1931 Lublin tornado
{{Short description|F4 tornado in 1931}}
{{Infobox weather event
| image = F4 damage to the Lublin slaughterhouse after the 1931 Lublin tornado.jpg
| width = 290
| caption = F4 damage to the Lublin slaughterhouse after the tornado
| date = July 20, 1931
}}{{Infobox weather event/Tornado
| fujita-scale = F4
}}{{Infobox weather event/Effects
| deaths = 6
| injuries = 100+
| areas = Lublin, Republic of Poland
}}{{Infobox weather event/Footer
| season = Tornadoes of 1931
}}
On July 20, 1931, a violent tornado struck the city of Lublin in the Republic of Poland.{{cite web |author1=Staff of the European Severe Storms Laboratory |title=European Severe Weather Database |url=https://eswd.eu/ |website=ESWD |publisher=European Severe Storms Laboratory |format=Interactive map and database |date=2024}}{{cite journal |last1=Taszarek |first1=Mateusz |last2=Gromadzki |first2=Jakub |title=Deadly Tornadoes in Poland from 1820 to 2015 |journal=Monthly Weather Review |date=1 April 2017 |volume=145 |issue=4 |pages=1221–1243 |doi=10.1175/MWR-D-16-0146.1 |url=https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/mwre/145/4/mwr-d-16-0146.1.xml |accessdate=27 January 2024 |publisher=Adam Mickiewicz University and University of Warsaw via the American Meteorological Society |format=Academic journal|doi-access=free }}{{cite journal |last1=Taszarek |first1=Mateusz |last2=Brooks |first2=Harold E. |title=Tornado Climatology of Poland |journal=Monthly Weather Review |date=1 March 2015 |volume=143 |issue=3 |pages=702–717 |doi=10.1175/MWR-D-14-00185.1 |url=https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/mwre/143/3/mwr-d-14-00185.1.xml |accessdate=27 January 2024 |publisher=University of Warsaw, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Severe Storms Laboratory via the American Meteorological Society |format=Academic journal |issn=1520-0493|doi-access=free }}{{cite journal |last1=Gumiński |first1=R. |title=Trąba powietrzna pod Lublinem w dniu 20 lipca 1931r |journal=Wiadomości Meteor. Hydrol. |date=1936 |volume=16 |pages=7-9 |language=Polish}} The damage from the tornado was rated F4 on the Fujita scale by the European Severe Storms Laboratory. The tornado killed six people and injured at least 100 others.
Summary
The tornado destroyed several buildings in Lublin. Some structures had walls that were {{convert|50|cm|in}} thick. Train railroad cars were overturned and some were moved a few meters away. Industrial chimneys were thrown by the tornado. Structures made out of iron were bent. Buildings made of wood in the path of the tornado were leveled to the ground. These included sawmills, homes, and barns. The Lublin slaughterhouse and sugar factory were completely destroyed. Other industrial buildings were destroyed as well. Some buildings had debris thrown over a mile away. A city bus was picked up and thrown by the tornado. The tornado traveled around {{convert|20|km|mi}} and was described as being a narrow “dark mass in the shape of a funnel”. In total, the tornado killed six people and injured over 100 others.
The Polish Weather Service estimated that the tornado had winds between {{cvt|246|to|324|mph|km/h}}. This mean it was potentially at F5 intensity, as F5 tornadoes begin with winds at {{cvt|261|mph|km/h}}. But in publication by members of staff of the University of Warsaw and Adam Mickiewicz University in Poland as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the United States doubts were expressed about this assessment: " this estimate is highly uncertain since no typical F5 damage was reported. Instead, F4 damage was plausible".
It is possible that the wind force assessment is overstated due to overly simple assumptions made during calculations. In a scientific article summarizing the events, Romuald Gumiński estimates the minimum pressure force and corresponding dynamic pressure needed to cause two damages - derailment of the train car and breaking of the wall. Based on the mass, track gauge and lateral surface of the car, he estimates that the minimum wind speed needed to overturn the car is 111 m/s (246 mph) , and based on the thickness and height of the building wall, that the minimum wind speed needed to break the wall is 145 m/s (325 mph). These are values well above the wind speeds expected to cause such damage. A train overturn is a characteristic of an EF3 tornado with winds in the 136-165 mph range. It's Gumiński was the vice-director of the Polish government Meteorological Department.{{cite web |author1=Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) |title=HYDRO-METEOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE |url=https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/cia-rdp82-00457r013300470010-6 |website=CIA-RDP82-00457R013300470010-6 |publisher=United States federal government |accessdate=27 January 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240127221422/https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/cia-rdp82-00457r013300470010-6 |archivedate=27 January 2024 |location=Langley, Virginia |pages=1-3 |format=Intelligence document by the United States government |date=18 August 1952 |quote=Dr. Romuald Guminski, vice-director, non- Party, is in charge of the Meteorological Department. |url-status=live}}
Aftermath
The Polish Government allocated {{PLN|15,000|link=yes}} to the Governor of Lublin for emergency aid to the injured.{{cite news |title=15.000 ZŁ. DLA OFIAR HURAGANU W LUBLINIE. |trans-title=15,000 PLN FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE HURRICANE IN LUBLIN |url=https://jbc.bj.uj.edu.pl/Content/190276/PDF/NDIGCZAS000046_1931_197.pdf |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=Głos Narodu |issue=197 |date=25 July 1931 |page=7 |language=pl |via=Jagiellonian Digital Library}}{{cite news |title=15.000 NA POMOC DLA LUBLINA |trans-title=15,000 TO HELP LUBLIN |url=https://jbc.bj.uj.edu.pl/Content/524557/NDIGCZAS025446_78870112.pdf |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=Expres Zagłębia |issue=200 |date=25 July 1931 |page=2 |language=pl |via=Jagiellonian Digital Library}} Expres Zagłębia stated that the decision of whether the government would be sending more aid would only be made after they had received "government accurate data on the extent of the disaster."