Tornado outbreak of April 8, 1957

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Tornado outbreak of April 8, 1957
Labeled map with bolded contours highlighting paths of individual tornadoes
Map of confirmed tornadoes
TypeTornado outbreak
DurationApril 8, 1957
Highest gust65 kn (75 mph; 120 km/h) in Bristol, Virginia[1][2]
Tornadoes
confirmed		18 confirmed
Max. rating1F4 tornado
Duration of
tornado outbreak2		211⁄12 hours
Largest hail4 in (10 cm) in diameter in Anderson County, South Carolina[3]
Fatalities7 fatalities, 203 injuries
Damage≥ $4.108 million (1957 USD)[nb 1][4]
$44.6 million (2024 USD)
Areas affected
  • Southeastern United States

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

On Monday, April 8, 1957, a widespread tornado outbreak struck the Southeastern United States, particularly the Carolinas, and was responsible for seven deaths and 203 injuries across the region. Most of the activity occurred on either side of the Piedmont, including portions of the Cumberland Plateau. At least 18 tornadoes occurred, including several long-tracked tornado families, one of which included a violent tornado that was retrospectively rated F4 on the Fujita scale. Besides tornadoes, the outbreak also generated other severe weather phenomena such as large hail.[nb 2][nb 3][nb 4]

Background[edit]

[14]

Outbreak statistics[edit]

Impacts by region
Region Locale Deaths Injuries Damages Source
United States Alabama 2 95 $525,500 [15]
Arkansas 0 0 $2,500 [16]
Georgia 1 26 $550,000 [17]
Mississippi 0 0 ≥ $25,000 [18]
North Carolina 4 64 $1,500,000 [19]
South Carolina 0 16 $775,000 [20]
Tennessee 0 0 $5,000 [21]
Virginia 0 2 $250,000 [22]
Total 7 203 ≥ $4,108,000 [4][23][24]

Confirmed tornadoes[edit]

