Tornado outbreak sequence of December 18–20, 1957

The tornado outbreak sequence of December 18–20, 1957, was a significant tornado outbreak sequence that affected the southern Midwest and the South of the contiguous United States on December 18–20, 1957.[nb 2] The outbreak sequence began on the afternoon of December 18, when a low-pressure area approached the southern portions of Missouri and Illinois. Supercells developed and proceeded eastward at horizontal speeds of 40 to 45 miles per hour (64 to 72 km/h), yielding what was considered the most severe tornado outbreak in Illinois on record so late in the calendar year. Total losses in the state were estimated to fall within the range of $8–$10 million.[4][5]

Tornado outbreak sequence of December 18–20, 1957
TypeTornado outbreak sequence
DurationDecember 18–20, 1957
Tornadoes confirmed37
Max. rating1F5 tornado
Duration of tornado outbreak2~1½ day
Highest gust53 kn (61 mph; 98 km/h) (estimated) in Hannibal, Missouri, on December 18[1]
Largest hail1 1⁄4 in (3.2 cm) in diameter in Missouri on December 18[2]
Damage$ [nb 1]
Casualties19 fatalities, 291 injuries
Areas affectedMidwestern and Southern United States, especially eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois

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

Background

At 6:00 a.m. CST (12:00 UTC) on December 18, 1957, a vigorous shortwave trough[6] entered the Great Plains with a cold front moving east across Oklahoma and Kansas.[7] A dissipating stationary front over Oklahoma underwent frontolysis[7] and later redeveloped as a warm front which extended across central Illinois.[8] By 3:00 p.m. CST (21:00 UTC), surface dew points reached the low 60s °F across portions of southeast Missouri and southern Illinois, including the St. Louis area. Although most areas were then recording overcast weather conditions,[8] a strong upper-level jet stream helped impart synoptic-scale lifting,[6] a factor that favors updrafts, and little vertical mixing occurred, so instability remained favorable for thunderstorm development. Additionally, very cold temperatures[6] following a surface cyclone[7] raised the lifted index to -6 due to high adiabatic lapse rates.[8] Wind speeds at the middle level of the atmosphere, just under 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the ground, were close to 70 mph (110 km/h) as well.[8] Conditions were therefore very conducive to a large tornado outbreak on the afternoon of December 18.

Similarly favorable conditions occurred a day later, as a warm and moist air mass spread northward from the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, temperatures in the Mississippi Valley and the upper Midwest approached record highs for December. St. Louis and Detroit, recorded afternoon highs of 57 °F (14 °C), while Chicago measured 56 °F (13 °C), only eight degrees lower than the local record high for December 19. Local residents and meteorologists described temperatures as being "springlike" for the time of year, even though meteorological winter was due to begin on December 23. Farther south, temperatures along the Gulf Coast reached the low 70s °F. Just as on December 18, a second tornado outbreak occurred in a broad warm sector from Arkansas to Illinois and south to Alabama.[9]

Daily statistics
Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
0 0 8 16 9 3 1 37
"FU" denotes unclassified but confirmed tornadoes.
Daily statistics of tornadoes produced by the tornado outbreak sequence of December 18–20, 1957
Date Total Fujita scale rating Deaths Injuries Damage Ref.
 FU   F0   F1   F2   F3   F4   F5 
December 18 25 0 0 3 11 8 2 1 17 273 $ [10][11][12]
December 19 10 0 0 3 5 1 1 0 2 18 $ [10][11][12]
December 20 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 $ [10][11][12]
Total 37 0 0 8 16 9 3 1 19 291 $ [10][11][12]
Outbreak death toll[10]
State Total County County
total
Arkansas 2 Ouachita 2
Illinois 13 Jackson 11
Jefferson 1
Perry 1
Missouri 4 Scott 3
St. Francois 1
Totals 19
All deaths were tornado-related

