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Link to original content: https://web.archive.org/web/20160413053149/http://www.tornadoproject.com/alltorns/worstts.htm
The United State's Worst Tornadoes
The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20160413053149/http://www.tornadoproject.com/alltorns/worstts.htm


The following is a representative list of the most important tornadoes in each state. The criteria for the "worst" in each state is different for each state. In some tornado-prone states, it is strictly based on deaths. In other states, it is based on deaths and injuries. In the states that have never had a tornado death, the selection is made on the basis of damage. Of course, the worst tornado in Nevada is less destructive that even the 500th worst tornado in Texas, Mississippi, or a dozen other states. To give at least some perspective on each state, rather minor events must be included for states where tornadoes are rare. We also change the criteria in 1953. Since that year, forecasting and awareness efforts have drastically reduced the size of single-tornado death tolls in most states. If only the deadliest tornadoes were listed, then few recent events would be included.

The limitation of space does not allow a listing of every significant tornado. Each state has at least one listing. The listed death or injury total is only for that state, although some caused fatalities in neighboring states. Morning times are emphasized by printing AM in upper case letters. The list of killer and significant tornadoes was derived from the book "Significant Tornadoes" by Thomas P. Grazulis, director of The Tornado Project.



The Most "Important" US Tornadoes by State



Month/Day/Year Time Dead Injured  

ALASKA: all officially documented tornadoes

NOV 4, 1959 11:20 AM 0 dead 0 injured
A small tornado caused minor damage near Cape St. Elias Light Station on Kayak Island.



ALABAMA: Tornadoes causing 20 or more deaths


FEB 19, 1884 2:30 pm 26 dead 80 injured
Deaths in six communities; 10 at Cross Plains (now called Piedmont) and 14 at Goshen.

JAN 22, 1904 0:20 AM 36 dead 150 injured
Leveled northern half of Moundville. Half the population dead or injured; bodies carried for half a mile.

APR 24, 1908 2:40 pm 35 dead 188 injured
Most of Bergens was destroyed, with 12 deaths; 15 people died at Albertville.

MAR 21, 1913 4:30 AM 27 dead 60 injured
Lower Peach Tree, Wilcox County, "best section of the city were blown to splinters."

MAY 27, 1917 8:45 pm 27 dead 100 injured
Dozens of small homes were (obliterated) in Sayre (9 dead) and Bradford (17 dead).

APR 20, 1920 8:00 AM 44 dead 400 injured
After killing 44 in Mississippi, this tornado caused fatalities in four counties, about half near Waco.

APR 20, 1920 10:00 AM 21 dead 50 injured
Homes were swept away in remote rural parts of Winston County, especially in the Arley-Helicon area.

APR 20, 1920 12:30 pm 27 dead 100 injured
Small tenant homes and large "country" homes were leveled near Gurley and Brownsboro, Madison Co.

MAR 21, 1932 4:00 pm 37 dead 200 injured
The northwest edge of Tuscaloosa and the business district of Northport were devastated.

MAR 21, 1932 4:30 pm 49 dead 150 injured
At least 21 people died in rural Perry County, with up to seven dead in one family.

MAR 21, 1932 5:30 pm 31 dead 200 injured
Moving parallel to the previous tornado, most fatalities were at Stanton and Lomax, Chilton Co.

MAR 21, 1932 7:10 pm 41 dead 325 injured
Twenty-nine people died in the northern part of Sylacauga; others died in rural areas.

MAR 21, 1932 8:00 pm 35 dead 500 injured
Isolated hill and valley communities in remote Jackson Co. were destroyed.

MAY 5, 1933 2:30 AM 21 dead 200 injured
Small homes were swept away at Brent, Colemont, and Helena in Bibb and Shelby Counties.

FEB 12, 1945 5:22 pm 26 dead 293 injured
A 20-block area was devastated in what was called Chisholm, north of Montgomery.

APR 15, 1956 3:00 pm 25 dead 200 injured
More than 100 poorly constructed homes were destroyed at McDonalds Chapel near Birmingham.

APR 3, 1974 5:50 pm 28 dead 260 injured
Fourteen died near Moulton, including six in one family and four in another.

