The May 1957 Tornado Outbreak

The May 1957 Tornado Outbreak

Author: AccuWeather May 21, 2022 Duration: 2:16
This Date in Weather History
History
The May 1957 tornado outbreak took place across the US Central Plains from May 19 to May 21, 1957. An F5 tornado, the strongest on the tornado intensity scale, on May 21 was the most significant in the outbreak and is known as the the Ruskin Heights Tornado where the area where the worst of the damage occurred, a suburb and housing development south of Kansas City. 57 tornadoes were reported from Colorado to the Mississippi Valley and 59 people were killed during the outbreak. But in the Kansas City area and specifically Ruskin Heights the impact was devastating. The Kansas City Star reported in its story from the next day that “At least 31 persons were reported killed, at least 200 persons were injured and many were made homeless by a tornado which struck the southern part of the metropolitan area shortly after 7pm. Everywhere there were scenes of jumbled debris, death and chaos as rescue workers struggled in the darkness to rescue the injured and maintain some semblance of emergency aid. Observers at the disaster scene in Ruskin Heights said there could be no count of the number killed, missing or injured until daylight. Rescue workers had only flashlights and motor car lights to search through the wreckage. With roads blocked with debris and cars, workers were doing well to get ambulances out of the disaster area. Glenn Rapp, director of the American Red Cross disaster unit in Jackson County, said hospitals in the metropolitan area had reported more than 200 injured, and efforts were being made to compile the names as rapidly as possible. Witnesses told of cowering in what shelter they could find as the winds ripped away houses and buildings. Cars were piled in tangled masses of metal in streets, in parking lots and in used car lots.”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Every day has a story written in the wind and rain, and This Date in Weather History uncovers those narratives. With AccuWeather Meteorologist Evan Myers as your guide, this daily podcast connects the present to pivotal moments where weather dramatically altered the course of events. You might hear about a forgotten blizzard that stranded a city, a hurricane that redirected a war, or a simple shift in the breeze that allowed a historic discovery. It’s more than just a list of facts; it’s a look at how the atmosphere has been a relentless and fascinating character in the human drama. Each brief episode offers a specific, grounded tale, revealing how the climate has shaped cultures, economies, and personal lives in ways we often overlook. Tune in for a thoughtful blend of meteorology and historical context, delivered with the authority of AccuWeather. This podcast turns the calendar into a map of atmospheric intrigue, reminding us that the past is always present in the sky above.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Official website RSS
This Date in Weather History
Podcast Episodes
1974: The "Super Tornado Outbreak" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:28
The last few days of March 1974 and the first couple of days of April 1974 brought unseasonable warmth to much of the nation east of the Mississippi River. Across Ohio and northern Kentucky, the daffodils were blooming,…
1837: 17" of snow falls in St. Louis, MO [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:09
The city of St. Louis, Missouri, is known as the “Gateway to the West.” It has this nickname because it was the starting point for the westward movement of people in the United States during the early to mid-1800s. It wa…
1997: The "Great April Fools Day Snowstorm" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:18
April snowfalls in the northeastern section of the United States are not unusual, but heavy snowfalls are rare. April snowfall totals average less than 5% of the season average in places like Boston. In fact, the normal…
1807: Early chronicled winter storm strikes upstate New York [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:50
One of the earliest chronicled winter storms to strike upstate New York after the Revolution, was the strong system that impacted the region on March 31, 1807. The Herald in Cooperstown , NY reported, and I quote “The wi…
1843: 2' of snow falls in Indiana [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:12
In the 1820’s and 1830s just after Maine became a state, after separating from Massachusetts, crop failures combined with cold weather caused some in New England to dream of warmer climates to the west. About this time N…
1848: Ice jam causes Niagara Falls to run dry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:57
According to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, ice jams on bodies of water are caused by melting snow and ice in the springtime. Warm temperatures and spring rains cause snow and ice to melt very…
2005: Storms along East coast brings heavy rain and flooding [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:42
A strong storm developed in the southeastern United States on the 27th of March 2005 and grew even more dangerous as it moved up the East Coast on March 28th before moving out to sea off the New England Coast. Heavy rain…
1980: Winnipeg, Manitoba reaches March record-high [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40
The prairies and plains of west central Canada, like those on the plains of the central United States are subject to wide swings of weather. Geographic barriers like mountains and large bodies of water can block or defle…
2014: Powerful Nor'Easter strikes New England [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29
Late season Nor’easters in March are often times the most powerful storms to strike the northeast. On March 26, 2014 one such storm struck New England. The strong late season winter storm brought howling winds and heavy…
1948: Tornado strikes Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35
Tornado Alley is that area in the United States that has more tornados than anywhere else in the world. Stretching from central Texas to Eastern South Dakota. Tornados are more likely in Texas and Oklahoma in the Spring,…

«1...45678910»