An extremely rare wintertime tornado outbreak affected the Midwestern United States on January 24, 1967. Of the 30 confirmed tornadoes, 13 occurred in Iowa, nine in Missouri, seven in Illinois, and one in Wisconsin. The outbreak produced, at the time, the northernmost tornado to hit the United States in winter, in Wisconsin, until January 7, 2008. The tornadoes formed ahead of a deep storm system in which several temperature records were broken[citation needed]. The deadliest and most damaging tornado of the outbreak struck Greater St. Louis at F4 intensity, killing three people and injuring 216.[nb 1]
Prior to 1990, there is a likely undercount of tornadoes, particularly E/F0–1, with reports of weaker tornadoes becoming more common as population increased. A sharp increase in the annual average E/F0–1 count by approximately 200 tornadoes was noted upon the implementation of NEXRADDoppler weather radar in 1990–1991.[3][nb 2] 1974 marked the first year where significant tornado (E/F2+) counts became homogenous with contemporary values, attributed to the consistent implementation of Fujita scale assessments.[7][nb 3] Numerous discrepancies on the details of tornadoes in this outbreak exist between sources. The total count of tornadoes and ratings differs from various agencies accordingly. The list below documents information from the most contemporary official sources alongside assessments from tornado historian Thomas P. Grazulis.
Color/symbol key
Color / symbol
Description
†
Data from Grazulis 1990/1993/2001b
¶
Data from a local National Weather Service office
※
Data from the 1967 Storm Data publication
‡
Data from the NCEI database
♯
Maximum width of tornado
±
Tornado was rated below F2 intensity by Grazulis but a specific rating is unavailable.
Along with the 30 confirmed tornadoes listed, tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis listed two additional F2 tornadoes that may have touched down.
The first occurred west of Muscatine, Muscatine County, Iowa, at 22:30 UTC, unroofing and tearing apart a house. It was officially listed as a severe thunderstorm wind in Storm Data.[14]
The other occurred on the southern outskirts of Illinois City, Rock Island County, Illinois, at an unknown time, damaging homes before ripping the roof off a farmhouse. It was officially listed as part of a complex of severe thunderstorm winds in Storm Data.[15]
List of confirmed tornadoes in the tornado outbreak of January 24, 1967
This strong tornado affected 12 or more farmsteads. It destroyed a concrete barn, along with assorted outbuildings and other barns. Homes lost their roofs, along with some walls. Losses totaled $250,000.[19][20][21]
This strong but relatively brief tornado developed 1 mi (1.6 km) west of the junction of Missouri Supplemental Route PP and U.S. Route 69. As it headed northeast, it struck five farmsteads, extensively damaging outbuildings on a few of them. Losses totaled $25,000. Tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis did not list the tornado as an F2 or stronger.[22][23][21]
2 deaths – This intense tornado first developed over the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, 3 mi (4.8 km) from Buckner. Tracking northeastward, it first produced a narrow, spasmodic swath of structural damage, skirting Buckner and passing east of Sibley. As it neared Orrick, the tornado widened and intensified, striking Orrick High School while at maximum intensity. Part of a roof at the school collapsed, killing two students underneath. Two homes were destroyed and another lost its second story. Barns and outbuildings were leveled along the path. 18 people were injured and losses totaled $5 million.[19][24][25][21]
This violent tornado damaged or destroyed numerous outbuildings and barns on 24 farmsteads. Five of the farmsteads were destroyed, two of which had every structure leveled, including the farmhouse. A total of approximately 20 other farms were damaged as well. Two people were injured and losses totaled $2,525,000. Most of the path and the F4-level damage were in Missouri. Only a 2-mile-long (3.2 km) segment continued into Iowa, with F1-level damage.[19][30][31][32]
This intense tornado produced sporadic damage. It badly damaged several homes, some of which lost roofs and walls. Barns and outbuildings were destroyed as well. Losses totaled $250,000. Grazulis listed the tornado as an F2. The NCEI only lists a single coordinate, north of Douds.[19][33][34]
Losses totaled $30. Grazulis did not list the tornado as an F2 or stronger. The NCEI lists the path as occurring north of Fredonia and extending into Muscatine County.[22][37][34]
1 death – This intense tornado destroyed a pair of homes, one of which only had a single wall left standing. Six people were injured and losses totaled $250,000.[19][38][34]
