1884 tornado outbreak
The 1884 tornado outbreak is thought to be among the largest and most widespread tornado outbreaks in American history, striking on February 19–20, 1884.
As the precise number of tornadoes as well as fatalities incurred during the outbreak are unknown, the nickname "Enigma outbreak" has come to be associated with the storm. Nonetheless, an inspection of newspaper reports and governmental studies published in the aftermath reveals tornadoes (or more likely — long-track tornado families) striking Alabama and many other states, with an estimation of at least 50 tornadoes. Some events counted as tornadoes in initial studies were downbursts, especially in northern and northeastern portions of the outbreak.
The majority of reported tornado activity was seen across Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, which were all struck severely by multiple waves of tornado families. In the Southeast, the outbreak began during the late morning in Mississippi. Shortly thereafter, the outbreak widened and intensified, progressing from Alabama to Virginia between noon and midnight. Tabulations from 1884 estimate a total of $3–4 million in tornado damage, with 10,000 structures destroyed.
Alabama tornadoes
In Alabama, all the tornadoes struck on February 19.
| F# | Location | County | Time (EST) | Path length | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F2 | 3 S of Rockford to E of Goodwater | Coosa | 12:30 PM | 20 miles | 15 injuries. Fires erupted in Goodwater after the passing of the storm. |
| F1 | Marion area | Perry | 1 death – Damage in Marion. | ||
| F4 | 8 S of Birmingham to SE of Branchville | Jefferson, St Clair | 1:20 PM | 30 miles | 13 deaths – Storm moved from what is now the Homewood area, NE through the Cahaba valley. Most intense damage was in Leeds, where well-constructed homes were destroyed, some with foundations destroyed. |
| F3 | Guntersville area | Cullman, Marshall | Minor damage in extreme NE Cullman County and SW Marshall County. | ||
| F2 | N of Lincoln | Talladega, Calhoun | 1:45 PM | 5 miles | Homes destroyed N of Lincoln. |
| F4 | N of Jacksonville, AL to N of Cave Spring, GA | Crisp, GA | 2:30 PM | 35 miles | 30 deaths – 10 just N of Piedmont, 14 at Goshen, with additional deaths and severe damage in the Rock Run area. Large homes destroyed near Cave Spring. |
References
- Enigma tornado outbreak. (February 28, 2011). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Accessed January 23, 2012.
- Grazulis, Thomas P. (July 1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VT: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
- New York Times, New York. February 21, 1884.
- Finley, John P. Tornadoes: What They Are and How To Observe Them; With Practical Suggestions For The Protection of Life and Property, pages 98–103. The Insurance Monitor, New York, NY, 1887.
- http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/053/mwr-053-10-0437.pdf
- National Weather Service in Birmingham, Alabama (June 20, 2006). "Alabama Tornado Database 1884". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved April 3, 2009.
- Fort Wayne Daily Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana. February 22, 1884.