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Tornado outbreak of April 2–3, 1982

Overview of the outbreak
Tornado outbreak
Tornadoes	62
Maximum rating	F5 tornado
Duration	April 2–3, 1982
Highest winds	78 kn (90 mph; 144 km/h)
Largest hail	3 in (7.6 cm)
Overall effects
Fatalities	30
Injuries	415
Damage	$176,811,500 ($558,240,000 in 2024 USD)
Areas affected	Midwestern and Southern United States (primarily Ark-La-Tex region: Red River Valley, Piney Woods)
Part of the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1982

From April 2–3, 1982, a major tornado outbreak resulted in over 60 tornadoes and 30 fatalities, primarily over portions of Northeast Texas and Southwest Arkansas, as well as Southeastern Oklahoma. Three of the tornadoes were rated F4, and one officially was recorded as an F5 near Broken Bow, Oklahoma, all on April 2. Beginning on April 2, a series of tornado-producing supercells formed across portions of northeastern Texas and southeastern Oklahoma. One produced an F5 tornado, the first since April 4, 1977, which crossed mostly rural areas near Speer and Broken Bow, and deposited a motel sign from Broken Bow 30 miles (48 km) away in Arkansas. However, reanalysis a decade later found the rating to be lower, owing to unsound construction practices. The F5 tornado resulted in no fatalities, but an F4 tornado in Paris, Texas, resulted in 10 fatalities and 170 injuries. Additionally, the Storm Prediction Center, known then as the Severe Local Storms Unit, issued its first officially documented high risk on April 2, as well as the first tornado watch to contain the wording Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS).

Background

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Outbreak statistics

Confirmed tornadoes

Prior to 1990, there is a likely undercount of tornadoes, particularly E/F0–1, with reports of weaker tornadoes becoming more common as population increased. A sharp increase in the annual average E/F0–1 count by approximately 200 tornadoes was noted upon the implementation of NEXRAD Doppler weather radar in 1990–1991. 1974 marked the first year where significant tornado (E/F2+) counts became homogenous with contemporary values, attributed to the consistent implementation of Fujita scale assessments. Numerous discrepancies on the details of tornadoes in this outbreak exist between sources. The total count of tornadoes and ratings differs from various agencies accordingly. The list below documents information from the most contemporary official sources alongside assessments from tornado historian Thomas P. Grazulis.

April 3 event

Speer–Messer–Hugo Reservoir–Golden–Broken Bow–Eagletown, Oklahoma

This powerful, multiple-vortex tornado touched down near Speer, tracked east-southeastward through the rural community of Messer, and traversed the Hugo Reservoir. A newly constructed home near Messer was obliterated, with only strips of carpet tacking left on its foundation. Surveyed by Ted Fujita, the tornado was assigned a rating of F5 based on this damage and is still listed as an F5 in official records. Photographs of the bare concrete slab suggested, however, that the home was improperly anchored: only F3-level winds may have been needed to produce the observable effects on the structure. A reanalysis by Thomas P. Grazulis in 1993 concluded that the tornado did not attain F5 intensity. Further on, the tornado attained a peak width of 1+1⁄2 mi (2.4 km; 2,600 yd; 2,400 m) and produced F4-level damage to ranch-style homes near Golden. In all, the tornado destroyed approximately 35 homes and yielded losses of $8 million, though it missed densely populated areas. The tornado also destroyed chicken coops, mobile homes, and a church, along with agricultural implements, electrical lines, and tracts of timber. Up to 40 barns were wrecked as well. As it passed just south of Broken Bow, the tornado struck the Tri-A-Nite Motel; signage from the motel was later found 30 mi (48 km) distant, in Arkansas. Near Messer, the tornado hurled a 2-by-4-inch (51 by 102 mm) board into and pierced a tree. 29 injuries occurred along the path. The NCEI incorrectly list the path as extending from south-southwest of Hamden to south of Eagletown.

Paris–Reno–Blossom, Texas

This destructive tornado, the deadliest of the outbreak, headed eastward through the northern section of Paris. Developing near the intersection of Campbell Street and Loop 286, it extensively damaged or destroyed more than 465 residences and left approximately 1,000 people homeless in town. Of the 10 deaths in Paris, two occurred at a trailer park; the rest of the fatalities were mainly in unsheltered locations. Debris from the trailer park was dispersed for hundreds of yards. Most of the damage in Paris was rated F2 or F3 on the Fujita scale, but a few CBS homes were leveled at low-end F4 intensity. These homes, however, were dubiously constructed, so the official rating may have been too high. Large, well-built apartments with numerous interior walls were unroofed as the "ragged funnel cloud" left behind $50 million in losses at Paris. 92 homes and other structures were heavily damaged or destroyed in the neighbouring communities of Reno and Blossom. That more casualties did not occur was attributable to the fact that residents of Paris received ample warning, up to half an hour in advance, in part via NOAA Weather Radio.

