1935 – April 14, dust storm, central NE through KS to MX border, esp. KS for deaths– 20
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 12-2-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–20 National; Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Dodge City, KS. (Cites Red Cross.)
–17 Dust pneumonia (“resulted when lungs were filled with dust.”
— 3 Dust suffocation
— 1 Nebraska, Benkelman area. Car back-ends truck in poor visibility; Glen O’Brien, 25.[1]
Narrative Information
National; Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Dodge City, KS:
“April 14th is the 75 year anniversary of the ‘Black Sunday’ dust storm that occurred across the Central Plains in 1935. A cold front dropped south across the region that day resulting in a massive dust storm that brought visibilities down to near zero and total darkness in the middle of the day….
“On April 14th at 2:49 PM, a great black dust cloud came in from the north. It was estimated at 500 to 600 feet in height and was moving at a rate of 50 to 60 mph. The instant it struck almost total darkness set in. The following is a quote from the Weather Bureau logs: ‘The onrushing cloud, the darkness, and the thick, choking dirt, made this storm one of terror and the worst, while it lasted, ever known here.’ Some observers had seen hundreds of birds, geese, ducks and other kinds flying in front of the dust cloud. A number of dead small birds were found on the ground after the storm. The Red Cross established a relief setup for dust sufferers. The headquarters was in Liberal Kansas. According to Red Cross officials, 17 deaths had been reported in Kansas from dust pneumonia and three died from dust suffocation. This was from the Weather Bureau log on April 14th. Dust pneumonia resulted when lungs were filled with dust. Symptoms included a high fever, chest pains, coughing and breathing difficulties….
“Weather synopsis provided by Jonathan Finch, Meteorologist:
“On April 14th, 1935, a duststorm initiated across central Nebraska in the mid-morning hours and raced south for 800 miles to near the Mexican border by 4 a.m. April 15th. Grand Island, NE experienced a northerly wind shift around 9:30 a.m., with visibilities dropping down to around ¼ mile. Gusty winds and very low visibilities persisted all day, The front passed through the Goodland, KS area around midday and through Dodge City around 3 p.m. At 3 p.m., the temperature in Dodge City was 84 degrees with a north wind at 15 mph and zero visibility. Shortly thereafter the temperature fell into the 60s and then the 50s along with north to northeast winds at 20 to 30 mph and visibilities near zero. The duststorm lasted for several hours behind the cold front. The dust and high winds arrived in Waynoka, OK, Wichita, KS and Emporia, KS around 4 pm with visibilities near zero and 35 to 50 mph north to northeast winds.
“The cold front arrived in Canadian, TX shortly after 5 pm with visibilities dropping to zero, temperatures dropping from the 80s into the lower 60s, and northeast winds at 50 mph. The duststorm arrived in Amarillo,, TX between 6:50 and 7:25 pm with visibilities dropping to zero, along with northeast winds at 50 mph.
“Oklahoma City experienced a wind shift to the northwest around 7 pm with near zero visibility. By 7:42 pm the temperature had dropped to 64 degrees with a 42 mph north to northeast winds. The cold front passed through Ardmore, OK (near the Red River) at 10 pm, with visibilities dropping to ½ mile.
“Even New Mexico was not spared from the duststorm. Clayton, NM experienced very low visibilities. In fact, the duststorm arrived in Roswell, NM after midnight with visibilities dropping to 1/8 mile. The duststorm weakened after crossing into north central, TX around midnight as visibilities dropping to around 2 miles with northeast winds around 25 mph at Gainesville. However, farther west the duststorm charged into Texas Big Bend area around 2 am with near zero visibilities. The duststorm finally wound down near the US-Mexican border around 4 to 5 am on April 15. So when all was done, this duststorm had covered an area about 800 miles long and 300-500 miles wide from central Nebraska to the Mexican border and from Pueblo, Co to Eastern KS.”
