Palm Sunday tornado outbreak of 1920

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Palm Sunday (1920) Tornado Outbreak
Date of tornado outbreak: March 28, 1920
Duration1: ~9 hours
Maximum rated tornado2: F4 tornado
Tornadoes caused: > 38
Damages: Unknown
Fatalities: 380+
Areas affected: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin

1Time from first tornado to last tornado
2Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita Scale

The Palm Sunday tornado outbreak of 1920 was an outbreak of at least 38 significant tornadoes across the Midwest and Deep South states on on March 28, 1920. The tornadoes left over 380+ dead, and at least 1,215 injured. Many communities and farmers alike, were caught off-guard, as the storms moved to the northeast at speeds that reached over 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). Most of the fatalities occurred in Georgia (201+), Indiana (56), and Ohio (55), while the other states had lesser amounts.

Severe thunderstorms began developing in Missouri during the early morning hours. The storms moved quickly to the northeast towards Chicago, Illinois. The first tornado injured five people 35 miles (56 km) southeast of Springfield, Missouri in the pre-dawn hours in Douglas County. This first twister was a harbinger of things to come, as the morning went on and the atmosphere began to destabilize, due to the abundance of sunshine that preceded the cold front in the dry slot area, which covered the lower Great Lakes region, extending southward well past the Ohio River Valley.

Newspaper accounts and weather records document over 38 storms of major significance; thus, the probable number of actual tornadoes is much higher, especially when the U.S. Weather Bureau (National Weather Service) prior to 1916 did not conduct any aerial/damage surveys, nor was there any public education campaign for the public to properly report them. The only time prior to 1950 where weather forecasters would conduct an official inquiry is when a single tornado was noteworthy of an extensive investigation, such as the infamous Tri-State Tornado of March 18th, 1925, the Tupelo-Gainesville tornado outbreak (Palm Sunday) event of April 5-6th, 1936 or the Woodward, Oklahoma disaster of April 9, 1947.

The only states that kept any solid records on tornadoes after World War I, were the ones that had the highest frequency of occurrence in Tornado Alley. Therefore, the Great Lakes Region varied from state-to-state in their record keeping of such events. Further, it fell upon most state departments of agriculture to record any significant crop damage or livestock losses due to natural disasters. Conversely, starting in 1900, the state of Michigan decided to keep formal records on the annual number of tornadoes across the state and the losses associated with them; whereas, Indiana and Ohio would follow suit in the mid 1920s. These records contained the tornado’s estimated path length, damages, injuries, and deaths to humans, or livestock.

According to Thomas P. Grazulis, head of the Tornado Project, the death tolls in the southern states on Palm Sunday 1920, could have easily been much higher, since the deaths of non-whites were omitted as a matter of official state protocol, even when it came to fatalities from natural disasters. However, U.S. Weather Bureau would change this in the 1950s, when all deaths, regardless of race, that was attributed to severe weather were recorded by federal government policy in every state. Nonetheless, the tornadoes that hit Deep South on March 28, did in fact strike sections of towns that had sizable black populations. No survey information was conducted at this time to determine the actual death toll in these areas which, could be substantially much higher.

Contents

[edit] Overview

According to meteorologist and weather historian Charles Merlin Umpenhour, climatic conditions were favorable on Palm Sunday 1920, for all the atmospheric ingredients to come together needed to create the classic setup needed for long-track tornadoes. However, forecasting, communications technology, and public awareness about Severe Weather, was nearly nonexistent in 1920, and would not begin for another 33 years, when the U.S. Weather Bureau would implement its public Watch (the word ‘forecast’ was used until 1966) and Warning program in 1953.

For the residents of the Great Lakes region and Ohio Valley areas, their only source of weather information was the rather vague forecasts that were issued in the local newspaper of the day before or by word of mouth. The use of the word "tornado" was strictly prohibited in public weather forecasting until the 1950s because of the fear and panic it might cause. This policy would come under-fire in the years to come, especially after the Tri-State Tornado in 1925 that stands today as the deadliest twister in American History.

