Enigma Tornado Outbreak of February 19, 1884

Enigma Outbreak - February 19, 1884

Perhaps one of the "generational outbreaks" in United States history, the true extent of the tornado outbreak of February 19-20, 1884, is a mystery. Owing to sparce populations and damage reports across the South, the true number of tornadoes and the final death toll are unknown. Thus, this event has been dubbed the "Enigma Outbreak."

Amid an outbreak spanning from Mississippi to North Carolina over the course of several hours, at least seven significant tornadoes struck parts of Central and North Alabama.

These tornadoes affected at least eight separate counties across the state from around midday until late evening, resulting in at least 39 fatalities and 116 injuries.

Location/County

Damage Rating

Fatalities/Injuries

Damage Path Length/Width

Starting Point/Time

Ending Point/Time

Pickens Tornado

*Began in Lowndes County, MS

F-2

0/0

(1 fatality/20 injuries in MS)

14 miles/ 300 yards

(25 miles/ 300 yards)

3.6 SW Macedonia

11:30 am

11 NNW Reform

Pickens Tornado

Unknown

Unknown

N/A

12:00 pm

Unknown

Coosa Tornado

F-2

0/15

22 miles/ Unknown

3 S Rockford

12:30 pm

E Goodwater

Jefferson-St. Clair Tornado

F-4

13/31

35 miles/ 400 Yards

5 WSW Hoover

1:20 pm

2.9 SE Branchville

Talladega-Calhoun Tornado

F-2

0/15

5 miles/ 200 yards

N Lincoln

1:45 pm

NE Lincoln

Calhoun-Cherokee Tornado

*Continued into Floyd County, GA

F-4

26/70 (30 fatalities/100 injuries in total)

35 miles/ 400 yards

N Jacksonville

2:30 pm

13 E Centre

Marshall Tornado

Unknown

Unknown

N/A

9:00 pm

Unknown

Tornado Summaries

Note: These are the only recorded tornadoes from the outbreak, which is undoubtedly only a partial record.

Pickens County - F2 Tornado

The first tornado of the outbreak in Alabama began in Lowndes County, Mississippi. It entered Pickens County around 3.6 miles southwest of Macedonia at approximately 11:30 am. After moving northeast across the county, the tornado dissipated 11 miles north-northwest of Reform. Damage included tenant homes being blown away on several plantations. The total path length of the tornado was 25 miles from Lowndes County to Pickens County. The path in Pickens County alone was 14 miles, and the maximum width was 300 yards. Although no known casualties occurred in Pickens, one person was killed and 20 others were injured in Lowndes.

Pickens County - F? Tornado

This tornado began around 12:00 pm and tracked northeast. No damage information is available. Data was taken from the Monthly Weather Review October 1925 - Tornadoes in Alabama.

Coosa County - F2 Tornado

A tornado struck parts of Coosa County beginning around 12:30 pm. Starting approximately three miles south of Rockford, the tornado tracked 22 miles northeastward to just east of Goodwater, near the Tallapoosa County line. Homes and schools were destroyed along the path, with 15 people being injured.

Jefferson-St. Clair Counties - F4 Tornado

This violent, deadly tornado tracked northeast from five miles west-southwest of Hoover, striking Oxmoor and Leeds before passing into St. Clair County and dissipating about three miles southeast of Branchville. Nine homes were destroyed and 15 people were injured in the Oxmoor community near Brock's Gap. In Leeds, 27 larger homes were leveled and 13 people were killed. In total, 13 people were killed and 31 more were injured along a 35-mile path that was up to 400 yards wide.

Talladega-Calhoun Counties - F2 Tornado

This tornado began around 1:45 pm, moving along a 5-mile path that was 200 yards wide. Several homes were destroyed north and northeast of Lincoln. The tornado was described as having a "balloon shape." At least 15 people were injured.

Calhoun-Cherokee Counties - F4 Tornado

A long-tracked, violent tornado devastated six communities in eastern Alabama. The tornado began about 2:30 pm north of Jacksonville, moving across Calhoun and Cherokee counties before ending in Floyd County, Georgia. The total path length was 35 miles, most of which was in Alabama. The path width was 400 yards. At least 30 people were killed and over 100 others were injured. After moving through the Germania tanning yard, the tornado passed just north of Cross Plains (present-day Piedmont), where ten people were killed. Another 14 people were killed in Goshen. Other areas that were struck included Grantville, Ladiga, Adelia, Amberson, and Rock Run. A schoolhouse in Goshen was destroyed, resulting in the death of the schoolmaster and leaving all 25 students injured. Some homes in the area "literally vanished" and bales of cotton were reportedly thrown a half mile.

Near Cave Spring, Georgia, four additional deaths occurred, which were in larger homes; several of these homes were swept away completely.

The area near Piedmont and Goshen was also struck by an F4 tornado on March 27, 1994, and by an EF4 tornado on April 27, 2011.

Marshall County - F? Tornado

This tornado struck Marshall County around 9:00 pm. No damage information is available. Data was taken from the Monthly Weather Review October 1925 - Tornadoes in Alabama.

Newspaper Publications

The following is a collection of newspaper articles published in the days following the outbreak:

Montgomery Advertiser, February 21

Anniston Hot Blast, February 23

Jacksonville Republican, February 23

Selma Times, February 20	Shelby Chronicle, February 21
Eufaula Times & News, February 26	Weekly Advertiser, February 26