Remembering the 1974 Super Outbreak- 50 Years Later

To the right is the official surface analysis map for April 3rd, 1974 at 7 AM CDT. A strong 984 mb surface low centered over eastern Kansas stands out in the analysis on the left. You can also see much colder air wrapping around the back side of the surface low (air temperatures in the mid 20s to 40s). Temperatures ahead of the main cold front were in the mid 50s to around 70 degrees (mid 60s to lower 70s near and south of a secondary warm front through Tennessee).

With such a strong contrast in the air mass ahead of the front and behind it, a potent upper level jet ( at 500 mb) was already in place early in the morning on April 3rd beginning to rotate around the upper low with this system. This can be seen in the 500 mb analysis image from Corfidi et al. below. The highlighted shows the core of the main jet, where better shear and forcing were located.

In addition to a strengthening upper level jet in place with this system, a strong low level jet between 40 and 60 knots was in place near and south of the surface warm front that extended at the surface from western Tennessee and into southern Missouri. The low level jet is highlighted in red below.

These pressure patterns aloft helped to maintain a very robust surface front and very strong area of low pressure throughout the system's lifecycle on April 3rd, 1974.

These pressure patterns aloft create two areas of very strong winds aloft. When they are oriented like this relative to each other, it helps maintain the difference in temperatures we see behind and ahead of this storm system. Mainly because of the difference in air masses from which these two areas of stronger winds are originating from, as seen in the image below. The low level jet (850 mb) originates from a much more moist and warmer air mass (Gulf of Mexico). The upper level jet stream (500 mb) originates from typically a cooler air mass (Pacific Ocean/western Canada).

There were a few isolated tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds between 7 AM CDT and 1 PM CDT on April 3rd, 1974 as the warm front moved northward. The reports during this period are shown in the loop below.

There were things already in place that were advantageous for more widespread tornadoes/severe weather ahead of the cold front and with either warm front with this storm system as early as 7 AM CDT. Some of these are below:

• Strong Shear: 50 - 70 knots of 0-6 km Shear
• Steep Lapse Rates: 6.0 to 8.0 degree/km
• 300-900 M2/S2 0-3 km Helicity.

However, there were enough impediments in place to keep severe weather extremely isolated in the morning. The primary ones are listed below.

• Very warm air aloft at 700 mb (thermal cap) near and south of a warm front.
• Lack of a deeper moisture profile in place near and south of that warm front, where cap was in place.

These two aspects of the atmospheric parameters in place in the morning are shown in the three images below:

• Stronger upper level jet dynamics (shear) was still just approaching the Missouri valley region south of the previously mentioned warm front.

• Cloud cover in the morning helped to limit high temperatures and delayed the eroding of a thermal cap.

Tornado #9, the "second F5 Tanner tornado", began at 6:35 PM CST (7:35 PM CDT) in Limestone County, Alabama southwest of Tanner, then traveled northeast across Madison County, Alabama as well as Lincoln and Franklin Counties in Tennessee. See the Alabama section to find out more information on this F5 tornado.

Hardest Hit Area(s): Harvest, Moulton, Tanner

• Tornado Length: 52 miles
• Intensity: F5
• Deaths: 28
• Injuries: 267

The first F5 tornado to touchdown in Alabama formed at 6:15 pm CDT in Lawrence County, AL and ended just over 90 minutes later in Madison County, AL, killing 28 people. It touched down in the Mount Hope community and then tracked into Hatton, where the tornado rapidly intensified and swept away several homes.

In the Moulton community, the destruction was so complete that a witness reported that the largest recognizable objects among scattered debris from an obliterated house were some bed-springs. The tornado crossed into Morgan County, causing additional destruction in rural areas near Hillsboro and Trinity. After crossing the Tennessee River  into Limestone County, the tornado re-intensified, flattening a ¾-mile–wide swath of trees on the opposite bank. The tornado moved into the Tanner community where some of the worst damage in the outbreak was documented. Here, the tornado reached F5 intensity and many homes were swept away, vehicles were tossed, shrubbery was debarked.

The tornado then continued into Madison County and struck the Capshaw and Harvest areas. Numerous homes in Harvest and surrounding rural areas of the county were swept completely away and scattered.

Hardest Hit Area(s): Jasper, Cullman

• Tornado Length: 110.6 miles (longest in AL)
• Intensity: F4
• Deaths: 3
• Injuries: 178

A long-track F4 tornado began in Pickens County around 6:30 PM, moving northeast. Two people were killed at Berry in Fayette County, and 34 people were injured across Pickens and Fayette. The tornado entered Walker County, reaching its maximum intensity of F4 southwest of Jasper before moving through town at F2 to F3 strength. Downtown Jasper sustained heavy damage, with numerous stores and commercial buildings damaged or destroyed, the Walker County courthouse and Jasper City Hall severely damaged, and the fire station demolished. After a power station on the west side of town was struck initially, the clock on the courthouse stopped at 7:55 PM, where it remained for months following the tornado. Many homes in town were heavily damaged, and at Walker College, dozens of uprooted trees resulted in considerable damage to sidewalks and underground utility lines, along with damaged buildings and destroyed vehicles. Although no one was killed in Walker County, 102 people were injured.

The tornado continued northeast, entering Cullman County and striking the communities of Brushy Pond, Trimble, and Grandview. It entered the city of Cullman around 9 PM at F2 intensity, severely damaging or destroying numerous homes, an apartment complex, a Big K department store, and the East Park Shopping Center. One person was killed in Cullman, and 36 were injured. The tornado passed through the Larkwood neighborhood before dissipating northeast of town.

