United States-Canadian Outbreak

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United States-Canadian Outbreak of 1985

Date of tornado outbreak:	May 31, 1985
Duration1:	~8 hours
Maximum rated tornado2:	F5 tornado
Tornadoes caused:	41+ confirmed
Damages:	$980 million (2005 USD)or in (CND)=$1 134 839 790.49 billion (2005 CND)
Fatalities:	88
Areas affected:	Southern Ontario, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Upstate New York
1Time from first tornado to last tornado 2Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita Scale

The U.S. - Canadian Outbreak was a major tornado outbreak that occurred in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario, on May 31, 1985. Forty-one tornadoes were counted including 13 in Ontario. It is the largest and most intense tornado outbreak ever to hit this region.

Contents 1 Storm system 2 Storm timeline and aftermath 3 Eastern Ohio/Western Pennsylvania 3.1 The Niles/Wheatland tornado 3.2 Other US Tornadoes 4 Barrie, Ontario tornado 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Storm system

Outbreak death toll

State	Total	County	County total
Ohio	11	Licking	1
		Trumbull	10
Ontario	12	Simcoe	12
Pennsylvania	65	Beaver	3
		Butler	6
		Crawford	11
		Erie	12
		Forest	7
		Lycoming	2
		McKean	4
		Mercer	8
		Northumberland	2
		Venango	8
		Union	2
Totals	88
All deaths were tornado-related

The tornado outbreak was caused by a powerful low pressure system that traveled across the Midwestern United States during the early hours of May 31. A warm front associated with the storm sparked heavy thunderstorms during the pre-dawn hours.

However, during the morning hours, the sun started to peak out and temperatures soared into the mid to upper 80 degrees with high humidity level which is typically seen during the summer months. However, the cold front which accompanied the system set up the stage for severe weather during the late afternoon hours.

[edit] Storm timeline and aftermath

The outbreak lasted roughly from just after 4 PM EDT, when the first tornado touched down in Ontario, until 11 PM EDT when tornadoes struck central and southern Ohio. However, the peak of the outbreak took place during the early evening hours, where the deadliest tornadoes across western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio took place.

In all, 88 people lost their lives. It was the third costliest tornado outbreak in the history of the U.S., where it caused $450 million (1985 U.S. dollars) damage in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. It was also one of the costliest in Canada: damage in Ontario totalled an estimated $100 million USD. The damage would total nearly $1 billion in 2005 US dollars.

[edit] Eastern Ohio/Western Pennsylvania

[edit] The Niles/Wheatland tornado

The small Pennsylvania town of Wheatland was nearly wiped out by a massive tornado, the most violent of the 41 recorded that day. Registering F5 on the Fujita scale, it was one of the most powerful tornadoes ever observed east of the Mississippi. The only F5 in the outbreak, it was also the only F5 in Pennsylvania history.

It started by touching down in Ohio near the Ravenna Arsenal in Portage County at around 6:30 PM EDT. Gathering strength, it moved quickly into Newton Falls in Trumbull County, causing F3 and F4 damage through Newton Falls and Lordstown. While nearly 400 homes were heavily damaged or destroyed, no fatalities were recorded in Newton Falls, due to storm preparedness of local authorities and its tornado siren.[1]

As it neared the PA border in Niles and Hubbard township of eastern Trumbull County, it created its first F5 damage. When it reached Mercer County, PA, it was a half-mile (0.8 km) wide monster packing winds estimated at 300 mph (480 km). At Wheatland Sheet and Tube, the asphalt was scoured off the parking lot, and shards of sheet metal and routing slips were left wedged beneath the remaining asphalt. 95% of Wheatland's business and residential area were destroyed.

The tornado finally ended near the city of Mercer, 47 miles (75 km) from where it began its trek, after killing 18 people (11 in Ohio) and injuring 310.

In Ohio, it was the deadliest tornado since the Xenia F5 during the Super Outbreak of April 3, 1974. The tornado was also captured on camera by several residents.

[edit] Other US Tornadoes

Elsewhere, an F4 tornado cut a 65-mile (104 km) swath through a forest and through the town of Lock Haven in northwestern Pennsylvania — so powerful that it shook the ground nearby. Parker Dam State Park still bears scars from this storm. A third tornado largely destroyed the center of Albion, Pennsylvania.

Several other F3s and F4s rampaged through sections of the Allegheny Mountains and many state Parks. The deadliest tornado occurred in southern Crawford and northern Venango where 23 were killed by this single tornado, the deadliest ever in the state's history.

In total, 65 people were killed in Pennsylvania alone, by far the deadliest death toll in a tornado outbreak and in a single day in that state.

[edit] Barrie, Ontario tornado

Deadliest tornadoes in Canadian history Death counts before 1900 may be approximate
Rank	Tornado	Date	Deaths
1	"Regina Cyclone"	June 30, 1912	≥28
2	Edmonton Tornado	July 31, 1987	27
3	Windsor-Tecumseh, Ontario tornado	June 17, 1946	17
4	Pine Lake Tornado	July 14, 2000	12
5	Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec	August 16, 1888	9
	Windsor, Ontario tornado	April 3, 1974	9
7	Barrie, Ontario tornado	May 31, 1985	8
8	Sudbury, Ontario tornado	August 20, 1970	6
	Sainte-Rose, Quebec tornado	June 8, 1953	6
10	Bouctouche, New Brunswick tornado	August 6, 1879	5
	Portage la Prairie, Manitoba tornado	May 11, 1953	5
Source: Environment Canada

Another of the more notable tornadoes that day struck in Barrie, Ontario in Simcoe about an hour north of Toronto. Killing 12 and injuring 155, this F4 was one of the most powerful in Canada's history. It was the deadliest tornado to hit Ontario since the 1974 Windsor Tornado during the Super Outbreak of April 3, 1974 which killed 8.

The storm produce a total of 13 tornadoes across southern Ontario, one of the largest number of tornadoes recorded ever in the province in one day.

[edit] See also

• List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
• List of Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
• List of F5 tornadoes

[edit] References

• Witten, Donald E. (1985). "May 31, 1985 - A Deadly Tornado Outbreak". Weatherwise magazine, 38 (4).

[edit] External links

• NWS Storm Data
• Website on the May 31, 1985 tornado outbreak
• NWS Cleveland outbreak page