1955 Great Plains tornado outbreak

Infobox tornado outbreak
name=1955 Great Plains tornado outbreak
date=May 25-26, 1955
image location= 55Udalltornadodamage.jpg


duration= over 30 hours
fujitascale=F5
tornadoes=46
total damages (USD)= unknown
total fatalities=102
areas affected=U.S Central and Southern Plains and MidwestThe 1955 Great Plains tornado outbreak was a deadly tornado outbreak that struck the southern and central U.S Plain States on May 25-26, 1955. It produced at least 46 tornadoes across 7 states including 2 F5 tornadoes in Blackwell, Oklahoma and Udall, Kansas. The outbreak killed 102 from 3 tornadoes while injuring hundreds more. Unusual electromagnetic activity was observed, including St. Elmo's fire [ [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/wxevents/19550525/stormelectricity.php Storm Electricity Aspects of the Blackwell/Udall Storm of 25 May 1955 - Don Burgess] , University of Oklahoma (CIMMS) ] .

Blackwell-Udall tornadoes

The Blackwell tornado formed in Noble County at around 9:00 PM CDT before crossing through the eastern portions of the Kay County town of Blackwell as a 500-yard F5 wedge. It claimed the lives of 20 people in Blackwell and injured over 200 before crossing and dissipating into Cowley County, Kansas. In addition of destroying nearly 200 homes, the tornado also demolished the town's main employers including the Acme Foundry and the Hazel Atlas Glass plant. The local hospital also sustained major damage. Most of the western half of the town spared the worst of the damage.

30 minutes later, the same supercell that spawned the Blackwell tornado produced another violent tornado just east of the first tornado track near the Kansas/Oklahoma border. It proceeded northward across Sumner and Cowley counties. The town of Udall was especially hard hit with F5 damage which disintegrated numerous structures and homes all across the town when the funnel, about 1300 yards-wide, hit it at around 10:30 PM CDT. It later dissipated after traveling over 50 miles from the Oklahoma border to southeast of Wichita. This tornado was the deadliest in the state's history with 80 fatalities and over 200 injured.

Most NWS records had classified the event as two distinct tornadoes which formed from the same supercell which formed in southern Oklahoma and traveled through metro Oklahoma City where it produced weaker tornadoes with minimal damage in the southern suburbs of Norman and Chickasha.

In addition NWS officials confirmed an additional F2 tornado near Tonkawa which may have been either part of the Blackwell tornado or a satellite tornado. Other tornadoes in the region occurred on May 27 near the same region but did little damage.

Other tornadoes

ee also

* List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
* List of F5 tornadoes
* Radio atmospheric [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/wxevents/19550525/stormelectricity.php]

References

External links

* [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/wxevents/19550525/oktornadotable.php Tornado Table from NWS Norman, Oklahoma]
* [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/wxevents/19550525/ Outbreak Summary from NWS Norman, Oklahoma]
* [http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ict/udall/udall.php NWS Wichita, Kansas page on the Udall tornado]
* [http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornadomap.php?yr=1955&mo=5&day=25&st=%25&fu=%25&co=&l=500&submit=Search&format=basic&p=1&s=1 Map of May 25, 1955 tornadoes]