Hurricane Hilda tornado outbreak

On October 3–4, 1964, Hurricane Hilda and its remnants generated a tornado outbreak over portions of the Southeastern United States. The outbreak, which yielded at least 12 confirmed tornadoes, killed 22 people and injured 175 others. Most of the casualties occurred as a result of the 1964 Larose tornado that devastated the northern outskirts of Larose, Louisiana, becoming the deadliest hurricane-generated tornado on record since 1900 and one of only two violent tornadoes (F4+) recorded in the southern Gulf Coast region of Louisiana. The tornado was also one of only two F4s known to have been produced by a tropical cyclone, the other having occurred during Hurricane Carla on September 12, 1961.^{[2][3][4][nb 2][nb 3][nb 4]}

Hurricane Hilda tornado outbreak

Map plotting the track and intensity of the storm, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Type	Tornado outbreak Tropical cyclone
Duration	October 3–4, 1964
Tornadoes confirmed	12
Max. rating1	F4 tornado
Duration of tornado outbreak2	1 day, 11 hours, 30 minutes
Fatalities	22 fatalities, 175 injuries
Damage	≥ $8.107 million (1964 USD)[1][nb 1] $82.2 million (2024 USD)
Areas affected	Southeastern United States
Part of the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1964 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado

Background

At 23:00 UTC on October 3, 1964, Hurricane Hilda made landfall at 29.5°N 91.5°W / 29.5; -91.5, near Calumet, Louisiana, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (169 km/h) and an estimated atmospheric pressure of 959 mb (28.3 inHg).^[14] Although Hilda extensively damaged portions of Louisiana, most of its severest impacts, including the vast majority of fatalities, were related to hurricane-spawned tornadoes, along with inland flooding.^[15][16]

Outbreak statistics

Impacts by region

Region	Locale	County	Deaths	Injuries	Damages	Source
United States	Alabama	Barbour	0	3	$2,500	[1][17]
		Butler	0	0	$25,000	[1]
		Conecuh	0	0	$2,500	[1]
	Louisiana	Assumption	0	0	$25,000	[1]
		Jefferson	0	3	$2,500,000	[1]
		Lafourche	22	165	$2,527,500	[1]
		Orleans	0	2	$25,000	[1]
		St. Tammany	0	0	$2,500	[1]
	North Carolina	Unknown	0	2	$500,000	[1][18]
Total			22	175	$8,107,000	[1]

Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5	Total
0	0	4	7	0	1	0	12

October 3 event

Confirmed tornadoes – Saturday, October 3, 1964^{[nb 5][nb 6]}

F#	Location	County / Parish	State	Start coord.	Time (UTC)	Path length	Max. width	Summary
F1	Golden Meadow	Lafourche	LA	29.37°N 90.23°W / 29.37; -90.23 (Golden Meadow (October 3, F1))	11:45–?	0.5 miles (0.80 km)	33 yards (30 m)	A brief tornado downed utility wires and damaged several structures. Losses totaled $2,500.[20][21]
F1	Galliano	Lafourche	LA	29.43°N 90.28°W / 29.43; -90.28 (Galliano (October 3, F1))	12:00–?	0.5 miles (0.80 km)	33 yards (30 m)	A short-lived tornado affected up to 10 homes and a funeral parlor. Several of the homes shifted on their CBS foundations or were overturned. Some boats were sunk and power lines downed as well. Losses totaled $25,000. Some minor injuries may have occurred.[22][21]
F4	Northern Larose	Lafourche	LA	29.60°N 90.37°W / 29.60; -90.37 (Larose (October 3, F4))	12:30–?	1.5 miles (2.4 km)	67 yards (61 m)	22 deaths – This devastating, violent tornado paralleled LA 1 as it leveled a 1-mile-long (1.6 km) swath of homes. Only "shells" of brick homes remained in a few locations. Observers reported debris in Coteau, 16 mi (26 km) to the west of Larose. 165 people were injured and losses totaled $21⁄2 million. This was the deadliest hurricane-spawned tornado on record since 1900 and one of only two such tornadoes on record to have attained F4 intensity.[23][21][24][3][2]
F2	New Orleans to Kenner	Orleans, Jefferson	LA	29.93°N 90.22°W / 29.93; -90.22 (Waggaman (October 3, F2))	15:00–15:20	14.2 miles (22.9 km)	83 yards (76 m)	This possible tornado family initially damaged automobiles and structures in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It then skipped to the intersection of the Veterans Highway and the Causeway, damaging gasoline stations and nearby buildings. Several vehicles, including a truck, were overturned or thrown into the air. Broken glass injured three people in Jefferson Parish and losses there totaled $21⁄2 million. Two other injuries and an additional $21⁄2 in losses occurred in Orleans Parish. At Kenner the tornado badly damaged 17 homes, several of which were unroofed. The NCEI indicates that the tornado developed north-northwest of Waggaman and ended near Seabrook.[25][26][21][24]
F2	Oakley to Attakapas Canal	Assumption	LA	29.92°N 91.10°W / 29.92; -91.10 (Oakley (October 3, F2))	17:10–17:15	1.5 miles (2.4 km)	100 yards (91 m)	This tornado tracked generally westward. It passed near Napoleonville, felling several trees. Homes and other structures shifted on their foundations or were unroofed. Losses totaled $25,000.[27][21][24]
F2	White Sand to W of West Poplarville	Pearl River	MS	30.80°N 89.65°W / 30.80; -89.65 (White Sand (October 3, F2))	21:20–?	3.3 miles (5.3 km)	33 yards (30 m)	This strong tornado destroyed a pumphouse, a pair of barns, and a small house. Losses were unknown.[28][21][24]