List of tornadoes

December 18 event
List of known tornadoes – Wednesday, December 18, 1957[nb 3][nb 4][10]
F# Location County / Parish State Start
coord.		 Time (UTC) Path length Max. width Summary Refs.
F1 WSW of Truxton Lincoln MO 39.00°N 91.25°W / 39.00; -91.25 (Truxton (December 18, F1)) 18:30–? 0.3 miles (0.48 km) N/A This tornado injured one person as it unroofed three homes, one of which was removed from its foundation. Tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F2. [14][15]
F2 ENE of Knob Lick to WSW of Libertyville St. Francois MO 37.68°N 90.35°W / 37.68; -90.35 (Libertyville (December 18, F2)) 19:50–? 2.7 miles (4.3 km) N/A One death – This tornado occurred north of Fredericktown in St. Francois County, Missouri. The destroyed a home and killed an infant inside. It also levelled barns and silos in its path. One person was injured. Grazulis classified this tornado as an F3. [16][14][17]
F3 SE of Diamond Cross to NE of Conant Randolph, Perry IL 37.97°N 89.82°W / 37.97; -89.82 (Diamond Cross (December 18, F3)) 20:40–? 20.2 miles (32.5 km) N/A This intense tornado produced intermittent damage near Chester, Steeleville, Cutler, Jamestown, and Conant. The tornado affected ten farmsteads, destroyed one home, and damaged numerous buildings. [16][14]
F2 ESE of McBride Perry MO 37.83°N 89.83°W / 37.83; -89.83 (McBride (December 18, F2)) 21:00–21:20 0.5 miles (0.80 km) N/A This strong tornado destroyed or damaged fifteen to twenty buildings on farms, including a number of barns. The tornado hurled an occupied elementary school in the air, but the thirty-two students then in attendance were uninjured. [16][14]
F3 SE of Chester to NW of Denmark Randolph, Perry IL 37.90°N 89.80°W / 37.90; -89.80 (Chester (December 18, F3)) 21:15–? 17.7 miles (28.5 km) N/A This tornado destroyed or damaged twenty-four homes in Willisville, along with the local brick high school. [16][14]
F2 WNW of Roxana Madison IL 38.85°N 90.08°W / 38.85; -90.08 (Wood River (December 18, F2)) 21:20–? 1 mile (1.6 km) N/A This strong but short-lived tornado, which may have first touched down near Florissant, Missouri, damaged or destroyed nine buildings on the southern outskirts of Wood River. Tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F3. One person was injured. [16][14][18]
F1 Mason City Mason IL 40.20°N 89.70°W / 40.20; -89.70 (Mason City (December 18, F1)) 21:35–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) N/A This brief tornado caused minimal damage to three or four buildings. One person was injured. [16][19]
F3 NNE of Cutler Perry IL 38.08°N 89.55°W / 38.08; -89.55 (Cutler (December 18, F3)) 21:35–? 2.5 miles (4.0 km) N/A This tornado injured one person and damaged or destroyed six homes in a community at the intersection of Illinois Routes 154 and 150. Cars were blown off the highways and destroyed. [16][14][20]
F2 NW of Boyd to SSE of Dix Jefferson IL 38.42°N 89.02°W / 38.42; -89.02 (Boyd (December 18, F2)) 21:45–? 4.5 miles (7.2 km) N/A This tornado injured two people while unroofing or extensively damaging eight buildings. [16][21][22]
F4 S of Roaches to NNE of Marlow Jefferson IL 38.28°N 89.08°W / 38.28; -89.08 (Roaches (December 18, F4)) 21:55–22:10 16.8 miles (27.0 km) 250 yards (230 m) One death – See section on this tornado – Forty-five people were injured. [23]
F2 NNW of Ava to ENE of Sato Jackson IL 37.90°N 89.50°W / 37.90; -89.50 (Ava (December 18, F2)) 22:00–? 5.4 miles (8.7 km) N/A This tornado damaged three or four properties. Grazulis did not list the event as an F2 or stronger. [16][11]
F3 ESE of Belgique, Missouri, to WNW of Degognia, Illinois Randolph IL 37.83°N 89.75°W / 37.83; -89.75 (Belgique (December 18, F3)) 22:15–? 5.7 miles (9.2 km) N/A This tornado, which passed near Rockwood, flipped freight cars and damaged nearby buildings. Grazulis did not list the event as an F2 or stronger. [24][11]
