1892 Southern Minnesota tornado
Encyclopedia
The 1892 Southern Minnesota tornado was a large and deadly tornado
that struck several communities across southern Minnesota
on June 15, 1892. It had a width of 500 yards (457 m) wide and was on the ground for 40 miles (64 km). The twister was estimated to have been an F5 on the Fujita scale
. It killed 12 people in and injured 76 others.
in southwestern Minnesota, and after moving east destroyed a schoolhouse near Sherburn
in Martin County
. The teacher and 16 students were injured, but nobody was killed. As the tornado moved into Faribault County
, it destroyed several farm
steads near Easton
, throwing timber from barns up to 3 miles (5 km) away. The tornado then crossed Freeborn County
before finally lifting back into the clouds in Steele County
.
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
that struck several communities across southern Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
on June 15, 1892. It had a width of 500 yards (457 m) wide and was on the ground for 40 miles (64 km). The twister was estimated to have been an F5 on the Fujita scale
Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
. It killed 12 people in and injured 76 others.
Tornado path
The twister touched down after 3:00 pm in Jackson CountyJackson County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,268 people, 4,556 households, and 3,116 families residing in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile . There were 5,092 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile...
in southwestern Minnesota, and after moving east destroyed a schoolhouse near Sherburn
Sherburn, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,082 people, 484 households, and 285 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,220.6 people per square mile . There were 535 housing units at an average density of 603.5 per square mile...
in Martin County
Martin County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 21,802 people, 9,067 households, and 6,047 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 9,800 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
. The teacher and 16 students were injured, but nobody was killed. As the tornado moved into Faribault County
Faribault County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,181 people, 6,652 households, and 4,476 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile . There were 7,247 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
, it destroyed several farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
steads near Easton
Easton, Minnesota
Easton is a city in Faribault County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 199 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, throwing timber from barns up to 3 miles (5 km) away. The tornado then crossed Freeborn County
Freeborn County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 32,584 people, 13,356 households, and 9,015 families residing in the county. The population density was 46 people per square mile . There were 13,996 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
before finally lifting back into the clouds in Steele County
Steele County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,680 people, 12,846 households, and 9,082 families residing in the county. The population density was 78 people per square mile . There were 13,306 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile...
.
See also
- Climate of MinnesotaClimate of MinnesotaThe climate of Minnesota is typical of a continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. Minnesota's location in the Upper Midwest allows it to experience some of the widest variety of weather in the United States, with each of the four seasons having its own distinct characteristics...
- List of F5 and EF5 tornadoes
- List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks