Hurricane Hilda tornado outbreak
Series of tornadoes associated with Hurricane Hilda in October 1964
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On October 3–4, 1964, Hurricane Hilda and its remnants generated a tornado outbreak over portions of the Southeastern United States. The outbreak, which yielded at least 12 confirmed tornadoes, killed 22 people and injured 175 others. Most of the casualties occurred as a result of the 1964 Larose tornado that devastated the northern outskirts of Larose, Louisiana, becoming the deadliest hurricane-generated tornado on record since 1900 and one of only two violent tornadoes (F4+) recorded in the southern Gulf Coast region of Louisiana. The tornado was also one of only two F4s known to have been produced by a tropical cyclone, the other having occurred during Hurricane Carla on September 12, 1961.[2][3][4][nb 2][nb 3][nb 4]
Map plotting the track and intensity of the storm, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | October 3, 1964 |
| Dissipated | October 4, 1964 |
| Tornado outbreak | |
| Tornadoes | 12 |
Max. rating | F4 tornado |
| Duration | 1 day, 11 hours, 30 minutes |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 22 |
| Injuries | 175 |
| Damage | $8.1 million (1964 USD)[1][nb 1] $84.2 million (2025 USD) |
| Areas affected | Southeastern United States |
Part of the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1964 | |
Background
At 23:00 UTC on October 3, 1964, Hurricane Hilda made landfall at 29.5°N 91.5°W, near Calumet, Louisiana, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (169 km/h) and an estimated atmospheric pressure of 959 mb (28.3 inHg).[14] Although Hilda extensively damaged portions of Louisiana, most of its severest impacts, including the vast majority of fatalities, were related to hurricane-spawned tornadoes, along with inland flooding.[15][16]
Outbreak statistics
| Region | Locale | County | Deaths | Injuries | Damages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Alabama | Barbour | 0 | 3 | $2,500 | [1][17] |
| Butler | 0 | 0 | $25,000 | [1] | ||
| Conecuh | 0 | 0 | $2,500 | [1] | ||
| Louisiana | Assumption | 0 | 0 | $25,000 | [1] | |
| Jefferson | 0 | 3 | $2,500,000 | [1] | ||
| Lafourche | 22 | 165 | $2,527,500 | [1] | ||
| Orleans | 0 | 2 | $25,000 | [1] | ||
| St. Tammany | 0 | 0 | $2,500 | [1] | ||
| North Carolina | Unknown | 0 | 2 | $500,000 | [1][18] | |
| Total | 22 | 175 | $8,107,000 | [1] | ||
Confirmed tornadoes
| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
October 3 event
| F# | Location | County / Parish | State | Start coord. |
Time (UTC) | Path length | Max. width | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Golden Meadow | Lafourche | LA | 29.37°N 90.23°W | 11:45–? | 0.5 miles (0.80 km) | 33 yards (30 m) | A brief tornado downed utility wires and damaged several structures. Losses totaled $2,500.[20][21] |
| F1 | Galliano | Lafourche | LA | 29.43°N 90.28°W | 12:00–? | 0.5 miles (0.80 km) | 33 yards (30 m) | A short-lived tornado affected up to 10 homes and a funeral parlor. Several of the homes shifted on their CBS foundations or were overturned. Some boats were sunk and power lines downed as well. Losses totaled $25,000. Some minor injuries may have occurred.[22][21] |
| F4 | Northern Larose | Lafourche | LA | 29.60°N 90.37°W | 12:30–? | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) | 67 yards (61 m) | See article on this tornado – 22 deaths |
| F2 | New Orleans to Kenner | Orleans, Jefferson | LA | 29.93°N 90.22°W | 15:00–15:20 | 14.2 miles (22.9 km) | 83 yards (76 m) | This possible tornado family initially damaged automobiles and structures in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It then skipped to the intersection of the Veterans Highway and the Causeway, damaging gasoline stations and nearby buildings. Several vehicles, including a truck, were overturned or thrown into the air. Broken glass injured three people in Jefferson Parish and losses there totaled $21⁄2 million. Two other injuries and an additional $21⁄2 in losses occurred in Orleans Parish. At Kenner the tornado badly damaged 17 homes, several of which were unroofed. The NCEI indicates that the tornado developed north-northwest of Waggaman and ended near Seabrook.[23][24][21][25] |
| F2 | Oakley to Attakapas Canal | Assumption | LA | 29.92°N 91.10°W | 17:10–17:15 | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) | 100 yards (91 m) | This tornado tracked generally westward. It passed near Napoleonville, felling several trees. Homes and other structures shifted on their foundations or were unroofed. Losses totaled $25,000.[26][21][25] |
