The Lorain-Sandusky Tornado At 100
Looking back on Ohio's deadliest tornado that occurred 100 years ago on June 28, 1924
Overview
Summer Saturday Turns Deadly
Saturday, June 28, 1924 started out as a normal summer weekend for the residents of Lorain, Ohio. Hot and humid weather reminded everyone that summer was in full swing as the month of July approached, and the latest summer musical was having a matinee showing at The State Theater that afternoon. Unfortunately, what should have been a fun Saturday turned deadly and destructive.
Severe thunderstorms developed over northern Ohio that afternoon and evening, and one of the storms became an intense supercell which spawned a long track, violent tornado that impacted the cities of Sandusky and Lorain, Ohio. The tornado first touched down between 4:25 and 4:30 PM in the town of Vickery in Sandusky County then traveled east-northeast through the city of Sandusky before moving out over Lake Erie. The supercell and associated tornado then continued on an east-northeast path over the south shore of Lake Erie before moving back onshore at the Lorain Municipal Bath House in Lakeview Park just after 5:00 PM. The tornado then continued moving through the business district of downtown Lorain, as well as residential neighborhoods, where it peaked at F-4 intensity, inflicting catastrophic damage. The tornado then weakened over northeast Lorain County as it moved through Sheffield and Avon and eventually lifted over West Dover in northwest Cuyahoga County. The tornado traveled a total of 52 miles, with half of that path being over Lake Erie. Although Lorain saw the worst damage, the towns of Whitmore, Castalia, Sandusky, Huron, Lorain, Sheffield, Avon, and West Dover all sustained damage along the tornado's path.
The Fujita (F) scale was developed in 1971 by Dr. Theodore Fujita to rate tornadoes and estimate wind speeds based on the damage that they cause, so many older tornadoes, including the 1924 Lorain tornado, were estimated many years later based on this scale. In 2007, the Fujita scale was upgraded to the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale to refine and improve the original scale.
Estimated path of the tornado from the U.S. Weather Bureau, now known as the National Weather Service.
Casualties, Cost, Impact
Unprecedented Casualties
- 82 fatalities, which is the deadliest tornado in Ohio history.
- 78 of these occurred in Lorain alone.
- 8 died at the Lorain Municipal Bath House in Lakeview Park where many residents were at the beach escaping the heat and humidity.
- 15 died at the State Theater in downtown Lorain after it collapsed during the afternoon matinee where 200 were in attendance for the musical.
- Over 1000 more were injured in Lorain and adjacent communities.
Cost and Impacts
- 200 businesses were damaged or destroyed in Lorain.
- 500 homes were destroyed in Lorain and another 1000 were damaged, leaving 7,000 people homeless.
- The American Shipbuilding Yards, which is the city's largest industry, was severely damaged.
- Nearly 1,500 members of the Ohio National Guard were deployed to assist with rescues, caring for the injured, and guarding property.
- Total damage in Lorain was $13 million, which equates to over $230 million dollars in 2024.
- In Sandusky, over 100 homes and 25 businesses were destroyed.
- This tornado is so historically significant that it inspired a book to be written on it called The 1924 Tornado in Lorain and Sandusky: Deadliest in Ohio History by Betsy D' Annibale.
To the right is a view of downtown Lorain, Ohio from a rooftop after the tornado. It shows that many of the downtown buildings were heavily damaged or destroyed, along with hundreds of vehicles thrown around and crushed.
Above is a slideshow of pictures after the tornado in Lorain, Ohio courtesy of @ReelNostalgia on YouTube.
Meteorology
Weather data archiving and forecasting were very much in their infancies in the 1920s, but surface weather maps before and after the June 28, 1924 tornado provide some clues to the weather conditions that caused the event. On the morning of June 28, there was a low pressure system in the vicinity of the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest. A warm front extended southeast from the low through the western Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, with a cold front stretching southwest from the low through the central and southern Plains. By the morning of June 29, the low had moved into the central Great Lakes and deepened, with the trailing cold front now located along the east coast of the United States.
