Wintertime tornadoes have been a factor in our area even since before 2000. Event #18 shows us a prime example of the most violent tornado to occur in our area in the month of January.

The setup features a low-pressure system moving from near Springfield Missouri to Springfield Illinois. Another common track for tornado events in our area. Dewpoints above 60+F (which is very humid for January) are moving into the Jackson Purchase area of Western Kentucky ahead of this system, along with being the right quadrant of the best mid to low level jet.

This setup allows for storms (again since this is a pre-1970 event) the storm mode is unknown, but storms could have been discrete supercells or within a squall line or cluster. One storm touched down in far SE Missouri and crossed the Mississippi River. 55 homes were destroyed by an F-4 tornado (the only occurrence of an F/EF-4 tornado in the month of January in our area) in the city of Clinton. This tornado sadly caused 10 fatalities. Another tornado F/EF-2 tornado struck Wickliffe, but thankfully no fatalities occurred.

There was more information on this tornado including some ancient eyewitness accounts but those were destroyed and wiped away due to a hacker, but a metal part of a tower was actually launched if I remember the account correctly.

Why Was This Significant

What made this tornado really significant was the loss of life. Possessions can be replaced, but a loved one or a friend and their contribution/potential contribution to society cannot be replaced. The Clinton tornado is the only F/EF-4 tornado to occur in the month of January, making it the strongest January tornado in our history. Clinton would be hit by another F/EF-4 tornado 27 years later making Clinton the only town in our 29-county area to have been hit by two F/EF-4 tornadoes in its history.

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