APR 3, 1974 7:50 pm 30 dead 280 injured
Moving at 75 mph, the tornado killed 20 deaths at Guin, Marion County in a matter of seconds.

APR 4, 1977 5:00 pm 22 dead 130 injured
The path began just four miles northwest of Birmingham, destroying 167 homes.

NOV 15, 1989 4:30 pm 21 dead 463 injured
The tornado passed across the southern part of Huntsville during evening rush; 12 deaths in cars.

MAR 27, 1994 10:55 AM 22 dead 159 injured
The edge of the tornado brushed the Goshen United Methodist Church during Palm Sunday services.

APR 8, 1998 6:42 pm 32 dead 258 injured
Deaths were WSW of Birmingham, most at Oak Grove, Jefferson County; 608 homes were destroyed.



ARKANSAS: Tornadoes causing 25 or more deaths before 1953; six or more deaths after and including 1953


JAN 11, 1898 11:15 pm 55 dead 113 injured
The sleeping town of Fort Smith was devastated; 16 died in a single residential block.

MAR 8, 1909 7:00 pm 49 dead 600 injured
About 260 homes were destroyed and entire families were killed at Brinkley.

JUN 5, 1916 4:00 pm 25 dead 150 injured
Fifty homes were destroyed on the west and north sides of Heber Springs.

APR 15, 1921 2:10 pm 51 dead 300 injured
A family of multiple-vortex tornadoes devastated rural Miller and Hempstead Counties.

APR 16, 1939 2:40 pm 27 dead 62 injured
Near Center Point, Drew Co. eleven people were killed in a church; others died on plantations.

OCT 29, 1942 10:30 pm 29 dead 100 injured
The northern half of Berryville, Carroll County, was destroyed; deaths were in 13 homes.

JUN 1, 1947 3:20 pm 35 dead 300 injured
Near Pine Bluff, 11 teenagers died at a meeting hall on Hwy #15; eight deaths were in rural homes.

JAN 3, 1949 4:15 pm 55 dead 435 injured
More than 700 homes were damaged or destroyed at Warren, Bradley County.

MAR 21, 1952 4:50 pm 50 dead 325 injured
At least 30 people died with 1000 homes destroyed or damaged at Judsonia; others died in rural areas.

MAR 21, 1952 5:00 pm 40 dead 274 injured
Nine people died on the northwest side of England; 29 died on the northwest side of Cotton Plant.

APR 10, 1965 6:26 pm 6 dead 250 injured
The southeast and east part of Conway, Faulkner County were destroyed.

APR 19, 1968 3:12 pm 14 dead 270 injured
Much of Greenwood, Sebastian County "was reduced to matchsticks, kindling and a sea of rubble."

MAY 15, 1968 8:36 pm 7 dead 24 injured
More than half of the town of Oil Trough, Independence County was destroyed.

MAY 15, 1968 8:45 pm 35 dead 361 injured
At Jonesboro, 160 homes were destroyed; occupied cars were wrapped around trees.

MAR 28, 1975 6:52 pm 7 dead 51 injured
Nearly 400 homes, about a quarter of the town, were damaged or destroyed at Warren.

DEC 14, 1987 9:40 pm 6 dead 121 injured
Six died at West Memphis. The funnel just missed a dog-racing track with 7,000 spectators.

MAR 1, 1997 2:20 pm 6 dead 30 injured
Hundreds of homes were destroyed in a swath across Nevada, Clark (Arkadelphia), and Hot Spring Counties.

MAR 1, 1997 3:25 pm 14 dead 50 injured
Dozens of homes were destroyed in and near Shannon Hills, Sardis, Vimy Ridge in Saline County.



ARIZONA: Tornadoes causing a death or at least five injuries


AUG 27, 1964 11:16 AM 2 dead 9 injured
A tornado hit the San Xavier Mission Indian Village, west of Tucson. Four homes were destroyed.

AUG 9, 1966 2:30 pm 0 dead 9 injured
A small tornado passed through trailer courts in Ice House Canyon, south of Globe, Gila County.

AUG 30, 1971 5:45 pm 0 dead 41 injured
A hundred homes were damaged and people injured by flying glass in Tempe.

