List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
Parent article: List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
These are some notable tornadoes, tornado outbreaks, and tornado outbreak sequences that have occurred in North America.
- The listing is U.S.-centric, with greater and more consistent information available for U.S. tornadoes. Some North American outbreaks affecting the U.S. may only include tornado information from the U.S.
- Exact death and injury counts are not possible, especially for large events and events before 1955.
- Prior to 1950 in the United States, only significant tornadoes are listed for the number of tornadoes in outbreaks.
- Due to increasing detection, particularly in the U.S., numbers of counted tornadoes have increased markedly in recent decades although number of actual tornadoes and counted significant tornadoes has not. In older events, the number of tornadoes officially counted is likely underestimated.
United States
Pre-1900
List of United States tornado outbreaks – Pre-1900 | |||||||
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Dates | Year | Region | Tornadoes | Fatalities | |||
Rehoboth, Massachusetts tornado | August 1671 | Massachusetts | - | 0 fatalities | Earliest recorded U.S. tornado. | ||
Cambridge, Massachusetts tornado | July 8, 1680 | Massachusetts | - | 1 fatality | Earliest recorded U.S. tornado with fatalities. | ||
Four-State Tornado Swarm | August 15, 1787 | New England | - | 2 fatalities | First known U.S tornado outbreak. | ||
1812 Washington, D.C. tornado | August 25, 1814 | Washington, D.C. | - | c. 30 fatalities | Killed several British soldiers occupying the city. The British subsequently abandoned the city. | ||
September 1821 New England tornado outbreak | Sep 9, 1821 | New England | >5 | 8 fatalities | One of the most destructive New England outbreaks ever documented. Produced a deadly multiple-vortex tornado in New Hampshire. | ||
Great Natchez Tornado | May 7, 1840 | Southeastern United States | >1 | 317+ fatalities, 109+ injuries | Second-deadliest tornado in U.S. history | ||
September 1845 New York outbreak | Sep 20, 1845 | New York, Vermont | >5 | – | Multiple long-track tornadoes crossed upstate New York | ||
June 1860 Mid-Mississippi Valley tornado outbreak | June 3, 1860 | Middle Mississippi Valley | – | ≥148 fatalities, ≥409 injuries | Very violent outbreak. Produced a deadly tornado or tornado family that struck Camanche, Iowa. | ||
1865 Viroqua, Wisconsin tornado | June 28, 1865 | Viroqua, Wisconsin | >1 | ≥22 fatalities | One of Wisconsin's first killer tornadoes. Also one of the first documentations of a multiple-vortex tornado. | ||
1871 St. Louis tornado | March 8, 1871 | Middle Mississippi Valley | ≥1 | 9 fatalities, 60 injuries | F3 tornado killed nine people in St. Louis. | ||
May 1873 Midwest tornado outbreak | May 22, 1873 | Midwestern United States | ≥7 | 18 fatalities, ≥ 93 injuries | (3 violent killers) | ||
March 1875 Southeast tornado outbreak | March 19–20, 1875 | Southeastern United States | ≥19 | ≥96 fatalities, ≥367 injuries | Outbreak produced seven F4s. The worst of the damage and most of the fatalities took place in Georgia. (15 significant, 7 violent, 12 killer) | ||
May 1875 Southeast tornado outbreak | May 1, 1875 | Southeastern United States | – | 58 fatalities, 195 injuries | Included several long-tracked, F3 tornado families. (1 violent, 7 killer) | ||
1878 Wallingford tornado | August 9, 1878 | Connecticut | – | 34 fatalities, ≥70 injuries | Deadliest tornado in Connecticut history. Estimated to have been an F4. | ||
May 1879 Central Plains tornado outbreak | May 29–30, 1879 | Central Great Plains | – | ≥36 fatalities, ≥186 injuries | (≥15 significant, 6 violent, ≥9 killer) | ||
April 1880 tornado outbreak | April 18, 1880 | Mississippi Valley – Great Plains | – | ≥165 fatalities, ≥511 injuries | 99 people killed in and near Springfield and Marshfield, Missouri. Three long-tracked F4s in Missouri. (>22 significant, 5 violent, 14 killer) | ||
June 1881 tornado outbreak | June 11–12, 1881 | Great Plains – Midwest | ≥11 | 20 fatalities, ≥141 injuries | Produced five violent tornadoes across three states, one of which was an F4 that destroyed the community of Floral, Kansas. Another F4 that hit near Hopkins, Missouri, may have been an F5. (11 significant, 5 violent, 7 killer) | ||
1881 Minnesota tornado outbreak | July 15–16, 1881 | Minnesota | ≥ 6 | 24 fatalities, ≥123 injuries | Produced a destructive F4 (possibly F5) tornado in New Ulm, Minnesota, along with other killer tornadoes in rural areas, including one that killed four people. (6 significant, 2 violent, 2 killer) | ||
April 1883 Southeast tornado outbreak | April 22–23, 1883 | Southeastern United States | – | ≥109 fatalities, ≥755 injuries | Produced several killer F3+ tornadoes in Mississippi and Georgia. (17 significant, 3 violent, 13 killer) | ||
May 1883 tornado outbreak | May 18, 1883 | Middle-Lower Mississippi Valley | – | ≥64 fatalities, ≥386 injuries | One of the most intense outbreaks ever to hit Illinois, where five F4s struck. (≥21 significant, 6 violent, 16 killers) | ||
1883 Rochester tornado | August 21, 1883 | Rochester, Minnesota | – | 37 fatalities, 200+ injured | F5 tornado led to the formation of the Mayo Clinic. | ||
1884 Enigma tornado outbreak | February 19–20, 1884 | Central – Eastern United States | >51 | >178 fatalities, ≥1056 injuries | Among largest known outbreaks ever recorded. Produced violent and killer tornadoes across a large portion of the Southeastern United States, killing well over 170 people. Long-track F4 tornado moved through Alabama and Georgia, killing 30 people. Another F4—the deadliest in North Carolina history—hit Rockingham, North Carolina, and killed 23. | ||
1884 March tornado outbreak | March 24–25, 1884 | Southeastern United States – Ohio Valley | >29 | 32 fatalities | (29 significant, 11 killer) | ||
1884 Howard, South Dakota tornado | August 28, 1884 | Howard, South Dakota | – | 4 fatalities, 2 injuries | One of the oldest known tornado photographs[1] | ||
April 1885 tornado outbreak | April 1885 | Texas | - | 60 fatalities, 4 injuries | One of the tornado struck Waco. | ||
1886 Sauk Rapids tornado | April 14, 1886 | Central Minnesota | – | 72 fatalities, 200+ injuries | Deadliest tornado in Minnesota history. Estimated to have been an F4. | ||
1890 St. Louis tornado outbreak | January 12, 1890 | Middle Mississippi Valley | – | 16 fatalities, 91 injuries | (≥1 violent, 3 killer) | ||
March 1890 middle Mississippi Valley tornado outbreak | March 27, 1890 | Middle Mississippi Valley | – | ≥146 fatalities, ≥847 injuries | Deadly tornado outbreak killed at least 146 people across the Midwest. An F4 that struck downtown Louisville killed 76 people alone. Four other F4s, including a long-tracked tornado family that killed 21 people in southern Indiana and northern Kentucky. | ||
1890 Lawrence tornado | July 26, 1890 | Lawrence, Massachusetts | – | 8 fatalities, 63 injuries | Path 11 mi (18 km) long through the city. | ||
1892 Southern Minnesota tornado | June 15, 1892 | Minnesota | – | 12 fatalities, 72 injuries | Estimated to have been F5 intensity. | ||
1894 Upper Mississippi Valley tornado outbreak | September 21–22, 1894 | Upper Mississippi Valley | – | >63 fatalities, >253 injuries | Included a long-tracked F4 tornado family in Iowa and Wisconsin. (>9 significant, 4 violent, 5 killer) | ||
1895 Kansas-Iowa tornado outbreak | May 1–3, 1895 | Central-Northern Great Plains | – | >18–35 fatalities, >67 injuries | Seven people killed in schools in Ireton-Hull, Iowa. (2 F5s, 3 killer) | ||
May 1896 tornado outbreak sequence | May 15–28, 1896 | Upper Mississippi Valley – Great Lakes (Ontario) | – | ≥484 fatalities, >2,000 injuries | The deadliest tornado outbreak sequence in American history. Killer tornadoes touched down from Texas to Pennsylvania. Produced at least three F5 tornadoes and several F4s, including an F4 that killed at least 255 people and injured 1,236 in the St. Louis area. | ||
1898 Fort Smith, Arkansas tornado | January 11, 1898 | Lower Mississippi Valley | – | ≥56 fatalities, ≥119 injuries | Devastating F4 tornado struck Fort Smith. (1 violent, 2 killer) | ||
May 1898 Mississippi Valley tornado outbreaks | May 17–18, 1898 | Middle-Upper Mississippi Valley | – | 55 fatalities, ≥380 injuries | (5 violent, 10 killer) | ||
1899 New Richmond tornado | June 11–12, 1899 | Upper Midwest | – | ≥117 fatalities, ≥203 injuries | Devastating F5 destroyed the town of New Richmond, Wisconsin. Deadliest Wisconsin tornado on record, ninth deadliest in US history. |
1900–1919
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1900-1919 | |||||||
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Dates | Year | Region | Tornadoes | Fatalities | |||
1900 Plains tornado outbreak | May 5–6, 1900 | Nebraska-Texas-Missouri | – | ≥3 fatalities, ≥16 injuries | May 6 named "day of the cyclones" by the press. (≥19 significant, 2 killer) | ||
1902 Goliad, Texas tornado | May 18, 1902 | South Central U.S. | – | 114 fatalities, ≥279 injuries | Tied with the Waco tornado as deadliest in Texas history. | ||
1904 Chappaqua tornado | July 16, 1904 | New York | 1 | 2 fatalities | F3 struck upstate New York. | ||
1904 St. Louis tornado | August 19, 1904 | Missouri – Illinois | 1 | 3 fatalities, ≥10 injuries | Heavy damage in downtown St. Louis. | ||
1905 Snyder, Oklahoma tornado | May 10, 1905 | Oklahoma | ≥1 | 97 fatalities, ≥150 injuries | F5 largely destroyed Snyder, Oklahoma. | ||
1908 Dixie tornado outbreak | April 23–25, 1908 | Southeastern United States | – | 324 fatalities, ≥1,720 injuries | Tied with the 2011 Super Outbreak for fourth-deadliest US tornado outbreak. Produced numerous violent tornadoes in the Southern United States and Great Plains, including an F5 in Nebraska. One long-track tornado killed 143 people alone in Louisiana and Mississippi. See, e.g., Wilmer, Louisiana. | ||
Late-April 1909 tornado outbreak | April 29 – May 1, 1909 | Mississippi – Tennessee Valley | – | ≥165 fatalities, ≥696 injuries | Produced numerous killer tornadoes across the Southern United States. Two tornadoes in Mississippi and Alabama killed 29 each. | ||
November 1911 tornado outbreak | November 11, 1911 | Midwestern United States | ≥9 | 13 fatalities, 117 injuries | Outbreak was produced by a large and dynamic storm system. F4 struck Janesville, Wisconsin, and killed nine people. Other killer tornadoes occurred in Illinois and Michigan. (9 significant, 1 violent, 3 killer) | ||
April 20‑22, 1912 tornado outbreak | April 20–22, 1912 | Southern-Central Great Plains – Middle Mississippi Valley – Southeastern United States | – | ≥56 fatalities, injuries | Numerous violent tornadoes in North Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, including what is now the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. (≥30 significant, 9 violent, ≥19 killer) | ||
April 27–29, 1912 tornado outbreak | April 27–29, 1912 | Southern-Central Great Plains – Red River basin – Ark-La-Miss region | – | ≥45 fatalities, 167 injuries | Violent tornadoes struck portions of the Great Plains, mainly in Oklahoma. (25 significant, 8 violent, 15 killer) | ||
Regina Cyclone | June 30, 1912 | Saskatchewan, Canada – Canadian Prairies – | 1 | 28 fatalities, hundreds injured | Deadliest tornado in Canada, F4 left 2,500 people homeless. | ||
Mid-March 1913 tornado outbreak | March 13–14, 1913 | Southeastern United States – Middle Mississippi Valley | – | 78 fatalities, ≥492 injuries | Produced deadly, long-tracked F3+ tornadoes in Tennessee. (20 significant, 3 violent, 16 killer) | ||
March 1913 tornado outbreak sequence | March 20–23, 1913 | Southeastern United States – Central Great Plains – Middle Mississippi Valley | – | ≥ 241 fatalities, ≥ 1,535 injuries | Produced the devastating Omaha tornado (103 deaths), among several other violent and deadly tornadoes in Nebraska. Other violent tornadoes killed numerous people in Alabama and one in Terre Haute, Indiana, killed 21. (19 significant, 7 violent, 15 killer) | ||
June 1916 tornado outbreak | June 5–6, 1916 | Mississippi Valley – Southern U.S. | – | 112 fatalities, 741 injuries | Produced numerous killer tornadoes in Arkansas, including one that killed 25 people. An F3 killed 13 people in the northern suburbs of Jackson, Mississippi. (35 significant, 1 violent, 23 killer) | ||
February 1917 Southeast tornado outbreak | February 23, 1917 | Southeastern United States | – | 17 fatalities, 81 injuries | Six strong tornadoes touched down across the South. | ||
1917 New Albany, Indiana tornado | March 23, 1917 | Ohio Valley | – | 47 fatalities, 311 injuries | F4 tornado devastated the town. Destroyed two schools and a wood shop. At least 300 homes were destroyed, some swept away. | ||
May–June 1917 tornado outbreak sequence | May 25 – June 1, 1917 | Central – Southeastern United States | ≥ 73 | >382 fatalities | One of the deadliest tornado outbreak sequences in US history. An F5 killed 23 people in Kansas. One tornado family in Illinois killed 101 people alone. A long-track tornado killed 67 people, mostly in Kentucky. (63 significant, 15 violent, 35 killer) | ||
May 1918 tornado outbreak sequence | May 18–21, 1918 | Central-Northern Great Plains – Upper Midwest | – | 44 fatalities, 340 injuries | (≥34 significant, 5 violent, 13 killer) | ||
1918 Tyler tornado | August 21, 1918 | Tyler, Minnesota | – | 36 killed, 225 injured | F4 tornado killed 36 people in and near Tyler. | ||
March 1919 tornado outbreak | March 14–16, 1919 | Central United States | – | 53 fatalities, 219 injuries | (4 violent, 18 killer) | ||
April 1919 tornado outbreak | April 8–9, 1919 | Southern Great Plains | – | 92 fatalities, 412 injuries | Unusual nocturnal outbreak produced numerous violent, large, long-tracked tornadoes in East Texas. (4 violent, 10 killer) | ||
1919 Fergus Falls tornado | June 22, 1919 | Fergus Falls, Minnesota | – | 57 fatalities, 200 injured | F5 tornado leveled many homes in Fergus Falls, killing 57 people. 35 of the deaths were at the three story Grand Hotel, which was completely destroyed. |
1920–1929
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1920-1929 | |||||||
