1953 tornadoes of Anita, Iowa

A series of destructive tornadoes struck North Dakota and Iowa as part of a much larger severe weather event that took place on June 27, 1953. The worst tornado was a violent F5 tornado that obliterated farmlands east of Anita, Iowa. In all, five tornadoes touched down, killing one, injuring five, and causing $305,000 (1953 USD). Several other casualties also occurred from non-tornadic events that day as well.

1953 tornadoes of Anita, Iowa
TypeTornado outbreak
DurationJune 27, 1953
Tornadoes confirmed5[1]
Max. rating1F5 tornado
Duration of tornado outbreak25 hours and 30 minutes
Damage$305,000 (1953 USD)
Casualties1 fatalities (+1 non-tornadic), 5 injuries (+7 non-tornadic)[2][3]
Areas affectedNorth Dakota, Iowa

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

Meteorological synopsis

A large area of severe thunderstorms formed over an area stretching from Colorado to Iowa, producing wind, hail, flooding, and lightning. The tornado activity was confined to a small zone in Central Iowa as well as Eastern North Dakota. North Dakota had a single tornado touch down while Iowa saw one supercell produce a family of four tornadoes over a four hour and 15 minute period. The severe activity spread eastward over the next two days, bringing additional severe weather impacts all the way to the East Coast of the United States.[3]

Confirmed tornadoes
Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
0 0 2 2 0 0 1 5

June 27 event
List of confirmed tornadoes – Thursday, June 27, 1953[nb 1][nb 2]
F# Location County / Parish State Start
coord.		 Time (UTC) Path length Max. width Summary Refs.
F2 S of Cummings Traill ND 47.50°N 97.08°W / 47.50; -97.08 (Cummings (June 27, F2)) 20:30–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) 10 yards (9.1 m) Four tornado funnels were observed near Cummings with only one of them touching down and causing minor damage. A corn crib was upset and trees damaged on one farm with another farm seeing no damage at all when the tornado went through the yard. Damages were estimated at $2,500.[nb 3] Tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis did not list this tornado as an F2 or stronger. [3][5][6]
[7]
F5 E of Anita Adair IA 41.45°N 94.70°W / 41.45; -94.70 (Anita (June 27, F5)) 21:45–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) 100 yards (91 m) 1 death – A brief, but violent tornado destroyed four farms east of Anita, one of which was practically obliterated. The tornado hurled heavy machinery for hundreds of feet. Boards were lofted and driven into trees as well. Two people were injured, one critically, and damages were estimated at $250,000. As of 2020, this tornado has the shortest official track of any F5/EF5 tornado in the US since 1950, although Grazulis documented it as having traveled 10 miles (16 km). [3][8][9]
[10][11][7]
F1 NNE of Stanton Montgomery IA 41.02°N 95.08°W / 41.02; -95.08 (Stanton (June 27, F2)) 22:45–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) 100 yards (91 m) Seven farms reported at least some damage, including the destruction of a barn on one of them. Damage was estimated at $25,000. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F2. [3][12][13]
[7]
F1 Northwestern Indianola Warren, IA 41.38°N 93.58°W / 41.38; -93.58 (Northwestern Indianola (June 27, F2)) 23:15–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) 100 yards (91 m) A barn and several outbuildings were damaged or destroyed on a few farms. There were two injuries and $25,000 in damage. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F2. [3][14][15]
[7]
F2 E of Lacey to N of Evans Mahaska IA 41.40°N 92.60°W / 41.40; -92.60 (Lacey (June 27, F2)) 02:00–? 7.8 miles (12.6 km) 100 yards (91 m) Odd southwest-moving tornado damaged or destroyed two structures, including a barn, north of Oskaloosa, injuring one person and causing $2,500 in damage. [3][16][17]
[7]

Non-tornadic events

A severe squall line pushed through the southern part of Iowa, causing a 30 mi (48 km) long swath of widespread wind damage and power outages. Two people were injured in Indianola while another was injured in Ottumwa. Seven hereford cows were also killed by lightning in Mt. Vernon as well. Another severe squall line moved through Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with high winds damaging buildings and vehicles. One person drowned after their sailboat was overturned and three others were injured elsewhere throughout the city. In Missouri, a boy was injured in Linneus and seven Holstein cows were killed in Savannah due to lightning. Several farms and towns in Kansas also suffered damage due to lightning, strong winds, and hail the size of golf balls.[3]

See also

Notes
  1. All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time for consistency.
  2. Prior to 1994, only the average widths of tornado paths were officially listed.[4]
  3. All losses are in 1953 USD unless otherwise noted.

    References
    1. "June 27, 1953 Tornadoes". Tornado History Projects. Storm Predicition Center. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
    2. "Tornado Summaries". National Weather Service. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
    3. "Climatological Data National Summary Publication | IPS | National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)". www.ncdc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
    4. Brooks, Harold E. (April 2004). "On the Relationship of Tornado Path Length and Width to Intensity". Weather and Forecasting. Boston: American Meteorological Society. 19 (2): 310. doi:10.1175/1520-0434(2004)019<0310:OTROTP>2.0.CO;2. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
    5. "North Dakota F2". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
    6. North Dakota Event Report: F2 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
    7. Grazulis, Thomas P. (July 1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. p. 975. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
    8. "Iowa F5". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
    9. Iowa Event Report: F5 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
    10. Grazulis, Thomas P. (2001). F5-F6 Tornadoes. St. Johnsbury, VT: The Tornado Project.
    11. "All F5/EF5 Tornadoes". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
    12. "Iowa F1". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
    13. "Iowa Event Report: F1 Tornado". National Weather Service. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
    14. "Iowa F1". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
    15. Iowa Event Report: F1 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
    16. "Iowa F2". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
    17. Iowa Event Report: F2 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
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