Tornado outbreak of January 4–6, 1946

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Tornado outbreak of January 4–6, 1946
TypeTornado outbreak
DurationJanuary 4–6, 1946
Highest winds
  • 207–260 miles per hour (333–418 km/h)
Tornadoes
confirmed		≥10
Max. rating1F4 tornado
Duration of
tornado outbreak2		52 hours
Fatalities47 fatalities, 412+ injuries
Damage>$3.1 million (1946 USD)
Areas affectedSouth—Central United States

1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale
2Time from first tornado to last tornado

On January 4–6, 1946, a small but violent tornado outbreak struck the South-Central United States, killing 47 people and injuring at least 412 others. L. H. Seamon with the US Weather Bureau, the predecessor of the National Weather Service, later stated it was the "most disastrous" tornado event of the year;[1] the US Weather Bureau stated in 1960 that January 4, 1946 had "outstanding tornadoes".[2]

Confirmed tornadoes[edit]

All ratings on the Fujita scale were done by Thomas P. Grazulis, a tornado expert, and are classified as unofficial ratings as official ratings for tornadoes began in 1950. Grazulis only documented significant tornadoes (F2+), so the true number of tornadoes for this outbreak is likely higher.[citation needed]

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
≥ 1 ≥ 0 ≥ 0 3 3 3 0 ≥10

January 4 event[edit]

List of confirmed tornadoes – Friday, January 4, 1946[note 1]
F# Location County / Parish State Time (local) Path length Max width
F2 S of Decatur Wise TX 14:00 5 mi (8.0 km) 70 to 300 yd (64 to 274 m)
The last three cars of a freight train were derailed, injuring five workers in the caboose. Two people were injured in a nearby farmhouse that was "torn apart"[3] by the tornado. According to the US Weather Bureau it was 300 yards (270 m) wide, caused eight injuries and destroyed two farmhouses, while Thomas P. Grazulis documents a width of 70 yards (64 m) with seven injuries and one farmhouse destroyed.[3][4]
F3 Clawson Angelina TX 20:30 10 mi (16 km) 800 to 880 yd (730 to 800 m)
3 deaths – The tornado moved northeastward through the community of Clawson, where it destroyed 30 homes, killing three people in two separate homes. Along the tornado's path, it destroyed 48 buildings and damaged another 327.[3] The tornado injured 50 people and caused $500,000 in damage ($7.5 million in 2022).[4]
F4 Nacogdoches to Appleby Nacogdoches TX 20:45–21:30? 20 mi (32 km) 800 to 880 yd (730 to 800 m)
10 deaths – The tornado occurred 7 miles (11 km) from the previous one, both produced by the same supercell. It caused extensive damage in the city of Nacogdoches, where 80 homes were completely destroyed and 150 more were damaged. Throughout the city, 75 people were injured, and, on the west side of Nacogdoches, six were killed. The tornado also struck the city of Appleby, where 300 buildings were damaged or destroyed, thousands of acres of forestry were flattened, and three killed. Overall, the tornado caused ten fatalities, injured 200, and resulted in $1,500,000 in damages (equivalent to $22.5 million in 2022).[3][4][5][6][7] Texas A&M University states that this tornado was the same tornado as above, which increased the tornado’s death toll to 13 and damage total to $2.1 million ($31.5 million in 2022).[8]
F2 Peniel Hunt TX 21:00 2 mi (3.2 km) 200 yd (180 m)
In Peniel, known today as Greenville, 11 homes were destroyed and 8 more were damaged; 102 other buildings were damaged or destroyed. In total, 17 people were injured.[3][4]
F4 Log Lake to Southview to Palestine Anderson TX 21:00 18 mi (29 km) 400 to 440 yd (370 to 400 m)
15 deaths – The tornado touched down 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Palestine moving northeastward. Two people were killed near Log Lake. In the Southview community, the tornado destroyed 36 homes and damaged another 122 structures. Thirteen deaths occurred in seven of the destroyed homes in Southview. Cars were thrown several hundred yards throughout Southview.[3] In total, the tornado killed 15 people and injured at least 60 others.[3][4][7] The National Weather Service in Amarillo, Texas, lists this tornado as one of the worst tornadoes in the history of the state.[9] One surviving resident recalls the sound as a "freight train like roar".[10][6] The damage total for this tornado was $500,000 ($7.5 million in 2022).[8]
F2 St. Paul to Shiloh Limestone TX 21:30 5 mi (8.0 km) >0 yd (0 m)
8 deaths – Nine homes were destroyed, leading to two deaths in two separate homes. Other property damage also occurred.[3][4] The tornado injured at least 17 people.[3] The Madera Tribune reports this tornado killed "five or six negros...when the storm struck and demolished a gymnasium while a basketball game was in progress".[6] Neither Grazulis nor the US Weather Bureau report deaths at the gymnasium.[3][4]

