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 1950.
Prior to 1950 in the United States, only significant tornadoes (rated F2 or higher or causing a fatality) are listed for the number of tornadoes in outbreaks. These ratings are estimates from tornado expert Tom Grazulis and are not official.
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.
Historical context: Much of the tornado activity in the American Midwestern area is relatively unknown and significantly under-reported prior to the middle of the 1800s as few people lived there to record the yearly activity. The American government did not acquire the Midwestern states area until the 1803 Louisiana Purchase from the French government. The Louisiana Purchase area included major tornado activity areas of north Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota, and lower Minnesota. Large groups of settlers and pioneers only began populating the region after 1820. As these areas began being more populated, existing tornado activity there became more known and reported through newspaper and telegraph.
Where applicable, a count of the number of significant (F2/EF2 and stronger), violent (F4/EF4 and stronger), and killer tornadoes is included for outbreaks.
Potential earliest recorded U.S. tornado and fatality. Event was recorded by Massachusetts Bay Colony governor John Winthrop. "There arose a sudden gust at N.W. so violent for half an hour as it blew down multitudes of trees. It lifted up their meeting house at Newbury, the people being in it. It darkened the air with dust, yet through God's great mercy it did no hurt, but only killed one Indian with the fall of a tree. It was straight between Linne [Lynn] and Hampton."[1]
Multiple long-track tornadoes crossed upstate New York
August 1851 Waltham, Medford, and West Cambridge tornado
August 22, 1851
Waltham, Medford, West Cambridge Massachusetts
1
-
The center of Arlington, MA was devastated by a strong tornado.[3][4]
1855 Des Plaines tornado
May 22, 1855
Illinois
-
4 fatalities, 8 injuries
First recorded tornado in Illinois history, which occurred in present-day Des Plaines, Illinois. Erroneously thought for a long time to have taken place in Jefferson Township, before research corrected the tornado's location.[5]
An F4 tornado damaged or destroyed about a third of Tuscumbia, Alabama, killing 12 people in town and at least 2 others in nearby rural areas. An F3 tornado damaged or destroyed about half the buildings in Montevallo, Alabama, killing two others.
Outbreak produced seven estimated F4 tornadoes. 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, (estimated) F3 tornado families. (1 violent, 7 killer)
Many "well built" homes were leveled and farms vanished. Its victims (both people and cattle) were reportedly carried up to half a mile. This is the earliest estimated F5 that can be verified in the U.S. according to Grazulis. (The 1953 Waco tornado is the earliest officially rated - see below.) The F5 rating is widely accepted.
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)
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)
16 farms were blown away and the town of Grinnell was devastated, as well as the Grinnell College campus. Debris was carried 100 mi (160 km). Estimated F5. Caused 68 fatalities according to Grazulis.
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)
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. (≥37 significant, 4 violent, ≥27 killer)
Among contemporary meteorologists, this was considered one of the most intense tornadoes observed up to that time. Parts of Oakville "vanished," with house debris scattered for miles. Estimated F5.
An estimated F3 tornado devastated Philadelphia and its New Jersey suburb of Camden. A ferry boat and steamboat on the Delaware River were damaged and numerous homes, factories, shops, and other buildings were damaged or destroyed. At least 200 were left homeless by the storm.[9]
Deadliest tornado in Minnesota history. Estimated to have been an F4.
1887 Grand Forks tornado
June 16, 1887
Grand Forks North Dakota
-
At the time, Fargo, North Dakota was believed to be the northern limit of potential tornado activity by the United States Signal Service. Grand Forks is located another 75 miles north of Fargo in North Dakota. The tornado there led to a rethinking of the potential northern boundary of tornado activity in the United States at the time.[10]
1890s
List of United States tornado outbreaks – Pre-1900
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. (≥24 significant, 6 violent, 16 killer)
It is believed that the tornado touched down west of Nanticoke as an estimated F0. The storm intensified as it traveled northeast towards the City of Wilkes-Barre. After 5:00 pm, it tore through the heart of Wilkes-Barre as an estimated F3. The tornado killed 16 people, injured 50, damaged or destroyed 260 buildings, and cost at least $240,000 (in 1890 USD). The tornado then traveled east and ended in a heavily wooded region just outside the city.[11]
Entire farms were obliterated, and house timbers were embedded into the ground 3 mi (4.8 km) away from the foundations. Estimated to have been F5 intensity.
Grass was scoured from the ground, and a metal bridge was torn from its supports. A well pump and 40 feet (12 m) of pipe were pulled out of the ground. Estimated to be an F5.
Included a long-tracked F4 tornado family in Wisconsin and Iowa. In Kossuth County Iowa (five farms and a home were swept away, leaving little trace) and Wisconsin. (>9 significant, 4 violent, 5 killer)
Seven people killed in schools in Ireton-Hull, Iowa. In Harvey County Kansas on May 1, an estimated F5 hit where farms "entirely vanished," with debris carried for miles. In Sioux County Iowa on May 3, an estimated F5 hit where farms "entirely vanished," with debris carried for miles. (2 F5s, 3 killer)
Forty others were injured, seven homes were demolished and at least 25 others damaged, and monuments and tombstones in Cypress Hills and Bayside cemeteries were uprooted by a cyclone that touched down near Cypress Hills and moved through the neighborhoods of Woodhaven, Union Course, and Ozone Park.[12]
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. In Sherman Texas on May 15, one of the most intense tornadoes of the 19th century according to Grazulis struck. "Extraordinary" damage occurred to farms and 20 homes that were obliterated and swept away. An iron-beam bridge was torn apart and scattered, with one of the beams deeply embedded into the ground. Trees were reduced to debarked stumps, and grass was scoured from lawns in town as well. Several headstones at a cemetery were shattered or thrown up to 250 yards through the air, and a trunk lid from Sherman was found 35 miles away. Reliable reports said that numerous bodies were carried hundreds of yards, and that multiple deaths occurred in 17 different families; seven deaths were in one family alone. In Seneca Kansas on May 17, an opera house was swept away along with some farms. Entire farms were reportedly swept clean of debris, leaving the areas "bare as the prairie. In Ortonville-Oakwood Michigan on May 25th, houses and farms were leveled and swept away, with debris carried up to 12 mi (19 km) away. Trees were completely debarked, with even small twigs stripped bare in some cases. (>38 significant, 3 F5, 9 violent, ≥22 killer)
In Salix, Iowa, on June 11, an estimated F5 tornado struck and impacted several farms. In Marathon County, Wisconsin, on May 18, an estimated F5 tornado flattened 12 farms. (5 violent, 10 killer)
May 6 named "day of the cyclones" by the press. (≥19 significant, 2 killer)
1900 Southeast tornado outbreak
November 20, 1900
Southeastern United States
–
≥77 fatalities, ≥75 injuries
A major tornado outbreak killed at least 77 people across the Southeastern United States. A long-lived family of tornadoes, the strongest of which was rated F4, killed at least 30 people in Mississippi and Tennessee, including 11 near Strayhorn, Mississippi and 15 on plantations in Tunica County, Mississippi. Another F4 tornado devastated the west side of Columbia, Tennessee, killing 27 people.
A destructive tornado, estimated to have been at F1 or F2 strength, tore through Trenton, New Jersey, on a 2.5 mi (4.0 km) path. Walls or roofs were torn off of 100 homes and wagons and outhouses were tossed like toys. Heavy rain in the city also collapsed a bridge. Due to limited knowledge of tornadoes at the time, the tornado was considered to be a "cyclone."[13][14]
A violent F4 tornado struck Moundville, Alabama, just after midnight, destroying all but one store in the business district along with a number of homes, railroad depots, freight cars, farm buildings and a hotel. Damage was also reported northeast of Moundville in the towns of Hull, Phifer, Maxwell, and Tidewater.[15]
Produced numerous killer tornadoes across the Southern United States. Two tornadoes in Mississippi and Alabama killed 29 each. (≥35 significant, ≥4 violent, ≥23 killer)
1910s
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1910-1919
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)
Numerous violent tornadoes in North Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, including what is now the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. (≥30 significant, 9 violent, ≥19 killer)
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)
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. (≥6 significant, ≥3 killer)
F4 tornado devastated New Albany, Indiana. Destroyed two schools and a wood shop. At least 300 homes were destroyed, some swept away. (≥9 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)
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)
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.
1920s
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1920-1929
First 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)
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)
Long-tracked tornado family killed seven people at a school in Horrell Hill, South Carolina. Multiple violent killer tornadoes struck the Carolinas and Georgia. (28 significant, 2 violent, 16 killer)
A deadly outbreak, including the deadliest and longest-tracked tornado in U.S. history–the Tri-State tornado, a massive F5 tornado that traveled 219 mi (352 km) across the three states of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, killing 695 people. Third-costliest U.S. tornado ever. Other violent tornadoes hit Kentucky and Tennessee, including a long-tracked F4 that killed 38 people. (≥9 significant, 3 violent, 8 killer)
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)
Produced a devastating tornado that struck St. Louis and killed 79 people. Estimated to have been an F3, but may have been an F4. (11 significant, 3 killer)
September 1928 Upper Plains-Midwest tornado outbreak
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
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)
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)
Destructive F3 tornado through downtown Nashville, killing 11 people. Other tornadoes touched down across the Ohio Valley, including an F4 that killed 12. (≥5 significant, 1 violent, ≥4 killer)
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)
Produced multiple killer tornadoes in Georgia and the Carolinas. An F4 tornado in Cordele, Georgia, killed 23 people. (8 significant, 3 violent, 10 killer)
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)
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)
F5 near Oshkosh killed three students at a leveled school. Several other strong tornadoes were observed that day, killing three others. (9 significant, 2 violent, 2 killer)
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)
An F5 tornado killed eight people in South Dakota and dissipated in Minnesota. Farms south of Wilmot, South Dakota, were destroyed with no debris left behind. Two other deadly tornadoes, rated F3 and F4 by Grazulis, struck elsewhere in South Dakota. Official records only list windstorms even though well-defined funnels were sighted. (6 significant, 2 violent, 3 killers)[16]
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. (≥7 significant, 3 violent, ≥6 killers)
Included a devastating tornado that struck Montgomery, Alabama, killing 26 people. The U.S. Weather Bureau would describe this tornado as "the most officially observed one in history".[17] (8 significant, 1 violent, 4 killers)
A tornado touched down in Jamestown at 9:30 pm, with many factory buildings losing their roofs and in some cases even their top floors, and causing significant damage to hundreds of homes, totaling $5 million ($85 million in 2023 dollars).[18]
Includes the Log Lake–Southview–Palestine tornado, which is classified as one of the worst tornadoes in the history of Texas. (9 significant, 3 violent, 7 killer)
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. (≥8 significant, ≥2 violent, ≥1 killer)
First successful tornado prediction in history by Maj. Ernest J. Fawbush and Capt. Robert C. Miller who was on duty at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.[1]
An F3 tornado touched down in the southwest portion of the city at 2:59 pm, causing minor destruction to 300 homes including a few churches and a nearby plant base caused by all 3 hazards, including 100 mph winds.
May 1949 tornado outbreak
May 15–22, 1949
Great Plains and Midwest
>74
9 fatalities
A massive outbreak struck the Great Plains and Midwest. An F4 hit Amarillo killing seven, the costliest and strongest tornado in the city's history. Another F4 was on the ground for nearly 60 miles as it tore through the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles, injuring three in Stratford, Texas and killing an elderly man near Goodwell, Oklahoma. A third F4 missed the town of Spur, but destroyed a dozen farmhouses, killing a woman. Palestine, Illinois was hit by an F4, but some experts rated it as an F5.
