THE RUSKIN HEIGHTS TORNADO OF MAY 20, 1957 by Joseph F. Audsley

First some background…a lot of background…more than most people will want to know but that's the way I am and at 80 years I ain't about to try and change.

I came on duty for the 4 to midnight shift at WBAS Sioux City IA on .June 7th?, 8th? or was it 9th? in 1947.Married less than a year, I was a 22 year old Navy veteran of Pacific warfare.I had traveled thousands of miles on the U.S.S. Highlands APA 119 as a one man weather unit/quartermaster in such operations as the Iwo Jima and Okinawa battles.By the time I left the Navy,I had logged miles in the Atlantic, boththe North and South Pacific and too many seas to mention.I once kept my ship and its upwards of 1500 homeward bound soldiers out of a vicious Kona Wind northeast of Hawaii.The radio gang told me that another APA didn't avoid the storm and had to be towed.We didn't fare so well one night off Mexico's Gulf of Tehauntepec. I didn't know that Mexico had its own version of the Santa Ana wind and I certainly didn't know anythingabout groundswell. For a couple of hours around midnight we were dead in the water, taking up to 45 degrees rolls like a long dead 500 foot tree trunk.We were supposed to capsize at 36 degrees but we didn't have many LCVP boats aboard so our center of gravity was undoubtedly lower.I guess my Naval career as a weather man was sort of a "wash".However, with that kind of experience behind me I was better equipped than some to make unilateral decisions.

Track of the Ruskin Heights Tornado

As I came to work that day in June 1947 I was impressed with the huge canopy of mammatus clouds over the airport.With continuous cloud to ground lightning northwest of the airport I became concerned for the well being of not just Sioux City residents but those to the north and northeast as well.Having been a kind of "loner" (as indicated in the preceding paragraph) I saw fit to release a statement that said, in effect: "There is a possibility (likelihood?) of tornadoes in a large area centered on the junction of northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota".I never dreamed that my boss, Mr. R.M. Anderson would have appreciated having that mentioned to him before its release.I phoned the statement to both local radio stations and to WNAX , a 50,000 watt station in Yankton, SD that we made daily weather broadcasts over.

When I came in the next day for my evening shift my boss had a long face.His words were, "Joe, if we don't know what a tornado is how can we hope to forecast them?"He did have a point.He went on to say that there was some sort of conventional wisdom that said that tornadoes occur when the roll cloud which often forms along the leading edge of a strong thunderstorm suddenly drops down along the leading edge of the storm and presto there's your tornado.I think there was some of that thinking around when I came on duty on May 20, 1957.

So about 10 years after June 1947, I was to come to work on the evening shift in KC and was called about 20 minutes earlier than I normally left for work.This worked out that I would be a little early for sure but overtime pay would not be involved because it would involve only a few minutes extra!I know that sounds unreal to those who work today but that was standard procedure in the 40's and up to 1957 at least.While I was in Sioux City if a 30 cent long distance call was made it had better be about a creek out of banks or maybea blizzard warning.

(Here I go again!!...While at Sioux City, I was told that Ret. Adm. Reichelderfer,once Chief of the Weather Bur. had money "left over" one year so he turned it back in.Next fiscal year Congress cut his budget by that amount! True?

Some background is necessary here.The bulk of the KC Weather Bureau"s programs had been moved months before May 1957 to the ninth floor of the then Federal Office Bldg. at 911 Walnut St., downtown. That included the District Forecasts(state forecasts for MO, IA, NE and KS), the Aviation Forecast Unit which made terminal forecasts for a bunch of airports, the SELS Unit (Severe Local Storms Forecasts, now relocated to Norman, OK), and in the 50's was co-located with the Air Force's Fawbush-Miller group, which was largely responsible for the birth of severe convective weather forecasting.

