An Unsually Strong Morning Tornado Outbreak…

On April 21, 1920…one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in Alabama history struck northwestern sections of the state after causing catastrophic damage in Northeast Mississippi also.

The unusual thing was that the tornadoes occurred early in the morning. Something we need to keep in mind when we think late night and early morning events might not be as strong becuase it is typically when instabilities are lowest.

Early that morning, an F4 tornado cut a 60 mile path starting about 7 a.m. at Ingomar in Union County, Mississippi. A total of 24 people were killed. Five children were killed in one home at Glen in Alcorn County.

About an hour later, another F4 tornado touched town near Bradley in Oktibbeha County. It would remain on the ground 130 miles all the way across Marion, Franklin, Colbert and into Lawrence Counties in Alabama. Seven people died near Starkville and twenty two died on the west side of Aberdeen. A total of 20 people perished in Marion County, including nine at Bexar. Nineteen people died at Waco in Franklin County, including nine from one family.

About thirty minutes later, another F4 killed 27 in Neshoba County, Mississippi. AN F4 close to Meridian killed thirty six.

At 10 a.m., another intense tornado touched down in Fayette County, southwest of Carbon Hill. Arley and Helicon in Winston County were especially hard hit with 19 fatalities. This tornado was on the ground for fifty miles and claimed a total of twenty one people.

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