1950s
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1950-1959
A tornado outbreak produced several long–tracked, deadly tornadoes that touched down in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Arkansas. (14 significant, 1 violent, 8 killer)[19]
A small, but destructive outbreak spawned a violent, long-tracked F4 tornado in Minnesota with all casualties coming from this storm. (2 significant, 1 violent killer)[22]
An F4 tornado killed five and injured 100 in WaKeeney, Kansas, while F3 tornadoes killed one and injured 50 in Illinois. (7 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)[23]
A destructive series of three tornadoes touched down, all of which caused major damage, injuries and fatalities. (3 significant killers, 2 violent killers)[24]
A localized, but destructive and deadly tornado outbreak impacted three states. An F1 tornado killed three people and injured 166 others in Belfast, Tennessee, an F4 tornado killed two and injured 150 in Fayetteville, Tennessee, and an F3 tornado injured 12 in Fort Payne, Alabama. (7 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)[26]
This was the 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 F4 tornadoes struck Tennessee and Northern Mississippi. The event marked the first time the word "tornado" was used during a public television weather broadcast (it was said by Oklahoma City WKY-TV's weatherman Harry Volkman). The word had been a banned word by the FCC at the time. (28 significant, 11 violent, 20 killer)[1][27]
A moderate outbreak produced a large F4 tornado outside of Kansas City, inflicting major damage. Some tornado experts say the tornado may have reached F5 intensity. (6 significant, 1 violent)[28]
Several intense tornadoes touched down, including an F4 tornado in Iowa and a fatal F3 tornado in Wisconsin. The Minneapolis metro was struck by long-tracked F2 tornadoes on both outbreak days with the second one moving directly through Downtown. (5 significant, 1 violent, 1 killer)[29]
This outbreak produced a devastating F4 tornado that killed 17 in Western North Texas as well as multiple strong tornadoes in Arkansas. (18 significant, 1 violent, 4 killer)[30]
The outbreak produced the first officially rated F5 tornado in Waco, Texas, killing 114 people. It is tied for deadliest tornado in Texas history and the eleventh deadliest in United States. Other deadly tornadoes struck Hebron, Nebraska, and San Angelo, Texas. (17 significant, 5 violent, 6 killer)[32][33]
Two F3 tornadoes and an F4 tornado touched down over a two-day period, causing catastrophic damage and several fatalities. (3 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)[34]
An F5 tornado caused catastrophic damage in Fort Rice, North Dakota, although the rating is disputed. It was part of a small outbreak that affected five states. (6 significant, 1 violent killer)[35]
A violent F5 tornado obliterated farms east of Anita, Iowa. It was part of small outbreak that affected two states. (3 significant, 1 violent killer)[38]
A destructive outbreak sequence produced two violent tornadoes, including an F5 tornado that struck Downtown Vicksburg, Mississippi. It is one of only two official December F5 tornadoes in US history, although the rating is disputed. An F4 tornado also passed near Fort Polk and Alexandria, Louisiana. (15 significant, 2 violent, 3 killer)[39]
Several strong to violent tornadoes touched down, including an F3 tornado that injured four in Bentonville, Missouri, and an F4 tornado in rural Texas County, Missouri, that killed two people. (12 significant, 1 violent killer)[40]
This was one of the largest tornado outbreak sequences at the time. Several long-tracked tornadoes touched down in Texas, Arkansas, and Iowa and violent tornadoes touched down in Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma. (50 significant, 3 violent, 2 killer)[42]
Tornado outbreak sequence of May 30 – June 3, 1954
This outbreak produced a catastrophic F4 tornado in Kalamazoo, Nebraska, killing six, and injuring 23. F3 tornadoes also caused casualties in the Wichita Falls, Texas, metropolitan area. (22 significant, 1 violent, 4 killer)[43]
An F3 tornado killed 20 people in and near Commerce, Mississippi, most of them at a plantation school, and destroyed 45 homes. An F2 tornado destroyed another school between Lewisberg and Olive Branch, Mississippi, killing 3 others. A survey team declared that these events were not tornadoes, despite the fact that the funnels were sighted and heavy debris was carried long distances. As a result, they are not listed as tornadoes in official records.[45] Official records list two tornadoes as striking southern Tennessee, but Grazulis states that one of these was likely a downburst. (2–3 significant, 2 killer)[46][45]
This was one of the deadliest Plains outbreaks on record. An F5 tornado struck Blackwell, Oklahoma, killing 20 people. Another F5 tornado from the same storm struck Udall, Kansas, killing 80. (17 significant, 3 violent killer)[47]
Multiple strong tornadoes touched down, including a deadly, long-tracked F3 tornado in Arkansas and a destructive F2 tornado in Downtown Indianapolis. (10 significant, 1 killer)[48]
An F5 tornado struck the suburbs of Grand Rapids, Michigan, on April 3, killing 17 people. Other significant tornadoes struck Oklahoma and Kansas on April 2 and the Great Lakes region on April 3. (33 significant, 6 violent, 8 killer)[51]
An F4 tornado struck the Birmingham suburbs on April 15, killing 25 people. It was part of a very small outbreak of tornadoes. (2 significant, 1 violent killer)[52]
Five separate outbreaks hit five separate states. Two F4 tornadoes caused major damage in Flint, Michigan, and the Southern suburbs of Detroit. (11 significant, 2 violent, 2 killer)[53]
A widely photographed and filmed F3 tornado struck just outside of Dallas, killing 10 people. Other deadly tornadoes struck Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Georgia. (33 significant, 2 violent, 8 killer)[54]
%h3 outbreak produced several destructive tornadoes across the South. The town of Jefferson, South Carolina, was devastated by an F4 tornado family. (16 significant, 2 violent, 3 killer)
A long-lived outbreak sequence produced numerous significant tornadoes. April 21 featured two violent F4 tornadoes, one of which hit Lubbock, Texas. (42 significant, 4 violent, 2 killer)
This outbreak produced numerous tornadoes across the Great Plains states, including an F5 tornado that ripped through several Kansas City suburbs and killed 44 people. Other deadly tornadoes touched down in Missouri. (29 significant, 4 violent, 3 killer)
Several strong to violent tornadoes touched down across the southern Great Plains, including, an F3 tornado caused severe damage in Olton, Texas, and an F4 tornado killed four people near Lawton, Oklahoma. (12 significant, 1 violent killer)
This outbreak sequence produced what may have been one of the most intense F5 tornadoes in US history that killed 10 people in Fargo, North Dakota. An additional fatality occurred in South Dakota from an F2 tornado. (7 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)
Alabama took the brunt of this outbreak as both killer F4 tornadoes and eight of the 10 deaths from the outbreak occurred in this state alone. The other deadly tornado was in Mississippi. (15 significant, 2 violent, 4 killer)[55]
A series of strong and destructive tornadoes affected Wisconsin, including an F5 tornado that devastated the town of Colfax, although the rating is disputed. (6 significant, 3 violent killers)
Several destructive tornadoes touched down during the period with 34 of the 43 tornadoes touching down on the final day of the outbreak. (25 significant)[46]
A devastating F4 tornado struck northwestern Downtown St. Louis while an F3 tornado heavily damaged an occupied school in Southern Highland County, Ohio. (7 significant, 1 violent killer)[56]
Numerous strong to violent tornadoes touched down two violent F4 tornadoes as well as the first F2 tornado ever in Idaho. Tornadoes also struck the suburbs of both Chicago and Milwaukee. (15 significant, 2 violent, 2 killer)
Hurricane Gracie produced a small, but deadly outbreak after making landfall in North Carolina. September 30 produced two deadly F3 tornadoes that killed one and 11 in Virginia respectively. (3 significant, 2 killer)
Tornado outbreak tore through Oklahoma City metropolitan area including one F3 tornado that tore the city, injuring 57. The three deaths came from a separate F2 tornado. (13 significant, 1 killer)[57]
Produced numerous violent and killer tornadoes, especially in Oklahoma. An F5 tornado killed five people and produced extreme damage near Prague and Iron Post. An F4 tornado struck Wilburton and killed 16. (41 significant, 5 violent, 8 killer)[58]
The most prolific days were April 23 and 25, when multiple long-tracked, large, and strong to violent tornadoes touched down, including five that traveled over 50 miles (80 km). An F3 tornado killed one in Iowa, an F4 tornado injured seven in Indiana and Ohio, and an F2 tornado killed two in Ohio. Strong F2 and F3 tornadoes also impacted Delaware, Corpus Christi, and the Northwestern Oklahoma City suburbs during the other outbreak days. (18 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)[60]
Outbreak produced many destructive and deadly tornadoes across a large swath of the country. This included an F2 tornado caused heavy damage in St. Petersburg, Florida, and an F4 tornado that killed 16 in Le Flore County, Oklahoma. (40 significant, 2 violent, 5 killer)[61]
A catastrophic F3 tornado destroyed the northwest side of Milton, Florida, killing 17 people and injuring 100. Five other injuries occurred from other tornadoes as well. (4 significant, 1 killer)[63]
A very active stretch of severe weather produced 188 tornadoes. Although the worst tornadoes occurred during the outbreak sequence, the active period of daily tornadoes did not officially end until June 25. Devastating F3 tornadoes struck Mitchell, South Dakota, and the northern suburbs of Waterbury, Connecticut, causing severe damage and dozens of casualties. Three F4 tornadoes were also recorded, although one of them may have not reached such an intensity. (62 significant, 4 violent, 3 killer)[64]
A very destructive outbreak of tornadoes hit the Southeast. Both F4 tornadoes were killers along with two F2 tornadoes. (14 significant, 2 violent, 4 killer)[65]
Multiple large and destructive tornadoes touched down with killer F2-F4 tornadoes occurring in four states. Additionally, an F2 tornado in Florida had a track of 61 miles (98 km). (24 significant, 1 violent, 5 killer)[55][67]
The Wichita Falls, Texas, tornado of April 3 was rated F5. First tornado ever captured on live television. First of two violent tornadoes to hit Wichita Falls, the other—an F4 tornado that killed 42—occurring on April 10, 1979. (13 significant, 1 violent killer)[68]
Killer outbreak of tornadoes hit the Kansas City metropolitan area as well as areas to the north and south. Both F4 tornadoes were killers. (11 significant, 2 violent, 5 killer)[68]
Large outbreak produced multiple strong-to-violent tornadoes, including a long–tracked F5 tornado killed four in Nebraska and an F4 tornado that struck Metro Detroit in Macomb County, before continuing into Lambton County in Ontario, killing 11. (45 significant, 3 violent, 2 killer)[69]
Four states were hit by tornadoes produced by Hurricane Hilda, including a violent F4 tornado that caused catastrophic destruction in Larose, Louisiana. (8 significant, 1 violent killer)[70]
