50 Years ago on Monday

[tomboudreau]

On June 9, 1953, the only F5 tornado to affect Southern New England occured on this day. The great Worcester tornado lasted for 84 minutes on the ground, killing 94 people, injuring another 1200. The National Weather Service office out of Boston has put together presentation of the events that occured in Worcester.

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/box/WorcesterTornado53.html

I just wanted to share this with everyone.

Tom

[Amanzi]

Thanks for sharing that

84min's must have seemed like an eternity for those poor people.

[ColdFront77]

I have obviously heard about this weather event from time to time, living in eastern Massachusetts.

In the last 25 years there have been some weak tornadoes across the Bay State, but not many, of course. A rather strong tornado occurred on Memorial Day in the mid 1990's in the extreme southwestren Massachusetts town of Great Barrington.

[weatherlover427]

Thanks for the information.

[Guest]

I have seen some great photos of this..........I think twc did a feature on this as well............That was extremely rare....

[Scott_inVA]

Not to opine, but my late mother went through the Worcester F5. I wasn't yet born but my family at the time lived outside Worcester...still have family in Auburn, MA. She and my Aunt went shopping downtown that day were on Southbridge Street when the cyclone hit. It took them nearly 10 hours to get out of the city...needless to say the families were freaking out as there was no communications. My father and then 4 year old brother tried getting into Worcester but were unable. My mother and Aunt got a ride out of the city in the back of a plumber's truck that night. They told incredible stories. I came along 2 years later and got hooked on wx early...maybe b/c of the amazing tales of the Worcester F5.

Scott

[isobar]

Thanks for posting this informative link on this incredible weather event ... the same weather system that produced the F5 in Flint, MI - the last tornado to claim more than 100 lives.

Scott - Sounds like your family had some amazing stories to share.

[isobar]

Just heard on TWC, they're showing a special on the Worcester tornado tonight at 9pm EDT.