April 26, 1991 tornado outbreak
Storm reports from April 26, 1991
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| Type | Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Duration | April 26, 1991 |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 55 confirmed |
| Max rating1 | F5 tornado |
| Duration of tornado outbreak2 | 19 hours |
| Highest winds |
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| Damage | 250+ million (1991 USD) |
| Casualties | 21 fatalities, hundreds of injuries |
| Areas affected | United States Great Plains |
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1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado |
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Coordinates: 37°41′24″N 97°08′10″W / 37.69°N 97.136°W
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale
The April 26, 1991 tornado outbreak was a violent outbreak of 55 tornadoes that took place on April 26, 1991 in the Central and Southern Great Plains, killing 21 people and injuring hundreds more.
On April 25, 1991, the National Severe Storms Forecast Center, now called the Storm Prediction Center, forecast a high risk of severe weather for the following day. A strong storm system was due to move through the area the next afternoon and evening of April 26, 1991.
(based on NOAA Storm Data)
This long-tracked tornado reached a powerful F5 status and was the most destructive tornado of the entire outbreak. It is considered one of the most-filmed F5 tornadoes of all time, because by 1991, video camcorders were very popular and easily obtainable by the general public. The Andover tornado was filmed from many different angles throughout its life.
It first produced extensive damage as it formed south of Clearwater, Kansas. It fluctuated in intensity near the beginning of the path, and then moved through the north side of the city of Haysville, near 63rd Street South and Meridian. Widespread damage was reported in Haysville with many structures destroyed, but there were no fatalities. The tornado entered Wichita city limits near 56th Street South and Broadway/US-81, crossed the Kansas Turnpike at the overpass over 55th Street South. The tornado expanded to around 300 feet wide as it crossed I-35 (the Kansas Turnpike), destroyed a plant nursery at 53rd Street South and Hydraulic Street, and headed toward McConnell Air Force Base. Many people had advance warning before the tornado struck McConnell AFB. The tornado struck the base school, hospital and housing as an F3 tornado. It caused $62 million in damage on the base, narrowly missing a multibillion-dollar line of B-1 bombers. The damage path widened dramatically as the tornado intensified just east-northeast of the base.
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