Draft:1893 Pomeroy tornado
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | July 6, 1893, 4:35 p.m. CST (UTC–06:00) |
| Dissipated | July 6, 1893, 7:10 p.m. CST (UTC–06:00) |
| Duration | 2 hours, 35 minutes |
| F5 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | ≥261 mph (420 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 71[a] |
| Injuries | 200 |
| Damage | $400,000 (1893 USD) |
| Areas affected | Northwestern Iowa |
On the evening of July 6, 1893, a multi-vortex F5 tornado tracked 55 miles (89 km) across Northwestern Iowa, killing 71 people and injuring 200 more. The town of Pomeroy was particularly devastated, with 80 percent of the town being destroyed.[2]
Background
[edit]
On the morning of July 6, a low-pressure system was situated over the Colorado – Kansas border, which would intensify as it moved west throughout the day. Meanwhile, warm and moist air moved in from the South while warm dry air was blown from the Southwest and cold dry air came from the North. A shortwave trough was situated over the Northern Rockies while a jet streak blew to the northeast. The interactions between these factors created a "virtually perfect" setup for thunderstorms and tornadic activity across Iowa.[2]
Tornado Summary
[edit]The tornado touched down in Cherokee County, about 3 miles northwest of Quimby - for the first third of its path, it was disorganized and frequently lifted.[2][3][4] In this area, the storm would primarily destroy farmhouses and outbuildings, causing several injuries. The Perry Schoolhouse was completely swept away, the pump and nearly 40 feet of pipes of a well were torn out of the ground, and a Methodist Church was destroyed.[2][3] Approaching the Little Sioux River, the tornado would claim its first lives, killing two women and dozens of farm animals, whose bodies were thrown up to a quarter of a mile.[2][3][4] Trees were completely debarked and reduced to stumps, corn stalks were ripped from the ground, and a cast iron corn sheller was twisted and torn into pieces that were scattered.[2] The 120 ft (37 m) long heavy iron Pilot Rock Bridge was ripped from its supports and thrown into the river.[2][4]
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Aftermath
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ The initial Weather Bureau report lists 89 deaths, which includes rumored deaths and serious injuries, but Grazulis settled the death count at 71. The latter is accepted by the National Weather Service.[1]
- ^ "First F5/EF5 Tornado in Iowa Since June 1976". NWS.
- ^ a b c d e f g Schuman, Shawn (March 9, 2013). "July 6, 1893 — Pomeroy, Iowa".
- ^ a b c Sprague, F.W. (July 18, 2023). Story of a Storm: A history of the great tornado at Pomeroy, Calhoun County, Iowa, July 6 1893. Legare Street Press. ISBN 978-1014982247.
- ^ a b c Stanford, John L. (January 1, 1987). Tornado: Accounts of Tornadoes in Iowa. Iowa State Pr. ISBN 0813803683.