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Dates | Year | Region | Tornadoes | Fatalities | |||
1920 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak | March 28, 1920 | Midwest – Southeast | – | ≥380 fatalities, ≥1215 injuries | First and deadliest of the Palm Sunday outbreaks; one of the deadliest outbreaks in US history. Tornadoes devastated the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, including parts of the Chicago metropolitan area. Other long-track killer tornadoes tore across the Southern states. Official death toll is uncertain and may be considerably higher than what is listed. (32 significant, 8 violent, 19 killer) | ||
April 1920 tornado outbreak | April 19–21, 1920 | Southeastern United States | – | 224 fatalities, 1374 injuries | Several violent, long-track tornadoes touched down across the South, killing numerous people. Mississippi and Alabama were the hardest hit, with multiple tornadoes producing double-digit death tolls, including one that killed 88 people alone. (14 significant, 7 violent, 9 killer) | ||
April 1921 tornado outbreak | April 15–16, 1921 | Southern U.S. | – | 90 fatalities, 676 injuries | Violent, long-tracked tornado killed 59 people in Texas and Arkansas. (34 significant, 1 violent, 17 killer) | ||
1922 Austin twin tornadoes | May 4, 1922 | Texas | 2 | 13 fatalities, 50 injuries | (Deadliest tornadoes in Austin history) | ||
May 1923 Great Plains tornado outbreak | May 2, 1923 | Great Plains | 4 | 17 fatalities, 68 injuries | (1 violent, 4 killer) | ||
April 1924 tornado outbreak | April 30, 1924 | Southeastern United States | – | 110 fatalities, 1133 injuries | Long-tracked tornado family killed seven people at a school in Horrell Hill, South Carolina. Multiple violent killer tornadoes struck the Carolinas and Georgia. | ||
1924 Lorain–Sandusky tornado | June 28, 1924 | Eastern Great Lakes | – | 90 fatalities, 349 injuries | Deadliest tornado in Ohio history, estimated to have been an F4. | ||
Tri-State Tornado | March 18, 1925 | Middle Mississippi – Ohio Valley | ≥ | ≥747 fatalities, ≥2298 injuries | Part of a deadly outbreak, including the deadliest and longest-tracked tornado in US history. A massive F5 tornado traveled 219 mi (352 km) across the three states of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, killing 695 people. Third-costliest US tornado ever. Other violent tornadoes hit Kentucky and Tennessee, including a long-tracked F4 that killed 38 people. | ||
1926 La Plata, Maryland tornado outbreak | November 9, 1926 | Mid-Atlantic | – | 17 fatalities, 65 injuries | 17 people killed at schools in La Plata. An F4 tornado also hit the area on April 28, 2002. | ||
Late-November 1926 tornado outbreak | November 25–26, 1926 | South | – | 107 fatalities, 451 injuries | Deadliest November tornado outbreak in the US, produced several long-tracked, strong, killer tornadoes. (27 significant, 2 violent, 18 killer) | ||
1927 Rocksprings, Texas tornado | April 12, 1927 | Southern Great Plains | – | 74 fatalities, 205 injuries | A large F5 tornado struck Rocksprings, Texas, destroying 235 of 247 buildings in town. (1 violent, 1 killer) | ||
April 1927 Southern Plains-Midwest tornado outbreak | April 18–19, 1927 | Southern Great Plains – Midwest | – | ≥46 fatalities, ≥235 injuries | (16 significant, 3 violent, 5 killer) | ||
May 1927 tornado outbreak | May 8–9, 1927 | Great Plains – Mississippi Valley | – | 217 fatalities, 1156 injuries | One of the most prolific outbreaks in US history. A long-tracked F5 on May 7 in Kansas killed 10 people and injured 300. Other deadly tornadoes hit Missouri, Illinois, and Arkansas including an F4 on May 9 that devastated Poplar Bluff, Missouri, killing 98 people. (32 significant, 8 violent, 17 killer) | ||
1927 St. Louis tornado outbreak | September 29, 1927 | Middle-Lower Mississippi Valley | – | 82 fatalities, 620 injuries | Produced a devastating tornado that struck St. Louis and killed 79 people. Estimated to have been an F3, but may have been an F4. | ||
September 1928 Upper Plains-Midwest tornado outbreak | September 13–14, 1928 | Upper Great Plains – Midwest | – | 23 fatalities, 197 injuries | Most intense September outbreak in US history. Several violent tornadoes, including one F4 that hit Rockford, Illinois. (15 significant, 3 violent, 3 killer) | ||
January 1929 Mid-Mississippi Valley tornado outbreak | January 18, 1929 | Middle Mississippi Valley | – | 10 fatalities, 46 injuries | (7 significant, 5 killer) | ||
1929 Slocum, Texas-Statesboro, Georgia tornado outbreaks | April 24–25, 1929 | Great Plains – Midwest – Southeast | – | 63 fatalities, 567 injuries | (15 significant, 4 violent, 7 killer) | ||
1929 Rye Cove, Virginia tornado outbreak | May 1–2, 1929 | Southern – Eastern United States | – | 44 fatalities, 349 injuries | 13 people killed at school in Rye Cove, Virginia. (17 significant, 10 killer) |
1930–1939
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1930-1939 | |||||||
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Dates | Year | Region | Tornadoes | Fatalities | |||
May 1930 tornado outbreak sequence | May 1–2 & 5–6, 1930 | Great Plains – Mississippi Valley | – | 94 fatalities, 520 injuries | Very intense and prolific outbreak sequence including a deadly F4 tornado in Frost, Texas, which resulted in 41 fatalities. (51 significant, 11 violent, 15 killer) | ||
November 1930 Southern Plains tornado outbreak | November 19, 1930 | Southern Great Plains | – | 24 fatalities, 162 injuries | Morning F4 tornado kills 23 people in Bethany, Oklahoma. (8 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer) | ||
1932 Deep South tornado outbreak | March 21–22, 1932 | Southeastern United States | – | ≥330 fatalities, 2145 injuries | One of the most intense outbreaks in US history, produced 10 violent tornadoes. Third-deadliest continuous tornado outbreak in US history. Hundreds of people were killed by violent tornadoes across the Southern United States. Deadliest Alabama outbreak with 268 fatalities. (36 significant, 10 violent, 27 killer) | ||
March 1933 Nashville tornado outbreak | March 14, 1933 | Tennessee Valley | – | 44 fatalities, 461 injuries | Destructive F3 tornado through downtown Nashville, killing 11 people. Other tornadoes touched down across the Ohio Valley, including an F4 that killed 12. | ||
Late-March 1933 tornado outbreak | March 30–31, 1933 | Southeast | – | 87 fatalities, 620 injuries | (30 significant, 1 violent, 16 killer) | ||
Early-May 1933 tornado outbreak sequence | May 4–10, 1933 | South | 128 fatalities | Produced an F4 that struck Tompkinsville, Kentucky, and killed 36 people. Another F4 struck rural Tennessee and killed 35. Numerous other killer tornadoes touched down across the Southern United States. (27 significant, 3 violent, 10 killer) | |||
1936 Cordele-Greensboro tornado outbreak | April 1–2, 1936 | Southeast | – | 45 fatalities, 568 injuries | Produced multiple killer tornadoes in Georgia and the Carolinas. An F4 tornado in Cordele, Georgia, killed 23 people. (8 significant, 3 violent, 10 killer) | ||
1936 Tupelo-Gainesville tornado outbreak | April 5–6, 1936 | Southeastern United States | 17 | 454 fatalities, 2498 injuries | Second-deadliest continuous tornado outbreak in US history. Several strong and deadly tornadoes were observed across the South. Two of the individual tornadoes killed well over 200 people each. (12 significant, 3 violent, 11 killer) | ||
1938 Bakerville, Missouri tornado outbreak | March 15, 1938 | Mississippi Valley | – | 24 fatalities, 200 injuries | (14 significant, 2 violent, 6 killer) | ||
Late-March 1938 tornado outbreak | March 30–31, 1938 | Southern Plains – Mississippi Valley | – | 40 fatalities, 548 injuries | An F3 tornado in South Pekin, Illinois destroyed the town and killed 9. Remains Central Illinois' deadliest tornado after 75 years, (26 significant, 3 violent, 9 killer) | ||
1938 Oshkosh, Nebraska tornado outbreak | April 26, 1938 | Great Plains | – | 6 fatalities, 39 injuries | F5 near Oshkosh killed three students at a leveled school. Several other strong tornadoes were observed that day, killing three others. | ||
1938 Charleston, South Carolina tornadoes | September 29, 1938 | South Carolina | – | 32 fatalities, 100 injuries | (2 killers) | ||
April 1939 tornado outbreak sequence | April 14–17, 1939 | Great Plains – Mississippi Valley | – | 57 fatalities, 316 injuries | Included a long-tracked F5 tornado family on April 14 in Oklahoma and Kansas that killed seven people. (25 significant, 3 violent, 11 killer) |
1940–1949
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1940-1949 | |||||||
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Dates | Year | Region | Tornadoes | Fatalities | |||
February 1942 tornado outbreak | February 5–6, 1942 | Southeast | – | 22 fatalities, 330 injuries | (22 significant, 9 killer) | ||
March 1942 tornado outbreak | March 16, 1942 | Central – Southern U.S. | – | 148 fatalities, ≥1284 injuries | Produced a deadly tornado family in Mississippi that killed 63 people. An F5 struck Lacon, Illinois, killing eight people. A long-tracked F4 killed 15 people in Tennessee. (25 significant, 7 violent, 18 killer) | ||
April–May 1942 tornado outbreak sequence | April 27–30 & May 2, 1942 | Great Plains | – | 123 fatalities, ≥839 injuries | Included six F4s that devastated northeast Oklahoma and southeast Kansas on May 2. (20 significant, 11 violent, 17 killer) | ||
January 1944 Oklahoma tornado outbreak | January 26. 1944 | Southern Great Plains | – | 2 fatalities, 40 injuries | (8 significant, 2 killer) | ||
1944 Appalachians tornado outbreak | June 22–23, 1944 | Great Lakes – Mid-Atlantic | – | 163 fatalities, ≥1044 injuries | 100 died in a single tornado in West Virginia, the deadliest in the state's history. Other deadly tornadoes were observed in Pennsylvania and Maryland. First of two violent outbreaks in Pennsylvania, the other occurring on May 31, 1985, with an F5 tornado hitting Wheatland, Pennsylvania. | ||
April 1945 tornado outbreak | April 12, 1945 | Southern Great Plains – Mississippi Valley | – | 128 fatalities, 1001 injuries | A large and deadly F5 struck Antlers, Oklahoma, killing at least 67 people. (17 significant, 5 violent, 10 killer). | ||
1946 Windsor–Tecumseh tornado | June 17, 1946 | River Rouge, Michigan, Windsor, Ontario | – | 17 dead, dozens injured | Third-deadliest tornado in Canadian history, formed in River Rouge, Michigan. May have been an F5. | ||
January 1947 tornado outbreak | January 29–30, 1947 | Mississippi Valley – Southeast | – | 8 fatalities, 155 injuries | (15 significant, 1 violent, 5 killer) | ||
1947 Glazier–Higgins–Woodward tornadoes | April 9–10, 1947 | Southern Great Plains | – | 181 fatalities, 980 injuries | Deadly tornado family devastated multiple towns in Texas and Oklahoma, producing F5 damage. Entire communities were either partly or totally swept away in both states. | ||
1947 New Year's Eve tornado outbreak | December 31, 1947 | Southern U.S. | – | 20 fatalities, 256 injuries | (7 significant, 1 violent, 3 killer) | ||
1948 Alton-Bunker Hill-Gillespie tornado outbreak | March 18–19, 1948 | Great Plains – Middle Mississippi Valley | – | 43 fatalities, ≥566 injuries | Early-morning F4 killed 33 people in Illinois. (25 significant, 3 violent, 5 killer) | ||
1948 Tinker Air Force Base tornadoes | March 20 & 25, 1948 | Oklahoma City | – | First successful tornado prediction in history. | |||
Late-March 1948 tornado outbreak | March 25–27, 1948 | Central United States | – | 37 fatalities, 321 injuries | (19 significant, 3 violent, 5 killer) | ||
1950–1959
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1950-1959 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dates | Year | Region | Tornadoes | Fatalities | |||
February 12, 1950 tornado outbreak | February 12, 1950 | Lower-Middle Mississippi Valley | 13 | 36 fatalities, 169+ injuries | A tornado outbreak caused several long–tracked, deadly tornadoes that touched down in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Arkansas. | ||
March 1952 Southern United States tornado outbreak | March 21–22, 1952 | Lower-Middle Mississippi Valley | 34 | 209 fatalities | Fourth-most violent outbreak in U.S. since 1950 with 11 F4 tornadoes, most intense ever in Arkansas. F4 tornadoes that struck Judsonia and Cotton Plant killed a total of 79 people. Other F4s struck Tennessee and northern Mississippi. | ||
April - May 1953 tornado outbreak sequence | April 28 – May 2, 1953 | Southeastern United States | 24[2][3][4][5][6] | 37 fatalities, 366 injuries | (17 significant, 5 violent, 9 killer) | ||
1953 Waco tornado outbreak | May 9–11, 1953 | Southern-Central Great Plains / Upper Mississippi Valley | 33 | 144 fatalities, 901 injuries | Produced an F5 tornado in Waco, Texas, killing 114 people. Tied for deadliest tornado in Texas history and tenth deadliest in United States. Other deadly tornadoes struck Hebron, Nebraska, and San Angelo, Texas. | ||
Flint–Worcester tornado outbreak sequence | June 7–9, 1953 | Central Great Plains – Great Lakes – New England | 46 | 247 fatalities | Numerous tornadoes struck the Great Plains and Midwestern United States. The Flint-Beecher F5 produced the last 100+ death toll for a single tornado in US history until the 2011 Joplin tornado. A tornado that struck Worcester, Massachusetts, killed 94 people and may have been an F5 as well. A tornado family killed 18 people in northern Ohio as well. | ||
1953 Vicksburg, Mississippi tornadoes | December 5, 1953 | Louisiana – Mississippi | 4 | 38 fatalities | Small outbreak produced a violent tornado that struck downtown Vicksburg. Produced one of only two official December F5 tornadoes in US history, though the rating is disputed. (4 significant, 1 violent killer) | ||
April 1954 tornado outbreak | April 1954 | Antlers, Oklahoma | 40 | 40 fatalities | Another tornado was in Antlers, Oklahoma was tied on April 1945, since April 1945 tornado outbreak. | ||
1955 Great Plains tornado outbreak | May 25–26, 1955 | Great Plains – Midwest – Mississippi Valley | 47 | 102 fatalities | One of the deadliest Plains outbreaks on record. An F5 tornado struck Blackwell, Oklahoma, killing 20 people. Another F5 from the same storm struck Udall, Kansas, killing 80. | ||