F2 E of Woodlawn to ENE of Camp Ground Jefferson IL 38.33°N 89.02°W / 38.33; -89.02 (Woodlawn (December 18, F2)) 22:30–? 11.6 miles (18.7 km) N/A This tornado impacted the northernmost outskirts of Mount Vernon as it damaged twelve structures. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F3. [21]
F5 NNW of Sunfield to ESE of Tamaroa Perry IL 38.08°N 89.25°W / 38.08; -89.25 (Sunfield (December 18, F5)) 22:35–? 5.4 miles (8.7 km) N/A One death – See section on this tornado – Six people were injured. [25]
F2 E of Scopus to S of Oak Ridge Cape Girardeau MO 37.40°N 89.87°W / 37.40; -89.87 (Scopus (December 18, F2)) 22:45–22:55 15.8 miles (25.4 km) N/A This intense tornado, which passed near Millersville and Highway 61, affected five farmsteads, one of which lost the farmhouse and all barns. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F3. One person was injured. [26][27][21]
F4 N of Happy Hollow to SW of Plumfield Jackson, Williamson, Franklin IL 37.70°N 89.48°W / 37.70; -89.48 (Happy Hollow (December 18, F4)) 22:45–23:05 28.3 miles (45.5 km) 300 yards (270 m) Eleven deaths – See section on this tornado – Two hundred people were injured. [28][29][30][21]
F2 N of Altenburg Perry MO 37.68°N 89.58°W / 37.68; -89.58 (Altenburg (December 18, F2)) 23:00–? 1 mile (1.6 km) N/A This brief tornado destroyed a home near Altenburg. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F3, based on "near-F4" damage to the home. [31][14]
F3 E of Orchardville to Clay City Wayne, Clay IL 38.50°N 88.63°W / 38.50; -88.63 (Orchardville (December 18, F3)) 23:00–? 19.6 miles (31.5 km) 200 yards (180 m) This tornado injured one person and destroyed buildings on twenty different farms. The most intense damage occurred as the tornado touched down, then became less severe and discontinuous. It dissipated just south of downtown Clay City. Another, unconfirmed tornado may have hit the same area at 23:30 UTC. [32][33][21]
F2 Chaffee Scott MO 37.18°N 89.67°W / 37.18; -89.67 (Chaffee (December 18, F2)) 23:22–? 0.5 miles (0.80 km) N/A Three deaths – At least one tornado wrecked downtown Chaffee as it unroofed and destroyed homes and businesses along with a shoe factory. Though two or more tornadoes may have been involved, only one was officially recorded. All three deaths occurred in a small home. There may have been four injuries rather than the one officially listed. [34][21]
F2 Carbondale Jackson IL 37.70°N 89.22°W / 37.70; -89.22 (Carbondale (December 18, F2)) 23:25–? 1.5 miles (2.4 km) N/A This tornado touched down near Southern Illinois University and injured five people. It destroyed fifteen trailers and caused damage to three other homes. Grazulis did not list this tornado as an F2 or stronger. [35][24][11]
F3 W of Ste. Marie Jasper IL 38.93°N 88.05°W / 38.93; -88.05 (Ste. Marie (December 18, F3)) 23:25–? 4.5 miles (7.2 km) N/A This intense tornado damaged four farms and destroyed one or more barns between Boos and Ste. Marie. [36][21]
F3 Dahlgren Hamilton IL 38.20°N 88.70°W / 38.20; -88.70 (Dahlgren (December 18, F3)) 23:35–? 2.5 miles (4.0 km) N/A This intense tornado destroyed several homes in parts of Dahlgren and caused F3 damage along its very short path. It may have been produced by the same thunderstorm that spawned the F5 Sunfield tornado. Three people were injured. [37][24][21]
F3 SW of Springerton to NW of Grayville Hamilton, White, Edwards IL 38.17°N 88.42°W / 38.17; -88.42 (Springerton (December 18, F3)) 00:00–? 19.8 miles (31.9 km) N/A This tornado injured four people as it destroyed four or more barns and a home along its path. Twenty farmsteads received damage. [38][21]
F2 E of Karnak Johnson IL 37.30°N 88.92°W / 37.30; -88.92 (Karnak (December 18, F2)) 00:00–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) N/A This tornado destroyed one church and struck a school and two farms. Two tornadoes were probably involved but the event is not officially listed as such. [39][21]
F1 SE of Sidell to W of Indianola Vermilion IL 39.90°N 87.80°W / 39.90; -87.80 (Sidell (December 18, F2)) 00:40–? 3 miles (4.8 km) N/A This tornado was apparently heard to produce a "'roaring'" noise with minimal damage. [40][24]

