WACO, Texas — The year was 1953. Dwight D. Eisenhower was president. Allan Shivers was governor of Texas. The year also saw one of the deadliest known tornadoes in the history of the Lone Star State. On May 11, 1953 a violent tornado ripped through downtown Waco, claiming 114 lives. The National Weather Service states…
A Decade Later, Deadly Western Mass. Tornado Remembered As Rare Event That Pulled People Together
Ten years ago this Tuesday, multiple tornadoes tore through western Massachusetts, killing three people, injuring 200, and causing more than $200 million in damages. The most violent of the tornadoes touched down at 4:17 p.m. in Westfield, churning into West Springfield, then Springfield, leaving streets blanketed with rubble and broken glass, road signs twisted, entire…
National Weather Service confirms 2 tornadoes hit the Bolivar, Mo. area Thursday
BOLIVAR, Mo. (KY3) – The National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes hit the Bolivar, Mo. area Thursday. The two EF1 twisters hit around the noon hour. The first brief tornado hit along Killingsworth Avenue in the southern portion of the Polk County city. The second EF1 tornado hit between Bolivar and Halfway. Multiple witnesses reported…
Joplin’s EF5 Tornado: What Our Meteorologists Haven’t Forgotten 10 Years Later
Saturday marks the 10-year anniversary of the Joplin tornado, which tore a six-mile-long and up to a mile-wide path of devastation through the southwest Missouri city. One hundred fifty-eight people lost their lives directly due to the EF5 tornado on May 22, 2011. The city will commemorate the anniversary with an observance Saturday, including a…
Touch Down: La Crosse tornado remembered 10 years later
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) – Ten years ago, 11 tornadoes tore through Wisconsin, and six touched down in the La Crosse area. One came right through La Crosse, ripping roofs off buildings and uprooting countless trees. La Crosse is not a normal landing spot for Mother Nature’s remarkable power. “Kinda knew we were gonna be…
Two tornadoes touched down in New Orleans and North Shore areas during severe weather, NWS confirms
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Two tornadoes touched down in the Fox 8 viewing area on Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service. The National Weather Service says one tornado caused damage in Jefferson Parish near the New Orleans International Airport. The preliminary rating of the tornado is an EF0. The NWS reports a few…
Back-to-Back Tornadoes Leave At Least 12 Dead, Hundreds Injured in China
At least 12 people are dead and 300 injured after a pair of tornadoes ripped apart homes and other buildings in southern and eastern China Friday night. Local government officials said eight people died in the city of Wuhan, famous as ground zero of the coronavirus pandemic, The Associated Press reported. “I’ve grown up in…
At least 12 dead as tornadoes rip through two Chinese provinces
SHANGHAI — Two tornadoes ripped through China’s central city of Wuhan and a town in the eastern province of Jiangsu, killing at least 12 people and injuring hundreds while destroying homes and property, the official Xinhua news agency said on Saturday. Eight people were reported dead in Wuhan, in Hubei province, with 280 injured after…
Storms Trigger Flooding, Spawn Tornadoes in Southern Plains, Missouri, Arkansas
Severe weather brought flooding and tornadoes that caused damage in parts of Oklahoma, Missouri and other states overnight and into Wednesday afternoon. Flooding was reported in Branson, Missouri, as well as several other areas, including Abilene, Texas, and Bentonville, Arkansas. The Southern Stone County Fire Protection District said several motorists were stranded and had to…
ORIGINAL COVERAGE: Tornado hits West Texas city, one dead, 80 Injured
Editor’s Note: This article was written on April 19, 1986, following a deadly tornado that devastated the city of Sweetwater. SWEETWATER, Texas (AP) – Two tornadoes spawned by fast-moving thunderstorms hit this west Texas city without warning today, killing at least one person, injuring 80 people and causing millions of dollars in damage, authorities said.…