February 1956 tornado outbreak | February 24–25, 1956 | Central United States | 23[7][8] | 6 fatalities | (14 significant, 2 violent killers) | ||
Early-April 1957 tornado outbreak sequence | April 2, 1957 | Texas – Oklahoma | 28 | 17 fatalities | A widely photographed and -filmed F3 tornado struck Dallas and killed 10 people. Other violent and deadly tornadoes struck Oklahoma. | ||
April 1957 Southeastern United States tornado outbreak | April 8, 1957 | Alabama – Georgia – North Carolina – South Carolina – Tennessee – Virginia | ≥18 | 7 fatalities | Produced several destructive tornadoes across the Southern United States and the Carolinas. The town of Jefferson, South Carolina, was devastated. | ||
1957 Lubbock tornado outbreak | April 21, 1957 | Texas | 11 | 0 fatalities | Violent tornadoes took unusual paths to the north-northwest. (4 significant, 2 violent) | ||
1957 Silverton, Texas tornado outbreak | May 15, 1957 | Texas | 12 | 21 fatalities | F4 tornado struck Silverton, Texas. (6 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer) | ||
May 1957 Central Plains tornado outbreak | May 19–21, 1957 | Central Great Plains – Middle-Upper Mississippi Valley | 57 | 59 fatalities | Produced numerous tornadoes across the Great Plains states, including an F5 that ripped through several Kansas City suburbs and killed 44 people. Other deadly tornadoes touched down in Missouri. | ||
Late-May 1957 tornado outbreak | May 24–25, 1957 | New Mexico and southern Great Plains | 37 | 4 fatalities | Produced several strong tornadoes across the southern Great Plains. An F3 caused severe damage in Olton, Texas, and an F4 killed four people near Lawton, Oklahoma. | ||
1957 Fargo tornado | June 20, 1957 | Northern Great Plains | – | 10 fatalities | May have been one of the most intense tornadoes in US history, an F5 that killed 10 people in Fargo, North Dakota. | ||
November 1957 tornado outbreak | November 7–8, 1957 | Southeastern United States | 20 | 12 fatalities | (12 significant, 1 violent, 5 killer) | ||
December 1957 tornado outbreak sequence | December 18–19, 1957 | Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama | 37 | 19 fatalities | Includes the most intense December outbreak in the contiguous United States and the most intense Illinois tornado outbreak in any month. Long-track F4 struck several of the towns hit by the Tri-State Tornado and an F5 completely destroyed Sunfield, Illinois. | ||
April 1958 Florida tornado outbreak | April 15, 1958 | Florida and Georgia | 5 | 0 fatalities, 65–72 injuries | Produced one of only two known F4 tornadoes in Florida. (3 significant, 1 violent) | ||
1958 Colfax, Wisconsin tornado outbreak | June 4, 1958 | Minnesota – Wisconsin | 10 | 28 fatalities | Produced a series of strong and destructive tornadoes in Wisconsin, including an F5 that devastated the town of Colfax. | ||
April 1959 tornado outbreak | April 1959 | Great Plains – | 36 | 0 fatalities | (14 significant) |
1960–1969
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1960-1969 | |||||||
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Dates | Year | Region | Tornadoes | Fatalities | Notes | ||
May 1960 tornado outbreak sequence | May 4–6, 1960 | Southern Great Plains, South, Midwest | 66 | 33 fatalities | Produced numerous violent and killer tornadoes, especially in Oklahoma. An F5 killed five people and produced extreme damage near Prague and Iron Post. An F4 struck Wilburton and killed 16. (41 significant, 5 violent, 8 killer) | ||
Hurricane Carla | September 1961 | Southern U.S. | 8 | – | Produced several strong tornadoes, including an F4 killer tornado that hit Galveston, Texas. | ||
1964 Wichita Falls Tornado | April 3, 1964 | Wichita Falls, Texas | – | 7 dead, 100+ injured | Was rated F5. First tornado ever captured on live television. First of two violent tornadoes to hit Wichita Falls, the other—an F4 that killed 42—occurring on April 10, 1979. | ||
1964 Michigan tornado | May 8, 1964 | Metro Detroit | 1 | 11 fatalities | F4 tornado struck suburban areas of metropolitan Detroit in Macomb and St. Clair Counties, before continuing into Lambton County in Ontario.[9] | ||
February 1965 South Florida tornado outbreak | February 23, 1965 | Southern Florida | 4 | 0 fatalities, 8 injuries | Produced an unusually strong tornado in South Florida, an F3 that hit Fort Lauderdale. (2 significant, 0 violent, 0 killer) | ||
1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak | April 11–12, 1965 | Central United States | 47 | 256–271 fatalities | Among the most intense outbreaks ever recorded. Numerous violent and long-track tornadoes, some possibly F5s, tore across the Great Lakes states, killing hundreds of people. Two violent F4s hit Dunlap, Indiana, killing 51 people there. Two F4s with parallel paths in Michigan killed 44 people. Deadly tornadoes also impacted the Cleveland and Toledo areas. (32 significant, 17 violent, 21 killer) | ||
Early-May 1965 tornado outbreak sequence | May 6–8, 1965 | Minnesota, Front Range, Great Plains | 50 | 17 fatalities | Included the 1965 Twin Cities tornado outbreak, in which a series of violent tornadoes struck the Twin Cities metro area on May 6, devastating Fridley and Golden Valley. A violent outbreak occurred on May 8 in Nebraska and South Dakota, including a massive F5 tornado in Tripp County and two long-tracked F4s, one of which almost obliterated Primrose, killing four people. (28 significant, 7 violent, 5 killer) | ||
Late-May 1965 tornado outbreak | May 25–26, 1965 | Great Plains | 51 | 0 fatalities | Produced multiple strong tornadoes in the Great Plains, including an F3 near Pratt, Kansas. | ||
1966 Candlestick Park tornado | March 3, 1966 | Mississippi – Alabama | 1 | 58 fatalities | Extremely violent F5 tornado or tornado family that killed 57 people and traveled 202.5 mi (325.9 km) across Mississippi and Alabama, one of the longest such paths on record. One of only four official F5s to hit Mississippi. | ||
1966 Tampa tornado family | April 4, 1966 | Central Florida, I-4 corridor | 2 | 11 fatalities | Third-deadliest tornado event in Florida, behind those of February 2, 2007, and February 22–23, 1998. Produced at least two long-tracked tornadoes, including one of only two F4s in Florida history, killing 11 people. Affected major urban areas in Tampa and Greater Orlando, but crossed the entire state as well. | ||
June 1966 tornado outbreak sequence | June 8–9, 1966 | Kansas – Illinois | 57 | 18 fatalities | Outbreak sequence produced a series of tornadoes across the Great Plains states. An F5 devastated downtown Topeka, Kansas, killing 16 people and disproving myths about the city's being protected. A large F3 also hit Manhattan, Kansas. | ||
1967 St. Louis tornado outbreak | January 24, 1967 | Midwest | 32 | 6 fatalities | One of the most intense January outbreaks ever documented. F3+ tornadoes occurred as far north as Wisconsin. An F4 tornado killed three in the St. Louis suburbs, paralleling the paths of earlier tornadoes in 1896 and 1927. Two students were killed at a high school in Orrick, Missouri. | ||
1967 Oak Lawn tornado outbreak | April 21, 1967 | Midwest | 45 | 58 fatalities | One of the most intense outbreaks to hit the Chicago metropolitan area. An F4 devastated Belvidere, Illinois, killing 13 people in a school (one of the highest such tolls in US history. Another very destructive F4 hit Oak Lawn, killing 33 people in rush-hour traffic. Other violent tornadoes touched down in Missouri and Michigan. | ||
1967 Iowa–Minnesota tornado outbreak | April 30, 1967 | Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota | 21 | 13 fatalities | Only one tornado below F2 strength in Minnesota. The towns of Albert Lea and Waseca were devastated by deadly F4s. | ||
Hurricane Beulah | September 19–23, 1967 | Texas – Mexico | >115 | 5 fatalities | One of the largest tropical cyclone-related tornado outbreaks recorded. Produced several strong tornadoes, some of which were deadly. Also set the record for most tornadoes in one state within a 24-hour period. | ||
1968 Wheelersburg, Ohio tornado outbreak | April 23, 1968 | Ohio Valley | 14 | 14 fatalities | Outbreak produced several violent and killer tornadoes across the Ohio Valley, including two F4s—one possibly an F5. An official F5 struck Wheelersburg and Gallipolis as well. The F5 rating is, however, disputed by some sources. | ||
May 1968 tornado outbreak | May 15–16, 1968 | Mississippi Valley | 46 | 74 fatalities | Two F5 tornadoes struck Iowa on the same day, killing 18 people. Two deadly F4s struck Arkansas, including one that killed 35 people in Jonesboro. | ||
1968 Tracy tornado | June 13, 1968 | Minnesota | 1 | 9 fatalities | Powerful but narrow F5 tornado killed nine people and injured 150 in Tracy, Minnesota. | ||
1969 Hazlehurst, Mississippi tornado outbreak | January 23, 1969 | Southeastern United States | 3 | 32 fatalities | Devastating pre-dawn tornado near Hazlehurst killed 32 people on a long path across southern Mississippi. (2 significant, 1 violent killer) | ||
1969 Minnesota tornado outbreak | August 6, 1969 | Minnesota | 13 | 15 fatalities, 109 injuries | Mid-summer outbreak produced several destructive tornadoes in Minnesota. An F4 tornado killed 12 people near Outing. | ||
August 1969 OMFG 69 :0 Cincinnati tornado outbreak | August 9, 1969 | Indiana – Ohio | 10 | 4 fatalities | F4 killed 4 in the Cincinnati suburbs. Other strong tornadoes occurred in Indiana and Virginia. |
1970–1979
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1970-1979 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dates | Year | Region | Tornadoes | Fatalities | |||
April 17–19, 1970 tornado outbreak sequence | April 17–19, 1970 | Southern Great Plains | 15 | 23 fatalities | Produced multiple violent, long-tracked tornadoes in the Llano Estacado and the Texas Panhandle. (7 significant, 4 violent, 3 killer) | ||
1970 Lubbock tornado | May 11, 1970 | West Texas | 2 | 26 fatalities | An F5 tornado struck downtown Lubbock, Texas, killing 26 people. Studies of this tornado led to the formation of the Fujita scale. | ||
June 10–16, 1970 tornado outbreak sequence | June 10–16, 1970 | Central United States | 82 | 3 fatalities | 82 tornadoes touched down across the Great Plains and Midwest. The outbreak sequence featured a long–tracked F3 tornado that struck Springdale, Arkansas and an F4 tornado near Bynumville, Missouri. One tornado near Macon, Missouri, featured an oddity where a welcome mat made an imprint on the side of a house. | ||
February 1971 Mississippi Delta tornado outbreak | February 21, 1971 | Southern Mississippi Valley | 19 | 123 fatalities | Deadly outbreak produced multiple long-track, violent tornadoes across Mississippi Delta region, including the only known F5 in Louisiana history. One of the tornadoes traveled 202 mi (325 km) across northern and central Mississippi, destroying several entire communities and killing 58 people, including 21 alone in Pugh City, which was entirely destroyed and never rebuilt. Additionally, the F5 Louisiana tornado continued into Mississippi and killed 21 people in Inverness, a large section of which was also destroyed. | ||
1971 Springfield, Missouri tornado outbreak | December 14–15, 1971 | Central United States | 40 | 2 fatalities | (10 significant, 2 killer) | ||
1972 Portland-Vancouver tornado | April 5, 1972 | Pacific Northwest | 4 | 6 fatalities | Deadliest West Coast tornado event ever documented. | ||
Hurricane Agnes tornado outbreak | June 18–19, 1972 | Florida and Georgia | 30 | 7 fatalities, ≥ 140 injuries | Third-deadliest tropical cyclone-related outbreak in the U.S. since 1900 and is the largest Florida tornado outbreak with 28 tornadoes in state. (12 significant, 0 violent, 2 killer) | ||
1972 Waukegan - North Chicago Tornado outbreak | September 28, 1972 | Midwest | 20 | 1 injury | F4 tornado hit the Chicago suburbs, destroying military barracks. Rating disputed. | ||
April 1–2, 1974 tornado outbreak | April 1–2, 1974 | Southern U.S. – Mississippi Valley | 23 | 4 fatalities | Outbreak ended only 17 hours before Super Outbreak began in the same areas. (10 significant, 3 violent, 4 killer) | ||
1974 Super Outbreak | April 3–4, 1974 | Eastern United States – Ontario | 148 | 319 fatalities | The second-largest and most violent tornado outbreak ever documented. Violent and deadly tornadoes, several of which were long lived, touched down over a wide area from Alabama to Indiana, affecting major population areas including Louisville, Cincinnati, and Huntsville. A violent F5 destroyed Brandenburg, Kentucky, and killed 31, and another F5 destroyed a large section of Xenia, Ohio, killing 32. Three F5s occurred in Alabama, including one of the strongest tornadoes on record, a long-tracked F5 that obliterated a large section of Guin, killing 28 people, 20 of them in Guin alone. Additionally, two other powerful F5s devastated the town of Tanner a half hour apart and killed total of 50 people. Numerous other violent, killer, long-tracked tornadoes occurred from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast, including an extremely long-tracked F4 that traveled almost 110 mi (180 km) and killed 18 people in northern Indiana. Strong, deadly tornadoes occurred as far north as Ontario as well. Outbreak produced 30 violent tornadoes, 23 F4s and seven F5s. | ||
June 1974 Great Plains tornado outbreak | June 8, 1974 | Southern Great Plains | 39 | 22 fatalities | Several significant tornadoes occurred over the southern Great Plains, including two violent, killer F4 tornadoes that hit Oklahoma and Kansas. One of the tornadoes struck Drumright in Oklahoma, killing 14 people, while the other killed six in and near Emporia, Kansas. Other strong, F3 tornadoes affected the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metropolitan areas. (22 significant, 2 violent, 3 killer) | ||
Great Storm of 1975 | January 9–12, 1975 | Southeastern United States | 45 | 12 fatalities | January outbreak produced a violent F4 that killed nine people in McComb, Mississippi. An F3 east of Birmingham, Alabama, destroyed numerous homes and killed one person. | ||