Hurricane Isbell generated one of the most prolific tornado outbreaks ever recorded in South Florida as nine short-lived, but destructive tornadoes hit the state. (4 significant)[71]
Destructive tornado outbreak occurred during the Christmas holiday. One long-tracked F3 tornado killed two and injured 16 in Georgia. (8 significant, 1 killer)[72]
Four destructive tornadoes hit South Florida, including an F2 tornado in Fort Myers as well as an F3 tornado that hit Fort Lauderdale. (2 significant)[73]
Very destructive tornado outbreak caused major damage in multiple states. An F4 tornado tracked 82.7 miles (133.1 km) through Oklahoma and Kansas while a deadly F3 tornado killed two and injured 85 in North Carolina. (11 significant, 1 violent, 1 killer)[74]
One catastrophic F4 tornado killed six and injured 200 in Conway, Arkansas, before the main outbreak occurred the next day. It is among the most intense outbreaks ever recorded. Numerous violent and long-track tornadoes, some possibly reaching F5 intensity, tore across the Great Lakes states, killing hundreds of people. Two violent F4 tornadoes hit Dunlap, Indiana, killing 51 people there. Two F4 tornadoes with parallel paths in Michigan killed 44 people. Deadly tornadoes also impacted the Cleveland and Toledo areas. National Weather Service adopts standard broadcast language of tornado watch and tornado warning to use for public warnings of tornadoes following the aftermath of this storm. (38 significant, 18 violent, 22 killer)[1][75][76][77]
Outbreak produced the Candlestick Park tornado, which was an extremely violent F5 tornado or tornado family that killed 58 people and traveled 202.5 mi (325.9 km) across Mississippi and Alabama. It is one of the longest such paths on record and one of only four official F5 tornadoes to hit Mississippi. Three additional F1 tornadoes also touched down. (1 violent killer)[80]
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 F4 tornadoes in Florida history, killing 11 people. Affected major urban areas in Tampa and Greater Orlando, but crossed the entire state as well. (2 significant, 1 violent killer)[81]
Outbreak sequence produced a series of tornadoes across the Great Plains states. An F5 tornado devastated downtown Topeka, Kansas, killing 16 people and disproving myths about the city's being protected. A large F3 tornado also hit Manhattan, Kansas. (23 significant, 3 violent, 3 killer)[82]
Unusually intense October outbreak spawned a deadly F5 tornado in Belmond, Iowa, although the rating is disputed. (15 significant, 1 violent killer)[83]
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. (23 significant, 2 violent, 4 killer)[85]
One of the most intense outbreaks to hit the Chicago metropolitan area. An F4 tornado 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. (25 significant, 5 violent, 3 killer)[55][86]
Outbreal started in the Midwest, where only one known tornado was rated below F2 strength in Minnesota. The towns of Albert Lea and Waseca were devastated by deadly F4 tornadoes. Another outbreak of destructive outbreak of tornadoes hit the South during the second and third outbreak days. (29 significant, 4 violent, 3 killer)[87]
One of the largest tropical cyclone-related tornado outbreaks ever 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. (14 significant, 2 killer)[88]
Active December produced three outbreaks with this being the second one. F2 and F3 tornadoes in Florida both killed one and injured 50. (12 significant, 2 killer)[55][90]
Active December produced three outbreaks with this one being the third and most severe of them. An F2 tornado killed two in Alabama, an F4 tornado killed three in Missouri and another F2 tornado killed one in Mississippi. (19 significant, 1 violent, 3 killer)[91]
Outbreak produced several violent and killer tornadoes across the Ohio Valley, including two F4 tornadoes—one possibly reaching F5 intentsiy. An F5 tornado struck Wheelersburg and Gallipolis as well. The F5 rating is, however, disputed by some sources. (9 significant, 3 violent killer)[92]
Two F5 tornadoes struck Iowa on the same day, killing 18 people. Two deadly F4 tornadoes struck Arkansas, including one that killed 35 people in Jonesboro. (21 significant, 4 violent, 8 killer)[93]
Narrow, but powerful F5 tornado killed nine people and injured 150 in Tracy, Minnesota. Other strong tornadoes also touched down, including an F2 tornado that injured 17 people in Arnolds Park, Iowa. (4 significant, 1 violent killer)[94]
Devastating pre-dawn F4 tornado hit Hazlehurst and other towns, killing 32 people on a long path across southern Mississippi. (2 significant, 1 violent killer)[95]
Significant tornadoes struck the Midwest for six consecutive days. An F3 tornado caused major damage in Salina, Kansas, injuring 60 people. Two F4 tornadoes struck western Missouri, killing 6 people and injuring 77. (24 significant, 3 violent, 3 killer)[96]
Mid-summer outbreak produced several destructive tornadoes in Minnesota. An F4 tornado killed 12 people near Outing. (11 significant, 1 violent, 3 killer)[97]
A destructive outbreak sequence produced multiple violent, long-tracked tornadoes in the Llano Estacado and the Texas Panhandle. (17 significant, 5 violent, 4 killer)[99]
A violent F5 tornado struck Downtown Lubbock, killing 26 people. Studies of this tornado led to the formation of the Fujita scale. Four other weak tornadoes also formed before the F5 tornado. (1 violent killer)[100]
A large outbreak sequence of 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. (26 significant, 1 violent, 3 killer)
A deadly outbreak produced multiple long-track, violent tornadoes, or tornado families, across Mississippi Delta region, including the only known F5 tornado in Louisiana history, although the rating is disputed, and it may have been a tornado family rather than a single tornado. The tornado continued into Mississippi and killed 21 people in Inverness, a large section of which was also destroyed. An F4 tornado (which was likely a tornado family) 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.(13 significant, 3 violent, 5 killer)[101]
This was the third-deadliest tropical cyclone-related outbreak in the U.S. since 1900 and as well as the deadliest such tornado outbreak on record in Florida. (11 significant, 2 killer)[105]
Large outbreak sequence produced multiple destructive tornadoes. An F3 tornado killed one in Arkansas and an F4 tornado killed another in Missouri. (38 significant, 3 violent, 2 killer)[108][109]
Destructive outbreak sequence spawned a violent F5 tornado in Texas, a damaging F3 tornado in Missouri, and a deadly F2 tornado in Alabama. (23 significant, 1 violent, 1 killer)[110][111]
A massive and destructive 8-day period of tornadoes occurred. All four F4 tornadoes were killers, including a well-documented tornado that killed two and injured four in Union City, Oklahoma and another in central Alabama that killed seven and injured 199. Combined, the F4 tornadoes killed 17 and injured 517 alone. (55 significant, 4 violent, 9 killer)[112][113]
The second-largest and most violent tornado outbreak ever documented. At least 50 of them were killers. 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 tornado destroyed Brandenburg, Kentucky, and killed 31, and another F5 tornado destroyed a large section of Xenia, Ohio, killing 32. Three F5 tornadoes occurred in Alabama, including one of the strongest tornadoes on record, a long-tracked F5 tornado that obliterated a large section of Guin, killing 28 people, 20 of them in Guin alone. Additionally, two other powerful F5 tornadoes 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 tornado that traveled almost 110 mi (180 km) and killed 18 people in northern Indiana. Strong, deadly tornadoes occurred as far north as Ontario (where an F3 tornado touched down) as well. The outbreak produced the most violent tornadoes ever recorded in an outbreak with 30 rated either F4 or F5. (98 significant, 30 violent, 50 killer)[115]
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)[116]
A large January outbreak produced a violent F4 tornado that killed nine people in McComb, Mississippi. An F3 tornado east of Birmingham, Alabama, destroyed numerous homes and killed one person. (16 significant, 1 violent, 4 killer)[117]
A violent F4 tornado struck Omaha, Nebraska, killed three people and was one of the costliest tornado disasters in US history. Another F4 tornado destroyed the town of Magnet, Nebraska. (19 significant, 2 violent, 1 killer)[118]
Killer F4 and F5 (rating disputed) tornadoes occurred in Oklahoma with a killer F3 tornado in Missouri. Other damaging tornadoes also touched down as well. (9 significant, 2 violent, 3 killer)[121]
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 killed 72 and injured 22. (5 significant, 2 violent, 5 killer)[122]
A deadly outbreak produced multiple killer tornadoes across the southern Great Plains states, including a famous, devastating, F4 wedge tornado that killed 42 people in Wichita Falls, Texas. Another deadly F4 tornado occurred in Vernon, Texas. (31 significant, 2 violent, 5 killer)[124]
A rare New England and October F4 tornado, one of the costliest tornadoes in US history, struck Windsor Locks, Connecticut. Six other tornadoes touched down prior to the violent tornado, including an F1 tornado that injured one person west of Martinsburg, West Virginia. (2 significant, 1 violent killer)[125]
1980s
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1980-1989
Outbreak
Dates
Region
Tornadoes
Casualties
Notes
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. (31 significant, 2 killer)
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. (16 significant, 3 violent, 4 killer)
Multiple strong tornadoes touched down across the Great Plains. Spawned the Cordell and Binger, Oklahoma, tornadoes, the latter of which was a violent F4. (14 significant, 1 violent)
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)
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)
Affected 11 states with $200 million in damage, Ohio and western New York hardest hit. (27 significant, 5 killer)
May 12–23, 1983 tornado outbreak sequence
May 12–23, 1983
157
6 fatalities, 122 injuries
A series of outbreaks occurred, spawning tornadoes from Texas to Michigan. An F3 hit Pine Bluff, Arkansas on May 14, injuring two. On May 20-21, an outbreak affected Texas and Louisiana, killing six; three F2's touched down in Harris County, Texas, killing three. An F1 killed one southeast of Brenham and another F2 killed one near Nederland. In Louisiana, an F3 tore a 12 mile path from Urania to Clarks, killing one.
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. (19 significant, 7 violent, 10 killer)
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, 1 killer)
Produced many strong to violent tornadoes, especially in Oklahoma and Wisconsin, where a F4 moved through Milwaukee's western suburbs and killed one person. (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)
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. (29 significant, 2 violent, 3 killer)
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. (28 significant, 9 violent, 12 killer)
Produced F4 tornado struck Minnesota. An F2 which hit the Twin Cities suburbs of Brooklyn Park and Fridley on July 18, 1986, was carried live on KARE-TV and became a media sensation. This twister caused limited damage and no deaths.