This pattern implies that the low moved generally eastward from the Upper Midwest toward the Great Lakes during the day on June 28, likely lifting the warm front through northern Ohio by the afternoon followed by the trailing cold front sweeping through later that evening. This would have placed northern Ohio and the Lake Erie region in the triple point between the warm front, surface low, and approaching cold front that afternoon and evening which is a favorable location for a severe weather outbreak. Typically, the triple point region is where the strongest advection of warm, moist, unstable air coincides with the strongest wind shear , so the most organized severe thunderstorms and tornadoes often occur in this area. The F4 tornado that tracked through Sandusky and Lorain was likely part of a widespread outbreak of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes given this pattern.
To the right are surface weather maps on the mornings of June 28 and June 29, 1924 showing the progression of the low pressure system and frontal boundaries in that 24 hour period. Swipe left and right to toggle between the two images. The left image is June 29 and the right image is June 28. Both are valid for 9 AM EDT.
Past To Present
In the present day, NWS meteorologists would utilize an array of communication tools to disseminate information about a potential tornado outbreak, hours, if not days, in advance. Even before the first tornadoes develop, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) would likely have issued a Tornado Watch for the impacted area, highlighting increasing confidence for tornadic storms to develop over the next several hours. As tornadic storms begin to develop, local offices would then issue Tornado Warnings which are disseminated through multiple channels, including Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), NOAA Weather Radio, Social Media, and Television Broadcasts. These warnings are accompanied by detailed information about the affected areas, the expected timing of the severe weather, and safety instructions, allowing residents to take immediate action to protect themselves and their property.
To the right are examples of what present day service would look like for a severe weather event of this magnitude. The first image is a Tornado Watch from the Storm Prediction Center that was issued on April 2, 2024, and the second image is the day 1 convective outlook for April 2, 2024 along with the severe storm reports overlaid on the map. Swipe left and right to toggle between the two images.
In the 1920s, the methods available to meteorologists for warning the public about tornado outbreaks were far more limited. Without the benefit of radar, satellite, or advanced computer models, forecasting severe weather was much less precise, relying mainly on observations of cloud formations and atmospheric conditions. In the event of a tornado outbreak, warnings would typically be disseminated through simple media such as local newspapers, telegraph, and word of mouth. However, the lack of real-time communication and the limited reach of these methods meant that many people might not have received timely warnings, leading to greater vulnerability and potential loss of life, as seen with the Lorain Tornado. Despite the challenges, meteorologists in the 1920s worked diligently to study weather patterns and develop forecasting techniques, laying the groundwork for the advanced systems in place today.
The image to the right shows thousands of newspapers to emphasize how different communication and dissemination was in the early 20th century compared to the digital world of today.
Modern radar technology now allows meteorologists better spatial and temporal resolution to identify threats faster and provide more lead time for significant weather events such as tornadoes. Radar technology will continue to evolve and improve, with the current WSR-88D array expected to be phased out sometime in the mid-21st century.
In terms of tornado warnings, as an agency, we have transitioned from county-based polygons to those centered around storms to reduce the false alarm area and better pinpoint the highest threat posed. Experimental tests are ongoing to transition to even narrower polygons, which will be continuously extended in time and space to better target and hone in on the areas of highest threat.
The first (left-most) image is a feature-following zoom of a supercell across northern Ohio from March 14, 2024. Reflectivity (top) and velocity (bottom) are shown here, showcasing the high spatial and temporal resolution in the modern era. The second (right-most) image shows what warning service in the future may look like, courtesy of NSSL/Threats-In-Motion. Note the tornado warning updates continuously in time with brighter colors indicating the highest probability threat levels. Swipe left and right to toggle between the two images.
Newspaper Clippings
To the right is an edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer that had the Lorain-Sandusky, OH tornado as front page news.
To the right is The Chronicle Telegram's coverage of the Lorain-Sandusky tornado, which was also front page news.
To the right is the Detroit Free Press's front page news coverage of the Lorain-Sandusky tornado.
To the right is an article in The Elyria Chronicle-Telegram from June of 1994 on the 70th anniversary of the Lorain, Ohio tornado.
To the right is an article in The Morning Journal from June of 1984 on the 60th anniversary of the Lorain, Ohio tornado.
Lorain Photos
The image to the right shows the destruction on Broadway Avenue looking north from 4th Street in downtown Lorain, Ohio.
