SPC Stats
Path length: 0.8 miles
Width: 100 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0
Rating: F2
County: Marlboro
There was one tornado confirmed on December 4, 1955. It quickly hit near Brownsville, SC (Marlboro County) around dusk. The Climatological Data National Summary Entry has a path length of 1.5 miles. The official rating in the Storm Prediction Center Database is F2. Thomas Grazulis in Significant Tornadoes believes the damage was closer to F3 strength.
Two homes were destroyed and several barns and sheds were severely damaged. Per Grazulis, residents of the destroyed homes were at church when the tornado hit. Much of the debris from the homes was scattered for about two miles. A car was moved 50 yards. A newspaper article from the Florence Morning News on December 5, 1955 states most of the damage was on the farm of Tom O’Neal. He had a total of 10 damaged buildings.
Tornado Path
SPC coordinates (only one point since path is short): Start: 34.38 / -79.6
Corrected Coordinates based on damage reports:
Start: 34.385871/-79.599186 End: 34.399827/-79.578581
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 December 1955 Climatological Data National Summary (CDNS) and Thomas Grazulis in Significant Tornadoes and found the following differences:
Path Length:
- SPC/NCDC have a 0.8 mile path length.
- CDNS and Grazulis have a 1.5 mile path.
Start Time:
- SPC/NCDC have a start time of 16:30 CST.
- CDNS and Grazulis have a start time of 16:45 CST.
Rating:
- SPC/NCDC have list an F2 rating.
- Grazulis has an F3 rating.
Sources:
December 1953 Climatological Data National Summary
Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VT: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. Page 991.
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