JUN 21, 1972 3:15 pm 0 dead 18 injured
Two mobile homes were completely destroyed and a dozen others damaged at Eloy, Pinal County.

JUN 21, 1972 4:00 pm 0 dead 5 injured
Several trailer were overturned at Maricopa.

JUN 23, 1974 3:45 pm 1 dead 31 injured
A tornado destroyed 19 trailers, nine miles southwest of Tucson.



CALIFORNIA: Tornadoes causing five or more injuries before 1953; three or more injuries after and including 1953


OCT 26, 1921 2:45 pm 0 dead 5 injured
About 35 homes were damaged in southeast Sacramento.

APR 6, 1926 0:05 AM 0 dead 8 injured
A waterspout came ashore and unroofed homes at National City, near San Diego.

MAR 15, 1930 11:40 AM 0 dead 7 injured
About 150 homes had roof damage in Hawthorne, Lawndale, and Lennox; all injuries were at a factory.

FEB 12, 1936 3:30 pm 0 dead 6 injured
Two homes were unroofed and five oil derricks were blown down at Long Beach, Los Angeles County.

JAN 11, 1951 8:17 AM 0 dead 30 injured
About 150 homes were hit at Sunnyvale, Santa Clara County. in the third most damaging US tornado of the year.

NOV 7, 1966 12:40 pm 0 dead 10 injured
Homes were damaged or unroofed at Lawndale, Hawthorne, Lennox, and Englewood, Los Angeles Co.

MAR 16, 1977 6:30 pm 0 dead 4 injured
A tornado skipped from Fullerton to Brea, Orange county; 80 homes had some damage.

MAR 1, 1983 7:40 AM 0 dead 30 injured
Fifty homes were damaged in south-central Los Angeles.

SEP 30, 1983 10:35 pm 0 dead 3 injured
Eight homes were unroofed and sixty were damaged at Hawthorne, Los Angeles County.

DEC 17, 1992 2:20 pm 0 dead 4 injured
Fifty three homes were damaged at Oroville, Butte County.

DEC 17, 1992 2:20 pm 0 dead 4 injured
At Oroville, Butte County, 53 homes and two apartment complexes were damaged.



COLORADO: Tornadoes causing a death or at least seven injuries


JUN 30, 1915 1 dead 5 injured
Three homes were destroyed on ranches and farms twenty miles southwest of Lamar, Bent County.

AUG 10, 1917 6:00 pm 1 dead 7 injured
A man was killed when he took shelter in a dry goods store that was destroyed at Two Buttes, Baca County.

NOV 4, 1922 5:00 AM 4 dead 25 injured
Unusual for the season, this tornado hit a farmhouse in Lincoln County, 20 miles north of Sugar City.

NOV 4, 1922 9:30 AM 1 dead 3 injured
At the Pleasant Valley School eleven miles ESE of Holyoke a teacher was killed in her "teacherage" home.

AUG 10, 1924 1:45 pm 10 dead 8 injured
Nine children and one woman died in a farmhouse near Thurman, Washington County.

JUN 14, 1925 1:00 pm 1 dead 2 injured
A small tornado destroyed a poultry house and killed a child at Pueblo.

AUG 10, 1926 1 dead 2 injured
Two homes were destroyed on farms north of Padroni, Logan County . A child was killed.

JUN 8, 1928 4:15 pm 2 dead 4 injured
Seven farms were devastated near the Colorado/Oklahoma border. Deaths were in Baca County.

JUN 29, 1928 11:45 AM 2 dead 50 injured
Women died in each of two farmhouses that were completely leveled. This tornado passed just west of Johnstown.

OCT 2, 1930 3:00 pm 3 dead 4 injured
Three people left their car and sought shelter in a farmhouse 14m NW of Fowler; the home and car were destroyed.

APR 30, 1942 1:30 AM 4 dead 12 injured
Near McClave, Bent County, and Eads, Kiowa County, people were killed in the destruction of four different homes.

JUN 27, 1960 3:35 pm 2 dead 4 injured
Ten miles north of Holyoke, Phillips County a massive tornado threw two cars a quarter mile.

