A destructive tornado hit parts of El Dorado, KS in Butler County on this day in 1958. It was given a rating of F4 but Thomas Grazulis in Significant Tornadoes notes the tornado could have received an F5 rating but it was hard to determine with the available photos and descriptions.
The tornado began 7 miles WNW of El Dorado and moved ESE passing through the SW part of town. Grazulis notes that a 45-block area was “torn apart”. Approximately 200 homes were destroyed. Only 5 injuries listed in the SPC database. The Climatological Data National Summary (CDNS) and Grazulis both list 50 injuries which is probably more correct.
A couple of odd occurrences listed in the CDNS summary:
- Eight $100 bills were found intact in an envelope far from owner’s home in El Dorado.
- A boy found with a dozen splintered sticks protruding from his chest.
- A woman was sucked through window and blown 60 feet from house and beside her was found a broken record, entitled “Stormy Weather”.
A few more listed below in the full CDNS entry.