On March 16–17, 1942, a deadly late-winter tornado outbreak struck a large area of the Central and SouthernUnited States, killing 149 people and injuring at least 1,312. At least five states reported violent tornadoes, from Illinois and Indiana south to Mississippi, beginning with an F4 tornado in the morning in Illinois. Intense activity spread south to the Gulf Coast and north to the Michigan–Indiana border as the day went on. Seven violent tornadoes were reported, one of which was a powerful F5 in Illinois. A long-tracked F4 tornado family in Mississippi claimed 63 lives as well, becoming the deadliest event of the outbreak. Another long-lived F4 in Tennessee killed 15 more people, and a series of intense tornadoes caused 24 other deaths in Kentucky. The outbreak also produced 18 tornadoes that caused at least one death—ranking eighth on a list of similar events since 1880 by tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis.[1][note 2]
Daily statistics
Daily statistics of tornadoes produced by the tornado outbreak of March 16–17, 1942
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.[11][note 4] 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.[15][note 3]
March 16 event
Confirmed tornadoes – Monday, March 16, 1942[note 5]
The first tornado of the outbreak attained a peak width of up to 1 mi (1.6 km). The tornado first struck Okarche and caused minor damage in town, but did most of its damage to several rural farmsteads. In the countryside, the tornado destroyed many barns and a home, killing hundreds of farm animals. The tornado severely injured one person, but did not cause any deaths.[19][20]
12 deaths — This violent tornado either originated as or was related to a separate tornado that developed near Bement. It moved northeast at about 50 mph (80 km/h), and generated F4-level damage at two separate locations along its path. As it passed near Savoy, Mayview, and St. Joseph, the tornado obliterated several farms. Subsequently, the tornado killed six people, including one each in five separate homes, as it impacted the western portion of Alvin. There, it destroyed or damaged approximately 25 homes, along with a church and several stores. Other fatalities occurred near Savoy, Mayview, St. Joseph, and Hope. In all, the tornado injured 60 people.[19][21][22][23]
As it struck 13 farmsteads this tornado destroyed homes and barns, unroofing many of the former. In all, the tornado injured 11 people, including a teacher who had canceled school early.[23][24]
This tornado passed near Yates City as it affected 10 or more farmsteads, four of which lost all outbuildings and barns; however, it only managed to unroof and destroy a few homes.[23][24]
1 death — Striking an industrial section on the outskirts of Grenada, this tornado also hit 23 homes, but did much of its damage to a factory. As staff tended to victims of the Otoucalofa F4 at a hospital, this tornado passed 20 yd (18 m) away. Four injuries occurred.[24]
5 deaths — This tornado destroyed about 50 homes and damaged the North Mississippi Branch Experiment Station (Mississippi Experimental Farm Station) of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES). The tornado continued northeastward to the Mississippi–Tennessee state line before dissipating. In all, 40 people were injured.[24][25]
4 deaths — This long-tracked tornado first destroyed eight homes and severely injured 15 people in the Huntingdon area. Near Mansfield, four people died, 45 sustained injuries, and a student was injured in a school. Afterward, the tornado narrowly missed Manleyville and Springville. In all, 61 people were injured.[24][26]
15 deaths — This violent, long-lived tornado mostly affected sparsely populated areas, but obliterated homes, farmsteads, and tracts of forested land. It killed eight people almost immediately as it touched down and caused four more deaths near Reagan. Other deaths were reported east of Finger, near Enville, and near Beacon. Many small homes were flattened. 200 injuries occurred.[27][24]
This tornado struck the Western Mental Health Institute, known then as Western State Hospital, and unroofed a number of buildings there. Broken glass injured 12 patients.[24][28]
2 deaths – This tornado destroyed six barns and three homes, one of which received "near-F4" damage. A couple sustained severe injuries and later died. In all, three people were injured.[29][23]
1 death – This tornado produced intermittent damage along its path. In Carthage, the tornado destroyed several small homes, a sizeable church, and barns. 10 injuries were reported.[24]
As this tornado touched down on the southern side of Shelbyville, it injured seven people and damaged homes, factories, and a hatchery. Intermittent damage occurred elsewhere, primarily on the eastern outskirts of Mays and near Lewisville. Near the latter, a number of cattle died and a barn was destroyed.[30]
5 deaths – This was one of two powerful tornadoes to strike Baldwyn in close succession. It damaged or destroyed more than 50 homes, several of which were leveled; F4 damage only occupied a limited area, however. 50 injuries occurred. A separate but related tornado may have caused an additional fatality near Verona, but this could not be confirmed.[27][30]
