Today marks the 44th anniversary of what is called 'The Overland Park Tornado' that- on April 19 1966- struck a then-new subdivision and grazed an elementary school just letting out for the school day near 95th Street and Knox.
Here's the summary of that event- found in the weather history area on the lower right side of this blog:
1966 - April 19 - A tornado forms over what was then farmland east of I-35 & 119th Street in Johnson County KS. and moves northeastward.
Within 10 minutes - the F-3-rated tornado strikes a new housing subdivision and barely misses an elementary school at West 96th St. & Knox in Overland Park.
There are several minor injuries and the tornado-bearing storm moves over highly-populated areas of southern K.C. & Independence, MO..
The official warning was issued by the local broadcast media after the tornado had touched down - traveled it's roughly 4 to 5-mile-long path and lifted.
Also- here's a CSW blog post relating to the OP tornado from 3 years ago.
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3 comments:
You might be interested in reading my "eyewitness account" of this event as a kid...
http://www.cantonma.org/myweb/birtwellk/classwebsite/clouds_19.htm
Katie
Sorry it took awhile to get you posted here...
I read your "eyewitness account" Katie and enjoyed it!
I was a student at Southeast Junior High school (across from Swope Park) that day- actually predicted the tornado several hours before it struck OP- just based on my observation during the lunch period of some mammato-cumulus or "mama clouds."
The tornado was clearly visible from Southeast.
Also remember the May 15 'white tornado' on Minnesota in KC-KS and of course- Topeka.
Our Boy Scout troop went out to Topeka the week after to assist in clean-up- incredible damage.
Thanks for YOUR memories Katie!
Cheers-
"Groucho"
I was directly across from this tornado, at Cherokee Elementary, playing violin in orchestra class when the alarm sounded. Passing a large window, I saw the tornado eating away an apartment building across the playground. Once in the basement, we all heard a deadly silence, then an explosive noise where glass and bricks were flying directly above, a wing of the school where my two younger brothers were just earlier in class. Fortunately, one had been let out earlier and was walking home, watching the tornado eating homes in a direct path toward ours. My other brother had also left earlier, taken to a friend's home. My mother, meanwhile, was watching the tornado hit the school across the valley from our living room window. Unforgettable.
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