Produced a long-track F4 that struck Raleigh, North Carolina, killing four people. A few other less significant tornadoes occurred as well. (3 significant, 1 violent killer)
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. (6 significant, 2 violent)
Produced a deadly F4 that struck Huntsville, Alabama, at rush hour. Strong tornadoes touched down as far north as Quebec. (10 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)
1990s
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 1990-1999
The most violent March outbreak and the most intense Great Plains outbreak to occur so early in the year. Produced two powerful F5 tornadoes near Hesston and Goessel, Kansas. A long-tracked F4 tornado, possibly a family of tornadoes, occurred near Red Cloud, Nebraska. (27 significant, 4 violent, 2 killer)
Outbreak produced many strong to violent tornadoes across the Ohio Valley. An F4 tornado devastated Petersburg, Indiana, killing six people. Another very long lived F4 tornado was on the ground for 106 miles across Illinois and Indiana. A late night F4 tornado impacted the northern sections of the Cincinnati metro as well. (27 significant, 7 violent, 4 killer)
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. (4 significant, 1 violent killer)
One of the most intense Plains outbreaks on record, produced five violent tornadoes in Oklahoma and Kansas. A very violent F5 tornado killed 17 people in the Wichita metropolitan area at Andover, Kansas, destroying an entire mobile-home park. A long-tracked F4 tornado near Red Rock, Oklahoma, produced Doppler-indicated winds into the F5 range. Three other F4 tornadoes occurred in Kansas and Oklahoma. (32 significant, 6 violent, 5 killer)
Large outbreak produced many strong to violent tornadoes, mainly across the Northern Plains states. A large F5 tornado devastated the town of Chandler, Minnesota, killing one person. (27 significant, 4 violent, 1 killer)
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 tornado that impacted Brandon, Mississippi, and killed 12 people. A series of destructive tornadoes (including one rated F4) devastated the Houston metro area as well. (43 significant, 5 violent, 9 killer)
A serial derecho on the south-side of the larger extratropical low produced several tornadoes including three rated F2. Tornadoes also struck Tampa and Jacksonville. (3 significant, 3 killer)
A rain-wrapped F4 tornado killed seven people in the suburbs of Tulsa, and a destructive F3 tornado paralleled its path. (4 significant, 1 violent killer)
Largest tornado outbreak in Virginia history. Produced a violent F4 tornado that struck downtown Petersburg, Virginia, and killed four people. (4 significant, 1 violent killer)
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)
Large and widespread outbreak. An F4 tornado devastated the Dallas suburb of Lancaster, Texas, killing 3 people there. Another F4 tornado that struck West Lafayette, Indiana, killed three as well. (12 significant, 2 violent killer)
June 1994 tornado outbreak
June 26–27, 1994
–
62
2 fatalities
(11 significant, 2 killer)
1994 Thanksgiving Weekend tornado outbreak
November 27, 1994
Southeastern United States
19
6 fatalities
Produced several strong tornadoes across the South. (32 significant, 6 violent, 5 killer)
Very large outbreak sequence produced many strong to violent tornadoes. An F4 tornado struck Harvest, Alabama, and killed one person, and another F4 tornado struck Ethridge, Tennessee, and killed three. A tornado rated F3 killed three people and caused major damage in the Ardmore, Oklahoma, area. The outbreak sequence produced an F0 tornado that downed several trees at the National Arboretum in Washington D.C. (57 significant, 8 violent, 6 killer)
Large outbreak sequence. Multiple towns in Illinois sustained major damage, with one death occurring in Ogden. An F3-rated tornado devastated downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas, killing 2. Two F3 tornadoes also caused severe damage in Ontario. (29 significant, 4 killer)
F5 tornado. Was part of a small mid-Summer outbreak that occurred in Wisconsin. An F2 tornado killed one person in Marytown, Wisconsin. (2 significant, 1 violent, 1 killer)
Many strong tornadoes touched down across the south, especially in Arkansas. Produced a devastating F4 tornado that began near Benton and struck Shannon Hills, Arkansas, killing 15 people along the path. An F4 tornado struck Arkadelphia, killing six. (16 significant, 3 violent, 5 killer)
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 tornado caused major damage in Cedar Park. (8 significant, 2 violent killer)
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 tornado in the 1974 Super Outbreak. F3 tornadoes 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. (13 significant, 2 killer)
Deadliest and most destructive Florida outbreak on record. The outbreak produced three F3 tornadoes, including a long-tracked tornado near Kissimmee that was initially rated F4. Nighttime occurrence made the death toll high. (5 significant, 4 killer)
Earliest tornado outbreak in Minnesota history. A long-track F4-rated wedge struck Comfrey, Minnesota, killing one person. An F3 tornado struck St. Peter, Minnesota, causing another fatality. Le Center, Minnesota, sustained major damage from a large F2 tornado. (7 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)
Produced a violent nighttime F5 tornado that moved through several suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama, killing 32 people. Other killer tornadoes touched down in Georgia. (10 significant, 1 violent, 5 killer)
F3 tornado passed through downtown Nashville, killing one person. Numerous other strong tornadoes occurred across the South, including an extremely violent one rated F5 near Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. An F4 tornado devastated the town of Manila, Arkansas, killing two. (21 significant, 4 violent, 7 killer)
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 six. Produced an unusually intense outbreak of tornadoes across Pennsylvania and New York, with multiple F2 and F3-rated tornadoes. (4 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)
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 tornado that struck Frostburg, Maryland. Caused $42M in damage. (10 significant, 1 violent, 1 killer)
Tornadoes affected six different states, with Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma receiving most of the tornadoes. A tornado struck downtown Sabetha, Kansas, and a series of tornadoes struck the North Oklahoma City area. (3 significant)
Strong and deadly tornadoes touched down in Tennessee, including an F3 and an F4 tornado that struck Jackson, killing six. A similar but even larger outbreak occurred just days later (see next event). (6 significant, 1 violent, 3 killer)
Largest January outbreak on record. An F3 tornado passed near downtown Little Rock, Arkansas, killing three. A tornado rated F3 devastated Beebe, Arkansas, killing two. Other strong tornadoes struck Tennessee and Mississippi. (23 significant, 1 violent, 5 killer)
Small but intense outbreak produced several strong tornadoes. An F4 tornado devastated Benton, Louisiana, killing seven. The town of Logansport, Louisiana, was severely damaged by an F3 tornado. (4 significant, 1 violent killer)
Produced an F4 tornado that moved through the Cincinnati suburbs, killing 4. Two F4 tornadoes also touched down in Iowa. (15 significant, 3 violent, 3 killer)
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. (≥20 significant, ≥4 violent, ≥5 killer)
Produced a series of strong and deadly tornadoes that struck areas in and around Camilla, Meigs, and Omega, Georgia. Weaker tornadoes impacted other states.
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.
Highly photographed F3 passed near Brady, Nebraska. The tornado was unusual, as it had traveled in a westerly direction, unlike most tornadoes which generally travel towards the east.
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.
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.
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.
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, D.C.
Unusual October outbreak in the Great Plains produced multiple strong tornadoes in Nebraska and Oklahoma. A large F3 devastated the town of Cordell, Oklahoma.
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.
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.
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.
A powerful supercell thunderstorm spawned six tornadoes, including an intense F3 and a violent F4, during the early evening hours. There were no fatalities or serious injuries, but the storm did over a million dollars in damage. (2 significant, 1 violent)
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.
Very large and deadly outbreak produced multiple killer tornadoes across the Ohio Valley and Southeastern United States over the Veteran's Day weekend. 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.
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.
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.
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 .
$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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Numerous strong to violent tornadoes across the Midwest and South, including a destructive EF4 in Enterprise, Alabama, that killed nine people, eight 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 two. An EF2 destroyed a mobile home park near Newton, Georgia, killing six.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Rare January outbreak produced strong tornadoes as far north as Wisconsin, where an EF3 tornado caused major damage in the town of Wheatland. Another EF3 tornado caused severe damage in and around Lawrence, Illinois, as well. An EF3 tornado killed three people near Strafford, Missouri, and an EF2 tornado killed one near Appleton, Arkansas. Several EF3 tornadoes impacted Mississippi and Alabama, including one that caused major damage in the town of Caledonia, Mississippi. An unrelated EF1 tornado also caused moderate damage in the northern suburbs of Vancouver, Washington.
One of the deadliest modern 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 tornado that traveled 122 mi (196 km) in two hours, killing 13 people and devastating the towns of Clinton, Mountain View, and Highland. One long-track EF3 tornado caused 22 deaths alone in Tennessee, mainly in Castalian Springs and Lafayette. A pair of EF3 and EF4 tornadoes also struck areas in and around Jackson, Tennessee, killing three in the area, and an EF2 tornado moved through Memphis, killing 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.
This large, long-lived outbreak produced strong to violent tornadoes across the Great Plains and Midwest. An EF3 wedge tornado 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 tornado killed two people in a vehicle near Cairo, Kansas. Another EF3 tornado also killed one in Hugo, Minnesota, and destroyed many homes. (25 significant, 2 violent, 4 killer) See also: List of tornadoes in the tornado outbreak of May 22–27, 2008
The event is best known for producing the strongest February tornado on record in Oklahoma; an EF4 tornado that hit Lone Grove, killing eight people. Other tornadoes caused damage in the Oklahoma City area as well. (2 significant, 1 violent killer)
Several small tornado outbreaks occurred across six straight days. The event is best known for producing destructive EF3 tornadoes in both Magee, Mississippi, and Corydon, Kentucky. (7 significant)
Produced numerous strong tornadoes across the South, including an EF3 tornado that hit the Mena, Arkansas, area, killing three people, and an EF4 tornado that hit Murfreesboro, Tennessee, killing two. (22 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)
A series of derecho and tornado outbreak occurred over period of six days with May 8 being the most of destructive day for tornadoes. An EF3 tornado killed two people in Kentucky, while a second EF3 tornado caused major damage in Missouri. (16 significant, 1 killer)
Tornadoes caused substantial damage to the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina while a rare tornado in the Bahamas killed three people. A damaging EF3 tornado struck High Point, North Carolina. (4 significant, 1 killer)
An extremely large, long-tracked EF4 tornado traveled 149.25 mi (240.19 km) from Tallulah, Louisiana, to north of West Point, Mississippi, becoming 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. (15 significant, 2 violent, 1 killer)
An EF3 tornado killed one person and extensively damaged Scotland, Arkansas. An overnight EF3 tornado 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 tornado with one death near Abbeville, Mississippi. (16 significant, 3 killer)
Numerous strong tornadoes touched down, especially in Oklahoma. A violent EF4 tornado near Moore and Choctaw killed two people, destroying many homes, businesses, and automobiles in the area. A separate EF4 tornado also badly damaged areas near Norman and Little Axe, killing one person in a mobile home. (19 significant, 2 violent, 2 killer)
This 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. (11 significant, 1 violent)
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. (15 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)
This 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. (17 significant, 4 violent, 3 killer)
Two tornadoes (rated 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. (4 significant, 2 killer)
One of the strongest and most prolific tornado events west of the Rocky Mountains, a rare tornado outbreak struck the state of Arizona, producing a few strong and destructive tornadoes, including two rated EF3—one of the most intense ever recorded in the state. One other tornado touched down in Utah as well. (6 significant)
A massive and powerful storm system produced a widespread derecho with 69 embedded tornadoes, including 8 EF2 tornadoes. The system also produced a blizzard and a windstorm. (8 significant)
An early morning EF3 tornado struck Cincinnati, Arkansas, killing four people. Another EF3 tornado 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. (12 significant, 4 killer)
