Tornado outbreak of March 16–17, 1942
Tornado outbreak
Tornadoes≥ 28
Maximum ratingF5 tornado
DurationMarch 16–17, 1942
Overall effects
Fatalities149
Injuries≥ 1,312
Damage$5.25 million (1942 USD)[nb 1]
$94 million (2024 USD)
Areas affectedCentral and Southern United States
Part of the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1942

On March 16–17, 1942, a deadly late-winter tornado outbreak struck a large area of the Central and Southern United States. The tornado outbreak killed 149 people and injured at least 1,312. At least five states reported violent tornadoes, from Illinois and Indiana south to Mississippi, beginning with an F4 tornado in the morning in Illinois. Intense activity spread south to the Gulf Coast and north to the Michigan–Indiana border as the day went on. Seven violent tornadoes were reported, one of which was a powerful F5 in Illinois. A long-tracked F4 tornado family in Mississippi claimed 63 lives as well, becoming the deadliest tornado of the outbreak. Another long-lived F4 in Tennessee killed 15 more people, and a series of intense tornadoes caused 23 other deaths in Kentucky. The outbreak also produced 18 tornadoes that caused at least one death, one of the highest such totals for a single outbreak.[1][nb 2][nb 3][nb 4]

Daily statistics

Daily statistics of tornadoes produced by the tornado outbreak of March 16–17, 1942
Date Total Fujita scale rating Deaths Injuries Damage[nb 1]
 FU   F0   F1   F2   F3   F4   F5 
March 16 27 1 0 0 7 12 6 1 149 1,304 $5,195,000 [11][12]
March 17 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 7 $25,000 [11][12]
Total 28 1 0 0 7 13 6 1 149 1,312 $5,250,000 [11][12]

Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
1 0 0 7 13 6 1 ≥ 28
"FU" denotes confirmed but unrated tornadoes.

