60 years later: Remembering the Palm Sunday Outbreak

An important date in Indiana weather history: April 11, 1965 - it was 60 years ago Friday that the deadliest tornado outbreak in state history occurred. 137 Hoosiers died as a swarm of tornadoes raked the state. 10 tornadoes across 18 counties in only a matter of a few hours.




On that day, 47 tornadoes would touch down in 6 states, killing 258 and injuring 3000.

The historical image of the twin F4 tornadoes that struck the Midway trailer park near Dunlap was photographed by Elkhart Truth photographer Paul Huffman. Considered the first time twin tornadoes are captured on film, the picture resides now at the Smithsonian Institute.

An 800-yard-wide tornado would kill 25 near Kokomo. 84 people would die in Elkhart County alone.




Weather radar was sparse in 1965 and the then U.S. Weather Bureau relied on information relayed from Chicago and Indianapolis radars. The tornado reports were so numerous that for the first and only time in U.S. history a blanket tornado warning was issued, urging all residents to take shelter.




Following that deadly tornado outbreak, the National Weather Service underwent changes to improve severe weather forecasts and warnings, including establishing the Watch and Warning Program that exists today and the weather spotter program, SKYWARN.



via: https://fox59.com/weather/60-years-later-remembering-the-palm-sunday-outbreak/