Many tornadoes, including six EF2 tornadoes, touched down across the southern and eastern United States. One of the EF2 tornadoes killed a person in a mobile home near Eastman, Georgia. (6 significant, 1 killer)
This 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. (12 significant, 1 violent)
A very large three-day outbreak produced numerous large and intense tornadoes. EF3 tornadoes devastated the towns of Tushka, Oklahoma, Leakesville, Mississippi, and De Kalb, Mississippi, and Geiger, Alabama, among other places. The final day of the outbreak produced the largest North Carolina tornado outbreak on record. An EF3 tornado struck downtown Raleigh (albeit at EF1 strength), killing six people, and another EF3 wedge tornado killed 12 in the small town of Askewville. (45 significant, 11 killer)
A large tornado outbreak produced many tornadoes, one of which was a destructive EF4 tornado that struck the St. Louis metropolitan area. A few other strong tornadoes caused damage in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio, most of which were embedded in a squall line. (17 significant, 1 violent)
The largest continuous, fourth-deadliest, and costliest outbreak in United States 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 of which occurred on April 27, the third most violent tornadoes produced in a single outbreak behind only the 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak (18) and the 1974 Super Outbreak (30). Numerous, violent, long-tracked tornadoes touched down with four of them being rated EF5 and other eleven being rated EF4 tornado. These tornadoes struck eastern Mississippi, north and central Alabama, northwestern Georgia, and eastern Tennessee. There was a total of 71 more tornadoes of significant strength, 55 of which occurred on April 27 alone. There were 31 killer tornadoes during the outbreak, 28 of them on April 27 including 14 of the 15 violent tornadoes. One of the longest-lived tornadoes on record, an EF5 tornado traveled 132 mi (212 km) across northwest Alabama and south-central Tennessee, devastating Hackleburg and Phil Campbell, Alabama, along with many other communities, killing 72 people, making it the deadliest Alabama tornado on record. Another long-tracked EF4 tornado produced damage in both Tuscaloosa and the western and northern suburbs of Birmingham, killing 64. This outbreak is called the 2011 Super Outbreak due to the number of tornadoes in one day (216 on April 27), number of violent tornadoes, and the severity and degree of the outbreak. (86 significant, 15 violent, 31 killer)
This was one of the largest and deadliest U.S. outbreaks on record. A catastrophic, multiple-vortex, rain-wrapped EF5 tornado on May 22 killed 158 people in Joplin, Missouri—the deadliest single tornado in the U.S. since the 1947 Glazier–Higgins–Woodward tornados which killed 181, and the seventh-deadliest U.S. tornado event on record. A major outbreak on May 24 produced two high-end EF4 tornadoes near the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and an extremely violent EF5 tornado that killed nine people near El Reno and Piedmont. Another EF4 tornado struck Denning, Arkansas late on May 24, killing four people, and an EF3 tornado struck Reading, Kansas on May 21, killing one. (44 significant, 5 violent, 9 killer)
A long-tracked high-end EF3 tornado struck multiple cities and towns, including Westfield, West Springfield, Downtown Springfield, Wilbraham, Monson, Massachusetts, and Brimfield. It caused three deaths, the first tornado-related deaths in Massachusetts in 16 years. A few other weak tornadoes were also documented. (1 significant killer)
A moderate 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. (14 significant)
2012 Center Point–Clay tornado – This outbreak produced its worst damage during the late overnight and early morning hours. In Alabama, multiple strong tornadoes touched down, including an EF3 tornado that severely impacted the Birmingham metro and killed one person. Maplesville, Alabama, and Fordyce, Arkansas, sustained major damage from EF2 tornadoes as well. (10 significant, 2 killer)
Several tornadoes formed from February 28-29. The strongest tornado, which was rated EF4, hit Harrisburg, Illinois, killing eight people on February 29. It was just the second F4/EF4 tornado to occur on Leap Day (the other was in Tennessee in 1952). An EF2 tornado also caused extensive damage in Branson, Missouri. Other deadly tornadoes struck Kansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. (19 significant, 1 violent, 7 killer)
A major outbreak produced many strong tornadoes from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast just days after the previous one. A long-track EF4 tornado (which may have reached EF5 intensity) devastated multiple towns in southern Indiana, especially Henryville, killing 11 people, and a long-tracked high-end EF3 tornado destroyed downtown West Liberty, Kentucky, killing 10. Another EF4 tornado killed four people near Crittenden, Kentucky, and an EF3 tornado killed three people in Moscow, Ohio, destroying 80% of the town. Other strong tornadoes struck Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. (25 significant, 2 violent, 9 killer)
A slow-moving system produced 63 tornadoes across the Central and Eastern United States, including an EF2 tornado that killed one person in Illinois. Five tornadoes, four of which were strong, also caused damage in the North Platte, Nebraska, area. (10 significant, 1 killer)
Tornadoes caused severe damage across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, including an EF3 tornado that destroyed many homes in Forney. Arlington and Lancaster also sustained major damage from EF2 tornadoes. (4 significant)
EF3 tornadoes caused significant damage in both Wichita, Kansas, and Woodward, Oklahoma, with six people killed in the latter tornado. An EF4 tornado also destroyed structures near Kanopolis Lake, Kansas. (9 significant, 1 violent, 1 killer)
This outbreak produced several significant tornadoes, including an EF3 tornado near Pennington, Texas, and a long-tracked EF3 tornado that struck McNeil, Maxie, and McLain, Mississippi. A large EF2 wedge tornado also struck downtown Mobile, Alabama, which had been struck by a weaker EF1 tornado just five days earlier. (10 significant)
One of the largest January outbreaks in U.S. history produced tornadoes from Oklahoma to Georgia, including a large EF3 tornado that devastated the town of Adairsville, killing one person, and EF2 tornadoes that hit the towns of Galatia, Coble and Mt. Juliet, causing severe damage. The EF3 tornado was the first tornado to cause fatalities in the United States since June 24, 2012. (11 significant, 1 killer)
This localized outbreak produced two significant tornadoes, one of which was a large EF4 tornado 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. None of the other tornadoes were stronger than EF1 intensity, although one EF1 tornado caused heavy damage in downtown Ennis. (2 significant, 1 violent killer)
This outbreak produced several significant tornadoes, especially in Oklahoma, where two violent tornadoes struck on successive days. An EF4 tornado killed two people in the Shawnee area on May 19 and a devastating EF5 wedge tornado devastated Moore on May 20, killing 24 people. Other strong tornadoes struck elsewhere in Oklahoma, particularly in Carney where an EF3 tornado touched down on May 19, and in Kansas, Illinois, and Ontario. An EF4 tornado caused major damage west of Rozel, Kansas, on May 18. (9 significant, 3 violent, 2 killer)
This outbreak sequence produced the widest tornado on record, a massive, multiple-vortex EF3 tornado (which was initially rated EF5) on May 31 near El Reno, Oklahoma, killing eight people, including Tim and Paul Samaras and Carl Young of the TWISTEX team, and producing Doppler-indicated winds greater than 295 mph (475 km/h) over open fields, among the highest winds measured on Earth.[126][127] Additionally, a large, intense EF3 tornado remained nearly stationary for about an hour on May 28 west of Bennington, Kansas, producing Doppler-measured winds into the EF4-EF5 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. (18 significant, 2 killer)
A large severe weather event began with a few strong tornadoes in Iowa and Illinois, including a high-end EF3 tornado that caused major damage in the Belmond area. The storms eventually grew into a large derecho that produced widespread wind damage and numerous embedded weak tornadoes. A second derecho the following day also produced a few embedded tornadoes. (3 significant)
A 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. (6 significant, 2 violent)
Many large and strong to violent tornadoes touched down across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. Two EF4 tornadoes 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 tornado struck Brookport, killing three people. The outbreak produced the only known violent (EF4–EF5) tornadoes to strike Illinois in the month of November. (33 significant, 2 violent, 3 killer)
A small outbreak of tornadoes occurred in association with a larger system on December 20-21. One EF2 tornado in St. Francis County, Arkansas, caused a fatality while another death occurred from an EF2 tornado in Coahoma County, Mississippi, the two states most affected by the outbreak. Another long tracked EF2 tornado crossed between the state, injuring two people. (3 significant, 2 killer)
A localized but intense outbreak produced an EF3 tornado that caused major damage near the town of Washington and an EF2 tornado that resulted in a fatality in Edenton. (4 significant, 1 killer)
This deadly outbreak affected mainly Dixie Alley. A high-end EF4 tornado (which may have reached EF5 intensity) devastated the towns of Mayflower and Vilonia, Arkansas, killing 16. Another EF4 tornado killed ten people and caused major damage in Louisville, Mississippi. An EF3 tornado killed two when a trailer park was destroyed in Coxey, Alabama, while another EF3 tornado struck Tupelo, Mississippi, killing one and causing severe damage. Many other strong tornadoes also occurred. (27 significant, 2 violent, 8 killer)
Outbreak spawned a cyclic supercell in Nebraska that produced four consecutive EF4 tornadoes, including two twin tornadoes that devastated the town of Pilger and surrounding areas, killing 2. Three nighttime tornadoes (including an EF3 tornado) struck Madison, Wisconsin, and its suburbs. A large and slow-moving EF3 toradno clipped the town of Coleridge, Nebraska, an EF2 tornado caused major damage in Wessington Springs, South Dakota, and a violent EF4 tornado obliterated a farm outside of Alpena. (20 significant, 5 violent, 2 killer)
A 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 tornado caused considerable damage near Mount Selman, Texas. (2 significant, 1 violent killer)
EF3 tornadoes caused major damage in Bridge Creek, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City. A large EF3 tornado also caused significant damage and killed one person near Cisco, Texas, and a high-end EF2 tornado severely damaged the town of Delmont, South Dakota. A nighttime EF3 tornado killed two people and caused major damage in Van, Texas, while another EF2 tornado killed two more at a mobile home park in Nashville, Arkansas. (14 significant, 3 killer)
This outbreak produced a destructive early-morning F3 tornado (which may have reached F4 intensity) that devastated the Mexican border city of Ciudad Acuña, killing 14 people. An EF2 tornado killed one person near Cameron, Texas, while an EF3 tornado killed another near Blue, Oklahoma. This was the deadliest North American tornado outbreak of 2015 and was accompanied by catastrophic flooding. (9 significant, 3 killer)
An 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. Another long-tracked EF3 tornado began near Liberal, Kansas, and dissipated near Montezuma, causing significant damage in rural areas. (8 significant)
This outbreak produced multiple strong to violent long-track tornadoes on December 23 across Mississippi and Tennessee, including an EF4 tornado 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 tornado caused major damage near Clarksdale as well, killing two. Another EF3 tornado destroyed many structures in the small community of Lutts, Tennessee, and an EF2 tornado killed two people near Linden. A high-end EF2 tornado also caused considerable damage in the southwestern part of Birmingham, Alabama, on December 25. (8 significant, 1 violent, 3 killer)
An outbreak of 32 tornadoes severely impacted areas from the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex eastward through the Southeastern United States. An EF3 tornado destroyed many homes in Ovilla and Glenn Heights. The same storm produced a large EF4 tornado that devastated parts of Garland and Rowlett, killing 10 people. An EF2 tornado killed two people in Copeville, while an EF1 tornado killed caused a fatality near Blue Ridge as well. (5 significant, 1 violent, 3 killer)
The second largest February tornado outbreak on record produced many significant tornadoes across the Gulf Coast and East Coast states. An EF2 tornado caused major damage in Laplace, Louisiana. An EF3 tornado caused major damage in Paincourtville and Convent, Louisiana, killing two people, while an EF2 tornado killed one person near Purvis, Mississippi. An EF3 tornado caused severe damage in Pensacola, Florida, and an EF1 tornado killed 3 people in Waverly, Virginia. An EF3 tornado also destroyed multiple homes near Tappahannock, Virginia, while another EF3 killed one person in Evergreen. (9 significant, 4 killer)
A four-day outbreak of 57 tornadoes produced a high-end EF2 tornado near Wray, Colorado. A violent EF4 tornado killed one person near Katie, Oklahoma, a damaging EF3 wedge tornado that destroyed numerous homes near Sulphur, and another EF3 tornado that caused another fatality near Bromide. The town of Mayfield, Kentucky, sustained major damage from an EF3 tornado as well. (11 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)
This outbreak sequence produced numerous strong tornadoes across the Great Plains. Numerous significant (EF2-EF3) 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 (which may have reached EF5 intensity) caused major damage near Abeline and Chapman, Kansas. (18 significant, 1 violent)