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
0 0 3 8 5 2 0 ≥ 18
Confirmed tornadoes – Monday, April 8, 1957[nb 5][nb 6]
F# Location County / Parish State Start
coord. 		Time (UTC) Path length Max. width Summary
F2 Elm Park Scott AR 34°54′N 94°06′W / 34.9°N 94.1°W / 34.9; -94.1 (Elm Park (April 8, F2)) 05:05–? 4.7 miles (7.6 km) 300 yards (270 m) Tornado, attended by minor hail, damaged roofing and three barns. Losses totaled $2,500. Tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis did not list the tornado as an F2 or stronger.[26][27][24]
F2 Northeastern Red Bay Franklin AL 34°27′N 88°08′W / 34.45°N 88.13°W / 34.45; -88.13 (Red Bay (April 8, F2)) 05:35–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) 33 yards (30 m) Low-end F2 tornado may have begun in Mississippi before entering Red Bay, Alabama, unroofing a home, tearing porches off other homes, and destroying garages and barns. Losses totaled $25,000. Grazulis listed total damages as $12,000.[28][27][24]
F2 Old Union to S of Verona Lee MS 34°06′N 88°49′W / 34.1°N 88.82°W / 34.1; -88.82 (Old Union (April 8, F2)) 09:10–? 9 miles (14 km) 200 yards (180 m) Tornado passed through the agricultural experiment station—now the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center—south of Verona, destroying, unroofing, or otherwise damaging several homes and other structures. Losses totaled $250,000. Grazulis listed total damages as $100,000.[29][27][24]
F2 NNE of Plateau to NE of Isoline Cumberland TN 36°06′N 85°06′W / 36.1°N 85.1°W / 36.1; -85.1 (Plateau (April 8, F2)) 12:00–? 2.7 miles (4.3 km) 10 yards (9.1 m) Tornado downed several trees and damaged a number of outbuildings. Five houses and three barns were damaged as well. Losses totaled $2,500. Grazulis did not list the tornado as an F2 or stronger.[30][27][24]
F1 ESE of Banner Calhoun MS 33°58′N 89°20′W / 33.97°N 89.33°W / 33.97; -89.33 (Banner (April 8, F1)) 14:00–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) 100 yards (91 m) Tornado severely damaged or destroyed a few homes. Losses were unknown.[31][27]
F3 Southern Hamilton to NNW of Piney Grove Marion, Winston, Lawrence AL 34°07′N 87°59′W / 34.12°N 87.98°W / 34.12; -87.98 (Hamilton (April 8, F3)) 15:46–? 51.4 miles (82.7 km) 100 yards (91 m) Long-tracked tornado family leveled a few small houses near the end of its path. Trees were damaged along a 1-mile-wide (1.6 km) swath, and a car was lofted and rolled 1⁄4 mi (0.40 km). Five people were injured and losses totaled $250,000, $150,000 of which were to timberland, mainly in the William B. Bankhead National Forest. Tornado family consisted of two segments with intermittent damage in between, passing south of Ashridge and Grayson.[32][27][24]
F3 ENE of Battleground to NNE of Cottonville Morgan, Marshall AL 34°19′N 86°59′W / 34.32°N 86.98°W / 34.32; -86.98 (Battleground (April 8, F3)) 16:15−? 38.8 miles (62.4 km) 200 yards (180 m) 2 deaths – Long-tracked tornado hit between Florette and Oleander, destroying or damaging more than 150 homes in the small, rural communities of Rock Creek, Lawrence Cove, Briddle Mountain, and Cotaco Valley—all in southern Morgan County. At least 90—perhaps as many as 125—people were injured and losses totaled $500.[33][34][27][24]
F3 S of Hulaco to SE of Union Grove Cullman, Morgan, Marshall AL 34°18′N 86°36′W / 34.3°N 86.6°W / 34.3; -86.6 (Hulaco (April 8, F3)) 16:30–? 16.3 miles (26.2 km) 33 yards (30 m) Tornado, roughly paralleling the previous event, destroyed several barns and small homes. Losses totaled $250,000. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F2. NCEI lists the path as extending to near Warrenton and Mount Carmel.[35][36][24]
F2 SSE of Reeves to Southern Calhoun to NNE of Crane Eater Gordon GA 34°26′N 85°00′W / 34.43°N 85°W / 34.43; -85 (Reeves (April 8, F2)) 19:00–? 10.3 miles (16.6 km) 200 yards (180 m) Yellowish-appearing tornado destroyed or damaged 70 structures, including mobile homes in a trailer park. 20 people were injured and losses totaled $250,000.[37][36][24]