This strong tornado crossed the Skunk River near Wever. Homes had their roofs torn off and barns were wrecked. Trailers were destroyed as well, injuring four people. Losses totaled $250,000.[19][39][34]
This strong tornado tore loose a wall from a house and tossed an automobile against the home. A nearby barn was destroyed as well. One person was injured and losses totaled $25,000.[19][40][34]
This tornado, while mostly affecting treetops, unroofed or otherwise damaged many outbuildings and barns. At least one barn was flattened, six utility poles splintered, and a farm shorn of all its outbuildings. Losses totaled $25,000. The tornado passed north of Biggsville.[19][41][42]
Losses totaled $25,000. Grazulis did not list the tornado as an F2 or stronger. Storm Data indicates that the tornado occurred near Calamus.[22][44][34]
This strong tornado touched down just west of Mount Joy. It hurled an automobile and a truck from a roadway. Homes sustained breakage of their windows and barns were wrecked. Losses totaled $250,000.[19][45][34]
Several barns, a warehouse, and a Granger Hall were destroyed. Homes nearby had their roofs torn off. Losses totaled $250,000. The tornado may have developed near Bryant. Storm Data listed a 5-mile-long (8.0 km) path.[19][47][34]
This intense tornado destroyed three homes on the northwestern side of Mount Carroll, one of which it impacted at borderline-F4 intensity. Roofing, outbuildings, and barns incurred extensive damage as well. 12 people were injured and losses totaled $250,000. Grazulis listed the time of occurrence as 22:40 UTC.[19][48][42]
This tornado paralleled the following event, just 3 mi (4.8 km) away. Outbuildings, a hangar, and trees were destroyed or extensively damaged. An airplane was damaged as well. One person was injured. Losses were unknown. Storm Data attributed the sole injury to the next event.[19][49][42]
1 death – This intense tornado destroyed rural homes and outbuildings. Three people were injured and losses totaled $25,000. The body of the dead was tossed 200 yd (600 ft). Storm Data stated that the path was only 1 mi (1.6 km) long.[19][50][42]
This intense but intermittent tornado wrecked a number of barns. A country club was stripped of its roof and a pair of walls as well. Losses totaled $250,000. Grazulis listed the tornado as an F2. At the time the tornado was the northernmost wintertime tornado on record in the contiguous United States.[22][51][42]
This strong tornado snapped and felled trees. Roofing and outbuildings were damaged as well. Losses totaled $2,500. Grazulis did not list the tornado as an F2 or stronger.[22][52][42]
This tornado flipped a home upside down and shifted another. In all about 100 homes were damaged to varying degrees. Most of the damage was to roofing or from fallen trees. Several trailers were damaged as well, and a few grain bins were moved 200–440 yd (600–1,320 ft). Losses totaled $250,000. Grazulis did not list the tornado as an F2 or stronger.[22][53][42]
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Tornado moved through the St. Louis suburbs striking Maryland Heights, St.Ann, Lambert Field, and Spanish Lake. 168 homes were destroyed and 1740 others were damaged. Some of the homes were leveled. A nursing home was also badly damaged.[54]
Non-tornadic effects
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Aftermath and recovery
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^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.[1]
^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.[4] Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.[5] 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.[6]
^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.[8][9] Tornado ratings were retroactively applied to events prior to the formal adoption of the F-scale by the National Weather Service.[10] While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,[11] Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013;[12] nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.[13]
^All starting coordinates are based on the NCEI database and may not reflect contemporary analyses
^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.
^The listed width values are primarily the average/mean width of the tornadoes, with those having known maximum widths denoted by ♯. From 1952 to 1994, reports largely list mean width whereas contemporary years list maximum width.[16] Values provided by Grazulis are the average width, with estimates being rounded down (i.e. 0.5 mi (0.80 km) is rounded down from 880 yards to 800 yards.[17][18]
^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.
— (July 1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN1-879362-03-1.