December 19 event
List of known tornadoes – Thursday, December 19, 1957[nb 3][nb 4][10]
F# Location County / Parish State Start
coord.		 Time (UTC) Path length Max. width Summary Refs.
F4 E of Waldo to N of Stephens Columbia, Ouachita AR 33.35°N 93.25°W / 33.35; -93.25 (Waldo (December 19, F4)) 18:44–? 17.7 miles (28.5 km) N/A Two deaths – This violent tornado produced F4 damage as it touched down at "Cotton Belt", a community between Waldo and McNeil. There, five homes were levelled and a boy killed and thrown 250 yd (750 ft) from his home. Elsewhere, the tornado damaged five other homes. The tornado also threw and rolled a car 600 yd (0.34 mi) just before dissipating, having caused nine injuries and destroyed eight buildings. [41][42][43][21]
F1 S of Milan Gibson TN 35.87°N 88.75°W / 35.87; -88.75 (Sitka (December 19, F1)) 21:00–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) N/A A brief tornado destroyed four tenant homes on a farm in the Sitka community, south of Milan. [43][44]
F3 Sherrill to SE of Tucker Jefferson AR 34.38°N 91.95°W / 34.38; -91.95 (Sherrill (December 19, F3)) 21:40–? 3.8 miles (6.1 km) N/A This intense tornado affected two farmsteads and struck the Tucker State Prison Farm. [43][45][21]
F2 SE of Golden City Dade MO 37.37°N 94.07°W / 37.37; -94.07 (Golden City (December 19, F2)) 22:10–22:15 6.6 miles (10.6 km) N/A This tornado intermittently damaged five farmsteads. The tornado alternately lifted and touched down, and a number of funnel clouds were reported, so more than one tornado may have been involved. Grazulis did not list this tornado as an F2 or stronger. [43][46][11]
F2 Waltonville Jefferson IL 38.20°N 89.05°W / 38.20; -89.05 (Waltonville (December 19, F2)) 23:50–? 1 mile (1.6 km) N/A This tornado extensively damaged one farm and caused lesser damage to a number of structures. Grazulis did not list this tornado as an F2 or stronger. [43][47][11]
F2 Pankeyville Saline IL 37.70°N 88.53°W / 37.70; -88.53 (Pankeyville (December 19, F2)) 03:00–? 0.5 miles (0.80 km) N/A A tornado damaged a barn and other buildings south of Harrisburg. Grazulis did not list this tornado as an F2 or stronger. [43][48][11]
F2 Humboldt Gibson TN 35.82°N 88.92°W / 35.82; -88.92 (Humboldt (December 19, F2)) 03:15–? 0.5 miles (0.80 km) N/A A hotel and the local city hall were partially or entirely unroofed. Four tenant homes, a warehouse, and a CBS-built garage were wrecked. A cotton gin and a building sustained damage, the latter of which was also shifted and twisted. Electrical wires and TV antennae were downed as well. Flying debris damaged numerous structures. [43][49][21]
F1 Milan Gibson TN 35.92°N 88.75°W / 35.92; -88.75 (Milan (December 19, F1)) 03:20–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) N/A This tornado, the second to hit the Milan area on December 19, damaged roofs, windows, and antennae. Flying debris injured two people. The tornado may have originated from the same storm as the previous event. [43][50]
F1 S of Winfield Fayette AL 33.87°N 87.80°W / 33.87; -87.80 (Winfield (December 19, F1)) 04:30–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) N/A This brief tornado destroyed a home and several outbuildings. [51][52]
F2 Littleville Colbert AL 34.60°N 87.67°W / 34.60; -87.67 (Littleville (December 19, F2)) 05:15–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) N/A This tornado destroyed or damaged fifteen homes, seven businesses, and the local city hall. Damage neared F3-level intensity. Seven people were injured. [21][53]