OCT 17, 1971 8:07 pm 0 dead 9 injured

A tornado struck a trailer park in the main street business district of Wray, Yuma County.

JUN 3, 1981 1:55 pm 0 dead 42 injured
Nearly 800 homes suffered damage as a tornado cut a swath through the heart of Thornton, a suburb of Denver.

JUN 15, 1988 3:24 pm 0 dead 7 injured
Moving to the northeast then southeast and then to the south, a tornado cut an erratic path across south Denver.

JUN 6, 1990 6:45 pm 0 dead 14 injured
A tornado destroyed 80% of the business district, of Limon, as well as 228 of the town's 750 homes.

JLY 7, 1993 7:25 pm 0 dead 8 injured
The injuries were on farms that were torn apart near Bethune and Burlington, Kit Carson County.



CONNECTICUT: Tornadoes causing a death or more than five injuries


AUG 8, 1786 1 dead 5 injured
Twenty homes were destroyed in the Woodstock/Pomfret area of Windham County.

AUG 15, 1787 1:30 pm 2 dead 10 injured
A "black whirling column" killed a mother and son in their home at Wethersfield, Hartford County.

AUG 9, 1878 34 dead 70 injured
Fifty homes were destroyed on the north side of Wallingford; six people were killed in a single home.

SEP 14, 1882 0 dead 20 injured
Clothes were carried for nine miles from destroyed homes in Winsted, Litchfield County.

AUG 21, 1951 5:30 pm 0 dead 8 injured
A fishnet factory was unroofed at East Hampton. Women on the second floor were injured.

MAY 24, 1962 4:30 pm 1 dead 50 injured
Homes were completely destroyed in the west and north part of Waterbury and at Southington.

OCT 3, 1979 3:00 pm 3 dead 500 injured
The tornado moved due north through Windsor Locks, crossing Bradley International Airport.

JLY 10, 1989 4:15 pm 0 dead 70 injured
Fifty homes were torn apart at Watertown, to Oakville, and to the north edge of Waterbury.

JLY 10, 1989 4:45 pm 0 dead 40 injured
From Hamden to just north of New Haven, about 350 homes and 40 businesses were destroyed.

JUN 29, 1990 7:45 pm 0 dead 7 injured
A small tornado at Danbury blew down trees. People were injured by flying glass at the Vespucci Lodge.



DELAWARE: Tornadoes causing a death or more than five injuries


AUG 21, 1888 6:20 pm 1 dead 22 injured
A man died in a blacksmith's shop at Hare's Corner; 20 people were injured at the edge of Wilmington.

APR 2, 1912 9:00 pm 1 dead 2 injured
One home was destroyed at Dagsboro, near Georgetown, Sussex County.

AUG 25, 1941 11:30 AM 0 dead 7 injured
The tornado that began in Pennsylvania did $150,000 damage in Wilmington.

JAN 27, 1967 2:30 pm 0 dead 7 injured
Thirteen homes and three service stations were torn apart at Felton, Kent County.

SEP 5, 1979 8:45 pm 0 dead 5 injured
A tornado spawned by Hurricane David ripped apart homes in New Castle County.

JLY 21, 1983 7:50 pm 2 dead 9 injured
Two trailer homes were destroyed near Hartly, Kent County.

MAY 8, 1984 5:05 pm 0 dead 5 injured
A tornado that caused a death in Maryland destroyed a mobile in Sussex County.

JUN 7, 1988 3:10 pm 0 dead 30 injured
This weak tornado moved from Summit Airport, New Castle County to Woodland Beach Kent County.



DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: All known tornadoes


AUG 25, 1814 ? dead ? injured
A tornado hit Washington during the burning of the Capitol and killed British soldiers.

SEP 16, 1888 3:15 pm 0 dead 0 injured
Two homes and Botanical Garden buildings were unroofed. The funnel lifted near Capitol Hill.

APR 5, 1923 2:30 pm 0 dead 0 injured
The tornado touched down in Rock Creek Park in the north corner of the District.

NOV 17, 1927 2:20 pm 0 dead 50 injured
The funnel hit western Alexandria, and the southeast and northeast quadrants of the District.

