6/9/53: Worcester Tornado

[Scott Nelson]

Although New England is not considered a hot bed for tornadoes, we have had our share. Most over the years have been rated as F0 to F1. That said, the 1953 F4 Worcester Tornado ranks very high on the all time list of destructive tornadoes to personal property and loss of lives. Since most systems track towards the Northeast, I'm always wondering if another storm system will hold together and this will happen again.

What makes the Worcester Tornado even more interesting is in 1953 local officials were hesitant to warn people of the Tornado danger fearing chauos. Few residents even knew what a tornado was, and many didn't think/know to take shelter from this "funny looking cloud" until it was to late.
Check out the many gripping stories at WWW.WorcesterMass.com pictures and places of the past. http://WorcesterMass.com/places/tornadoes.shtml

If you're from New England, join our S.T. Storm Chaser Social Group too.

 

[Chris Nuttall]

MOD NOTE: I don't think we are going to get very many chaser reports from this one. However, it is a very significant tornado event. With the focus on eyewitness accounts and passed-down stories, this seems to fit in the "Historical" section.

 

[Scott Nelson]

Thanks Chris... you're right. I brain hiccuped on the location fer sure.

 

[Jean-Marc Rioux]

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know that there should be no "s" to "tornado" in your second html link. heres the correct link http://www.worcestermass.com/places/tornado.shtml

Lots of content on that page! thanks.

 

[David Wolfson]

I grew up in Braintree, MA, and the Worcester tornado (together with the hurricanes in 1954 and 1955) were a big part of what got me interested/obsessed with weather.

I remember my parents standing me as an infant on the toilet seat of the west-facing bathroom to watch what we now know to be the fierce wall cloud of the storm passing over. The shallow cool layer from the sea breeze undoubtedly saved the Boston area from additional tornadoes that day.

I also remember our finding debris from the tornado in the back yard, including roofing from the ravaged Norton Abrasive plant, pieces of 2x4, and scraps of newspapers.

Flint, MI, had suffered a large tornado the day before. The synoptic pattern those days is worth a look for those interested in New England severe weather. It's a pretty reliable severe weather producer in that area, though most always of lesser intensity.

 

[Chris Vagasky]

Just an FYI: Flint-Beecher June 8, 1953, is the last tornado to result in more than 100 deaths.

 

[Tim Marshall]

F4 or F5?

I was on a committee to re-evaluate the F-rating of this tornado. There was debate over whether this tornado was actually an F5. Greg Forbes, Brian Smith, and myself analyzed hundreds of damage photographs and unamimously concluded that the F-4 rating was correct. tm

 

[Scott Nelson]

I was on a committee to re-evaluate the F-rating of this tornado. There was debate over whether this tornado was actually an F5. Greg Forbes, Brian Smith, and myself analyzed hundreds of damage photographs and unamimously concluded that the F-4 rating was correct. tm

Tim-- I know that there has always been a bit of debate about this particular tornado strenght. I'm sure the overall F4 rating was accurate. I've never been hung up on F ratings myself but something specifically unique to me about this storm damage was the fact that it flattened or bent down entire steel power line towers. Wooden poles snapping over... certainly. But steel towers that looked like they became rubberized? WOW! I've never seen that before or after. That said, was "spot damage" like that taken into account when rating the Worcester, MA and Flint, Michigan tornado outbreak?

Did the three of you have ties to New England or did you serve on a committee that rated lots of storms in question?

 

[Terry Kern]

There is sort of a mini tornado alley in New England in N+NW CT, central Mass into southern NH. It can get brutally hot and humid in that area and throw in the seabreeze coming in off the coast along with a strong NW flow aloft, some decent convective set-ups occasionally occur along the cold fronts coming out of Canada. Growing up in CT, I actually saw my first tornado on 8/9/72 in Boston outside of Fenway Park after seeing a Red Sox game. The tornado lasted only a couple minutes and was about 2-3 miles to the W and had lifted by the time it reached Fenway. Unusual feature of this storm was there was no lightning or thunder and rainfall was light.