Tornado outbreak of February 13, 1952

Several destructive tornadoes struck the Lower Mississippi Valley and the Southeastern United States on February 13, 1952. Multiple intense tornadoes touched down throughout the day, three of which were killers. The worst one was an F4 tornado that touched down in south central Tennessee, killing three and injuring 44. In all, the outbreak killed five, injured 102, and caused $6.402 million (1952 USD) in damage.

Tornado outbreak of February 13, 1952
TypeTornado outbreak
DurationFebruary 13, 1952
Tornadoes
confirmed		15
Max. rating1F4 tornado
Duration of
tornado outbreak2		19 hours
Fatalities5 fatalities, 102 injuries
Damage$6.402 million (1952 USD)[1]
$70.6 million (2023 USD)
Areas affectedSoutheastern United States

1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale
2Time from first tornado to last tornado

Meteorological synopsis

A fast-moving low-pressure system formed over Northern California on February 11. As it moved quickly eastward another low formed over northeastern New Mexico on February 12. These lows moved in tandem into Oklahoma on February 13 and triggered a severe weather outbreak in the Southeastern United States starting that morning.[2]

Confirmed tornadoes
Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
0 2 5 3 4 1 0 15

February 13 event
List of confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, February 13, 1952[nb 1][nb 2]
F# Location County / Parish State Start
coord.		 Time (UTC) Path length Max. width Summary
F0 Northern Rodessa Caddo LA 32.98°N 94.00°W / 32.98; -94.00 (Rodessa (February 13, F0)) 10:00–? 1 mile (1.6 km) 133 yards (122 m) This tornado may have started in McLeod, Texas. A wall was blown out of a garage, three oil rigs were downed, and a barn was twisted off its foundation. Losses totaled $25,000. Lightning from the storm also burned down a home.[2][4]
F2 NE of Leachville Mississippi AR 35.95°N 90.15°W / 35.95; -90.15 (Leachville (February 13, F2)) 22:30–? 0.3 miles (0.48 km) 33 yards (30 m) This short-lived, but strong tornado obliterated a five-room home, debris of which was found 3 mi (4.8 km) away. The tornado also unroofed a home nearby and destroyed several outbuildings. All five injuries, two of which were serious, came from one family, but no damage estimate was given. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F3. The funnel cloud from this storm was seen in Manila.[2][5][6]
F2 S of Camden Benton TN 36.00°N 88.12°W / 36.00; -88.12 (Camden (February 13, F2)) 22:30–? 0.3 miles (0.48 km) 300 yards (270 m) This small, but strong tornado damaged or destroyed nine homes and six other buildings, affecting nine families. Losses totaled $25,000. The tornado may have occurred later than recorded in the NCEI.[2][5][7]
F2 NW of Holland to Denton to E of Braggdocio Pemiscot MO 36.07°N 89.93°W / 36.07; -89.93 (Holland (February 13, F2)) 23:10–? 6.8 miles (10.9 km) 100 yards (91 m) This tornado wrecked a few barns and a small home while damaging several other barns and houses west of Steele. The funnel reportedly dipped to ground twice. The damage estimate was given as $2,500. Large hail that accompanied the storm caused additional damage.[5][8]
F0 Philadelphia Neshoba MS 32.77°N 89.10°W / 32.77; -89.10 (Philadelphia (February 13, F0)) 01:30–? 0.1 miles (0.16 km) 33 yards (30 m) A windmill was twisted by the tornado. Non-tornadic effects included lightning damaging towers of a radio station in Philadelphia and hail breaking windows and damaging cars. Gardens and oats were also damaged.[2][9]
F1 S of Newsom Davidson TN 36.05°N 87.03°W / 36.05; -87.03 (Newsom (February 13, F1)) 01:45–? 0.3 miles (0.48 km) 200 yards (180 m) A "baby twister" moved through a small valley and struck the Poplar Farm. Two houses, a corn crib, and a shed full of machinery were heavily damaged, with one of the homes swept away. Damage was estimated at $25,000. The tornado was rated F2 by Grazulis.[2][5][10]
F3 New Lexington to Berry Fayette, Tuscaloosa AL 33.57°N 87.67°W / 33.57; -87.67 (New Lexington (February 13, F3)) 02:00–? 5.6 miles (9.0 km) 100 yards (91 m) 1 death – A destructive tornado moved northeastward along Fayette–Tuscaloosa County line. In New Lexington, two homes were destroyed and seven others were damaged. Eight more homes were damaged in Fayette County. There were 14 injuries and an estimated $50,000 in damage.[2][5][11][12]
F1 Garden City Blount, Cullman AL 34.02°N 86.75°W / 34.02; -86.75 (Garden City (February 13, F1)) 02:30–? 6.0 miles (9.7 km) 100 yards (91 m) A tornado touched down in Garden City and moved northeastward. At least 62 homes were damaged or destroyed, six people were injured, and losses totaled $5 million in damage. The tornado may have tracked all the way to Snead. It was rated F2 by Grazulis.[2][5][11][13]
F1 NE of Speiden Lincoln TN 35.23°N 86.82°W / 35.23; -86.82 (Speiden (February 13, F1)) 03:00–? 0.2 miles (0.32 km) 400 yards (370 m) This was the first tornado in a long-tracked tornado family that moved through South Central Tennessee. There was minor damage confirmed to a house in Giles County, although the storm point is officially in Lincoln County. No damage estimate was given. Grazulis rated the tornado F2 and said it was a complex of small tornadoes, including the F3 tornado in Lincoln County listed below, that traveled about 30 mi (48 km).[2][5][14]
F3 Shady Grove to Adamsville to Graysville to Pinson Jefferson AL 33.60°N 86.93°W / 33.60; -86.93 (Adamsville (February 13, F3)) 03:30–? ≥0.1 miles (0.16 km) 200 yards (180 m) 1 death – A strong tornado moved through the northern suburbs of Birmingham. Nine homes and 17 buildings were destroyed while 55 homes and 54 other buildings were damaged. The tornado also scattered debris for hundreds of yards. There were 26 injuries. The NWS Birmingham list the path of the tornado as being 15 miles (24 km).[2][11][15]
F3 Howell to Mulberry Lincoln TN 35.22°N 86.60°W / 35.22; -86.60 (Howell (February 13, F3)) 04:00–? 7.4 miles (11.9 km) 350 yards (320 m) This was the second tornado in a long-tracked tornado family that moved through South Central Tennessee. Major damage occurred along the path with 43 homes and other buildings destroyed while 93 others were damaged. There were two injuries, 45 families affected, and $250,000 in damage. Grazulis rated the tornado F2 and said it was a complex of small tornadoes, including the F1 tornado in Lincoln County listed above, that traveled about 30 mi (48 km).[2][5][16]
F1 N of Athens Monroe MS 33.85°N 88.47°W / 33.85; -88.47 (Athens (February 13, F1)) 04:00–? 7.4 miles (11.9 km) 350 yards (320 m) A tornado was confirmed, but no damage information was provided. There was one injury and $25,000 in damage.[2][17]
F4 Marble Hill to Marble Plains to Decherd Moore, Franklin TN 35.20°N 86.30°W / 35.20; -86.30 (Marble Hill (February 13, F4)) 04:30–? 12.7 miles (20.4 km) 100 yards (91 m) 3 deaths – This violent tornado developed from the same supercell that produced two prior tornadoes in Lincoln County. It touched down just west of the Moore–Franklin county line near Lois and moved eastward. It first struck areas along SR 50 in Marble Hill causing catastrophic damage. It destroyed 23 homes and outbuildings and damaged 27 others, affecting 20 families. Hundreds of trees were also downed in Moore County. The tornado then moved into Franklin County and obliterated parts of Beech Hill where a church, school, store, and dwelling were all destroyed. After moving over rural, low-lying farmland, the tornado demolished portions of Marble Plains. One home in this area was swept away, killing the two occupants. The tornado then moved into Roark Creek, where several homes and two barns were leveled. After passing through another rural, forested area, the tornado roared into the north side of Decherd, where more heavy destruction and another fatality occurred. There were 15 homes destroyed and 50 others damaged while 85 other buildings were damaged or destroyed. Five freight cars on the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway were derailed and scattered along the right of way in the town as well. The tornado dissipated shortly afterwards. In all, 109 farms reported damage, three people were killed, 44 others were injured, and damages totaled $500,000.[2][5][18]
F1 W of Kiln Hancock MS 30.42°N 89.48°W / 30.42; -89.48 (Kiln (February 13, F1)) 04:30–? 12.7 miles (20.4 km) 100 yards (91 m) A tornado was confirmed, but no damage information or estimate was provided. There were two injuries.[2][19]
F3 Monteagle to Tracy City Grundy TN 35.27°N 85.75°W / 35.27; -85.75 (Monteagle (February 13, F3)) 04:30–? 5.1 miles (8.2 km) 400 yards (370 m) This was the final tornado in a long-tracked tornado family that moved through South Central Tennessee. About 150 homes and other buildings were damaged along the path. Two people were injured and loses totaled $250,000. Grazulis rated the tornado F2.[2][5][20]