F2 Cross Keys to SSE of Santuc Union SC 34°38′N 81°47′W / 34.63°N 81.78°W / 34.63; -81.78 (Cross Keys (April 8, F2)) 21:00–21:30 15.2 miles (24.5 km) 100 yards (91 m) Tornado destroyed or damaged approximately 60–63 homes and 67 other structures. Two people were injured and losses totaled $25,000. Climatological Data National Summary and Grazulis listed a 20-mile-long (32 km) path length. Tornado may have begun as far west as Cross Anchor. Damage at Santuc and nearby Carlisle may have been downburst-related.[38][36][24]
F1 SE of Chula to Eastern Douglas Tift, Irwin, Coffee GA 31°32′N 83°32′W / 31.53°N 83.53°W / 31.53; -83.53 (Chula (April 8, F1)) 21:00–22:00 41.3 miles (66.5 km) 90 yards (82 m) Intermittent, long-tracked tornado unroofed a large home and shifted other homes on their foundations. A lumber mill and a barn were destroyed as well. Damage occurred near Harding, Riverbend, Gladys, and Lax. Losses totaled $250,000. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F2.[39][36][24]
F3 China Hill to NW of Stave's Landing Telfair GA 31°51′N 83°05′W / 31.85°N 83.08°W / 31.85; -83.08 (China Hill (April 8, F3)) 21:30–? 14.7 miles (23.7 km) 400 yards (370 m) 1 death – Intense tornado hurled a truck 100 yd (300 ft), the two occupants of which it killed and injured, respectively. A church and a pair of small homes were destroyed as well, and a large refrigerator was moved 250 yd (750 ft). Four other people were injured and losses totaled $25,000.[40][36][24]
F2 SSW of Bowmantown to WNW of Fairview Washington TN 36°17′N 82°35′W / 36.28°N 82.58°W / 36.28; -82.58 (Bowmantown (April 8, F2)) 21:30–21:40 3 miles (4.8 km) 440 yards (400 m) Short-tracked tornado unroofed a silo and felled approximately 20 large trees. A barn was shifted 3 ft (1.0 yd) off its foundation, and flying debris damaged a home. Losses totaled $2,500. Grazulis did not list the tornado as an F2 or stronger.[41][36][24]
F4 NNW of Pleasant Plain, SC to Eastern Roseboro, NC Lancaster (SC), Chesterfield (SC), Marlboro (SC), Scotland (NC), Robeson (NC), Cumberland (NC), Sampson (NC) SC, NC 34°38′N 80°35′W / 34.63°N 80.58°W / 34.63; -80.58 (Pleasant Plain (April 8, F4)) 22:00–? 121.4 miles (195.4 km) 150 yards (140 m) 4 deaths – See section on this tornado – 80 people were injured and losses totaled $13⁄4 million.
F1 Northern Norfolk Norfolk VA 36°56′N 76°17′W / 36.93°N 76.28°W / 36.93; -76.28 ((April 8, F1)) 22:20–? 1 mile (1.6 km) 33 yards (30 m) Brief tornado passed between Naval Station Norfolk and Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk, southwest of Ocean View, wrecking signage, damaging a warehouse being built, shattering windows, unroofing structures, and splintering utility poles. Two people were injured and losses totaled $250,000.[42][2]
F2 ESE of Benevolence to SSW of Weston Randolph GA 31°52′N 84°42′W / 31.87°N 84.7°W / 31.87; -84.7 (Benevolence (April 8, F2)) 23:30–? 5.2 miles (8.4 km) 200 yards (180 m) Tornado destroyed or damaged a school, a church, a few barns, and three homes. One person was injured and losses totaled $25,000.[43][2][24]
F4 Downtown Pembroke Robeson NC 34°41′N 79°12′W / 34.68°N 79.2°W / 34.68; -79.2 (Pembroke (April 8, F4)) 01:00–? 0.8 miles (1.3 km) 150 yards (140 m) Brief but violent tornado damaged approximately 100 structures, of which it reportedly destroyed 25. Many small homes were leveled as well. 21 people were injured and losses totaled $250,000. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F3.[44][2][24]
F3 NE of Brices Crossroads Duplin NC 34°50′N 78°05′W / 34.83°N 78.08°W / 34.83; -78.08 (Brices Crossroads (April 8, F3)) 02:00–? 8 miles (13 km) 150 yards (140 m) Intense tornado leveled nine homes and damaged a dozen others near Rose Hill and Magnolia, scattering debris over many acres and tearing apart a concrete foundation. 29 people were injured and losses totaled $250,000.[45][2][24]