MAY 18, 1995 1:22 pm 0 dead 0 injured
A small tornado uprooted trees at the National Arboretum, west of the Anacostia River.



FLORIDA: Tornadoes causing three or more deaths


SEP 10, 1882 9:00 pm 5 dead 8 injured
A hurricane-generated tornado destroyed tenant homes near Quincy, Gadsden County.

APR 5, 1925 1:15 pm 5 dead 35 injured
A tornado moved northeast from the Everglades, SW of Hialeah, to eight miles north of Miami.

JAN 18, 1936 7:00 pm 7 dead 25 injured
Six people were killed when a farmhouse was "obliterated" south of Vernon, Washington County.

MAR 30, 1939 10:10 pm 4 dead 8 injured
Four workers were killed at a turpentine plant ten miles NW of Jacksonville, Duval County.

MAY 26, 1951 10:30 AM 3 dead 0 injured
A waterspout overturned a small boat, drowned three fishermen, and went ashore near Pensacola.

MAR 31, 1962 9:00 AM 17 dead 100 injured
About 75 small homes were destroyed on the northwest side of Milton; 200 homes were damaged.

APR 4, 1966 8:00 AM 11 dead 350 injured
A tornado family hit the Tampa (three dead) Polk county (seven deaths) and crossed the entire state.

MAY 4, 1978 10:47 AM 3 dead 94 injured
This tornado formed over the Gulf of Mexico and hit High Point Elementary School in Clearwater.

APR 9, 1983 1:55 pm 3 dead 2 injured
Near Inverness, Citrus County, trailers and a gas station were destroyed; all deaths were in a car.

APR 19, 1988 3:30 pm 4 dead 18 injured
Seventeen homes were destroyed along with many college buildings at Madison.

JUN 8, 1989 5:00 pm 3 dead 4 injured
A waterspout moved from Apalachicola Bay and passed through Eastpoint; three died in a home.

OCT 3, 1992 10:30 AM 3 dead 75 injured
The tornado moved north-northeast in Pinellas Park, hitting a mobile home park and several homes.

MAR 12, 1993 11:38 pm 3 dead 10 injured
A tornado at Chiefland struck a home which collapsed, pinning occupants under a fallen wall.

FEB 22, 1998 11:37 pm 3 dead 70 injured
Deaths were in the Hyde Park mobile home community at Winter Garden, Lake County; 500 buildings were destroyed.

FEB 23, 1998 00:10 AM 13 dead 36 injured
Fatalities were in and near Sanford, Seminole County, in mobile homes; 625 buildings were destroyed.

FEB 22, 1998 00:40 AM 25 dead 150 injured
Most of the deaths were in and near Kissimmee, Osceola County; most deaths were in trailer and RV parks.



GEORGIA: Tornadoes causing 20 deaths before 1953; three or more deaths after and including 1953


MAR 20, 1875 12:40 pm 25 dead 65 injured
People died in rural areas of Hancock, Warren, McDuffie, and Columbia Counties.

FEB 19, 1884 2:00 pm 22 dead 100 injured
Most deaths occurred south of Jasper, Pickens County, near Cagle and Tate; large homes swept away.

JUN 1, 1903 12:45 pm 98 dead 180 injured
Deaths were at the Gainesville Cotton Mill and at the mill village; many were children.

MAR 28, 1920 5:45 pm 27 dead 100 injured
About 75 frail homes and a fertilizer factory were destroyed at the SE edge of LaGrange, Troup County.

FEB 10, 1921 12:30 pm 31 dead 100 injured
An entire section of a lumber mill village of Gardner, Washington County literally vanished.

APR 25, 1929 10:00 pm 40 dead 300 injured
At least 31 people died in a mile-wide swath across Bullock County passing just north of Statesboro.

APR 2, 1936 7:30 pm 23 dead 500 injured
A five-block-wide swath through Cordele, Crisp County destroyed 276 homes.

APR 6, 1936 8:27 AM 203 dead 1600 injured
Downtown Gainesville was devastated at the start of the work day; 1000 homes were also hit.

APR 30, 1953 5:10 pm 19 dead 300 injured
The funnel hit at the south edge of Warner Robins. Most of the deaths were in air force base housing.

