1959 Palmas tornado
During the evening of August 14 1959, a powerful tornado struck the municipalities of Palmas and União da Vitória, killing thirty-five people and injuring more than 300 others, causing devastating widespread damage. Initially was left unrated, until a newer study in 2026 reassessed this tornado outbreak, and rated this event as F5.[1][2][3]
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| File:Tornado de Palmas.webp One of the worst damages caused by the tornado. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Duration | ~25 minutes |
| Date | 14 August 1959 |
| Formed | ~6:30 (UTC-3) |
| Dissipated | ~6:55 (UTC-3) |
| F5 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | ~420 km/h (260 mph) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 35 |
| Injuries | >300 |
| Areas affected | Palmas & União da Vitória |
| Script error: The function "split" does not exist. IBTrACS | |
Part of the Tornadoes of 1959 | |
Meteorological synopsis
According to the study, this tornado formed from an tornado outbreak likely caused by extremely favorable atmospheric conditions, characterized by a simultaneous actuation of an intense extratropical cyclone at the surface, associated with a cold front and a deep trough in medium to high levels on the troposphere. This setup promoted strong divergence in altitude and continuous rise of hot and humid air present in low levels, creating favorable conditions to a persistent formation of severe thunderstorms throughout several consecutive days.[1]
The high scale scenery was possibly linked to a influence of an active El Niño episode during the 1959 winter, which possibly contributed to the strengthening and positioning of the subtropical jet stream on Southern Brazil. This atmospheric pattern favors the increase of wind shear and frequent passage of intensified frontal systems, keeping the atmosphere in a almost permanent state of dynamic instability. As a result, the cold air masses associated to a cold front started to interact continuously with the hot humid air transported from the interior of the continent.
A fundamental element identified in the setup was a actuation of a intense low-level jet, responsable for the continuous transport of humidity originating from the Amazon and the Chaco region in direction of the frontal system. This flow sustained high levels of humidity and provided constant energy to the developing thunderstorms. However, estimates indicate moderate levels of thermodynamic instability, the ambient presented extremely elevated vertical wind shear, setting up a high shear scenery, low CAPE (HSLC), frequently associated to winter tornadic outbreaks in medium latitudes.[1]
Impact
Other tornadoes
| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
Not counting the Palmas tornado, other four tornadoes were observed on Santa Catarina, Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul from the August 12–14 event.
| F# | Location | Start coord. | Time (UTC-3) | Path length | Max width | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F4 | Veranópolis, Rio Grande do Sul | Unknown | ~9:00 | Unknown | Unknown | ||
| 11 deaths – A violent tornado struck Veranópolis, uprooting trees and destroying wooden houses completely, people were also thrown by the tornado, one of them was thrown over 100 metres (>109 yd) into the air, falling dead into a river. This tornado was previously unrated, but a newer study rated it mid-end F4.[4][5][6] | |||||||
| F4 | Canoinhas, Santa Catarina | Unknown | ~10:00 | Unknown | Unknown | ||
| 18 deaths and >40 injuries – Another violent tornado formed, striking Rio dos Pardos in Canoinhas, wooden houses were completely destroyed, crops and farms were devastated, and an ironwork was twisted. This tornado was also reassessed by the study, being rated high-end F4.[4][7][8] | |||||||
| F2 | Lages, Santa Catarina | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | ||
| ~15 deaths and >100 fatalities – A significant tornado struck Lages, uprooting several trees, destroyed approximately 550 homes, three cedar trees were swept away. A brickworks and a sports hall were leveled, a factory and an amusement park were also partially destroyed. This tornado was also reassessed and was rated high-end F2.[4][9] | |||||||
| F3 | Lapa, Paraná | Unknown | ~9:00 | Unknown | Unknown | ||
| 2 injuries – A final strong tornado struck Lapa, were the town's church and cemetery suffered severe damage, with houses completely destroyed, and a schoolhouse being ripped from its foundation. Also reassessed and rated F3.[4][10][11] | |||||||
See also
- Tornadoes of 1959
- 2025 Rio Bonito do Iguaçu tornado
- List of South American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
Notes
- ↑ The outbreak of August 12–14, 1959, in southern Brazil was the deadliest in South America and the Southern Hemisphere.
- ↑ All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time for consistency.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Avaliação histórica do surto de tornados de 1959". Google Docs (in português). Retrieved 2026-03-10.
- ↑ Pereira, Niomar (2014-07-18). "O dia em que Palmas ficou de luto". Gazeta do Povo (in português). Retrieved 2025-05-23.
- ↑ Pereira, Niomar (2015-07-20). "Tornados já fizeram muitas vítimas no Sudoeste". Jornal de Beltrão (in português). Retrieved 2025-06-06.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Avaliação histórica do surto de tornados de 1959". Google Docs (in português). Retrieved 2026-03-10.
- ↑ "Há 65 anos Veranópolis era devastada por furacão; veja o depoimento de um sobrevivente – O Estafeta". O Estafeta (in português). 2024-08-19. Retrieved 2025-05-23.
- ↑
"Atingido Também Rio Grande do Sul pelo Tufão: 11 mortos em Veranópolis". Folha (in português). 1959-08-16. Retrieved 2025-08-19.
Requires signature.
- ↑ "Dossiê sobre tornados no Sul do Brasil entre 13 e 14 de agosto de 2023". Câmara.leg.br (in português). 1959-08-29. Retrieved 2025-07-26.
- ↑ "Em 13 de agosto de 1959 um tufão destruía a localidade de Rio dos Pardos, interior de Canoinhas". Canoinhas online (in português). 2017-08-13. Retrieved 2025-07-26.
- ↑ "Mais de 500 desabrigados em Lages". Diário do Paraná (in português). 1959-08-15. Retrieved 2025-08-19.
- ↑ "Granizo anunciou chegada de tufão na Lapa:Uma hora depois de atingir Palmas". Diário do Paraná (in português). 1959-08-15. Retrieved 2025-08-19.
- ↑ "Pinheiro Abraçou colchão do Paroco de Agua Azul". Diário do Paraná (in português). 1959-08-15. Retrieved 2025-08-19.
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