60th Anniversary of the Worcester Tornado: 6/9/13

[andyhb]

This upcoming Monday is the 60th anniversary of almost inarguably the worst tornado to ever strike new England. Killing over 90 and injuring well over 1000 people, it remains the only tornado in the Northeast States to register on the list of top 25 deadliest US tornadoes. The area around Assumption College and Northern Worcester was devastated in a near mile wide swath as hundreds of homes were obliterated in near-F5 fashion, which was enough for an extensive panel to review it to see if it was indeed an F5. Personally I think it deserves it and the only thing limiting it was the lack of evidence of "superior" construction of the homes swept away.

 

NWS Taunton's page: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/papers/WorcesterTornado53_files/WorcesterTornado53.html

 

19z 6/9/53 sfc analysis (From Jonathan D. Finch's site):

 

15z 6/9/53 500 mb analysis (From same webpage):

 

 

 

 

[Ensō]

 

 

 

Sfc map:

 

[andyhb]

@enso/loco: First tornado pic there was an F4 in MI on the previous day.

[free_man]

@enso/loco: First tornado pic there was an F4 in MI on the previous day.

Good eye.   Though one must wonder whether there really was a difference, looks nearly identical and it was the same system of thunderstorms, or at least contributed to?

[Typhoon Tip]

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=MWkVVKKSpGY&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DMWkVVKKSpGY

[Typhoon Tip]

Good eye.   Though one must wonder whether there really was a difference, looks nearly identical and it was the same system of thunderstorms, or at least contributed to?

 

Not the same system of thunderstorms.  It was the same synoptic system, a day later. 

 

In fact, there is a severe weather teleconnector between Michigan and New England with an ~ one day lag.

[andyhb]

I think there was a mod risk with several tornadoes in MI on 5/31/11 as well.

[free_man]

Not the same system of thunderstorms.  It was the same synoptic system, a day later. 

 

In fact, there is a severe weather teleconnector between Michigan and New England with an ~ one day lag.

Yes the same synoptic system, but I question whether or not the same convective complex set off the next, or aided, or "contributed to".

[ma blizzard]

 

I live a couple of miles away from where this picture was taken (below), which I find incredible. There is an old, rusted out car that is located in the woods in my neighborhood. 'legend' has it that the tornado picked it up and placed it there. Ill have to venture there and get a pic sometime

[joey2002]

I live a couple of miles away from where this picture was taken (below), which I find incredible. There is an old, rusted out car that is located in the woods in my neighborhood. 'legend' has it that the tornado picked it up and placed it there. Ill have to venture there and get a pic sometime

orh tor 2.png

 

Wow, incredible photo, that thing was just a monster. 

 

Imagine all the video we would have of it today?

[Turtle]

Hello folks!

 

Yes, it is now past midnight EDT, and the 60th anniversary of the infamous Worcester tornado.  I had updated the show that is on our website in early April, but didn't have time to get it uploaded to the website.  

 

One of the biggest updates is this one...believe it or not, I found a FOURTH tornado that occurred that day, thanks to the Tornado History Project online.  It was "only" and F1 and an mile on the ground, but NW of the Exeter tornado in the town of Rollinsford, NH on the Maine border.  It touched down at 600 PM EDT that day 60 years ago.  

 

We also found information that the hail stone found in Rutland was between 4 and 4.5 inches!  Unfortunately, it's only an estimate, so the 4 inch hail that fell in Berkshire county on 6/1/11 is the official state record hail size.  

 

I hope to get the updated version of the show uploaded to our office's website this week, but our IT person has a LOT of stuff on his plate here.  I'll see what I can do.  The version on our website now is rather dated, and has problems loading it properly (problems with fonts and strange characters where symbols should be).   If it does happen, I'll be sure to put the link here.

 

--Turtle

[vortex95]

Hello folks!

 

Yes, it is now past midnight EDT, and the 60th anniversary of the infamous Worcester tornado.  I had updated the show that is on our website in early April, but didn't have time to get it uploaded to the website.  

 

One of the biggest updates is this one...believe it or not, I found a FOURTH tornado that occurred that day, thanks to the Tornado History Project online.  It was "only" and F1 and an mile on the ground, but NW of the Exeter tornado in the town of Rollinsford, NH on the Maine border.  It touched down at 600 PM EDT that day 60 years ago.  

 

We also found information that the hail stone found in Rutland was between 4 and 4.5 inches!  Unfortunately, it's only an estimate, so the 4 inch hail that fell in Berkshire county on 6/1/11 is the official state record hail size.  

 

I hope to get the updated version of the show uploaded to our office's website this week, but our IT person has a LOT of stuff on his plate here.  I'll see what I can do.  The version on our website now is rather dated, and has problems loading it properly (problems with fonts and strange characters where symbols should be).   If it does happen, I'll be sure to put the link here.

 

--Turtle

 

I noticed on the website link (the dated one), it says the tornado produced F5 damage.  Grazulis in Significant Tornadoes

noted it was probably an F5, but rated it F4.  In the Storm Data official database, has the rating of this tornado

been changed in the last 10 years?

[Quincy]

Hello folks!

 

Yes, it is now past midnight EDT, and the 60th anniversary of the infamous Worcester tornado.  I had updated the show that is on our website in early April, but didn't have time to get it uploaded to the website.  

