1953 Worcester Tornado

1953 Worcester tornado

F4 tornado
Damage at Assumption College in Worcester
Formed	June 9, 1953 4:25 pm—5:43 pm (EST)
Max rating1	F4 tornado
Damage	$52 million (1956 USD) $464 million (2014 USD)
Casualties	Fatalities: *Official: 90 *Unofficial: 94 Injuries: ~1,300
Areas affected	Worcester County, Massachusetts
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

The 1953 Worcester tornado was an extremely powerful tornado that struck the city and surrounding area of Worcester, Massachusetts on June 9, 1953. It was part of the Flint–Worcester tornado outbreak sequence, which occurred over a three-day period from June 6—9, 1953. The storm stayed on the ground for nearly 90 minutes, traveling 48 miles across Central Massachusetts. In total, 94 people were killed, making it the 21st deadliest tornado in the history of the United States. In addition to the fatalities, over 1,000 people were injured and 4,000 buildings were damaged. The tornado caused $52 million in damage, which translates to $349 million today when adjusted for currency inflation. After the Fujita scale was developed in 1971, the storm was classified as "F4", the second highest rating on the scale.

At approximately 4:25 pm (EST), the tornado touched down in a forest near the town of Petersham, and proceeded to move through Barre, where two people were killed. It then moved through the western suburbs of Worcester, where 11 more people were killed. The storm then passed through Worcester, where it destroyed Assumption College and several other buildings, killing 60. After striking Worcester, it killed 21 more people in the towns of Shrewsbury, Southborough, and Westborough, before dissipating over Framingham. According to National Weather Service estimates, over 10,000 people were left homeless as a result of the tornado.

On June 7, 1953, an area of high pressure developed over much of the Northern United States. This high-pressure air mass collided with a low pressure mass that was centered over Nebraska, creating favorable conditions for severe thunderstorm development. This collision of systems spawned several tornadoes in the states of Michigan, Ohio, and Nebraska, most notably the Flint-Beecher tornado on June 8. The storm killed 118 people in the towns of Flint and Beecher, and injured 844. In addition, seven other tornadoes across the region caused 52 more injuries and nine more fatalities. After the use of the Fujita scale began, the Flint-Beecher tornado was rated an F5. The air mass continued to sit over the region throughout that night, further contributing to the outbreak.