So. CA (3)– 9-10

lornajarrettblanchard October 29, 1959

–10 Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 1, No. 10, October 1959, p. 108.
–7 AZ, central and eastern, Oct 29-30. Rain and wind.
–3 CA, central and southern, Oct 29-31. Strong winds.

Arizona (6-7)
–7 Central and eastern, Oct 29-30. Weather Bureau. Storm Data, V.1, No. 10, Oct 1959, p. 108.
–6 Arizona Republic, Phoenix. “Big Storm Leaves Six Dead in State.” 11-1-1959, p. 1.
–6 Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below.
Breakout of Arizona storm-related deaths by locality where noted:
–1 Agua Fria, Oct 29. Drowning; Joseph Tamok, car found in flooded wash. (Body found Nov 1.)
–1 Apache Trail. Drowning; flash flood strikes car; Shannon Lee Mears, 1-month-old, killed.
–1 Cave Creek. Drowning; girl caught in surging water near home; Maude Eldridge, 2.
–2 Coolidge area, Oct 31. Car swept by Little Gila River off AZ-87; Mrs. Bella Urrea, 31, and Michael Urrea, 1.
–1 Holbrook area east, US-66, Oct 30. Vehicular collision blamed by State Hwy. Patrol on storm conditions.

California ( 3)
–3 Central and southern, Oct 29-31. Weather Bureau. Storm Data, V.1, N. 10, Oct 1959, p. 108.
–1 Woman killed by falling tree.
–1 Boy killed when bicycle was blown into path of a car.
–1 Pilot killed when light plane crashed during wind storm.
–1 High Sierras. Tree fell onto pickup truck killing a woman.

Narrative Information

Weather Bureau Storm Data on AZ: “Central and eastern counties…29-30 [October]…7 [killed]…Rain and wind.

“While the storm brought precipitation to most of the State, heaviest amounts fell in the central and eastern sections. Preliminary estimates of damage are about $1,000,000 to the State cotton crop due to downgrading, with an additional $2,000,000 to property and roads. Nearly all damage was caused by water.” (Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 1, No. 10, October 1959, p. 108.)

Weather Bureau Storm Data on CA: “Central and southern areas…29, 30, 31…3 [killed]… Strong winds.

“Wind blew down trees, damaged power lines and buildings, and impaired traffic. Broken power lines started two forest fires. One woman was killed by a falling tree. A boy lost his life when his bicycle was blown in front of a car. The pilot was killed when a light plane crashed in the storm. Considerable damage was reported to the cotton, alfalfa seed, and dried lima bean crops. Snow fell at high elevations of the southern mountains, and one highway was temporarily closed.” (Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 1, No. 10, October 1959, p. 108.)

Newspaper

Oct 31, AP: “A three-day-old killer storm began spending its fury in Arizona’s north country today as residents in the central part of the state continued mopping up operations. The storm hovered over central and southern Arizona for two days, killing at least two persons and causing damage estimated at more than a million dollars.

“National Guardsmen moved into the Cave Creek district north of Phoenix Thursday to protect property as flood waters began receding from record levels.

“Two children drowned in flooded washes north of Phoenix Thursday, and a Glendale bartender, Joseph Tamok, was still missing today, two days after his car was found in a flooded wash near Agua Fria.

“The storm moved out of central Arizona late yesterday, but the northern part of the state was expected to receive more rain and snow during the weekend.

“Despite the loss of life and property damage, the Weather Bureau estimated the value of rainfall at millions of dollars in excess of storm damage. Rangelands and forests were saturated, reservoirs were being filled and ground-water reserves greatly restored, the bureau said.

“More than 12 inches of snow was reported on the ground at numerous points in northern Arizona, and many areas received more than four inches of rain.

“Savage windstorms, meanwhile slashed a trail of destruction across Northern Utah and Southern California yesterday as the wave of violent weather raked the West. Estimates of damage ran as high as $5 million in Utah. The Tornadic winds in Utah howled off the Wasatch Mountain range and caused widespread damage in a heavily-populated region from Salt Lake City 75 miles north to Tremonton, on the Utah-Idaho border. At least 10 people were hurt in Utah as winds of up to 92 miles per hour toppled houses, uprooted trees and smashed thousands of windows. A dozen 12-to-18-ton truck and trailer rigs were flipped over. State police halted truck, bus and small car traffic for several hours on open highways.

“Winds of hurricane force accompanied a freak weather pattern in Southern California. Rain, hail, snow and lightning storms uprooted trees in Los Angeles County. Cotton crops in the lush Imperial Valley received an estimated quarter million dollars damage.

“High winds fanned a score of fires in Northern California forests. An estimated 16,000 acres burned and threatened some highways, closing U.S. 50. One woman was killed when a tree fell onto a pickup truck in the High Sierras….” (Associated Press. “Storm Loss Is Set At $1 Million.” Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. 10-31-1959, p. 1.)

Sources

Arizona Republic, Phoenix. “Big Storm Leaves Six Dead in State.” 11-1-1959, p. 1. Accessed 12-22-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/phoenix-arizona-republic-nov-01-1959-p-17/

Associated Press. “Storm Loss Is Set At $1 Million.” Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. 10-31-1959, p. 1. Accessed 12-22-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/tucson-daily-citizen-oct-31-1959-p-1/

Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 1, No. 10, October 1959. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 12-22-2022 at: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/IPS/sd/sd.html?_finish=0.20443638595329217