1991 — April 26, Tornadoes, KS (18 deaths); OK (4 deaths), esp. Andover area, KS — 22

lornajarrettblanchard April 26, 1991

— 22 Blanchard tally (21 direct deaths and one indirect in Kay County Oklahoma).

— 21 KS and OK. NCDC, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Tornado. Search Results all States.

Kansas (18)

— 18 Statewide. Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 1310 & 1314.

— 13 Butler County, F5, 17:40 CST. All in mobile home park. NCDC Storm Data, 33/4, p. 90.[1]

— 1 Elk County, F3, 18:26 CST. Female in mobile home. NCDC Storm Data, 33/4, p. 91.[2]

— 4 Sedgwick County, F5, 16:55-16:57 CST. Two adults and two children; housing develop.[3]

Oklahoma ( 4)

— 4 Blanchard tally of locality breakouts below (three direct and one indirect deaths).

— >3 Statewide.[4]

— 1 Kay County, Tonkawa. Male, 60s, killed between tornadoes clearing downed limbs.[5]

— 1 Pawnee County, west of Tulsa. Female, when car was swept off U.S. 64.[6]

— 1 Pawnee County, Cimarron Turnpike near Westport, F1-F2. Male, when car turned over.[7]

— 1 Washington Co., Copan. F2, 20:05-20:20 CST. NCDC. Storm Data, 33/4, 1991, p. 167.[8]

Narrative Information

Grazulis: “KS APR 26, 1991 1655 17k 225inj 500y 45m F5. SEDGWICK/BUTLER — Moved NE from 5m S Clearwater, quickly becoming a multiple vortex tornado. Damage was extensive in the northern part of Haysville, south, and southeast of Wichita, and across McConnell Air Force Base. In Butler County, the tornadoes did F5 damage across the southern part of Andover. Large frame homes were leveled to the ground and a trailer park was “annihilated.” The funnel lifted north of El Dorado. Four people were killed in Sedgwick County, as the tornado ripped apart a housing development east of Wichita. Thirteen people were killed in the trailer park, while 200 other people survived untouched in the park’s underground shelter. The tornado destroyed 233 of 241 mobile homes. Eighty-four frame homes and 14 businesses were destroyed….

Grazulis: “KS APR 26, 1991 1730 lk O inj 500y 25m F4. COWLEY– Moved NE from 5m W of Arkansas City, passing 2m SE of Winfield and ending 3m NW of Burden. Homes were leveled south of Hackney. Near Tisdale,[9] a woman was killed when she stayed in her mobile home, even though other residents had warned her of the tornado. Property losses totaled over $5,000,000.” (Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 1310 & 1314.)

NCDC on Butler County 17:40 CST F5 Tornado: “A violent tornado moved out of Sedgwick County and slammed into the southern part of Andover. Eighty-four frame houses and fourteen businesses were destroyed or severely damaged. A 241-unit mobile home park was hit hardest and 223 mobile homes were destroyed. All 13 deaths occurred in the park. The park had a tornado shelter which 200 people utilized. The tornado reached the F5 strength just west of the mobile home park. Moving northeast where it finally weakened north of El Dorado. Another tornado formed northeast of El Dorado Lake.” (NCDC. Storm Data, 33/4, April 1991, p. 90.)

NCDC on Elk County 18:26 CST F3 Tornado: “A funnel cloud moved into Elk County and touched down 7 miles west of Howard damaging a home and some outbuildings. It moved northeast leveling a mobile home 2 miles west and 6 miles north of Howard. A woman was killed and her husband seriously injured while they were in the mobile home. The tornado continued northeast into Greenwood County.” (NCDC. Storm Data, 33/4, April 1991, p. 91.)

