Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 12-30-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

~36 Blanchard. We note “approximately” (~) deaths given ambiguities in the accounts below.

–36 Grazulis, Thomas. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 851.

–18 Tompkinsville

–14 Russell Springs

— 4 Locales not noted

–36 NWS Louisville KY WFO. “Tornadoes of May 9, 1933.” (The tally, though, comes to 38.)

— 2 Cundiff area, Adair County.

–18 Russell County.

–14 Southeast edge of Russell Springs.

— 2 Sewell, just northeast of Tompkinsville.

—16 Tompkinsville.

–34 NWS Louisville KY WFO. “The Tompkinsville Tornado of May 9, 1933.

–16 Tompkinsville

— 2 Northeast of Tompkinsville

— 2 Cundiff area

–14 Russell Springs

–33 AP. “Tornadoes Bring Death…Kentucky Has 33 Dead.” Kingsport Times, 5-10-1933, p. 1.

— 2 Adair County

–11 Monroe County

–20 Russell County

–32 NWS Louisville KY WFO. “Tompkinsville Tornado, May 9, 1933.” Accessed 12-30-2024.

–18 Tompkinsville

–14 Russell Springs

Narrative Information

Grazulis: “KY May 9, 1933 2030 36k 87inj 800y…F4 Monroe/Cumberland/Adair/Russell – Moved NE from SW of Tompkinsville, passing through that town, destroying 60 homes, and killing 18 people. No path information was available in Cumberland County. In NW Russell County, the funnel was reported to be a mile wide, killing 14 people at the edge of Russell Springs…” (Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. St. Johnsbury, VT: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films, 1993, p. 851.)

NWS, “Top 24”: “An F4 tornado developed rapidly just southwest of Tompkinsville and moved straight into the city at 8:30pm. As it tore homes apart in the town, 18 people were killed. The storm grew to a mile wide as it plowed across northern Cumberland County and southern Adair County, and finally into Russell County. Near Russell Springs an additional 14 people lost their lives.”[1] (National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Louisville, KY. “6. Tompkinsville Tornado May 9, 1933.” Top 25 Weather Events of All-Time in Central Kentucky and Southern Indiana. 3-4-2010 update.)

NWS, “Tompkinsville, Kentucky. May 9, 1933: “This historic event began around 8pm when there was 30 minutes of rain and hail in Tompkinsville, followed by five minutes of absolute calm. The calm was shattered when a tornado touched down just southwest of town and moved northeast, directly into southern sections the city (the “Negro section,” as newspapers called it at the time). The path of utter destruction, in which everything was flattened, was a quarter mile wide. The damaged residences of O. C. Landrum and Oscar Sims marked the edges of the devastation. Between them was a treeless and fenceless waste, with scattered remnants of homes and uprooted trees. A heavy rain, which fell continuously from 1 o’clock until 6 the following morning, made roads almost impassable and handicapped the work of rehabilitation. Only three homes that were affected by the funnel were able to be salvaged. World War I veterans described the devastation and suffering as worse than what they witnessed during the Great War. The twisting nature of the winds was clearly revealed when the bodies of the Tyree family were found 75 yards south of their home site, and the bodies of the Redeford family were discovered 100 yards north of the spot where their home had stood. The Tyrees lived on the southern edge of the storm area, while the Redefords lived near the northern edge. The body of the Rev. Redeford’s wife was carried 150 yards to a pond on the land belonging to L. P. Hagan. The corpse of the husband was found entangled in a barbed wire fence, having been blown about one hundred yards. Sixteen people in Tompkinsville lost their lives that evening, with another 2 deaths just northeast of town. Fifty citizens were injured in Monroe County.

“After Tompkinsville, the tornado continued to the northeast, crossing Cumberland County (2 people injured) and clipping the southeast corner of Adair County (2 people killed in the Cundiff area) with comparatively little damage, before intensifying again as it entered Russell County. The tornado grew into a mile-wide monster as it plowed down at least 100 homes. The edge of the tornado missed downtown Russell Springs by only half a mile. The tornado spent its last fury in the Happy Acre area, causing damage along Goose Creek, near Friendship Church, and on the southern end of Bethany Ridge where chickens were stripped of their feathers. The tornado lifted at the Casey County line. Fatality counts for Russell County vary from 14 to 20 depending on the source. 14 were killed on the southeast edge of Russell Springs. Up to 100 people may have been injured in Russell County.” (National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Louisville, KY. “The Tompkinsville Tornado of May 9, 1933.”)