Weather forecasters and the public alike in the Chicago, Dayton, Fort Wayne, Lansing, South Bend, and Toledo areas were unaware that the stage was set that day for a tragic tornado outbreak that would follow on a balmy and seemingly tranquil Palm Sunday afternoon. The weather maps in use in 1920 showed a rather large and deep cyclone over northern Iowa that was forecast to move across central Lower Michigan by nightfall with a trailing cold front. Meteorologists knew rain showers and perhaps a thundershower was a good possibility, but were unaware that the helicity, lifted index, and upper level winds were being guided by a strong jet stream, with a probable negative-tilt that would create favorable conditions for the development of tornadoes.

[edit] Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed
Total		 Confirmed
F0		 Confirmed
F1		 Confirmed
F2		 Confirmed
F3		 Confirmed
F4		 Confirmed
F5
38 ? ? 14 11 13 0

[edit] Illinois

Just before the noon hour, severe thunderstorms began forming 50 miles (80 km) west of downtown Chicago. The first storm started to spawn killer tornadoes in DeKalb and then Kane Counties, starting at 12:00 pm. Roughly 15 minutes later a violent tornado F4 tore through Will and Cook Counties, cutting a path 53 miles (85 km) long in the Bellwood Maywood areas that would kill 20 people as the storm devastated the community of Melrose Park. Ten of the fatalities occurred when the storm made a direct hit on the Melrose Park Catholic Church and Convent, where people were getting ready for Palm Sunday services. Six more people would be killed in the community of Dunning, before the storm passed out into Lake Michigan.

[edit] Wisconsin

The only tornado to affect Wisconsin touched down in Kenosha County and caused widespread damage, but there were no injuries and fatalities reported. The F2 twister first made contact with the ground west of Pleasant Prairie and moved east-northeast at 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). The only casualties reported were livestock on area farms, consisting of mostly cows, chickens, horses, and sheep. This tornado moved out into Lake Michigan north of Kenosha.

[edit] Michigan

As the Palm Sunday storms swept quickly out of the Chicago area across Lake Michigan, they moved towards Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Fourteen tornadoes (highest number of any state reported) would cause massive destruction across the region from Berrien and Mason Counties starting at 12:30 pm, moving northeastward to the Kalamazoo, Lansing, Flint and Saginaw areas, ending after 8:00 pm.

Starting at 4:30 pm, three F4 tornadoes and one long-track F3 tornado would touch down; the latter of which caused a 50 miles (80 km) path of damage from Mulliken to just southeast of Merrill in Saginaw County. This tornado destroyed numerous farms near Wacousta in Clinton County and several factories in St. Johns.

The highest number of casualties came from a violent tornado at 4:30 p.m. that moved from near Gull Lake in Kalamazoo County, to Vermontville in Barry County. Another tornado touched down parallel to it 11 miles (18 km) to the west of thisthe sky simultaneously just northeast of Orangeville. This storm would kill one and injure another five as it destroyed most of the structures in its path, including well constructed buildings and homes, making it a candidate for being classified as another F4 tornado.

The aforementioned storm may have first touched down near Alamo, in northwestern Kalamazoo County at the same time the Gull Lake twister was dropping from the sky. At the same time, another tornado was descending from the darkening skies over northwestern Steuben County, Indiana, moving quickly into Branch County killing two and injuring five more people.

[edit] Alabama

While the tornado outbreak was getting under way in the Great Lakes region, activity was also picking up in the Southeast United States. Unseasonably warm weather, combined with deep moisture surging northward from the Gulf of Mexico, was setting the stage for the clash between the air masses. All that was needed was a triggering mechanism and it came in the form of a cold front, which spawned supercell thunderstorms that quickly turned tornadic around 2:00 pm, producing the first killer tornado in Calhoun County.

