The Los Angeles, California tornado of March 1, 1983.

At 7.40 a.m. on March 1, 1983, the downtown metropolitan area of Los Angeles was struck by a tornado severe enough to cause significant structural damage to not only old buildings but also modern, engineered structures. The path of the tornado was such that it moved in approximately a south to north direction and passed within a quarter mile of major high-rise buildings. Due to the lack of historical tornadoes in the area and the absence of the typical meteorological events preceding a midwestern tornado, the National Weather Service did not issue a tornado watch. However, the tornado did occur. This report summarizes the meteorological situation before and after the tornado, discusses the observed structural damage to buildings and lifelines, and examines the emergency planning and preparedness for such an event in the City of Los Angeles. The report's purpose is twofold. First, it provides a conveniently available account of the event and records the available data for historical purposes. Second, it identifies and recommends cases in which further in-depth study would contribute to the improvement of planning and engineering practice and to the mitigation of damage from tornadoes and other windstorms