Manchester tornado
In the afternoon hours of June 24, 2003, a large and violent F4 tornado, part of the 2003 South Dakota tornado outbreak, struck the rural South Dakota community of Manchester over Kingsbury County, injuring four. It was one of the most violent tornadoes of the year and also turned Manchester into a ghost town.
What was the Manchester tornado?
The Manchester tornado was a large, violent F4 storm that occurred on June 24, 2003. It struck the community of Manchester in Kingsbury County, South Dakota, during a multi-day outbreak. The tornado completely destroyed the small town, effectively turning it into a ghost town. It injured four people during its path through the area.
What was the Manchester tornado wind speed?
The Manchester tornado reached estimated wind speeds between 207 and 260 mph. These speeds placed the storm within the F4 range on the Fujita Scale. Researchers from TWISTEX deployed probes directly into the tornado path to record meteorological data. Their equipment successfully measured a 100 millibar pressure drop inside the vortex.
What was the Manchester tornado path?
The Manchester tornado formed over rural fields in Kingsbury County at 2329 UTC. It moved northeast toward the community of Manchester, leaving cycloidal marks across the landscape. The tornado continued its path for a total of 25 miles through rural South Dakota. It eventually dissipated over open fields to the north of Manchester at approximately 18:53 CST.
How many people died in the Manchester tornado?
The Manchester tornado caused zero fatalities. Four residents sustained injuries during the event, out of a total population of six. Three victims suffered serious injuries and required transport to a hospital for treatment. The tornado destroyed all local structures, but the residents survived the direct impact.
What did the Manchester tornado destroy?
The Manchester tornado obliterated every structure within the town of Manchester, including the local post office. It leveled homes, destroyed powerlines, and tore through trees and crops in rural Kingsbury County. The storm also impacted outlying buildings along US-14 and caused significant damage to farms north of the town. Additionally, the tornado killed twelve cattle on a local Centennial Farm.
What caused the Manchester tornado?
A supercell formed over South Dakota on the afternoon of June 24, 2003, as part of a larger multi-day outbreak. This atmospheric environment produced several weaker tornadoes and a large F3 tornado near Woonsocket before the Manchester event developed. The storm grew into a large, wedge-shaped vortex as it moved through the county. The intensification followed days of severe weather activity in the region.
What happened after the Manchester tornado?
The total destruction of Manchester forced all remaining civilians to relocate to other towns. In 2004, the state of South Dakota officially disincorporated the community due to the loss of all structures. The site now serves as a ghost town memorial, which officials constructed in 2007. The event remains a notable example of a community entirely swept away by a single storm.
Manchester Tornado Track
The mapped ground track below shows the surveyed touchdown point, damage corridor, and dissipation coordinates recorded by NWS field crews. The Manchester tornado traveled 25 miles across Kingsbury County, South Dakota. Coordinates are derived from the official SPC historical tornado database.
Did anyone die in the Manchester tornado?
No, there were zero fatalities recorded in the Manchester tornado, though four people sustained injuries.
What rating was the Manchester tornado?
The Manchester tornado was rated as an F4 on the Fujita Scale, with estimated wind speeds between 207 and 260 mph.
Why is Manchester South Dakota a ghost town?
Manchester became a ghost town because the 2003 F4 tornado completely destroyed every structure in the community, leading the state to officially disincorporate it in 2004.
How long was the path of the Manchester tornado?
The Manchester tornado tracked for an estimated 25 miles across Kingsbury County.