When Missouri Winds were Double the Speed of Category 5 Hurricane
It has only happened once and will hopefully never happen again. There was a wind event in Missouri that is so legendary that the speed of the winds were double that of even a category 5 hurricane.
If you're guessing that this happened in 2011 when the tragic EF-5 tornado roared through Joplin, that's not correct. That horrific storm had winds that reached an estimated 200 mph according to the National Weather Service. No, this was much worse than that.
For reference, the Saffir-Simpson scale rates a hurricane as Category 5 if the winds exceed 155 mph.
When did Missouri winds double the speed of a category 5 hurricane?
The historic event as documented by Britannica known as the Tri-State Tornado struck Missouri and several other states on March 18, 1925. Meteorologists estimate the winds inside that storm hit an incredible 300 mph in Missouri.
That terrible twister was on the ground for 3 1/2 hours, traveled 219 miles and claimed 695 lives. That tornado also happened before the technology of weather radars and advanced warning systems. Imagine seeing the sky turn terrible and then suddenly you have a monster upon you like this storm did.
Can you imagine what 300 mph winds must be like to experience? None of us want to know and hopefully will never ever experience again. But, history says that it did happen once in Missouri.
75 Years Ago, Monster Tornado Destroys 80% of Small Illinois Town
Gallery Credit: Ancient Air Theatre via YouTube
More From KICK FM, #1 For New Country
