NOAA's National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

Developed over Reynolds County and moved NE into Iron County.  Forty homes were unroofed or damaged at Annapolis.

The start of the Great Tri State Tornado that killed 695 people, injured 2027, and caused $16,500,000 in property damage developed over Reynolds County and quickly moved into Iron County.  The funnel was very wide, a double tornado, or accompanied by downbursts as it enveloped Annapolis and a mining town called "Leadanna" 2 miles S of Annapolis.  Two people were killed and 75  more were injured in that area.  Losses in both towns totaled about $500,000.  It then quickly moved NE through Madison County before moving through parts of southern Illinois and southwest Indiana.  While F2 was probably the maximum damage caused in Iron County, this tornado did cause F5 damage later in its path.  It is widely accepted that this was likely a series of tornadoes instead of one long tracked tornado.

Tornado first touched down in extreme western Iron County 2.5 miles S of Viburnum.  Five persons were injured between Viburnum and Bixby as tornado destroyed a house and a trailer in a trailer park.  An aerial survey showed essentially an continuous path from this location to the NE passing SE of Viburnum and into Washington County near Route Z, 2 S and 1 E of Courtois.   Extensive damage and 3 deaths occurred with this tornado near Potosi.  There were a total of 52 injuries and >$500,000 damage along the tornado's path.

A tornado first touched down in the upper end of Funk Branch, 2 miles SW of Annapolis, then followed an intermittent path to County Route C, 4.5 miles ENE of Annapolis, or 1.25 miles W of Minimum.  It apparently remained on the ground through the NW edge of this little community where a mobile home was totally demolished.  Four people in the trailer were injured.  The tornado then damaged a barn and shed on the N edge of town before moving into Madison County.

Tornado reported at Pilot Knob, Ironton, and Arcadia.

Tornado reported near Glover.

A tornado touched down in extreme NE Iron County 2 miles E of Minimum just S of Highway C.  The storm then moved NE into Madison County.

A tornado touched down in the Clayton Creek area, 15 miles SE of Viburnum.  The tornado first touched down near the intersection of Highways 49 and 32 and produced intermittent damage to just east of Highway DD, about 5 miles NE of the initial touchdown.  A family sitting in a brick frame house was aware of a severe thunderstorm warning.  They heard and saw the tornado coming, and were able to get to the basement before the storm hit.  The house was severely damaged, but no one was injured.  A stock trailer was on the S side of a station wagon before the storm.  The trailer and station wagon were removed from their location and carried to a second location a short distance away.  The stock trailer was then resting on the other side of the station wagon.  Several barns were destroyed, as well as several old houses.

A small tornado caused damage between Annapolis and Vulcan along Highway 49. One home suffered roof damage and another was damaged by a downed tree. Other damage was limited to downed trees and power lines.

A tornado first caused damage on the west side of Ironton at Shepherd  Mountain Lake.  Trees were downed and damaged on both sides of the north end of the lake as the tornado moved east at about 40 mph.  The tornado moved into west Ironton downing and snapping trees on West Boulder Drive.  On Lake Drive, part of the roof of the County Health Department was blown off and landed about 75 yards away.  A storage shed in this same area was also destroyed with part of it landing in power lines.  The majority of the damage was due to downed and snapped of trees.  Power lines and poles were down primarily because of the trees and limbs. About a dozen homes suffered minor damage involving downed trees or roof shingles blown off.  One car was severely damaged a downed tree.

The second Iron County tornado hit east of Ironton in the Killarney Shore neighborhood.  Several trees were downed or snapped off.

G - Grazulis, T. P., 1993: Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991.  A Chronology and Analysis of Events. Environmental Films, Tornado Project, St. Johsnbury, VT.
SD - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1959-2004: Storm Data. Vols. 1-46, Nos. 1-12, National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC.
SPC - Storm Prediction Center Database