March 16 event

Confirmed tornadoes – Monday, March 16, 1942[nb 5][nb 6]
F# Location County / Parish State Time (UTC) Path length Max. width Damage
F3 SW of Okarche to E of Kingfisher Canadian, Kingfisher OK 05:10–? 12 mi (19 km) 500 yd (460 m) $30,000
The first tornado of the outbreak attained a peak width of up to 1 mi (1.6 km). The tornado first struck Okarche and caused minor damage in town, but did most of its damage to several rural farmsteads. In the countryside, the tornado destroyed many barns and a home, and killed hundreds of farm animals. The tornado severely injured one person, but did not cause any deaths. Total losses reached $30,000.[14][15]
F4 W of Ivesdale to NE of Alvin Piatt, Champaign, Vermilion IL 16:30–17:45 60 mi (97 km) 400 yd (370 m) $300,000
12 deaths — This violent tornado either originated as or was related to a separate tornado that developed near Bement. It moved northeast at about 50 mph (80 km/h), and generated F4-level damage at two separate locations along its path. As it passed near Savoy, Mayview, and St. Joseph, the tornado obliterated several farms. Subsequently, the tornado killed six people, including one each in five different homes, as it impacted the western portion of Alvin. There, it destroyed or damaged approximately 25 homes, along with a church and several stores. Other fatalities occurred near Savoy, Mayview, St. Joseph, and Hope. In all, the tornado injured 60 people and caused $300,000 in damages.[16][17][18][14]
F4 S of Berclair to New Harmony Leflore, Carroll, Grenada, Tallahatchie, Yalobusha, Lafayette, Pontotoc, Union MS 21:00–? 110 mi (180 km) 600 yd (550 m) $600,000
63+ deaths — See section on this tornado
F2 WNW of Smithfield to W of Farmington Fulton IL 22:00–? 10 mi (16 km) Un­known $100,000
This tornado began near Smithfield, passed through Fairview, and dissipated near Farmington. The tornado destroyed homes and barns as it struck 13 farmsteads. It also unroofed several of the homes. In all, the tornado injured 11 people, including a teacher, and caused $100,000 in damages. The teacher had canceled school early.[16][19]
F2 WNW of Fairview to NNE of Elmwood Knox, Peoria IL 22:15–? 8 mi (13 km) 200 yd (180 m) Un­known
This tornado passed near Middlegrove and Yates City as it affected 10 or more farmsteads, four of which incurred the complete destruction of all outbuildings and barns; however, the tornado only managed to unroof and destroy a few homes. The tornado began near Fairview and ended near Elmwood.[16][19]
F2 S of Grenada Grenada MS 22:15–? 5 mi (8.0 km) 100 yd (91 m) $300,000
1 death — This tornado moved northeastward through an industrial section on the outskirts of Grenada. It passed within 20 yd (18 m) of a hospital whose staff were tending to victims of the Otoucalofa tornado. Near Grenada, the tornado produced $300,000 in losses, a large proportion of which were confined to a factory, though the tornado also hit 23 homes. Four injuries occurred as well.[19]
F3 W of Holly Springs to NE of Spring Hill Marshall, Benton MS 22:20–? 15 mi (24 km) 400 yd (370 m) $100,000
5 deaths — This tornado destroyed about 50 homes and damaged the North Mississippi Branch Experiment Station (Mississippi Experimental Farm Station) of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES). The tornado continued northeastward to the Mississippi–Tennessee state line before dissipating. In all, 40 people were injured, and losses totalled $100,000.[19][20]
F5 SSE of Dunlap to SE of Henry Peoria, Marshall IL 22:30–? 30 mi (48 km) 400 yd (370 m) $600,000
7 deaths — See section on this tornado
F3 WSW of Huntingdon to S of Dover Carroll, Henry, Stewart TN 22:30–? 55 mi (89 km) 800 yd (730 m) $100,000
5 deaths — This long-tracked tornado first destroyed eight homes and severely injured 15 people in the Huntingdon area. Near Mansfield, four people died, 45 sustained injuries, and a student was injured in a school. Afterward, the tornado narrowly missed Manleyville and Springville. Near Stribling, south of Short Creek, the tornado removed soil and swept away one home. One person died and seven others were injured in the home. Eight rural farms were destroyed across Stewart County, near Lick Creek. In all, 68 people were injured and total losses reached $100,000.[19][21]
F4 Bethel Springs to Beacon McNairy, Henderson, Chester, Decatur TN 22:30–? 45 mi (72 km) 800 yd (730 m) $400,000
15 deaths — This violent, long-lived tornado mostly affected sparsely populated areas, but obliterated homes, farmsteads, and tracts of forested land. It killed eight people almost immediately as it touched down and caused four more deaths near Reagan. Other deaths were reported east of Finger, near Enville, and near Beacon. Many small homes were flattened. 200 injuries occurred, along with $400,000 in losses.[22][19] An EF3 tornado also struck Bethel Springs on March 31, 2023.
F2 WNW of Bolivar Hardeman TN 22:30–? Un­known Un­known Un­known
This tornado struck the Western Mental Health Institute, known then as Western State Hospital, and unroofed a number of buildings there. 12 patients sustained injuries from broken glass.[19][23]
F3 SE of Hornsby Hardeman, McNairy TN 22:45–? 8 mi (13 km) Un­known $40,000
This tornado injured five people and destroyed a total of eight homes. Losses totalled $40,000.[19]
F3 W of Lincoln to SSE of Evans Lincoln IL 23:00–? 5 mi (8.0 km) 400 yd (370 m) $25,000
2 deaths – This tornado destroyed six barns and three homes, one of which sustained borderline-F4-level damage. A couple sustained severe injuries and later died. In all, three people were injured, and losses totalled $25,000.[24][16]
F2 S of Ofahoma to Carthage Leake MS 23:00–? 16 mi (26 km) Un­known Un­known
1 death – This tornado produced intermittent damage along its path. In Carthage, the tornado destroyed several small homes, a sizeable church, and barns. 10 injuries were reported.[19]
F2 Shelbyville to NE of Lewisville Shelby, Rush, Henry IN 23:00–? 30 mi (48 km) 400 yd (370 m) $300,000
As this tornado touched down on the southern side of Shelbyville, it injured seven people and damaged homes, factories, and a hatchery, with losses totalling $300,000. Intermittent damage occurred elsewhere, primarily on the eastern outskirts of Mays and near Lewisville. Near the latter, a number of cattle died and a barn was destroyed.[25]
F4 Northern Baldwyn (1st tornado) Lee, Prentiss MS 23:05–? 5 mi (8.0 km) 300 yd (270 m) $250,000
5 deaths – This was one of two powerful tornadoes to strike Baldwyn in close succession. It damaged or destroyed more than 50 homes, several of which were leveled. F4 damage only occupied a limited area, however. 50 injuries occurred, along with losses of $250,000. A separate but related tornado may have caused an additional fatality near Verona, but this could not be confirmed.[22][25]
F3 Downtown Baldwyn (2nd tornado) Lee, Prentiss MS 23:40–? 5 mi (8.0 km) 200 yd (180 m) $750,000
This tornado closely followed the first event in Baldwin, but produced greater losses than the latter, owing to its having struck the center of town. The tornado damaged or destroyed homes, schools, and businesses before ending as a downburst. 15 injuries occurred, and losses totalled $750,000.[25]
F3 SE of Greenville to E of Drakesboro Muhlenberg KY 23:40–? 10 mi (16 km) 300 yd (270 m) $300,000
11 deaths – This intense tornado obliterated 12 small homes in Browder and killed 10 people in town, five of whom perished in one family. A final death occurred on a farm near Drakesboro. Losses totalled $300,000, and 50 injuries occurred.[25]
F3 Waterloo Lauderdale AL 00:00–? 1.5 mi (2.4 km) 400 yd (370 m) $35,000
2 deaths – This short-lived tornado damaged or destroyed 24 homes. The bodies of the dead were found 200 yd (180 m) from their home. 30 injuries occurred, and losses totalled $35,000.[25]
F4 N of Caneyville to N of Summit Grayson, Hardin KY 00:15–? 30 mi (48 km) 200 yd (180 m) $150,000
9 deaths – This powerful tornado, which formed from the same storm as the Browder F3, injured 40 people and caused $150,000 in losses as it tracked near Millwood, Leitchfield, Clarkson, and Summit. Approximately 20 homes were destroyed, several of which were obliterated.[22][25]
F3 SSW of McEwen Humphreys TN 00:30–? Un­known 150 yd (140 m) Un­known
2 deaths – This tornado injured 10 people and destroyed six homes as it passed near Hurricane Creek, a tributary of the Duck River, and Bold Spring.[25]
F3 Coopertown Cheatham, Robertson TN 01:00–? 9 mi (14 km) 800 yd (730 m) $100,000
1 death – This tornado destroyed a total of at least 24 barns and homes. Many chickens were killed, 20 people were injured, and losses totalled $100,000.[25]
F3 N of Bardstown Nelson KY 01:30–? 15 mi (24 km) 200 yd (180 m) $70,000
4 deaths – This tornado flattened rural homes as it tracked from near Deatsville to Coxs Creek. 40 injuries occurred, and losses totalled $70,000.[25]
F3 Goodspring to Diana Giles TN 02:00–? 20 mi (32 km) 150 yd (140 m) $150,000
2 deaths – This tornado damaged or destroyed 24 homes as it struck Diana. Four injuries occurred, and losses totalled $150,000.[25]
F2 SW of Plymouth Marshall IN 02:15–? Un­known Un­known Un­known
This short-lived tornado destroyed a barn and injured two people beside the Yellow River.[25]
F4 SE of Goshen Elkhart IN 02:32–? 10 mi (16 km) 200 yd (180 m) $500,000
2 deaths – This violent tornado destroyed or damaged 87 homes on the outskirts of Goshen. As the tornado neared the end of its life, it narrowed and intensified to F4-level intensity. As it did so, it obliterated a home and caused two deaths. In all, 53 injuries occurred, along with losses of $500,000.[22][25]
FU W of Findlay Shelby IL Un­known Un­known Un­known Un­known
A tornado was reported.[16]

