Stats
Path length: 5.1 miles
Width: 880 yards
Fatalities: 1
Injuries: 5
Rating: F4
County: Bowie
Tornado Path
Click Map To Enlarge
SPC coordinates: Start: 33.48 / -94.48 End: 33.50 / -94.40
Note: Exact tornado path may not be straight and/or continuous.
Summary
Ten tornadoes were recorded on March 12, 1971. Four were given a rating of F3. This summary looks at the strongest tornado of the day. It was given a rating of F4 and traveled through Bowie County, TX.
This tornado traveled to the northeast from Malta to Daniel’s Chapel. Per Storm Data, a 2.5-mile strip of homes were destroyed in Malta. Homer Edwards was in his pickup truck about 20 feet from his Malta home. The truck was spun around, and he watched his home explode. His son, Paul, was inside the home and received a severe head injury. Mr. Jessie Lee Sanford was killed when his home was hit in Daniel’s Chapel. Thomas Grazulis in Significant Tornadoes noted that “F4 damage was most evident” at this home.
Newspaper Clippings
Discrepancies:
We gathered information for this event from the SPC & NCDC Databases, the March 1971 Storm Data Publication and Thomas Grazulis in Significant Tornadoes and found the following differences:
Width:
- SPC/NCDC have the width at 880 yards (This is how we choose the event).
- Storm Data has 1/2 mile (which is 880 yards).
- Grazulis puts the width at 250 yards.
Path length:
- SPC/NCDC have a length of 5.1 miles.
- Storm Data lists 6 miles.
- Grazulis has 7 miles.
Sources:
March 1971 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 1122.
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