January 5 event[edit]

List of confirmed tornadoes – Saturday, January 5, 1946[note 1]
F# Location County / Parish State Time (local) Path length Max width
FU Waynesboro Wayne MS Unknown >0 mi (0 km) >0 yd (0 m)
A tornado struck around Waynesboro, causing mostly roof and tree damage. This tornado did not receive an estimated rating on the Fujita scale from Grazulis, meaning he believes it was F0 or F1 intensity.[4]

January 6 event[edit]

List of confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, January 6, 1946[note 1]
F# Location County / Parish State Time (local) Path length Max width
F4 SE of Wilmot to Lake Chicot to SE of Lake Village Ashley, Chicot AR 18:00 4 to 5 mi (6.4 to 8.0 km)
or
23 mi (37 km) 		800 to 880 yd (730 to 800 m)
3 deaths – The large tornado leveled multiple homes of all sizes along its path, including over 20 homes on two plantations near Wilmot, with 3 more homes swept away into Lake Chicot.[3] The US Weather Bureau describes it as a "small tornado", with a path length of 4–5 miles, while stating that about 45 buildings were demolished and that 50 other buildings were damaged.[11] Both the US Weather Bureau and Grazulis state the tornado killed three people and injured 50 others.[11][3][12]
F3 ENE of Seven Pines to near Coila to SE of Carrollton Carroll MS 18:00 13 mi (21 km) >0 yd (0 m)
4 deaths – A dozen small homes were destroyed, with four deaths occurring in three of the destroyed homes.[3] The US Weather Bureau reports that when the tornado went through Seven Pines "it destroyed nearly every building.".[11] Grazulis notes that there were conflicts about when this tornado occurred, meaning there were potentially two separate tornadoes.[3] The US Weather Bureau records two people dead and five injured, while Grazulis states four dead and ten injured.[11][3]
F3 NW of Indianola to NW of Sunflower to E of Doddsville Sunflower MS 18:00 20 mi (32 km) >0 yd (0 m)
4 deaths – Two people were killed when a church was destroyed north of Indianola, another when a nearby home was obliterated, and the fourth in a small home northwest of Sunflower.[3]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c All dates and times are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down.

References[edit]

  1. ^ L. H. Seamon (U.S. Weather Bureau) (December 1, 1946). "Preliminary Report on Tornadoes in the United States During 1946". Monthly Weather Review. 74 (12): 211–213. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1946)074<0211:PROTIT>2.0.CO;2.
  2. ^ Laura V. Wolford (U.S. Office of Climatology); Frederick H. Mueller (Secretary of Commerce); F. W. Reichelderfer (Chief of U.S. Weather Bureau) (1960). "Tornado Occurrences in the United States" (PDF). Department of Commerce. pp. 22–25. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant tornadoes, 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: Environmental Films. pp. 922–925. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h U.S. Weather Bureau (February 1946). "Late Storm Reports For January 1946". Monthly Weather Review. 74 (2): 37. Bibcode:1946MWRv...74Q..37.. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1946)074<0037:LSRFJ>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 1520-0493. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  5. ^ Cable (February 8, 1946). "TERRIFIC TEXAS TORNADO". The Horsham Times. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "TORNADOES RAZE TEXAS TOWNS OVER 20 DEAD AND 150 HURT BY HIGH WIND". Madera Tribune. LIII (258). January 5, 1946. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "IN THE WAKE OF THE TORNADO THAT SWEPT THROUGH NORTHEAST TEXAS: Louisiana and Mississippi Hit". ProQuest Historical Newspapers: New York Times: 12. January 6, 1946. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Severe Weather in Texas: 1940s". Texas State Climatologist. Texas A&M University. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  9. ^ "A list of the top 10 worst tornadoes in Texas history". National Weather Service in Amarillo, Texas. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  10. ^ Larry F. York (January 9, 2011). "Palestine native recalls 1946 tornado". Palestine Herald Press. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d U.S. Weather Bureau (January 1946). "Severe Local Storms For January 1946". Monthly Weather Review. 74 (1): 18. Bibcode:1946MWRv...74...18.. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1946)074<0018:SLSFJ>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 1520-0493. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  12. ^ "On This Day: January 6". Tornado Talk. Archived from the original on May 24, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2023. January 6, 1946: A tornado given a rating of F4 moved through Ashley and Chicot Counties in Arkansas. The path length was 23 miles. It moved from near Wilmot to SE of Lake Village. 'Homes of all sizes were leveled by this large tornado. Over twenty were destroyed on two plantation near Wilmot. Three homes were blown into Lake Chicot.' Three were killed and 50 injured.
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