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Tornadoes of 1973
TimespanJanuary 10–December 31, 1973
Maximum rated tornadoF5 tornado
Tornadoes in U.S.1102
Damage (U.S.)>$1 billion
Fatalities (U.S.)89
Fatalities (worldwide)>760

This page documents notable tornadoes and tornado outbreaks worldwide in 1973, but mostly features events in the United States. According to tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis, 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.[1] Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.[2] Consequently, available documentation in 1973 mainly covered the United States. On average, most recorded tornadoes, including the vast majority of significant—F2[nb 1] or stronger—tornadoes, form in the U.S., although as many as 500 may take place internationally.[1] Some locations, like Bangladesh, are as prone to violent tornadoes as the U.S., meaning F4 or greater events on the Fujita scale.[7]

Historically, the number of tornadoes globally[1] 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.[8] 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.[9] Owing to increases in storm spotters, the number of tornadoes in the U.S. reached new heights in the early 1970s.[8] 1973 was the first year in which more than 1,000 tornadoes were verified in the United States.[10] The long-term annual mean for the U.S. is roughly 1,300 tornadoes each year,[2] though Grazulis estimates that the real total may be close to 1,800.[11] Despite having the highest annual total in the nation to date, 1973 failed to establish records in terms of significant or killer tornadoes—several earlier years had already done so.[12]

Notable scientific milestones toward understanding the life cycle of tornadoes occurred in Oklahoma on May 24, 1973, when researchers exploited primitive Doppler weather radar, then under development by the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), to examine a tornado vortex signature, or TVS, for the first time in history.[13][10] The scientists, in one of the earliest successful cases of storm chasing, were able to study the evolution of a violent tornado near Union City, and to generate clear visual photography of its entire life cycle, from birth to decay. The successful deployment of Doppler radar to detect tornado formation also pointed the way to the development of a nationwide Doppler radar system, and helped precipitate funding for studies on tornadogenesis.[13][10]

Synopsis

At the beginning of the year, one of the strongest El Niño episodes since 1950, as defined by sea surface temperatures, was in progress but gradually diminishing, according to the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI). Peak trimonthly anomalies, measured in moving averages, were +1.7 °C above normal for the period December–February of 1972–1973.[14] The month of January featured clusters of tornado activity along the Gulf Coast, primarily in Texas and Louisiana, as well as part of the Florida peninsula—a pattern not inconsistent with that of El Niño winters in general.[15][9] The deadliest and strongest tornado of the month was an F3 that struck Caldwell Parish, Louisiana, on January 18, killing one person and injuring two others. It was part of a larger outbreak on the same date that spawned five other significant tornadoes near the Gulf Coast, with 19 total injuries. A smaller outbreak affected Central Florida ten days later, causing damaging F2 tornadoes in the Campbell–Orlando area, with 24 injuries.[15] February featured much less activity, with 10 confirmed tornadoes compared to 33 in January, and no destructive or deadly tornadoes occurred. Outside the U.S., a catastrophic tornado, believed to be an F5, ravaged a small town in Argentina on January 10, causing more than 50 deaths.[16]

Intense tornado activity increased significantly across the U.S. in March, when the nation's first violent tornadoes of the year touched down in Texas and South Carolina. There were 17 deaths and 300 injuries by the end of the month, largely due to two major tornado outbreaks, and tornadoes occurred as far north as Kansas and Michigan.[15] On March 10, an overnight outbreak concentrated in Texas produced a killer F4 tornado that devastated the small town of Hubbard, killing six people and injuring 77.[17][15] On March 31, another outbreak spawned a long-lived supercell that tracked through northern Georgia, causing what was officially[nb 2] that state's costliest natural disaster at the time, with prolific losses from a tornado centered in and near Conyers–Athens; damages reportedly reached $113 million in 1973 dollars.[19][20] Despite the damage, the tornado was of only F2 intensity,[nb 3] and just two deaths were attributed to the tornado, with about 100 injuries. On the same date, a separate tornado in western South Carolina attained F4 strength,[nb 4] killing seven people and injuring 30.[15] In all, 80 tornadoes struck the U.S. in the month of March, 39 of which were F2 or greater.[15]