White Rock–Beaver Dam, Texas/Ashdown, Arkansas

This intense, long-tracked tornado destroyed barns, outbuildings, trees, and electrical lines as it struck White Rock. Brick homes in the area were wrecked as well, indicating F3 intensity. The tornado then tracked to the north of Annona, Avery, and English. Entering Bowie County, it destroyed five homes in Beaver Dam. Two minor injuries occurred nearby. The tornado then widened to 400 yd (370 m) as it neared the Red River. Upon crossing the river, it damaged a 4-mile-long (6.4 km) swath of trees across McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Some outbuildings were also damaged as the tornado passed through southeastern Oklahoma. In Arkansas, the tornado destroyed 17 homes, a paper mill, a granary, and an orchard. One of the homes dated to the early nineteenth century. One person died and two others were injured near Ashdown before the tornado dissipated. The parent storm continued on and later spawned another F3 tornado in Hempstead County, near McNab.

See also

• List of tornado outbreaks
  • List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
• List of Storm Prediction Center high risk days

Notes

1. All losses are in 1982 USD unless otherwise noted.
2. Tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis contested the official F5 rating, having concluded that the basis for it was unsound.
3. An outbreak is generally defined as a group of at least six tornadoes (the number sometimes varies slightly according to local climatology) with no more than a six-hour gap between individual tornadoes. An outbreak sequence, prior to (after) the start of modern records in 1950, is defined as a period of no more than two (one) consecutive days without at least one significant (F2 or stronger) tornado.
4. ^ All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time and dates are split at midnight CST/CDT for consistency.
5. ^ The Fujita scale was devised under the aegis of scientist T. Theodore Fujita in the early 1970s. Prior to the advent of the scale in 1971, tornadoes in the United States were officially unrated. Tornado ratings were retroactively applied to events prior to the formal adoption of the F-scale by the National Weather Service. While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007, Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013; nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.
6. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Data publication does not list exact damage totals for every event, instead giving damage categories. As such, damage for individual tornadoes is not comprehensive.
7. Historically, the number of tornadoes globally and in the United States was and is likely underrepresented: research by Grazulis on annual tornado activity suggests that, as of 2001, only 53% of yearly U.S. tornadoes were officially recorded. Documentation of tornadoes outside the United States was historically less exhaustive, owing to the lack of monitors in many nations and, in some cases, to internal political controls on public information. Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life. Significant low biases in U.S. tornado counts likely occurred through the early 1990s, when advanced NEXRAD was first installed and the National Weather Service began comprehensively verifying tornado occurrences.
8. ^ All starting coordinates are based on the NCEI database and may not reflect contemporary analyses
9. ^ The listed width values are primarily the average/mean width of the tornadoes, with those having known maximum widths denoted by ♯. From 1952 to 1994, reports largely list mean width whereas contemporary years list maximum width. Values provided by Grazulis are the average width, with estimates being rounded down (i.e. 0.5 mi (0.80 km) is rounded down from 880 yards to 800 yards.

