1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado
A deadly tornado outbreak affected much of the central and Southern United States from April 29 – May 1, 1909. Affecting particularly the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys, it killed over 180 people, more than 90 of them in the U.S. state of Tennessee alone. The deadliest and longest-tracked tornado of the outbreak was a violent F4 tornado family that tracked across portions of northern Mississippi and western Tennessee on April 29, claiming at least 29 lives. Another deadly F4 tornado struck portions of southern Tennessee early the next day, killing 31. Other F4s in southern Missouri and southern Illinois on April 29 killed a combined 16 people. Deadly F3s in Georgia and Tennessee from April 30–May 1 killed a total of at least 53 people as well.[nb 1][nb 2][nb 3]
Background and impact
During the late afternoon and the overnight hours of April 29, 1909, numerous strong to violent tornadoes affected the areas of northern Alabama, eastern Arkansas, southern Illinois, northern Mississippi, southeastern Missouri, and western Tennessee (the NWSMemphis, Tennessee, coverage area). In that general area, at least 72 were killed by tornadoes.
The deadliest tornado touched down just south of the Tennessee-Mississippi state line in Desoto County and tracked east-northeast for about 145 miles (233 km) across Shelby, Fayette, Hardeman, Chester, Henderson and Decatur Counties. While it was estimated to be an F4, some reports indicate that there was more than one tornado. Among the towns affected were Horn Lake, Mississippi, where about half of the fatalities were recorded, and Whitehaven, Tennessee, where the tornado damaged 30 homes. The parent supercell continued on to produce additional tornadoes in Scott County.
Other F4 tornadoes were reported in Missouri near Golden, in Illinois near Texas City, and in south-central Tennessee near Bee Spring, just north of the Alabama state line. 11 deaths were recorded in the Missouri storm, five near Texas City and 31 just north of the Alabama–Tennessee state line. The Bee Spring tornado affected parts of Lincoln and Giles Counties in Tennessee. Hardest-hit areas were in and around Pulaski, Bryson and Fayetteville. Another strong tornado struck Franklin County near Decherd.[10]
A probable tornado family skipped along, wrecking barns at more than 12 sites. 14 people were injured: eight near Piney and half a dozen near Prairie View.[13]
This tornado wrecked several small homes. Losses totaled at least $11,000. Tornado-related damage may have continued as far as Crawfordsville, which reported an additional loss of $5,000.[13]
1+ death — This strong tornado destroyed Bee Branch, causing numerous fires in its wake. Four other deaths may have occurred but went unreported. 18 people were injured and losses exceeded $50,000.[15]
8+ deaths — This intense tornado destroyed 12 or more small homes in Arkansas and later destroyed Locke, Tennessee. 40 people were injured along the path. Five additional deaths may have occurred.[15]
14+ deaths — This intense tornado family probably formed from the same storm as the Brinkley, Marianna, and Marion tornadoes. Small homes and barns were destroyed. The most significant damage began near Bells and ended past Medina. 50 people were injured, many severely; some of these may have died later.[15]
5 deaths — This violent tornado leveled a farmhouse, leaving bodies 1⁄4 mi (0.40 km) from the homesite. All the deaths were in a single family. Six people were injured.[15]
This strong tornado struck Charlotte, destroying or damaging 25 structures there. Elsewhere eight or nine farmsteads were wrecked. Five people were injured along the path. The tornado may have ended near Bellsburg.[15][11]
4 deaths — This intense tornado wrecked homes on three farmsteads. A school was found intact 2 mi (3.2 km) from its original location, having left intermittent gashes in the earth, each at 200-to-300-yard (600 to 900 ft) intervals. 50 people were injured and losses totaled $25,000.[15][11]
17+ deaths — This deadly, long-tracked, intense tornado tracked through or near Shipp Bend, Centerville, Littlelot, and Leiper's Fork; its path continued just south of Franklin. Losses at Centerville alone reached $100,000, with approximately 75 homes destroyed or damaged. Four deaths occurred in a home at Leiper's Fork, and additional deaths may have occurred nearby. Damage in and near Leiper's Fork may have reached F4 intensity. 43 injuries occurred along the path. The Nolensville F2 formed in the same storm as this.[15][11]
This tornado destroyed a small home, injuring four family members, and unroofed and destroyed others. A 1,300-pound (21,000 oz) tank was found 1⁄4mile (1,300 ft) distant.[13]