Three killer tornadoes moved across eastern Alabama, and then moved into western Georgia. Hardest hit was Elmore County which was struck by two tornadoes, each within 15 minutes of each other, the latter being an F4, long-track storm that moved rapidly across Elmore, Tallapoosa, and Chambers Counties in Alabama, and then into Troup County, Georgia. This violent twister first touched down near Red Hill and moved rapidly east-northeast at 60 miles per hour (97 km/h), finally dissipating northeast of West Point, Georgia. Furthermore, this tornado killed 17 and injured 125; destroying 60 homes as it passed through Agricola, Susanna and Red Ridge, Alabama.

[edit] Georgia

Tornadic activity began in Georgia around at 2:00 pm, when the first tornado descended from the sky in Pike County. This storm affected the areas to the west of Zebulon, only injuring a few people on local farms. However, the worst was yet to come 45 miles per hour (72 km/h) west in Troup County.

Just after 3:15 pm, a severe thunderstorm producing tennis ball sized hail moved across the state line from Alabama, bringing with it a very large and violent F4 twister. The community of West Point, suffered major damage, as the tornado flattened a four block area, killing nine people. The storm quickly moved off into rural parts of the county where it lifted causing more deaths and destruction, which accounted for half of the deaths across the state.

Another highly destructive tornado (possibly an F4) struck the southeast side of LaGrange at 5:45 pm, destroying the industrial area of the city. Several factories and a cotton mill were reduced to knee-high rubble by a fast moving storm that was .5 miles (1 km) wide and moving along the ground at 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). After heading out of the manufacturing area, the twister would completely destroy 40 frail houses before movinging off to the east-northeast.

According to Troup County Historian, Forest Clark Johnson, III, these two tornadoes would claim well over 100 lives in LaGrange alone, and another 100+ victims in Troup County, bringing the death to well over 200. Likewise, the number of those injured completely overwhelmed the local medical facilities, which had to summon assistance from other areas of the state including Atlanta.

[edit] Indiana

The first tornado funnel would descend to the ground in in Indiana occurred in Lake County around 3:00 pm, moving 7 miles (11 km) from Leroy heading into Porter County and ending near Beatrice. Several homes would be destroyed and one person would lose his life when his house was destroyed.

At 3:15 pm a tornado formed 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Mishawaka. The twister moved northeast at 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) into Elkhart County and injured eight people.

Around 5:15 p.m. another killer tornado would touch down near the Wells County community of Ossian. Increasing rapidly in size and intensity, this tornado had a 100 miles (161 km) path which stretched into northwest Lucas County, Ohio. Several eyewitnesses to this storm said that it did not look like a traditional tornado, but more like a very large, low hanging mass of turbulent clouds that resembled boiling pot of oatmeal.[citation needed] This may have accounted for the deaths and injuries of so many farmers within its path, since many farmers were usually accustomed to taking shelter during dangerous weather situations.

This large tornado took aim on the small hamlet of Townley, in southeastern Allen County, virtually destroying the entire town by leveling every building and completely sweeping the debris away in some cases away, leaving only the foundations. Four people would die here and many others would be injured. Further south along the Ohio border counties of Jay, Randolph and Wayne, three additional killer tornadoes touched down and caused major damage.

Another large and violent tornado formed in central Jay County and devastated the town of West Liberty as it moved northeast at around 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). As the tornado moved into the northeastern part of the county, the areas to the east of Geneva and south of Ceylon several farms were swept away. From here the twister would move on into Mercer and Van Wert Counties in Ohio.

Two additional long-track killer tornadoes would claim more lives and cause well over $1 million in damages. The first touched down near Union City, in Randolph County and move rapidly to the northeast ending near Lightsville, Ohio. The second and more powerful twister touched down west of Fountain City, in Wayne County. It destroyed several farms before increasing in strength while crossing into Darke County, Ohio, causing destruction all the way to just north of Greenville, which was a heavily populated area in the spring of 1920. Eight people would die and 40 people would be treated at local hospitals for serious injuries from this storm.

[edit] Ohio

The tornadoes that struck the western counties of Darke, Defiance, Mercer, Paulding, and Van Wert in Ohio on March 28th, 1920, originated in the Hoosier State, quickly moving across the state into Ohio.

