Washington County

Washington County, MO

Data available through 1/1/2013

Date

Time (CST)

F/EF-Scale

Length (Miles)

Maximum Width (Yards)

Killed

Injured

Property Damage

Source*

4/13/1911

300 pm

F3

10

100

0

n/a

n/a

G

Tornado touched down near Cadet and moved into St. Francois County before dissipating in Jefferson County.  The tornado killed a total of 4 people and injured 45.

5/30/1917

100 pm

F4

108

400

5

52

>$300,000

G

A tornado or series of tornadoes moved ENE through Texas, Dent, and Crawford County before entering Washington County.  The tornado killed one person at Eye.  Passing S of Potosi, the tornado struck the town of Mineral Point, killing 4 people and injuring 52, and damaging almost every building in town.  Homes on N side of Mineral Point were leveled to the ground.  The tornado then moved through St. Francois County before dissipating in Jefferson County.  In all, 10 people were killed and 100 injured.

3/31/1929

815 pm

F2

n/a

300

1

2

n/a

G

Touching down briefly at Mineral Point, this tornado completely blew apart two small homes.  One of the 3 persons who was injured eventually died of those injuries.  Three stores and a few other small homes were badly damaged.

3/15/1938

1150 am

F2

80

400

n/a

n/a

n/a

G

Tornado moved through Dent and Crawford Counties before entering Washington County.  The tornado then moved into Jefferson County before dissipating in Monroe County, IL.  There was a total of 1 person killed, 18 injured, and $150,000 in property damage.  

3/19/1948

615 am

F4

25

400

4

n/a

n/a

G

Formed 5 miles SW of Belgrade and moved NE through that town, destroying at least 8 homes and causing 4 fatalities.  In rural areas NE of Belgrade, farm animals were killed, homes and barns were torn apart, and furniture was "scattered for miles".  There was total of 38 injuries and $400,000 in property damage.

5/21/1957

345 pm

F3

22

400

3

n/a

n/a

G, NCDC

Tornado touched down near Belgrade and moved ENE, destroying homes in rural areas of Washington County before moving into St. Francois County.  Three people were killed on a farm.  About 20% of Belgrade was destroyed and 24 barns were destroyed NE of Belgrade.  A total of 8 people were killed and 50 injured.

5/22/1957

230 pm

F1

8

100

0

0

n/a

G, NCDC

Tornado followed an intermittent path from NW of Caledonia to 10 miles S of Farmington in St. Francois County.  Seven barns were destroyed, and five homes were unroofed or torn apart near Caledonia.  The event may have begun as far to the NW as Steelville in Crawford County.  May have been F2.

12/8/1966

1020 am

F3

1 1/3

200

0

2

>$50,000

NCDC

A tornado touched down in the Furnace Creek area 4 miles S of Potosi and moved ENE for 6 miles crossing State Highway 21 and U, passing 1 mile N of Hopewell and finally dissipating just E of Highway 8, 5.5 miles SE of Potosi.  Four homes were destroyed, 2 were badly damaged, and 20 suffered minor damage.  There were 26 outbuildings destroyed and 21 damaged.  Two people were hospitalized.

12/21/1967

1245 am

F4

28

200

3

52

>$500,000

NCDC

A tornado which was eventually to devastate the business district of Potosi first touched down in extreme western Iron County 2.5 miles S of Viburnum.  An aerial survey showed essentially continuous damage from this location to the NE passing SE of Viburnum and into SW Washington County near Route Z, 2 miles S and 1 mile E of Courtois.  Northeast of Quaker the tornado decreased in intensity and caused only occasional damage to timber in the Clark National Forest.  Just SW of Potosi the vortex apparently intensified.  Damage was reported in a residential area on a ridge in SE Potosi.  About two blocks to the NE, the tornado destroyed a part of the Potosi business district, including the City Hall, library, a large supermarket and a shopping center complex.  Beyond the business area the damage path became less complete as it climbed a ridge to the NE.  At the junction of Highways E and 21, the tornado hit a trailer court killing one child and injuring about 15 as 13 trailers were either totally destroyed or badly damaged.  The path continued NE along Highway E destroying and damaging homes.  Two people were killed in this area as their home was swept from its foundation and scattered to the NE.  The tornado apparently dissipated along Highway E.  The Red Cross reported 24 homes and trailers destroyed, 14 business places destroyed, 81 houses and trailers damaged, 3 churches damaged with minor additional damage to many buildings.

6/22/1969

540 pm

F4

20

800

2

22

>$50,000

NCDC

An intense tornado formed in the Clark National Forest, just within Washington County (15.8 miles W of Potosi, 2 miles N of Berryman).  The tornado moved slightly N of due E across heavily timbered areas with the damage more intense in valleys than ridge tops.  The first damage to farm buildings occurred as the tornado crossed three farms 0.5 mile N of the Dam on the N end of Summer Lake.  At his point, the track turned more to the ENE crossing MO Highway 185, 0.5 mile SE of Latty  and continued toward the S edge of Old Mines (1 mile S of the intersection of MO Highways 21 and 47).  Two of a family of 10 were killed as their house was destroyed just W of Mo. 21.  The tornado finally lifted just after crossing Mo. 47, 1.5 miles ESE  of Old Mines.  In the Old Mines area, 9 houses were destroyed and 8 damaged, and from 10 to 20 cars and trucks destroyed or damaged.

