St. Francois County

St. Francois County, MO

Data available through 1/1/2013

Date

Time (CST)

F/EF-Scale

Length (Miles)

Maximum Width (Yards)

Killed

Injured

Property Damage

Source*

4/18/1894

n/a

F2

n/a

400

0

n/a

G

Houses and timber were destroyed in the SE part of the county.

4/13/1911

3:00 PM

F3

10

100

0

n/a

G

Tornado developed over Washington County and moved NE from near Cadet through the far northwest part of St. Francois County into Jefferson County where it dissipated near Valles Mines. Tornado and microburst damage caused 4 deaths, 45 injuries, and $1,000,000 in damage to farms and lead mine facilities.

4/13/1911

3:00 PM

F2

5

50

0

50

n/a

G

Developed SW of Elvins and moved NE through that town before dissipating near Flat River. Forty homes and many rural buildings were torn apart. This tornado was part of an outbreak that hit the Missouri "lead belt".

5/30/1917

1:00 PM

F4

108

400

n/a

G

A tornado, or more likely a series of tornadoes first developed over Texas County and moved ENE through Dent, Crawford, and Washington Counties before entering the far NW part of St. Francois County. The tornado finally dissipated near Valles Mines in Jefferson County. This event killed 10 people, injured 100, and caused more that $350,000 in property damage.

5/30/1917

4:00 PM

F2

15

100

0

n/a

G

Tornado developed over Madison County, 10 miles WSW of Fredericktown and moved NE. This well- photographed tornado moved NE, passing into St. Francois County 1 mile S of Knob Lick. The tornado destroyed several barns and dissipated on the outskirts of Libertyville.

5/30/1917

4:00 PM

F3

28

300

2

n/a

G

This tornado developed in the NE corner of Reynolds County and moved NE through Iron County near Graniteville before causing a death near Bismarck. Near Elvins and Flat River, many small homes were destroyed and one other person died. This tornado killed a total of 7 and injured 25.

3/19/1948

6:15 AM

F4

25

400

0

18

n/a

G

A tornado developed near Belgrade in Washington County before moving NE into St. Francois County. The storm damaged or destroyed 50 homes in the northern part of Bonne Terre where 18 people were injured. The tornado killed a total of 4, injured 38, and caused $400,000 in property damage.

3/18/1952

5:25 PM

F2

18

100

0

n/a

G, NCDC

Tornado developed near Doe Run and moved NE, passing 1 mile S of Farmington before moving into Ste. Genevieve County. Two small homes were destroyed and 16 more were unroofed or damaged. Forty-five other buildings were damaged or destroyed. The tornado injured 1 and caused a total of $35,000 in damage.

5/21/1957

3:45 PM

F3

22

400

5

n/a

G, NCDC

Developed near Belgrade in Washington County and moved ENE, destroying populated sections near Leadwood, Desloge, and Cantwell. A total of 8 were killed by this tornado and 50 injured.

12/18/1957

1:50 PM

F2

3

100

1

n/a

G, NCDC

Developed near Knob Lick and moved NE, destroying barns and silos on 3 farms. An infant was killed as its grandmother's home was destroyed.

2/9/1960

8:10 PM

F2

9

100

0

>$5,000

NCDC

Path of storm damage began 10 miles SW of Farmington and ended 1 mile S. One observer reported loud roaring noise, loud thunder, and hail. Buildings on several farms and a motel and cafe were damaged.

5/16/1963

4:30 PM

F2

5

50

0

>$50,000

NCDC

Tornado damage to 5 farmsteads near Knob Lick.

6/10/1963

6:15 PM

F2

2

50

0

2

>$500,000

NCDC

Extensive damage reported near Desloges, Flat River, and Farmington.

12/8/1966

10:55 AM

F1

2

70

0

>$500

NCDC

A tornado touched down in the Bonne Aqua Lake area just W of U.S. 67, 4.25 miles N of Bonne Teree. After crisscrossing old Highway 67 as it moved NE, it crossed New 67 just S of its intersection with Route Y. After destroying timber along Route F, it dissipated. A truck driver heading SW on 67 ran into the debris-filled funnel and was blown off the road to the W. This tornado was apparently produced by the same storm system that produced an earlier tornado in Washington County with a parallel track and a funnel cloud a few minutes later in Ste Genevieve County.

6/22/1969

6:35 PM

F4

15

440

4

14

>$500,000

NCDC

The tornado first touched down 2.25 miles W and 1 mile S of Doe Run and moved ENE to cross Highway W in the S parts of Doe Run 1 mile SW of the Highway B and W junction. The tornado moved straight E from Doe Run area to the intersection of U.S. 67 and Highway H. Two people were killed when their camper-bus was swept off Highway 67 just north of H, and 2 more deaths occurred just E of Highway 67 as a home was swept away. After crossing Highway 67, the path turned towards the ESE towards Libertyville to cross Route OO (Old Highway 67) just north of DD west of Libertyville. The damage path became less intense with some evidence of an intermittent path as it passed through the Libertyville area and apparently dissipated about 1 1/2 miles ENE of Libertyville. A total of 22 homes were completely destroyed and 90 damaged. Numerous barns, outbuildings, power and telephone lines were destroyed.

5/24/1971

12:40 AM

F2

25

50

0

n/a

NCDC

A post storm damage survey indicated that a tornado which first touched down near Route P, 7 1/2 miles SW of Potosi in Washington County produced a nearly continuous path for 19 miles to the NE, terminating at the intersection of highway 67 and Route JJ in extreme northern St Francois County. Several trailers and summer homes were badly damaged in the Lake Timberline area of northern St. Francois County.

6/3/1973

6:00 PM

F2

15

50

0

>$5,000

NCDC

A storm track with a few reports of funnel cloud sightings moved from just W of Flat River in St. Francois County into southern Jefferson County. A utility building was destroyed E of Desloge. A rural road NE of Bonne Terre was blocked by fallen trees. Limited tree damage was reported from an area to the E of Leadwood through the east Bonne Terre area past French Village into southern Jefferson County.

4/11/1979

5:30 PM

F1

9

100

0

n/a

NCDC

Tornado developed near Libertyville and moved NE into Ste Genevieve County. Tornado produced >$5,000 in damage.

12/2/1982

7:55 PM

F1

1

50

0

>$5,000

NCDC

A small tornado touched down briefly and destroyed a mobile home in the Knob Lick area. A second mobile home was toppled and roads were blocked with downed trees.

4/28/1994

11:15 AM

F0

3-Jan

30

0

$0

NCDC

An area of large trees were uprooted or damaged after a tornado touched down briefly near Leadwood.

5/12/2002

5:18 PM

F1

7

100

0

$0

NCDC

A tornado initially formed just north of Frankclay and then traveled east through Desloge for about 7 miles. The bulk of the damage was to trees and utility poles. As the tornado entered Desloge, a few homes and a Middle School near Elm Street suffered minor roof damage. As the tornado moved to near State Street, the roof of a large machine shed was ripped off and thrown 200 yards to the east. Just west of State Street, 2 small damage paths were noted suggesting a multiple vortex tornado. East of State Street, a garage and a vacant 2 story building were destroyed.

5/27/2004

7:40 PM

F0

0

40

0

n/a

NCDC

A small tornado downed some trees and power lines east of French Village in the Goose Creek Lake area.

6/12/2004

7:45 AM

F0

2

50

0

n/a

NCDC

A rare anticyclonic tornado hit the town of Bismarck at about 845 am CST (745 am CDT). The tornado occurred just south of the apex of a mini-bowing segment. Some large trees were downed which damaged a couple of homes and automobiles. One business lost part of its roof while another older building had a wall blown in.

3/11/2006

9:02 PM

F1

4

100

0

n/a

NCDC

The tornado that started in Madison County near Mine La Motte moved into St. Francois County near Little Peg Mountain and produced a swath of tree damage about 100 yards wide across the southern tip of the county. The tornado then crossed into Ste. Genevieve County.

4/2/2006

4:00 PM

F0

0

50

0

n/a

NCDC

A weak tornado occurred in Park Hills, Missouri. The tornado briefly touched down at the intersection of Business Route 67 and 5th Street. Two witnesses observed the tornado. A portion of an auto repair shop was damaged by the tornado. The tornado moved east and caused minor damage to the roof of three homes. Several large tree limbs were also broken by the tornado. The damage intensity of the tornado was rated F0.

9/22/2006

2:48 PM

F1

1

350

0

n/a

NCDC

As the tornado moved into St. Francois County from Madison County, it crossed Martin Road. One home sustained roof and garage damage, while a small machine shed was completely destroyed. Numerous large trees were blown down or snapped off. The width of the damage path was two tenths of a mile and was rated F1 in intensity in this location. The tornado continued to the east and moved into Perry County (WFO Paduch's county warning area) just north of County Road 738. No injuries or deaths were reported.

5/14/2009

12:11 AM

EF1

1

200

0

n/a

NCDC

A tornado traveled from Bismarck to 1 mile east southeast of Bismarck. Most of the damage in Bismarck was caused by one small tornado. The survey of damage indicated a brief tornado touched down near Highway BB and Cherry Street, then moved eastward to the northeast edge of town along School Drive. Most of the damage was to trees, with minor roof damage also common. More substantial damage was done to a preschool building along Campus Drive, with the gabled roof torn completely from the well constructed masonry building and thrown into the adjacent parking lot. Damage patterns showed reliable indications of rotation. The path length was approximately six tenths of a mile long and 200 yards wide. The severity of roof damage to the preschool building warrents an intensity ranking of EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

*Sources

G - Grazulis, T. P., 1993: Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. A Chronology and Analysis of Events. Environmental Films, Tornado Project, St. Johnsbury, VT.

NCDC - National Climatic Data Center U.S. Local Storms Events Data (www.ncdc.noaa.gov)