1922 Austin twin tornadoes

On Thursday, May 4, 1922, Austin, Texas was struck by powerful twin tornadoes that ripped directly through the city. The first one was an estimated F2 tornado while the other was an estimated F4 tornado, with the latter being the strongest tornado to ever hit the area.[1] The storm originally had one funnel cloud, but was eventually separated into two tornadoes. One tore through East Austin, Travis Heights, St. Edward's University, Penn Field, St. Elmo, and Manchaca. Meanwhile, the other devastated the State Institute for Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Colored Youths, Deep Eddy, and Oak Hill.

1922 Austin twin tornadoes
FormedMay 4, 1922
Tornadoes confirmed2
Max. rating1F4 tornado
Damage$400,000 (1922 USD)
Casualties≥13 fatalities; ≥50 injuries
Areas affectedAustin, Texas
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

Tornado events

Austin, Texas (1st tornado)
Austin, Texas (1st tornado)
F2 tornado
Max. rating1F2 tornado
Casualties6 fatalities
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

The first tornado (believed to be an F2 tornado) thrashed the University of Texas campus, removing roofs from some buildings and completely destroying others. No one at the University was seriously hurt. The tornado next destroyed trees and damaged buildings at Deep Eddy. It then struck Oak Hill, demolishing a house and killing six people.

Austin, Texas (2nd tornado)
Austin, Texas (2nd tornado)
F4 tornado
Max. rating1F4 tornado
Casualties7 fatalities
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

The other tornado formed in East Austin and east of the first tornado. It began uprooting trees in the State Cemetery before pounding St. Edward's University, devastating the upper level of a dormitory and damaging the gymnasium and Main Building. One student was killed. The tornado then hit the Woodward Manufacturing Company, which incurred the heaviest damage, knocking a steel water tank to the ground and damaging one frame and four brick buildings. The east tornado, which was an estimated F4 tornado, was the most destructive of the two.

Aftermath

The property damage of the two tornadoes was estimated at $400,000. The death toll of the two tornadoes was thirteen, six at Oak Hill, three at Penn Field, two at Manchaca, one at St. Edward's, and one at St. Elmo. A total of 50 people were reported to have been injured by both tornadoes. [2][3][4][5]

See Also
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References
  1. Grazulis, Thomas P. (July 1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. pp. 779–780. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
  2. "Old Oak Hill: Oak Hill Family swept away by Austin's killer tornado of 1922". Oak Hill Gazette. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  3. "The mystery of the Bargsley family plot". Austin360.com. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  4. "Barnes: 88 years of Austin memories". My Statesman - from Austin American Statesman. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  5. "Austin, TX Tornado, May 1922 - GenDisasters ... Genealogy in Tragedy, Disasters, Fires, Floods". GenDisasters.com. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
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