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This page is about the 1920 tornado outbreak. For other uses, see Palm Sunday tornado outbreak (disambiguation).

User:CapeVerdeWave/Sandbox15

Paths of tornadoes over Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan
Tornado outbreak
Maximum rating	F4 tornado
Duration	March 28, 1920
Overall effects
Fatalities	≥ 153
Injuries	≥ 1,215
Areas affected	Midwestern and Southern United States
Part of the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1920

On March 28, 1920, a large outbreak of at least 37 tornadoes, 31 of which were significant, took place across the Midwestern and Southern United States. The tornadoes left at least 153 dead and at least 1,215 injured. Many communities and farmers alike were caught off-guard as the storms moved to the northeast at speeds that reached over 60 mph (97 km/h). Most of the fatalities occurred in Georgia (37), Ohio (28), and Indiana (21), while the other states had lesser totals. Little is known about many of the specific tornadoes that occurred, and the list below is only partial. Unusually, the outbreak featured a significant tornado—of F2 or greater status—over Lake Michigan; this was one of only three such occurrences in April or March in more than a century, the other two having taken place on April 3, 1956.

Severe thunderstorms began developing in Missouri during the early morning hours. The storms moved quickly to the northeast towards Chicago, Illinois. The first tornado injured five people 35 mi (56 km) southeast of Springfield, Missouri, in Douglas County. This first tornado was a harbinger of things to come as the morning went on and the atmosphere began to destabilize, due to the abundance of sunshine that preceded the cold front in the warm sector, which covered the lower Great Lakes region extending southward well past the Ohio River Valley.

Background

According to meteorologist and weather historian Charles Merlin Umpenhour, climatic conditions were favorable on Palm Sunday 1920 for all the atmospheric ingredients to come together needed to create the classic setup needed for long-track tornadoes. However, forecasting, communications technology, and public awareness about Severe Weather was nearly nonexistent in 1920 and would not begin for another 33 years, when the U.S. Weather Bureau would implement its public Watch (the word ‘forecast’ was used until 1966) and Warning program in 1953.

For the residents of the Great Lakes region and Ohio Valley areas, the only source of weather information was the rather vague forecasts that were issued in the local newspaper the day before or by word of mouth. The use of the word "tornado" was strictly prohibited in public weather forecasting until the 1950s because of the fear and panic it might cause. This policy would come under-fire in the years to come especially after the Tri-State tornado in 1925 that stands today as the deadliest tornado in American history.

Weather forecasters and the public alike in the Chicago, Dayton, Fort Wayne, Lansing, South Bend, and Toledo areas were unaware that the stage was set that day for a significant tornado outbreak that would follow a balmy and seemingly tranquil Palm Sunday afternoon. The weather maps in use in March 1920 showed a rather large and deep cyclone over northern Iowa that was forecast to move across central Lower Michigan by nightfall with a trailing cold front. Meteorologists knew rain showers and perhaps a thundershower was a good possibility, but were unaware that the helicity, lifted index, and upper level winds were being guided by a strong jet stream with a probable negative-tilt that would create favorable conditions for the development of tornadoes.

On the morning of March 28, a deep low-pressure center positioned itself near Sioux City, Iowa, with a reported pressure of 28.96 inHg (981 mb). Ahead of the low, temperatures over a broad expanse ranged from 20 to 25 °F (−7 to −4 °C) above average, indicating a robust warm sector. Around noon CST (18:00 UTC), temperatures ranged from 60 °F (16 °C) in Chicago, Illinois, to 77 °F (25 °C) in Montgomery, Alabama, with brisk low-level winds ranging from the southeast to south-southeast. These winds allowed a warm, moist air mass to advect northward from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes. A strong elevated mixed layer (EML) was present over portions of the warm sector. Meanwhile, a pronounced, eastward-shifting convergence zone, characterised by shifting low-level winds, helped promote the development of vigorous thunderstorms. Observations from Springfield, Illinois, and other weather stations, taken in the wake of the convergence zone, indicated anomalously low relative humidity, suggestive of a strong dry line.

Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5	Total
5	?	?	15	8	8	0	≥ 37

Prior to 1990, there is a likely undercount of tornadoes, particularly E/F0–1, with reports of weaker tornadoes becoming more common as population increased. A sharp increase in the annual average E/F0–1 count by approximately 200 tornadoes was noted upon the implementation of NEXRAD Doppler weather radar in 1990–1991. 1974 marked the first year where significant tornado (E/F2+) counts became homogenous with contemporary values, attributed to the consistent implementation of Fujita scale assessments. Numerous discrepancies on the details of tornadoes in this outbreak exist between sources. The total count of tornadoes and ratings differs from various agencies accordingly. The list below documents information from the most contemporary official sources alongside assessments from tornado historian Thomas P. Grazulis.