Newspapers
April 15, AP: “(By the Associated Press) Residents of the southwestern dust bowl marked up another black duster today and wondered how long it would be before another one came along. Already cheered by two days of clear skies and a respited from the choking silt and sand, they were enjoying what started out to be a balmy Sunday when the duster swept out of the north over western Kansas and eastern Colorado, and rushed on over the Oklahoma panhandle and into Texas.
“Hundreds of Sunday motorists were caught when the dense black cloud bore down upon them at a rate of 60 miles an hour.
“Residents of Perryton, Tex., where there have been 50 dust storms in 104 days described the storm ‘as the worst in history.’ Old-timers in Oklahoma and Kansas agreed. After the main cloud had passed the air still was full of dust. The haze spread out far to the east and west.
“At Trinidad, Colo., Santa Fe railroad officials detoured trains over a southern route in an effort to avoid the storm. At Hutchinson, Kas., A. L. Welty, an airplane pilot, was unable to outdistance the storm and his ship nosed over in a forced landing. He suffered a fractured nose and possible internal injuries.” (Associated Press. “Another Black Blizzard Sweeps Southwest.” Beatrice Daily Sun, NE. 4-15-1935, p. 1.)
April 15, AP: “Topeka, April 15 (AP) – M. L. Wilson, assistant secretary of agriculture and Gov. Alf M. Landon left shortly before noon today on an automobile inspection tour of the drough-dust storm suffering area of western Kansas….Secretary Wilson arrived here from Washington today to survey the dust storm areas of Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Colorado and Texas….” (Associated Press. “Inspect Dust Area.” The Emporia Gazette, KS. 4-15-1935, p. 1.)
April 15, Emporia Gazette, KS: “Another dust storm sent Emporia’s pre-Easter paraders skedaddling indoors Sunday afternoon when a billowing, taunting cloud-curtain, accompanied by an abrupt drop in temperature, suddenly was rung down to obscure the sun. A glorious morning and a delightful mid-day were blotted out when the maximum temperature of 81 degrees at 2 o’clock plunged downward to the 60’s, through the 50s, the 40’s and beyond until the thermometer reading stood at 28 degrees, four below the freezing point, at 6 o’clock this morning….” (Emporia Gazette, KS. “Cold Wave Brings Dust.” 4-15-1935, p. 1.)
April 15, Nebraska State Journal: “Dust storms whipped over the state once more Sunday, powered by forty mile an hour winds, and temperatures dropped rapidly as night fell. Air line observers, however, said that the storm had subsided in the western portions of the state early Sunday night. Temperatures slightly below freezing prevailed early Sunday morning.
“In Lincoln the storm hit late Sunday morning and continued with varying velocity thru the day. The temperature at noon was 73, but had dropped to 38 at 7 p.m. Other drops of the mercury in other parts of the state were just as marked….” (Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln. “Dust Storms Strike Midwest Once More.” 4-15-1935, p. 1.)
Sources
Associated Press. “Another Black Blizzard Sweeps Southwest.” Beatrice Daily Sun, NE. 4-15-1935, p. 1. Accessed 12-2-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/beatrice-daily-sun-apr-15-1935-p-1/
Associated Press. “Inspect Dust Area.” The Emporia Gazette, KS. 4-15-1935, p. 1. Accessed 12-2-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/emporia-gazette-apr-15-1935-p-1/
Emporia Gazette, KS. “Cold Wave Brings Dust.” 4-15-1935, p. 1. Accessed 12-2-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/emporia-gazette-apr-15-1935-p-1/
National; Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Dodge City, KS. “75th Anniversary of ‘Black Sunday’.” 6-10-2008.
Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln. “Dust Storms Strike Midwest Once More.” 4-15-1935, p. 1. Accessed 12-2-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lincoln-nebraska-state-journal-apr-15-1935-p-1/
[1] Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln. “Dust Storms Strike Midwest Once More.” 4-15-1935, p. 1.