Medicine Hat News
Known forever to Edmontonians as Black Friday, a deadly F4 tornado destroyed much of the eastern part of the city and parts of Strathcona County, killing 27 people.
The tornado was one of eight twisters to touch down in central Alberta that day, resulting in the deaths of 35 people.
The News is looking back at notable events from Medicine Hat’s history leading up to the celebration of our 140th publishing year later this fall.
Edmonton’s tornado spent a full hour on the ground, leaving more than 30 kilometres of devastation in its wake.
More than 300 people were injured, more than 300 homes were destroyed and more than $332 million (about $800 million today) in damages.
It was Alberta’s worst natural disaster and the second deadliest tornado in Canadian history behind the 1912 Regina cyclone.
In the aftermath, the disaster led the province to introduce the Emergency Public Warning System, which eventually became Alberta Emergency Alert.
The first use of the Doppler weather radar concept in Canada followed in the early 1990s and one of three radars was stationed in Edmonton.
An F2 tornado also touched down that day near Vegreville and remained on the ground for a whopping 52 km.