I believe that group, along with a vocal Senator from OK , actually "kicked the Weather Bureau off the stump" and into severe weather forecasting.I arrived at that conclusion because Mr. J.R. Lloyd, head of the KC airport units in the early 50's had me read some of the correspondence leading up to the formation of SELS and its subsequent move to KC from Washington, D.C. in the early 50's.All that moving left just two units at the Kansas City Municipal Airport and they were: the Local Public Service Unit (local forecast and River Dist. Office), and the Observer-Briefer/Radar Operator.This meant there were two people on duty to handle the jobs of a typical WBAS.

Before the major move to downtown, Mr. Jacobson was instrumental in the origination of a one-way teletype setup from us to any or all media outlets inKC, and that was to play a major role in the upcoming weather emergency.

There were no instructions as such on just how we were to react if a weather emergency did arise.All I remember was that we were to initial all data when we put it on the circuit. I was one of the very few who did so becauseI learned "the hard way" to obey instructions to the letter.Once a Navy Annapolis 4-striper screamed, "Where were you rated" at me when I answered yes to his question; "Quartermaster, are the sidelights burning"? He knew I hadn't been able to check them because I bumped into him on my way through the hatch to check them after turning the switch.Yes that impressed me.

,When I arrived a few minutes before four on May 20, 1957, the entire KC Weather Bureau complex was aware that this evening was going to be a duzy, with convective storms on a large scale.Indeed, later analysis of the storm called it a "Family Outbreak" of severe convectivestorms as opposedto a dinky little 2-blocker here and there.

The KC and vicinity forecast issued at 3:30 p.m. (Hey!...all times listed hereafter are p.m.) read:Occasional showers and thunderstorms tonight. Thunderstorms possibly severe.etc….

At 3:28 the Weather Bureau at Concordia, KS reported a tornado in sight 6 or 7 miles southeast of them.Following that, Mr. Jacobson issued "Severe Weather Forecast number 167" which included Kansas City in the extreme southeast corner of a large severe weather forecast area.

The state forecasts from downtown KC issued at 4:14 called for "Svr tstm and tornado warning for NW MO" etc.; and for "Sctd svr tstms and psbl tornadoes in ne kan til 9 pm tnght"

That's the way "they"did it then but we weren't allowed to abbreviate at the airport."Someone" downtown stuck on the weather wire to the media reports of tornadoes at Nebraska towns: South Dorchester, Crete, and Plymouth.No times…no initials.

It is my understanding that the late Don Foster of the SELS unit issued the following consolidated severe weather forecast which included tornadoes: (excerpts only!) …. for the rest of the afternoon and until 9 pm this evening.This area bounded by a line from40 miles north of Grand Island Nebraska to Salina Kansas to 30 miles west northwest of Ponca City Oklahoma to 20 miles north northwest of Wichita Falls Texas to Mcalester Oklahoma to 20 miles north northwest of Joplin Missouri to 50 miles southeast of St Joseph Missouri to 20 miles west of Des Moines Iowa to 40 miles north of Grand Island Nebraska!!(Can you believe that!?)Wow!My keyboard is smokin!That was issued at 4:10 pm

Formal radar operational training was non-existent in 1957.We had a distinct advantage over many stations in that the late Hal Foster, Chief of the newly formed RADU would hop over to us and give us informal lessons about the nature of this beast which we had only a few months before May.It was surplus WWII equipment from a Navy Patrol Bomber and while I think the Navy designationwas "Aps-2" (?),The Weather Bureau dubbed it WSR-1

We lucked out in that its wavelength was 10 cm., ideal for weather work.Today…I think I could be as accurate with it as these teams of characters with their dopplers1 Yeah, I know…I'm naive at best.

When I arrived for that 4 to midnight shift on May 20, 1957, I was to relieve the late Joe Crites, a conscientious and able co-worker who may have been the most competent radar operator around at the time. He just may have leaned into it a little more than most.

