July 5, 1884 Derecho

Overview

SHAMBURGER (2022): A large Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) - likely a Derecho - moved eastward across Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee during the afternoon and evening hours on July 5, 1884. This MCS may have begun in southern Missouri as a supercell or cluster of supercells, then moved eastward and spread out in size. Widespread wind damage was reported, especially across northern Middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky, with the strongest winds reported lasting for around 20 minutes. Although called a tornado by some newspapers, descriptions of this large scale weather event are clearly what we now know as a MCS.

Macon/Trousdale/Smith/Wilson Counties

"From Daily American, July 10, 1884: Carthage. A Terrific Tornado in the Up-River Country -- Several Thousand Dollars Damage. Correspondence of the American. Carthage, July 7. -- One of the most destructive tornadoes swept through this section, Saturday evening, that has been witnessed for many years. It struck this place about 7 o'clock in the afternoon, coming from a southwesterly course. It seems to have extended over a considerable breadth of country, from far beyond Smithville, of the south, and north beyond Macon County into Kentucky. Throughout this entire belt we hear of the most disastrous effects. Timber was blown down, houses and barns unroofed, wheat in the shock torn and blown to pieces, fences destroyed and a great many fine fields of corn and oats ruined. One farmer, a few miles from this place, considers his farm damaged $2,000. His corn crop alone was injured to the extent of eight hundred barrels. Quite a number put their losses at five hundred dollars. One man tells us he had a most beautiful field of corn just beginning to tassel -- the finest prospect he had ever raised -- and this the wind literally ruined, while he said some of his neighbors would scarcely make the seed they planted. The wind seemed to come in a perfect mad dash whirling and twisting everything in its path. Great branches of trees were snapped off like twigs and carried for hundreds of yards, and for a time the fury of the wind was such that it seemed nothing could stand before it. The telephone between here and Lebanon was knocked down in four or five places and the line to New Middleton, as also the new line from Dixons Springs, suffered seriously. These have been repaired and are working nicely again. The farmers look very blue. They say that everything promised so well, and crops were in such fine condition generally that this misfortune will be seriously felt. A ride through the country is truly disheartening, and it is not to be wondered as if the farmers are despondent. The extent of the devastation has not been fully ascertained north of here, but from reports we get from all over this county it is certainly the most damaging that has visited us for many years."

Montgomery County

From the Clarksville Weekly Chronicle, Saturday July 12, 1884.

"A severe wind and rain coming from the northwest passed over Clarksville Saturday afternoon between 5 and 6 o'clock. The rain come down in a perfect flood for about 20 minutes, and the wind was somewhat 'cyclonic' in its proportions. The wind was strongest in the eastern portion of the city where some trees were blown down and slight damage done to the cornicing of the colored school building. The city suffered no further damage worthy of note.

In the country east of the city considerable damage was done to the growing corn crop which was blown down and beat into the ground by the hard rain. Wheat that had been shocked in the field was scattered far and wide, and several barns and a good many fences were destroyed.

Mr. I. W. Watson, of district 10, informs us that the storm was very severe in the locality where he resides. He says the roads were blockaded with fallen trees, the corn blown down, much of the oats ruined and wheat shocks scattered all over the field."