1931 Lublin tornado

1931 Lublin tornado
F4 damage to the Lublin slaughterhouse after the tornado
Meteorological history
DateJuly 20, 1931
F4 tornado
on the Fujita scale
Overall effects
Fatalities6
Injuries100+
Areas affectedLublin, Poland
Part of the Tornadoes of 1931

On July 20, 1931, a violent tornado struck the city of Lublin in Poland.[1][2][3][4] The damage from the tornado was rated F4 on the Fujita scale by the European Severe Storms Laboratory.[1] The tornado killed six people and injured at least 100 others.[1][2]

Summary

The tornado destroyed several buildings in Lublin. Some structures had walls that were 50 centimetres (20 in) thick. Train railroad cars were overturned and some were moved a few meters away. Industrial chimneys were thrown by the tornado. Structures made out of iron were bent.[2] Buildings made of wood in the path of the tornado were leveled to the ground. These included sawmills, homes, and barns. The Lublin slaughterhouse and sugar factory were completely destroyed.[2] Other industrial buildings were destroyed as well.[2] Some buildings had debris thrown over a mile away.[2] A city bus was picked up and thrown by the tornado.[2] The tornado traveled around 20 kilometres (12 mi) and was described as being a narrow “dark mass in the shape of a funnel”. In total, the tornado killed six people and injured over 100 others.[1][2]

The Polish Weather Service estimated that the tornado had winds between 246 to 324 mph (396 to 521 km/h).[1][3] This mean it was potentially at F5 intensity, as F5 tornadoes begin with winds at 261 mph (420 km/h).[1][3] Staff of the University of Warsaw and Adam Mickiewicz University in Poland as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the United States also believe the tornado may have been F5 intensity.[2][3] A lot of the information about this tornado was documented by Polish scientist Dr. Romuald Gumiński.[4] Gumiński was the vice-director of the Polish government Meteorological Department.[5][4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Staff of the European Severe Storms Laboratory (2024). "European Severe Weather Database" (Interactive map and database). ESWD. European Severe Storms Laboratory.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Taszarek, Mateusz; Gromadzki, Jakub (1 April 2017). "Deadly Tornadoes in Poland from 1820 to 2015" (Academic journal). Monthly Weather Review. 145 (4). Adam Mickiewicz University and University of Warsaw via the American Meteorological Society: 1221–1243. doi:10.1175/MWR-D-16-0146.1. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Taszarek, Mateusz; Brooks, Harold E. (1 March 2015). "Tornado Climatology of Poland" (Academic journal). Monthly Weather Review. 143 (3). University of Warsaw, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Severe Storms Laboratory via the American Meteorological Society: 702–717. doi:10.1175/MWR-D-14-00185.1. ISSN 1520-0493. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Gumiński, R. (1936). "Trąba powietrzna pod Lublinem w dniu 20 lipca 1931r". Wiadomości Meteor. Hydrol. (in Polish). 16: 7–9.
  5. ^ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (18 August 1952). "HYDRO-METEOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE" (Intelligence document by the United States government). CIA-RDP82-00457R013300470010-6. Langley, Virginia: United States federal government. pp. 1–3. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024. Dr. Romuald Guminski, vice-director, non- Party, is in charge of the Meteorological Department.