1975 Omaha tornado outbreak | May 6, 1975 | Northern Great Plains | 36 | 3 fatalities | Omaha F4 killed three people and was one of the costliest tornado disasters in US history. Another F4 destroyed the town of Magnet, Nebraska. | ||
1975 Canton, Illinois tornado | July 23, 1975 | Illinois | 2 | 2 fatalities | High-end F3 destroyed downtown Canton, Illinois. | ||
March 1976 tornado outbreak | March 20–21, 1976 | Mississippi Valley | 66 | 3 fatalities | (18 significant, 3 violent, 3 killer) | ||
April 1977 Birmingham tornado | April 4, 1977 | Southeastern United States | 21 | 24 fatalities | Violent F5 tornado struck the Smithfield area in northern Birmingham, Alabama, sweeping away many homes and killing 22 people. Outbreak extended from Mississippi to North Carolina, with several strong tornadoes documented. The storm system also caused the crash of Southern Airways Flight 242, which happened on the same day, in the same area. | ||
1978 Clearwater, Florida tornado outbreak | May 4, 1978 | Florida and South Carolina | 13 | 3 fatalities | F3 struck an elementary school in Clearwater, Florida, killing three students. An F2 struck Gainesville, Florida | ||
1979 Red River Valley tornado outbreak | April 10–11, 1979 | Southern Great Plains – Southeastern United States | 59 | 56 fatalities | Deadly outbreak produced multiple killer tornadoes across the southern Great Plains states, including a famous, devastating, F4 wedge that killed 42 people in Wichita Falls, Texas. Another deadly F4 occurred in Vernon, Texas. | ||
Windsor Locks, Connecticut tornado | October 3, 1979 | New England | 1 | 3 fatalities | Rare New England and October F4, one of the costliest tornadoes in US history. |
1980–1989
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1980-1989 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dates | Year | Region | Tornadoes | Fatalities | |||
April 1980 Central United States tornado outbreak | April 7–8, 1980 | Central United States | 59 | 3 fatalities | Many strong tornadoes touched down, including an F3 that struck Round Rock, Texas, killing 1. | ||
1980 Kalamazoo tornado | May 13, 1980 | Michigan | 1 | 5 fatalities | F3 struck downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan, killing 5 people. | ||
1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak | June 2–3, 1980 | Central – Eastern United States | 15 | 6 fatalities | Grand Island, Nebraska, was devastated by a series of damaging tornadoes. Best known for forming three rare anticyclonic tornadoes in one system. Outbreak produced violent tornadoes as far east as Pennsylvania. | ||
Hurricane Allen | August 1980 | Mexico – Texas | ≥29 | – | Costliest tropical cyclone-related tornado in history struck the Austin area. | ||
April 4, 1981, West Bend tornado | April 4 | Wisconsin | 1 | 3 fatalities | One of the strongest anticyclonic tornadoes on record, rated F4. | ||
May 1981 tornado outbreak | May 22–23, 1981 | Great Plains | 43 | 0 fatalities | Multiple strong tornadoes touched down across the Great Plains. Spawned the Cordell and Binger, Oklahoma, tornadoes, the latter of which was a violent F4. | ||
April 1982 tornado outbreak | April 2–3, 1982 | Southern Plains – Mississippi Valley | 61 | 29 fatalities | Produced an F5 tornado near Broken Bow, Oklahoma, though the rating is disputed. An F4 tornado also struck Paris, Texas, and another occurred in Arkansas. (24 significant, 4 violent, 10 killer) | ||
May 1982 tornado outbreak | May 11–12, 1982 | Texas – Oklahoma | 70 | 3 fatalities | Produced killer tornadoes in Texas and Oklahoma. | ||
Marion, Illinois tornado outbreak | May 29, 1982 | Illinois | 7 | 10 fatalities | Produced an F4 that killed 10 people in Marion, Illinois. | ||
Early-December 1982 tornado outbreak | December 2–3, 1982 | Lower-Middle Mississippi Valley | 43 | 4 fatalities | (16 significant) | ||
1982 Christmas tornado outbreak | December 23–25, 1982 | Central – Southeastern United States | 43 | 3 fatalities | (18 significant) | ||
March 1983 South Florida tornadoes | March 17, 1983 | Southern Florida | 2 | 0 fatalities | Produced an unusually long-lived tornado across the Everglades and urban Broward County, Florida. An F1 tornado also hit Collier County. Other tornadoes may have occurred across southern Florida as well. (2 tornadoes, 1 significant, 3 unconfirmed) | ||
Early-May 1983 tornado outbreak | May 1–2, 1983 | Mississippi Valley – Great Lakes | 63 | 7 fatalities, 110+ injured | Affected 11 states with $200 million in damage, Ohio and western New York hardest hit. | ||
Mid-May 1983 tornado outbreak | May 18–20, 1983 | Southeastern United States | 48 | 6 fatalities | (10 significant, 6 killer) | ||
December 6, 1983, Selma, AL tornado | Dec 6 | Alabama | 1 | 1 fatality, 19 injuries | Rated F3. | ||
1984 Carolinas tornado outbreak | March 28, 1984 | Carolinas | 24 | 57 fatalities, 1200+ injuries | Long-lived supercell tracked near the center of a low pressure center and generated 13 tornadoes, 11 of which were F3 or F4 in strength. Two F4s left damage paths more than 2 mi (3.2 km) wide. Worst tornado outbreak ever recorded in the Carolinas. Winnsboro and Bennettsville, South Carolina, along with Red Springs and Greenville, North Carolina, were devastated. | ||
1984 Philipp-Water Valley, Mississippi tornado outbreak | April 21, 1984 | Southeastern United States | 7 | 15 fatalities | Produced a multiple-vortex F3 with an unusual V-shaped path that struck Water Valley, Mississippi, killing 15. (3 significant) | ||
1984 Morris, Oklahoma tornado outbreak | April 26–27, 1984 | Great Plains – Mississippi Valley | 47 | 16 fatalities | Produced many strong to violent tornadoes, especially in Oklahoma and Wisconsin. (20 significant, 8 killer) | ||
1984 Mannford-New Prue, Oklahoma tornado outbreak | April 29, 1984 | Central United States | 42 | 1 fatality | New Prue was devastated by an F4, killing 1. (4 significant, 1 violent killer) | ||
May 1984 tornado outbreak | May 2–3, 1984 | Southeastern United States | 60 | 5 fatalities | (15 significant) | ||
1984 Barneveld, Wisconsin tornado outbreak | June 7–8, 1984 | Central United States | 45 | 13 fatalities | Numerous strong tornadoes touched down across the northern Plains states. Late-night F5 killed nine people in Barneveld, Wisconsin. Long-track F4 killed three in Missouri. | ||
1985 United States–Canada tornado outbreak | May 31, 1985 | U.S. – Canadian Eastern Great Lakes | 43 | 90 fatalities | Unusual tornado outbreak was among the most intense recorded, the largest such outbreak in the region. Violent tornadoes devastated towns in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario. Long-track tornado produced F5 damage in Ohio and Pennsylvania, killing 18. Two F4s occurred in Canada, including one that killed eight people in Barrie, Ontario. | ||
Hurricane Danny | August 1985 | Southeastern United States | 39 | 0 Fatalities | Produced an F3 that struck Waco, Texas. | ||
July 1986 tornado outbreak | July 1986 | Minnesota | 36 | 2 fatalities | Produced F4 tornado struck Minnesota | ||
1987 Saragosa, Texas tornado | May 22, 1987 | West Texas | 3 | 30 fatalities | Brief but violent F4 tornado devastated the small town of Saragosa, killing 30 people. | ||
Teton-Yellowstone tornado | July 21, 1987 | Wyoming | 1 | 0 fatalities | Rare high-altitude F4 tore through parts of Yellowstone National Park, flattening acres of forest. | ||
1987 Arklatex tornado outbreak | November 15–16, 1987 | Southeastern United States | 50 | 11 Fatalities | Produced a series of strong tornadoes across Oklahoma, Texas, and Mississippi. | ||
1987 West Memphis, Arkansas tornado | December 14, 1987 | Arkansas – Tennessee | 1 | 6 dead, 100 injured | Rated F3. | ||
May 1988 tornado outbreak | May 8, 1988 | Midwest | 57 | 0 fatalities | (8 significant) | ||
Hurricane Gilbert | September 1988 | Central – North America | ≥29 | – | Produced several tornadoes in Texas. | ||
1988 Raleigh tornado outbreak | November 28, 1988 | North Carolina | 7 | 4 fatalities | Produced a long-track F4 that struck Raleigh, North Carolina, killing four people. A few other less significant tornadoes occurred as well. | ||
May 1989 tornado outbreak | May 5, 1989 | Mid-Atlantic – Southeast U.S. | 16 | 7 fatalities | Produced three killer F4s in the Carolinas. The Charlotte, Winston–Salem, and Durham, North Carolina, areas all sustained major impacts. | ||
1989 Northeastern United States tornado outbreak | July 10, 1989 | Northeastern United States | 17 | 0 fatalities, 142 injured | One of the most intense tornado events to ever impact the New England region. Destructive tornadoes touched down in New York and Connecticut, including a violent F4 that devastated Hamden, Connecticut. | ||
November 1989 tornado outbreak | November 15–16, 1989 | Southeastern United States and Mid-Atlantic States | 40 | 21 fatalities | Produced a deadly F4 that struck Huntsville, Alabama, at rush hour. Strong tornadoes touched down as far north as Quebec. |
1990–1999
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1990-1999 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dates | Year | Region | Tornadoes | Fatalities | |||
March 1990 Central United States tornado outbreak | March 11–13, 1990 | Central United States | 64 | 2 fatalities | The most violent March outbreak and the most intense Great Plains outbreak to occur so early in the year. Produced two powerful F5s near Hesston and Goessel, Kansas. A long-tracked F4, possibly a family of tornadoes, occurred near Red Cloud, Nebraska. (27 significant, 4 violent, 2 killer) | ||
June 1990 Lower Ohio Valley tornado outbreak | June 2–3, 1990 | Central United States | 66 | 9 fatalities | Outbreak produced many strong to violent tornadoes across the Ohio Valley. An F4 devastated Petersburg, Indiana, killing 6 people. Another very long lived F4 was on the ground for 106 miles across Illinois and Indiana. A late night F4 impacted the northern sections of the Cincinnati metro as well. (27 significant, 7 violent, 4 killer) | ||
1990 Plainfield tornado | August 28, 1990 | Northeastern Illinois | 13 | 29 fatalities | Produced some of the most intense vegetation scouring ever documented. Strongest August tornado, though only rated F5 based on corn damage. F4 damage occurred to buildings in Plainfield, Illinois, killing 29 people. Was part of a small outbreak that also produced strong tornadoes in Ontario and New York. | ||
April 26, 1991 tornado outbreak | April 26–27, 1991 | Central-Southern Great Plains | 58 | 21 fatalities | One of the most intense Plains outbreaks on record, produced five violent tornadoes in Oklahoma and Kansas. A very violent F5 killed 17 people in the Wichita metropolitan area at Andover, Kansas, destroying an entire mobile-home park. A long-tracked F4 near Red Rock, Oklahoma, produced Doppler-indicated winds into the F5 range. Three other F4s occurred in Kansas and Oklahoma. (32 significant, 6 violent, 5 killer) | ||
May 1991 Central Plains tornado outbreak | May 16, 1991 | Central Great Plains | 46 | 0 fatalities | (4 significant) | ||
Mid-June 1992 tornado outbreak | June 15–16, 1992 | Central United States | 123 | 1 fatality | Large outbreak produced many strong to violent tornadoes, mainly across the Northern Plains states. A large F5 devastated the town of Chandler, Minnesota, killing one person. (27 significant, 4 violent, 1 killer) | ||
November 1992 tornado outbreak | November 21–23, 1992 | Southern – Eastern United States | 95 | 26 fatalities | The most intense and largest November outbreak on record in U.S. history. Produced strong tornadoes from Texas to North Carolina and into the Ohio Valley, including a long-track F4 that impacted Brandon, Mississippi, and killed 12 people. A series of destructive tornadoes (including an F4) devastated the Houston metro area as well. (43 significant, 5 violent, 9 killer) | ||
1993 Catoosa, Oklahoma tornado outbreak | April 24, 1993 | Oklahoma | 13 | 7 fatalities | Rain-wrapped F4 killed 7 people in the suburbs of Tulsa. A destructive F3 paralleled the path of the F4. | ||
1993 Virginia tornado outbreak | August 6, 1993 | Virginia | 23 | 4 fatalities | Largest tornado outbreak in Virginia history. Produced a violent F4 that struck downtown Petersburg, Virginia and killed 4 people. | ||
August 8–9, 1993, tornado outbreak | August 8–9, 1993 | Northern Plains | 7 | 2 fatalities | Small outbreak that resulted in 2 fatalities in Minnesota. | ||
1994 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak | March 27, 1994 | Southeastern United States | 29 | 40 fatalities | Produced multiple violent tornadoes across the Southeastern U.S., including one that killed 20 people in a church near Piedmont, Alabama. Last of the three famous Palm Sunday outbreaks. (2 violent, 13 significant, 5 killer) | ||
April 1994 tornado outbreak | April 25–27, 1994 | Southern Great Plains – Midwest | 101 | 6 fatalities | Large and widespread outbreak. An F4 devastated the Dallas suburb of Lancaster, Texas, killing 3 people there. Another F4 that struck West Lafayette, Indiana killed 3 as well. | ||
June 1994 tornado outbreak | June 26–27, 1994 | – | 62 | 2 fatalities | (11 significant) | ||
1994 Thanksgiving Weekend tornado outbreak | November 27, 1994 | Southeastern United States | 19 | 6 fatalities | Produced several strong tornadoes across the South. | ||
May 1995 tornado outbreak sequence | May 1995 | Central United States | 278 | 13 fatalities | Very large outbreak sequence produced many strong to violent tornadoes. An F4 struck Harvest, Alabama, and killed 1 person, and another F4 struck Ethridge, Tennessee, and killed 3. An F3 killed 3 people and caused major damage in the Ardmore, Oklahoma area. Produced an F0 that downed several trees at the National Arboretum in Washington D.C.. | ||
1995 Great Barrington tornado | May 29, 1995 | Massachusetts | 2 | 3 fatalities | Strong tornado caused three fatalities in a vehicle that was thrown near Great Barrington, Massachusetts. | ||
March 6, 1996, Selma, Alabama tornado | March 6 | Alabama | 1 | 4 fatalities, 40 injuries | Was rated F3. | ||
April 1996 tornado outbreak sequence | April 19–22, 1996 | Texas – Arkansas – Illinois – Indiana – Ontario | 117 | 6 fatalities | Large outbreak sequence. Multiple towns in Illinois sustained major damage, with one death occurring in Ogden. An F3 devastated downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas, killing 2. Two F3s also caused severe damage in Ontario. | ||