MAR 13, 1954 10:00 pm 5 dead 75 injured
The tornado path swept through Roberta, Knoxville, Lizella, and Macon.

APR 3, 1974 6:40 pm 9 dead 54 injured
Homes were leveled at Sugar Valley and the northwest edge of Resaca; 7 died in the Sugar Hill area.

APR 3, 1974 7:30 pm 6 dead 30 injured
The tornado touched down near Ball Ground. One person was killed at Yellow Creek and five died near Juno.
MAR 24, 1975 6:28 AM 3 dead 152 injured
The tornado moved northeast across the western part of Atlanta, hitting the governor's mansion.

MAR 20, 1998 6:20 AM 12 dead 171 injured
This Hall County tornado caused 11 deaths in mobile homes and one in a truck thrown into a school.

APR 9, 1998 5:35 AM 4 dead 31 injured
Three people died in mobile homes at Rye Path, Long County. One soldier died in a building at Fort Stewart.
FEB 13, 2000 11:09 pm 11 dead 100 injured
Two subdivisions and four mobile home parks were destroyed by an F3 tornado at Camilla.

FEB 14, 2000 00:10 AM 6 dead 30 injured Homes were destroyed by an F3 tornado at Meigs.



HAWAII: Tornadoes causing an injury


MAR 27, 1963 8:30 pm 0 dead 1 injured
A waterspout can ashore at Kailua Bay, Oahu, and damaged three beach homes.

JAN 28, 1971 10:50 AM 0 dead 4 injured
A waterspout swept from Kailua Bay hitting buildings at a Kailua-Kona resort and the downtown area.



IDAHO: Tornadoes causing a death or an injury


JUN 7, 1936 12:30 pm 2 dead 0 injured
A tornado hit north of Ruebens, Nez Perce County. A house and a barn were nearly leveled.

APR 26, 1940 4:00 pm 0 dead 2 injured
The widely visible funnel hit five farms west of Gooding. Three homes were destroyed.

APR 7, 1978 2:20 pm 0 dead 1 injured
Hit the edge of Idaho Falls, Bonneville County. Nine homes and 23 businesses had roof damage.

AUG 19, 1978 1:50 pm 0 dead 1 injured
A poorly-formed tornado did minor damage in Sandpoint, Bonner County; a woman was struck by a tree.

JUN 5, 1987 11:30 AM 0 dead 3 injured
A funnel cloud briefly touched down at a street fair in Pinehurst, Shoshone County.

JUN 11, 1993 3:40 pm 0 dead 2 injured
The funnel "skipped" to the northeast from south of Pocatello to Inkom, Bannock County.

APR 25, 1995 11:38 AM 0 dead 1 injured
Mobile homes were damage by a weak tornado near Blackfoot, Bingham County.

JLY 10, 1998 4:00 pm 0 dead 1 injured
A manufactured home was flipped over by an F0 tornado at Oreana in Owyhee County.



ILLINOIS: Tornadoes causing 20 or more deaths before 1953; five or more deaths after after and including 1953


FEB 19, 1888 4:30 pm 24 dead 80 injured
More than 300 homes and 50 businesses were destroyed in the northern half of Mt. Vernon.

MAY 27, 1896 6:30 pm 118 dead 1000 injured
After causing at least 137 deaths in St. Louis, Missouri, the tornado ripped apart East St. Louis.

MAY 27, 1896 6:45 pm 24 dead 125 injured
In the same family as the St. Louis tornado, this funnel killed 13 near New Baden.

MAY 26, 1917 12:10 pm 101 dead 638 injured
At Mattoon, the funnel destroying the northern half of town killing 53 people; 30 died at Charleston.

MAR 28, 1920 12:15 pm 20 dead 300 injured
Touching down at Maywood areas of Cook County, the tornado then hit Melrose Park and Dunning.

MAR 18, 1925 606 dead
Information on the Great Tri-State Tornado of 1925 can be found here.

MAR 19, 1948 6:30 AM 33 dead 449 injured
Homes were leveled at Fosterburg (nine dead), Bunker Hill (19 dead), and Gillespie (five dead).

DEC 18, 1957 4:45 pm 11 dead 200 injured
Near the path of the 1925 Tri-State Tornado this event caused ten deaths in Murphysboro.

