Tornado outbreak sequence of December 1–6, 1953

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Tornado outbreak sequence of December 1–6, 1953
Vicksburg Sunday Post Herald following the F5 tornado 1953.jpg
Vicksburg Sunday Post-Herald showing the destruction in Vicksburg
FormedDecember 1, 1953
Duration5 days, 16 hours
DissipatedDecember 6, 1953
Lowest temperature31  °F (−1  °C)
Vicksburg, MS on December 6.
Tornadoes
confirmed
19
Max. rating1 F5 tornado
Fatalities49 fatalities, 404 injuries
Damage$45.709 million (1953 USD)
$429 million (2024 USD) [1]
Areas affected Southeastern United States

1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

The first six days of December 1953 produced a destructive and deadly tornado outbreak sequence [nb 1] across the Southern United States. There were 19 confirmed tornadoes, including a violent F4 tornado that hit the northwest side of Alexandria, Louisiana and even more violent F5 tornado that hit Vicksburg, Mississippi. In all, the tornadoes killed 49 people, injured 404 others, and caused $45,709 million (1953 USD) in damage. The death toll made this deadliest December tornado outbreak ever recorded and it would not be surpassed until 2021. This was also the last of the series of deadly and catastrophic tornado outbreaks to strike the US in 1953.

Contents

Background

1953 had already been extremely deadly tornado season due to multiple outbreaks that affected a vast majority of the country in the Spring and Early-Summer. In particular, tornadoes in Waco, Texas, Flint, Michigan, and Worcester, Massachusetts had taken 324 lives and injured thousands more. Tornado activity had slowed down heading into July, however, with no fatal tornadoes having occurred from July to November. Climatologically, however, the Southeast can routinely provide favorable conditions for tornado outbreaks in the Winter months and on December 1, 1953, a mile-wide F3 tornado southeast of Seguin, Texas kicked off six straight days of active and deadly tornado activity. [3]

Meteorological synopsis

At least three low-pressure systems formed and moved northward over the Great Plains. Adequate moisture and wind shear on the warm side of the system allowed for repeated rounds of severe and tornadic supercells and squall lines over a six-day period. The outbreak ended as a surface anti-cyclone pushed through the region. [4] [5]

Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FUF0F1F2F3F4F5Total
0041031119
Daily statistics of tornadoes produced by the tornado outbreak sequence of Early-December 1953
DateTotal Fujita scale ratingDeathsInjuriesDamageRef.
 FU  F0  F1  F2  F3  F4  F5 
December 110000100010$250,000 [1] [6] [7]
December 270033100212$62,750 [1] [6] [7]
December 330001110973$20,050,000 [1] [6] [7]
December 41000100000$25,000 [1] [6] [7]
December 54000300138308$25,350,000 [1] [6] [7]
December 63001200001$52,500 [1] [6] [7]
Total190041031149404$45,709,000 [1] [6] [7]
Death toll [1]
StateTotalCounty/
Parish
County/
Parish
total
Texas 2 Washington 2
Louisiana 9 Vernon 7
La Salle 2
Mississippi 38 Warren 38
Totals49
All deaths were tornado-related

December 1 event

List of confirmed tornadoes – Tuesday, December 1, 1953 [nb 2] [nb 3]
F# LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax widthSummary
F3SE of Seguin Guadalupe TX 29°30′N97°56′W / 29.50°N 97.93°W / 29.50; -97.93 (Seguin (December 1, F3)) 01:00–?5.1 mi (8.2 km)1,760 yd (1,610 m)Seven houses were destroyed, and seven others were damaged with total damages estimated at $250,000. [nb 4] Ten people were injured. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F2. [4] [9] [10]