March 17 event

Confirmed tornadoes – Tuesday, March 17, 1942[nb 5][nb 6]
F# Location County / Parish State Time (UTC) Path length Max. width Damage
F3 Between Norway and Springfield Orangeburg SC 23:30–? 10 mi (16 km) 400 yd (370 m) $25,000
This tornado injured seven people as it destroyed or damaged 15 homes, with losses of $25,000.[25]

Avalon–Cascilla–Otoucalofa–Tula, Mississippi

Avalon–Cascilla–Otoucalofa–Tula, Mississippi
Meteorological history
FormedMarch 16, 1942, 4:00 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00)
F4 tornado
on the Fujita scale
Overall effects
Casualties≥ 63 fatalities, 500 injuries
Damage$600,000 (1942 USD)
$10.8 million (2024 USD)

This long-tracked tornado family caused at least 19 deaths in Leflore County as it leveled many small homes. Three of the fatalities occurred near Itta Bena and Greenwood. In Carroll County, the tornado caused five additional deaths near Avalon. The tornado also impacted and hurled a school bus for 50 yd (46 m); 11 children and the driver sustained injuries. As it traversed Grenada County, the tornado struck another school bus and killed a child. Nearby, the tornado obliterated a house and claimed three more lives. Three other people died in another home near Cascilla in Tallahatchie County. The tornado generated its worst damage in Otoucalofa, known then as O'Tuckalofa, near Water Valley. In this area, the tornado destroyed 10 sq mi (26 km2) of timber and killed 19 people, including the school superintendent, whose home and school were leveled and whose car was moved 300 yd (900 ft). Northwest of Tula, five more deaths occurred, four of which took place in a single home. In all, the tornado injured 500 people and caused $600,000 in losses.[26]