An unexpected and unusual late-season tornado outbreak produced an EF3 tornado that severely damaged or destroyed many homes and businesses in Kokomo, Indiana. Another EF3 tornad caused major damage to farms near Woodburn, Indiana. EF2 tornadoes inflicted heavy damage near Cecil and Defiance, Ohio, while another EF2 tornadoes severely damaged structures in Windsor, Ontario. (6 significant)
A four-day outbreak produced several strong nighttime tornadoes in Dixie Alley. An EF3 tornado killed 4 people and caused major damage in Rosalie and near Ider, Alabama. Another EF3 tornado killed two people and severely damaged the town of Ocoee, Tennessee, while a high-end EF2 tornado caused major damage to homes in businesses in Athens. An EF2 tornado caused considerable damage at the eastern fringes of Huntsville, Alabama, and an EF3 tornado destroyed several structures near Neel. (9 significant, 2 killer)
This was the second-deadliest and second largest January tornado outbreak on since reliable records began in 1950, as well as the largest tornado outbreak on record in the state of Georgia. An early morning EF3 tornado produced major damage in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, killing 4. An EF3 tornado near Adel, Georgia, obliterated a mobile home park and killed 11 people along its path, while a large EF3 wedge tornado struck Albany and killed 5. Many other strong tornadoes caused damage across the Southern United States as well. (14 significant, 3 killer)
An EF3 tornado caused major damage in eastern New Orleans, making it the strongest tornado ever recorded in the city's history. It was part of a localized outbreak of tornadoes that impacted the Southern United States, mainly Louisiana. An EF2 tornado caused damage near Killian, Louisiana, while another EF3 tornado occurred near Watson. An EF1 tornado struck the town of Donaldsonville, killing one person there. (4 significant, 1 killer)
A major tornado outbreak occurred across portions of the Midwestern United States and Ohio Valley, leading to 71 tornadoes in total. EF3 tornadoes destroyed homes in and around Washburn and Ottawa, Illinois, with two people killed in Ottawa. A long-track EF3 tornado killed one person near Crossville as well. The most significant tornado was a long-track EF4 tornado that caused major damage in the Perryville, Missouri, area and killed one person. (12 significant, 1 violent, 3 killer)
Following a significant outbreak just a week prior, a second tornado outbreak affected many of the same areas. Many homes were damaged or destroyed in the town of Oak Grove, Missouri, as a result of an EF3 tornado. An EF1 tornado that struck near Bricelyn, Minnesota, was the earliest in state history. EF2 tornadoes caused heavy damage in the Iowa towns of Seymour, Centerville, and Muscatine. A long-track EF2 tornado also struck Parthenon, Arkansas. (10 significant)
This outbreak affected the Southeastern United States and portions of Central United States. Two destructive wedge tornadoes, which were rated EF3 and EF4, affected areas outside of Canton, Texas, killing two people each. An EF2 tornado struck the town of Durant, Mississippi, and killed one person as well. The outbreak was accompanied by deadly flooding. (10 significant, 1 violent, 3 killer)
Large tornado outbreak sequence produced the longest-tracked tornado in Wisconsin history; an EF3 tornado that caused major damage near Chetek and Conrath. An EF3 tornado caused severe damage in Pawnee Rock and near Great Bend, Kansas. A high-end EF2 tornado destroyed homes and businesses in the southern part of Elk City, Oklahoma, killing one person. Another EF2 tornado struck Muskogee, Oklahoma, and many other weak tornadoes also occurred. (9 significant, 2 killer)
This tornado outbreak produced caused seven injuries. A particular destructive long-tracked EF3 tornado hit Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, injuring four people while an EF2 tornado in Southside caused an injury. The system that produced the outbreak later became a nor'easter. (5 significant)
This tornado outbreak produced multiple strong tornadoes throughout the Southern and Eastern United States. A large EF2 tornado caused significant damage in Mountainburg, Arkansas, and another EF2 severely impacted Meridian, Mississippi. An EF1 tornado killed one person in Red Chute, Louisiana, and a high-end EF2 tornado caused major damage in Greensboro, North Carolina. An EF3 tornado destroyed many homes in Elon, Virginia, as well. (11 significant, 1 killer)
An unexpected tornado outbreak erupted across parts of Iowa on July 19. Twin EF2 tornadoes caused damage in Bondurant, while an EF3 tornado occurred struck eastern Pella, damaging a large Vermeer plant complex. Another EF3 tornado moved directly through downtown Marshalltown. The EF3 tornadoes causing $320 million in damage and 36 injuries. Another person in Corydon, Indiana, was indirectly injured the following day by an EF1 tornado. The event also featured the deadly Table Rock Lake duck boat accident near Branson, Missouri. (4 significant)
This outbreak produced several strong tornadoes in the Great Lakes region of the United States, and in eastern Canada as well. On September 20, a high-end EF2 tornado destroyed multiple homes in Morristown, Minnesota, and another EF2 tornado impacted Faribault. The next day, a high-end EF3 tornado destroyed numerous homes in Dunrobin, Ontario, and Gatineau, Quebec, injuring numerous people. A high-end EF2 tornado also caused severe damage in Nepean, Ontario. (8 significant)
A late-season outbreak produced an EF3 tornado that caused major damage an injured 22 people in Taylorville, Illinois. An EF1 tornado killed one person in Aurora, Missouri, and a long-tracked EF2 tornado caused major damage at Tenkiller Ferry Lake in Oklahoma. Another EF2 tornado caused significant damage in Van Buren, Arkansas, while an EF3 tornado injured four people at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia. This was the largest December tornado outbreak in Illinois state history. (7 significant, 1 killer)
A rare EF2 tornado strikes Port Orchard, Washington, becoming the first tornado in Western Washington since 2017, and the first F2 or stronger tornado in the state since 1986. The tornado was unusually strong for a December tornado in Washington. (1 significant)
Over the course of 6 hours, this tornado outbreak produced a total of 41 tornadoes, which touched down across portions of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. The strongest of these was an EF4 tornado that devastated rural communities from Beauregard, Alabama, to Talbotton, Georgia, killing 23 people and injuring 97 others. Its death toll represented more than twice the number of tornado deaths in the United States in 2018, and it was the deadliest single tornado in the country since the 2013 EF5 Moore tornado. Several other significant tornadoes occurred, including EF2 tornadoes caused severe damage near Eufaula, Alabama, and in Cairo, Georgia. An EF3 tornado destroyed homes near Tallahassee, Florida, as well. (9 significant, 1 violent, 1 killer)
As part of a larger blizzard, a tornado outbreak shaped up across the Southern United States. The most significant tornadoes were two EF2 tornadoes in New Mexico. The system then proceeded east for the next 2 days. Kentucky, Michigan, and Alabama also had significant EF2 tornadoes. Overall, the 38 tornadoes caused 8 injuries. (5 significant)
An expansive tornado outbreak occurred from Texas to the Northeast, lasting 40 hours. The town of Alto, Texas, was struck by two separate strong tornadoes, including an EF3 tornado that killed 2 people. Another EF3 tornado destroyed many homes in Franklin, Texas A high-end EF2 tornado struck Hamilton, Mississippi, late on April 13, destroying multiple structures causing another fatality. A high-end EF2 tornado struck Starbrick, Pennsylvania, as well. (18 significant, 2 killer)
A multi-day tornado outbreak produced tornadoes from Texas to Virginia. A high-end EF2 tornado caused severe damage in Morton, Mississippi. An EF3 tornado caused major structural damage to homes near Rocky Mount, Virginia, and injured two people. Several strong tornadoes also occurred in Pennsylvania and the Carolinas as well. The squall line that spawned several of the event's associated tornadoes caused four non-tornadic fatalities. (12 significant)
This long-lasting outbreak sequence produced many significant tornadoes. An early morning EF2 tornado hit near Adair, Iowa, killing one and injuring another. A large EF3 tornado passed near Golden City, Missouri, killing three and injuring one. A damaging nighttime EF3 stuck Jefferson City, Missouri, just before midnight, and resulted in one death and 32 injuries. On May 25, a small but intense QLCS EF3 tornado hit a mobile home park and a motel in southern El Reno, Oklahoma, causing two fatalities and 19 injuries. Another EF3 tornado destroyed many homes in Celina, Ohio, killing one person and injuring eight others. Dayton, Ohio, and its suburbs were hit by EF4, EF3, and EF2 tornadoes in quick succession, causing widespread destruction and over 166 injuries. An EF4 wedge tornado also struck the outskirts of Lawrence and Linwood, Kansas, destroying many homes and injuring 18 people. (51 significant, 2 violent, 4 killer)
A fall tornado outbreak caused major damage in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, including a destructive low-end EF3 tornado that destroyed many homes and businesses in Dallas, causing $1.55 billion in damages. A high-end EF2 tornado also caused significant damage in Garland, Texas. A large EF2 wedge tornado also struck Siloam Springs, Arkansas. (3 significant)
A two-day tornado outbreak extending from Louisiana to Georgia produced numerous strong tornadoes. Most of the activity was on December 16, including eight EF2 tornadoes and five EF3 tornadoes. A long-tracked EF3 tornado killed one person near Rosepine, Louisiana, and prompted a tornado emergency for Alexandria, where major damage occurred. An EF2 tornado killed two people near Town Creek, Alabama. Additional EF3 tornadoes caused severe damage in Sumrall and Laurel, Mississippi. December 17 was less intense, producing mostly weak tornadoes, although one EF2 tornado caused significant damage in and near Mystic, Georgia. (14 significant, 2 killer)
2020s
List of United States tornado outbreaks – 2020–2024
An EF1 tornado killed one person near Nacogdoches, Texas. A high-end EF2 tornado obliterated two trailer homes near Haughton, Louisiana, killing three people. Another high-end EF2 tornado caused significant damage near Carrollton, Alabama, killing three people. There were 11 more EF2 tornadoes confirmed from Missouri to South Carolina as well. (13 significant, 3 killer)
A long-tracked EF2 tornado struck Enterprise, Mississippi, and three other EF2 tornadoes touched down in other parts of the state. An EF1 tornado destroyed mobile homes and killed one person near Demopolis, Alabama. A high-end EF1 tornado caused considerable damage in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and an EF2 tornado caused significant damage near Kannapolis, North Carolina. (7 significant, 1 killer)
This small but devastating outbreak resulted in 25 fatalities from three separate tornadoes in Tennessee, which were all produced by the same supercell that produced all 10 tornadoes in the state from the outbreak. An EF2 tornado killed one person near Camden. A long-tracked EF3 tornado struck Nashville, causing five deaths and becoming the 6th costliest tornado in U.S. history. A violent EF4 tornado also caused catastrophic damage in and around Cookeville, causing an additional 19 deaths. (6 significant, 1 violent, 3 killer)
This major and deadly outbreak produced many strong to violent tornadoes across the Deep South into the Mid-Atlantic states. An EF3 tornado damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes in Monroe, Louisiana, on April 12. Two intense supercell thunderstorms developed across southern Mississippi, producing three intense tornadoes, including two EF4 tornadoes near Bassfield, Mississippi, killing 12. The second tornado produced high-end EF4 damage and devastated the small towns of Soso and Moss, reaching a maximum width of 2.25 miles (3.62 km) wide, the widest tornado in the state's history and the third widest in the world. Later that night, an EF2 tornado killed eight in Sumac, Georgia, and an EF3 tornado killed two in the eastern suburbs of Chattanooga. Through the night on April 12 into the morning of April 13, multiple EF3 tornadoes touched down in South Carolina, including one that severely damaged the town of Seneca, killing one person. An EF4 tornado killed five in Hampton County, South Carolina, as well, becoming the first violent tornado ever recorded in the South Carolina Lowcountry. (35 significant, 3 violent, 9 killer)
Several strong tornadoes touched down across the Great Plains and Deep South. A high-end EF2 tornado struck Madill, Oklahoma, killing two. An EF3 tornado impacted Onalaska, Texas, killing three. An EF2 tornado killed one person and damaged the Louisiana State University of Alexandria campus as well. (11 significant, 3 killer)
This outbreak of tornadoes occurred as a result of the passage of Hurricane Isaias. An EF3 tornado destroyed a mobile home park near Windsor, North Carolina, killing two and injuring 14. It was the first tropical cyclone-spawned tornado rated F3/EF3 since 2005. An EF1 tornado caused considerable damage in downtown Suffolk, Virginia, and an EF2 tornado caused major damage to businesses near Courtland. A high-end EF2 tornado injured five people and caused severe damage to homes near Palmer as well. A low-end EF2 tornado touched down in Dover and tracked 35.5 miles (57.1 km) through Delaware, becoming the longest tracked tornado in the history of the state. Another EF2 tornado also damaged a daycare center and injured six in the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia. (8 significant, 1 killer)
Numerous weak tornadoes touched down in Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana, including multiple tornadoes that affected the Chicago metropolitan area. It was part of much larger and damaging derecho event that was the costliest single thunderstorm disaster on record.
