| Brighton tornado | |
| Formed: | 2 February 1918 5:45 pm |
| Active: | 30 minutes |
| Dissipated: | 2 February 1918 6:15 pm |
| Fujitascale: | F3 |
| Highest Winds: | 198mph |
| Total Fatalities: | 2 fatalities |
| Damages: | A£100,000–150,000[1] |
The Brighton tornado is the strongest storm recorded in Melbourne to date.
On the afternoon of 2 February 1918, with prevailing north-westerly winds and a heat wave (typical conditions for Melbourne thunderstorms).[2] After a severe storm formed and moved off Port Phillip, two tornadoes struck Brighton beach simultaneously at approximately 5:45 pm and proceeded inland, converging near the junction of Halifax and Church Streets. Five minutes later, a third tornado struck. The tornadoes then tracked east over open fields.
Damage retrospectively rated F3 on the Fujita scale was observed in places. Two people were killed,[3] a man and a boy, while the drowning of a woman at St Kilda beach is believed to be related to the same storm cell.[4] Over 6 were injured in the Brighton area.[1]
The tornado completely destroyed the Hawthorn Road Methodist church, which was later rebuilt.[4] Numerous homes were demolished.[4] The tornado badly damaged the Brighton Baths, tore the roof off Royal Terminus Hotel and destroyed the verandah of Grimley's Hotel.[4] Extensive damage was incurred to infrastructure on the Sandringham railway line.[4] Several community and sporting facilities were destroyed including the cricket club grandstand and a bandstand.[4] It also damaged the burial monument of Adam Lindsay Gordon in the Brighton general cemetery.[1]