1964 — Jan 24, Tornado, Harpersville, Shelby County, AL — 10

— 10 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1049.
— 10 NCDC/NOAA. Event Record Details, Tornado, Alabama, 24 Jan 1964, Shelby County.
— 10 NWS WFO Birmingham, AL. Harpersville, AL F4 Tornado 24 Jan 1964.

Narrative Information

Grazulis: “AL JAN 24, 1964 1900 10k 6inj 100y 3m F3. SHELBY–Moved ENE from lm SW of Harpersville, hitting the SE part of town. Three homes were leveled along US-280. One of them was carried nearly intact for 100 yards and thrown into another home and a tree. All 10 deaths were in these three homes. Twenty other homes were damaged.” (Grazulis 1993, p. 1049.)

National Weather Service, Weather Forecast Office, Birmingham, AL: “Around 7 pm CST, a tornado roared into Harpersville. It left ten dead and six injured. The path of this one was very narrow, ranging from only 50 yards to about 125 yards in width, but damage was heavy in the narrow path. This one struck entirely without warning. Birmingham radar was monitoring the area at the time. But the line of thunderstorms approaching Harpersville appeared only moderate — proof that radar is by no means foolproof. Harpersville residents later reported that no unusual and brilliant display of lightning was seen, and most thought it was just an ordinary thundershower” (NWS WFO Birmingham. Harpersville AL F4 Tornado 24 Jan 1964.)

Sources

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, Birmingham, AL. Harpersville, Alabama F4 Tornado — January 24, 1964. NOAA, NWS, Weather Accessed 1-4-2009 at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/significant_events/1964/01_24/index.php

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Alabama, 24 Jan 1964, Shelby County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-3-2009 at: http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~427