1972 Portland-Vancouver Tornado
Encyclopedia
The 1972 Portland–Vancouver Tornado was a destructive tornado
that struck on April 5, 1972. The tornado carved a nine mile (14 km) path of destruction across Oregon
and Washington. The tornado left 6 people dead, 301 injured and $3–5 million dollars (1972 USD) in damage. The tornado was considered the worst to hit the state of Washington and Oregon since 1871 and was the deadliest tornado in 1972. It is the deadliest recorded tornado in West Coast history.
and was tracked by the National Weather Service
. The strongest thunderstorm
was tracked near the town of Tigard
. The tornado formed from this thunderstorm and touched down near the edge of the Columbia River
. The tornado moved 1½ miles before crossing the Oregon/Washington border. The tornado was difficult to observe because of the fog and the mud and flying debris drawn up by the tornado. After making landfall on the Washington side of the Columbia River
, the tornado continued its 9 miles (14.5 km) journey before dissipating.
, the tornado damaged four boat moorings and 50 small boats. Damage in Oregon
from the tornado totaled up to $250,000 dollars (1972 USD
).
In east Vancouver, the tornado struck at 12:51 p.m. (PST), where it destroyed a grocery store and leveled Peter S. Ogden Elementary School injuring 70 students. Nearby, the storm demolished a bowling alley and damaged 100 homes. Overall, the tornado killed six people and left 3-5 million dollars (1972 USD) damage in Washington.
, the thunderstorm that spawned the tornado tore the roof off a warehouse and damaged five parked cars. A pressure jump of 0.12 inches (3 mm) was recorded by the National Weather Service
. The Portland, Oregon
National Weather Service office, approximately one mile east of the tornado touchdown, recorded winds gusting up to 63 mi/h. Another weather station reported sustained winds of 80 mi/h.
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
that struck on April 5, 1972. The tornado carved a nine mile (14 km) path of destruction across Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and Washington. The tornado left 6 people dead, 301 injured and $3–5 million dollars (1972 USD) in damage. The tornado was considered the worst to hit the state of Washington and Oregon since 1871 and was the deadliest tornado in 1972. It is the deadliest recorded tornado in West Coast history.
Storm history
A very turbulent squall line of thunderstorms moved northeast across Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and was tracked by the National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
. The strongest thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
was tracked near the town of Tigard
Tigard, Oregon
Tigard is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. The population was 48,035 at the 2010 census. As of 2007, Tigard was the state's 12th largest city. Incorporated in 1961, the city is located south of Beaverton and north of Tualatin, and is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
. The tornado formed from this thunderstorm and touched down near the edge of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
. The tornado moved 1½ miles before crossing the Oregon/Washington border. The tornado was difficult to observe because of the fog and the mud and flying debris drawn up by the tornado. After making landfall on the Washington side of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, the tornado continued its 9 miles (14.5 km) journey before dissipating.
Impact
In OregonOregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, the tornado damaged four boat moorings and 50 small boats. Damage in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
from the tornado totaled up to $250,000 dollars (1972 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
).
In east Vancouver, the tornado struck at 12:51 p.m. (PST), where it destroyed a grocery store and leveled Peter S. Ogden Elementary School injuring 70 students. Nearby, the storm demolished a bowling alley and damaged 100 homes. Overall, the tornado killed six people and left 3-5 million dollars (1972 USD) damage in Washington.
Non-tornadic events
High winds brought by the thunderstorms caused minimal tree damage. In TigardTigard, Oregon
Tigard is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. The population was 48,035 at the 2010 census. As of 2007, Tigard was the state's 12th largest city. Incorporated in 1961, the city is located south of Beaverton and north of Tualatin, and is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, the thunderstorm that spawned the tornado tore the roof off a warehouse and damaged five parked cars. A pressure jump of 0.12 inches (3 mm) was recorded by the National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
. The Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
National Weather Service office, approximately one mile east of the tornado touchdown, recorded winds gusting up to 63 mi/h. Another weather station reported sustained winds of 80 mi/h.