1980 Kalamazoo tornado explained

Kalamazoo Tornado of 1980
Formed:	, 4:09 pm EDT
Fujitascale:	F3
Casualties:	5 fatalities
Damages:	$50,000,000
Affected:	Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States

The Kalamazoo Tornado of 1980 struck downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Tuesday, May 13, 1980. The tornado, which touched down at 4:09 pm, was rated F3 on the Fujita scale. The tornado killed 5 people and injured 79. Damage was estimated at $50,000,000, which included $1,800,000 in vehicle damage.^[1]

Path

The tornado left a path of destruction 11miles long during its approximately 16-minute duration.^[2] It was notable for having struck the heart of downtown, damaging or destroying many notable buildings, parks, and landmarks. The massive F3 caused a power outage so extensive, phone companies pleaded for people to only use phones for emergencies. In total, the storm caused 5 deaths, 79 injuries, and about 1,200 people were left homeless.^[3]

An hour prior to the St. Augustine Elementary School being destroyed, all 328 students were sent home early thanks to adequate warning.^[4]

See also

• List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks

External links

• The May 13, 1980 Kalamazoo Tornado case study (Grand Rapids office of the National Weather Service)
• Kalamazoo 1980 tornado MIGenWeb – Michigan Genealogy on the Web
• 1980 Kalamazoo Tornado Special, May 13: The Tragedy, The Aftermath., YouTube channel Blake Naftel, March 1, 2023 – WKZO-TV special report from May 18, 1980
• The Kalamazoo Tornado – May 13, 1980, YouTube channel Legend813a, May 13, 2008

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kalamazoo 1980 Tornado . Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Genealogy and Local History . July 30, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20080224224212/http://www.rootsweb.com/~mikalama/tornado.htm . February 24, 2008 . dead.
2. Web site: TWISTER! The 1980 Tornado . Kalamazoo Public Library – Local History . June 9, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100527152627/http://www.kpl.gov/local-history/general/tornado.aspx. May 27, 2010 . live.
3. Web site: TORNADO! . Vanished Kalamazoo . July 30, 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060908131126/http://www.vanishedkalamazoo.com/tornado/tornado.htm . September 8, 2006 . dead .
4. Web site: Tracing the Path: The 1980 Kalamazoo Tornado . 2022-04-08 . Tracing the Path: The 1980 Kalamazoo Tornado . en-US.