May 1996 Kentucky tornado outbreak | May 28, 1996 | Kentucky | 11 | 0 fatalities | Produced a long-track F4 near Louisville. | ||
1996 Oakfield tornado | July 18, 1996 | Wisconsin | 12 | 1 fatality | F5 tornado. Was part of a small mid-Summer outbreak that occurred in Wisconsin. An F2 killed one person in Marytown, Wisconsin. | ||
Late-October 1996 tornado outbreak | October 26, 1996 | West North Central States | 26 | 11 injuries | Unusual late-season outbreak in Minnesota, South Dakota and Nebraska. Homes were destroyed near Lobster Lake and Albany, Minnesota. | ||
March 1997 tornado outbreak | February 28-March 1, 1997 | Mississippi Valley – Ohio Valley | 56 | 26 fatalities | Many strong tornadoes touched down across the south, especially in Arkansas. Produced a devastating F4 that began near Benton and struck Shannon Hills, Arkansas, killing 15 people along the path. An F4 struck Arkadelphia, killing 6. | ||
1997 Miami tornado | May 12, 1997 | Miami, Florida | 1 | 0 fatalities | Widely photographed F1 tornado struck downtown Miami, Florida. | ||
1997 Central Texas tornado outbreak | May 27, 1997 | Texas | 20 | 28 fatalities | Produced a remarkably violent, deadly F5 tornado in Jarrell, Texas. Based on the damage, it may have been the strongest tornado ever recorded (though no mobile radar measurements were taken to confirm this). An F4 devastated neighborhoods near Lake Travis, and an F3 caused major damage in Cedar Park. | ||
1997 Southeast Michigan tornado outbreak | July 1–3, 1997 | Southeast Michigan – Southwestern Ontario | 52 | 2 fatalities (+5 non-tornadic) | An F2 tornado passed through some Detroit neighborhoods, the suburbs of Hamtramck, and Highland Park. One also touched down near Windsor, Ontario, site of an F3 in the 1974 Super Outbreak. F3s caused major damage near Clio and Thetford Center, with a fatality occurring at the latter of the two locations. Other strong tornadoes touched down in Minnesota and New England. | ||
1998 Kissimmee tornado outbreak | February 22–23, 1998 | Florida | 11 | 42 fatalities | Deadliest and most destructive Florida outbreak on record. Produced three F3s, including a long-tracked tornado near Kissimmee that was initially rated F4. Nighttime occurrence made the death toll high. (5 significant, 4 killers) | ||
1998 Gainesville-Stoneville tornado outbreak | March 20, 1998 | Georgia to Virginia | 12 | 14 fatalities | An early-morning F3 passed near Gainesville, Georgia, and killed 12 people. Another F3 struck Mayodan and Stoneville, North Carolina, killing 2. | ||
1998 Comfrey – St. Peter tornado outbreak | March 29, 1998 | Southern Minnesota | 16 | 2 fatalities, 36 injuries | Earliest tornado outbreak in Minnesota history. A long-track F4 wedge struck Comfrey, Minnesota, killing one person. An F3 struck St. Peter, Minnesota, causing another fatality. Le Center, Minnesota sustained major damage from a large F2. | ||
April 6–9, 1998 tornado outbreak | April 6–9, 1998 | Metropolitan area of Birmingham, Alabama; also Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee | 62 | 41 fatalities | Produced a violent nighttime F5 that moved through several suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama, killing 32 people. Other killer tornadoes touched down in Georgia. | ||
1998 Nashville tornado outbreak | April 15–16, 1998 | Southeastern United States | 63 | 12 fatalities | F3 tornado passed through downtown Nashville, killing one person. Numerous other strong tornadoes occurred across the South, including an extremely violent F5 near Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. An F4 devastated the town of Manila, Arkansas, killing 2. | ||
Late-May 1998 tornado outbreak and derecho | May 30–31, 1998 | South Dakota, Great Lakes, New York, Pennsylvania | 60 | 7 fatalities (+6 non-tornadic) | Large and dynamic outbreak produced many strong tornadoes, some of which were embedded in an extremely intense derecho. A large F4 wedge tornado devastated Spencer, South Dakota, killing 6. Produced an unusually intense outbreak of tornadoes across Pennsylvania and New York, with multiple F2s and F3s. | ||
1998 Eastern tornado outbreak | June 2, 1998 | NY to SC | 49 | 2 fatalities, 80 injuries | Unusually severe outbreak affected mainly the northeastern states just days after a similar outbreak affected roughly the same region (see previous event). Produced a large F4 that struck Frostburg, Maryland. Caused $42M in damage. | ||
August 23, 1998 Upper Great Lakes Severe Weather Outbreak | August 23, 1998 | Wisconsin, Michigan | 3 | 1 fatality (non-tornadic) | Spawned the F3 Door County tornado, the eighth costliest in Wisconsin history. | ||
1998 Lynbrook tornado | September 7, 1998 | Long Island, New York | 1 | 1 fatality | Occurred during the Labor Day derecho event. | ||
Hurricane Georges tornado outbreak | September 24–30, 1998 | Southern US | 47 | 36 injuries | Produced many tornadoes. Most were weak, though an F2 caused major damage in the Live Oak, Florida area. | ||
1998 Oklahoma tornado outbreak | October 4, 1998 | Oklahoma | 19 | 5 injuries | A late-year autumn outbreak, it was the largest October tornado outbreak in Oklahoma history. (8 significant) | ||
January 17–18, 1999 tornado outbreak | January 17–18, 1999 | Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi | 24 | 8 fatalities | Strong and deadly tornadoes touched down in Tennessee, including an F3 and an F4 that struck Jackson, killing 6. A similar but even larger outbreak occurred just days later (see next event). | ||
January 21–23, 1999 tornado outbreak | January 21–23, 1999 | Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi | 127 | 9 fatalities | Largest January outbreak on record. An F3 passed near downtown Little Rock, Arkansas, killing 3. An F3 devastated Beebe, Arkansas, killing 2. Other strong tornadoes struck Tennessee and Mississippi. | ||
Easter weekend 1999 tornado outbreak | April 2–3, 1999 | Southern Plains | 17 | 7 fatalities | Small but intense outbreak produced several strong tornadoes. An F4 devastated Benton, Louisiana, killing 7. The town of Logansport, Louisiana was severely damaged by an F3. | ||
April 8–9, 1999 tornado outbreak | April 8–9, 1999 | Ohio Valley/Midwest | 54 | 6 fatalities | Produced an F4 that moved through the Cincinnati suburbs, killing 4. Two F4s also touched down in Iowa. | ||
1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak | May 2–8, 1999 | Southern Great Plains | 66 | 46 fatalities, 665 injuries | Produced one of the strongest documented tornadoes, an F5-rated tornado in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area with Doppler winds remotely sensed at 301 mph (484 km/h) near Bridge Creek, among the highest winds known to have occurred near the Earth's surface. First tornado to incur $1 billion in (non-normalized) damages. Other violent tornadoes occurred, including those near Mulhall, Oklahoma, and Wichita, Kansas. | ||
1999 Salt Lake City tornado | August 11, 1999 | Utah | 1 | 1 fatality | F2 tornado hit downtown Salt Lake City, causing the first known casualty in a Utah tornado. |
2000–2009
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 2000-2009 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dates | Year | Region | Tornadoes | Fatalities | Notes | ||
2000 Southwest Georgia tornado outbreak | February 13–14, 2000 | Georgia | 17 | 18 | Produced a series of strong and deadly tornadoes that struck areas in and around Camilla, Meigs, and Omega, Georgia. Weaker tornadoes impacted other states. | ||
2000 Fort Worth tornado | March 28, 2000 | U.S. South | 10 | 2 | Small outbreak produced an F3 that hit downtown Fort Worth, Texas, severely damaging skyscrapers and killing two. Another F3 caused major damage in Arlington and Grand Prairie. | ||
2000 Brady, Nebraska tornado | May 17, 2000 | Nebraska | 1 | 0 | Highly photographed F3 passed near Brady, Nebraska. | ||
2000 Granite Falls tornado | July 25, 2000 | Granite Falls, Minnesota | 1 | 1 | F4 struck Granite Falls, causing major damage and killing one person. | ||
December 2000 Tuscaloosa tornado | December 16, 2000 | Southern United States | 24 | 12 | Small outbreak produced an F4 that struck Tuscaloosa, Alabama, killing 11. An F3 devastated Coats Bend, Alabama, and an F2 caused major damage and 1 fatality in Geneva, Alabama. | ||
February 24–25, 2001 tornado outbreak | February 24–25, 2001 | Southern United States | 25 | 7 | An F2 killed one person near Union, Arkansas. An F3 caused major damage near Reed, Arkansas, and another long-tracked F3 devastated multiple towns in Mississippi and killed 6 people in Pontotoc. | ||
April 10–11, 2001 tornado outbreak | April 10–11, 2001 | Great Plains Midwest | 79 | 4 | Widespread outbreak produced numerous tornadoes, some strong. F2 caused major damage in the town of Agency, Iowa, and killed two people. Other tornado-related fatalities occurred in Missouri and Oklahoma. Outbreak produced one of the worst hailstorms ever documented. | ||
June 13, 2001 tornado outbreak | June 13, 2001 | Central Plains | 36 | 0 | Outbreak of mostly weak tornadoes, though a few were strong. An F3 tornado caused major damage near Parkers Prairie, Minnesota, along with a large F2 near Brainerd. An F4 completely destroyed a farmstead near Ruby, Nebraska. | ||
June 18, 2001, tornado outbreak | June 18, 2001 | Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin | 5 | 3 | An F3 tornado killed three people in Siren, Wisconsin, and caused an estimated 10 million USD in damage. | ||
2001 Myrtle Beach tornadoes | July 6, 2001 | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | 2 | 0 | Two tornadoes of F1 and F2 strength passed through the area, resulting in severe damage. | ||
September 24, 2001 tornado outbreak | September 24, 2001 | Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania | 9 | 2 | Multiple-vortex F3 tornado passed through the University of Maryland campus and multiple DC suburbs, killing two people. An F4 also occurred near Rixeyville, Virginia. Other weaker tornadoes were observed as well, including an F1 that struck Washington DC. | ||
October 9, 2001 tornado outbreak | October 9, 2001 | Great Plains | 30 | 0 | Unusual October outbreak in the Great Plains produced multiple strong tornadoes in Nebraska and Oklahoma. A large F3 devastated the town of Cordell, Oklahoma. | ||
October 24, 2001 tornado outbreak | October 24, 2001 | Central United States | 25 | 2 | Most of the tornadoes in this outbreak were embedded in a squall line. An F3 hit Crumstown, Indiana, killing one. An F2 near LaPorte, Indiana caused a fatality as well. | ||
November 23–24, 2001 tornado outbreak | November 23–24, 2001 | Southeast U.S. | 67 | 13 | One of the strongest November outbreaks ever recorded. Produced three F4s, including one that struck Madison, Mississippi, killing 2. An F3 struck Wilmot, Arkansas, killing 3. | ||
2002 Midwest to Mid-Atlantic United States tornado outbreak | April 27–28, 2002 | Midwest to Mid-Atlantic U.S. | 49 | 6 | Produced several strong tornadoes across the Midwest, including an F3 that caused major damage in Dongola, Illinois and killed one person. Also produced a few strong tornadoes in Maryland, including an F4 that devastated the town of La Plata and killed three. | ||
2002 Indiana tornadoes | September 20, 2002 | Indiana, Ohio | 8 | 0 | A very long-tracked F3 tornado touched down near Elletsville, Indiana, destroying many homes and businesses in the town of Martinsville, which caused 127 injuries. An F2 injured 2 people when striking Washington, Indiana, along with another F2 that caused one injury near Wadesville, Indiana. | ||
2002 Veterans Day Weekend tornado outbreak | November 9–11, 2002 | Southeastern United States – Ohio Valley | 83 | 36 | Very large and deadly outbreak produced multiple killer tornadoes across the Ohio Valley and Southeastern United States. A violent F4 hit Van Wert, Ohio, killing four people. Deadly F3 also hit Mossy Grove, Tennessee, killing seven. Two long-track F3s moved across northern Alabama, killing 11 people. | ||
March 17–20, 2003 tornado outbreak | March 17–20, 2003 | Great Plains – Southern United States | 28 | 7 | Camilla, Georgia, was devastated by an F3 for the second time in 4 years, killing 4. An F2 killed 2 people near Bridgeboro, Georgia. Many other weaker tornadoes touched down as well. | ||
May 2003 tornado outbreak sequence | May 3–11, 2003 | Great Plains - Southern United States | 401 | 42 | Large series of strong to violent tornadoes across the Great Plains and South. Two F4s struck the Kansas City metropolitan area, including one that killed two. In Missouri, the towns of Pierce City, Stockton, and Carl Junction were devastated by killer tornadoes. An F4 destroyed Franklin, Kansas, killing four, and another F4 struck downtown Jackson, Tennessee, killing eleven. A large F4 also caused major damage in southeastern Oklahoma City with additional damage in nearby areas. | ||
2003 South Dakota tornado outbreak | June 21–24, 2003 | South Dakota | 125 | 2 | Tied U.S. record for most tornadoes in one state during a 24-hour period, with 67 tornadoes in South Dakota on the 24th. Produced a violent F4 that literally wiped Manchester, South Dakota off the map. In Nebraska, an F4 killed one person near Coleridge, and an F2 caused another fatality in Deshler. An F2 also caused major damage in Buffalo Lake, Minnesota . | ||
July 21, 2003 derecho and tornado outbreak | July 21, 2003 | Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont | 22 | 0 | $48M in damage. Tornadoes occurred in supercells embedded in a very intense "Super-Derecho" event, which at times took on a tropical cyclone-like appearance. An F3 leveled a farm near Ellisburg, Pennsylvania, and two F2s occurred in upstate New York. | ||
April 20, 2004 tornado outbreak | April 20, 2004 | Illinois – Indiana | 31 | 8 | Unexpected outbreak produced an F3 that struck the Illinois towns of Granville and Utica, with 8 fatalities at the latter of the two locations. Many other weaker tornadoes touched down as well. | ||