The image to the right shows the remains of The State Theater in Lorain, Ohio after the tornado where 15 people lost their lives while watching an afternoon Matinee showing of a summer musical.
The image to the right shows a church bell amidst the destruction in downtown Lorain, Ohio.
The image to the right shows damaged or destroyed houses in Lorain, Ohio.
The image to the right shows workers clearing a damaged building in Lorain, Ohio.
The image to the right is an aerial view of Lorain, Ohio after the tornado. The path of damage can be seen.
The image to the right shows damage to the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Lorain, Ohio.
The image to the right shows the remains of the State Theater in Lorain, OH. There were 15 fatalities in the theater as people were watching an afternoon matinee showing of a summer musical. It was originally feared that 100 people had died as shown by the writing on the photo, and the song "Sacrifice" was being played on the piano as the tornado struck.
The image to the right shows the destruction of a residential neighborhood in Lorain, OH.
The two images to the right compare Broadway Avenue looking north from the intersection with Erie Avenue in Lorain, OH after the tornado vs the same intersection and view today. Swipe left and right to toggle between the two images.
The two images to the right show what the corner of Hamilton Avenue and West 5th Street facing east in Lorain, OH looked like after the tornado compared to what this same intersection and view looks like today. The high school was previously located near this intersection and was used as the morgue for tornado victims.
The image to the right shows a close up view of the State Theater in Lorain, OH after the tornado.
The image to the right shows another aerial view of Lorain, OH after the tornado clearly showing the path of destruction through industrial areas and residential neighborhoods.
The image to the right shows damage to Lorain, OH Fire Station Number 1 and a church.
The image to the right shows damage to the former Bretz Music Store on Broadway Avenue in Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows the heavy damage on the east side of Lorain, OH, along with tents that were set up for residents to temporality live.
The image to the right shows the destruction on Brownell Street in Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows residents assessing the damage in Lorain, OH after the tornado.
The image to the right shows damage to a church in Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows residents observing the damage to houses and vehicles after the tornado in Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows bodies being loaded into a hearse in Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows a truck delivering water and other aid to tornado victims in Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows a family using a garage as a shelter in Lorain, OH after the tornado.
The image to the right shows 9 cars destroyed on the beach near the Lorain Municipal Bath House.
The image to the right shows a house where only the cellar remained in Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows shoes and clothing being distributed to Lorain, OH tornado victims.
The image to the right shows an American Red Cross tent for Lorain, OH tornado victims.
The image to the right shows a man hanging onto a 2 x 4 embedded into a tree in Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows mourners paying respect to victims who lost their lives in the tornado.
The image to the right shows heavy damage to an apartment building in Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows another aerial view of buildings damaged in Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows damage to buildings in downtown Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows people viewing damage to a Lorain, OH neighborhood.
The image to the right shows the Red Cross Headquarters that was set up on Erie Street in Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows a teenager holding a check for the Lorain Disaster Relief Fund from the B.F. Keith Palace Theater.
The image to the right shows a truck distributing supplies to Lorain, OH tornado victims.
The image to the right shows a soup tent set up by the Red Cross in Lorain, OH in front of the high school to feed tornado victims.
The image to the right shows extensive debris and buildings with blown out windows and walls in Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows the Military assisting in Lorain, OH.
The image to the right shows a close up view of a collapsed house in Lorain, OH.
Sandusky Photos
The image to the right shows a large tree uprooted and damage to a house in Sandusky, OH.
The image to the right shows the standpipe at the Sandusky, OH Water Works that was crushed by the tornado.
The image to the right shows the roundhouse at the B & O Railway in Sandusky, OH that was destroyed.
The image to the right shows the destruction of the Kilbourn Cooperage on East Water Street in Sandusky, OH.
The image to the right shows Sandusky, OH residents viewing the damage on Market Street.
The image to the right shows the National Guard assisting with clean up in Sandusky, OH.
Personal Story
NWS Cleveland Meteorologist Rick Garuckas gives a tour of the Ohio Historical Marker in downtown Lorain, sited where the June 28, 1924 tornado destroyed the former State Theater building. Grafton, Ohio resident Joe Filipiak also tells the story of his mother working in downtown Lorain when the tornado struck and explains how the railway behind him was used to transport disaster relief supplies from Grafton into Lorain.
