Historical Papers on Tornadoes

[Marc Austin]

I'm sure many of you have run across historical published papers on tornadoes and accounts of tornadoes. I ran across this one just yesterday and it was so interesting to me, I thought I might share it with you. Here's the link:

http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/058/mwr-058-05-0205.pdf

I find the location of this particular account very interesting. Anyone have any articles they'd like to share? I know there's been great debate over what the "insides" of a tornado actually look like. I don't think I would have had the guts this farmer did. In any case. I just thought I'd share it with the stormtrack community. Mods feel free to move this post elsewhere. I'm not sure if it's in the right location or not.

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

I have a real old account of a tornado that happened in my corner of Iowa. This story is one of the very reasons that I have an interest in tornadoes/severe storms. If you read all of it, then maybe you can solve the many riddles that are written into it due to the lack of proper knowledge. But the reporters skills were top notch; maybe someone can learn from this story.

BTW - My Great Granddad name was James Wadsworth of Alta IA, you can read his accounts in there as well. I still have the same farm that was hit by the July 6, 1893 event.
Q: Was the tornado - by evidence in the story - an F4 or an F5?
Choose your answers carefully, I am interested in those answers that you may figure out about this puzzle. Its 4-6 pages of pictures and story.

Good Luck - Sherlock(s)

http://www.iagenweb.org/calhoun/story.html

 

[Tom Dulong]

Here is another story of someone who was able to look up inside a tornado (another Texas tornado).

http://www.science-frontiers.com/sf052/sf052g18.htm

I remember shortly after the 1995 Pampa, TX, tornado a man interviewed by a TV reporter said that he was able to look up into the funnel from the entrance to his storm shelter. His description mirrored that from other "eye of the twister" witnesses. I was not able to find this story in print.