May 2004 tornado outbreak sequence | May 21–31, 2004 | Great Plains – Midwest | 389 | 7 | Very large outbreak sequence. Produced the second-widest tornado on record, a 2.5 mile-wide F4 that destroyed 95% of Hallam, Nebraska, killing 1. An F3 killed 1 person and destroyed 80% of Marengo, Indiana. An F4 near Weatherby, Missouri killed 3. See also: List of May 2004 tornado outbreak sequence tornadoes | ||
2004 Roanoke, Illinois tornado | July 13, 2004 | Central Illinois | 4 | 0 | High-end F4 tornado destroyed an industrial plant and swept away several homes. | ||
Hurricane Frances tornado outbreak | September 2004 | Eastern United States | 103 | 0 | Produced a large outbreak of mostly weak tornadoes, though in South Carolina, the towns of Gadsden and Millwood sustained considerable damage from F2s. An F3 touched down near Camden. | ||
Hurricane Ivan tornado outbreak | September 2004 | Eastern United States | 120 | 7 | Largest hurricane-related tornado outbreak ever recorded. An F2 struck Macedonia, Florida, and killed 4. Many strong tornadoes touched down in Virginia, including an F3 that struck Remington. | ||
November 22–24, 2004 tornado outbreak | November 22–24, 2004 | Southern United States | 104 | 4 | Produced multiple strong tornadoes across the South. An F3 struck Olla and Standard, Louisiana, killing 1. An F2 severely damaged the Talladega Superspeedway and struck Bynum, resulting in another fatality. | ||
March 21–22, 2005 tornado outbreak | March 21–22, 2005 | Southern United States | 26 | 1 | An F3 near Donalsonville, Georgia, killed one person, and an F2 struck Screven, Georgia, resulting in major damage. Many other weaker tornadoes touched down as well. | ||
April 5–7, 2005 tornado outbreak | April 5–7, 2005 | Southern United States | 39 | 0 | Several strong tornadoes touched down across the Southern US, including an F3 that struck Mize, Mississippi. Another F3 caused major damage near Monterey, and an F2 struck Port Fourchon, Louisiana. | ||
2005 Hurricane Cindy tornado outbreak | July 6–8, 2005 | Southeastern – Eastern United States | 44 | 0 | Produced an F2 that severely damaged the Atlanta Motor Speedway. | ||
August 2005 Wisconsin tornado outbreak | August 18, 2005 | Wisconsin – Minnesota | 28 | 1 | Largest tornado outbreak in Wisconsin history. An F3 caused major damage in Stoughton and killed 1. An F2 also caused severe damage in Viola. | ||
Hurricane Katrina tornado outbreak | August 26–31, 2005 | Southeastern – Eastern United States | 54 | 1 | Widespread outbreak produced mostly weak tornadoes. Worst damage occurred in Georgia, including an F2 that caused major damage and one fatality near Roopville. The towns of Helen and Fort Valley also sustained major damage from F2s. | ||
Hurricane Rita tornado outbreak | September 22–26, 2005 | U.S. South | 101 | 1 | Produced numerous tornadoes across the South. An F3 caused major damage near Clayton, Louisiana. An F1 killed one person in a mobile home near Isola, Mississippi. | ||
Evansville Tornado of November 2005 | November 6, 2005 | Middle Mississippi – Ohio Valley | 8 | 25 | Nighttime F3 struck the Evansville, Indiana area, killing 25 people. Was part of a small outbreak that also produced strong tornadoes that struck Munfordville and Wheatcroft, Kentucky. | ||
November 2005 Iowa tornado outbreak | November 12, 2005 | Iowa – Missouri | 14 | 1 | Rare November outbreak in the Great Plains. Strong tornadoes struck Ames, Woodward, and Stratford. | ||
Mid-November 2005 tornado outbreak | November 15, 2005 | Central – Southeastern United States | 49 | 1 | F3 devastated a campground near Benton, Kentucky, and killed one person. A multiple-vortex F4 also hit Madisonville and Earlington, Kentucky, causing major damage. An F2 caused severe damage in Paris, Tennessee. | ||
Late-November 2005 tornado outbreak | November 27–28, 2005 | Central – Southeastern United States | 55 | 2 | F3 near Plumerville, Arkansas, tossed multiple cars on a highway, killing one person. An F2 near Briar, Missouri, killed another. Another F3 caused major damage near Cherry Hill, Arkansas. | ||
March 2006 Tornado Outbreak Sequence | March 9–13, 2006 | Central United States | 99 | 11 | Strong outbreak caused deadly tornadoes across the Midwestern United States. Two separate F2s struck Springfield, Illinois, resulting in major damage. An F3 near Renick, Missouri killed 4 people, and a double F4 occurred near Monroe City. | ||
April 2, 2006 Central United States tornado outbreak | April 2, 2006 | Central United States | 66 | 28 | Long-tracked F3 devastated the towns of Marmaduke, Arkansas, and Caruthersville, Missouri, killing 2. A deadly F3 killed 16 people in Newbern, Tennessee, while another F3 killed 6 in Bradford. | ||
April 6–8, 2006 Tornado Outbreak | April 6–8, 2006 | Central – Southeastern United States | 73 | 10 | Worst damage and all fatalities occurred in Tennessee. An F3 caused major damage near Charlotte, and another F3 devastated the town of Gallatin, killing 7. Two F1s killed 3 people in the McMinnville area as well. Many other weaker tornadoes also touched down. | ||
Easter Week 2006 tornado outbreak sequence | April 13–19, 2006 | Midwestern United States | 54 | 1 | Produced an F2 that struck downtown Iowa City, resulting in major damage. An F1 killed one person in a mobile home near Nichols, Iowa. Multiple other tornadoes affected rural areas, a few of which were strong. | ||
May 9–10, 2006 tornado outbreak | May 9–10, 2006 | Midwestern United States, Southern United States | 30 | 3 | An F2 caused considerable damage in Childress, Texas. An F3 near Westminster, Texas, killed 3 people. Other strong tornadoes occurred in Louisiana and Mississippi. | ||
August 24, 2006 tornado outbreak | August 24, 2006 | North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota | 14 | 1 | Small but intense mid-Summer outbreak produced a long-tracked F3 that struck Nicollet and Kasota, Minnesota, killing one person. Two other F3s caused major damage in rural areas near Eureka and Wolsey, South Dakota. | ||
July 2006 Westchester County tornado | July 12, 2006 | Southern New York and Fairfield, Connecticut | 1 | 0 | Rare F2 tornado in Westchester County, New York | ||
Late–September 2006 tornado outbreak | September 21–23, 2006 | Central United States | 48 | 0 | Numerous strong tornadoes hit the Midwest, mostly in rural areas. An F4 struck Crosstown, Missouri, and an F3 struck the north edge of Metropolis, Illinois. | ||
Mid-November 2006 tornado outbreak | November 2006 | Southern United States | 32 | 10 | Several strong tornadoes occurred across the South. An F3 killed eight people in Riegelwood, North Carolina, and an F2 caused major damage in Montgomery, Alabama. Two F3s also affected rural areas in Mississippi. | ||
2007 Groundhog Day tornado outbreak | February 2, 2007 | Florida | 4 | 21 | Single supercell produced three of the tornadoes, including two EF3s, and all 21 deaths. Was the second-deadliest tornado event in Florida, behind the outbreak of February 22–23, 1998. | ||
2007 New Orleans tornado outbreak | February 13, 2007 | Southern United States | 19 | 1 | Produced two EF2s that caused major damage and one fatality in New Orleans, Louisiana. Another EF2 also caused major damage near the town of Breaux Bridge. | ||
February 23–24, 2007 tornado outbreak | February 23–24, 2007 | Southern United States | 20 | 0 | Produced several strong tornadoes, especially in Arkansas. The town of Dumas was devastated by an EF3. Another EF3 occurred near Strong. | ||
February–March 2007 tornado outbreak sequence | February 28 – March 1, 2007 | Kansas, Missouri, Alabama, Georgia | 49 | 20 | Numerous strong to violent tornadoes across the Midwest and South, including a destructive EF4 in Enterprise, Alabama, that killed 9 people, 8 of which were students at a local high school that was destroyed. Another EF4 struck Millers Ferry killing one, and a nighttime EF3 devastated Americus, Georgia, killing 2. An EF2 destroyed a mobile home park near Newton, Georgia, killing 6. | ||
Late-March 2007 tornado outbreak | March 28–31, 2007 | Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado | 80 | 5 | An EF3 tornado devastated the town of Holly, Colorado, killing two people. Other strong tornadoes hit the rural portions of the Great Plains, especially Texas. | ||
April 2007 nor'easter | April 13–15, 2007 | Southern United States | 36 | 2 | Produced a moderate outbreak of tornadoes across the South. An EF1 caused considerable damage and killed one in Fort Worth, Texas. An EF3 caused major damage and caused another fatality near Mayesville, South Carolina. | ||
April 20–26, 2007 tornado outbreak sequence | April 20–27, 2007 | United States, Mexico | 92 | 10 | An F4 struck Piedras Negras, Coahuila, killing 3 people. The parent supercell produced an EF3 that struck Eagle Pass, Texas, killing 7 people. The towns of Tulia and Cactus, Texas, sustained major damage from EF2s. | ||
May 2007 tornado outbreak | May 3–5, 2007 | Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Colorado, Nebraska, Illinois | 123 | 14 | Very large outbreak across the Great Plains. Produced a large and deadly nighttime EF5 that destroyed 95% of Greensburg, Kansas, killing 11. Other strong tornadoes occurred in Oklahoma and elsewhere in Kansas. | ||
August 26, 2007 tornado outbreak | August 26, 2007 | North Dakota, Minnesota | 11 | 1 | Localized outbreak produced a large EF4 that devastated the town of Northwood, North Dakota, killing 1. An EF3 caused damage near Rugh Lake, and an EF2 occurred near Reynolds. | ||
Mid-October 2007 tornado outbreak | October 17–19, 2007 | Midwest, Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, U.S. South | 63 | 5 | EF3s caused major damage in Owensboro, Kentucky, and Nappanee, Indiana. Another EF3 affected rural areas near Vesta, Indiana. EF2s caused fatalities in parts of Missouri and Michigan, including one that struck Williamston, Michigan, and killed two people. | ||
January 2008 tornado outbreak sequence | January 7–9, 2008 | Southwest Missouri, northwest Arkansas, northeast Oklahoma, Midwest, U.S. South | 72 | 4 | Rare January outbreak produced strong tornadoes as far north as Wisconsin, where an EF3 caused major damage in the town of Wheatland. Another EF3 caused severe damage in and around Lawrence, Illinois as well. An EF3 killed three people near Strafford, Missouri, and an EF2 killed one near Appleton, Arkansas. Several EF3s impacted Mississippi and Alabama, including one that caused major damage in the town of Caledonia, Mississippi. | ||
2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak | February 5–6, 2008 | Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Indiana, Texas | 87 | 57 | One of the deadliest outbreaks to hit Dixie Alley struck the Midwest and South, producing many strong and violent tornadoes. Included the longest-lived Arkansas tornado on record, an EF4 that traveled 122 mi (196 km) in two hours, killing 13 people. One long-track EF3 tornado caused 22 deaths alone in Tennessee and Kentucky, mainly near Castalian Springs. A pair of EF3 and EF4 tornadoes also struck Jackson, Tennessee, killing three in the area, and an EF2 moved through Memphis, killing two. | ||
2008 Atlanta tornado outbreak | March 14–15, 2008 | Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina | 45 | 3 | Strong tornado hit downtown Atlanta for the second time in history, killing one person. An outbreak of tornadoes, some strong, moved across the South the next day, killing two people. | ||
May 1–2, 2008 tornado outbreak | May 1–3, 2008 | Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, Mississippi Alabama, Tennessee | 62 | 6 | Tornadoes struck the Midwest and South, including an EF3 that hit Damascus, Arkansas, killing five people. | ||
Mid-May 2008 tornado outbreak sequence | May 7–15, 2008 | Oklahoma, Missouri | 147 | 26 | A long-track EF4 tornado killed 21 people in Picher, Oklahoma, and Neosho, Missouri. Other strong to violent tornadoes struck the Eastern and Southern states. See also: List of Mid-May 2008 tornado outbreak sequence tornadoes | ||
Late-May 2008 tornado outbreak sequence | May 22–31, 2008 | Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Texas | 239 | 13 | Large outbreak produced strong to violent tornadoes across the Great Plains and Midwest. An EF3 wedge struck Windsor, Colorado, killing one and causing severe damage. An EF5 tornado caused extreme damage in Parkersburg and New Hartford, Iowa, killing 9. A nighttime EF3 killed two people in a vehicle near Cairo, Kansas. Another EF3 also killed one in Hugo, Minnesota, and destroyed many homes. See also: List of Late-May 2008 tornado outbreak sequence tornadoes | ||
June 2008 tornado outbreak sequence | June 3–12, 2008 | Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas | 192 | 7 | Third series of widespread tornado outbreaks. Tornadoes hit the Omaha-Council Bluffs area and the Chicago area. An EF3 tornado in Little Sioux, Iowa, struck the Boy Scouts of America's Little Sioux Scout Ranch, killing four people. Additionally, a violent EF4 tornado also hit Manhattan, Kansas. See also : List of June 2008 tornado outbreak sequence tornadoes | ||
2008 Tropical Storm Fay tornado outbreak | August 18–27, 2008 | Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina | 50 | 0 | Produced several tornadoes, including an EF2 near Wellington, Florida. | ||
November 2008 Carolinas tornado outbreak | November 15, 2008 | North Carolina South Carolina | 8 confirmed | 2 | Small, late-night tornado outbreak killed two people in the Carolinas. | ||
February 2009 tornado outbreak | February 10–11, 2009 | Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Indiana | 15 | 8 | Produced the strongest February tornado on record since 1950 in Oklahoma. An EF4 hit Lone Grove, killing eight people. Other tornadoes caused damage in the Oklahoma City area. | ||
Mid-February 2009 tornado outbreak | February 18–19, 2009 | Georgia, Alabama | 13 | 1 | Small outbreak produced a few strong tornadoes and killed one person. | ||
March 2009 tornado outbreak sequence | March 23–29, 2009 | Eastern United States | 56 | 0 | Produced the destructive Magee, Mississippi, and Corydon, Kentucky, tornadoes. | ||