References

1. Thunderstorm Wind reported between 04/01/1982 and 04/03/1982 (3 days). Storm Events Database (Report). NOAA – National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
2. Hail reported between 04/01/1982 and 04/03/1982 (3 days). Storm Events Database (Report). NOAA – National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
3. ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 1235.
4. Multiple sources:
   • Ferguson et al. 1983, pp. 1168–9
   • "Remembering The Paris Tornado: April 2, 1982". Dallas/Fort Worth, TX. Fort Worth, Texas: National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office. 15 October 2008. Archived from the original on 13 June 2010. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
5. Edwards, Roger; Fred Ostby. "Time Line of SELS and SPC". Historical SELS and SPC Images. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
6. Schneider, Russell S.; Brooks, Harold E.; Schaefer, Joseph T. (2004). Tornado Outbreak Day Sequences: Historic Events and Climatology (1875–2003) (PDF). 22nd Conf. Severe Local Storms. Hyannis, Massachusetts: American Meteorological Society. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
7. Grazulis 1993, p. 141.
8. Grazulis 2001a, p. 131.
9. Edwards et al. 2013, p. 641–642.
10. Edwards, Roger (March 5, 2015). "Enhanced F Scale for Tornado Damage". The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC). Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
11. "Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale)". Environment and Climate Change Canada. Environment and Climate Change Canada. June 6, 2013. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
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13. Tornado reported between 04/01/1982 and 04/03/1982 (3 days). Storm Events Database (Report). NOAA – National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
14. ^ Grazulis 1993, pp. 1235–1238.
15. Agee and Childs 2014, p. 1496.
16. Grazulis 2001a, pp. 251–4.
17. Edwards, Roger (March 5, 2015). "The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC)". Storm Prediction Center: Frequently Asked Questions about Tornadoes. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
18. Cook & Schaefer 2008, p. 3135.
19. Agee and Childs 2014, pp. 1497, 1503.
20. Agee and Childs 2014, p. 1494.
21. Brooks 2004, p. 310.
22. Grazulis 1990, p. ix.
23. ^ "Severe Weather Database Files (1950-2021)". Storm Prediction Center Maps, Graphics, and Data Page. Norman, Oklahoma: Storm Prediction Center. July 11, 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
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38. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10108982
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44. ^ Storm Data 1982, p. 29.
45. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10128749
46. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10128753
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48. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10128752
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51. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980174
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53. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10128755
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55. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10128758
56. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10128759
57. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980177
58. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980179
59. ^ Grazulis 1984, p. A-95.
60. ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 1237.
61. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980181
62. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980184
63. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980188
64. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10058640
65. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980182
66. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10058641
67. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10058642
68. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10058644
69. Grazulis 1993, pp. 1237–8.
70. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980185
71. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980185
72. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980187
73. ^ Storm Data 1982, p. 22.
74. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10058649
75. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10058650
76. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10058648
77. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980190
78. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10058651
79. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10058652
80. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980191
81. ^ Storm Data 1982, p. 12.
82. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980192
83. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980194
84. ^ Storm Data 1982, p. 28.
85. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10119222
86. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10119223
87. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10119225
88. ^ Storm Data 1982, p. 18.
89. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10044428
90. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980195
91. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10030260
92. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10119227
93. ^ Storm Data 1982, p. 15.
94. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10004553
95. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10004555
96. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10004554
97. ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 1238.
98. ^ Storm Data 1982, p. 20.
99. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10062277
100. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10062274
101. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10062275
102. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10062276
103. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10062278
104. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10004560
105. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10004561
106. Storm Data 1982, p. 16.
107. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10004562
108. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10100142
109. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10030270
110. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10100145
111. Storm Data 1982, p. 14.
112. Storm Data Publication 1982, #9995961
113. Storm Data 1982, p. 27.
114. Storm Data Publication 1982, #10116382
115. Multiple sources:
     • Edwards, Roger, ed. (March 19, 2021). "F5 and EF5 Tornadoes of the United States, 1950-present". The Online Tornado FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Tornadoes. Norman, Oklahoma: Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
     • Grazulis 1984, p. A-95
       • Grazulis 1993, p. 1235
       • Grazulis 2001b, p. 28
     • Storm Data 1982, p. 26
       • Fujita 1982, pp. 6–7
     • Storm Data Publication 1982, #10108986
     • Storm Data Publication 1982, #10108989
     • Storm Data Publication 1982, #10108990
116. Multiple sources:
     • Grazulis 1984, p. A-95
       • Grazulis 1993, pp. 1236–7
     • "Remembering The Paris Tornado: April 2, 1982". Dallas/Fort Worth, TX. Fort Worth, Texas: National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office. 15 October 2008. Archived from the original on 13 June 2010. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
     • Storm Data 1982, pp. 29–30
     • Storm Data Publication 1982, #10128754
     • Storm Data Publication 1982, #10128757
117. Multiple sources:
     • Grazulis 1993, p. 1236
     • Storm Data 1982, pp. 11, 27, 30
     • Storm Data Publication 1982, #10128760
     • Storm Data Publication 1982, #10128761
     • Storm Data Publication 1982, #10128762
     • Storm Data Publication 1982, #10108988
     • Storm Data Publication 1982, #9980180

Sources

• Agee, Ernest M.; Childs, Samuel (June 1, 2014). "Adjustments in Tornado Counts, F-Scale Intensity, and Path Width for Assessing Significant Tornado Destruction". Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology. 53 (6). American Meteorological Society: 1494–1505. doi:10.1175/JAMC-D-13-0235.1.
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• Cook, A. R.; Schaefer, J. T. (August 2008). "The Relation of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to Winter Tornado Outbreaks". Monthly Weather Review. 136 (8): 3121–3137. Bibcode:2008MWRv..136.3121C. doi:10.1175/2007MWR2171.1.
• Edwards, Roger; LaDue, James G.; Ferree, John T.; Scharfenberg, Kevin; Maier, Chris; Coulbourne, William L. (May 1, 2013). "Tornado Intensity Estimation: Past, Present, and Future". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 94 (5). American Meteorological Society: 641–653. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-11-00006.1.
• Ferguson, Edward W.; Schaefer, Joseph T.; Weiss, Steven J.; Wilson, Larry F.; Ostby, Frederick P. (1983). "Tornado 1982: A Near-Record Year". Monthly Weather Review. 111 (8): 1665–1678. Bibcode:1983MWRv..111.1665F. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1983)111<1665:TANRY>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 1520-0493.
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• National Weather Service (April 1982). Storm Data Publication (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information – via Storm Events Database.

• F4 tornadoes
• F5 tornadoes
• Tornadoes of 1982
• Tornadoes in Oklahoma
• Tornadoes in Texas
• 1982 in Texas
• 1982 in Oklahoma
• 1982 natural disasters in the United States
• April 1982 events in the United States