Most buildings ever destroyed by a tornado?

[Simon Timm]

This is a question that I have been pondering about this question for quite some time now. I don't know if it would be the Wichita Falls tornado, the tri state, or moore. Even all may be incorrect.

[Damon Scott Hynes]

This is a question that I have been pondering about this question for quite some time now. I don't know if it would be the Wichita Falls tornado, the tri state, or moore. Even all may be incorrect.

Worcester 1953 perhaps?

[Bill Doms]

Here is an obscure one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauk_Rapids_Tornado_of_1886

Not sure how many residential structures were destroyed but with 109 commercial structures, it has to be up there from a single damage path. I'd argue the 1925 Tri State was not a continuous path from a single parent circulation and wouldn't qualify.

[John Wetter]

I think the only way you could guess at the number of structures destroyed would be to use the inflation adjusted damage totals.

[Simon Timm]

Here is an obscure one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauk_Rapids_Tornado_of_1886

Not sure how many residential structures were destroyed but with 109 commercial structures, it has to be up there from a single damage path. I'd argue the 1925 Tri State was not a continuous path from a single parent circulation and wouldn't qualify.

I'm actually pretty certain that the tri-state tornado had a continuous damage path, but because of how far back it touched down, we may never know for certain.

[Danny Neal]

I'd argue the 1925 Tri State was not a continuous path from a single parent circulation and wouldn't qualify. I would join that argument with you.

[Skip Talbot]

I saw Chuck Doswell do a presentation on some research he's done on the Tri-State suggesting it did have a continuous path. I'm not sure if he has published the results yet though.

[Adam Lucio]

I saw a presentation too about the tri-state tornado and they did conclude it was a continuous path, it was very interesting. I believe it was at Tom Skillings tornado seminar in 2006. They even showed trees that are still standing today that are leaning because of that tornado. The biggest challenge for them in that study was trying to find evidence that the tornado was on the ground in really rural areas.

More on topic though, I remember reading an article about a tornado that hit in downtown chicago in i think 1867 that destroyed a whole bunch of buildings, ive been trying to find it so I can get the exact number but I cant seem to locate it. Ill keep looking though, perhaps some else has read it?

[mikedeason]

Maybe the 1896 St. Louis tornado?

[Will Tinder]

The number to beat I've seen in a couple minutes of searching on wikipedia and the internet is ~10,500 buildings destroyed in the Moore tornado in 1999. In contrast, the 1896 St. Louis tornado destroyed about 2000 less buildings...

[Dustin Wilcox]

The 1975 Omaha tornado that moved right through the heart of the residential part of town would probably need to be considered as well, as when adjusted for inflation it is the third costliest tornado in history...

[Simon Timm]

That's right, I completely forgot about the Omaha tornado! For what ever reason, I could never find any photographs of he damage.

[Danny Neal]

I saw Chuck Doswell do a presentation on some research he's done on the Tri-State suggesting it did have a continuous path. I'm not sure if he has published the results yet though. I know of this paper, but still the skeptic in me throws up red flags. Of course I don't have the basis or proof that he does and obviously for me to dig into it would be a huge conflict of interest from all parties. Guess I am a doubter until proven otherwise.

[Bill Doms]

That's right, I completely forgot about the Omaha tornado! For what ever reason, I could never find any photographs of he damage.

A couple of years ago when we were shooting TS we did a visit to OAX and if I recall correctly (since I did turn 40, my memory is fading), they have a few pics in the office of both the torn and some of the damage hanging in the hall.

[Tyler Burg]

That's right, I completely forgot about the Omaha tornado! For what ever reason, I could never find any photographs of he damage.

Here are some photos of the damage...

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/oax/archive/may1975/75dam.php

[Dustin Wilcox]

Here are some photos of the damage...

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/oax/archive/may1975/75dam.php

Not to distract from the topic of the thread, but there is some interesting stuff there (esp. on the main page), it's interesting to look at the Sat. and sfc images. Interesting the Omaha Tornado was RIGHT on the DL/WF intersection, that "shear line" better known as WF, was super sharp, with about a 15 temp change in about 20 miles, dp's in the mid 20's behind the dl spreading into E NE with dp's near 70 and ESE winds near 20kts in the warm sector... God I have dreams about that kind of stuff...

[Simon Timm]

Thanks for the site! I have been searching desperately for some documentation. I don't know why I didn't locate the NOAA page.

[Doug Mitchell]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/mitch445/ohnomnom.jpg

[mikegeukes]

Flint Beecher Michigan F-5 Tornado:
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dtx/1953beecher/

Fatalities: 116
113 occurred in a 4-mile stretch of Coldwater Road from 2500W to 1500E (Clio Road to Dort Highway)
Injuries: 844

Damage: $19 million in 1953 dollars ($125 million in 2003 dollars)
340 homes were destroyed, 107 suffered "major damage", and 153 suffered "minor damage". Another 66 buildings destroyed or damaged to farms, businesses and other buildings.
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dtx/1953beecher/facts.php

News and Video Footage:
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dtx/1953beecher/video.php

Flint Journal: has newspaper accounts, photos, etc.
http://www.mlive.com/fljournal/beecher/
(http://www.mlive.com/fljournal/beecher/)

[Danny Neal]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/mitch445/ohnomnom.jpg
LOL - I think I drew a picture like this in 1st grade.....

[Jeff Duda]

Doug,

"As soon as you see that inflow jet get close, back up...BACK THE F%*# UP!!!! BACK UP! BACK UP!"

Is that Reed Timmer from the Manchester, SD tornado video?