Tornadoes of 1948

[note 1]

Tornadic activity continued into the new year from the previous day. An intense tornado, with an estimated intensity of F3, struck Atlanta, Carmack, and Mantee, Mississippi, scattering furniture for miles. One person was killed in Mantee. Later in the day, a tornado destroyed seven farms and tore the second story off an eighth farm. The tornado had an estimated strength of F2.[1] Around the same time, a long-track tornado impacted Clermont, Brown, Clinton, and Fayette counties in Ohio. The tornado had an estimated strength of F2 as it destroyed three barns near Newtonsville and unroofed several homes along its 40 miles (64 km) path with an estimated width of 75 yards (69 m).[1]

An F3 tornado struck Newton, Mississippi, which killed five people and injured 36 others. Thirty large and small homes were completely destroyed with debris scatted for miles and the tornado cut “a freight train into two parts”. It was noted that the path of this tornado was S-shaped or it was two tornadoes.[1]

On the night of February 26, an F2 tornado destroyed seven homes and damaged 32 in Woodson, Texas. Three people were injured with two requiring hospitalization. After midnight, an F1 tornado briefly touched down near Bartonville, Texas. One victim died after she was pinned under a house and was unable to escape when coals from an overturned stove set it on fire. The following afternoon, F2 tornado damaged five homes and a store in Centerton, Indiana.[1]

Two F3 tornadoes struck the Tinker Air Force Base. The first tornado injured several people when it shattered the glass on an airplane and caused $10 million in damage. The second tornado damaged more aircraft and caused $6 million in damage. The first ever tornado warning preceded the second tornado.[4]

A significant tornado, rated F2/T5 by the European Severe Storms Laboratory struck Ahrenshagen-Daskow, Germany.[5]

An F2 tornado struck Nizhnie Posady, Soviet Union with winds up to 50 to 60 metres per second (110 to 130 mph; 180 to 220 km/h). The tornado pulled a “heavy metal detail” that weighed 500 kilograms (1,100 lb) and threw it 200 metres (220 yd) and the tornado lifted a 250 kilograms (550 lb) metal tube and threw it several meters. The tornado also sucked water up from a river, destroyed one home, and tore the roofs off several other homes along a path of 13.5 kilometres (8.4 mi) with an average width of 60 metres (66 yd).[5] 20 minutes after the previous tornado touched down, a second F2 tornado struck Zherdëvo and Novo-Rusanovo, Soviet Union, uprooting large trees, ripping roofs off multiple homes and destroying a church dome along a path of 12.5 kilometres (7.8 mi).[5]

A F1/T3 tornado struck the Bavaria region of Germany, causing damage along a path of 0.5 to 5 kilometres (0.31 to 3.11 mi) with an average width of 100 metres (110 yd). It was noted that this tornado was visually observed by a person as it occurred over a rural, cropland.[5] About an hour after the F1/T3 tornado, another tornado struck Nuremberg, killing 11 people and injuring four others while it destroyed 40 homes. The European Severe Storms Laboratory did not give a rating to the tornado, however, it was noted that it was a “strong tornado”, meaning equivalent to at least F2 on the Fujita scale.[5] About one hour after the Nuremberg tornado, a long-track tornado struck Auerbach in der Oberpfalz, killing a 12-year old girl. The tornado traveled 25 kilometres (16 mi) due east. Like the Nuremberg tornado, the European Severe Storms Laboratory did not give a rating to the tornado, however, it was noted that it was a “strong tornado”, meaning equivalent to at least F2 on the Fujita scale.[5] About an hour after the previous tornado, a fourth tornado struck Novy Pahost, Belarus. A barn was destroyed, other buildings were “almost fully destroyed”, and a woman was lifted by the tornado, which received a rating of F1 from the European Severe Storms Laboratory. It was noted that the Belarusian State University conducted research on this tornado.[5][6]

Emergency management reported a tornado that ripped the roof off a farmhouse in Strandby, Denmark. The European Severe Storms Laboratory rated this tornado F2 on the Fujita scale.[5]

A waterspout came ashore in Anzio, Italy, which threw a mobile home 40 metres (44 yd) and threw a car “violently” into a tree. Other structures sustained damage and tree damage occurred. This tornado has not received a rating from the European Severe Storms Laboratory. The La Stampa newspaper wrote an article about the “exceptionally violent” tornado, saying it lasted for 20 minutes as it caused damage. According to La Stampa, a wooden and brick home was completely destroyed, ten homes had their roofs completely torn off, and about 50 large pine trees were completely uprooted. The tornado caused several million lire in damage.[5][7]

A tornado, rated F2/T4 by the European Severe Storms Laboratory struck St Albans, England. It was noted that a damage survey was conducted by a “severe weather expert” with no further information given.[5]

A tornado, rated F2/T5 by the European Severe Storms Laboratory struck Dudley, England. It was noted that a damage survey was conducted by a “severe weather expert” with no further information given.[5]