APR 11, 1965 3:27 pm 6 dead 75 injured
A swath was cut across the SE edge of Crystal Lake in this Palm Sunday outbreak.

APR 21, 1967 3:50 pm 24 dead 500 injured
Seven people were killed at a shopping center, and at least 13 were killed at Belvidere High School.

APR 21, 1967 5:24 pm 33 dead 500 injured
This funnel hit Palos Hills, Oak Lawn, Hometown, Evergreen Park, and the south side of Chicago.

AUG 21, 1977 12:00 pm 6 dead 56 injured
A subdivision and trailer court were ripped apart at Lake Mattoon.

MAY 29, 1982 2:05 pm 10 dead 181 injured
At Marion, 161 homes and 47 businesses were destroyed. Outside Marion, 100 homes were destroyed.

AUG 28, 1990 2:30 pm 29 dead 350 injured
Plainfield and residential subdivision were hit. Deaths were in homes, schools, and apartments.



INDIANA: Tornadoes causing 10 or more deaths


MAR 23, 1913 9:30 pm 21 dead 250 injured
More than 300 homes destroyed at Terre Haute; subsequent flooding caused 12 more deaths.

MAR 11, 1917 2:55 pm 24 dead 110 injured
Most of the deaths were at the south edge of New Castle where 350 buildings were destroyed.

MAR 23, 1917 3:08 pm 46 dead 250 injured
300 homes were destroyed at New Albany; five (possibly 12) deaths were at the Olden Street School.

MAR 20, 1920 5:15 pm 13 dead 34 injured
In Allen County people died in the devastation of five farms and at Townley.

APR 17, 1922 3:00 pm 11 dead 35 injured
Home after home was leveled in and around Hedrick, Warren County.

MAR 18, 1925 5:00 pm 76 dead
Information on the Great Tri-State Tornado of 1925 can be found in here.

MAR 26, 1948 5:10 pm 19 dead 200 injured
About 40 farms were torn apart across Putnam County. The funnel then destroyed 80% of Coatsville.

MAY 21, 1949 5:15 pm 14 dead 251 injured
The worst damage was in the NW part of Shelburn where 160 homes were destroyed.

APR 11, 1965 5:45 pm 10 dead 82 injured
Three people died in cottages at Koontz Lake; others died near Lakeville and Wyatt.

APR 11, 1965 6:15 pm 14 dead 200 injured
A double-funnel tornado ripped apart the Midway Trailer Court between Elkhart and Goshen.

APR 11, 1965 6:40 pm 19 dead 100 injured
Dozens of homes were leveled at Rainbow Lake and Shore, near Shipshewana.

APR 11, 1965 7:10 pm 36 dead 320 injured
At Dunlap, 28 people died at the Sunnyside and Kingston Heights housing developments.

APR 11, 1965 7:20 pm 28 dead 123 injured
At Lebanon, 11 people died, six in one family. Ten more people died in the Sheridan area.

APR 11, 1965 7:25 pm 25 dead 835 injured
More than 90% of Russiaville was destroyed. 10 died near Kokomo, and 10 more at Greentown.

APR 3, 1974 3:19 pm 11 dead 190 injured
Hanover College was torn apart. North of Madison, the tornado destroyed 300 homes and killed seven people.

APR 3, 1974 4:50 pm 19 dead 362 injured
Two died at Monticello. Five died as a minibus was thrown into the Tippecanoe River.



IOWA: Tornadoes causing 10 or more deaths before 1953; three or more deaths after and including 1953


JUN 3, 1860 5:25 pm 24 dead 60 injured
A wide swath across Linn, Cedar, and Clinton Counties devastated pioneer farms.

JUN 3, 1860 6:20 pm 92 dead 175 injured
Twenty eight people died on farms near Dewitt, 41 died in Camanche, 23 on a raft in the Mississippi River.

APR 21, 1878 4:30 pm 10 dead 40 injured
A "monster black balloon" destroyed farms, swept across Storm Lake and hit the town.

APR 21, 1878 4:40 pm 17 dead 29 injured
Most of the deaths were in Sac County. A cow was supposedly carried 10 miles.

