1983 South Central Los Angeles tornado

1983 South Central Los Angeles tornado

Path of the tornado
Meteorological history
Formed	March 1, 1983 (March 1, 1983), ~7:40 a.m. PST (UTC−08:00)
Dissipated	March 1, 1983 (March 1, 1983), ~8:05 a.m. PST (UTC−08:00)
Duration	20–25 minutes
F2 tornado
on the Fujita scale
Highest winds	240 km/h (150 mph)
Overall effects
Injuries	30–32
Damage	$50,000–$50 million[a][b][1]
Economic losses	$15 million
Areas affected	South Central Los Angeles
Part of the Tornadoes of 1983

A significant tornado occurred on the morning of March 1, 1983, in South Central Los Angeles. The tornado touched down at around 7:40 a.m. PST (UTC–08:00) near 51st Street, taking a north-northeastward path paralleling the Harbor Freeway before lifting near Olympic Boulevard at around 8:05 a.m. PST. The damage swath was roughly 3.5 mi (5.6 km) long and up to 660 yd (600 m) wide. Over a hundred homes were damaged, of which around 50 were destroyed. Virtually all power lines in the tornado's path were ruptured and numerous power poles were blown over or snapped by the twister. The tornado also inflicted significant damage to the Los Angeles Convention Center, which required $3 million in repairs.^[b] Losses sustained by public, residential, and commercial infrastructure amounted to $15 million. As the broader meteorological conditions did not resemble those typically associated with tornadoes, no tornado watch or warning was issued in advance of the tornado and tornadic activity was not anticipated. At least 30 people were injured, primarily by flying glass, and over a hundred people were displaced due to the damage.

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