| F2 | White Sand to W of West Poplarville | Pearl River | MS | 30.80°N 89.65°W | 21:20–? | 3.3 miles (5.3 km) | 33 yards (30 m) | This strong tornado destroyed a pumphouse, a pair of barns, and a small house. Losses were unknown.[27][21][25] |
October 4 event
| F# | Location | County / Parish | State | Start coord. |
Time (UTC) | Path length | Max. width | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F2 | WNW of Lewisburg | St. Tammany | LA | 30.38°N 90.13°W | 09:25–? | 1 mile (1.6 km) | 183 yards (167 m) | This tornado destroyed or damaged six lightweight homes. Debris was strewn over a 5-mile (8.0 km) area. Losses totaled $25,000.[28][17][25] |
| F1 | N of Flat Rock | Conecuh | AL | 31.50°N 86.83°W | 15:15–? | 0.1 miles (0.16 km) | 33 yards (30 m) | A tornado damaged several outbuildings and a few houses. Losses totaled $2,500.[29][17] |
| F1 | Northwestern Georgiana | Butler | AL | 31.63°N 86.77°W | 16:20–? | 3.3 miles (5.3 km) | 100 yards (91 m) | A tornado unroofed, destroyed, or otherwise damaged 19 houses, many barns, and a fertilizer plant. Numerous trees were downed as well. Losses totaled $25,000. Tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F2.[30][17][25] |
| F2 | NW of Williamston to SE of Alligator | Martin, Washington, Tyrrell | NC | 35.87°N 77.07°W | 20:30–21:30 | 54.1 miles (87.1 km) | 50 yards (46 m) | A possible tornado family severely damaged or destroyed outbuildings and five homes. It also moved heavy machinery for an unknown distance. Losses totaled $250,000. The publication Storm Data lists one injury.[31][18][25] |
| F2 | Western Eufaula | Barbour | AL | 31.80°N 85.20°W | 21:00–? | 0.1 miles (0.16 km) | 33 yards (30 m) | A tornado affected buildings along Pump Station Road in Eufaula. It destroyed or damaged two houses, a factory, and a hospital. Three people were injured and losses totaled $2,500.[32][17] |
| F2 | NE of Cedar Grove to N of Penderlea | Columbus, Bladen, Pender | NC | 34.30°N 78.90°W | 23:15–01:00 | 54.6 miles (87.9 km) | 50 yards (46 m) | This possible tornado family destroyed or damaged a trailer home, tobacco barns, various outbuildings, a few warehouses, and five homes. Losses totaled $250,000. The publication Storm Data lists one injury.[33][18] |
Notable tornadoes
Northern Larose
 An aerial photo showing destroyed homes in Larose. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | October 3, 1964, 6:30 a.m., CST |
| F4 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 22 and 165 injuries |
| [34] | |
The 1964 Larose tornado was a powerful tornado that formed and dissipated on Larose, Louisiana. The strongest tornado from Hurricane Hilda, it touched down of October 3, 1964, on 6:30 a.m., CST. It was designated as an F4 tornado on the Fujita scale, before dissipating just right after. The tornado killed 22 people, with 165 injuries. Damage totaled to $2.5 million (1964 USD). The tornado was featured in the Life Magazine and caused the construction of a chapel.
See also
Notes
- An outbreak is generally defined as a group of at least six tornadoes (the number sometimes varies slightly according to local climatology) with no more than a six-hour gap between individual tornadoes. An outbreak sequence, prior to (after) the start of modern records in 1950, is defined as a period of no more than two (one) consecutive days without at least one significant (F2 or stronger) tornado.[5]
- The Fujita scale was devised under the aegis of scientist T. Theodore Fujita in the early 1970s. Prior to the advent of the scale in 1971, tornadoes in the United States were officially unrated.[6][7] While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,[8] Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013;[9] nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.[10]
- Historically, the number of tornadoes globally and in the United States was and is likely underrepresented: research by Grazulis on annual tornado activity suggests that, as of 2001, only 53% of yearly U.S. tornadoes were officially recorded. Documentation of tornadoes outside the United States was historically less exhaustive, owing to the lack of monitors in many nations and, in some cases, to internal political controls on public information.[11] Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.[12] Significant low biases in U.S. tornado counts likely occurred through the early 1990s, when advanced NEXRAD was first installed and the National Weather Service began comprehensively verifying tornado occurrences.[13]
- All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time and dates are split at midnight CST/CDT for consistency.