THE PALM SUNDAY TORNADO - APRIL 11, 1965

[Page 1 - home] [Page 2 - tornado witnesses] [Page 4 - aftermath]

The damage path

The tornado entered Lenawee County at the intersection of US-127 and Rome/O'Harrow Roads, destroying a collection of homes and farms at this location. The tornado continued briefly due east along Rome Road, before turning sharply northeast toward Manitou Road. The storm system then again turned due east and traveled down Manitou Road along Devils Lake's south side. The funnel then turned northeast and continued in this direction over the intersection of Sandy Beach Road and US-223, continuing northeast. The tornado clipped the southern outskirts of Onsted, destroying or damaging several homes and a small airfield. At about 8:05 p.m., it passed through the heart of Tipton, a bedroom community on M-50. The village suffered a 94% damage/destruction toll on its structures. At 8:07, the tornado tore a path between the village of Clinton and the city of Tecumseh. The air speed equipment at the airport in Tecumseh measured winds off the chart. At this point, the tornado exited Lenawee County and continued northeast into Washtenaw County.