97 years ago
Today around 1pm EST, 97 years ago, the most extreme tornado ever touched down in Missouri and wouldn't stop until it reached just north of Evansville, Indiana.
I've been working on a book about the event and compiled some new notes to mark the occasion today : https://justinharter.com/the-great-american-tornado-struck-97-years-ago-today/
The whole thing is just fascinating to me and the stories I keep finding are nothing short of astonishing.
I learned the other day a farmer in Southern Illinois walked out to his field after the storm and found sheets of ice everywhere. I say "sheets" and not "hail" because he described it as "sheets about 6-8 inches long, a quarter to a half inch thick, and driven about 8 inches into the ground." Almost like sheets of glass stabbing everything from the sky.
You can find more on this here and here.
Justin
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