The month of April was even more active, with 150 tornadoes and 73 F2+ events. The highest concentration of significant tornadoes was in Missouri, where 17 F2+ events occurred.[15] The deadliest tornado of the month was a massive F4 on April 15 that produced intense damage to vehicles and an airport near Pearsall, Texas, killing five people and injuring 12.[21][15] All of the dead were riding in vehicles, one of which contained eight occupants, mostly Mexicans.[19] The tornado struck two cars traveling on Interstate 35 and lofted them into fields, where they were mangled so badly as to be unidentifiable as vehicles.[21] On the same day, an F3 tornado near Plainview affected Interstate 27 and killed two people, one of whom was yet again inside a car: a monitor working for REACT was positioning himself when the tornado hurled his vehicle hundreds of yards.[19] The latter part of April was extremely active, with a major tornado outbreak sequence on April 19–21 and smaller outbreaks on several other days. The period April 17–28 featured tornadoes on 11 consecutive days.[15] The state of Missouri was hardest hit, with three F4 tornadoes each on April 19–21. There were two deaths during this period, one each in Missouri and Arkansas.[15]

The following month, May, was the deadliest month of the year in the U.S., with 35 fatalities from tornadoes—22 of which took place in a three-day span on May 26–29.[15] The nation's only F5 tornado of the year struck near Valley Mills, Texas, on May 6, where it swept away a few barns, leaving little debris on the foundations. Engineers assigned an F5 rating to the tornado because it lofted a pickup truck for a considerable distance.[22] An outbreak over Ohio on May 10 included an F3 tornado that flattened mobile homes in three trailer courts near Willard, inflicting six deaths and 100 injuries.[23][15] Deadly F4 tornadoes killed a combined seven people in Oklahoma on May 24 and 26, respectively, with significant impacts to the community of Keefton.[15][24] An outbreak sequence produced continuous tornado activity from May 26–29, with no gap between tornadoes exceeding six hours. A destructive nighttime tornado, or series of tornadoes, ravaged Jonesboro, Arkansas, on May 26, injuring nearly 300 people, but surprisingly with only three deaths.[15][25] The next day, a long-tracked, violent tornado crossed almost 140 mi (230 km) of central Alabama, obliterating most of the town of Brent, injuring about 200 people, and killing seven.[25]

The remainder of the year featured a rare F4 tornado in New England that struck along the New York/Massachusetts state border on August 28, killing four people and injuring 36, with F4 damage to a home in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts.[26] An outbreak consisting of several tornado families hit Kansas and Nebraska on September 25, with three deaths and over 40 injuries. At the end of the year, Miami-Dade County, Florida, experienced its most damaging tornado until 1998 when an F2 tornado passed through farmland near Homestead, with $800,000 in contemporary losses.

In the United States, 1973 was the most active tornado year up to that time, with over 1,100 confirmed tornadoes.[15][10] Tornadoes killed 89 people nationwide, which exceeded the annual average of about 60,[2] and there were almost 2,400 injuries.[15] Greg Carbin of the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), upon examining data maintained, concluded that strong El Niño events—as measured by the multivariate ENSO index—may foster better conditions for more tornadoes.[27]

Events

See also: List of United States tornadoes from January to February 1973, List of United States tornadoes in March 1973, List of United States tornadoes from April to May 1973, List of United States tornadoes from June to July 1973, List of United States tornadoes from August to September 1973, and List of United States tornadoes from October to December 1973

United States yearly total

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
0 219 497 301 71 13 1 1102

January

See also: List of United States tornadoes from January to February 1973

33 tornadoes were confirmed in January in the United States.