Non-tornadic impacts

Most of the damage during this event was either by tornadoes or the storm that produced it. However, one isolated report of large hail was recorded in Warren, Mississippi. Windows were broken, automobiles were dented, and gardens and winter grains were damaged.[2]

See also

Notes
  1. All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time and dates are split at midnight CST/CDT for consistency.
  2. Prior to 1994, only the average widths of tornado paths were officially listed.[3]

References
  1. "Tornado Summaries". National Weather Service. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  2. "Climatological Data: National summary". U.S. Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau. 1952. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  3. Brooks, Harold E. (April 2004). "On the Relationship of Tornado Path Length and Width to Intensity". Weather and Forecasting. Boston: American Meteorological Society. 19 (2): 310. Bibcode:2004WtFor..19..310B. doi:10.1175/1520-0434(2004)019<0310:OTROTP>2.0.CO;2.
  4. Louisiana Event Report: F0 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  5. Grazulis, Thomas P. (July 1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. p. 961. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
  6. Arkansas Event Report: F2 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  7. Tennessee Event Report: F2 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  8. Missouri Event Report: F2 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 28 October 2021.Missouri Event Report: F2 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  9. Mississippi Event Report: F0 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  10. Tennessee Event Report: F1 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  11. US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Alabama Tornadoes 1952". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  12. Alabama Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 4 March 2022.Alabama Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  13. Alabama Event Report: F1 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 4 March 2022.Alabama Event Report: F1 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  14. Tennessee Event Report: F1 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  15. Alabama Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  16. Tennessee Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  17. Mississippi Event Report: F1 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  18. Tennessee Event Report: F4 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 5 March 2022.Tennessee Event Report: F4 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  19. Mississippi Event Report: F1 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  20. Tennessee Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
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