The Bulahdelah Tornado was an intense tornado which occurred near the town of Bulahdelah (100 kilometres (62.1 mi) north-northeast of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia on 1 January 1970, and is thought to be the most destructive and powerful tornado ever documented in Australia.[1][2]
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 1, 1970, 3:45 p.m. AEST (UTC 10:00) |
| Unofficial F5 tornado | |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Areas affected | Around Bulahdelah, New South Wales |
Part of the tornado outbreaks of 1970 | |
The tornado left a damage path 22 kilometres (14 mi) long and 1.6 km (0.99 mi) wide through the Bulahdelah State Forest.[1] It is estimated that the tornado destroyed over one million trees.[1] Numerous trees were snapped with some being debranched and debarked. A caravan was destroyed and a 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) tractor was lifted into the air, landing upside down. From damage analysis, the storm was stated to have "incredible devastation"; however, it was rated as an F0 on the Fujita scale.[3][4][5] The tornado was reported by witnesses as a swirling black cloud surrounded by flying debris, and producing a thunderous roaring sound.[4] The weather system that produced the tornado was a classic set-up for violent tornadoes of the United States.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Stormy Weather: A century of storms, fire, flood and drought in New South Wales" (PDF). Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
- ^ "23 September 2003: Australian thunderstorm climatology". Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 26 November 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2008.
- ^ "Tornadoes of Australia and New Zealand". The Weather Doctor. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2008.
- ^ a b c Shanahan, B (April 1985). "Bulahdelah Tornado Report" (PDF). Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
- ^ "Severe Storms Archive - Tornado". Bureau of Meteorology.