5/24/1971

1240 am

F2

25

50

0

0

n/a

NCDC

A post storm damage survey indicated that a tornado which first touched down near Route P, 7.5 miles SW of Potosi in Washington County produced a continuous path to the NE, dissipating at the intersection of Highway 67 and Route JJ in extreme northern St. Francois County.  A home was unroofed and badly damaged as the tornado crossed Highway 8, 3.8 miles SE of Potosi.

12/15/1971

220 am

F1

5-Apr

100

0

2

>$5,000

NCDC

An apparent tornado touched down briefly destroying two mobile homes one mile S of Irondale, E of the Boy Scout Camp road intersection and moved NE twisting off trees and destroying a barn before lifting.  Two persons in one mobile home were injured.

4/14/1974

1230 am

F2

1.5

50

0

0

n/a

NCDC

Tornado damage found near Caledonia.

11/9/1984

615 pm

F2

3

340

1

15

>$5,000,000

NCDC

A tornado touched down just SSE of Potosi at the intersection of Highways 8 and 21 (a little SW of this point) and produced considerable damage.  A mobile home sales lot received substantial damage.  A shopping center, hospital, and elementary school were also damaged.  An A-frame house was hit with two people trying to escape to the basement.  They were not able to get to the basement in time and a woman was killed while the man received serious injuries.  One or two other homes were damaged in the area.  The storm continued on and produced substantial damage at a small industrial park.  The one person inside of an egg processing plant in the park took residence under a desk and was not injured.  The tornado dissipated about 3 miles NE of the original touchdown site. 

4/24/1993

1155 pm

F1

2

50

0

0

>$50,000

NCDC

A small tornado initially touched down near the intersection of Highway P and State Road 8, damaging a door and windows of a large garage.  The tornado then traveled across a city park damaging several trees, sections of a chain-linked fence, and several advertisement bill boards.  Before lifting numerous trees were downed, several mobile homes were flipped, and minor roof damage was caused to a service station just E of the intersection of State Roads 8 and 21.

4/24/2002

255 pm

F1

1

75

0

0

$0

NCDC

A tornado formed in southeast Washington County just south of Caledonia. The tornado formed in a wooded area them moved east to a home near Highway 21 and Buford Farm Road. An unoccupied mobile home was destroyed and several vehicles were severely damaged. 

5/12/2002

510 pm

F0

0

30

0

0

$0

NCDC

A small tornado hit just north of Hopewell. Damaged was limited to downed and snapped trees. 

10/18/2004

308 pm

F1

0.2

80

0

7

n/a

NCDC

The first in a series of 5 small tornadoes struck just northeast of Potosi along Highway 21.  The Potosi Lumberyard was severely damaged.  Seven people were injured with one kept overnight at a local hospital.

10/18/2004

310 pm

F0

0.8

50

0

0

n/a

NCDC

A second tornado struck 1 mile northeast of Potosi along State Route E.  One mobile home and a storage building were damaged.  Several trees were either snapped off at the trunk or uprooted.

10/18/2004

311 pm

F0

0.8

40

0

0

n/a

NCDC

The third tornado was observed in an open field about 1.5 miles east northeast of Potosi.  A few large trees were either uprooted or snapped off.

10/18/2004

312 pm

F0

0.8

40

0

0

n/a

NCDC

The fourth tornado struck the small town of Mineral Point.,  The tornado moved across the central part of town damaging several mobile homes and one permanent home.  Trees and power lines were also downed.

10/18/2004

313 pm

F0

0.8

40

0

0

n/a

NCDC

The fifth and last in the series of tornadoes formed on the east side of Mineral Point shortly after the fourth tornado was spotted.  Both tornadoes were visible at the same time for a short period.  This tornado caused some minor roof damage to a few homes and also damaged a couple of mobile homes.

9/22/2006

211 pm

F1

3

150

0

0

n/a

NCDC

The tornado touched down just south of County Road A, west of the intersection of Road A and State Highway 47. The tornado was 50 yards wide with tree damage in this location. The tornado traveled to the east northeast, just south of Richwoods. The tornado crossed State Highway 47 half a mile south of the intersection with County Roads A and H. The tornado damaged a roof on a home at this location and produced significant damage to trees. Debris from the house was thrown 200 yards to the southeast. At this location, the tornado was 150 yards wide with F1 intensity damage. The tornado continued east northeast and lifted three-quarters of a mile east of State Highway 47 on County Road H. No injuries or deaths were reported.

9/22/2006

218 pm

F1

1

100

0

0

n/a

NCDC

The tornado touched down in Washington County just south of County Road H, 1.6 miles west of the intersection of County Roads H and WW. The tornado removed the roof of a pole barn. Damage at this location was rated F1. The tornado continued east just south of County Road H for another mile where it damaged the roof of another pole barn and numerous trees. The damage width in this location was 100 yards wide and rated F1 in intensity. The tornado continued to the east northeast and crossed County Road H as it goes into Jefferson County, which is approximately three tenths of a mile west of the intersection with County Road WW. No injuries or deaths were reported.

4/30/2010

708 pm

EF0

1

100

0

0

$0

NCDC

A tornado touched down in eastern Washington county about 4 miles northwest of Fletcher and travelled to the northeast. It blew down several large trees before crossing into Jefferson county, about 3 miles northwest of Fletcher.

*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)