Tornado outbreak of May 1927

The tornado outbreak of May 1927 occurred between May 7–9 in the Midwestern and Southern United States, producing numerous strong tornadoes and killing at least 217 people.[1]

Tornado outbreak of May 1927

Type	Tornado outbreak
Duration	May 7–9, 1927
Tornadoes confirmed	≥ 34
Max. rating^1	F5 tornado
Damage	Unknown
Casualties	≥ 217 deaths, ≥ 1,156 injuries
Areas affected	Midwestern United States, Southern United States
^1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5	Total
?	0	0	17	8	8	1	≥ 34

List of known tornadoes during the tornado outbreak of May 7–9, 1927[1][nb 1]

F#	Location	County / Parish	State	Start coord.	Date	Time (UTC)	Path length	Max width	Summary
F5	SW of Aetna to SSW of McPherson	Comanche, Barber, Kingman, Reno, McPherson	KS	N/A	May 7	0000	95 miles (153 km)	3,520 yd (3,220 m)	Ten deaths – This intense, long-lived tornado family consisted of at least two tornadoes, the first touchdown of which may have occurred in Oklahoma. Both tornadoes were of immense size, up to 2 mi (3.2 km) wide at times, but their visibility allowed many people to seek shelter.[2] The tornadoes struck over one hundred farms, some of which were obliterated. Four deaths occurred southeast of Medicine Lodge, and another person died west of Kingman.[2] The tornado family also impacted the eastern side of Hutchinson, where three deaths and $750,000 in damages occurred.[nb 2] Two final deaths took place near McPherson before the tornadoes dissipated. Three hundred people were injured along the entire path,[2] and total losses reached $1.3 million.[3]
F3	W of North Platte to E of Hershey	Lincoln	NE	N/A	May 8	1215	15 miles (24 km)	100 yd (91 m)[3]	A narrow tornado struck eight farms, four of which incurred F3-level damage. Three people were injured, and losses totalled $45,000.[4] Operationally, this and the succeeding event were considered a single tornado with a total path length of 34 mi (55 km),[3] but a reanalysis by Thomas P. Grazulis split them into two distinct tornadoes.[4]
F3	W and NW of Stapleton	Lincoln	NE	N/A	May 8	1600	18 miles (29 km)	N/A	This tornado, the second to strike Nebraska on May 8, wrecked at least three homes on ranches. One person was injured, and damages totalled $50,000.[4]
F2	Near Calumet to near Sutherland	O'Brien	IA	N/A	May 8	0200	6 miles (9.7 km)	N/A	One injury
F4	Near Macks Creek to near Olean	Camden, Miller	MO	N/A	May 8	0200	35 miles (56 km)	N/A	Four deaths, thirty-three injuries – major damage in western part of Eldon. Damage in Olean may have been dissipation of tornado.[1]
F4	NW of Jefferson City to S of Benton City	Cole, Boone, Callaway, Audrain	MO	N/A	May 8	0315	40 miles (64 km)	N/A	Six deaths, thirty injuries – Well-built home obliterated with concrete basement wall pulled over west of New Bloomfield.
F3	NW of Ava	Douglas	MO	N/A	May 8	0400	9 miles (14 km)	N/A	Two deaths, thirty injuries – Nine homes destroyed, two men killed
F4	Nevada	Collin	TX	N/A	May 9	0825	15 miles (24 km)	N/A	Nineteen deaths, one hundred injuries – Formed southwest of Nevada, impacted western half of town. Tornado formed so close to town that no roar was heard to warn residents. May have been more than two hundred injuries; injured placed in several nearby hospitals. Further down path roar allowed people in path to take shelter.[1]
F4	NW of Greenville to near Wolfe City	Hunt	TX	N/A	May 9	0900	15 miles (24 km)	N/A	Six deaths, twenty injuries – Developed from the previous storm. Twenty farms hit.[1]
F4	Garland	Dallas	TX	N/A	May 9	0910	1 mile (1.6 km)	N/A	Fifteen deaths, forty injuries – Brief but extremely destructive tornado moved through Garland. Moved from southwest to northeast of town with highly erratic path, at one point turning 180°. Most casualties occurred in a five-block area.[1]
F2	NW of Holland to Beckette Mountain	Faulkner	AR	N/A	May 9	1900	12 miles (19 km)	N/A	Home and barn damaged
F3	Hickory Township	Schuyler, Fulton	IL	N/A	May 9	2010	12 miles (19 km)	N/A	One death, twelve injuries – Moved parallel to and north of the Illinois River. Five farm homes damaged, one boy killed.[1]
F2	Shreveport	Caddo	LA	N/A	May 9	2025	1 mile (1.6 km)	N/A	Cut a block-wide damage path through part of Shreveport, doing minimal F2 damage. No injuries reported.[1]