December 20 event
List of known tornadoes – Friday, December 20, 1957[nb 3][nb 4][10]
F# Location County / Parish State Start
coord.		 Time (UTC) Path length Max. width Summary Refs.
F1 Clanton Chilton AL 32.80°N 86.65°W / 32.80; -86.65 (Clanton (December 20, F1)) 08:53–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) N/A This tornado unroofed or extensively damaged twenty to thirty-five homes, three of which were destroyed, and a cotton mill. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F2. [51][54][21]
F1 E of Castleberry Conecuh AL 31.30°N 86.88°W / 31.30; -86.88 (Castleberry (December 19, F1)) 09:00–? 0.8 miles (1.3 km) N/A This tornado damaged two areas about 1⁄2 mi (0.80 km) apart. It destroyed two homes and one barn. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F2. [51][55][21]

Mount Vernon, Illinois
Mount Vernon, Illinois
F4 tornado
Max. rating1F4 tornado
Casualties1 fatality, 45 injuries
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

The second deadly tornado to develop on December 18 became one of two tornadoes to strike Mount Vernon in Jefferson County, Illinois. The first tornado was the strongest and formed at 3:55 p.m. CST (21:55 UTC) about 10 mi (16 km) west-southwest of downtown Mount Vernon, whence local police monitored its movement from patrol vehicles and disseminated reports via radio.[16] As the tornado approached downtown Mount Vernon, it completely levelled small, "prefabricated", ranch-style homes in southwest Mount Vernon; damage in this area was later rated F4 by meteorologists, though on the low end of the category.[21][16] Thereafter, the tornado weakened as it neared downtown Mount Vernon and may have even dissipated before reforming as a separate tornado to the north. It then continued on a skipping path and caused less severe damage to older homesites northeast of Mount Vernon.[16] In Mount Vernon, the tornado damaged or destroyed about fifteen to twenty buildings, including the Block Grade School, where students left only half an hour beforehand. The funnel was described as being "swirling black clouds", filled with debris, that vanished northwest of downtown Mount Vernon.[56] The tornado was up to 250 yd (230 m) wide at times.[16]

Sunfield, Illinois
Sunfield, Illinois
F5 tornado
Max. rating1F5 tornado
Casualties1 fatality, 6 injuries
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

At 4:35 p.m. CST (22:35 UTC) on December 18, the only F5 tornado of the outbreak sequence destroyed the entire community of Sunfield in Perry County, Illinois. The powerful tornado touched down at the intersection of U.S. Route 51 and Illinois Route 154, which was then the location of Sunfield. The extreme damage only occurred in the small settlement, which reportedly completely vanished.[21][24] One man who could not seek shelter in time died in an exposed location. Six other people were injured.[21][25] The community of Sunfield has since relocated and is presently sited to the south of the intersection. The thunderstorm that generated the Sunfield tornado continued moving east-northeast and may have also produced the tornado that hit Dahlgren, 32 mi (51 km) east-northeast of Sunfield.[24]

Gorham–Sand Ridge–Murphysboro–Plumfield, Illinois
Gorham–Sand Ridge–Murphysboro–Plumfield, Illinois
F4 tornado
Max. rating1F4 tornado
Casualties11 fatalities, 200 injuries
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

