User:Tails Wx/List of United States tornadoes in 1945

This page documents all the known tornadoes that touched down in the United States during 1945. Tornadoes which occurred in the United States prior to 1950 are not officially rated. Tornado expert Thomas P. Grazulis rated significant tornadoes, those rated F2 or higher on the Fujita scale, and the ratings are accepted and acknowledged by the National Weather Service. However, since the National Weather Service did not rate the tornadoes, the ratings are considered unofficial.^[1]

Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5	Total

January

According to the United States Weather Bureau, no tornadoes occurred in the United States during January 1945.^[2]

February

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5	Total
≥ 0	≥ 0	≥ 0	5	4	1	0	≥10

February 12 event

Confirmed tornadoes during February 12, 1945^{[nb 1]}
F#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (local)	Path length	Max width
F3	Jones to Vimville	Lauderdale	MS	15:35	9 mi (14 km)	400 yd (370 m)
F3	7 deaths – The tornado started in the community of Jones, seven miles (11 km) south of Meridian, and moved northeastward. Multiple homes in rural communities were completely swept away, with four deaths occurring in three of these homes. A fifth person was killed in an open field as they were running for shelter. In total, five people were killed and 40 others were injured.^[3] This was one of three tornadoes marked by Grazulis that the United States Weather Bureau originally marked as a single tornado. The U.S. Weather Bureau documented that this long-track tornado killed 40 people and injured 200 others.^[4] Modern research by Thomas P. Grazulis as well as later publications from the U.S. Weather Bureau indicate that there were actually three separate tornadoes.^[3]^[5] Two more deaths and a total of 50 injuries were reported by the Associated Press, which is cited by the National Weather Service office in Birmingham, Alabama.^[6] This brings the total number of deaths to seven and the total number of injuries to 50 for this tornado.
F4	Near York to near Livingston	Sumter	AL	16:30	18 mi (29 km)	400 yd (370 m)
F4	11 deaths – A home was leveled on the southeastern edge of York, where a couple was killed. In Livingston, five people were killed in a single home. Two other homes were damaged or destroyed, and a person was killed in each. The tornado struck a train crossing the Sucarnoochee River, where it derailed 39 cars. The conductor of the train was killed, along with a fireman, and many others were injured. In total, the tornado killed 11 people, injured 63 others, and caused $220,000 (1945 USD) in damage.^[3]^[7] This is one of three tornadoes marked by Grazulis that the United States Weather Bureau originally marked as a single tornado. The U.S. Weather Bureau documented that this long-track tornado killed 40 people and injured 200 others.^[4] Modern research by Thomas P. Grazulis as well as later publications from the U.S. Weather Bureau indicate that there were actually three separate tornadoes.^[3]^[5]
F3	SW of Montgomery to Chisholm	Montgomery	AL	17:22	13 mi (21 km)	350 yd (320 m)
F3	26 deaths – See section on this tornado – 293 people were injured.^[3]^[8]
F2	W of Union Springs to Thompson	Bullock	AL	18:00	8 mi (13 km)	100 yd (91 m)
F2	Four homes were destroyed in Thompson and four others were damaged. Nine people were injured.^[3]^[7]
F3	E of Tuskegee	Macon	AL	18:30	0.5 mi (0.80 km)	120 yd (110 m)
F3	This brief, intense tornado struck a cluster of five small homes, destroying all of them and leaving two people injured.^[3]^[7]
F2	S of Opelika	Lee	AL	19:30	0.5 mi (0.80 km)	125 yd (114 m)
F2	The tornado destroyed two barns and four other buildings, injuring one person.^[3]^[7]
F3	SE of Stanton	Chilton	AL	19:45	1 mi (1.6 km)	100 yd (91 m)
F3	1 death – A large house and a barn were destroyed southeast of Stanton. One person was killed and eight others were injured.^[3]^[7]
F2	Shades Mountain	Jefferson	AL	22:05	0.5 mi (0.80 km)	120 yd (110 m)
F2	Seven buildings were destroyed, six were damaged, and one person was injured. A roof from one of the buildings was carried over one mile (1.6 km).^[3]^[7]