1 death – This tornado was related to the Huntingdon F3. Near Stribling, south of Short Creek, it removed soil and swept away a home, killing a youth inside. Seven other people were injured there. Eight rural farms were also destroyed across Stewart County, near Lick Creek.[24][31][26]
This tornado closely followed the first event in Baldwin, but produced greater losses than the latter, owing to its having struck the center of town. The tornado damaged or destroyed homes, schools, and businesses before ending as a downburst. 15 injuries occurred.[30]
11 deaths – This intense tornado obliterated 12 small homes in Browder and killed 10 people in town, five of whom perished in one family. A final death occurred on a farm near Drakesboro. 50 injuries occurred.[30]
2 deaths – This short-lived tornado damaged or destroyed 24 homes. The bodies of the dead were found 200 yd (180 m) from their home. 30 injuries occurred.[30]
9 deaths – This powerful tornado, which formed from the same storm as the Browder F3, injured 40 people as it tracked near Millwood, Leitchfield, Clarkson, and Summit. Approximately 20 homes were destroyed, several of which were obliterated.[27][30]
2 deaths – This violent tornado destroyed or damaged 87 homes on the outskirts of Goshen. As the tornado neared the end of its life, it narrowed and intensified to F4-level intensity. As it did so, it obliterated a home and caused two deaths. In all, 53 injuries occurred.[32][27][30]
This long-tracked tornado family caused at least 19 deaths in Leflore County as it leveled many small homes. Three of the fatalities occurred near Itta Bena and Greenwood. In Carroll County, the tornado caused five additional deaths near Avalon. The tornado also impacted and hurled a school bus for 50 yd (46 m); 11 children and the driver sustained injuries. As it traversed Grenada County, the tornado struck another school bus and killed a child. Nearby, the tornado obliterated a house and claimed three more lives. Three other people died in another home near Cascilla in Tallahatchie County. The tornado generated its worst damage in Otoucalofa, known then as O'Tuckalofa, near Water Valley. In this area, the tornado destroyed 10 sq mi (26 km2) of timber and killed 19 people, including the school superintendent, whose home and school were leveled and whose car was moved 300 yd (900 ft). Northwest of Tula, five more deaths occurred, four of which took place in a single home. In all, the tornado injured 500 people and caused $600,000 in losses.[24]
This extremely violent tornado remains the most recent F5 or EF5 tornado on record in Central Illinois. It touched down east of Kickapoo and impacted areas near Alta and on the northwestern outskirts of Chillicothe. The tornado subsequently struck the settlement of Barrville, beside the Illinois River, before crossing the river to the south of Sparland. Near the river, the tornado caused one fatality. The tornado intensified to its peak intensity as it entered Lacon; although it bypassed the business district, the tornado destroyed a quarter of the town, which inclusively totaled about 60 homes, several of which were entirely swept away. Three deaths occurred in Lacon. About 3 mi (4.8 km) farther on to the northeast, the tornado produced F5-level damage to a farmhouse and killed three people there. The tornado also lofted debris from Lacon for a total distance of up to 25 mi (40 km). Two schools in Lacon received extensive damage as well, and a home in town was uplifted and deposited in a neighboring yard. Along the entire path, about 70 injuries occurred, along with $600,000 in losses.[33]
^ abAll losses are in 1942 USD unless otherwise noted.
^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.[2]
^ abThe 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][4] Tornado ratings were retroactively applied to events prior to the formal adoption of the F-scale by the National Weather Service.[5] While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,[6] Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013;[7] nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.[8]
^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.[12] Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.[13] 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.[14]
^ abAll 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.
^ abThe 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.
— (2001b). F5-F6 Tornadoes. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films.
Holcomb, E. W. (March 1942). Written at Springfield, Illinois. "Tornadoes of March 16, 1942". Illinois section. Climatological Data. Illinois. 47 (3). Asheville, North Carolina: National Climatic Data Center: 13.
Stapp, Catherine; Bowman, W. I. (1968). History Under Our Feet: the Story of Vermilion County, Illinois. Danville, Illinois: Interstate Printers and Publishers, Inc. ASINB002T9WTMC.
Wilson, John W.; Changnon, Stanley A. (1971). Illinois Tornadoes(PDF) (Technical report). Illinois State Water Survey. Urbana, Illinois: State of Illinois Department of Registration and Education. 103. Retrieved 11 May 2024.