| Bulahdelah Tornado | |
| Formed: | 1 January 1970 |
| Highest Winds: | >260 mph |
| Total Fatalities: | None |
| Affected: | Bulahdelah, Australia |
| Enhanced: | no |
The Bulahdelah Tornado was an intense tornado which occurred near the town of Bulahdelah (100km (100miles) north-northeast of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia on 1 January 1970, and is thought to be the most destructive tornado ever documented in Australia,[1] however, no official rating has been made public.[2] [3]
The tornado left a damage path 22km (14miles) long and 1.6km (01miles) wide through the Bulahdelah State Forest.[1] It is estimated that the tornado destroyed over one million trees.[1] A caravan was destroyed and a 2-tonne (2,000 kg) tractor was lifted into the air, landing upside down. From damage analysis, the storm was believed to be an F4 and possibly an F5 in strength. The tornado was reported by witnesses as a swirling black cloud surrounded by flying debris, and producing a thunderous roaring sound.[4] The weather system that produced the tornado was a classic set-up for violent tornadoes, something somewhat rarely seen outside of the United States, Canada, Argentina, Bangladesh, and adjacent areas of India.