List of confirmed tornadoes in the tornado outbreak of March 28, 1920

F#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (UTC)	Path length	Width	Damage
F2	Near Vanzant	Douglas	Missouri	08:30–?	Un­known	200 yd (180 m)	$3,000
	Six frail farmhouses were wrecked. Five people were injured.
F2	SE of Baroda to E of Sodus	Berrien	Michigan	17:30–?	10 mi (16 km)	Un­known	Un­known
	A corkscrew-like tornado destroyed barns on five farmsteads and leveled a small home.
F2	S of Cortland to NE of Sycamore	DeKalb	Illinois	18:00–?	12 mi (19 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$25,000
	Windmills, silos, and a number of barns were wrecked.
F3	SE of La Fox to NE of Elgin	Kane	Illinois	18:05–?	20 mi (32 km)	500 yd (460 m)	$1,000
	8 deaths – See section on this tornado
F4	N of Channahon to Melrose Park to Wilmette	Will, Cook	Illinois	18:15–19:15	53 mi (85 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$2,000,000
	20 deaths – See section on this tornado
F2	E of Elkhorn to W of East Troy	Walworth	Wisconsin	18:15–?	6 mi (9.7 km)	400 yd (370 m)	$25,000
	1 death – This strong tornado wrecked three barns.
F2	N of Milner	Pike	Georgia	19:00–?	2 mi (3.2 km)	Un­known	$10,000
	1 death – This strong tornado wrecked a church and a home. Three people were injured.
F2	Bridgeview to WSW of the Chicago Loop	Cook	Illinois	19:10–?	10 mi (16 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$150,000
	This strong tornado passed between Chicago Midway Airport and Cicero, destroying a mobile outbuilding at a school, along with seven homes. Numerous other structures were unroofed as well. The most significant damage occurred in the Clearing neighborhood. Windows were smashed and chimneys felled as well. Six people received minor injuries.
F2	W of Hart to Weare	Oceana	Michigan	20:00–?	10 mi (16 km)	100 yd (91 m)	Un­known
	1 death – This strong tornado developed as a waterspout over Lake Michigan. A small home was destroyed, and three people were injured. The parent storm may have generated other damaging tornadoes in Osceola and Lake counties, but these were unconfirmed.
F3	SW of Cedar Springs to West Point	Calhoun	Alabama	20:00–?	8 mi (13 km)	100 yd (91 m)	Un­known
	1 death – This intense tornado destroyed many barns and much timberland. A small home was obliterated and its debris dispersed over a 1⁄2-mile-wide (0.80 km) area. One barn was moved hundreds of yards, and various outbuildings were downed as well. 10 people were injured.
F3	S of Mishawaka (IN) to NW of Union (MI)	St. Joseph (IN), Elkhart (IN), Cass (MI)	Indiana, Michigan	20:15–?	22 mi (35 km)	200 yd (180 m)	Un­known
	16 farmsteads were impacted and a farmhouse almost flattened. Eight people were injured.
F2	N of Deatsville	Elmore	Alabama	20:30–?	Un­known	100 yd (91 m)	Un­known
	This was the first member of the West Point–LaGrange F4 tornado family. Many small homes and barns were wrecked. Five people were injured.
F4	SE of Eclectic (AL) to West Point (GA)	Elmore (AL), Tallapoosa (AL), Chambers (AL), Troup (GA)	Alabama, Georgia	20:45–21:37	50 mi (80 km)	400 yd (370 m)	$450,000
	26+ deaths – See section on this tornado
F2	Near Corey Lake to S of Climax	St. Joseph, Kalamazoo	Michigan	21:00–?	30 mi (48 km)	50 yd (46 m)	Un­known
	This long-lived event probably consisted of multiple tornadoes. It unroofed a pair of homes, killed livestock, and destroyed barns.
F2	SW of Kalamazoo	Kalamazoo	Michigan	21:00–?	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
	Several barns were destroyed. The parent storm later generated the Hickory Corners F4.
F3	W of Leroy to near Beatrice	Lake, Porter	Indiana	21:00–?	7 mi (11 km)	100 yd (91 m)	Un­known
	1 death – This intense tornado damaged seven homes, a few of which it destroyed. One person was injured.
F4	NE of Orland (IN) to SW of Coldwater (MI)	Steuben (IN), Branch (MI)	Indiana, Michigan	21:30–?	13 mi (21 km)	200 yd (180 m)	$150,000
	2 deaths – A farmhouse was swept away, along with part of its foundation. Other homes and businesses were unroofed as well. Five people were injured. Another violent F4 tornado affected the same area during the second Palm Sunday outbreak, in 1965.
F3	S of Mulliken to St. Johns	Eaton, Clinton, Gratiot, Saginaw	Michigan	21:30–22:08	50 mi (80 km)	150 yd (140 m)	>$250,000
