1980 Kalamazoo tornado

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][2]

1980 Kalamazoo tornado

Meteorological history
Formed	May 13, 1980 (1980-05-13), 4:09 pm EDT
F3 tornado
on the Fujita scale
Overall effects
Fatalities	5
Damage	US$50 million
Areas affected	Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States
Part of the Tornadoes of 1980

Path

The tornado left a path of destruction 11 miles (18 km) long during its approximately 16-minute duration.^[3] 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.^[4]

An hour prior to the St. Augustine Elementary School being destroyed, all 328 students were sent home early thanks to adequate warning.^[2]

See also

• List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks

References

1. "Kalamazoo 1980 Tornado". Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Genealogy and Local History. Archived from the original on February 24, 2008. Retrieved July 30, 2006.
2. "Tracing the Path: The 1980 Kalamazoo Tornado". Tracing the Path: The 1980 Kalamazoo Tornado. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
3. "TWISTER! The 1980 Tornado". Kalamazoo Public Library – Local History. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
4. "TORNADO!". Vanished Kalamazoo. Archived from the original on September 8, 2006. Retrieved July 30, 2006.

External links

• The May 13, 1980 Kalamazoo Tornado Archived May 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine 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