31+ deaths — This extremely large and violent tornado, Middle Tennessee's third deadliest on record, annihilated many homes at Bee Spring and Millville, some of which were large and well constructed, before wrecking Harms. The communities of Cyruston and Clardyville were affected as well. 70 injuries occurred along the path. A few additional deaths may have been unrecorded. Grazulis indicated that the tornado formed over Limestone County in northernmost Alabama, but reanalysis by the National Weather Service in 2017 only located damage in Tennessee.[14][15][17][11]
2 deaths — This large, strong tornado passed near Smyrna and Walterhill, destroying 10 homes before ending as a downburst at Statesville, with numerous trees blown down and much cattle killed at the latter place. Barns, a few churches, a mill, and utility poles were wrecked along the path as well, and large tracts of forest were leveled. 20 people were injured along the path. Other possible but unconfirmed tornadoes occurred along a 100-mile-long (160 km)[citation needed] track through six counties northeast of this.[18][15][11]
Most of Statesville was badly damaged. Three churches and a schoolhouse were destroyed. Several barns and businesses lost their roofs as well. Two people were injured. The tornado may have been F3 or stronger.[15][11]
6+ deaths – This tornado, which likely formed in the same storm as the Bee Spring F4, wrecked 23 homes. A depot and a hotel lost their roofs as well. 30 people were injured and losses totaled $150,000. Additional fatalities may have taken place. The tornado may have been F3 or stronger.[19][11]
Several homes were blown off their foundations, a church was wrecked, and a number of barns were flipped or destroyed. A two-story residence was flattened as well. Trees were splintered and lofted for considerable distances. Two people were injured. The tornado may have been F3 or stronger.[11]
A spacious, two-story building was wrecked, and a home or two were moved off their foundations. Timber was destroyed as well, some of which fell onto and damaged houses. Two people were injured.[11]
13+ deaths — Seven fatalities occurred in Felton and five more near Rockmart. A final death took place near Cartersville. In all, 40 people were injured. Four additional deaths may have occurred elsewhere.[19]
4 deaths — This strong tornado wrecked seven homes and killed approximately 100 livestock. 18 people were injured and losses totaled at least $15,000.[19][20]
1 death — The uppermost level of a four-story building was torn off, and a small home was wrecked. A 300-pound (140 kg) slab of concrete was moved 3,000 ft (0.57 mi; 0.91 km). One person was injured.[19]
Horn Lake, Mississippi/Bolivar–Scotts Hill, Tennessee
Horn Lake, Mississippi/Bolivar–Scotts Hill, Tennessee
This violent, long-tracked tornado family killed at least 14—and possibly as many as 20—people in Mississippi. Twin tornadoes may have been responsible for these deaths, which occurred around and in the southern and northern outskirts, respectively, of Horn Lake. Crossing into Tennessee, the tornado struck and damaged 30 homes near Whitehaven. Five fatalities occurred in Fayette County: a few on a farmstead and three at a poorhouse. Farther along, 20 homes were damaged on the outskirts of Newcastle; one of the homes was leveled despite having been well constructed, indicating F4-intensity damage. Farmsteads, including numerous barns and six farmhouses, were wrecked near Bolivar, with 13 injuries and a death. Eight or more people were injured near Toome, along with four more near Whiteville. At Montezuma many stores and homes were destroyed, with a dozen people injured. Three deaths may have occurred near Lula. Near Scotts Hill many small homes were wrecked, with nine fatalities. Meat from smokehouses was carried a few miles distant. Two injuries occurred at Perryville, and a final death and four injuries in Perry County.[15][11]
Aftermath, recovery, and records
Prior to 2017, the outbreak, with 60 confirmed deaths, was the deadliest known tornado outbreak to affect Tennessee until March 21, 1952, when 66 people died statewide. However, reanalysis subsequently confirmed more than 90 fatalities in the state, once again making this outbreak the deadliest—even the April 3–4, 1974, Super Outbreak and the February 5–6, 2008, Super Tuesday outbreak produced just 45 and 31 deaths each in the state, respectively.[11][17][21]
^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]
^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.[2][3] While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,[4] Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013;[5] nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.[6]
^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.[7] Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.[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]
^ abcAll 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.
^ abcPrior to 1994, only the average widths of tornado paths were officially listed.[12]
^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.