Flat Creek–Jefferson–Cheraw–Wallace–McColl, South Carolina/Johns–Maxton–Roseboro–Parkersburg, North Carolina[edit]

Flat Creek–Jefferson–Cheraw–Wallace–McColl, South Carolina/Johns–Maxton–Roseboro–Parkersburg, North Carolina
F4 tornado
Max. rating1F4 tornado
Fatalities4 fatalities, 80 injuries
Damage$13⁄4 million (1957 USD)
$19 million (2024 USD)
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

This was a long-lived tornado family containing at least two separate tornadoes, both of which may have been tornado families themselves. The first member of the tornado family touched down near Flat Creek and moved into the town of Jefferson, tearing apart 23 of 25 buildings on Main Street and destroying or damaging 141 homes and 156 other structures. Near-continuous damage of F2 and F3 intensity extended from Jefferson to near Cheraw and Wallace. The tornado destroyed or damaged 25 homes in Wallace. Parts of a cotton gin were found 10 mi (16 km) distant. 16 injuries occurred in South Carolina, all in Chesterfield County, and losses statewide totaled $750,000 (Grazulis listed damages as $1 million). The second member of the tornado family touched down near McColl and crossed into North Carolina near Johns and east of Maxton. In this area the tornado destroyed several barns, a gas station, and small homes, but was not of violent intensity. The tornado later tracked near St. Pauls en route to Roseboro. The only confirmable F4 damage occurred in a pair of small communities between Roseboro and Parkersburg, where four people died and approximately 20 homes were destroyed. More than 387 homes, businesses, and other structures were damaged or destroyed along the path, including more than 100 in Sampson County alone. In all, 80 people were injured and losses totaled $13⁄4 million.[46]

Non-tornadic effects[edit]

Severe thunderstorm winds gusted to 75 mph (121 km/h) at Bristol, Virginia.[47][2] Additionally, 4-inch-diameter (10 cm) hail was recorded in Anderson County, South Carolina.[48]

Impact[edit]

Aftermath and recovery[edit]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ All losses are in 1957 USD unless otherwise noted.
  2. ^ 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.[5]
  3. ^ 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.[6][7] While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,[8] Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013;[9] nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.[10]
  4. ^ 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.[11] Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.[12] 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.[13]
  5. ^ All 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.
  6. ^ Prior to 1994, only the average widths of tornado paths were officially listed.[25]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, Events Reported
  2. ^ a b c d e f USWB 1957, p. 118.
  3. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, Events Reported
  4. ^ a b Storm Data Publication 1957, Events Reported
  5. ^ Schneider, Russell S.; Brooks, Harold E.; Schaefer, Joseph T. (2004). Tornado Outbreak Day Sequences: Historic Events and Climatology (1875–2003) (PDF). 22nd Conf. Severe Local Storms. Hyannis, Massachusetts: American Meteorological Society. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  6. ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 141.
  7. ^ Grazulis 2001a, p. 131.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ "Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale)". Environment and Climate Change Canada. June 6, 2013. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  10. ^ "The International Tornado Intensity Scale". Tornado and Storm Research Organisation. 2016. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  11. ^ Grazulis 2001a, pp. 251–4.
  12. ^ Edwards, Roger (March 5, 2015). "The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC)". Storm Prediction Center: Frequently Asked Questions about Tornadoes. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  13. ^ Cook & Schaefer 2008, p. 3135.
  14. ^ "North America Tornado Cases 1950 to 1959". bangladeshtornadoes.org. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  15. ^ Multiple sources:
  16. ^ Multiple sources:
  17. ^ Multiple sources:
  18. ^ Multiple sources:
  19. ^ Multiple sources:
  20. ^ Multiple sources:
  21. ^ Multiple sources:
  22. ^ Multiple sources:
  23. ^ USWB 1957, pp. 116–8.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Grazulis 1993, p. 1004.
  25. ^ Brooks 2004, p. 310.
  26. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #9984229
  27. ^ a b c d e f g USWB 1957, p. 116.
  28. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #9976825
  29. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10049860
  30. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10127419
  31. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10049861
  32. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #9976826
  33. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #9976827
  34. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #9976828
  35. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #9976829
  36. ^ a b c d e f USWB 1957, p. 117.
  37. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #9998082
  38. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10117724
  39. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #9998084
  40. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #9998085
  41. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10127421
  42. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10154174
  43. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #9998086
  44. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10075793
  45. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10075795
  46. ^ Multiple sources:
  47. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10154170
  48. ^ Storm Data Publication 1957, #10117728

Sources[edit]

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