This tornado, the deadliest of the outbreak sequence, closely resembled the Tri-State Tornado and affected some of the same areas that were hit in 1925, including locations in and near Gorham, Murphysboro, and De Soto.[56][21] It may have touched down in eastern Missouri but was first observed at 4:45 p.m. CST (some sources say 4:30 p.m. CST) in Gorham, destroying or damaging forty homes there. One fatality occurred in nearby Sand Ridge.[14][24] As it neared and passed through the southeast side of Murphysboro, the tornado paralleled the Big Muddy River, moving east-northeast. It produced the worst damage, posthumously rated F4, in this area, destroying old buildings; however, the most intense damage only affected a small section of southeast Murphysboro, where ten of the eleven deaths occurred.[24][21] Afterward, the tornado continued on to damage parts of De Soto, Hurst, and Bush. The tornado was last reported near Plumfield at 5:05 p.m. CST (23:05 UTC).[24] Murphysboro was powerless for almost three days as most utilities were in the worst-hit area. The tornado injured two hundred people along its path.[10][21]

Non-tornadic effects

Severe thunderstorms in connection with the outbreak on December 18 produced hail up to .75 inches (1.9 cm) in diameter in St. Francois County, Missouri.[57] Severe winds estimated at up to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) also affected the Hannibal area in that state, downing power lines and wires. In addition to the six known tornadoes in Missouri, unconfirmed reports of tornadoes occurred in Jefferson County, along with many reports of funnel clouds elsewhere in the state.[16] Other unconfirmed tornadoes were reported in other states, including an alleged tornado that hit Rockville, Indiana.[56][24] On December 19, a dust storm with 50-mile-per-hour (80 km/h) wind gusts tossed three roofs onto vehicles and reduced visibility to just 1⁄2 mi (0.80 km) in Dallas, Texas. In addition to the three confirmed tornadoes that hit the state that day, severe winds in Tennessee, reportedly unrelated to tornado activity, destroyed farm buildings, tore off roofs, and downed trees and electrical wires; though these may have been due to tornadoes, none was confirmed.[43] In addition to two confirmed tornadoes, unconfirmed reports of tornado damage arrived from Royalton and Elkville, Illinois;[9] though attributed to thunderstorm winds, these damages may have been due to tornadoes.[43] Additionally, severe thunderstorm activity on December 18–19 contributed to severe flood conditions across parts of southern Illinois and in Missouri.[9]

Aftermath and recovery

After severe weather left the Murphysboro area in Illinois, police officers, firefighters, deputies, and other assistance were called out to the worst-hit subdivisions, Country Heights and Crown View.[56] Then-Illinois Director of Public Health Dr. Roland Cross also sent for the hard-hit Mount Vernon area.[56] Then-Illinois Governor William G. Stratton directed Illinois state police to the affected areas of southern Illinois and also readied the Illinois National Guard for possible deployment to the region.[56]

See also

Notes
  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.[3]
  3. All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time for consistency.
  4. Prior to 1994, only the average widths of tornado paths were officially listed.[13]

