On This Day in 1957: Dallas Tornadoes

On this day in 1957, a trail of destruction was left through Dallas after tornadoes tore through the area.

April 2, 1957 started off as a warm, muggy day with temperatures in the low 70s and dewpoints in the upper 60s, making for a moisture-laden atmosphere. The set-up for severe weather was prime as winds thousands of feet above the surface were screeching at over 100 mph. Storms were set to fire as a trough over the Southwest would help a warm front surge northward through Dallas.

By mid-afternoon, the first storms began to pound the area. The first tornado touched down in Dallas County around 3 p.m., and would traverse much of the county from south-to-north, moving just northwest of downtown. The tornado impacted many parts of Dallas and began dissipating at Dallas Love Field, where the airport is located today.

In total, the first tornado would cause over $37 million in damage in today’s currency. The tornado was on the ground for 45 minutes, killing 10 and injuring 200 people. On the Fujita Scale, the tornado was rated an F3, packing winds between 158 and 206 mph.

Unfortunately, there was an additional tornado that would impact Dallas on April 2, 1957. This tornado was located further north and would move from northwest Dallas County into Collin County, Texas. Moving through more rural areas, the second tornado mainly damaged farmhouses, but it’s length of time on the ground is unknown.

Luckily, the Dallas area was not nearly as populated and spread out as the metro is today. A similar tornado today would likely cause much more damage due to the expansive infrastructure in place.

Source: weather.gov
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Story Image: A tornado moves through Dallas on April 2, 1957 (NOAA Photo Library/SELS Weather Bureau).