January 10 (Argentina)

Main article: San Justo tornado

A large and violent but short-lived tornado caused at least 54 direct deaths and 350 injuries as it devastated the town of San Justo in Santa Fe Province, Argentina.[16] The tornado, which traversed the west side of the town, headed south for about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) before dissipating, produced peak winds in excess of 170 kilometres per hour (110 mph), and attained a peak width of over 200 metres (220 yd), leaving over 400 people homeless.[28] The tornado affected 500 homes in its path,[16] many of which were leveled or severely damaged, along with a hotel and a car dealership.[28] A press report indicated that numerous homes were swept clean from their concrete foundations. Reportedly, the tornado hurled dozens of vehicles like "ping-pong balls,"[28] including an occupied car that flew 30 ft (9.1 m) through the air, with four fatalities from victims who fell to the ground.[16] Several vehicles were thrown for at least 200 m (220 yd) and mangled beyond recognition. One vehicle was lofted 50 m (55 yd) above the ground and "disintegrated"; its motor was later found embedded in a concrete wall about 100 m (110 yd) away.[28] Additionally, a 10 tonnes (10,000 kg) tractor was found in a wooded area 300 m (330 yd) from its origin,[28] and immense trees were torn from the ground and thrown.[16] Furthermore, grass was reportedly ripped from the ground and a pond outside of town was sucked dry. The tornado, considered to be an F5 on the Fujita scale, was the most violent ever reported in Argentina and Southern Hemisphere, and caused great economic loss. The economic cost of this disaster was about $60,000.[29]

February

See also: List of United States tornadoes from January to February 1973

10 tornadoes were reported in February in the United States.[30]

March

See also: List of United States tornadoes in March 1973

80 tornadoes were reported in March in the United States.[31]

March 10

FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 0 4 6 2 1 0

A relatively small but deadly tornado outbreak rampaged Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi. The outbreak produced an F4 tornado that killed at least 6 people in Mart and Hubbard, Texas. The outbreak also produced a tornado that killed one person near Miles, Texas.

March 31

Main article: March 1973 Georgia-South Carolina tornado outbreak
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 2 2 3 0 1 0

Extremely destructive, though non-violent, tornadoes produced the costliest natural disaster in Georgia history. Officially rated F2, but at least one source considers them F4s. An F4 also occurred in South Carolina.

April

150 tornadoes were reported in April in the United States.[32]

April 17 (Bangladesh)

A tornado struck the Dhaka District of Bangladesh, killing 681 people.

April 19–20

FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 4 19 24 9 2 0

At least 56 tornadoes touched down across Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, and Oklahoma. One tornado, an F4 tornado, touched down in Windsor, Missouri, destroying many buildings and injuring 5 people. An F3 tornado struck Batesville, Arkansas, injuring 18 people. Another F4 tornado touched down, killing 1 person S of La Plata, Missouri.[33][34]

May

250 tornadoes were reported in May in the United States.[35]

May 5–6

Main article: 1973 Valley Mills, Texas tornado outbreak
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 5 3 8 0 0 1

An F5 tornado touched down and destroyed several buildings in Valley Mills, Texas.

May 7–8

Main article: May 7–8, 1973 tornado outbreak
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 5 12 13 1 0 0

May 26–29

Main article: May 1973 tornado outbreak

Several violent tornadoes touched down and caused at least 22 fatalities.

June

224 tornadoes were reported in June in the United States.[36]

July

80 tornadoes were reported in July in the United States.[37]

August

51 tornadoes were reported in August in the United States.[38]

August 28

Main article: August 1973 West Stockbridge tornado

F4 caused major damage in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, killing 4.