Joe was still there when a new echo popped up near Towanda KS, which is just northeast of Wichita.We looked at one another and I don't know who said it but one of us said," If Kansas city is going to to have a problem its that one right there".Joe wanted to stay and help me but that would involve overtime pay!!Joe offered to stay for no pay, but the boss sent him home, then the boss went home too. That left the late Bob Babb and me to handle whatever showed up.Bob too was a great guy to work with and sharp as any tack. I think he had a Master's in Math.

Ruskin Heights damage photo May 20, 1957

My first "entrance" on the weather wire concerned a very strong echo between St. Joseph and Cameron Mo and there was severe weather associated with it but I don't have written record of it*.That cell which started near Towanda was giving Emporia one inch hail at 5 30.I put that on the weather wire and assured them we would keep it under close surveillance,and that it was moving toward Kansas city at 50 mph". Then I added to the 5 30 message that "It appears that Kansas City may expect high winds accompanied by hail by 8:00 pm, or shortly before."Then on the weather wire to the media at: 6 05 pm "The severe thunderstorm mentioned at 5 30 pm at Emporia Kansas is now centered 55 miles southwest of Kansas City and continues to move in this direction. It is now several smaller cells and is still severe.Further advices will follow.I added as an afterthought that "The center of the storm was just southwest ofBaldwin City and is approaching that city".

"Someone" stuck on the w. wire that there had been two tornadoes in the vicinity of Maryville*, Mo between 4 and 6 pm.. No damage. The late Howard Hanks, Meteorologist arrived at the Airport to assist by taking over my job as weather observer sometime after 6 30.

I had reported that it was cloudy with lightning west at 6 25. Then the following is the exact message that I put on the wire. At 6 30 pm Thunderstorms have moved to within 20 miles of the Kansas City Airport and are solidly arrayed to the southwest and west of the city. There are several spots in these storms that appear to be quite severe and a major portion of the city should receive high winds with hail likely for the next hour and one-half, or until 8 00pm.Further reports on this activity will be issued on this circuit as required.

END

JFA

Note:We had heard that tornadoes show on radar as a "hook echo" We had never seen a picture or even an artists concept sketch of one though and through the late afternoon I reported several hooks but in ensuing years I learned those were hail hooks and they were actually on the northern edges of the clouds.

Years later in briefing a couple of Frontier Airline pilots , they said."If you truly want to get in some hail just try flying at 12 or 14 thousand feet along the northwest edge of a huge northeast moving thunderstorm". Sometime just before 7 pm, "someone" (yes I know, they just walk by the keyboard up there on the ninth floor, stick in their two cents worth, no time… no initial… and the rest of us have to figure it between a couple of legitimate entriesremember: WHERE WERE YOU RATED' I do.)yes "someone"stuck in that therewas a funnel cloudy touching the ground (Now that's a tornado son) 40 southwest of KC and moving northeastward.Then at 6 52 pm another funnel cloud was sighted in the vicinity of Paola KS moving rapidly northward..

Then my tried and true friend, Bob Babb updated the Kansas City forecast as follows:"The forecast for Kansas City calls for thunderstorms, possibly severe with a chance of a tornado in the greater Kansas City area".He is automatically forgiven for not putting an issuance time on it but I know it had to issued just prior to 7 00 pm.

"Someone" reported a tornado at Rantoul KS heading for Lawrence KSand a tornado reported at Spring Hill about 20 miles southwest of Kansas City(thank you "someone")

THINGS ARE GETTING TIGHT.

The reader, if one is still with us, may be wonderingwhy, since we had SELS and a radar, why the words "Watch" and "Warning" do not appear here in the sense that we now think of them.The reason is that they simply had not been adopted yet.You may note that "tornado warning" made its way into the Missouri state forecast issued at 4:14 pm.

That wouldn't happen today. Further, I did not know then that I could say "tornado" based on a radar echo alone.I think by now you know I was just winging it!

