Meteorologists today use a tornado intensity scale called the Enhanced Fujita Scale to assess a tornado’s strength, use satellites and doppler radar to track storm cells and see tornadoes form, and and use “storm chasers” to follow the paths of tornadoes. But none of that was around in 1884. In 1884 there was nothing but the reports by survivors. Those reports suggest a tornado outbreak on a massive scale, and damage that devastated whole communities, but leave a picture of what might have been one of the worst tornado outbreaks in history that is so incomplete that the true scale of the storm is a mystery, and so is called “the enigma tornado outbreak.”
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What I remember most was the roar. Some compare it to a train, but I recall it being across the whole audio spectrum, fro very low, to so high it hurt. You really could ‘feel it in your bones’, like continuous bass at a rock concert.
I am having trouble finding your video I thought it was called "the great wet" as a winter hurricane hitting Europe long time ago a must have misremembered the title can you help me fine the right video?
What is the Augusta?
Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about the tornado outbreak in South Dakota around that same time. She said she wasn't writing history, but I think she would be amazed at how accurate her memory was and how those events are still talked about.
I had never heard of this tornado outbreak. Thank you for covering this weather event.
I worked as a storm spotter for Lincoln/Lancaster County, Nebraska for a number of years. After watching the training videos, I considered the typhoons and hurricanes I experienced rather tame compared to tornadoes.
And these tempests occurred before meteorology became the religion of "Climate Alarmism"
Hello Mr. Geiger. Old people know way too many things that make them no money! That being said: The Anniston Daily Hot Blast was published from 1887 to 1899 in Anniston, Calhoun County Alabama. Jim Melka
Good afternoon. Just remembering my grandfather was born in 1883 and lived till he was 93. He was hard of hearing when I was born so never had many conversations. Just wish I'd known about historical items like this so I could have asked him.
And they say globle warming is going to make storms worse. standing on the ground that day in the southeast, nothing today would compair.
I appreciate you and thank you for making content.
Ever since I was a small child I've wanted to see a tornado up close,hear it,see what it does but have never experienced one other than driving past a local area a few minutes after a small one topped out some trees along highway 29 nearby,and blew over an ancient forgotten barn..
I've lived through many hurricanes,seen the aftermath of aeveral hurricane generated tornados and seen maybe a dozen waterspouts up close and 1 within 100' before but no hurricanadoes,nor tornicanes up close,yet…
The 2011 Super Outbreak killed 319 not 178.
I live in northeast Alabama the 2011 tornados a fe5 was a mile away from my house, it was a half a mile wide and pulled grass out of the ground, the houses had no chance of survival. Growing up with tornadoes hitting twice a year I have never been scared until that beast of nature.
Thanks for another captivating video! This story reminds me of the 1920’s Tri-state tornado. The technology had not changed from 1880’s as far as weather forecasting. Hopefully, the people of 2120’s will look on our weather forecasting as we look back to the 1920’s.
Have a great day!
There are pictures of tornadoes from the 1800s. They look so mystical though and not real. Of course, they had real weather events back in those days.
1965, Levenworth, KS … 50 in tornado alley that night. A brick gas station was “removed”. Next door was a pizza parlor with a large glass window. Not a scratch. Most homes in Oklahoma now have a “fraidy hole” buried in the yard. Modern storm cellars are simply large flow precast concrete drainage pipe joints with steps into it and a vent pipe. The doors open inwards as to not be blocked with debris.
Would the lynx not wipe out what little of the Wild Cats are left? I think that would be something to be considered prior to any reintroduction of any of the apex predators.
Global warming? Climate change? Trump? Toxic masculinity? The Patriarchy?
Nicely done old chap. Sobering descriptions by the newspapers of the day. You're right, probably over a thousand souls were lost. This episode was in my daily YT feed, I was so impressed I subscribed. Cheers.
Well done 👍
Global warming is wild
The damage from a large tornado like an F4 is truly unimaginable, you need to see it for yourself to understand.
I wonder if there were crazies running around and shouting about how all the tornadoes were as a result of wood burning stoves and fireplaces.
My husband is from Albion, PA. He was in the Marines at Cherry Point in 1985 when a tornado scored a direct hit on his hometown. He saw it on the nightly news. There was no getting through to his family for days; all the telephone lines were down. No cell phones back then. Twelve people were killed. Fortunately, none of his large family were injured. My family lived a couple towns over at the time. Having a tornado strike so close to home scared my mother. Up until then, she'd liked sitting her rocking chair, watching storms roll through. Never again.
But wait, cars weren’t around in 1880’s to cause these devastating climate changes.
Wichita Falls, TX was another outbreak of tornadoes. There was on that hit Downtown Ft. Worth. There is a bldg that was …twisted.
I thought there was no such thing as a tornado, flood, drought or hurricane until after internal combustion engines were invented
Watched & took pictures of Tuscaloosa’s 27 April 2011 tornado as it passed by 3-4 miles away. Have had several pass by 1/2 to 1/4 mile of where I live in SE Tuscaloosa, AL. I’m what James Spann calls a ‘Weather Dweeb’, I watch severe weather over the internet from other other area whenever possible.
To witness the destruction delivered by a tornado in person is truly a humbling experience not easily if ever forgotten. I recall in one movie in recent times a reference given to an F5 tornado as being the finger of God. I do believe that assessment to be absolutely true.
I believe that the Hot Blast newspaper is from Anniston, Alabama, not Illinois.
I've survived sister tornados, one passed to the south of the house, one to the north. They were small, but did do some damage. What honestly blew my mind was, we have gotten so hood at predicting them, that people get upset if the warning interrupts their lives.
Very nice
This video was awesome. Obviously what happened was terrible. But your detailed description really brought it to life, really made it seem relevant and almost personal to me. You really made it , even to somebody who wasn't there. And what you said at the end, about it being up to us to remember now, was so incredibly powerful, to me. But at the same time, even though those people long gone, your retelling of the story, and the passion with which you did so, brought them back, if only for 17 minutes. They lived again, just for a little while, through you. You did a great service to them, History Guy. Also, I learned a few new words from you today. You are so smart, lol, and I'm totally here for it. And again, your precise enunciation, your tone and inflection, and the cadence of your speech, along with your careful research and detailed description of your subject, make your videos an absolute pleasure to watch. As I've said before, you are pure history ASMR! LOVE this channel!!