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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1774: 4" of snow falls in Germantown, Philadelphia
1978: 11" of rain falls on "Sun Day" in New Orleans
2009: Storm collapses roof of Dallas Cowboys' practice facility
1854: 90 consecutive hours of rain falls in New England
1887: Massive Flooding at China's "Yellow River"
1991: Tropical storm surge floods Bangladesh
1992: "Grapefruit-sized" hail devastates parts of Texas
2004: High temperatures smash records across Southern California
1986: The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
1982: Lightning strike damages Alabama town's water supply
1993: Large tornado hits Interstate 44 in Tulsa
2013: Latest measurable snowfall on record in Wichita, Kansas
1980: Temperature reaches 100°F in Waterloo, Iowa
1963: Rare "Dust Devil" strikes Reading, PA
1982: Violent thunderstorms produce baseball-sized hail
1775: Paul Revere's Ride - Part II
1775: Paul Revere's Ride - Part I
1821: 12" of snow blankets Boston, MA
1851: The Lighthouse Storm
1912: The Sinking of the RMS Titanic
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