1955 Udall tornado
A vehicle that was wrapped around a large tree in Udall, Kansas. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 25, 1955 |
| F5 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | 261 to 318 mph (420 to 512 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 80-82 |
| Injuries | 273 |
| Damage | $2.225 million ($26.1 million in 2024) |
Part of the Tornadoes of 1955 and 1955 Great Plains tornado outbreak | |
On May 25, 1955, an extremely violent tornado moved across southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma, destroying the town of Udall, Kansas. The tornado would be the deadliest in Kansas history. In total, 75-77 residents of Udall were killed and 270 were injured, with a total fatality count of 80–82. About 70% of the population of Udall was killed or wounded. Prior to the touchdown of the Udall tornado, another F5 tornado produced by the same storm hit Blackwell, Oklahoma.