NCDC on Sedgwick County 16:55-16:57 CST F4 Tornado: “A tornado touched down south of Clearwater and quickly grew to F3 strength as it moved toward Haysville. Spotters indicated a multiple vortex structure with three vortices revolving around each other. It moved northeast across northern Haysville and produced major damage to homes. It crossed K-15 just south of 47^th Street in southeastern Wichita and into the Boeing Aircraft Plant damaging one building. It moved across McConnell Air Force Base runway and heavily damaged buildings on the base. It crossed a field and destroyed two apartments and several homes in the base housing complex. It severely damaged an elementary school and caused 16 injuries. The tornado moved to near Pawnee and Greenwich Road where it grew to F4 strength. Four people were killed, two children and two adults, in the housing development just northeast of that intersection. The deaths occurred when they were outside trying to reach shelter. Damage in the county was $100 million plus $62 million at McConnell Air Force Base.” (NCDC. Storm Data, 33/4, April 1991, p. 90.)

Sources

Associated Press, Andover, KS. “Tornadoes slam Midwest leaving at least 28 dead.” Leader-Times, Kittanning, PA, 4-27-1991, p. 2. Accessed 4-28-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/pennsylvania/kittanning/kittanning-leader-times/1991/04-27/page-2?tag

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

Joplin Globe, MO (compiled from AP reports). “Kansas twisters kill three.” 4-27-1991, p. B-1. Accessed 4-28-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/missouri/joplin/joplin-globe/1991/04-27/page-43?tag

KSN TV, Wichita, KS. “April 26, 1991 tornado outbreak deadly in Andover.” 3-2-2015, updated 4-25-2016. Accessed 4-28-2016 at: http://ksn.com/2015/03/02/april-26-1991-tornado-outbreak-deadly-in-andover/

National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, Vol. 33, No. 4, April 1991. Asheville, NC: NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Accessed 4-28-2016 at: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/pub-pdf/storm_1991_04.pdf

National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Tornado. Search Results for all U.S. States and Areas, 04/26/1991. Accessed 4-28-2016 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=%28C%29+Tornado&beginDate_mm=04&beginDate_dd=26&beginDate_yyyy=1991&endDate_mm=04&endDate_dd=26&endDate_yyyy=1991&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=-999%2CALL

[1] This was the Golden Spur Mobile Home Park in Andover. A news article notes that “Of the 38 residents who were not sheltered, 13 were killed.” Also notes that “…149 people heeded the warning and took shelter before the storm hit.” (KSN TV, Wichita, KS. “April 26, 1991 tornado outbreak deadly in Andover.” 3-2-2015, updated 4-25-2016.)

[2] This appears to be the death Grazulis refers to as occurring near Tisdale in Cowley County.

[3] NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 33, No. 4, April 1991, p. 90.

[4] AP, Andover, KS. “Tornadoes slam Midwest leaving at least 28 dead.” Leader-Times, Kittanning, PA, 4-27-1991. Writes “Oklahoma authorities blamed tornadoes for at least three deaths in the northeastern part of that state.”

[5] Joplin Globe, MO (compiled from AP reports). “Kansas twisters kill three.” 4-27-1991, p. B-1. Writes that the victim, Jack Barnes, “was helping clear downed limbs from another family’s roof when a branch snapped back in his face…” Cites Tonkawa Police Chief.

[6] AP, Andover, KS. “Tornadoes slam Midwest leaving at least 28 dead.” Leader-Times, Kittanning, PA, 4-27-1991.

[7] NCDC. Storm Data, 33/4, April 1991, p. 169. Notes this was the sixth OK tornado that day, going 32-miles. Also, AP, Andover, KS. “Tornadoes slam Midwest leaving at least 28 dead.” Leader-Times, Kittanning, PA, 4-27-1991.

[8] On p. 169 of Storm Data notes: “The fourth tornado occurred 1 mile south-southeast of Copan in Washington County at 2005 CST and destroyed a convenience store and bait shop, along with damage to other buildings and trees. Two women were waiting in their car for the storm to pass, when the tornado picked the car up and tossed it into a field 250 yards to the northeast. The passenger was killed and the driver was critically injured. Nine other people were also injured in Copan.” See, also, AP, Andover, KS. “Tornadoes slam Midwest leaving at least 28 dead.” Leader-Times, Kittanning, PA, 4-27-1991.

[9] Tisdale is in Cowley County. (Google maps.)