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Tri State Tornado Essay

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May 18, 1925 began as a normal as a normal day for the people of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, and quickly spawned into a nightmare for many. The weather quickly changed to a storm thunderstorm around midday in Missouri that was capable of producing a tornado (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration[NOAA], 2000). However, due to the lack of technological advancements of the time, forecasters were unaware of the full potential of this storm. The tornado produced from this storm began small and appeared it might run its course very quickly. This was not the case at all. After a very brief remission, the tornado reared it ugly head and broke records, some of which still stand today. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “That single tornado holds the record for: longest continuous track on the ground (219 miles); duration (3.5 hours); the third fastest forward speed (an average of 62 mph); and the greatest number of tornado fatalities suffered by a single U.S. city (234 in Murphysboro, Illinois)”(2000, para. 2). The Tri-State Tornado, as it was named, was later estimated to have reached F-5 status, killed almost 700 people, injured thousands more and devastated tens of thousands of homes and buildings during its trip from Ellington, Missouri to Petersburg, Indiana. Just days after the 86th anniversary of the Tri-State Tornado, Missouri was once again struck with a disastrous EF-5 …show more content…

As suggested by the Department of Commerce in the Joplin, Missouri Service Assessment, the Joplin Tornado has provided them with invaluable information to continue to improve these forecasting, mitigation and preparedness efforts. Each and every storm systems or natural disaster event provides the opportunity for these fields to learn, grow and apply new life saving technology and

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