September

69 tornadoes were reported in September in the United States.[39]

October

25 tornadoes were reported in October in the United States.[40]

November

81 tornadoes were reported in November in the United States.[41]

December

49 tornadoes were reported in December in the United States.[42]

December 13

Main article: December 1973 South Carolina tornado outbreak

An F4 tornado killed two people in Greenwood, South Carolina. Three F3s and two F2s were also associated with the outbreak.[43]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ 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] While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,[4] Canada utilized the old scale until April 1, 2013;[5] nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.[6]
  2. ^ Subsequent reanalysis conducted by Harold E. Brooks concluded that the actual losses were about $89 million in contemporary U.S. dollars—matching the original losses reported in the monthly publication Storm Data.[2][18]
  3. ^ A paper coauthored by Dr. Fujita in 1973 synthesized aerial photography and ground surveys to analyze the intensity and track of the tornado. It determined that the tornado, officially over 72 miles (116 km) in length,[15] was likely a family of two events, each of which produced peak damage that was assigned an F4 rating.[21]
  4. ^ Fujita and Pearson's study in 1973 awarded an F5 rating to this tornado, which lofted an occupied motel across State Highway 72, causing it to shatter into pieces, killing four people then inside the structure. One segment was moved 200 feet (61 m) from its original location on the foundation.[21][19]

References

  1. ^ a b c Grazulis, Thomas P. (2001). The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 251–254. ISBN 978-0-8061-3538-0. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  2. ^ a b c d Edwards, Roger (5 March 2015). "The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC)". Storm Prediction Center: Frequently Asked Questions about Tornadoes. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  3. ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 141
  4. ^ Edwards, Roger (5 March 2015). "Enhanced F Scale for Tornado Damage". The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC). Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  5. ^ "Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale)". Environment and Climate Change Canada. Environment and Climate Change Canada. 6 June 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-02-25. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  6. ^ "The International Tornado Intensity Scale". Tornado and Storm Research Organisation. Tornado and Storm Research Organisation. 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-02-25. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  7. ^ 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. 128. ISBN 1-879362-03-1. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  8. ^ a b Grazulis 2001, p. 207–208
  9. ^ a b Cook, A. R.; Schaefer, J. T. (August 2008). "The Relation of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to Winter Tornado Outbreaks". Monthly Weather Review. 136: 3121–3137. doi:10.1175/2007MWR2171.1. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d Grazulis 2001, p. 242
  11. ^ Grazulis 2001, p. 211
  12. ^ Grazulis 2001, pp. 209, 229
  13. ^ a b Grazulis 2001, pp. 35, 63
  14. ^ "Cold & Warm Events by Season". Climate Prediction Center. National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Storm Prediction Center WCM Page: Severe Weather Database Files (1950-2014)". Storm Prediction Center. Storm Prediction Center. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  16. ^ a b c d e Grazulis 2001, p. 260
  17. ^ "Tornados rip 8 Texas towns; 4 killed". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Wire Services. March 11, 1973.
  18. ^ "Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena". Storm Data. 15. United States Department of Commerce, NOAA Environmental Data Service: 2–14. March 1973.
  19. ^ a b c d Grazulis 1993, p. 1136
  20. ^ NOAA Natural Disaster Survey Team (1973). Georgia–South Carolina Tornadoes of March 31, 1973 (PDF) (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 27 February 2016. {{cite report}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  21. ^ a b c d Fujita, T. T.; A. Pearson (1973). Experimental Classification of Tornadoes in FPP Scale (Technical report). University of Chicago. SMRP Research Paper No. 98.
  22. ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 1139
  23. ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 1140
  24. ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 1141
  25. ^ a b Grazulis 1993, p. 1142
  26. ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 1144
  27. ^ Carbin, Greg. "Bi-monthly Tornado Counts and ENSO Phase Strength". Storm Prediction Center. Earth System Research Laboratory, CIRES. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  28. ^ a b c d e "Un tornado se abatió ayer sobre San Justo". El Diario (in Spanish). San Justo, Santa Fe. United Press International. January 11, 1973.
  29. ^ Viento Asesino (motion picture). Argentina: unknown. June 19, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2014. {{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |trans_title= (help)
  30. ^ "February 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  31. ^ "March 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  32. ^ "April 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  33. ^ "April 19, 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  34. ^ "April 20, 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  35. ^ "May 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  36. ^ "June 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  37. ^ "July 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  38. ^ "August 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  39. ^ "September 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  40. ^ "October 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  41. ^ "November 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  42. ^ "December 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  43. ^ "December 13, 1973". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
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