F2	Near Eden	Peoria	IL	N/A	May 9	2030	N/A	N/A	Farm house had roof torn off and carried ^1⁄4 mi (0.40 km) away. No injuries.[1]
F2	Scott to Lonoke	Pulaski, Lonoke	AR	N/A	May 9	2030	15 miles (24 km)	N/A	Seven injuries; many rural homes damaged
F3	W of Carlisle to Birdeye	Lonoke, Prairie, Woodruff, St. Francis, Cross	AR	N/A	May 9	2030	65 miles (105 km)	N/A	Eight deaths, sixty-nine injuries – Likely a tornado family. Many houses leveled on a long track.[1]
F4	Imboden to Poplar Bluff, MO	Lawrence (AR), Randolph (AR), Ripley (MO), Butler (MO)	AR, MO	N/A	May 9	2035	60 miles (97 km)	N/A	Ninety-eight deaths, three hundred injuries – Produced F4 damage in rural Arkansas before devastating the larger town of Poplar Bluff, Missouri. The tornado took three minutes to pass through the town, killing eight-three, twenty-one alone at the Melbourne Hotel. Thirty-one square blocks were obliterated.[1]
F4	Hoxie	Lawrence	AR	N/A	May 9	2050	5 miles (8.0 km)	N/A	Eleven deaths, two hundred injuries – Short-tracked tornado devastated town of Hoxie. One hundred buildings destroyed, including a new high school, killing two students.[1]
F2	NE of Kingsland to NW of Randall	Cleveland, Lincoln	AR	N/A	May 9	2110	28 miles (45 km)	N/A	Nine deaths, twenty-four injuries – all fatalities near Toledo and Randall. Tornado seemed to become more intense toward end of path.[1]
F2	N of Kingston	Madison	AR	N/A	May 9	2115	N/A	N/A	Four injuries in home near Kingston
F2	Bethesda	Independence	AR	N/A	May 9	2120	N/A	N/A	Six homes damaged at Bethesda
F2	Norphlet	Union	AR	N/A	May 9	2130	2 miles (3.2 km)	N/A	One death, thirty-five injuries – All buildings damaged in Norphlet
F3	SW of Egypt to NW of Fontaine	Craighead, Lawrence, Greene	AR	N/A	May 9	2150	27 miles (43 km)	N/A	Twelve deaths, eight injuries – Mother and five children killed near Egypt, three people killed in postmaster's home near Fontaine (known then as Lanieve).
F4	SW to NE of Strong	Union	AR	N/A	May 9	2220	6 miles (9.7 km)	N/A	Twenty-four deaths, seventy-two injuries – Most of town of Strong was leveled, many prominent citizens killed or injured
F2	NW of Long Grove to SE of DeWitt	Scott, Clinton	IA	N/A	May 9	2220	10 miles (16 km)	N/A	Several farms had buildings damaged
F3	E of Morrisonville to NE of Decatur	Christian, Macon	IL	N/A	May 9	2225	45 miles (72 km)	N/A	One death, 116 injuries – Near F4 intensity in Christian County as dozens were injured on farms. Widened and weakened in Decatur area.[1]
F2	N to NE of Owaneco	Christian	IL	N/A	May 9	2230	5 miles (8.0 km)	N/A	Several barns destroyed
F2	E of Clarence	Natchitoches	LA	N/A	May 9	2230	3 miles (4.8 km)	N/A	One death, ten injuries – One woman killed in a tenant house
F3	SW of Chittyville to NE of West Frankfort	Williamson	IL	N/A	May 9	2255	16 miles (26 km)	N/A	Twenty-one injuries; many homes lost roofs in Chittyville (known then as Centerville) and West Frankfort
F2	SW to NE of Calvin	Winn	LA	N/A	May 9	0030	8 miles (13 km)	N/A	Tornado damaged unoccupied buildings
F2	NW of Joppa, IL, to E of Samoth	McCracken (KY), Massac (IL)	KY, IL	N/A	May 9	1830	10 miles (16 km)	N/A	Six deaths, twenty injuries – man killed aboard towboat on Ohio River, several towns hit
F2	Renick to SW of Evansville	Randolph, Monroe	MO	N/A	May 9	0127	10 miles (16 km)	N/A	Several farm houses and barns destroyed
F2	W to NE of Walker	Ottawa	MI	N/A	May 9	N/A	N/A	N/A	Several barns destroyed
F2	Loomis to Beaverton	Isabella, Clare, Gladwin	MI	N/A	May 9	N/A	10 miles (16 km)	N/A	Forty farms damaged

See also

• List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks

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. All losses are in 1927 USD unless otherwise stated.

References

1. 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. 202–4. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
2. Grazulis 1993, p. 808
3. U.S. Weather Bureau (May 1927). "Severe Local Storms, May, 1927" (PDF). Monthly Weather Review. Washington, D.C.: American Meteorological Society. 55 (5): 247. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1927)55<247:SLSM>2.0.CO;2. Retrieved 18 August 2019.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
4. Grazulis 1993, p. 809

Bibliography

• National Historical Company (1882), "34: Tornadoes", The History of Nodaway County, Missouri, National Historical Company, pp. 502–11