Niles-Wheatland tornado
On the afternoon of May 31, 1985, a violent and long-lived F5 tornado, the easternmost in United States history, struck parts of northeastern Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania, including Newton Falls, Niles, and Coalburg in Ohio, and Wheatland in Pennsylvania. The tornado caused 310 injuries, 18 deaths, and $250 million of damages. The tornado was the strongest tornado of the 1985 United States–Canada tornado outbreak, being the only tornado to obtain F5 status and having maximum sustained winds of anywhere between 261 and 318 miles per hour (420 and 512 km/h).
What was the Niles-Wheatland tornado?
The Niles-Wheatland tornado was a violent F5 storm that struck parts of northeastern Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania on May 31, 1985. As the easternmost F5 tornado in United States history, the storm cut a path of extreme destruction through several towns. It maintained F5 intensity during portions of its one-hour lifespan. This event remains the only F5 tornado recorded during the 1985 United States-Canada tornado outbreak.
What was the Niles-Wheatland tornado wind speed?
The Niles-Wheatland tornado produced maximum sustained winds between 261 and 318 mph. Forecasters reached these estimates based on the severity of the structural damage observed. At its peak intensity in Niles, the storm reached wind speeds as high as 300 mph. These winds possessed enough force to displace massive metal petroleum storage tanks weighing 75,000 pounds each.
What was the Niles-Wheatland tornado path?
The tornado touched down at 6:30 PM, roughly eight miles west of Newton Falls, Ohio. It tracked eastward, impacting Newton Falls, Lordstown, Niles, Hubbard, and Coalburg. After crossing the state line into Pennsylvania, the storm decimated Wheatland and struck Hermitage. It eventually dissipated at 7:30 PM, approximately three miles south-southwest of Mercer, Pennsylvania. The tornado lived for approximately one hour during its journey across the two states.
How many people died in the Niles-Wheatland tornado?
The Niles-Wheatland tornado caused 18 fatalities and 310 injuries. Eight of these deaths occurred in Ohio, while the remainder resulted from the storm's impact in Pennsylvania. Local officials in Newton Falls prevented fatalities in their town through effective use of tornado sirens. However, the storm killed several people in the Niles Park Plaza shopping center and surrounding residential areas.
What did the Niles-Wheatland tornado destroy?
The tornado leveled the Niles Park Plaza shopping center and decimated 99 percent of industry in Wheatland. It destroyed hundreds of homes across its path, including 71 in Hermitage and 15 in the Greenfield area. The storm mangled steel girders at the Wheatland Sheet and Tube factory and demolished several hangars at the Hermitage Airport. It also scattered debris from residential neighborhoods for significant distances downwind.
What caused the Niles-Wheatland tornado?
The Niles-Wheatland tornado emerged as part of the 1985 United States-Canada tornado outbreak. This event remains the deadliest tornado outbreak worldwide since the 1974 Super Outbreak. The storm formed as a violent, long-lived supercell that gathered significant strength as it moved eastward. It struck during the afternoon, benefiting from atmospheric conditions that allowed it to reach F5 intensity.
What happened after the Niles-Wheatland tornado?
Following the storm, local authorities and residents began the arduous process of cleanup and recovery in the affected Ohio and Pennsylvania towns. The total damage reached $250 million in nominal USD, which equates to $753 million when adjusted for inflation. Wheatland officials compared the destruction of their town to a bombed-out battlefield. The event forced communities to reevaluate their tornado readiness and structural safety standards.
Niles-Wheatland Tornado Track
The mapped ground track below shows the surveyed touchdown point, damage corridor, and dissipation coordinates recorded by NWS field crews. The Niles-Wheatland tornado traveled Not specified across Newton Falls, Niles, Coalburg, Hubbard, Lordstown (Ohio). Coordinates are derived from the official SPC historical tornado database.
How many people died in the Niles-Wheatland tornado?
The tornado caused 18 fatalities and 310 injuries across Ohio and Pennsylvania.
When did the Niles-Wheatland tornado occur?
The tornado touched down on the afternoon of May 31, 1985, at approximately 6:30 PM.
What was the maximum wind speed of the Niles-Wheatland tornado?
The tornado produced maximum sustained winds between 261 and 318 mph.
Did the Niles-Wheatland tornado hit Pennsylvania?
Yes, the tornado tracked into Pennsylvania, where it caused catastrophic damage in Wheatland and Hermitage.