 

One of the biggest updates is this one...believe it or not, I found a FOURTH tornado that occurred that day, thanks to the Tornado History Project online.  It was "only" and F1 and an mile on the ground, but NW of the Exeter tornado in the town of Rollinsford, NH on the Maine border.  It touched down at 600 PM EDT that day 60 years ago.  

 

We also found information that the hail stone found in Rutland was between 4 and 4.5 inches!  Unfortunately, it's only an estimate, so the 4 inch hail that fell in Berkshire county on 6/1/11 is the official state record hail size.  

 

I hope to get the updated version of the show uploaded to our office's website this week, but our IT person has a LOT of stuff on his plate here.  I'll see what I can do.  The version on our website now is rather dated, and has problems loading it properly (problems with fonts and strange characters where symbols should be).   If it does happen, I'll be sure to put the link here.

 

--Turtle

Here's a great powerpoint presentation on the topic...

http://www.wcsu.edu/weatherconference/presentations-second/6%20-%20Eleanor%20Vallier-Talb/FlintWorcester1953_2ndTri-State_April_2009.ppt

[ORH_wxman]

I noticed on the website link (the dated one), it says the tornado produced F5 damage.  Grazulis in Significant Tornadoes

noted it was probably an F5, but rated it F4.  In the Storm Data official database, has the rating of this tornado

been changed in the last 10 years?

 

 

There has been no official change to the rating that I know of. The F5 damage that is most in question was on Uncatena Avenue in Worcester, though there have been reviews of F5 damage in Rutland, Holden, and Shrewsbury as well.

 

The original premise for keeping the F4 rating was that the tornado was orignally rated an F4 in the 1970s, but as more damage pics surfaced throughout the years, F5 was a distinct possibility. However, the "structural integrity" of the buildings receiving F5 damage was in question and given the number of years that passed, they were unable to determine whether they met required standards. I personally think its a pretty weak argument, but usually to change to status quo, it has to be overwhelming evidence. I gather that if the original rating in the early 1970s was F5, it never would have been considered to be overturned to an F4.  

[Guvna]

 

 

 

Sfc map:

 

I always thought the first picture above (I believe it's the Beecher/Flint tornado), is extremely menacing looking.

[tamarack]

There has been no official change to the rating that I know of. The F5 damage that is most in question was on Uncatena Avenue in Worcester, though there have been reviews of F5 damage in Rutland, Holden, and Shrewsbury as well.

 

The original premise for keeping the F4 rating was that the tornado was orignally rated an F4 in the 1970s, but as more damage pics surfaced throughout the years, F5 was a distinct possibility. However, the "structural integrity" of the buildings receiving F5 damage was in question and given the number of years that passed, they were unable to determine whether they met required standards. I personally think its a pretty weak argument, but usually to change to status quo, it has to be overwhelming evidence. I gather that if the original rating in the early 1970s was F5, it never would have been considered to be overturned to an F4.  

 

That's probably key.  It's like NFL instant replay.  "Lacking clear evidence to overturn, the ruling on the field stands."  IMO, those pictures of Uncatena appear to define F5 damage - the debris is so churned/disintegrated and scattered that it's impossible to tell which pieces came from which houses, or that they were ever houses at all.

[ORH_wxman]

That's probably key.  It's like NFL instant replay.  "Lacking clear evidence to overturn, the ruling on the field stands."  IMO, those pictures of Uncatena appear to define F5 damage - the debris is so churned/disintegrated and scattered that it's impossible to tell which pieces came from which houses, or that they were ever houses at all.

 

 

That's the way most people feel that I have talked to who are quite knowledgable surveying tornado damage. But the issue of proving "structural integrity" is a large barrier in ever reclassifying it as an F5.

 

We had a long discussion on this back on eastern years ago, and many of us felt that it should really be the other way around. Classify it an F5 until you can prove that the houses weren't structurally sound. To my knowledge, there wasn't any real reason to doubt the structural integrity of the houses other than if you were already doubting the storm's intensity. (i.e. circular reasoning)

[weatherwiz]

Of the many striking things about this storm, the fact that it produced at least F4 damage in 6 of the 8 towns it hit is absolutely impressive.  

[RodneyS]

orh tor 1.png

 

I live a couple of miles away from where this picture was taken (below), which I find incredible. There is an old, rusted out car that is located in the woods in my neighborhood. 'legend' has it that the tornado picked it up and placed it there. Ill have to venture there and get a pic sometime

orh tor 2.png

I was just looking at this thread for the first time.  Isn't that President-to-be John F. Kennedy (in the top picture) viewing the damage with the couple?  He was a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts at that time.

[OceanStWx]

That's the way most people feel that I have talked to who are quite knowledgable surveying tornado damage. But the issue of proving "structural integrity" is a large barrier in ever reclassifying it as an F5.

 

We had a long discussion on this back on eastern years ago, and many of us felt that it should really be the other way around. Classify it an F5 until you can prove that the houses weren't structurally sound. To my knowledge, there wasn't any real reason to doubt the structural integrity of the houses other than if you were already doubting the storm's intensity. (i.e. circular reasoning)

 

The problem is that is extremely difficult to go from EF5 (or F5) back down (see La Plata). People get so wrapped up in the rating (just like Category 5 hurricanes), could you imagine the media reporting an EF5 then having to explain later why it is no longer?

 

This is a fascinating storm though, seeing as the science was so new at the time. I'm sure there were biases in play regarding strong tornadoes in New England. Prior to Worcester, when was the last strong New England tornado? 1821 in New Hampshire?