Saragosa, Texas tornado
Encyclopedia
The storm
that was responsible for the Saragosa tornado developed during the late afternoon north of Balmorhea
and had very little motion for several hours, moving only slightly across southwestern Texas. By the early evening, it acquired supercell
ular characteristics, and cloud tops reached 60,000 feet high. A Tornado warning
was issued for Reeves County before 8:00 PM after a wall cloud
was spotted, and a brief tornado touched down near Balmorhea at 8:10 PM.
However, at 8:16 PM, another tornado touched down just east of the town about 2 miles (3.2 km) from Saragosa, north of Interstate 10
. Initially, it destroyed farms and outbuildings before evolving into a large multiple vortex tornado
before entering Saragosa while intensifying sharply into a violent F4
tornado. 22 people were killed inside Catholic Hall of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, where a graduation ceremony for pre-schoolers was taking place. Eight others were killed elsewhere across the town, including one inside a car.
The worst of the damage occurred inside most of the business and residential area. Eighty percent of the town was destroyed. In addition to Catholic Hall, 118 homes, the post office, a grocery store, two churches and a school were also heavily damaged or destroyed. Damage was estimated at about $1.4 million. The path length of the tornado was nearly 3 miles (4.8 km) long and about 800 meters wide.
and Odessa
, but many residents in the affected region (over 100 miles to the southwest) did not receive them. The town was not equipped with a siren, and most of the warnings well ahead of the storm were in English, while most of Saragosa's population speaks Spanish. Warnings in Spanish came too late.
Unfortunately, most of the people who became casualties were not near a radio or television when the storm hit. They were attending a pre-school graduation ceremony at the community center, and only became aware of the imminent danger when someone from the outside entered the building and alerted them. The crowd of children and their respective families, estimated to be about 100 people—or about 25% of Saragosa's total population at the time—immediately took cover. While the building would likely have been considered a safe haven under such circumstances, it was unable to withstand the direct hit from the deadly tornado. The building collapsed, and 22 were killed.
during the 1980s and was the deadliest storm in Texas
and in the US since the Wichita Falls tornado
in 1979. During the following years, it was surpassed by the Birmingham, Alabama Tornado
in 1998 and the Oklahoma City Metro Area tornado in 1999 that killed 32 and 36 respectively. The Jarrell Tornado in 1997 killed nearly as many as in the Saragosa event.
As of 2008, it still remains as the ninth deadliest tornado ever in the state between the Zephyr
tornado in 1909 and the Lubbock Tornado
in 1970. The community was also destroyed in 1938 by a tornado and was later rebuilt slightly to the southwest.
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
that was responsible for the Saragosa tornado developed during the late afternoon north of Balmorhea
Balmorhea, Texas
Balmorhea is a city in Reeves County, Texas, United States. The population was 527 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Balmorhea is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land...
and had very little motion for several hours, moving only slightly across southwestern Texas. By the early evening, it acquired supercell
Supercell
A supercell is a thunderstorm that is characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone: a deep, continuously-rotating updraft. For this reason, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms...
ular characteristics, and cloud tops reached 60,000 feet high. A Tornado warning
Tornado warning
A tornado warning is an alert issued by government weather services to warn that severe thunderstorms with tornadoes may be imminent. It can be issued after a tornado or funnel cloud has been spotted by eye, or more commonly if there are radar indications of tornado formation...
was issued for Reeves County before 8:00 PM after a wall cloud
Wall cloud
A wall cloud is a large, lowering, and rotating base of a cumulonimbus cloud that potentially forms tornadoes. It is typically beneath the rain-free base portion of a deep cumulus cloud , and indicates the area of primary and strongest updraft which condenses into cloud at altitudes lower than...
was spotted, and a brief tornado touched down near Balmorhea at 8:10 PM.
However, at 8:16 PM, another tornado touched down just east of the town about 2 miles (3.2 km) from Saragosa, north of Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
. Initially, it destroyed farms and outbuildings before evolving into a large multiple vortex tornado
Multiple vortex tornado
A multiple-vortex tornado is a tornado that contains several vortices rotating around, inside of, and as part of the main vortex. These multiple vortices are somewhat similar to eyewall mesovortices found in intense tropical cyclones...
before entering Saragosa while intensifying sharply into a violent F4
Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
tornado. 22 people were killed inside Catholic Hall of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, where a graduation ceremony for pre-schoolers was taking place. Eight others were killed elsewhere across the town, including one inside a car.
The worst of the damage occurred inside most of the business and residential area. Eighty percent of the town was destroyed. In addition to Catholic Hall, 118 homes, the post office, a grocery store, two churches and a school were also heavily damaged or destroyed. Damage was estimated at about $1.4 million. The path length of the tornado was nearly 3 miles (4.8 km) long and about 800 meters wide.
Aftermath
Several weather warnings were issued by radio and television in MidlandMidland, Texas
Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Texas, United States, on the Southern Plains of the state's western area. A small portion of the city extends into Martin County. As of 2010, the population of Midland was 111,147. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas...
and Odessa
Odessa, Texas
Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
, but many residents in the affected region (over 100 miles to the southwest) did not receive them. The town was not equipped with a siren, and most of the warnings well ahead of the storm were in English, while most of Saragosa's population speaks Spanish. Warnings in Spanish came too late.
Unfortunately, most of the people who became casualties were not near a radio or television when the storm hit. They were attending a pre-school graduation ceremony at the community center, and only became aware of the imminent danger when someone from the outside entered the building and alerted them. The crowd of children and their respective families, estimated to be about 100 people—or about 25% of Saragosa's total population at the time—immediately took cover. While the building would likely have been considered a safe haven under such circumstances, it was unable to withstand the direct hit from the deadly tornado. The building collapsed, and 22 were killed.
Historical perspective
With 30 fatalities, the Saragosa tornado was the deadliest storm in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the 1980s and was the deadliest storm in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and in the US since the Wichita Falls tornado
Red River Valley Tornado Outbreak
The 1979 Red River Valley tornado outbreak was a tornado event that occurred on April 10, 1979 near the Red River Valley. It's most noted for the F4 tornado that hit Wichita Falls, Texas and is commonly referred to as "Terrible Tuesday" by many meteorologists...
in 1979. During the following years, it was surpassed by the Birmingham, Alabama Tornado
Birmingham Tornado of April 1998
The Birmingham Tornado was a tornadic event that occurred on April 8, 1998 striking the western part of Jefferson County, Alabama, near Birmingham, and continuing into neighboring St. Clair County. It was part of a larger outbreak that started on April 6 across the Great Plains and ended on April 9...
in 1998 and the Oklahoma City Metro Area tornado in 1999 that killed 32 and 36 respectively. The Jarrell Tornado in 1997 killed nearly as many as in the Saragosa event.
As of 2008, it still remains as the ninth deadliest tornado ever in the state between the Zephyr
Zephyr, Texas
Zephyr is an unincorporated community located in Brown County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 198 in 2000.-Geography:...
tornado in 1909 and the Lubbock Tornado
Lubbock Tornado
The 1970 Lubbock tornado was a tornado event that occurred in Lubbock, Texas, on May 11, 1970. It was one of the worst tornadoes in Texas history, and occurred exactly 17 years to the day after the deadly Waco Tornado...
in 1970. The community was also destroyed in 1938 by a tornado and was later rebuilt slightly to the southwest.
External links
- http://www.stormtrack.org/library/1987/saragosa.htm