Brighton tornado

The Brighton tornado is the strongest storm recorded in Melbourne to date.

Brighton tornado
F3 tornado
The Methodist Church, Hawthorn Road, completely destroyed by the tornado
Formed2 February 1918 5:45pm
Duration30 minutes
Max. rating1F3 tornado
Highest winds
  • 198 mph (319 km/h)
DamageA£100,000–150,000[1]
Casualties2 fatalities
Areas affectedBrighton, Victoria
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

On the afternoon of 2 February 1918, with prevailing north-westerly winds and a heat wave (typical conditions for Melbourne thunderstorms).[2] After a severe storm formed and moved off Port Phillip, two tornadoes struck Brighton beach simultaneously at approximately 5:45 pm and proceeded inland, converging near the junction of Halifax and Church Streets. Five minutes later, a third tornado struck. The tornadoes then tracked east over open fields.

Damage retrospectively rated F3 on the Fujita scale was observed in places. Two people were killed,[3] a man and a boy, while the drowning of a woman at St Kilda beach is believed to be related to the same storm cell.[4] Over 6 were injured in the Brighton area.[1]

The tornado completely destroyed the Hawthorn Road Methodist church, which was later rebuilt.[4] Numerous homes were demolished.[4] The tornado badly damaged the Brighton Baths, tore the roof off Royal Terminus Hotel and destroyed the verandah of Grimley's Hotel.[4] Extensive damage was incurred to infrastructure on the Sandringham railway line.[4] Several community and sporting facilities were destroyed including the cricket club grandstand and a bandstand.[4] It also damaged the burial monument of Adam Lindsay Gordon in the Brighton general cemetery.[1]

See also

References
  1. pg 4 Zeehan and Dundas Herald Thursday 7 February 1918
  2. "The Brighton Cyclone 2nd February 1918". Brighton Historical Society Inc. Archived from the original on 9 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-05.
  3. "Brighton Cyclone(Tornadoes)". Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 5 April 2008.
  4. pg 3. Brighton Southern Cross 5 October 1918


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