SPC Stats
Path length: 15.9 miles
Width: 300 yards
Fatalities: 2
Injuries: 34
Rating: F3
County: Kossuth
38 tornadoes are found in the SPC Database for June 28, 1979. It is an F3 that barreled through the town of Algona, IA that is the topic of this summary. It was photographed by John Cullen, a staff photographer for the Algona Upper Des Moines and the Kossuth County Advance Newspapers.
Per the Storm Data entry, there was damage to numerous farms and nearby crops before hitting Algona. In the town, 104 homes and 20 businesses were destroyed. 349 homes were damaged. 2 women were killed in their homes. Per Thomas Grazulis, there was near-F4 damage to about 30 homes.
Tornado Path
Click Map To Enlarge
SPC coordinates: Start: 43.25 / -94.25 End: 43.02 / -94.22
Note: Exact tornado path may not be straight and/or continuous.
Newspaper Clippings
Discrepancies:
We gathered information for this event from the SPC & NCDC Databases, the June 1979 Storm Data Publication and Thomas Grazulis in Significant Tornadoes and found the following differences:
Path Length:
- SPC/NCDC have a path length of 15.9 miles.
- Storm Data and Grazulis list the path at 20 miles.
Start time:
- Small difference here.
- SPC/NCDC have 1740 CT.
- Grazulis/Storm Data have 1738 CT.
Sources:
June 1979 Storm Data Publication
Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VT: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. Page 1214.
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