AT 7 15 pm

Radar shows the largest thunderstorm cell from the southwest portion of Kansas City southwestward to the vicinity of Olathe. There have been numerous unconfirmed reports of tornadoes from this massive storm when it was in the vicinity of Paola and Ottawa Kansas.It is still a potent storm and will bear watching as it moves northeastward over greater Kansas City.

END

jfa

THEN AT 7 23 PM…

At 7 23 pm radar at the airport shows an echo which appears to very severe just 3 or 4 miles southeast of Olathe Kansas moving northeastward. We have atjust this moment received a report of a tornado on the ground moving northeastward at this exact spot. (Babb had received the phone call and yelled it to me as I was typing this radar report.The radar report itself resulted from an unbelieveable hook which showed up.That thing had been dragging along through eastern Kansas for more than one hour and in truth it was on the ground a couplemiles south of my 3 or 4 miles from Olathe estimate at 7 23.I don't expect someto believe that the clear area in the hook was 7 miles across.

I don't remember how high in the cloud the beam would be cutting it at that distance but that may have contributed to the 7 mile opening as well as 2 mile error.As I recall it hit Ruskin Heights 20 minutes or so after my 7 23 message.To purloin the words of some guy in the Enola Gay crew, my reaction when that big hook opened up was, "My God, what have we done".Yep, weather people sometimes feel responsible for bad stuff.I also wondered if we had done any good.

When I finally got home that night I was surprised to find my fine little family of a great wife, two great kids andnice little dog all in the basement where I had sent them before there was a clue as to what part of town might be hit.That wasn't all…they had invited a neighbor lady and her two kids and yes their dog too.

It took hours to unwind and sleep, but the phone range at 8 a.m. and I was picked up to tour the storm track from where it sat down just west of Williamsburg KS to Kansas City.That thing was a quarter of a mile wide in some places.

I was called down to WDAF TV to make a documentary tape and a Mr. Vernon a deputy Chief of the Bureau came out from DC and interviewed me.Any fears that we hadn't done our job were at least partly dispelled when he showed me a photo of the floor of a Presbyterian Church, which was all that remained of the building .

Years later I had the good fortune to meet a fellow Presbyterian, the late Mary Larrick.She had been a member of that destroyed church's congregation.She said they were having a large meeting in the church and when my message about Olathe etc. came out they posted a guy outside to watch.When he saw the funnel coming he came inside and sent them all downstairs,The Kansas City Kansan newspaper said there were 60 people in the basement.Mary said one girl got cut by flying glass.As in that thing in SD ten years earlier I felt some relief or vindication…or something.

And why didn't we see the big hook if it had a big funnel on the ground for 70+ miles?A weakness of the WSR-1 was that it couldprint only a finite amount if data on any given azimuth.This meant that you would not be ableto see the trailing edge of the cell where the tornado funnel is until you got a lot of the rain and hail out from between the radar and the funnel.And that is exactly what happened in this case at 7 23 pm.Well duh.We had heard of the term "attenuation" around the office and I was to find out that 10 cm doesn't attenuate much in rain.I found this out by accident one day when a Region ELTEC, Marvin Black I think, overheard me explaining to a visitor that a heavy rain event in July 1958 which caused some extensive flooding in the Little Blue Basin was difficult to evaluate because the radar beam lost its strength in the heavy rain of the leading edge of the storm.Marvin just COULDN'TTAKE IT ANYMORE, and he straightened the visitor AND me out in a matter of five minutes about our WSR-`1's inability to print all of the radar return signal on any given azimuth on the scope when the rain is really heavy.

And oh yes…Why didn't Babb or methink to call the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Kansas Turnpike, or maybe Ottawa KS police. The answer to that one is in my second page here,first paragraph.

Saving the worst to the last… my memory says the final death toll from that tornado as 44 along its entire path.If you want to continue to do that kind of work you have to concentrate on things like the Ruskin Heights Presbyterian Church story.