October 4 event

Confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, October 4, 1964^{[nb 5][nb 6]}

F#	Location	County / Parish	State	Start coord.	Time (UTC)	Path length	Max. width	Summary
F2	WNW of Lewisburg	St. Tammany	LA	30.38°N 90.13°W / 30.38; -90.13 (Lewisburg (October 4, F2))	09:25–?	1 mile (1.6 km)	183 yards (167 m)	This tornado destroyed or damaged six lightweight homes. Debris was strewn over a 5-mile (8.0 km) area. Losses totaled $25,000.[29][17][24]
F1	N of Flat Rock	Conecuh	AL	31.50°N 86.83°W / 31.50; -86.83 (Flat Rock (October 4, F1))	15:15–?	0.1 miles (0.16 km)	33 yards (30 m)	A tornado damaged several outbuildings and a few houses. Losses totaled $2,500.[30][17]
F1	Northwestern Georgiana	Butler	AL	31.63°N 86.77°W / 31.63; -86.77 (Georgiana (October 4, F1))	16:20–?	3.3 miles (5.3 km)	100 yards (91 m)	A tornado unroofed, destroyed, or otherwise damaged 19 houses, many barns, and a fertilizer plant. Numerous trees were downed as well. Losses totaled $25,000. Tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F2.[31][17][24]
F2	NW of Williamston to SE of Alligator	Martin, Washington, Tyrrell	NC	35.87°N 77.07°W / 35.87; -77.07 (Williamston (October 4, F2))	20:30–21:30	54.1 miles (87.1 km)	50 yards (46 m)	A possible tornado family severely damaged or destroyed outbuildings and five homes. It also moved heavy machinery for an unknown distance. Losses totaled $250,000. The publication Storm Data lists one injury.[32][18][24]
F2	Western Eufaula	Barbour	AL	31.80°N 85.20°W / 31.80; -85.20 (Eufaula (October 4, F2))	21:00–?	0.1 miles (0.16 km)	33 yards (30 m)	A tornado affected buildings along Pump Station Road in Eufaula. It destroyed or damaged two houses, a factory, and a hospital. Three people were injured and losses totaled $2,500.[33][17]
F2	NE of Cedar Grove to N of Penderlea	Columbus, Bladen, Pender	NC	34.30°N 78.90°W / 34.30; -78.90 (Cedar Grove (October 4, F2))	23:15–01:00	54.6 miles (87.9 km)	50 yards (46 m)	This possible tornado family destroyed or damaged a trailer home, tobacco barns, various outbuildings, a few warehouses, and five homes. Losses totaled $250,000. The publication Storm Data lists one injury.[34][18]

See also

• List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
• List of tornadoes spawned by tropical cyclones

Notes

1. All losses are in 1964 USD unless otherwise noted.
2. An outbreak is generally defined as a group of at least six tornadoes (the number sometimes varies slightly according to local climatology) with no more than a six-hour gap between individual tornadoes. An outbreak sequence, prior to (after) the start of modern records in 1950, is defined as a period of no more than two (one) consecutive days without at least one significant (F2 or stronger) tornado.^[5]
3. The Fujita scale was devised under the aegis of scientist T. Theodore Fujita in the early 1970s. Prior to the advent of the scale in 1971, tornadoes in the United States were officially unrated.^[6][7] While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,^[8] Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013;^[9] nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.^[10]
4. Historically, the number of tornadoes globally and in the United States was and is likely underrepresented: research by Grazulis on annual tornado activity suggests that, as of 2001, only 53% of yearly U.S. tornadoes were officially recorded. Documentation of tornadoes outside the United States was historically less exhaustive, owing to the lack of monitors in many nations and, in some cases, to internal political controls on public information.^[11] Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.^[12] Significant low biases in U.S. tornado counts likely occurred through the early 1990s, when advanced NEXRAD was first installed and the National Weather Service began comprehensively verifying tornado occurrences.^[13]
5. All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time and dates are split at midnight CST/CDT for consistency.
6. Prior to 1994, only the average widths of tornado paths were officially listed.^[19]