Weather History

This Day In Weather History

In 1913, an outbreak of 10 strong and violent tornadoes made for an infamous Easter Sunday for extreme Eastern Nebraska, Western Iowa, Northern Missouri, and extreme Western Indiana. Of the 10 tornadoes, six were violent F4s.

The deadliest tornado was a violent F4 that tore a 440 yard track of devastation through the west and north sides of Omaha, where 94 were killed. In all, the vicious vortex killed 103, injured 350 and caused $5 million damage. The track was 40 miles long and at times reached one half mile wide.

The first F4 of the event raced 55 miles from just west of Omaha northeast to Logan, Iowa. Reaching one half mile wide, this violent vortex killed 22 and injured 50.

The longest tornado was an F4 that ran a 65 mile long, one half mile wide marathon from near Syracuse, in extreme Southeast Nebraska, to Pottawattamie County in extreme Southwest Iowa. The tornado killed 18 and injured 100. A second F4 tornado occurred at the same time. This twister raced 48 miles, and was around 440 yards wide. Starting eight miles south of Omaha, the tornado struck the south side of Counsel Bluffs where 17 were killed. In all, this twister killed 25, injured 75, and caused $400,000 damage. The last 15 miles of the track may have been from a separate tornado.

The last F4 tornado was a three quarter mile wide, 22 mile long specimen that tore through Terre Haute, Indiana. This massive twister killed 21, injured 250 and caused around $1 million damage to Terre Haute alone. One five block area was leveled.

In all, the outbreak killed 192 and injured 848.
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