December 2 event

List of confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, December 2, 1953 [nb 2] [nb 3]
F# LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax widthSummary
F3 Tanglewood Lee TX 30°30′N96°58′W / 30.50°N 96.97°W / 30.50; -96.97 (Tanglewood (December 2, F3)) 12:15–?3.3 mi (5.3 km)100 yd (91 m)Four people were injured by this unusual northwest-moving tornado. Two churches and three houses were destroyed with damages estimated at $25,000. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F2. [10] [11]
F2 Lane City Wharton TX 29°12′N96°02′W / 29.20°N 96.03°W / 29.20; -96.03 (Lane City (December 2, F2)) 16:30–?1.5 mi (2.4 km)200 yd (180 m)This tornado moved northward through Lane City and pushed two farmhouses off their foundations. There was $2,500 in damages. [4] [12]
F2W of Navasota Washington TX 30°22′N96°11′W / 30.37°N 96.18°W / 30.37; -96.18 (Navasota (December 2, F2)) 19:35–?0.1 mi (0.16 km)50 yd (46 m)2 deaths – Two people died when their house was completely destroyed, and five others were injured. A barn was demolished, and a windmill and two other homes sustained some damage. [4] [10] [13]
F1 Pollok Angelina TX 31°26′N94°54′W / 31.43°N 94.90°W / 31.43; -94.90 (Pollok (December 2, F1)) 20:45–?2.7 mi (4.3 km)100 yd (91 m)Three houses were unroofed, two garages were damaged, two other houses were "blown out of plumb", and a dwelling was moved off its foundation in the town of Pollok. Damage was estimated at $2,500. [4] < [14]
F2WSW of Bryan Brazos TX 30°38′N96°29′W / 30.63°N 96.48°W / 30.63; -96.48 (Bryan (December 2, F2)) 21:30–?0.2 mi (0.32 km)67 yd (61 m)A strong tornado struck near Bryan Air Force Base and obliterated a house. Damage was estimated at $25,000. [4] [10] [15]
F1ENE of Lone Grove to Dougherty to Sulphur to WNW of Hickory Carter, Murray OK 34°22′N97°04′W / 34.37°N 97.07°W / 34.37; -97.07 (Lone Grove (December 2, F1)) 01:30–?31.4 mi (50.5 km)880 yd (800 m)This large, long-track tornado touched down multiple times. West of Ardmore, the tornado injured one person and caused about $2,000 in damage. In Sulphur, the tornado injured another person and caused an additional $3,000 in damage. Both of the injured lived in Murray County. [4] [16]
F1 Shawnee Pottawatomie OK 35°20′N96°55′W / 35.33°N 96.92°W / 35.33; -96.92 (Shawnee (December 2, F1)) 03:30–?1.5 mi (2.4 km)880 yd (800 m)A large, but weak tornado moved northeastward directly through Shawnee, injuring one person and leaving a well-defined path of mostly minor damage that totaled about $2,500. [4] [17]

December 3 event

List of confirmed tornadoes – Thursday, December 3, 1953 [nb 2] [nb 3]
F# LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax widthSummary
F4 Fort Polk to Northwestern Alexandria to Dry Prong to Tullos Vernon, Rapides, Grant, La Salle LA 31°04′N93°03′W / 31.07°N 93.05°W / 31.07; -93.05 (Fort Polk (December 3, F4)) 07:00–09:1585.5 mi (137.6 km)300 yd (270 m)9 deaths – See section on this tornado – A total of 50 people were injured. [7] [18]
F2SE of South Mansfield Winn LA 32°00′N93°42′W / 32.00°N 93.70°W / 32.00; -93.70 (South Mansfield (December 3, F2)) 09:00–?1 mi (1.6 km)100 yd (91 m)This low-end F2 tornado caused three injuries and $25,000 in damage. Only one house was destroyed. [19] [20]
F3W of Fitler to Cary to ENE of Rolling Fork Issaquena, Sharkey MS 32°44′N91°04′W / 32.73°N 91.07°W / 32.73; -91.07 (Fitler (December 3, F3)) 11:30–?18.8 mi (30.3 km)300 yd (270 m)This strong tornado touched down along the Mississippi-Louisiana border and proceeded northeast, causing major damage as it passed near the town of Cary. A total of 34 houses and cars were destroyed or damaged and 20 people were injured (all in Issequena County). Damages were estimated at $2.75 million. [19] [21]

December 4 event

List of confirmed tornadoes – Friday, December 4, 1953 [nb 2] [nb 3]
F# LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax widthSummary
F2 Mount Bethel Cobb GA 33°58′N84°25′W / 33.97°N 84.42°W / 33.97; -84.42 (South Mansfield (December 4, F2)) 22:35–?1 mi (1.6 km)100 yd (91 m)This strong tornado struck south of East Cobb in the Northern Suburbs of Atlanta. Shingles were blown off several houses and a store, and a small garage was shaken from its foundation. The most damage occurred at the Parkaire Airport, where three hangars and 20 or more airplanes were severely damaged. Losses totaled at about $25,000. [4] [22]