	1 death – This intense tornado family destroyed entire farmsteads north of Wacousta, continuing on to do so near Eureka. Agricultural outbuildings were wrecked near Mulliken. Elsewhere a few farmhouses sustained possible F4-level damage. In the business district of St. Johns, the tornado smashed windows, tore off roofs, and destroyed walls, causing F2-level damage. The tornado was 300 yd (900 ft) wide as it passed through St. Johns. Only one person was injured.
F4	S of Hickory Corners to near Vermontville	Barry, Eaton	Michigan	21:30–?	20 mi (32 km)	400 yd (370 m)	Un­known
	4 deaths – A violent tornado destroyed 35 farms in its path, a number of which it leveled, and killed people in the vicinity of Maple Grove. It also carried part of a furnace 12 mi (19 km) distant. 25 people were injured.
F3	S of Orangeville to ENE of Hastings	Barry	Michigan	21:30–?	15 mi (24 km)	200 yd (180 m)	Un­known
	1 death – A tornado immediately destroyed a home as it touched down. Later, it went on to destroy nearly 15 farms. It was a very intense event, possibly an F4 tornado, and may have begun at Alamo in Kalamazoo County. Five people were injured.
F4	Near Uniondale (IN) to Townley (IN) to Raab Corners (OH)	Wells (IN), Allen (IN), Paulding (OH), Defiance (OH), Henry (OH), Fulton (OH), Lucas (OH)	Indiana, Ohio	22:15–?	100 mi (160 km)	800 yd (730 m)	>$1,000,000
	23 deaths – See section on this tornado
F3	Southeastern LaGrange	Troup	Georgia	22:45–?	5 mi (8.0 km)	800 yd (730 m)	$1,000,000
	27+ deaths – An intense tornado wrecked 75 poorly-built homes, a factory, and a mill. 10 railcars loaded with fertilizer were obliterated as well. At least 100 injuries were confirmed. Some accounts suggested up to 200 "dead and injured" across Troup County. F4 damage may have occurred.
F4	SW of West Liberty (IN) to S of Van Wert (OH)	Jay (IN), Adams (IN), Mercer (OH), Van Wert (OH)	Indiana, Ohio	23:00–?	40 mi (64 km)	800 yd (730 m)	Un­known
	17 deaths – See section on this tornado
FU	W of Cornland to N of Lincoln	Logan	Illinois	23:00–23:30	20 mi (32 km)	Un­known	$15,000
	A tornado passed through the Broadwell area. It damaged farmhouses and buildings and caused significant damage to trees and power lines.
F4	WNW to NNE of Fenton	Genesee, Oakland	Michigan	23:30–?	10 mi (16 km)	200 yd (180 m)	$200,000
	4 deaths – See section on this tornado
F2	S of Perry to NE of Morrice	Shiawassee	Michigan	23:40–23:45	7 mi (11 km)	100 yd (91 m)	Un­known
	A tornado destroyed barns and killed livestock along its short-lived path. Trees were snapped as well. Touchdown may have first occurred near Mason.
F2	Western Saginaw	Saginaw	Michigan	00:07–?	2 mi (3.2 km)	50 yd (46 m)	$20,000
	A tornado struck four farms, destroying several barns. Fencing and utility poles were downed as well.
FU	Grand Lake St. Marys to SW of Lima	Mercer, Auglaize, Allen	Ohio	00:30–?	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
	This tornado first appeared as a waterspout over Grand Lake St. Marys and quickly intensified as it moved towards the northeast at 55 mph (89 km/h). Heaviest damage occurred near Moulton, as several farms and homes were destroyed, with only minor injuries reported. The tornado lifted shortly before the city of Lima.
F2	E of Bowling Green to NE of Martin	Wood, Sandusky, Ottawa	Ohio	00:30–?	>7 mi (11 km)	100 yd (91 m)	Un­known
	2 deaths – One or more tornadoes moved rapidly northeast into Sandusky County. Striking the village of Genoa, the tornado leveled 20–36 homes and several businesses. In the Clay Township area, two people were killed and 20 people were injured, extending to the small town of Trowbridge. The tornado subsequently passed out into Lake Erie.
F3	S of Union City (IN) to SE of Lightsville (OH)	Randolph (IN), Darke (OH)	Indiana, Ohio	00:30–?	15 mi (24 km)	200 yd (180 m)	Un­known
	5 deaths – A school, a church, and six farms were wrecked.
F4	W of Fountain City (IN) to N of Greenville (OH)	Wayne (IN), Randolph (IN), Darke (OH)	Indiana, Ohio	01:00–?	20 mi (32 km)	400 yd (370 m)	$1,000,000
	8 deaths – The final violent tornado of the outbreak destroyed 20 homes in Indiana before causing F4 damage to farms in Ohio. Its worst effects were observed 2 mi (3.2 km) northwest of Greenville, where a brick school was leveled as well. 40 people were injured.
F2	SE of Lansing	Ingham	Michigan	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
F2	S of Free Soil	Mason	Michigan	Un­known	7 mi (11 km)	150 yd (140 m)
FU
FU
FU