February 22 event

Confirmed tornadoes during February 22, 1945^{[nb 1]}
EF#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (local)	Path length	Max width
EF#	Summary
F2	Kellyton	Coosa	AL	00:30	4 mi (6.4 km)	150 yd (140 m)
F2	Multiple barns were leveled and 17 homes were damaged.^[1]
F2	Fiarburn, Union City	Fulton	Georgia	02:30	10 mi (16 km)	50 yd (46 m)
F2	1 death — This skipping tornado destroyed four homes and damaged a dozen others. A women died after the tornado ripped the roof off her home and a wall collapsed on her. In total, one persons as killed, two others were injured, and at least $10,000 (1945 USD) in damage occurred.^[1]^[9]^[10]

March

March 3 event

Confirmed tornadoes during March 3, 1945^{[nb 1]}
EF#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (local)	Path length	Max width
EF#	Summary
FU	Kosse	Limestone	TX	07:00	Unknown	67 yd (61 m)
FU	The tornado caused $2,000 (1945 USD) in damage to a few farm buildings and injured three people. One of the injuries was noted by the United States Weather Bureau to have been a serious injury.^[11]

March 6 event

List of confirmed tornadoes – March 6, 1945^{[note 1]}
F# ^{[note 2]}	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (Local)	Path length	Max width	Summary
FU	Mexia	Limestone	TX	02:00	Unknown	67 yd (61 m)	The United States Weather Bureau documented that buildings were unroofed, utilities were disrupted, and many old trees were uprooted by this tornado, which caused $15,000 (1945 USD) in damages.^[11]
F2	Near Jessieville	Garland	AR	05:00	1.5 mi (2.4 km)	440 yd (400 m)	Two homes and a warehouse were destroyed, causing $15,000 (1945 USD) in damage. Grazulis documented this tornado as a “minimal F2” on the Fujita scale.^[1]^[11]

March 14 event

3 USWB tornadoes

List of confirmed tornadoes – March 14, 1945^{[note 1]}
F# ^{[note 2]}	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (Local)	Path length	Max width	Summary
FU	Haskell	Haskell	TX	??:??	0 mi (0 km)	300 yd (270 m)	A large warehouse was destroyed, and damages amounted to $6,000.^[11]

March 15 event

3 Grazulis & 1 USWB tornado (total of 4)

List of confirmed tornadoes – March 15, 1945^{[note 1]}
F# ^{[note 2]}	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (Local)	Path length	Max width	Summary
F2	NE of Rayburn or Dolen	Liberty	TX	02:30	0.5 mi (0.80 km)	70 yd (64 m)	2 deaths — A farmhouse was destroyed, killing two people and injuring a third occupant.^[1] Grazulis documents this tornado striking 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of Rayburn^[1] while the United States Weather Bureau documents this tornado striking Dolen.^[11] Grazulis also documents two deaths from this tornado^[1] while the United States Weather Bureau does not document any deaths from the tornado.^[11]

March 16 event

5 Grazulis tornadoes (4 USWB match Grazulis)

March 17 event

2 USWB tornadoes

List of confirmed tornadoes – March 17, 1945^{[note 1]}
F# ^{[note 2]}	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (Local)	Path length	Max width	Summary
FU	Mount Vernon, Evansville, Boonville	Posey Vanderburgh, Warrick	IN	??:??	0 mi (0 km)	0 yd (0 m)	25 homes were destroyed, 50 homes were severely damaged, and 100 houses were damaged. 15 to 20 planes were damaged outside of an aviation plant, and 5 small planes at an auxiliary airport were damaged. 20 people were injured, and damages totaled $1,000,000.^[11]
FU	???	Posey Vanderburgh, Warrick	IN	??:??	60 mi (97 km)	880 yd (800 m)	Numerous buildings were damaged, poles and wires were down, 20 people were injured, and caused $1,000,000 in damage.^[11]

