A low-pressure system that developed on the Great Plains became more intense when it collided with moist air in the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys. During April 1st and 2nd, 1974, thunderstorms and tornadoes hit Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama.
By April 3rd, 1974, severe weather watches were issued as the storm activity continued and spread into the Great Lakes region. A second weather front developed further south in northern Georgia, southern Alabama and eastern Tennessee.
The more intense northern storm front struck Xenia, Ohio and produced four additional F5 tornadoes in a span of two hours. Other F5 tornadoes struck Indiana, Kentucky, and Alabama.
The 1974 Super Outbreak was described in This Day in History. “… 148 tornadoes hit the United States heartland within 16 hours. By the time the deadly storm ended, 330 people had died. This was the largest grouping of tornadoes recorded in its time, affecting 11 states and Ontario, Canada. At any one moment, there were as many as 15 separate tornadoes touching the ground. “
Formation of the Xenia Ohio Tornado
The F5 tornado that struck Xenia, Ohio was the deadliest single twister in the Super Outbreak in 1974. It was the third F5 tornado on April 3, 1974. The tornado formed nine miles southwest of Xenia and intensified as it moved northeast. In the beginning, two funnels were spotted and then merged into a large wedge-shaped funnel.
Ten minutes later, the funnel reached Xenia at 4:40 pm. By the time the tornado struck Xenia, winds were clocked at 260 miles per hour. The funnel spanned approximately one-half mile and stayed on the ground for nine minutes, which is double the time the average tornado stays on the ground.
The residents of Xenia were taken by surprise because there were no warning sirens installed.
Damage Caused by the Xenia Ohio Tornado
The tornado first struck two subdivisions near Route 68. Homes were blown away or reduced to rubble in the Windsor Park and Arrowhead neighborhoods. The tornado proceeded to the downtown business area where it flattened churches, schools, businesses, and apartment buildings. The tornado then hit the Pinecrest Garden district, situated in the northeast section of Xenia.
People were injured or killed by flying debris and collapsed buildings. Two National Guard members died in a fire that erupted in makeshift barracks. A freight train traveling through Xenia had several cars lifted and blown over.
Xenia High School was flattened and it would have been worse if the tornado had struck when school was in session. In the end, the tornado leveled over half of Xenia and thousands of people were injured.
According to USA Today, “The storm leveled all but a handful of 400 new ranch-style homes. It flattened century-old buildings, shredding like paper dollhouses the graceful Victorians and the brick storefronts along Detroit Street downtown. Nine churches, four schools and 1,333 homes and businesses were destroyed. In all, 33 people died in Xenia's tornado.”
On September 20, 2000, a F4 tornado struck Xenia. More than 300 homes and 30 businesses were destroyed or damaged. One person was killed. With advances in weather prediction and warnings since 1974, the number of casualties was significantly reduced.
Related Articles on Violent Tornadoes in the U.S.
Parkersburg, Iowa Tornado 2008: Massive Twister Also Struck New Hartford and Dunkerton With an EF5 Force. With maximum wind speeds of 205 mph, a violent tornado swept Butler and Black Hawk Counties in Iowa, leaving a path of destruction for 43 miles on May 25, 2008.
Worst Tornado in US History: Most Destructive American Storms - Great Tri-State Tornado of 1925. This deadly storm that swept through Missouri, Illinois and Indiana left a 219-mile path of destruction.
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