This was a localized tornado outbreak as part of a larger winter storm. An EF2 tornado in Damascus, Georgia, caused five injuries while a high-end EF3 tornado near Sunset Beach, North Carolina, caused three deaths and ten injuries. (2 significant, 1 killer)
This was a localized tornado outbreak as part of a larger winter storm. Several large tornadoes touched down, although most stayed over open terrain, and did little to no damage. Most of the tornadoes were likely stronger than the rating they were assigned. (3 significant)
Two consecutive tornado outbreaks occurred with the first one affecting mainly Alabama on March 25. Parts of the state had been placed under a high risk convective outlook for tornadoes on that day, the second high risk issued for this area in just over a week. Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, and Arkansas also saw impactful tornadoes. A low-end EF3 tornado killed six in Ohatchee, Alabama, on March 25 and a violent EF4 tornado Newnan, Georgia, just after midnight on March 26 resulted in an indirect fatality due to a medical issue. Another tornado outbreak affected the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys on March 27, producing several strong EF2 tornadoes, including one that killed a person near Carthage, Texas, on March 27. Along with the tornadic fatalities, eight non-tornadic fatalities also occurred during the outbreak sequence. (15 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)
A large tornado outbreak produced many tornadoes across various regions of the United States, most of which were weak. A few strong tornadoes did touch down, but none exceeded EF2 in intensity. An EF1 tornado caused considerable damage in Tupelo, Mississippi, and a high-end EF1 tornado struck Yazoo City. A high-end EF2 tornado destroyed a house near Blum, Texas, while another EF2 tornado caused major damage to homes and tossed vehicles near Waxahachie, injuring eight people. An EF2 tornado also damaged or destroyed homes near Callao, Virginia. (6 significant)
This was a localized tornado outbreak as part of a larger flooding event. The tornadoes mostly moved over farmland, damaging barns, outbuildings, and farming equipment. No tornadic casualties were reported, although one flooding death occurred in Bloomington, Indiana. (2 significant)
This outbreak began in Wisconsin, with numerous weak tornadoes that formed within a line of severe thunderstorms that moved across the state. Farther east, an EF2 tornado struck New Athens, Ohio, and caused considerable damage, while other EF2 tornadoes caused major tree damage near New Hope, Pennsylvania, and Carrollton, Ohio. A low-end EF3 tornado caused major damage to structures and vehicles in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, suburbs of Trevose and Bensalem, injuring five people. An EF2 tornado also struck High Bar Harbor, New Jersey, injuring eight people. (5 significant)
This outbreak started in the Southern United States where Hurricane Ida made landfall. Only weak tornadoes touched down during the first three days of the outbreak, although one high-end EF1 tornado injured three people and damaged structures in Saraland, Alabama. The worst day of the outbreak was September 1, when several strong tornadoes impacted the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, regions that had already been affected by the previous outbreaks in the weeks leading up to this event. In Annapolis, Maryland, an EF2 tornado caused significant damage to many homes in businesses. A high-end EF2 tornado moved through the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, suburbs of Fort Washington and Upper Dublin, killing one person and injuring two others. Another EF2 tornado struck Oxford, Pennsylvania, and an EF3 tornado caused major damage and destroyed multiple homes in Mullica Hill, New Jersey. Historic flooding also occurred throughout the region as well. (4 significant, 1 killer)
This major, destructive, and deadly nighttime tornado outbreak caused catastrophic damage and numerous fatalities across the Ohio Valley and Southern United States. Several powerful tornadoes caused heavy to catastrophic damage to many towns and cities across Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, and especially Kentucky. One supercell tracked over 250 miles (400 km) throughout the four states, spawning a family of 11 tornadoes, including two violent EF4 tornadoes. The first one killed eight people across three states while the second one killed 57 people in Kentucky along a track of over 160 miles (260 km). The city of Mayfield was devastated by the tornado, along with several other small towns. A second supercell produced a very long-track EF3 tornado across Tennessee and Kentucky, along with three EF3 tornadoes and four EF2 tornadoes in Kentucky, including a deadly EF3 tornado in Bowling Green, Kentucky. (24 significant, 2 violent, 6 killer)
A powerful, fast-moving derecho led to hundreds of damaging wind reports across the Midwest, along with 120 embedded tornadoes confirmed in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Several of these tornadoes were strong and long-tracked, including 33 that were rated EF2. This eclipsed the event five days prior for the largest December outbreak on record and subsequently became one of the largest single-day tornado outbreaks in recorded history. (33 significant)
Several intense tornadoes struck areas mainly across southeastern Iowa on March 5. A long-tracked, violent low-end EF4 tornado struck near Winterset, killing six people and injuring five others. Meanwhile, an EF3 tornado struck near Chariton, killing one and injuring another. Other tornadoes touched down the next day across mostly Arkansas and Missouri, including a low-end EF2 tornado that injured six people in Sage, Arkansas. (7 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)
Numerous tornadoes occurred across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama from March 21–22, with the most severe damage occurring in Jacksboro, Texas, De Kalb, Mississippi, and Arabi, Louisiana, coming from three separate EF3 tornadoes. One person was killed by an EF2 tornado in Sherwood Shores, Texas, while a second fatality occurred in Crockett, Texas, from another EF2 tornado as well. A fatality also occurred in Arabi just outside of New Orleans from one of the EF3 tornadoes as well. EF2 tornadoes were also confirmed near Pickens, South Carolina, and Gladesboro, Virginia, respectively on March 23. (16 significant, 2 killer)
Another tornado outbreak struck the same areas affected by the previous outbreak a week prior. The first significant tornado of the outbreak occurred early on March 30, when an EF3 tornado struck Springdale, Arkansas, causing seven injuries. Later that afternoon, an EF1 tornado caused an injury in Pope, Mississippi. Another EF1 tornado moved through downtown Jackson, Mississippi, injuring one person. Other tornadoes occurred in Kansas, Missouri, Texas, and Louisiana, while numerous tornadoes struck Mississippi and Alabama. A long-tracked EF3 tornado moved through a portion of the Talladega National Forest and struck Montevallo, Alabama, injuring two people. Another EF3 tornado near Alford, Florida, early on March 31 resulted in two deaths and three injuries. Scattered tornado activity occurred later that day across areas of the Eastern United States, which included EF2 tornadoes in Wayne Township, Pennsylvania, and near Norwood, North Carolina. (12 significant, 1 killer)
For the third straight week another tornado outbreak affected the same areas affected by the previous two outbreaks. Several tornadoes touched down mostly in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex on April 4, before a much more significant outbreak occurred in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina the next day. Several tornadoes touched down from a mesoscale convective system that swept eastward on March 5, while numerous large, long-tracked, intense tornadoes were spawned by supercells that formed ahead of the squall line. One person was killed by a large, violent EF4 tornado in Black Creek, Georgia, while three separate EF3 tornadoes impacted Allendale, South Carolina; Ulmer, South Carolina; and Bonaire, Georgia. A second wave of weak tornadoes also struck Georgia and Florida on April 6–7. (14 significant, 1 violent killer)
Isolated severe weather over Arkansas on April 11 gave way to a more significant severe weather event in Texas and the Upper Midwest on April 12 followed by a large severe weather outbreak on April 13. Four weak tornadoes were confirmed in Arkansas on April 11. More significant tornadoes occurred on April 12, including a high-end EF3 tornado in Bell County, Texas, that resulted in 23 injuries and several strong tornadoes over northern Iowa and southeastern Minnesota. More tornadoes occurred across primarily Mississippi, Alabama, and Kentucky on April 13, accompanied by a widespread damaging wind event. (6 significant)
A derecho produced an outbreak of tornadoes across the Dakotas and Minnesota. An EF1 tornado quickly spun up near Thomas, South Dakota, forcing the residents of homes who were outside to seek shelter under a tractor, resulting in an injury. A strong EF2 rope tornado struck Castlewood, causing heavy damage and also injuring one person. A high-end EF2 tornado near Gary struck a farm, heavily damaging the house and damaging a number of other farm buildings and vehicles, injuring another person. Although none of the tornadoes were fatal, the event as a whole caused five deaths and at least 13 injuries. (5 significant)
An intense late-season tornado outbreak affected northeastern Texas, southeastern Oklahoma, northwestern Louisiana, and western Arkansas on November 4. Numerous large, intense, long-tracked tornadoes touched down and two tornado emergencies were issued for Idabel, Oklahoma, and New Boston, Texas, respectively. One death each was recorded in Pickens, Oklahoma, and Cason, Texas, respectively, as well as numerous injuries. (11 significant, 2 violent, 2 killer)
An overnight tornado outbreak affected Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Two EF3 tornadoes affected areas near Clarks, Louisiana, and Fruitdale, Alabama, respectively, while an EF2 tornado north of Montgomery, Alabama, killed two people inside a mobile home. (6 significant, 1 killer)
A widespread tornado outbreak produced numerous strong tornadoes across portions of the southern United States. An EF3 tornado caused significant damage near Farmerville, Louisiana, while an EF2 tornado struck near Keatchie, Louisiana, killing two people. Another EF2 tornado struck near Killona, Louisiana, killing one and a damaging EF2 tornado impacted the New Orleans metro, following a path similar to a high-end EF3 tornado from March 22, 2022. Numerous other weak tornadoes also touched down. (21 significant, 2 killer)
A significant tornado outbreak took place primarily across Alabama and Georgia during the morning and afternoon of January 12. One supercell produced 10 tornadoes that produced moderate to severe damage from south-central Alabama to west-central Georgia, especially in Selma, Alabama, and Autauga County, Alabama, and as well as LaGrange, Griffin, Experiment, and the Jackson Lake area in Georgia. An EF3 tornado in Autauga County, Alabama resulted in seven fatalities before moving through several counties to the northeast, while an EF2 tornado in the Jackson Lake area in Georgia killed one person (the tornado was also responsible for an indirect death the next day). Elsewhere, other tornadoes caused damage in Sumter and Mobile counties in Alabama, as well as parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and the Carolinas. (13 significant, 2 killer)
A rare low-end EF3 tornado struck Pasadena and Deer Park, Texas, injuring three and causing $6.6 million in damage. The tornado was so powerful that it knocked down three large metal transmission towers. Strongest cold-season tornado to hit the Houston area since 1992. The tornado was part of a small outbreak that produced 14 other tornadoes. (4 significant)
Several tornadoes occurred across the Great Plains and Midwestern United States. On February 26, three EF2 tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma. The first one caused a fatality and significant damage near the town of Cheyenne, while the other two struck Norman and Shawnee respectively. (3 significant, 1 killer)
Numerous tornadoes touched down across the Southern United States to the Great Lakes region. On March 2, an EF2 tornado caused significant damage near Kirby, Arkansas. The next day, an EF2 tornado caused significant damage near Fremont, Kentucky. (2 significant)
A slow-moving system sparked a small, but destructive four-day outbreak of tornadoes. One supercell in Mississippi on March 24 produced three large long-tracked tornadoes, the first of which was a violent, very high-end EF4 tornado that struck Rolling Fork, Midnight, and Silver City, killing 17 people. The storm then produced an EF3 tornado that struck Black Hawk and Winona, killing three people. A subsequent EF3 tornado from the storm killed two people as it passed near or moved directly through Egypt, New Wren, Amory, and Smithville. An early-morning EF2 tornado also killed a person on the north side of Hartselle, Alabama. Scattered tornado activity continued throughout the rest of the outbreak and a few strong tornadoes touched down, including another EF3 tornado that caused major damage in North West Point, Georgia, injuring five people. (10 significant, 1 violent, 4 killer)