Confirmed tornadoes – March 28, 1920

F#	Location	County / Parish	State	Time (UTC)	Path length	Max. width	Summary
F2	Vanzant	Douglas	MO	08:30–?	Un­known	200 yards (180 m)	Tornado struck six rural farmsteads. Frail farmhouses were destroyed. Five people were injured and losses totaled $3,000.
F2	SE of Baroda to E of Sodus	Berrien	MI	17:30–?	10 miles (16 km)	Un­known	Barns were destroyed on five farms. A small home was destroyed as well.
F2	S of Cortland to NE of Sycamore	DeKalb	IL	18:00–?	12 miles (19 km)	100 yards (91 m)	Many silos and barns were destroyed. Losses totaled $25,000.
F3	SE of La Fox to Elgin	Kane	IL	18:05–18:23	20 miles (32 km)	500 yards (460 m)	8 deaths – See section on this tornado
F4	N of Channahon to Wilmette	Will, Cook	IL	18:15–19:15	53 miles (85 km)	100 yards (91 m)	20 deaths – See section on this tornado
F2	E of Elkhorn to W of East Troy	Walworth	WI	18:15–?	6 miles (9.7 km)	400 yards (370 m)	1 death – A tornado destroyed three barns, killing one woman. Losses totaled $25,000.
F2	N of Milner	Pike	GA	19:00–?	2 miles (3.2 km)	Un­known	1 death – A tornado killed a woman as it destroyed a home and a church. Three people were injured and losses totaled $10,000.
F2	Bridgeview to WSW of the Chicago Loop	Cook	IL	19:10–?	10 miles (16 km)	100 yards (91 m)	A tornado struck between Cicero and Chicago Midway Airport. It destroyed eight buildings, including a school, and unroofed many others. Six people were injured and losses totaled $150,000.
F2	W of Hart to Weare	Oceana	MI	20:00–?	10 miles (16 km)	100 yards (91 m)	1 death – A tornado began as a waterspout over Lake Michigan. As it moved onshore, it killed a man and destroyed a barn and a small home. Three people were injured. The tornado may have continued many more miles into Lake and Osceola counties.
F3	W of Jacksonville	Calhoun	AL	20:00–?	8 miles (13 km)	100 yards (91 m)	1 death – A tornado tore apart a small home, killing a boy near Cedar Springs. It also leveled barns and trees southwest of that community. Ten people were injured.
F3	S of Mishawaka, IN to NW of Union, MI	St. Joseph (IN), Elkhart (IN), Cass (MI)	IN, MI	20:15–?	22 miles (35 km)	200 yards (180 m)	A tornado caused damage to twelve farms and destroyed a home northwest of Elkhart, Indiana. It then destroyed four more farm buildings in Michigan. Eight people were injured.
F2	N of Deatsville	Elmore	AL	20:30–?	Un­known	100 yards (91 m)	A tornado destroyed barns and small homes. Five people were injured. This tornado was related to the following event.
F4	NE of Eclectic, AL to West Point, GA	Elmore (AL), Tallapoosa (AL), Chambers (AL), Troup (GA)	AL, GA	20:45–21:37	50 miles (80 km)	400 yards (370 m)	26 deaths – See section on this tornado
F2	Corey Lake to S of Climax	St. Joseph, Kalamazoo	MI	21:00–?	30 miles (48 km)	50 yards (46 m)	Likely a tornado family, this event destroyed barns, killed cattle, and unroofed a few homes as it skipped along.
F2	SW of Kalamazoo	Kalamazoo	MI	21:00–?	Un­known	Un­known	A tornado destroyed barns near Kalamazoo before dissipating and reforming in Barry County as an F4 tornado.
F3	W of Leroy to Beatrice	Lake, Porter	IN	21:00–?	7 miles (11 km)	100 yards (91 m)	1 death – This tornado destroyed two homes and damaged five, killing a man in his home. One person was injured.
F4	NE of Orland, IN to SW of Coldwater, MI	Steuben (IN), Branch (MI)	IN, MI	21:30–?	13 miles (21 km)	200 yards (180 m)	2 deaths – One farmhouse was swept off its partially dislodged foundation. Other homes and businesses were unroofed as well. Five people were injured and losses totaled $150,000. Another deadly F4 tornado affected the same area in 1965.
F4	S of Hickory Corners to Vermontville	Barry, Eaton	MI	21:30–?	20 miles (32 km)	400 yards (370 m)	4 deaths – A violent tornado destroyed 35 farms in its path and killed people in farmhouses in the vicinity of Maple Grove. It also carried part of a furnace 12 mi (19 km) distant. 25 people were injured.
