On April 5, 1936, one of the deadliest spates of tornadoes in United States history struck several southern states, with Mississippi receiving some of the worst damage of all. The first of many deadly twisters touched down in Coffeeville and then headed to Tupelo, utterly devastating the town as a result. By the time the unexpected twister arrived in Tupelo, it was doing F5 damage that was three blocks wide, with wind speeds in excess of 300 miles per hour. Some reports after the fact mentioned that the wind was so strong that it caused pine needles to become embedded in the trunks of trees. Read on as we tell you more about this deadly Tupelo tornado and what happened in the aftermath.
Damage on this scale - in both its intensity and strangeness - wasn't necessarily unheard of, but it was unique. It is not uncommon for violent tornadoes to create fascinating (if not terrifying) examples of their own strength.
For example, the infamous Philadelphia, Mississippi tornado of 2011 was a brutal EF5 that dug a two-foot-deep trench in the earth it passed over and peeled concrete roads from the ground (and this tornado was just one of no less than 360 confirmed tornadoes during a three-day period, further adding to the nightmare).
When all was said and done, the tornado claimed the lives of 216 Tupelo residents; however, the number is actually much higher, as the names of African-Americans were not reported. One notable survivor of the 1936 twister is Elvis Presley, who was just one year old at the time.
Regardless of how much time has passed, the Tupelo tornado remains one of the worst in the nation’s history.
Do you know of anyone who was affected by the terrifying Tupelo tornado? Do you have any storm stories to share? Would you agree that this was one of the most devastating storms in the United States to date? We'd love to read about your experience in the comments section below!
If you can't get enough of the wild weather in Mississippi, you might also want to check out all the details about the coldest winter in MS while you're at it.
Thinking about taking a Mississippi vacation soon? Then consider booking your flight via the Dollar Flight Club.
If you're interested in making a weekend trip to Tupelo, be sure to consider the Courtyard Tupelo.
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