April 2009 tornado outbreak | April 9–10, 2009 | Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina | 85 | 5 | Produced numerous strong tornadoes across the South, including an EF3 tornado that hit the Mena, Arkansas, area, killing three people, and an EF4 that hit Murfreesboro, Tennessee, killing two. | ||
May 2009 Southern Midwest derecho | May 8, 2009 | Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina | 39 | 6 | Most of the damage was caused by a derecho. |
2010–present
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 2010–2016 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dates | Year | Region | Tornadoes | Fatalities | Map | Event Link | Event Summary |
March 28 | 2010 | Southeastern United States, The Bahamas | 13 | 3 | N/A | March 2010 Carolinas tornado outbreak | Substantial damage to the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina and three deaths in the Bahamas. A damaging EF3 struck High Point, North Carolina. |
April 22–24 | 2010 | Midwest, Southern United States | 88 | 10 | N/A | April 2010 tornado outbreak | Extremely large, long-tracked tornado moved from Tallulah, Louisiana, to north of West Point, Mississippi. Traveled 149.25 mi (240.19 km), the fourth-longest such path in Mississippi history, killing 10 people, four of them in Yazoo City. Other strong to violent tornadoes occurred as well, causing severe damage. |
April 30–May 2 | 2010 | Midwest, Southern United States | 58 | 5 | N/A | April–May 2010 tornado outbreak | EF3 killed one person and extensively damaged Scotland, Arkansas. Overnight EF3 killed two people in a mobile home near Ashland, Mississippi, before crossing into Tennessee, killing one more near Pocahontas. The same storm also produced an EF2 with one death near Abbeville, Mississippi. |
May 10–13 | 2010 | Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas | 91 | 3 | N/A | May 10–13, 2010 tornado outbreak | Numerous strong tornadoes touched down, especially in Oklahoma. Violent EF4 near Moore and Choctaw killed two people, destroying many homes, businesses, and automobiles in the area. A separate EF4 also badly damaged areas near Norman and Little Axe, killing one person in a mobile home. |
May 22–25 | 2010 | Central United States | 79 | 0 | N/A | Late-May 2010 tornado outbreak | Fairly large tornado outbreak that affected the Great Plains. Most of the tornadoes remained over open country, but some caused considerable damage to rural farms and other structures. This outbreak produced a violent EF4 wedge tornado that caused severe damage near Bowdle, South Dakota. |
June 5–6 | 2010 | Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan | 53 | 8 | N/A | Early-June 2010 tornado outbreak | An EF4 tornado hit Millbury and Lake Township in Ohio, killing seven people and becoming the second-deadliest US tornado of 2010. Several other destructive tornadoes touched down in Illinois, where one other person died. |
June 16–17 | 2010 | North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa | 61 | 3 | N/A | June 2010 Northern Plains tornado outbreak | Was one of the largest Minnesota outbreaks in history and the largest June outbreak in U.S. history. Four large EF4 tornadoes caused extensive damage throughout the states of Minnesota and North Dakota. Several other Northern Plains states also were impacted by strong tornadoes. |
September 16 | 2010 | New York | 14 | 2 | N/A | 2010 Brooklyn/Queens tornadoes | Two tornadoes (EF1 and EF0) embedded in a large area of damaging winds moved through the New York City area and caused significant damage, killing one person. The tornadoes were part of a small outbreak that affected the Eastern United States and killed two people. |
October 6 | 2010 | Arizona, Utah | 9 | 0 | October 2010 Arizona tornado outbreak | One of the strongest and most prolific tornado events west of the Rocky Mountains. Rare tornado outbreak struck the state of Arizona, producing a few strong and destructive tornadoes, including one rated EF3—one of the most intense ever recorded in the state. One other tornado touched down in Utah as well. | |
October 23–27 | 2010 | Central United States, Eastern United States | 69 | 0 | N/A | October 2010 North American storm complex | Massive and powerful storm system produced a widespread derecho with 69 embedded tornadoes. System also produced a blizzard and a windstorm. |
December 31–January 1 | 2010 | Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois | 36 | 9 | 2010 New Year's Eve tornado outbreak | An early morning EF3 tornado struck Cincinnati, Arkansas, killing four people. Another EF3 struck Fort Leonard Wood in southeastern Pulaski County, Missouri, and another killed two elderly women near Rolla. Additionally, an EF1 tornado killed two women near Lecoma and a high-end EF3 tornado caused extensive damage in Sunset Hills, killing another person. | |
April 4–5 | 2011 | Southern United States, Eastern United States | 46 | 1 | April 4–5, 2011 derecho and tornado outbreak | Many tornadoes, including six EF2s, touched down across the southern and eastern United States. One of the tornadoes killed a person in a mobile home near Eastman, Georgia. | |
April 9–11 | 2011 | Iowa, Wisconsin, Texas, Missouri, Alabama | 43 | 0 | N/A | April 2011 Iowa–Wisconsin tornado outbreak | Produced many strong tornadoes in Iowa and Wisconsin. In Iowa, the towns of Mapleton, Early and Varina sustained major damage. In Wisconsin, Merrill, Cottonville and Kaukauna sustained severe damage as well. |
April 14–16 | 2011 | Midwest, Southern United States | 162 | 38 | N/A | April 14–16, 2011 tornado outbreak | Very large three-day outbreak produced the largest North Carolina tornado outbreak on record. An EF3 tornado struck downtown Raleigh, killing six people, and another EF3 wedge killed 12 in the small town of Askewville. Deadly EF3s also devastated the towns of Tushka, Oklahoma and Leakesville, Mississippi. |
April 19–24 | 2011 | Midwest | 100 | 0 | N/A | April 19–24, 2011 tornado outbreak sequence | Large tornado outbreak produced 100 tornadoes, one of which was a destructive EF4 that struck St. Louis. A few other strong tornadoes caused damage in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio, most of which were embedded in a squall line. |
April 25–28 | 2011 | Southern United States | 362 | 324 | 2011 Super Outbreak | The largest continuous and fourth-deadliest outbreak in U.S. history caused the most tornado-related deaths since 1936. April 27 was also the deadliest tornado day in the U.S. since March 18, 1925, and the second-deadliest Alabama outbreak on record, with 238 deaths in the state, behind only the 268 people killed on March 21, 1932. The outbreak produced 15 violent (EF4-EF5) tornadoes all on April 27, behind only the 1965 Palm Sunday Outbreak (17) and 1974 Super Outbreak (30). Numerous, violent, long-tracked tornadoes, four of them EF5s, and eleven EF4s struck eastern Mississippi, north and central Alabama, northwestern Georgia, and eastern Tennessee. One of the longest-lived tornadoes on record, an EF5 traveled 132 mi (212 km) across northwest Alabama, devastating Hackleburg and other communities, killing 72 people, making it the deadliest Alabama tornado on record. Another long-tracked tornado produced EF4 damage in the Tuscaloosa–Birmingham area, killing 64. This outbreak is called the 2011 Super Outbreak due to the amount of tornadoes in one day (219 on 4/27 CDT), amount of violent tornadoes, and the severity and degree of the outbreak. | |
May 21–26 | 2011 | Great Plains, Midwest | 241 | 178 | May 21–26, 2011 tornado outbreak sequence | Was one of the deadliest U.S. outbreaks on record and caused the highest single-day death rate since February 19–20, 1884 (at least 170 deaths). Also one of the largest tornado outbreaks in modern U.S. history. A catastrophic, multiple-vortex, rain-wrapped EF5 tornado on May 22 killed 158 people in Joplin, Missouri—the seventh-deadliest U.S. tornado event on record. A major outbreak on May 24 produced two high-end EF4 tornadoes in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and an extremely violent EF5 tornado that killed nine people near El Reno–Piedmont. Another EF4 on that day struck Denning, Arkansas, killing four people, and a killer EF3 also struck Reading, Kansas. | |
June 1 | 2011 | New England | 7 | 3 | 2011 New England tornado outbreak | Long-track EF3 tornado struck multiple cities and towns, including Springfield, West Springfield, Westfield, Brimfield, Wilbraham and Monson, Massachusetts, the latter of which was the hardest hit. Caused three deaths in Massachusetts, the first tornado-related deaths there in 16 years. A few other weak tornadoes were also documented. | |
June 18–22 | 2011 | Midwest | 78 | 0 | N/A | June 18–22, 2011 tornado outbreak | Produced a series of strong tornadoes in Nebraska and Kansas, most of which remained in rural areas. However, some of the tornadoes caused severe damage to homes and farmsteads. A series of five tornadoes also damaged the Louisville area. |
November 14–16 | 2011 | Southern United States | 23 | 5 | N/A | November 14–16, 2011 tornado outbreak | Small but deadly tornado outbreak killed five people in the Carolinas. Other tornadoes caused damage across the South, including an EF2 that caused severe damage in Auburn, Alabama. |
January 22–23 | 2012 | Southern United States | 25 | 2 | N/A | January 22–23, 2012 tornado outbreak | Outbreak developed in the overnight hours of January 22–23. In Alabama, 11 tornadoes touched down, including one EF3 tornado in Jefferson County, that killed two people. Maplesville, Alabama, and Fordyce, Arkansas, sustained major damage from EF2s. |
February 28–29 | 2012 | Great Plains, East South Central States, Ohio Valley | 39 | 15 | N/A | 2012 Leap Day tornado outbreak | Several tornadoes formed on February 28 and 29. The strongest tornado, an EF4, hit Harrisburg, Illinois, killing eight people on February 29, just the second F4/EF4 to occur on Leap Day (the other in 1952). An EF2 tornado caused extensive damage in Branson, Missouri. Other deadly tornadoes struck Kansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. |
March 2–3 | 2012 | Southern United States, Ohio Valley | 65 | 41 | N/A | March 2–3, 2012 tornado outbreak | A major outbreak produced many strong tornadoes from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast. A long-track EF4 devastated multiple towns in southern Indiana, especially Henryville, killing 11 people, and a long-tracked high-end EF3 destroyed downtown West Liberty, Kentucky, killing 10. Another EF4 killed four people near Crittenden, Kentucky, and an EF3 killed three people in Moscow, Ohio, destroying 80% of the town. Other strong tornadoes struck Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. |
March 18–24 | 2012 | Great Plains, Southern United States, Ohio Valley | 63 | 1 | N/A | March 18–24, 2012 tornado outbreak sequence | Slow-moving system produced 63 tornadoes across the Central and Eastern US, including an EF2 that killed one person in Illinois. Four strong tornadoes also caused damage in the North Platte, Nebraska area. |
April 3 | 2012 | Texas, Louisiana | 20 | 0 | N/A | April 3, 2012 tornado outbreak | Tornadoes caused severe damage across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, including an EF3 that destroyed many homes in Forney. Arlington and Lancaster also sustained major damage from EF2s. |
April 13–16 | 2012 | Great Plains, Great Lakes region | 95 | 6 | N/A | April 13–16, 2012 tornado outbreak | EF3 tornadoes caused significant damage in both Wichita, Kansas, and Woodward, Oklahoma, with six people killed in the latter of the two locations. Also, an EF4 tornado destroyed structures near Kanopolis Lake, Kansas. |
June 23–26 | 2012 | Florida | 25 | 1 | N/A | 2012 Tropical Storm Debby tornado outbreak | Was the second-largest Florida tornado outbreak on record, after the outbreak caused by Hurricane Agnes on June 18–19, 1972. Produced 25 tornadoes and one fatality in Venus, Florida. Severe damage occurred in or near Winter Haven, Pass-a-Grille in St. Pete Beach and Lake Placid. |
August 27–September 4 | 2012 | Midwest, Southern United States, Mid-Atlantic states | 34 | 0 | N/A | 2012 Hurricane Isaac tornado outbreak | Produced several tornadoes across the eastern U.S., including EF2s in Corning, Arkansas, and Pascagoula, Mississippi. |
December 25–26 | 2012 | Southern United States | 26 | 0 | N/A | 2012 Christmas tornado outbreak | Produced several significant tornadoes, including two EF3 tornadoes in Texas and Mississippi, one of which was long tracked. A large EF2 wedge tornado also struck downtown Mobile, Alabama. |
January 29–30 | 2013 | Midwest, Southern United States | 65 | 1 | N/A | January 29–30, 2013 tornado outbreak | One of the largest January outbreaks in U.S. history produced tornadoes from Oklahoma to Georgia, including a large EF3 that devastated the town of Adairsville, killing one person, and EF2s that hit the towns of Galatia, Coble and Mt. Juliet, causing severe damage. First tornado-related death in the U.S. since June 24, 2012. |
February 10 | 2013 | Midwest, Southern United States | 8 | 0 | February 10, 2013 tornado outbreak | Was a small, localized outbreak, but one that produced a violent, destructive EF4 tornado in Hattiesburg, the first in the area since 1908, destroying many buildings and injuring 82 people, but fortunately no fatalities. An EF2 caused considerable damage in the Pickwick area as well. Six other weak tornadoes were confirmed. | |
April 7–11 | 2013 | Midwest, Southern United States | 28 | 1 | N/A | April 7–11, 2013 tornado outbreak | A destructive EF2 struck Hazelwood, Missouri, and another EF2 caused major damage near Scotland, Arkansas. A long-tracked EF3 affected rural areas of Mississippi and Alabama, killing one person. |
May 15–17 | 2013 | Texas, Louisiana, Alabama | 25 | 6 | May 15–17, 2013 tornado outbreak | Produced several significant tornadoes, one of which was a large EF4 that killed six people and destroyed numerous homes in Granbury, Texas, the first violent tornado to strike Texas since 1999. Additionally, a large EF3 wedge caused significant damage in the town of Cleburne, while an EF1 heavily damaged downtown Ennis. | |
