1966 Belmond tornado
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On the evening of October 14, 1966, a devastating F5 tornado struck Belmond, lowa, during the town's high school homecoming parade. Over 100 homes were completely or heavily destroyed, along with 27 farmsteads that were also damaged.[1]. It killed 6 people and injured over 170[2][3]. The tornado was officially rated an F5 with estimated winds exceeding 260 mph, though some experts, such as Thomas Grazulis, have suggested a rating of F4 due to construction quality issues in the leveled homes[4].
Meteorological synopsis
On October 13, a large low-pressure system moved across northern Kansas and into Nebraska and Iowa[5]. In Iowa and Missouri, unseasonably high humidity and temperatures in the 80s created a volatile atmosphere. This moisture, fueled by powerful wind shear, provided the perfect ingredients for a wave of destructive thunderstorms to sweep across the region[6]. At approximately 2;30 p.m. CST, a tornado touched down north of Clarion, Iowa. After crossing interstate 69, it hit the western side of town causing severe damage to approximately 109 homes and 75 businesses, leaving a large section of the town in ruins and causing additional damage to over 460 other structures. The storm resulted in 6 fatalities and 172 injuries, with five of the deceased being elderly residents and one victim killed while inside a cement mixer truck. Beyond the town, the tornado leveled many of the 27 farmsteads along its roughly 12-mile path, causing heavy livestock losses and flattening acres of corn[7]. While the F5 rating remains the official record, some modern researchers, such as Thomas Grazulis, have argued for a lower rating of F4 based on the specific structural damage observed[4]. The tornado lifted five miles northeast of Belmond just west of the town of Meservey. The F5 rating of this tornado has been disputed by modern experts[8].
Aftermath
The tornado left a 12 mile long path destroying much of what was in the path. The storm resulted in six fatalities and 172 injuries, with approximately 109 homes destroyed and an additional 468 damaged. The town’s commercial sector was particularly hard-hit; 75 of its 112 businesses were either demolished or severely compromised. In rural areas between Clarion and Belmond, the tornado struck 27 farmsteads, causing heavy losses in livestock and flattening corn crops. research and rescue services were deployed immediately[10].
see also
video of the damage after the tornado.
References
- ↑ Nelson, Chris C. (2025-10-16). twister---Belmond-s/article_6089f388-5e87-43f7-a722-291cdec8aac8.html "The science and stories behind Iowa's worst late-season twister - Belmond's 1966 F5 tornado" Check
|url=value (help). belmondnews.com. Retrieved 2025-12-26. - ↑ "Belmond, IA F5 Tornado – October 14, 1966 – Tornado Talk". 2019-10-14. Retrieved 2025-12-26.
- ↑ "EF5 tornado on Oct. 14, 1966".
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Grazulis, Thomas (September 1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.CS1 maint: Date and year (link) Search this book on
- ↑ Meyer, Joseph (2023-10-13). "October 14, 1966 | The Belmond Iowa Homecoming Tornado". KMTV 3 News Now Omaha. Retrieved 2025-12-26.
- ↑ Schnackenberg, Mark (2024-10-14). "This Day in Weather History: October 14-15, 1966". KWWL. Retrieved 2025-12-26.
- ↑ Trautmann, Mike. "Iowa's deadliest tornadoes". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2025-12-26.
- ↑ says, Carlos (2013-02-15). "F5 Tornadoes: The Chronology – Part II". Eric's Weather Library. Retrieved 2025-12-26.
- ↑ "Belmond Historical Society". Belmond Historical Society. 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2025-12-26.
- ↑ Nelson, Chris C. (2025-10-16). twister---Belmond-s/article_6089f388-5e87-43f7-a722-291cdec8aac8.html "The science and stories behind Iowa's worst late-season twister - Belmond's 1966 F5 tornado" Check
|url=value (help). belmondnews.com. Retrieved 2025-12-26.
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| Location | Belmond, Iowa |
|---|---|
| Meteorological history | |
| as F5 on the Fujita scale | |
| Duration | 25 minutes |
| Date | October 14, 1966 |
| Formed | October 14, 1966, 2;30 p.m. CST. (7;30 UCT) |
| Dissipated | October 14, 1966, 2;55 p.m. CST. (7;55 UCT) |