The first tornado to move into Ohio was from Allen County, Indiana. After moving through Paulding County, twister moved into the Defiance area. Here several homes and a small store would be destroyed and six people would lose their lives.

The violent tornado then moved northeast into Henry and Fulton Counties, tearing through the town of Swanton, causing major damage. Many factories, shops, and homes were demolished. According to the Toledo Blade newspaper, the central business district sustained very heavy damage along Main Street, extending into nearby residential areas, where the damage became more intense. This damage brought out many thieves that looted local businesses and houses that had been hit by the tornado.

Increasing in size, the storm moved into northwest Lucas County the damage became more widespread, as buildings and homes were swept clean of their foundations. Here farmhouses and other buildings would be reduced to rubble as the as the violent tornado, one .5 miles (1 km) wide at this point moved towards Raabs Corners.

The residents of Raabs Corners were largely unaware of the impending danger as they celebrated Palm Sunday services at the Immaculate Conception and St. Mary's Churches that evening. Just after 7:00 p.m. rain and small hail started to come down in torrents. As the power went out churchgoers lighted kerosene lamps to illuminate the interior of their buildings, and to continue their Palm Sunday services, when the winds began to increase followed by large hail that shattered all the windows. Around 7:15 p.m. a solid black wall of swirling clouds proceeded to engulf Raabs Corners, destroying everything in its path killing four people. Local residents decided not to rebuild the town, moving to nearby communities in Michigan and Ohio. Today, only an intersection remains at once was the main four corners.

While this tornado would dissipate just after reaching the Michigan State Line, further south in Mercer and Van Wert Counties, another tornado was coming, and it like its predecessor to the north would destroy everything in its path.

After exiting Adams County, Indiana, this large tornado moved towards the far northwestern part of Mercer County in west-central Ohio, again destroying nearly everything in its path. As the tornado moved on into Van Wert County, three more victims would perish and many would be injured as the storm moved to the south of Van Wert. Some of this same was hit by another violent twister on November 10, 2002.

Two more tornadoes 46 miles (74 km) to the east-northeast and south of Van Wert were already on the ground when the previous storm lifted. The first, a large tornado entered Darke County from Indiana. This storm would kill five and injure 10 more near the community of Lightsville before dissipating. The second storm would move towards the Bowling Green area.

According to the Dayton Journal, the greatest amount of damage would occur in the Darke County community of Greenville, when a second tornado, more violent than the first, would cause intense damage of everything in its path. Moving northeast from the Greenville-Nashville Road area at roughly 50 miles per hour (80 km/h), eight people lost their lives as their homes were destroyed. As the recovery got underway, special trains to Cincinnati and other nearby towns transported the injured to medical facilities where they were treated.

Around 7:30 pm, another tornado developed in eastern Mercer County first appearing as a waterspout over Grand Lake St. Marys. This storm quickly intensified as it moved towards the northeast at 55 miles per hour (89 km/h). The heaviest damage occurred near Moulton located in Auglaize County as several farms and homes were destroyed, with only minor injuries reported. This tornado continued on into Allen County, but lifted before striking the city of Lima.

To the north in Wood County, another twister (some reports say there were two at the same time) touched down east of Bowling Green, Ohio and moved rapidly northeast into Sandusky County, taking everything in its path with it. Moving into the Ottawa County village of Genoa, over 36 homes and several businesses were completely destroyed. In the Clay Township area, two people were killed and 20 people were injured, extending to the small town of Trowbridge. The tornado passed out into Lake Erie before causing any further damage.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Press Pool. "Northwest Ohio Is Swept By Tornado; 19 Known Dead." Toledo Blade newspaper. March 30, 1920. Retrieved on April 17, 2001.
  • Press Pool. "Reconstruction Starts In Storm Area Where 22 Died." Toledo Blade newspaper. March 31, 1920. Retrieved on April 17, 2001.

[edit] External links and references

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Tornado events in Alabama