Barrville–Lacon, Illinois

Barrville–Lacon, Illinois
Meteorological history
FormedMarch 16, 1942, 5:30 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00)
F5 tornado
on the Fujita scale
Overall effects
Casualties7 fatalities, 70 injuries
Damage$600,000 (1942 USD)
$10.8 million (2024 USD)

This extremely violent tornado remains the most recent F5 or EF5 tornado on record in Central Illinois. It touched down east of Kickapoo and impacted areas near Alta and on the northwestern outskirts of Chillicothe. The tornado subsequently struck the settlement of Barrville, beside the Illinois River, before crossing the river to the south of Sparland. Near the river, the tornado caused one fatality. The tornado intensified to its peak intensity as it entered Lacon; although it bypassed the business district, the tornado destroyed a quarter of the town, which inclusively totaled about 60 homes, several of which were entirely swept away. Three deaths occurred in Lacon. About 3 mi (4.8 km) farther on to the northeast, the tornado produced F5-level damage to a farmhouse and killed three people there. The tornado also lofted debris from Lacon for a total distance of up to 25 mi (40 km). Two schools in Lacon received extensive damage as well, and a home in town was uplifted and deposited in a neighboring yard. Along the entire path, about 70 injuries occurred, along with $600,000 in losses.[16][26]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 All losses are in 1942 USD unless otherwise noted.
  2. ↑ An outbreak is generally defined as a group of at least six tornadoes (the number sometimes varies slightly according to local climatology) with no more than a six-hour gap between individual tornadoes. An outbreak sequence, prior to (after) the start of modern records in 1950, is defined as a period of no more than two (one) consecutive days without at least one significant (F2 or stronger) tornado.[2]
  3. ↑ The Fujita scale was devised under the aegis of scientist T. Theodore Fujita in the early 1970s. Prior to the advent of the scale in 1971, tornadoes in the United States were officially unrated.[3][4] While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,[5] Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013;[6] nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.[7]
  4. ↑ Historically, the number of tornadoes globally and in the United States was and is likely underrepresented: research by Grazulis on annual tornado activity suggests that, as of 2001, only 53% of yearly U.S. tornadoes were officially recorded. Documentation of tornadoes outside the United States was historically less exhaustive, owing to the lack of monitors in many nations and, in some cases, to internal political controls on public information.[8] Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.[9] Significant low biases in U.S. tornado counts likely occurred through the early 1990s, when advanced NEXRAD was first installed and the National Weather Service began comprehensively verifying tornado occurrences.[10]
  5. 1 2 All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time and dates are split at midnight CST/CDT for consistency.
  6. 1 2 Prior to 1994, only the average widths of tornado paths were officially listed.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Grazulis 1993, p. 37.
  2. ↑ Schneider, Russell S.; Brooks, Harold E.; Schaefer, Joseph T. (2004). Tornado Outbreak Day Sequences: Historic Events and Climatology (1875–2003) (PDF). 22nd Conf. Severe Local Storms. Hyannis, Massachusetts: American Meteorological Society. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  3. ↑ Grazulis 1993, p. 141.
  4. ↑ Grazulis 2001a, p. 131.
  5. ↑ Edwards, Roger (March 5, 2015). "Enhanced F Scale for Tornado Damage". The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC). Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale)". Environment and Climate Change Canada. June 6, 2013. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  7. ↑ "The International Tornado Intensity Scale". Tornado and Storm Research Organisation. 2016. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  8. ↑ Grazulis 2001a, pp. 251–4.
  9. ↑ Edwards, Roger (March 5, 2015). "The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC)". Storm Prediction Center: Frequently Asked Questions about Tornadoes. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  10. ↑ Cook & Schaefer 2008, p. 3135.
  11. 1 2 3 Grazulis 1993, pp. 898–900
  12. 1 2 3 USWB 1942.
  13. ↑ Brooks 2004, p. 310.
  14. 1 2 Grazulis 1993, p. 897.
  15. ↑ Wahlgren 1942.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Lacon F5 Tornado of March 16, 1942". National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Central Illinois. Lincoln, Illinois: National Weather Service. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  17. ↑ Stapp & Bowman 1968, p. 48.
  18. ↑ Holcomb 1942.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Grazulis 1993, p. 898.
  20. ↑ "North Mississippi Branch Experiment Station". Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. Mississippi State, Mississippi: Mississippi State University. 1 July 2018 [2015]. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  21. ↑ HCHS 1995, p. 90.
  22. 1 2 3 4 Grazulis 1984, p. A-51.
  23. ↑ "Western Mental Health Institute". Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services. Nashville, Tennessee. Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  24. ↑ Grazulis 1993, pp. 898–9.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Grazulis 1993, p. 899.
  26. 1 2 Grazulis 1993, p. 898

Sources

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