March 18 event

1 Grazulis tornado (USWB match)

List of confirmed tornadoes – March 18, 1945^{[note 1]}
F# ^{[note 2]}	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (Local)	Path length	Max width	Summary
FU	Laverne	Harper	OK	22:45	3 mi (4.8 km)	0 yd (0 m)	Several barns were destroyed, damage amounted to $10,000.^[11]

March 20 event

List of confirmed tornadoes – March 20, 1945^{[note 1]}
F#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (local)	Path length	Max width
F#	FU	Lovell	Unknown	FL	??:??	20–30 mi (32–48 km)	0 yd (0 m)
The United States Weather Bureau documented that a tornado killed several chicken and destroyed buildings and houses in Lovell, Florida, causing up to $15,000 (1945 USD) in damage.^[11]

March 24 event

2 Grazulis tornadoes & 3 USWB tornadoes (2 match)

List of confirmed tornadoes – March 24, 1945^{[note 1]}
EF#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (local)	Path length	Max width
EF#	Summary
FU	De Soto	Johnson, Leavenworth	KS	11:30	33 yd (30 m)	17 yd (16 m)
FU	A small residence was damaged, along with telephone and power lines. $2,000 in damages occurred with this tornado.^[11]
FU	NW of Berryville	Carroll	AR	??:??	9 mi (14,000 m)	880 yd (800 m)
FU	Property was damaged from this tornado.^[11]

March 27 event

1 Grazulis tornado

March 28 event

3 Grazulis tornadoes & 4 USWB tornadoes (2 match…total of 5)

List of confirmed tornadoes – March 28, 1945^{[note 1]}
EF#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (local)	Path length	Max width
EF#	Summary
FU	Clarksville	Red River	TX	01:00	Unknown	2 yd (1.8 m)
FU	30 buildings were severely damaged, and scores damaged occurred from this tornado. Several people were injured, including one critically.^[11]
FU	Wills Point	Van Zandt	TX	11:30	Unknown	880 yd (800 m)
FU	Numerous buildings and utility lines were damaged with this tornado which left more than 10 people were injured and $20,000 in damage.^[11]
FU	Terrell	Kaufman	TX	20:00	Unknown	440 yd (400 m)
FU	2 people were injured, and considerable property damage occurred.^[11]
FU	Polland, Redland, Shultz	Sequoyah	OK	Near midnight	Unknown	880–2,640 yd (800–2,410 m)
FU	Numerous houses, barns, and other buildings were damaged with a few destroyed; trees were uprooted or broken, a barn was burned with its contents, and considerable loss occurred with this tornado.^[11]

March 29 event

2 Grazulis tornadoes & 3 USWB tornadoes (2 match…total of 3)

Confirmed tornadoes during March 29, 1945^{[nb 1]}
EF#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (local)	Path length	Max width
EF#	Summary
F?	Lafontaine, Altoona	Wilson	KS	12:30–1:00	13 mi (21,000 m)	1–2.5 yd (0.91–2.29 m)
F?	Barns and small farm buildings were damaged, and damage totaled $25,000.^[11]
F?	Kingston	Marshall	OK	19:00	Unknown	2 yd (1.8 m)
F?	Three residences and a barn were destroyed, along with several other structures damaged. 5 people were injured and damage amounted to $5,000.^[11]
F?	Sulphur Springs	Hopkins	TX	21:00	Unknown	Unknown
F?	Significant property damage occurred and left two people injured.^[11]

March 30 event

2 Grazulis tornadoes & 2 USWB tornadoes (total of 4)

Confirmed tornadoes during March 30, 1945^{[nb 1]}
EF#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (local)	Path length	Max width
EF#	Summary
F?	Kosse	Limestone	TX	6:00	Unknown	150 yd (140 m)
F?	Small buildings and a farmhouse were damaged, amounting to $600 in damages.^[11]
F?	Wooster	Harris	TX	9:00	Unknown	440 yd (400 m)
F?	Small buildings were damaged, and damages totaled $10,000.^[11]

April

April 1 event

2 Grazulis tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes during April 1, 1945^{[nb 1]}
EF#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (local)	Path length	Max width
EF#	Summary
F?	Mobile	Mobile	AL	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
F?	Damage occurred to several businesses and companies, including the Alabama Power Company, and between 25 to 30 boats were moved ashore from the Mississippi Sound, in total amounting to $75,000 in damages.^[12]

April 11 event

1 Grazulis tornado

April 12 event

Section 'April 12 event' not found

April 13 event

2 Grazulis tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes during April 13, 1945^{[nb 1]}
EF#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (local)	Path length	Max width
EF#	Summary
F?	Quinton	Pittsburg	OK	20:45	2 mi (3.2 km)	880 yd (800 m)
F?	Property damage occurred, this tornado caused $3,100 in damages.^[12]
F?	Farris	Atoka	OK	21:30	3 mi (4.8 km)	440 yd (400 m)
F?	This tornado hit portions of Farris, destroying two homes and damaging six other buildings. Ten people were injured, and damages amounted to $11,000.^[12]

April 14 event

1 Grazulis tornado

Confirmed tornadoes during April 14, 1945^{[nb 1]}
EF#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (local)	Path length	Max width
EF#	Summary
F?	Near Ardmore	Carter	OK	17:30	2 mi (3.2 km)	100 yd (91 m)
F?	Three homes were destroyed, and damages amounted to $15,000. One person was killed and one person was injured.^[12]

April 15 event

1 Grazulis tornado

Confirmed tornadoes during April 15, 1945^{[nb 1]}
EF#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (local)	Path length	Max width
EF#	Summary
F?	Okemah	Okfuskee	OK	18:35	8 mi (13 km)	33 yd (30 m)
F?	This tornado caused $10,000 in damages and injured 10 people.^[12]

April 16 event

Confirmed tornadoes during April 16, 1945^{[nb 1]}
EF#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (local)	Path length	Max width
EF#	Summary
F?	Mishawaka	St. Joseph	IN	13:00	Unknown	167 yd (153 m)
F?	Property was damaged, damages from this tornado totaled $15,000. Two people were injured.^[12]
F?	Unknown	Whitley	IN	14:30	Unknown	100 yd (91 m)
F?	Property damages totaled $20,000, and an additional $500 in damages from crop losses.^[12]

