Weather History Archive

Weather History - May 24th

Local and Regional Events:

May 24, 1960:

A tornado touched down about 7 miles northwest of Roscoe and destroyed a small shed near a country schoolhouse. Funnel clouds were also observed in Hosmer area, near Eureka, and 30 miles west of Aberdeen. An unofficial report of 4 inches of rain fell at Hosmer.

May 24, 2008:

A supercell thunderstorm produced seven tornadoes in Dewey County.  Since these tornadoes remained in the open country, all were rated EF0.

U.S.A and Global Events for May 24th:

1896: An estimated F4 tornado passed ten miles north of Des Moines, Iowa during the late evening. As many as seven members of one family, the at the north edge of Valeria, Iowa, died as they ran to the storm cellar. Five others died in a nearby home. A steel railroad rail was reportedly driven 15 feet into the ground. The death toll was at least 21.

1973: An F4 tornado tore through the small town of Union City, Oklahoma, killing two and injuring four others. This tornado was the first storm to be studied in detail by the National Severe Storms Laboratory Doppler Radar Unit at Norman, OK and an armada of researchers in the field. Research of the radar data from the storm would lead to the discovery of a "TVS," or Tornado Vortex Signature. The presence of a TVS on Doppler radar data is a very strong indication of tornadic potential in a severe thunderstorm. Click HERE for a video of the Union City tornado. Click HERE for more information from NSSL.

2002: The last measurable snow of the season fell in Marquette, Michigan. This snowfall brought the city's seasonal snowfall to 319.8 inches, by far the city's snowiest winter ever. 

Click HERE for more This Day in Weather History from the Southeast Regional Climate Center.