Early-May 1933 tornado outbreak sequence


The Early-May 1933 tornado outbreak sequence was a severe weather event that occurred from May 4–10, 1933, and produced at least 27 tornadoes. Among them was the Beaty Swamps tornado, a violent F4 that struck shortly after midnight CST on May 11, 1933, in Overton County, Tennessee, killing 35 people and devastating the unincorporated community of Beatty Swamps. The storm was the second-deadliest tornado in the history of Middle Tennessee, even though it struck a sparsely populated, rural area. There were $100,000 in damages from the tornado. The community of Beaty Swamps ceased to exist and does not appear on any current maps. The only landmark that alludes to the former community is Beaty Swamp Road, whichs intersects Highway 111 in the northeast corner of Overton County.

Tornado table

F#LocationCounty / ParishStateDateStart Time Path lengthSummary
F2N of Calico RockIzardAR2100Two barns were destroyed.
F2S of MonroeOuachitaLA2300UnknownA tornado destroyed a plantation home and six tenant homes near Bosco.
F3E of TallulahMadisonLA00301 death — A tornado destroyed both large and small homes as it passed east of Tallulah.
F2SE of Valley ParkIssaquena, SharkeyMS0200Four homes and a church were destroyed.
F3NW of Pennington to DemopolisChoctaw, Sumter, MarengoAL06204 deaths — 50 homes were destroyed, three people killed, and 200 people left homeless as a tornado hit Demopolis. One other death occurred near Edna in Choctaw County.
F4S of Brent to N of PelhamBibb, ShelbyAL083021 deaths — Homes were leveled near Brent, southeast of Centreville, and near Coalmont. 14 people died and 150 were injured as the tornado destroyed most of Helena.
F3N of Anderson to SE of Fountain InnAnderson, Greenville, LaurensSC193019 deaths — 11 deaths occurred in frail homes in Belton. Four more deaths were in Greenville County and one more near Barksdale. Losses were at least $300,000, mainly to mills near Belton.
F2W of StarkvilleOktibbehaMS0730UnknownOne home was destroyed.
F2Southern Lee CountyLeeMS0730UnknownThree small homes were destroyed.
F2S of Remsen to SE of AltonPlymouth, SiouxIA1945A tornado hit farms, destroying barns on three of them and doing lesser damage to other farms.
F2NE of SearcyWhiteAR2130UnknownA short-lived tornado destroyed barns.
F2N of Harrisburg to Trumann areaPoinsettAR2200A tornado destroyed nine homes and a school in the Shady Grove community.
F2W of BarnumWebsterIA2200UnknownA barn built upon cement blocks was destroyed.
F2N of Bondurant to Maxwell areaPolk, StoryIA2200A tornado destroyed two barns. One farm reportedly was hit for the third time in its history.
F2Eagle Grove areaWrightIA2230A tornado destroyed "a barn, a machine shed, and a brooder house."
F2N of Somers to N of BarnumCalhoun, WebsterIAUnknownA tornado destroyed two barns along its path.
F2E of Fort DodgeWebsterIAUnknownUnknownOne barn was destroyed.
F3S of Atoka to SE of CovingtonTiptonTN23456 deaths — Roughly 30 homes and 75 farm structures were reported damaged or destroyed. Four deaths occurred in a single home near Charleston. Two more deaths were in another home south of Covington.
F2SW of TiptonTiptonIN0900A large barn was destroyed.
F2Lapel to Anderson areaMadisonIN0930A tornado caused $40,000 roof and rain-related damage.
F3S of VersaillesRipleyIN2215Four homes and many barns were destroyed.
F3SE of DillsboroOhioIN2240Three homes were destroyed, one of which had seven rooms and was nearly leveled. The tornado hit near Woods Ridge and South Fork.
F3N of Dale to SW of Norris CityHamilton, WhiteIL00002 deaths — A "huge" tornado left only one wall standing on a homesite and killed two children east of Dale. It also destroyed other homes.
F4SW of Tompkinsville to NE of Russell SpringsMonroe, Cumberland, Adair, RussellKY023036 deaths — A major tornado family killed 18 people and destroyed 60 homes in Tompkinsville. It may have lifted in Cumberland County before reforming in Adair County. 14 more people died near Russell Springs as the tornado was said to be wide. It was the third-deadliest Kentucky tornado on record following one in 1917 and another in 1890. The 1974 Brandenburg tornado was the fourth deadliest. At least 87 people were injured, probably many more.
F2Columbia areaMetcalfe, AdairKY02302 deaths — Five homes were destroyed and 12 others damaged in Columbia. Twelve people were injured.
F3N of LebanonWilsonTN04302 deaths — Three homes were leveled and "swept away" with two people killed. Their bodies were moved. Other residents survived in underground storm shelters that had been built after tornadoes on March 14.
F4N of Livingston to S of ByrdstownOverton, PickettTN061535 deaths — Every home in Beaty Swamps was destroyed with little debris left. 33 of the deaths occurred there, including an entire family of nine. "Much of the area was swept clean of debris," a reaper-binder was thrown, and cars were moved hundreds of feet. Another violent tornado did not hit the area until April 3, 1974.