F3	S of Orangeville to ENE of Hastings	Barry	MI	21:30–?	15 miles (24 km)	200 yards (180 m) 1 death – A tornado immediately destroyed a home as it touched down. Later, it went on to destroy nearly 15 farms. It was a very intense event, possibly an F4 tornado, and may have begun at Alamo in Kalamazoo County. Five people were injured.
F4	Uniondale, IN to SW of Sylvania, OH	Wells (IN), Allen (IN), Paulding (OH), Defiance (OH), Henry (OH), Fulton (OH), Lucas (OH)	IN, OH	22:15–?	100 miles (160 km)	800 yards (730 m)	23 deaths – See section on this tornado
F3	SE of LaGrange	Troup	GA	22:45–?	5 miles (8.0 km)	800 yards (730 m)	27 deaths – Powerful tornado struck southeastern section of LaGrange. Destroyed 75 poorly-built homes near a mill and a factory. Tornado also damaged railcars and spilled and ruined much fertilizer in the area, then went on to destroy both the mill and the factory. Caused 27 deaths, 100 injuries, and $1 million in losses in LaGrange alone, becoming the deadliest tornado of the entire outbreak. Some accounts suggested up to 200 "dead and injured" across Troup County. Tornado may have reached F4 intensity.
F4	SW of West Liberty, IN to S of Van Wert, OH	Jay (IN), Adams (IN), Mercer (OH), Van Wert (OH)	IN, OH	23:00–?	40 miles (64 km)	800 yards (730 m)	17 deaths – See section on this tornado
FU	W of Cornland to N of Lincoln	Logan	IL	23:00–23:30	20 miles (32 km)	Un­known	A tornado passed through the Broadwell area. It damaged farmhouses and buildings and caused significant damage to trees and power lines.
F4	NNE of Fenton	Genesee, Oakland	MI	23:30–?	10 miles (16 km)	200 yards (180 m)	4 deaths – See section on this tornado
F2	S of Perry to NE of Morrice	Shiawassee	MI	23:40–23:45	7 miles (11 km)	100 yards (91 m)	A tornado destroyed barns and killed farm animals along its short-lived path.
F2	W of Saginaw	Saginaw	MI	00:07–?	2 miles (3.2 km)	50 yards (46 m)	A tornado struck four farms in western Saginaw and destroyed barns.
FU	Grand Lake St. Marys to SW of Lima	Mercer, Auglaize, Allen	OH	00:30–?	Un­known	Un­known	Tornado first appeared as a waterspout over Grand Lake St. Marys. Storm quickly intensified as it moved towards the northeast at 55 mph (89 km/h). Heaviest damage occurred near Moulton, as several farms and homes were destroyed, with only minor injuries reported. Tornado lifted shortly before the city of Lima.
F2	E of Bowling Green to NE of Martin	Wood, Sandusky, Ottawa	OH	00:30–?	>7 miles (11 km)	100 yards (91 m)	2 deaths – One or more tornadoes moved rapidly northeast into Sandusky County. Striking the village of Genoa, the tornado leveled 20–36 homes and several businesses. In the Clay Township area, two people were killed and 20 people were injured, extending to the small town of Trowbridge. Tornado subsequently passed out into Lake Erie.
F3	S of Union City, IN to SE of Lightsville, OH	Randolph (IN), Darke (OH)	IN, OH	00:30–?	15 miles (24 km)	200 yards (180 m)	5 deaths – A tornado destroyed six farms in Ohio. 10 people were injured.
F4	W of Fountain City, IN to N of Greenville, OH	Wayne (IN), Randolph (IN), Darke (OH)	IN, OH	01:00–?	20 miles (32 km)	400 yards (370 m)	8 deaths – The final violent tornado of the outbreak destroyed eight homes near Fountain City before causing F4 damage to farms in Ohio. Its worst effects were observed 2 mi (3.2 km) northwest of Greenville. 40 people were injured and losses totaled $1 million.
FU	NE of Elgin	Kane	IL	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known	Tornado extensively damaged outbuildings on farms. Was part of the Elgin tornado family.
FU	W of Barrington	Lake	IL	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known	Tornado extensively damaged outbuildings on farms. Was part of the Elgin tornado family.
FU	Wauconda	Lake	IL	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known	Tornado destroyed buildings and killed cattle. Was part of the Elgin tornado family.
F2	SE of Lansing	Ingham	MI	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known	A home was reported destroyed near Mason. One person was injured.
F2	S of Free Soil	Mason	MI	Un­known	7 miles (11 km)	150 yards (140 m)	This tornado destroyed a barn and unroofed one home as it briefly touched down.