December 5 event

List of confirmed tornadoes – Saturday, December 5, 1953 [nb 2] [nb 3]
F# LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax widthSummary
F2 Bernice to S of Mount Union Union LA 32°48′N92°40′W / 32.80°N 92.67°W / 32.80; -92.67 (Bernice (December 5, F2)) 22:00–?9.7 mi (15.6 km)33 yd (30 m)This strong tornado destroyed or badly damaged four houses in rural areas south of Spearsville. A number of other houses and structures incurred lesser damage. A total of 16 people sustained injuries and estimated losses totaled $25,000. [7] [23] [24]
F2N of Spencer, LA to NNW of Cosgrove, AR Union (LA), Morehouse (LA), Ashley (AR) LA, AR 32°45′N92°08′W / 32.75°N 92.13°W / 32.75; -92.13 (Spencer (December 5, F2)) 23:00–00:0058.3 mi (93.8 km)880 yd (800 m)This strong, long-tracked tornado family may have begun in Ouachita Parish and continued through Rocky Branch and Spencer where 14 houses were significantly damaged. At least 14 people may have been injured in Spencer, but some of the injuries are not officially listed. Heavy unspecified damage also occurred between Stevenson and Beekman. Finally, the tornado destroyed nine houses in Montrose and dissipated shortly thereafter. Officially, the tornado injured 11 people (all from Union Parish) and losses totaled $300,000. Tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis and NWS Jackson classified this tornado as an F3. [6] [7] [23] [25] [26] [27]
F5 Delta, LA to Vicksburg, MS to SW of Villanova, MS Madison (LA), Warren (MS) LA, MS 32°20′N90°54′W / 32.33°N 90.90°W / 32.33; -90.90 (Vicksburg (December 5, F5)) 23:31–?9 mi (14 km)500 yd (460 m)38 deaths – See article on this tornado – 270 people were injured and damages reached $25 million. Some tornado experts dispute the rating, claiming that the tornado only deserved an F4 rating. [28]
F2SW of Sherard, MS to NNE of Fair Landing, AR Coahoma MS 34°12′N90°44′W / 34.20°N 90.73°W / 34.20; -90.73 (Sherard (December 5, F2)) 02:15–?8.2 mi (13.2 km)30 yd (27 m)This tornado may have first touched down in Deeson, Bolivar County; however, damage officially began west of Clarksdale. This tornado behaved in an atypical manner as it moved toward the north-northwest. This tornado damaged or destroyed 19 houses, and its total path length may have been as high as 13 mi (21 km) since it may have ended north of Lyon. A total of 11 people were injured, and estimated losses totaled $25,000. [7] [29] [30]

December 6 event

List of confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, December 6, 1953 [nb 2] [nb 3]
F# LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax widthSummary
F1NW of Headland Henry AL 31°23′N85°24′W / 31.38°N 85.40°W / 31.38; -85.40 (Headland (December 6, F1)) 13:00–?0.1 mi (0.16 km)10 yd (9.1 m)This brief tornado with a "black as night" colored funnel occurred near Napier Field and caused about $2,500 in damages. [4] [31]
F2E of Headland Henry AL 31°22′N85°16′W / 31.37°N 85.27°W / 31.37; -85.27 (Headland (December 6, F2)) 14:00–?2 mi (3.2 km)10 yd (9.1 m)Eyewitness saw this strong tornado form about 100 yards (91 m) from his house. The tornado moved northeastward and damaged 15 houses. One person was injured and estimated damages are about $25,000. [4] [32]
F2S of Meridian to SSE of Iamonia Leon FL 30°37′N84°17′W / 30.62°N 84.28°W / 30.62; -84.28 (Meridian (December 6, F2)) 17:00–?8.4 mi (13.5 km)10 yd (9.1 m)This strong tornado mostly remained over Lake Iamonia, but it still caused damage to several buildings, vehicles, and trees. Losses totaled $25,000. [4] [33]

Fort Polk–Alexandria–Dry Prong–Tullos, Louisiana

Fort Polk–Alexandria–Dry Prong–Tullos, Louisiana
  1. An outbreak is generally defined as a group of at least six tornadoes (the number sometimes varies slightly according to local climatology) with no more than a six-hour gap between individual tornadoes. An outbreak sequence, prior to (after) the start of modern records in 1950, is defined as a period of no more than two (one) consecutive days without at least one significant (F2 or stronger) tornado. [2]
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time for consistency.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Prior to 1994, only the average widths of tornado paths were officially listed. [8]
  4. All losses are in 1953 USD unless otherwise noted.

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