Tornado_outbreak_of_April_8,_1957

Tornado outbreak of April 8, 1957

Tornado outbreak of April 8, 1957

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On Monday, April 8, 1957, a widespread tornado outbreak struck the Southeastern United States, particularly the Carolinas, and was responsible for seven deaths and 203 injuries across the region. Most of the activity occurred on either side of the Piedmont, including portions of the Cumberland Plateau. At least 18 tornadoes occurred, including several long-tracked tornado families, one of which included a violent tornado that was retrospectively rated F4 on the Fujita scale. Besides tornadoes, the outbreak also generated other severe weather phenomena such as large hail.[nb 2][nb 3][nb 4]

Quick Facts Type, Duration ...

Background

[14]

Outbreak statistics

More information Region, Locale ...

Confirmed tornadoes

More information FU, F0 ...
More information F#, Location ...

Flat Creek–Jefferson–Cheraw–Wallace–McColl, South Carolina/Johns–Maxton–Roseboro–Parkersburg, North Carolina

Quick Facts F4, Max. rating1 ...

This was a long-lived tornado family containing at least two separate tornadoes, both of which may have been tornado families themselves. The first member of the tornado family touched down near Flat Creek and moved into the town of Jefferson, tearing apart 23 of 25 buildings on Main Street and destroying or damaging 141 homes and 156 other structures. Near-continuous damage of F2 and F3 intensity extended from Jefferson to near Cheraw and Wallace. The tornado destroyed or damaged 25 homes in Wallace. Parts of a cotton gin were found 10 mi (16 km) distant. 16 injuries occurred in South Carolina, all in Chesterfield County, and losses statewide totaled $750,000 (Grazulis listed damages as $1 million). The second member of the tornado family touched down near McColl and crossed into North Carolina near Johns and east of Maxton. In this area the tornado destroyed several barns, a gas station, and small homes, but was not of violent intensity. The tornado later tracked near St. Pauls en route to Roseboro. The only confirmable F4 damage occurred in a pair of small communities between Roseboro and Parkersburg, where four people died and approximately 20 homes were destroyed. More than 387 homes, businesses, and other structures were damaged or destroyed along the path, including more than 100 in Sampson County alone. In all, 80 people were injured and losses totaled $13⁄4 million.[46]

Non-tornadic effects

Severe thunderstorm winds gusted to 75 mph (121 km/h) at Bristol, Virginia.[47][2] Additionally, 4-inch-diameter (10 cm) hail was recorded in Anderson County, South Carolina.[48]

Impact

Aftermath and recovery

See also

Notes

  1. [N 1]
    All losses are in 1957 USD unless otherwise noted.
  2. [N 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.[5]
  3. [N 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.[6][7] While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,[8] Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013;[9] nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.[10]
  4. [N 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.[11] Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.[12] 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.[13]
  5. [N 5]
    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. [N 6]
    Prior to 1994, only the average widths of tornado paths were officially listed.[25]

References

  1. [1]
    Storm Data Publication 1957, Events Reported
  2. [2]
    USWB 1957, p. 118.
  3. [3]
    Storm Data Publication 1957, Events Reported
  4. [4]
    Storm Data Publication 1957, Events Reported
  5. [5]
    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.
  6. [6]
    Grazulis 1993, p. 141.
  7. [7]
    Grazulis 2001a, p. 131.
  8. [8]
    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.
  9. [9]
    "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.
  10. [10]
    "The International Tornado Intensity Scale". Tornado and Storm Research Organisation. 2016. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  11. [11]
    Grazulis 2001a, pp. 251–4.
  12. [12]
    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.
  13. [13]
    Cook & Schaefer 2008, p. 3135.
  14. [14]
    "North America Tornado Cases 1950 to 1959". bangladeshtornadoes.org. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
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  23. [23]
    USWB 1957, pp. 116–8.
  24. [24]
    Grazulis 1993, p. 1004.
  25. [25]
    Brooks 2004, p. 310.
  26. [26]
    Storm Data Publication 1957, #9984229
  27. [27]
    USWB 1957, p. 116.
  28. [28]
    Storm Data Publication 1957, #9976825
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    Storm Data Publication 1957, #10049860
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    Storm Data Publication 1957, #10049861
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    Storm Data Publication 1957, #9976826
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    Storm Data Publication 1957, #9976827
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    Storm Data Publication 1957, #9976828
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    Storm Data Publication 1957, #9976829
  36. [36]
    USWB 1957, p. 117.
  37. [37]
    Storm Data Publication 1957, #9998082
  38. [38]
    Storm Data Publication 1957, #10117724
  39. [39]
    Storm Data Publication 1957, #9998084
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    Storm Data Publication 1957, #9998085
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    Storm Data Publication 1957, #10127421
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    Storm Data Publication 1957, #10154174
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    Storm Data Publication 1957, #9998086
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    Storm Data Publication 1957, #10075793
  45. [45]
    Storm Data Publication 1957, #10075795
  46. [46]
    Multiple sources:
  47. [47]
    Storm Data Publication 1957, #10154170
  48. [48]
    Storm Data Publication 1957, #10117728

Sources
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