References
  1. National Weather Service (August 2019). Missouri Event Report: Thunderstorm Wind (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  2. National Weather Service (August 2019). Missouri Event Report: Hail (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  3. Schneider, Russell S.; Brooks, Harold E.; Schaefer, Joseph T. (2004). Tornado Outbreak Day Sequences: Historic Events and Climatology (1875-2003) (PDF). 22nd Conference on Severe Local Storms. Hyannis, Massachusetts: American Meteorological Society. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  4. Joos, Lothar A. (December 1957). Written at Champaign, Illinois. "Illinois – December 1957". Weather Summary. Climatological Data. Illinois. Asheville, North Carolina: National Climatic Data Center (published January 1958). 62 (12): 160.
  5. Wilson, John W.; Changnon, Stanley A. (1971). Illinois Tornadoes (PDF) (Technical report). Illinois State Water Survey. Urbana, Illinois: State of Illinois Department of Registration and Education. p. 39. 103. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  6. Finch, Jonathan D. (13 November 2005). "Historical Tornado Cases for Saint Louis County Warning Area of Eastern Missouri and SW Illinois". Bangladesh Tornadoes. Archived from the original on 15 May 2006. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  7. "U.S. Daily Weather Maps". NOAA Central Library. NOAA Central Library Data Imaging Project. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  8. Finch, Jonathan D. "Historical Tornado Cases for North America, 1950-1959". Bangladesh Tornadoes. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  9. "2 Die in Arkansas in New Tornadoes". The New York Times. Associated Press. 20 December 1957. p. 56.
  10. National Weather Service (August 2019). Events reported between 12/18/1957 and 12/20/1957 (3 days) (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  11. Grazulis, Thomas P. (July 1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. pp. 1012–3. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
  12. U.S. Weather Bureau (December 1957). "Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena". Climatological Data National Summary. Asheville, North Carolina: National Climatic Data Center (published January 1958). 8 (12): 526–9.
  13. 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. Bibcode:2004WtFor..19..310B. doi:10.1175/1520-0434(2004)019<0310:OTROTP>2.0.CO;2. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  14. Grazulis 1993, p. 1012
  15. National Weather Service (August 2019). Missouri Event Report: F1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  16. USWB 1957, p. 526
  17. National Weather Service (August 2019). Missouri Event Report: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  18. National Weather Service (August 2019). Illinois Event Report: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  19. National Weather Service (August 2019). Illinois Event Report: F1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  20. National Weather Service (August 2019). Illinois Event Report: F3 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  21. Grazulis 1993, p. 1013
  22. National Weather Service (August 2019). Illinois Event Report: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  23. National Weather Service (August 2019). Illinois Event Report: F4 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  24. USWB 1957, p. 527
  25. National Weather Service (August 2019). Illinois Event Report: F5 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  26. National Weather Service (February 2020). Missouri Event Report: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  27. National Weather Service (February 2020). Missouri Event Report: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  28. National Weather Service (February 2020). Illinois Event Report: F4 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  29. National Weather Service (February 2020). Illinois Event Report: F4 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  30. National Weather Service (February 2020). Illinois Event Report: F4 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  31. National Weather Service (February 2020). Missouri Event Report: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  32. National Weather Service (February 2020). Illinois Event Report: F3 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  33. National Weather Service (February 2020). Illinois Event Report: F3 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  34. National Weather Service (February 2020). Missouri Event Report: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  35. National Weather Service (February 2020). Illinois Event Report: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  36. National Weather Service (February 2020). Illinois Event Report: F3 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  37. National Weather Service (February 2020). Illinois Event Report: F3 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  38. National Weather Service (February 2020). Illinois Event Report: F3 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  39. National Weather Service (February 2020). Illinois Event Reports: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  40. National Weather Service (February 2020). Illinois Event Report: F1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  41. National Weather Service (February 2020). Arkansas Event Report: F4 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  42. National Weather Service (February 2020). Arkansas Event Report: F4 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  43. USWB 1957, p. 528
  44. National Weather Service (February 2020). Tennessee Event Report: F1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  45. National Weather Service (February 2020). Arkansas Event Report: F3 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  46. National Weather Service (February 2020). Missouri Event Report: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  47. National Weather Service (February 2020). Illinois Event Report: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  48. National Weather Service (February 2020). Illinois Event Report: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  49. National Weather Service (February 2020). Tennessee Event Report: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  50. National Weather Service (February 2020). Tennessee Event Report: F1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  51. USWB 1957, p. 529
  52. National Weather Service (February 2020). Alabama Event Report: F1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  53. National Weather Service (February 2020). Alabama Event Report: F2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  54. National Weather Service (February 2020). Alabama Event Report: F1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  55. National Weather Service (February 2020). Alabama Event Report: F1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  56. "Tornadoes Kill 8 in Midwest Area". The New York Times. United Press. 19 December 1957. p. 63.
  57. USWB 1957, p. 525
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