La Fox–Elgin, Illinois

La Fox–Elgin, Illinois

Damage along the Fox River in Elgin
Meteorological history
Formed	March 28, 1920, 1:05 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00)
F3 tornado
on the Fujita scale
Overall effects
Casualties	8 fatalities, 100 injuries
Damage	$1,000 (1920 USD) $20,000 (2024 USD)

Just before the noon hour, severe thunderstorms began forming 50 mi (80 km) west of downtown Chicago. The first storm started to spawn killer tornadoes in DeKalb and then Kane counties, starting at 1:05 p.m. CDT. Upon touching down, the tornadoes then moved northeast at about 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). The tornado in Kane County apparently first formed about 1+1⁄2 mi (2.4 km) southeast of La Fox and moved northeast, later passing directly through downtown Elgin. Initially, the tornado destroyed numerous barns and a farmhouse, killing four cows. As it neared the southern outskirts of Elgin, it then wrecked another home, tossing about a baby and killing its father.

Observers occasionally reported a well-defined funnel cloud along the 300-to-880-yard-wide (0.17 to 0.50 mi; 0.27 to 0.80 km) path as the tornado continued into the business district of Elgin, destroying or damaging many structures. It destroyed six businesses, damaged many others, and also "partially wrecked" three churches. An opera house was wrecked as well, and the roofs of two churches sagged. A married couple died as the rear of a theater collapsed, four more—possibly three—as a brick church tower fell, and one additional as part of a façade caved in. Church services had been dismissed only two minutes earlier, saving the lives of parishioners and preventing more deaths in Elgin.

As the tornado left downtown Elgin, it destroyed numerous trees along with 25 homes and damaged 200 other residences. Shortly thereafter, the tornado probably dissipated, only to redevelop into a new tornado. Both isolated tornado and widespread downburst damage was reported as far as Wauconda, killing more than 38 cattle, damaging farmsteads, and destroying many buildings, including at least two more barns. According to the Monthly Weather Review, the tornado may have traveled 30 mi (48 km) before dissipating. It was the first tornado of the outbreak to cause deaths and to kill more than five people.

Bellwood–Maywood–Melrose Park–Dunning, Illinois

Bellwood–Maywood–Melrose Park–Dunning, Illinois

Ruins of the Sacred Heart Convent in Melrose Park
Meteorological history
Formed	March 28, 1920, 1:15 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00)
Dissipated	March 28, 1920, 2:15 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00)
Duration	1 hour
F4 tornado
on the Fujita scale
Overall effects
Casualties	20 fatalities, 300 injuries
Damage	$2,000,000 (1920 USD) $30.4 million (2024 USD)

Roughly 15 minutes after the Elgin tornado formed, a violent F4 tornado family tore through Will and Cook counties, producing a 53-mile-long (85 km) path through the Bellwood–Maywood area. The tornado first destroyed a 90-foot-tall (30 yd) chimney, 12 or more barns, two frame schools, and five homes as it passed from Channahon to Troy and thence to Lockport. Many large oak trees were prostrated as well, and 17 people were injured, some severely, while losses totaled $500,000. The tornado skipped thereafter, possibly dissipating and redeveloping into a second tornado, as it caused minor damage in the Romeoville area. Afterward, the tornado was not seen for some time.

Upon reaching the Bellwood–Maywood area, the parent storm probably generated a second tornado, which produced a continuous swath of damage that extended to Lake Michigan, killing 20 people and leveling many homes. At first the tornado wrecked 20 homes in the Bellwood–Maywood area, claiming four lives and injuring three other people. The tornado was deadliest at Melrose Park, where 10 of the deaths alone occurred as people were getting ready for Palm Sunday services. At Melrose Park the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Convent was leveled, and a 1-tonne (1,000 kg) bell from the church was found 100 ft (33 yd) distant. Besides the church, a brick school and approximately 50 homes were destroyed or severely damaged.

The tornado then continued over less-populated areas, killing six more people in the community of Dunning. 18 people were injured, dozens of trees uprooted, and a few churches damaged at Wilmette before the tornado passed over Lake Michigan. In all, the tornado partially or completely destroyed 413 homes and injured about 300 people.

