2003 Manchester tornado
Aerial view of Manchester after the tornado. Cycloidal marks can be seen across the field. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Date | June 24, 2003 |
| Formed | 2329 UTC (Kingsbury County, South Dakota) |
| F4 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Path length | 25 miles (40 km) |
| Highest winds | 207–260 mph (333–418 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 4 |
| Damage | $3 million (2003 USD) |
| Areas affected | Kingsbury County (Specifically at Manchester) |
Part of the 2003 South Dakota tornado outbreak and Tornadoes of 2003 | |
In the afternoon hours of June 24, 2003, a large and violent F4 tornado, part of the 2003 South Dakota tornado outbreak, struck the rural South Dakota community of Manchester over Kingsbury County, injuring four. It was one of the most violent tornadoes of the year and also turned Manchester into a ghost town.
The tornado formed over rural Kingsbury County, having a large, "wedge" shape before impacting Manchester, completely obliterating all homes and structures within town. TWISTEX successfully deployed their "turtle probes" into the tornado, recording a 100 millibar pressure drop. Footage of the tornado from storm chasers became popular in social media platforms.