NWS Louisville KY WFO. “Tornadoes of May 9, 1933.”

“May 9, 1933

“Counties: Monroe, Cumberland, Adair, Russell

“F-scale: F4

“Deaths: 36

“Injuries: 87

“Path width: 800 yards

“Path length: 60 miles (probably a family of tornadoes)

“Time: 8:30 pm

“Notes: This historic event began around 8pm when there was 30 minutes of rain and hail in Tompkinsville, followed by five minutes of absolute calm. The calm was shattered when a tornado touched down just southwest of town and moved northeast, directly into southern sections the city (the “Negro section,” as newspapers called it at the time). The path of utter destruction, in which everything was flattened, was a quarter mile wide. The damaged residences of O. C. Landrum and Oscar Sims marked the edges of the devastation. Between them was a treeless and fenceless waste, with scattered remnants of homes and uprooted trees. A heavy rain, which fell continuously from 1 o’clock until 6 the following morning, made roads almost impassable and handicapped the work of rehabilitation. Only three homes that were affected by the funnel were able to be salvaged. World War I veterans described the devastation and suffering as worse than what they witnessed during the Great War. The twisting nature of the winds was clearly revealed when the bodies of the Tyree family were found 75 yards south of their home site, and the bodies of the Redeford family were discovered 100 yards north of the spot where their home had stood. The Tyrees lived on the southern edge of the storm area, while the Redefords lived near the northern edge. The body of the Rev. Redeford’s wife was carried 150 yards to a pond on the land belonging to L. P. Hagan. The corpse of the husband was found entangled in a barbed wire fence, having been blown about one hundred yards. Sixteen people in Tompkinsville lost their lives that evening, with another 2 deaths just northeast of town in Sewell. Fifty citizens were injured in Monroe County. After Tompkinsville, the tornado continued to the northeast, crossing Cumberland County (2 people injured) and clipping the southeast corner of Adair County (2 people killed in the Cundiff area) with comparatively little damage, before intensifying again as it entered Russell County. The tornado grew into a mile-wide monster as it plowed down at least 100 homes. The edge of the tornado missed downtown Russell Springs by only half a mile. The tornado spent its last fury in the Happy Acre area, causing damage along Goose Creek, near Friendship Church, and on the southern end of Bethany Ridge where chickens were stripped of their feathers. The tornado lifted at the Casey County line. Fatality counts for Russell County vary from 14 to 20 depending on the source…this study will use Grazulis’ number of 18. Of those 18, 14 were killed on the southeast edge of Russell Springs. Up to 100 people may have been injured in Russell County.”

(National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Louisville, KY. “Tornadoes of May 9, 1933.”

Sources

Associated Press. “Tornadoes Bring Death…Kentucky Has 33 Dead.” Kingsport Times, 5-10-1933, p. 1. Accessed 12-30-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/kingsport-times-may-10-1933-p-1/

Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Louisville, KY. “No. 6. Tompkinsville Tornado May 9, 1933.” Top 25 Weather Events of All-Time in Central Kentucky and Southern Indiana. 3-4-2010 update accessed at: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lmk/?n=top_20_weather_events

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Louisville, KY. “The Tompkinsville Tornado of May 9, 1933.” Accessed 12-30-2024 at: https://www.weather.gov/lmk/tompkinsville_tornado_may_9_1933

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Louisville, KY. “Tornadoes of May 9, 1933.” Accessed 12-30-2024 at: https://www.weather.gov/lmk/tornado_climatology_may91933

[1] More information at: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lmk/?n=tompkinsville_tornado_may_9_1933

1933 — May 9, Tornado, especially Tompkinsville (18) and Russel Springs (14), KY — ~36