Hardest Hit Area(s): Moshat, Spring Creek

• Tornado Length: 20.9 miles
• Intensity: F3
• Deaths: 0
• Injuries: 9

An F3 tornado began near the Etowah/Cherokee county line, passing to the south and east of Centre. Numerous mobile homes and several houses were damaged or destroyed in the Moshat and Spring Creek areas. Nine people were injured before the tornado dissipated.

Hardest Hit Area(s): Tanner, Athens, Harvest

• Tornado Length: 62 miles
• Intensity: F5
• Deaths: 22
• Injuries: 250

A little over 30 minutes after the initial F5 tornado struck the Tanner community in Limestone County, AL, a second violent tornado formed, devastating some of the same communities in Limestone and Madison counties. The Tanner community was again particularly devastated.

Many structures that were left standing after the first tornado were destroyed in the second one. After devastating Tanner it produced significant damage in the Athens area.

Below is a video of an interview with Bill Dunnavant (Limestone County, Emergency Management Official). His recollection of being in this second Tanner F5 tornado in the Athens are

Click  here  to see a personal account of this devastating day from Gary and Deb Chapelle, who experience this tornado as it affected portions of the Athens, AL area.

It then continued across rural Limestone County and into Madison County, where the communities of Capshaw and  Harvest  were devastated once again. Northeast of Harvest, the tornado swept away multiple additional homes in the Hazel Green community.

The tornado continued northeastward through rural portions of Madison County before crossing into Tennessee, causing considerable damage across Lincoln and Franklin Counties.

Hardest Hit Area(s): Guin, Delmar

• Tornado Length: 79.5 miles
• Intensity: F5
• Deaths: 28
• Injuries: 272

Thought to be among the most intense tornadoes to ever strike Alabama, this F5 tornado began in Lamar County around 8:50 PM, causing heavy damage to the Monterey Trailer Park. It quickly entered Marion County, where the town of Guin was struck just after 9 PM, leaving 23 deaths and 250 injuries. Much of Guin was devastated by the tornado, the center of which passed a block north of the US 43/US 278 intersection. The brand new city hall building was heavily damaged, and the Guin Post Office and Guin Mobile Home Plant were destroyed. Many homes were heavily damaged or reduced to rubble, with debris being wrapped around trees that were debarked or reduced to the main trunks. The First Methodist Church was reduced to just the front porch steps and basement walls. In one instance, the bus from the First Baptist Church was blown up the street and deposited at the front door of the Tombigbee Electric Coop office. After departing Guin, the tornado caused similar devastation at Yampertown. Shortly after, the NWS office in Birmingham issued a Tornado Warning for the northwestern quarter of Alabama, as it was apparent that significant damage was being observed.

After devastating Guin, the tornado moved through Winston County at F3 intensity, killing 5 and injuring 22 in the Delmar area. The Densmore Store was completely destroyed, in addition to numerous homes and other structures. The tornado then moved into the Bankhead National Forest, crossing into Lawrence County while maintaining F2 to F3 intensity. In Bankhead, approximately 20 million feet of pine and hardwood timber was blown down over a 15-mile path that was up to one mile wide at times. Significant damage continued into Morgan County until the tornado dissipated south of Decatur after 10 PM.

Along the entire path, 546 buildings were destroyed and 330 were heavily damaged. 191 mobile homes were destroyed, and 59 were heavily damaged. 60 small businesses were destroyed or heavily damaged. In total, 28 people were killed and 272 were injured.

Hardest Hit Area(s): Cherry Log, Aksa

• Tornado Length: 15 miles
• Intensity: F2
• Deaths: 0
• Injuries: 5

An F2 tornado began near Elijay in Gilmer County, GA before moving northeast affecting the city of Cherry Log before moving northeast into Fannin County before dissipating near Blue Ridge. Severe damage occurred to homes, trees and utilities along the path with an damage estimated at $800,000. One of the hardest hit areas was in Cherry Log in Gilmer County. This was the first tornado of the day to affect Georgia damaging several homes in Cherry Log, GA. Baseball size hail was also reported with this storm as it moved to Aksa.

Hardest Hit Area(s): Chatsworth

• Tornado Length: 25 miles
• Intensity: F4
• Deaths: 9
• Injuries: 54

An F4 tornado began in western Gordon County, west of Calhoun, GA moving northeast into Murray County affecting the city of Chatsworth before dissipating. Severe damage occurred to homes, businesses, trees and utilities along the path with an damage estimated at $4.3 billion. Some of the hardest hit areas were in the Whitfield-Murray County area, including the city of Chatsworth. The Meridon Carpet Mill in Chatsworth was destroyed with 60 people inside but all were rescued and taken to local hospitals.

Hardest Hit Area(s): Chatsworth

• Tornado Length: 35 miles
• Intensity: F2
• Deaths: 1
• Injuries: 20

An F2 tornado began in Cleburne County, AL before moving northeastward into Haralson County affecting Buchanan, GA before moving northeastward through Paulding and Bartow County and finally ending near Lake Allatoona in Cherokee County, GA. Severe damage occurred to homes, businesses, trees and utilities along the path with an damage estimated at $2 million. One of the hardest hit areas was in the Haralson County area, including the city of Buchanan where most of the injuries took place including a pregnant mother who was transported to the hospital.

Hardest Hit Area(s): Ball Ground, Juno

• Tornado Length: 15 miles
• Intensity: F4
• Deaths: 6
• Injuries: 30

An F4 tornado began just north of Ball Ground in Cherokee County, GA before moving northeastward into Haralson County affecting Buchanan, GA before moving northeastward through Pickens County then northeastward through Dawson County where the town of Juno was heavily damaged, before ending in southwest Lumpkin County, GA. Severe damage occurred to homes, businesses, trees and utilities along the path with an damage estimated at $2 million. One of the hardest hit areas was in the Dawson County area, including the town of Juno where most of the deaths occurred.