A catastrophic, historic, and deadly tornado outbreak produced widespread tornadic activity across large portions of the Midwestern, Southern and Eastern United States. On March 31, the SPC issued two tornado-driven high risk areas; the first was in southeastern Iowa, northwestern Illinois, and far northeastern Missouri, while the second included eastern Arkansas, southwestern Tennessee, and northern Mississippi. That afternoon, numerous tornadic supercells developed over the northern high-risk area, producing numerous tornadoes, including an EF3 tornado near Martinsburg, Iowa, and a low-end EF4 tornado that swept away a home near Keota. Over a dozen EF2 tornadoes also touched down and one EF1 tornado collapsed the roof of Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, Illinois, during a sold-out concert, killing one person and injuring over three dozen people. Other tornadoes also touched down in Indiana that evening, including multiple EF3 tornadoes, one of which struck Robinson, Illinois, and Sullivan, Indiana, killing six people while another one killed two people near Spencer, Indiana. To the south, supercell development was much more isolated, but the storms that did form were discrete and produced very large, long-tracked, intense tornadoes. This included a long-tracked high-end EF3 tornado that moved through the Little Rock, Arkansas metropolitan injuring dozens of people (one indirect fatality also occurred). Other deadly, intense, long-tracked tornadoes caused fatalities in or near Wynne, Arkansas, Covington, Tennessee, Adamsville, Tennessee, Pontotoc, Mississippi, and Hazel Green, Alabama. Later that afternoon on April 1, a localized, but intense outbreak of 10 tornadoes struck the Delaware Valley along with Central and South Jersey. An extremely rare EF3 tornado killed a person in Sussex County, Delaware, while three EF2 tornadoes touched down in New Jersey. Along with the tornadoes, hundreds of damaging wind, large hail, and flooding reports were received while areas on the back side of the system had either wildfires or a blizzard. (44 significant, 1 violent, 9 killer)
A multi-day outbreak sequence of significant tornado and severe weather activity occurred across the south central and southeastern United States, as well as the Ohio Valley. On June 15, an EF3 tornado struck the city of Perryton, Texas, resulting in major damage and three fatalities, along with up to 100 injuries. A cluster of supercells also produced 13 tornadoes in southeastern Michigan and northern Ohio, including three that were rated EF2 (one of which struck northern Toledo) and another EF2 tornado struck Pensacola Beach, Florida that night. Three days later on June 18 an outbreak of 22 tornadoes struck mainly the southeastern United States (a rarity for that region during that time of year). An EF3 tornado produced significant damage near the town of Louin, Mississippi, killing one and injuring 25. Three other EF2 tornadoes also touched down. (14 significant, 2 killer)
Another wave of significant tornado and severe weather activity occurred immediately after the previous one across mostly the northern United States and Ohio Valley, as well as Manitoba and Ontario in Canada, although many of the tornadoes moved over open terrain and were unratable. June 21 featured 43 mostly brief, unratable tornadoes, but 36 of them touched down in Colorado, making it the largest single-day outbreak in the state's history. All but three of these tornadoes touched down in Washington County, including 27 tornadoes alone near Akron, and three of them were rated EF2. Further to the south, a destructive high-end EF3 tornado struck the west side of Matador, Texas, killing four people. Several strong tornadoes touched down on June 23, including an EF3 tornado southwest of Granada, Colorado, the first tornado of such strength in the state since 2015, and an EF2 tornado that struck North Antelope Rochelle Mine in Wyoming, injuring eight people. Nine tornadoes touched down across three states and Ontario on June 25, including an EF2 tornado that killed a person in Rusk, Indiana. (12 significant, 2 killer)
This outbreak sequence produced strong tornadoes in Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, New York, and Colorado. No tornadic fatalities occurred, but two non-tornadic deaths were recorded. (6 significant)
A small but intense outbreak of tornadoes occurred across the southern United States, most severely affecting Tennessee. On December 9, a large EF3 tornado caused major damage in Clarksville, Tennessee, killing four people. Later that evening, an EF2 tornado produced significant damage in Madison, Hendersonville and Gallatin, Tennessee, killing three people and prompting a tornado emergency. (5 significant, 2 killer)
An outbreak of tornadoes affected several areas across the southern United States. The strongest of which was an intense waterspout that produced EF3 damage after moving ashore in Panama City Beach, Florida in the early morning hours of January 9. Later that day, an EF2 tornado killed a person near Cottonwood, Alabama, and an EF1 tornado killed a person near Claremont, North Carolina. (7 significant, 2 killer)
Numerous tornadoes affected areas across the midwestern and southern United States. On March 13, two EF2 tornadoes touched down in Kansas, near the communities of Alta Vista and Rossville. The following day on March 14, more significant severe weather activity took place across the Ohio Valley, with a large EF3 tornado causing major damage in Wapakoneta, Lakeview, and Russells Point, Ohio, killing 3 and injuring 27. Shortly after, an EF3 tornado struck Winchester, Indiana, killing 1 and injuring 39. That same day, five separate EF2 tornadoes also produced damage near Milton, Kentucky, Selma, Indiana, Plymouth and West Mansfield, Ohio, as well as Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. (9 significant, 2 killer)
Numerous, mostly weak tornadoes occurred over a 3-day period, largely in the Ohio River Valley. A majority of the tornadoes were associated with a derecho that tracked from Missouri to West Virginia on the morning of April 2, which included four EF2 tornadoes and four EF1 tornadoes that moved through areas just north of Evansville, Indiana. That afternoon, a supercell spawned an EF2 tornado that injured 22 people in the northern suburbs of Louisville, Kentucky. That night, another EF2 tornado injured two people in Conyers, Georgia. The severe weather outbreak caused no tornadic deaths, but five people were killed in non-tornadic events. (14 significant)
A significant multi-day outbreak affected multiple areas across the south central and midwestern United States. On April 26, several strong to intense tornadoes touched down across the Central Plains. This included six destructive EF3 tornadoes that touched down in the Omaha metropolitan area. One of them caused damage near Lincoln, Nebraska, another one that caused heavy damage in Elkhorn, Nebraska and near Blair, Nebraska, a third that struck Omaha, Nebraska, and another that killed a person in Minden, Iowa. The following day on April 27, activity shifted further south across Oklahoma, where a powerful EF3 tornado struck Sulphur, killing one person. That same night, another EF3 tornado passed near Spaulding, Holdenville, and Bearden killing two people, and a violent EF4 tornado caused major damage and killed a person near the community of Marietta. Only weak tornadoes occurred on April 28, but one high-end EF1 tornado killed a person near Trinity, Texas. (25 significant, 1 violent, 5 killer)
A widespread tornado outbreak produced tornadoes across the southern and midwestern United States. On May 6, a rare tornado-driven high risk outlook was issued for portions of Kansas and Oklahoma. That night, a violent EF4 tornado struck Barnsdall and Bartlesville, Oklahoma, killing two people and prompting the issuance of a tornado emergency. The following day on May 7, another outbreak occurred in the Great Lakes region. This including four EF2 tornadoes that caused significant damage across Michigan and Ohio, one of which prompted a tornado emergency for areas near Sherwood, Michigan, which was the first time such an alert had ever been issued in the state, and another that injured 16 people in Portage, Michigan. The next day on May 8, another outbreak occurred across the Tennessee Valley. A powerful EF3 tornado caused major damage near Columbia, Tennessee, killing one and prompting the issuance of another tornado emergency. Later that evening, another EF3 tornado caused severe damage near Rogersville, Alabama, an EF2 tornado damaged several neighborhoods in Huntsville, Alabama, and another EF3 tornado that led to the issuance of another tornado emergency and injured seven people near Henagar, Alabama. Mainly weak tornadoes occurred on May 9, but a squall line that formed that night spawned multiple tornadoes and produced widespread wind damage as it moved through the Florida Panhandle on the morning of May 10. This included three tornadoes (one rated EF1 and the other two rated EF2) and destructive straight-line winds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h) that caused widespread severe damage in and around Tallahassee, Florida. (18 significant, 1 violent, 2 killer)
A deadly derecho impacted the Gulf Coast, causing widespread damage, particularly in the city of Houston and surrounding metropolitan area. Three people were killed by the derecho. Three EF1 tornadoes also touched down, including one that occurred in the Houston suburb of Cypress.
A series of tornado outbreaks and two derechos impacted a very large area from the Great Plains to the East Coast. Strong to violent tornadoes impacted Colorado, Oklahoma, Iowa, Texas, Nebraska, KansasArkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Indiana. The first derecho, which formed on May 19, produced widespread wind damage and weak tornadoes across Kansas and into Missouri through the overnight hours into the morning of May 20. An isolated supercell also produced multiple tornadoes west of Oklahoma City, including a large EF2 tornado that prompted the issuance of a tornado emergency for Custer City, Oklahoma. On May 21, an EF4 tornado killed five people as it passed near Corning and through Greenfield, Iowa. On May 22, an EF2 tornado injured 30 people on the western side of Temple, Texas. Another derecho formed in southwestern Nebraska late on May 23 and moved eastward, producing widespread wind damage and weak tornadoes through Nebraska and Iowa and northwestern Illinois into the morning hours of May 24. A large tornado outbreak started late on May 25 with the resulting storms contributing to May 26 being the most active day for tornadic weather. An isolated supercell in Texas spawned an EF3 tornado that killed seven people near Valley View, Texas. To the north, a cluster of supercells that formed along the Kansas-Oklahoma border between Wichita, Kansas and Oklahoma City spawned numerous significant tornadoes and generated destructive straight-line winds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h) as it moved eastward through southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. An EF3 tornado killed two people as it passed through Claremore and moved through areas northwest of Pryor, Oklahoma. Another EF3 tornado near Decatur, Arkansas became the largest tornado ever recorded in the state. Additional EF3 tornadoes killed four people near Pyatt, Arkansas, one person near Briarcliff, and another person near Sikeston, Missouri. Several other supercells that formed that afternoon produced additional tornadoes, including an EF3 tornado that passed through areas previously impacted by the 2021 Western Kentucky tornado, killing one person. In addition to the 21 tornadic fatalities, 10 other people died in other non-tornadic events as well. (33 significant, 1 violent, 7 killer)
A tornado struck the western part of Mayabeque Province, hitting the provincial capital of San José de Las Lajas. The storm caused moderate damage to roofs of homes and buildings and injured several people.[132]
2023 Los Arabos, Matanzas tornado
2023
Los Arabos
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A rare Supercell Tornado forms in Los Arabos, Matanzas.
^Center, National Weather Service Chicago, Illinois | Des Plaines History (October 21, 2022). "Des Plaines Tornado of May 22, 1855". ArcGIS StoryMaps. Retrieved February 21, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant tornadoes, 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: Environmental Films. p. 914. ISBN1-879362-03-1.
^ abGrazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant tornadoes, 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: Environmental Films. pp. 187, 985. ISBN1-879362-03-1.
Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991, A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN1-879362-03-1
National Weather Service (April–June 1954). Storm Data Publication (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information – via Storm Events Database.
National Weather Service (April 1957). Storm Data Publication (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Storm Events Database.
National Weather Service (October 1964). Storm Data Publication (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information – via Storm Events Database.
National Weather Service (February 1965). Storm Data Publication (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information – via Storm Events Database.
National Weather Service (April 1966). Storm Data Publication (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information – via Storm Events Database.