Andover tornado
In the afternoon of April 26, 1991, a large and destructive tornado moved through areas southeast of Wichita, located in the state of Kansas. The tornado killed seventeen, injured over two hundred others, and left an estimated $300 million worth of damages in its wake.
What was the Andover tornado?
The Andover tornado was a large and destructive storm that struck Kansas on the afternoon of April 26, 1991. The violent F5 vortex carved a path through areas southeast of Wichita, including the towns of Haysville and Andover. It killed 17 people and injured over 200 others during its hour and a half duration. The National Weather Service rated the event as F5, the highest classification on the Fujita scale. This significant storm produced widespread devastation across Sedgwick and Butler counties.
What was the Andover tornado wind speed?
The Andover tornado reached peak wind speeds greater than 260 mph (420 km/h). These extreme velocities obliterated structures and twisted the metal frames of mobile homes. Surveyors assigned the F5 rating based on this intensity level. The tornado maintained varying intensities along its track, starting as an F0 and F1 before intensifying to F5 strength. These wind speeds caused catastrophic damage to residential subdivisions and infrastructure throughout its path.
What was the Andover tornado path?
The tornado touched down near Clearwater at 5:49 p.m. CDT and tracked northeast for 46 miles (74 km). It moved through Haysville, crossed the McConnell Air Force Base, and struck the city of Andover. The storm continued into rural areas near Towanda and El Dorado before dissipating five miles north of El Dorado. The path reached a peak width of 0.4 miles (2,000 ft) as it moved across the Kansas landscape.
How many people died in the Andover tornado?
The Andover tornado claimed 17 lives and caused over 200 injuries. Thirteen fatalities occurred specifically at the Golden Spur Mobile Home Park, where the storm reached peak F5 intensity. Four additional deaths happened in the Greenwich Heights subdivision in eastern Wichita. Emergency response and the use of an underground storm shelter at the mobile home park likely prevented further casualties. Most of the injured survivors resided in destroyed homes or trailers along the path.
What did the Andover tornado destroy?
The tornado obliterated the Golden Spur Mobile Home Park, destroying at least 205 mobile homes. It caused massive damage to McConnell Air Force Base, including the base hospital, officer club, and gymnasium. The storm leveled well-built homes in the Greenwich Heights and Springdale subdivisions. Additionally, it destroyed numerous oil tanks, with one tank thrown nearly a mile. The tornado narrowly missed a line of B-1B bombers stationed at the air base.
What caused the Andover tornado?
A powerful supercell thunderstorm generated the tornado following a high risk weather alert for the Great Plains. Atmospheric conditions featured a southeast-tilted trough and a jet streak with winds up to 85 knots. A low-level jet overspread Kansas while a surface low-pressure area supported a dry line. High dewpoints and instability indices topping -12 created an environment ripe for rapid convective initiation. Violent tornadoes erupted along the dry line throughout the afternoon.
What happened after the Andover tornado?
Andover and surrounding areas faced a massive recovery effort following the path of destruction. FEMA designated the region a federal disaster area due to the extreme housing losses. Authorities recorded that 102 housing units were destroyed along the path in Andover alone. Police officers provided emergency warnings after local sirens failed. The event led to widespread analysis of mobile home safety and community disaster responses.
Andover Tornado Track
The mapped ground track below shows the surveyed touchdown point, damage corridor, and dissipation coordinates recorded by NWS field crews. The Andover tornado traveled 46 miles across Kansas (Sedgwick County, Butler County). Coordinates are derived from the official SPC historical tornado database.
How many people were killed in the Andover tornado?
The tornado killed 17 people.
What was the Fujita scale rating of the Andover tornado?
The National Weather Service rated the Andover tornado as an F5.
What was the total damage cost of the Andover tornado?
The storm caused an estimated $300 million in damages.
Did the Andover tornado hit a military base?
Yes, the tornado struck McConnell Air Force Base, causing $62 million in damage to buildings and facilities.