May 18–21 | 2013 | Midwest, West South Central States | 67 | 26 | N/A | May 18–21, 2013 tornado outbreak | Produced several significant tornadoes, especially in Oklahoma, where two violent tornadoes struck on successive days. An EF4 killed two people in the Shawnee area on May 19 and, only one day later, a devastating EF5 wedge tornado devastated Moore, killing 24 people. Other strong tornadoes struck elsewhere in Oklahoma, particularly in Carney on May 19, and in Kansas, Illinois and Ontario. |
May 26–31 | 2013 | Midwest, West South Central States | 115 | 9 | May 26–31, 2013 tornado outbreak | Produced the widest tornado on record, a massive, multiple-vortex EF3 on May 31 near El Reno, Oklahoma, killing eight people and producing Doppler-indicated winds greater than 295 mph (475 km/h) over open fields, among the highest winds measured on Earth.[10][11] Additionally, a large, intense EF3 remained nearly stationary for about an hour on May 28 west of Bennington, Kansas, producing Doppler-measured winds into the EF4 range above ground level. Other strong tornadoes struck Nebraska, Michigan, New York, Arkansas (one of which—though rated EF1—killed a person), Illinois and Missouri, as well as across Kansas and Oklahoma. | |
June 12–13 | 2013 | Midwest, Southern United States | 26 | 0 | June 12–13, 2013 derecho series | Widespread severe weather event began with a few strong tornadoes in Iowa and Illinois, including an EF3 that caused major damage in the Belmond area. Storms grew into a large derecho with numerous embedded weak tornadoes. A second derecho the following day produced a few embedded tornadoes as well. | |
October 3–7 | 2013 | Midwest, Great Plains | 22 | 0 | October 2013 North American storm complex | Powerful and dynamic storm system produced a small but intense late-season tornado outbreak, mainly across Nebraska and Iowa. Two of the tornadoes reached EF4 intensity, including one that caused severe damage in Wayne, Nebraska. Other strong tornadoes struck Creighton and Macy. | |
November 17 | 2013 | Midwest | 73 | 8 | November 17, 2013 tornado outbreak | Many large and strong to violent tornadoes touched down across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. Two EF4s struck Illinois, one of which devastated the town of Washington and killed three people. The other impacted the New Minden area, killing 2 others. An EF3 struck Brookport, killing three people. The outbreak produced the only known violent (EF4–EF5) tornadoes to strike Illinois in the month of November. | |
April 25 | 2014 | North Carolina | 11 | 1 | April 2014 North Carolina tornado outbreak | Localized but intense outbreak produced an EF3 that caused major damage near the town of Washington. An EF2 in Edenton resulted in a fatality. | |
April 27–30 | 2014 | Midwest, Southern United States | 84 | 35 | April 27–30, 2014 tornado outbreak | Deadly outbreak that mainly affected the Dixie Alley. A high-end EF4 devastated the towns of Mayflower and Vilonia, Arkansas, killing 16. Another EF4 killed 10 people and caused major damage in Louisville, Mississippi. An EF3 killed 2 when a trailer park was destroyed in Coxey, Alabama. Another EF3 struck Tupelo, Mississippi, killing 1 and causing severe damage. | |
May 10–12 | 2014 | Great Plains | 44 | 0 | N/A | May 10–12, 2014 tornado outbreak | A destructive EF2 damaged 80% of the structures in Orrick, Missouri. An EF3 caused major damage to farms near Sutton, Nebraska, and another very large EF3 damaged every structure in the town of Beaver Crossing, Nebraska. |
June 16–18 | 2014 | Midwest | 76 | 2 | N/A | June 16–18, 2014 tornado outbreak | Outbreak spawned a cyclic supercell in Nebraska that produced four consecutive EF4s, including two twin tornadoes that devastated the town of Pilger and surrounding areas, killing 2. Three nighttime tornadoes (including an EF3) struck Madison, Wisconsin, and its suburbs. A large and slow-moving EF3 clipped the town of Coleridge, Nebraska. An EF2 caused major damage in Wessington Springs, South Dakota, and a violent EF4 obliterated a farm outside of Alpena. |
December 23–24 | 2014 | Southern United States | 10 | 5 | N/A | December 23–24, 2014 tornado outbreak | Small but damaging outbreak produced a large EF3 that caused major damage in Columbia, Mississippi, and killed 3 people. An EF2 killed 2 others near Laurel. Another EF2 caused considerable damage near Amite, Louisiana. |
April 8–9 | 2015 | Midwestern United States | 24 | 2 | N/A | 2015 Rochelle-Fairdale, Illinois tornado | Long-tracked, very high-end EF4 tornado moved across several counties in northern Illinois, causing major damage near Rochelle and devastating the small town of Fairdale, where two people were killed. Was part of a relatively small outbreak of mostly weak tornadoes, though an EF2 caused considerable damage near Mount Selman, Texas. |
May 5–10 | 2015 | Great Plains | 127 | 5 | N/A | May 5–10, 2015 tornado outbreak sequence | EF3s caused major damage in Bridge Creek, Oklahoma and Oklahoma City. A large EF3 caused significant damage and killed one person near Cisco, Texas, and a high-end EF2 severely damaged the town of Delmont, South Dakota. A nighttime EF3 killed two people and caused major damage in Van, Texas, while an EF2 killed two more at a mobile home park in Nashville, Arkansas. |
May 23–25 | 2015 | Great Plains | 75 | 16 | N/A | 2015 Texas–Oklahoma flood and tornado outbreak | Produced a destructive early-morning F3 that devastated the Mexican border city of Ciudad Acuña, killing 14 people. An EF2 killed one person near Cameron, Texas, while an EF3 killed another near Blue, Oklahoma. Outbreak was accompanied by catastrophic flooding. |
June 22–23 | 2015 | Great Lakes, Midwestern United States | 28 | 0 | N/A | June 22–23, 2015 tornado outbreak | An EF2 and an EF3 caused significant damage in and around Albia, Iowa. An EF2 caused major damage in Edgington, Illinois, while another EF2 severely damaged a large campground near Sublette. A nighttime EF3 damaged or destroyed numerous homes in Coal City. |
November 16–18 | 2015 | Great Plains | 61 | 0 | N/A | November 16–18, 2015 tornado outbreak | Unusual nocturnal late-season tornado outbreak spawned multiple strong tornadoes across the lower Great Plains states. Two EF3 tornadoes caused major damage near Pampa, Texas, one of which destroyed a large chemical plant complex. A long-tracked EF3 began near Liberal, Kansas and dissipated near Montezuma, causing significant damage in rural areas. |
December 23–25 | 2015 | Southern United States, Midwestern United States | 38 | 13 | N/A | December 23–25, 2015 tornado outbreak | Produced multiple strong to violent long-track tornadoes across Mississippi and Tennessee, including an EF4 that tracked through parts of both states, causing major damage in Holly Springs, Mississippi and killing 9 people along its path. A high-end EF3 caused major damage near Clarksdale as well, killing two. Another EF3 destroyed many structures in the small community of Lutts, Tennessee, and an EF2 killed two people near Linden. A high-end EF2 caused considerable damage in the southwestern part of Birmingham, Alabama. |
December 26–28 | 2015 | Southern United States | 32 | 13 | N/A | Late December 2015 North American storm complex | Outbreak severely impacted the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. A large EF4 devastated parts of Garland and Rowlett, killing 10 people. An EF3 destroyed many homes in Ovilla and Glenn Heights, while an EF2 killed two people in Copeville. An EF1 killed caused a fatality near Blue Ridge as well. |
February 23–24 | 2016 | Southern United States, Eastern United States | 61 | 7 | N/A | February 23–24, 2016 tornado outbreak | The second largest February tornado outbreak on record produced many significant tornadoes across the Gulf Coast and East Coast states. An EF2 caused major damage in Laplace, Louisiana. An EF3 caused major damage in Paincourtville and Convent, Louisiana, killing two people, while an EF2 killed one person near Purvis, Mississippi. An EF3 caused severe damage in Pensacola, Florida, and an EF1 killed 3 people in Waverly, Virginia. An EF3 also destroyed multiple homes near Tappahannock, Virginia, while another EF3 killed one person in Evergreen. |
May 7–10 | 2016 | Western United States, Great Plains, Ohio Valley | 57 | 2 | N/A | May 7–10, 2016 tornado outbreak | Four-day outbreak produced a high-end EF2 tornado near Wray, Colorado. A violent EF4 tornado killed one person near Katie, Oklahoma, a damaging EF3 wedge tornado destroyed numerous homes near Sulphur, and an EF3 caused another fatality near Bromide. The town of Mayfield, Kentucky sustained major damage from an EF3 tornado as well. |
May 22–26 | 2016 | Western United States, Great Plains | 87 | 0 | N/A | May 22–26, 2016 tornado outbreak sequence | Outbreak sequence produced numerous strong tornadoes across the Great Plains. Numerous significant tornadoes spawned by a cyclic supercell thunderstorm caused heavy damage near Dodge City, Kansas. EF3 tornadoes also caused damage near Big Spring, Turkey and Garden City, Texas. An EF4 wedge tornado caused major damage near Abeline and Chapman, Kansas. |
August 24 | 2016 | Indiana, Ohio, Ontario | 24 | 0 | N/A | August 24, 2016 tornado outbreak | Unexpected and unusual late-season tornado outbreak produced an EF3 that severely damaged or destroyed many homes and businesses in Kokomo, Indiana. Another EF3 caused major damage to farms near Woodburn, Indiana. EF2 tornadoes inflicted heavy damage near Cecil and Defiance, Ohio, while another EF2 severely damaged structures in Windsor, Ontario. |
Canada
Main article: List of Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
Mexico, Central America, Caribbean, and other areas
Event | Date | Area | Tornadoes | Casualties | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tenochtitlan-Tlatelolco tornado | 13 August 1521 (Julian Calendar) | Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco | – | – | First recorded tornado in Americas[13] |
Hondo Coal Mine tornado | 10 May 1899 | Northern Mexico | – | ≥22 fatalities | Deadliest Mexican tornado |
1940 Bejucal tornado | 26 December 1940 | Cuba | – | 12 fatalities | Reportedly spawned during hurricane |
1953 Bermuda tornadoes | 5 April 1953 | Bermuda | – | 1 fatality, 9 injuries | Possibly four separate tornadoes |
1992 Panama City tornado | 6 July 1992 | Panama City | – | 12 fatalities, >50 injuries | Perhaps deadliest Panamanian tornado |
2007 Piedras Negras tornado | 24 April 2007 | Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico | 1 | 3 | Violent rain-wrapped F4 tornado destroyed over 300 homes and multiple businesses in Piedras Negras. |
Dominican Republic tornadoes | 20 April 2008 | Santo Domingo | – | ≥2 fatalities | At least 700 people were forced to seek temporary shelter when tornadoes damaged houses |
2015 Ciudad Acuña tornado | 25 May 2015 | Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico | 1 | 14 | Early morning tornado damaged or destroyed over 750 homes and businesses in Ciudad Acuña. |
See also
- List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of Connecticut tornadoes
- List of District of Columbia tornadoes
- List of Rhode Island tornadoes
- Tornado records
- Tornadoes in Bermuda
- List of tornadoes striking downtown areas
References
- ↑ http://kikn.com/old-tornado-photo-1884-south-dakota/
- ↑ http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/1953/5/2/map
- ↑ http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/1953/4/28/map
- ↑ http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/1953/4/29/map
- ↑ http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/1953/4/30/map
- ↑ http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/1953/5/1/map
- ↑ http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/1956/2/24/map
- ↑ http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/1956/2/25/map
- ↑ "This Day in Southeast Michigan Weather History - May 8". National Weather Service Detroit / Pontiac, Michigan. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. August 3, 2007. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
- ↑ Bryan Painter; Silas Allen (June 4, 2014). "El Reno tornado is 'super rare' national record-breaker". NewsOK. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
- ↑ Jon Erdman; Chris Dolce; Nick Wiltgen (September 20, 2013). "El Reno Tornado Rated EF3, Widest on Record". The Weather Channel. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
- ↑ "Canadian National Tornado Database: Verified Events (1980-2009) - Public". Open Canada. Environment Canada. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
- ↑ Velasco Fuentes, Oscar (November 2010). "The Earliest Documented Tornado in the Americas". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 91 (11): 1515–1523. doi:10.1175/2010BAMS2874.1. Retrieved April 18, 2010.
- Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991, A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-03-1
- --- (1997). Significant Tornadoes Update, 1992–1995. ISBN 1-879362-04-X
- --- (2001). The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0-8061-3258-2
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Climatic Data Center / Storm Prediction Center. Storm Data.
External links
- North America listing by The Tornado Project
- Central America and Caribbean listing by The Tornado Project
- Deadly Skies: Canada's Most Destructive Tornadoes (CBC)
- All US Tornadoes From 1950–present
- US Tornado Paths by Day and Zip code
10 deadliest Canadian tornadoes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Name (location) | Date | Deaths | |
1 | Regina Cyclone | June 30, 1912 | ≥28 | |
2 | Edmonton tornado | July 31, 1987 | 27 | |
3 | Windsor–Tecumseh, Ontario tornado | June 17, 1946 | 17 | |
4 | Pine Lake, Alberta tornado | July 14, 2000 | 12 | |
=5 | Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec Windsor, Ontario tornado |
August 16, 1888 April 3, 1974 |
9 9 | |
7 | Barrie, Ontario tornado | May 31, 1985 | 8 | |
=8 | Sudbury, Ontario tornado Sainte-Rose, Quebec tornado |
August 20, 1970 June 8, 1953 |
6 6 | |
=10 | Bouctouche, New Brunswick tornado Portage la Prairie, Manitoba tornado |
August 6, 1879 June 22, 1922 |
5 5 | |
Sources: Environment Canada (PDF) |
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