| Tornado outbreak of August 28, 1884 | |
| Type: | Tornado outbreak |
| Active: | August 28, 1884 |
| Tornadoes: | ≥ 6 |
| Fujitascale: | F4 |
| Tornado Duration: | ~ 3 hours |
| Casualties: | ≥ 7 fatalities, ≥ 2 injuries |
| Affected: | Dakota Territory |
On August 28, 1884, a tornado outbreak, including a family of least five strong tornadoes, affected portions of the Dakota Territory within present-day South Dakota. Among them was one of the first known tornadoes to have been photographed, an estimated F4 on the Fujita scale, that occurred near Howard and exhibited multiple vortices. Another violent tornado also occurred near Alexandria, and three other tornadoes were also reported. A sixth tornado also occurred in present-day Davison County. In all, the tornadoes killed at least seven people and injured at least two others. Contemporary records and survivors' recollections indicate that the storms were F3 or F4 intensity on the Fujita scale,[1] but cannot currently be officially verified, as official records begin in 1950.
| Location | County / Parish | State | Time (UTC) | Path length | width | Summary | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bgcolor=# | F2 | Carthage to W of Howard | Miner | SD | 20:00–? | 20miles | This was the first of five tornadoes to form from a supercell that tracked across portions of five counties in present-day South Dakota.[2] Tornado destroyed a farmhouse and a barn, killing up to 30 cattle nearby. One person may have died. | ||
| bgcolor=# | F3 | E of Huron | Beadle, Sanborn | SD | 21:15–? | 20miles | 100yd | 1 death – Tornado destroyed six or more barns and farmhouses. One person was injured. | |
| bgcolor=# | F4 | NNW of Forestburg to W of Howard to Long Lake | Sanborn, Miner, Hanson | SD | 22:00–? | 30miles | 400yd | 1 death – This was one of the first tornadoes of which there is a photograph.[3] The photographer was F. N. Robinson, who observed the tornado from a street in the town of Howard, about 3km (02miles) east of the storm track. Tornado obliterated a home near Forestburg and killed at least 30 cattle. One person was injured. Two or more tornadoes may have been involved. | |
| bgcolor=# | F4 | Alexandria to S of Bridgewater | Hanson, Hutchinson | SD | 22:30–? | 25miles | 600yd | 4 deaths – Tornado demolished one farm, located south of Bridgewater. All fatalities occurred there. One person was found NaNmiles away. | |
| bgcolor=# | F2 | W of Sioux Falls | Minnehaha | SD | 23:30–? | 5miles | 80yd | 1 death – Tornado affected three farmsteads, one of which it destroyed, along with barns on the other farmsteads. | |
| bgcolor=# | FU | Mitchell | Davison | SD | Tornado reported. |