April 17 event

1 Grazulis tornado

April 23 event

1 Grazulis tornado

April 24 event

3 Grazulis tornadoes

May

May 10 event

2 Grazulis tornadoes

May 15 event

2 Grazulis tornadoes

May 17 event

1 Grazulis tornado

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h All dates and times are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e All ratings on the Fujita scale were done by Thomas P. Grazulis, a tornado expert, and are classified unofficial ratings since official ratings for tornadoes began in 1950.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant tornadoes, 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: Environmental Films. pp. 918–922. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
^ J. L. Baldwin (December 1945). "PRELIMINARY REPORT ON TORNADOES IN THE UNITED STATES DURING 1945" (PDF). United States Weather Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2005. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant tornadoes, 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: Environmental Films. pp. 922–925. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
^ ^a ^b Mary O. Souder (February 1945). "Severe Local Storms, February 1945". Monthly Weather Review. 73 (2). United States Weather Bureau: 36. Bibcode:1945MWRv...73...36.. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1945)073<0036:SLSF>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 1520-0493.
^ ^a ^b F. C. Pate (United States Weather Bureau) (October 1946). "The Tornado at Montgomery, Alabama, February 12, 1945". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 27 (8). American Meteorological Society: 462–464. JSTOR 26257954. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
^ "Tornado Strikes Alabama Capital; Big Storm Starts in Mississippi; Many Are Killed; Boxcars and Houses Are Rubble Heaps in Tempest's Fury". The Dothan Eagle. Associated Press. 13 February 1945. Archived from the original on 14 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Alabama Tornadoes 1945". National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Birmingham, Alabama. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
^ WAKA Action 8 News (2 December 2022). "Meteorologist Rich Thomas Says Tornado Deaths in Montgomery County Are Rare". WAKA. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ "Woman Killed By Tornado". The Miami Herald. 23 February 1945. p. 1. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
^ "On This Day: February 22". Tornado Talk. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u Mary O. Souder (March 1945). "Severe Local Storms, March 1945". Monthly Weather Review. 73 (3). United States Weather Bureau. ISSN 1520-0493. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "SEVERE LOCAL STORMS, APRIL 1945". Monthly Weather Review. 73 (4): 74–75. April 1, 1945. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1945)073<0074:SLSA>2.0.CO;2 – via journals.ametsoc.org.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time for consistency.

[Date/Time-13] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h All dates and times are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down.

[Ratings-14] All ratings on the Fujita scale were done by Thomas P. Grazulis, a tornado expert, and are classified unofficial ratings since official ratings for tornadoes began in 1950.

[Grazulis_Book-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant tornadoes, 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: Environmental Films. pp. 918–922. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.

[USWB_Dead_Link-2] J. L. Baldwin (December 1945). "PRELIMINARY REPORT ON TORNADOES IN THE UNITED STATES DURING 1945" (PDF). United States Weather Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2005. Retrieved 31 May 2023.

[Tornado_outbreak_of_February_12,_1945_Grazulis_Book-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant tornadoes, 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: Environmental Films. pp. 922–925. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.

[Tornado_outbreak_of_February_12,_1945_MWR_February-5] Mary O. Souder (February 1945). "Severe Local Storms, February 1945". Monthly Weather Review. 73 (2). United States Weather Bureau: 36. Bibcode:1945MWRv...73...36.. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1945)073<0036:SLSF>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 1520-0493.

[Tornado_outbreak_of_February_12,_1945_BAMS-6] F. C. Pate (United States Weather Bureau) (October 1946). "The Tornado at Montgomery, Alabama, February 12, 1945". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 27 (8). American Meteorological Society: 462–464. JSTOR 26257954. Retrieved 27 May 2023.

[Tornado_outbreak_of_February_12,_1945_AP_Dead_Link-7] "Tornado Strikes Alabama Capital; Big Storm Starts in Mississippi; Many Are Killed; Boxcars and Houses Are Rubble Heaps in Tempest's Fury". The Dothan Eagle. Associated Press. 13 February 1945. Archived from the original on 14 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

[Tornado_outbreak_of_February_12,_1945_NWS_Alabama_1945-8] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Alabama Tornadoes 1945". National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Birmingham, Alabama. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.

[Tornado_outbreak_of_February_12,_1945_WAKA-9] WAKA Action 8 News (2 December 2022). "Meteorologist Rich Thomas Says Tornado Deaths in Montgomery County Are Rare". WAKA. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[10] "Woman Killed By Tornado". The Miami Herald. 23 February 1945. p. 1. Retrieved 27 June 2023.

[11] "On This Day: February 22". Tornado Talk. Retrieved 28 June 2023.

[MWR_March-12] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u Mary O. Souder (March 1945). "Severe Local Storms, March 1945". Monthly Weather Review. 73 (3). United States Weather Bureau. ISSN 1520-0493. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

[auto-15] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "SEVERE LOCAL STORMS, APRIL 1945". Monthly Weather Review. 73 (4): 74–75. April 1, 1945. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1945)073<0074:SLSA>2.0.CO;2 – via journals.ametsoc.org.

[Date/Time-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time for consistency.

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