Susanna–Red Ridge–Agricola–Camp Hill, Alabama/West Point, Georgia

Susanna–Red Ridge–Agricola–Camp Hill, Alabama/West Point, Georgia

Meteorological history
Formed	March 28, 1920, 3:45 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00)
Dissipated	March 28, 1920, 4:37 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00)
Duration	52 minutes
F4 tornado
on the Fujita scale
Overall effects
Casualties	26+ fatalities, 125 injuries
Damage	$450,000 (1920 USD) $68.4 million (2024 USD)

This violent, long-tracked tornado first developed southeast of Eclectic between 4:00–4:45 p.m. CDT, but most likely around 3:45 p.m. CDT according to Thomas P. Grazulis. Near Eclectic the tornado unroofed outhouses, felled trees, and partly damaged a building at a school. After striking Red Hill, the tornado caused 17 or more deaths while destroying 60 homes of both small and large stature in Alabama, mainly near Susanna, Red Ridge, and Agricola. Additionally, many rural outbuildings were obliterated. A short distance east of Camp Hill the tornado unroofed several barns and wrecked tenant houses. As many as 15 of the deaths occurred in or near Camp Hill, and 50 people were left destitute there; a number of severe injuries were documented. Beyond this settlement damage was less severe and no additional deaths were reported in Alabama. Afterward, the tornado crossed into Georgia, causing nine deaths and 40 injuries in West Point, where four square blocks incurred damage. In all, 40 homes were destroyed in Georgia.

Ossian–Townley, Indiana/Brunersburg–Swanton–Raab Corners, Ohio

Ossian–Townley, Indiana/Brunersburg–Swanton–Raab Corners, Ohio

Meteorological history
Formed	March 28, 1920, 6:15 p.m. EDT (UTC−04:00)
Dissipated	March 28, 1920, 8:15 p.m. EDT (UTC−04:00)
Duration	2 hours
F4 tornado
on the Fujita scale
Overall effects
Casualties	23 fatalities, 54 injuries
Damage	>$1,000,000 (1920 USD) >$152 million (2024 USD)

The tornadoes that struck the western counties of Darke, Defiance, Mercer, Paulding, and Van Wert in Ohio on March 28, 1920, originated in the Hoosier State, quickly moving across the state line into Ohio.

The first of the tornadoes began in Indiana around 6:15 p.m. EDT. Probably part of a tornado family, it touched down near the Wells County community of Ossian. Increasing rapidly in size and intensity, the tornado was reported by eyewitnesses to have resembled a very large, low-hanging mass of turbulent clouds that resembled boiling pot of oatmeal. This may have accounted for the deaths and injuries of so many farmers within its path, since many farmers were usually accustomed to taking shelter during dangerous weather situations. The tornado caused nine deaths on farms outside Ossian, leveling entire farmsteads. The tornado then destroyed nearly every building at Townley. Four people died there as the entire town was devastated. The powerful tornado subsequently hit Edgerton before entering Ohio. In Indiana the tornado destroyed numerous farms, leveled at least 100 buildings, killed 13 people, and left behind $1,000,000 in damage (1920 USD) in the state. It later became the first of three tornadoes to move into Ohio, this time from Allen County, Indiana.

After moving through Paulding County, the tornado alternately lifted and dipped to the ground, possibly even reforming as a separate tornado, as it moved into the Brunersburg area, near Defiance. Here several homes and a small store were destroyed and six people lost their lives. The violent tornado then moved northeast into Henry and Fulton counties, tearing through the town of Swanton, and causing major damage. Many factories, shops, and homes were completely demolished. According to the Toledo Blade newspaper, the central business district sustained very heavy damage along Main Street, extending into nearby residential areas, where the damage became more intense. This damage brought out many thieves who looted local businesses and houses that had been hit by the tornado. Continuing on, the tornado then caused isolated damage to farms and trees as it passed into rural areas.

Increasing in size as it moved into northwest Lucas County, the tornado produced increasingly severe damage, as buildings and homes were swept clean of their foundations, before leveling the entire community of Raab Corners, also called Raabs, Rab's Corners, or Rabb's Corner, in Lucas County. Farmhouses and other buildings were leveled as the violent, 1⁄2-mile-wide (0.80 km) tornado moved towards Raab Corners. The residents of Raab Corners were largely unaware of the impending danger as they celebrated Palm Sunday services at the Immaculate Conception and St. Mary's Churches that evening. Just after 8:00 p.m. EDT rain and small hail started to come down in torrents. As the power went out churchgoers lighted kerosene lamps to illuminate the interior of their buildings, and to continue their Palm Sunday services, when the winds began to increase followed by large hail that shattered all the windows. Around 8:15 p.m. EDT, a solid black wall of swirling clouds proceeded to engulf Raab Corners, destroying everything in its path and killing four people. Local residents decided not to rebuild the town, moving to nearby communities in Michigan and Ohio. Today, only an intersection remains at once was the main four corners.

