Tornado outbreak sequence of May 3–9, 1961

A large, weeklong tornado outbreak sequence of 73 tornadoes occurred on May 3–9, 1961, impacting areas from Utah to the East Coast of the United States. Overall, the outbreak sequence caused 23 fatalities, 126 injuries, and $42.205 million in damages (1961 USD).

Meteorological synopsis
Multiple weather systems impacted mostly the Great Plains and Midwest, bringing multiple rounds of severe weather and tornadoes throughout the region starting on May 3 and ending on May 9. Other weather systems also produced tornadoes in Florida and Utah.

St. Petersburg, Florida
A westward-moving waterspout crossing over Tampa Bay made landfall on the north side of St. Petersburg, causing severe damage to multiple buildings. Two homes were unroofed, including one where the TV antenna was bent and dropped on a car. A high school was also unroofed before the tornado dissipated after tracking only .5 mi with a maximum width of 50 yd. Although there were no casualties, the tornado left behind $25,000 in damage.

Witmer Lake–Hamilton Lake, Indiana/Edon, Ohio
A large, long-tracked F3 tornado–which was likely a tornado family–first touched down on the north shore of Witmer Lake in LaGrange County, Indiana. It moved due east and immediately became strong as it moved into Witmer Manor and Webers Landing. A total of 22 cottages were destroyed or badly damaged while 30 others sustained minor damage. All five injuries from the tornado occurred here before the tornado passed north of Wolcottville. From there, the tornado weakened and skipped along a non-continuous damage path. Scores of homes and barns were damaged as the tornado passed over Blackman Lake, Northern South Milford, Woodland Park, Big Long Lake, Shady Nook, Gravel Beach, Timberhurst, and Taylor Lake. Damages in LaGrange County totaled $2.5 million.

The tornado then crossed into Steuben County, continuing to skip and damage homes and barns as it moved through Turkey Creek and passed north of Hudson and Ashley. As it approached Forest Park north of Hamilton it touched down solidly again and intensified. It then struck Forest Park before crossing Hamilton Lake and striking Oakwood and Circle Park. Two cottages were destroyed, several more were unroofed, and a car with four occupants was thrown in Hamilton Lake, although none of these events resulted in any casualties. It then moved back into rural areas before crossing into Ohio. Damages in Steuben County reached $2.5 million.

In Williams County, Ohio, the tornado turned northeastward, passing through the northwest side of Edon. Damage here was severe as multiple farmhouses and barns were demolished or extensively damaged. After passing Edon, the tornado quickly weakened and dissipated. Losses in Ohio totaled $25,000.

The tornado was on the ground for at least 38 minutes, traveled 33.4 mi, was 800 yd and caused $5.025 million in damage. Five people were injured.

Hand Valley–Clarkridge, Arkansas/Udall–South Fork, Missouri
This slow-moving, long-tracked, large, multi-vortex F3 tornado first touched down in Hand Valley, Arkansas and moved northeastward over the Crooked Creek and White River. It then passed east of Gassville before moving into Colfax, causing heavy damage. It did more damage as it passed through the west side of Mountain Home before moving back into rural areas. It crossed over Walker Creek, Pigeon Creek, and East Pigeon Creek, before reaching its peak intensity as it tore into Clarkridge. A church, a store, and two homes were destroyed before the tornado moved into Missouri. Throughout Arkansas, the tornado damaged 50 other buildings, injured one, and caused $2.5 million in damage.

The tornado then moved into Missouri and turned northeastward, heavily damaging multiple farm homes and buildings as it crossed over the Norfolk Lake and passed through the south side of Udall. It then moved through mostly rural areas before striking Egypt Grove and Hocomo, causing additional heavy damage, although it was beginning to weaken by this time. The tornado caused some additional damage before dissipating just within the city limits of South Fork. Throughout Missouri, nine people were injured, and damage was estimated at $1 million.

The tornado was on the ground for a least an hour and 15 minutes, tracked 43.8 mi, was 333 yd wide, and caused $3.5 million in damage. A total of 10 people were injured. One source list the tornado as being much larger than officially documented with a peak width of 3000 - 3520 yd (or 2 mi) wide. Rainfall from the storm also damaged field crops in Arkansas.

Madisonville–Bremen–Moorman–Peth, Kentucky
This long-tracked, large F3 tornado touched down just west of Madisonville and immediately reached its peak intensity as it moved east-northeast into downtown. Multiple buildings and homes were extensively damaged, including a three-story brick building that lost its top two floors and two two-story brick buildings that had extensive damage. Trees and power lines were downed, an airplane was destroyed at the Madisonville Municipal Airport in nearby Anton, and cars were damaged by flying debris. All three injuries from this tornado occurred near or in town and losses totaled $2.5 million alone. From Madisonville, the tornado weakened and turned eastward, causing lesser, but still considerable damage as it hit Northern Millport as well as the towns of Bremen Station and Bremen. From there, it began to skip as it hit the town of Moorman, unroofing the Moorman High School gym and destroying a small home. Damage was also observed in Centertown, Beaver Dam, Mt. Pleasant, Arnold, Dogwalk, and Neafus before the tornado finally dissipating in Peth.

The tornado was on the ground for an hour and five minutes, tracked 58 mi, and was 880 yd (one source says 1320 yd) wide. Three people were injured, and losses totaled $15 million. Despite the heavy damage, tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis gave the tornado an F2 rating. It is also possible that the tornado started in McLean County while never crossing into Grayson County.

Non-tornadic impacts
Numerous reports of large hail and wind damage were confirmed throughout the event. The biggest hailstone was recorded as being 3 in in diameter and was recorded twice in both Texas and Oklahoma as well as once in Kansas. On May 6, the strongest winds were recorded in Tupelo, Mississippi, where 105 mph gusts destroyed a plane and damaged several others at an airport. On May 5, severe thunderstorm winds in Nebraska City, Nebraska destroyed an airplane hangar and tossed the plane inside into the trees nearby. In addition to the numerous tornadoes that occurred, one waterspout was confirmed to have taken place near Key West, Florida on May 9. Heavy snow of up to 8 in fell west of the Continental Divide in Montana with Missoula setting a record for the most snow seen in a 24-hour period with 6.5 in.