 km) |
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| F2 | S of Wood River | Adams, Hall | 2325 | 9 miles (14.4 km) |
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| F0 | N of Kearney | Buffalo | 2335 | 0.1 miles (0.16 km) |
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| F3 | N of Alda to NW of Archer | Hall, Howard, Merrick | 2344 | 27 miles (43.2 km) |
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| F2 | W of Fullerton | Merrick, Nance | 0023 | 13 miles (20.8 km) |
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| F1 | NE of Boone | Boone | 0025 | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) |
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| F1 | SE of Fullerton | Nance | 0030 | 2 miles (3.2 km) |
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| F1 | Newman Grove area | Madison | 0045 | 0.2 miles (0.32 km) |
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| F1 | SE of Battle Creek | Madison | 0130 | 0.6 miles (1 km) |
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| F3 | N of Carleton to SE of Exeter | Thayer, Fillmore | 0145 | 25 miles (40 km) |
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| F3 | NE of Chester | Thayer | 0145 | 13 miles (20.8 km) |
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| F1 | N of Bancroft | Thurston | 0401 | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) |
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| Texas | ||||||
| F0 | NE of Lusk | Throckmorton | 2330 | 0.2 miles (0.32 km) |
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| Missouri | ||||||
| F2 | NW of Pleasant Hope | Polk | 0330 | 2 miles (3.2 km) |
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| Sources: NOAA Storm Data Tornado History Project Storm Data - March 13, 1990 | ||||||
[edit] The Hesston and Goessel Tornado Family
The storms that struck Hesston and Goessel were both spawned by the same Supercell Thunderstorm. They were part of what is known as a Tornado Family; a family that included several additional touchdowns after the Goessel storm dissipated.
The first tornado of the Hesston storm touched down at approximately 4:34 p.m. CDT just to the northeast of Pretty Prairie. It was initially between 200 and 500 yards in diameter, and caused minimal (F1-F2) damage as it churned between Castleton and the Cheney Reservoir. Photographic evidence suggests significant widening as the tornado approached Haven and the Arkansas River. The damage path ranged between 1/2 and 3/4 miles near Haven, and several homes were completely demolished indicating F4 damage. Had the tornado moved through a more populated area in this stage of its life, it is likely that it would have caused much more dramatic damage. Fairly constant F3 damage was produced from Haven to Burlington and to the Little Arkansas River. The path width remained over 1/2 mile in diameter.
Northeast of the Little Arkansas, the track abruptly decreased in width from 1/2 mile to just over 300 yards. Photographs suggest what appears to be a re-organization of the tornadic circulation; initially a wedge like appearance, the funnel quckly became tall and narrow. The most significant damage was done in this stage, however. The tornado plowed into the town of Hesston, just northwest of Newton on I-135. Numerous homes and businesses were destroyed, and several were swept completely from their foundations. Portions of the damage path in Hesston were rated F5. 59 people were injured; fortunately, only one fatality was reported.
The series of events that occurred as the tornado moved past the Hesston area were most interesting. Eyewitness accounts observed the touchdown of an additional tornado just to the north. Over the course of a few miles, the new tornado intensified and the original one diminished. Eventually, the Hesston storm (after having traveled for nearly 48 miles) merged with the new funnel, and the system began to re-intensify. Violent damage was produced by the second tornado in Marion county; several homes were again completely demolished and swept away and one additional fatality was reported. The storm passed Goessel and then dissipated approximately 22 miles from its genesis. It was also rated F5.