West Liberty–Geneva–Ceylon, Indiana/Van Wert, Ohio

West Liberty–Geneva–Ceylon, Indiana/Van Wert, Ohio

Meteorological history
Formed	March 28, 1920, 7:00 p.m. EDT (UTC−04:00)
F4 tornado
on the Fujita scale
Overall effects
Casualties	17 fatalities, 70 injuries

This tornado developed in east-central Indiana and crossed into Mercer and Van Wert counties in Ohio. Upon touching down in Indiana, the tornado severely impacted West Liberty, Indiana (seven deaths), located north-northwest of Portland, before leveling homes between Geneva and Ceylon. In this area, the tornado partially stripped chickens of their feathers—a common phenomenon known as moulting—and swept many buildings away, some of whose floors it dislodged slightly. Thereafter, it leveled farms and killed three people in neighboring Ohio. In this area, the tornado was very intense and may have even reached F5 intensity, being one of the strongest tornadoes recorded this day. After exiting Adams County, Indiana, this large tornado moved towards the far northwestern part of Mercer County in west-central Ohio, again destroying nearly everything in its path. As the tornado moved on into Van Wert County, three more people died and many would be injured as the storm moved to the south of Van Wert. Some of this same area was hit by another F4 tornado on November 10, 2002.

Fenton, Michigan

Fenton, Michigan

Meteorological history
Formed	March 28, 1920, 7:30 p.m. EDT (UTC−04:00)
F4 tornado
on the Fujita scale
Overall effects
Casualties	4 fatalities, 11 injuries
Damage	$200,000 (1920 USD) $3.04 million (2024 USD)

The third and final F4 tornado in Michigan this day touched down west-northwest of Fenton at about 7:30 p.m. EDT, shortly before "8 o' clock," though one estimate suggested a time of 6:00 p.m. EDT. The tornado first destroyed a barn, a farmhouse, and a school as it moved northeast. It then struck a cement plant and demolished a smokestack and destroyed the steel-framed kiln room, reportedly warping and twisting the steel bars "so badly...that it is probable that the enclosure will have to be rebuilt." Total losses reached $100,000 at the plant. Afterward, the intensifying tornado leveled farm buildings and killed two horses and several other livestock; it left cows unharmed but pinned under debris. Crossing Long Lake, later renamed Lake Fenton, the F4 tornado then struck and completely leveled about 30 lakeside summer homes, many of them large and well-built structures worth $3,000–$6,000 to build at the time. Intense winds lifted boats up to 300 feet (91 m) from their moorings and carried entire homes several hundred feet from their foundations. In the summer, according to the Fenton Independent, there would have been "hundreds of people camping at the lake. Should the accident have occurred at that time there would have been hundreds of deaths." In all, the powerful tornado killed four people and damaged or destroyed 35 buildings near Fenton. One of the deaths occurred in an overturned car, among the earliest tornado-related deaths in an automobile; the earliest known such death was probably on May 19, 1918, in Iowa.

See also

• List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
  • List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
• 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak – Catastrophic outbreak that affected the same region as the 1920 outbreak
• 1994 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak – Produced deadly, long-lived tornadoes over the Southeastern United States

Sources

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• Brooks, Harold E. (April 2004). "On the Relationship of Tornado Path Length and Width to Intensity". Weather and Forecasting. 19 (2): 310–19. Bibcode:2004WtFor..19..310B. doi:10.1175/1520-0434(2004)019<0310:OTROTP>2.0.CO;2.
• Cook, A. R.; Schaefer, J. T. (August 2008). "The Relation of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to Winter Tornado Outbreaks". Monthly Weather Review. 136 (8): 3121–3137. Bibcode:2008MWRv..136.3121C. doi:10.1175/2007MWR2171.1.
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• Meisinger, C. LeRoy (April 1920). Brooks, Charles F. (ed.). "Discussion of Tornado Conditions". Monthly Weather Review. 48 (4). Washington, D.C.: United States Weather Bureau: 196–8. Bibcode:1920MWRv...48..196.. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1920)48<196:DOTC>2.0.CO;2 – via American Meteorological Society.
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• Press Pool. "Reconstruction Starts In Storm Area Where 22 Died." Toledo Blade. March 31, 1920. Retrieved on April 17, 2001.
• Smyth, P. H. (April 1920). Written at Montgomery, Alabama. Brooks, Charles F. (ed.). "The Tornadoes of March 28, 1920, in East-Central Alabama". Monthly Weather Review. 48 (4). Washington, D.C.: United States Weather Bureau: 200–3. Bibcode:1920MWRv...48..200S. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1920)48<200:TTOMIE>2.0.CO;2 – via American Meteorological Society.

Category:F4 tornadoes by date ,1920-03-28 Category:Tornadoes of 1920 Category:Tornadoes in Indiana Category:Tornadoes in Wisconsin Category:Tornadoes in Alabama Category:Tornadoes in Ohio Category:Tornadoes in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Tornadoes in Michigan Category:Tornado outbreaks Tornado,1920-03-28 1920 Category:March 1920 events