The 1953 Flint–Worcester tornado outbreak was a devastating tornado outbreak sequence spanning three days, two that featured tornadoes each causing at least 90 deaths—an F5 occurring in Flint, Michigan on June 8, 1953, and an F4 in Worcester, Massachusetts the next day. The Worcester storm stayed on the ground for nearly 90 minutes, traveling 48 miles across Central Massachusetts. In total, 94 people were killed, making it the 21st deadliest tornado in the history of the US. In addition to the fatalities, over 1,000 people were injured and 4,000 buildings were damaged. The tornado caused $52 million in damage, which translates to more than $350 million in today’s dollars. These tornadoes are among the deadliest in U S history and were caused by the same storm system that moved eastward across the nation. The tornadoes are also related together in the public mind because, for a brief period following the Worchester tornado, it was debated in the U.S. Congress whether recent atomic bomb testing in the upper atmosphere had caused the tornadoes. Congressman James Van Zandt (R-Penn.) was among several members of Congress who expressed their belief that the June 4th bomb testing created the tornadoes, which occurred far outside the traditional tornado alley. They demanded a response from the government. Meteorologists quickly dispelled such an assertion, and Congressman Van Zandt later retracted his statement.
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This Date in Weather History Update
2014: Hail storm causes $400 million in damage in Abilene, TX
2008: F3 tornado strikes Scout camp near Little Sioux, IA
1752: Benjamin Franklin famously flies kite in thunderstorm
1984: Violent tornado outbreak in Russia
1984: F5 tornado destroys 90% of Barneveld, WI
1944: How weather forecasting impacted D-Day
1925: Temperature reaches 100 degrees in Washington DC
1976: Strong tropical cyclone and 40' storm surge hits India
1921: Cloudburst causes 10' of flooding in Pueblo, CO
1889: Flooding of the Potomac River
1965: Tropical system causes 30k fatalities in Bangladesh
1889: The Johnstown Flood
1879: The Real-life inspiration for "The Wizard of Oz"
1914: Empress of Ireland and Storstad ships collide
1880: 1' of rain falls in less than 2 hours in Brackettville, TX
1896: The third most deadly tornado in U.S. history strikes St. Louis
2008: "Pneumonia Front" causes big temperature drops in Chicago
1987: A fisherman is struck and killed by lightning
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