JUN 17, 1882 6:30 pm 68 dead 300 injured
Ten people died near Rippey, seven in Jasper County, 39 at Grinnell and 10 at Malcolm.

JLY 6, 1893 4:35 pm 71 dead 200 injured
Eighty percent of the homes in Pomeroy were destroyed; deaths were in four counties.

SEP 21, 1894 8:30 pm 25 dead 60 injured
At least 10 farms were leveled in Hancock County (14 dead); six died in Kossuth County, five in Worth County.

MAY 24, 1896 10:30 pm 21 dead 60 injured
Passing 10 miles north of Des Moines this tornado caused deaths at Bondurant, Valeria, and Mingo.

MAY 18, 1898 4:45 pm 18 dead 100 injured
This massive tornado killed 900 head of livestock near Elwood. Most human deaths were near Riggs.

MAR 23, 1913 6:15 pm 25 dead 75 injured
This tornado hit the south edge of Council Bluffs, killing 17 people. Others died in smaller towns.

OCT 14, 1966 1:55 pm 6 dead 172 injured
A tornado hit Belmond, where about 600 homes and 75 businesses were destroyed or damaged.

MAY 15, 1968 3:10 pm 13 dead 450 injured
The huge funnel passed directly through Charles City, destroying 337 homes, damaging 1,500.

MAY 15, 1968 3:57 pm 5 dead 156 injured
Homes were leveled and swept away at both Oelwein and Maynard, Fayette County.

SEP 16, 1978 7:25 pm 6 dead 45 injured
A father and daughter died in a trailer south of Laurel; south of Grinnell, four died at a truck stop.

JUN 28, 1979 6:02 pm 3 dead 26 injured
At least 110 homes and the Middle School were destroyed in Manson.



KANSAS: Tornadoes causing 10 or more deaths before 1953; five or more deaths after and including 1953


MAY 30, 1879 4:15 pm 18 dead 60 injured
Homes were "ground to pieces" near Irving. Riley, Marshall, and Nemaha counties were hit.

APR 21, 1887 5:30 pm 16 dead 250 injured
The approaching tornado was reported from Colony as feeling like an earthquake; 12 died at Prescott.

MAY 27, 1892 7:30 pm 17 dead 100 injured
Harper had three deaths; Two died south of Kellogg. Wellington lost 100 homes with 12 deaths.

JUN 21, 1893 6:30 pm 11 dead 30 injured
At least six farmhouses were swept away near Williamstown, Jefferson County; 6 died in one family.

MAY 17, 1896 5:00 pm 21 dead 200 injured
Seneca had six dead, Oneida six dead, and Sabetha three dead. Reserve had five dead.

MAY 8, 1905 11:45 pm 34 dead 50 injured
The funnel passed through the sleeping town of Marquette. Homes were leveled in and out of town.

NOV 10, 1915 7:00 pm 11 dead 75 injured
The story of the Great Bend tornado can be found elsewhere in this book.

MAY 25, 1917 2:00 pm 23 dead 70
The mile-wide funnel, swept away homes and entire farms near Andale and Sedgwick.

MAY 7, 1927 6:00 pm 10 dead 300 injured
This widely visible tornado destroyed 100 farms with deaths near Medicine Lodge, Kingman, and Hutchinson.

MAR 30, 1938 10:45 pm 10 dead 200 injured
The west and northwest part of Columbus was devastated.

APR 29, 1942 10:30 pm 15 dead 25 injured
Three entire families were killed near Oberlin; several inches of top soil swept away from the farms.

MAY 25, 1955 10:15 pm 82 dead 270 injured
Five children died near Oxford; more than half of the population of Udall were killed or injured.

MAY 20, 1957 6:15 pm 7 dead 31 injured
After hitting Spring Hill the tornado went on to kill 37 people near Kansas City, MO.

JUN 10, 1958 5:45 pm 15 dead 50 injured
The funnel devastated 200 homes in a 45-block area of El Dorado, Butler County.

JUN 8, 1966 7:00 pm 16 dead 406 injured
Nearly 4,000 homes were damaged or destroyed at Topeka.

JUN 8, 1974 5:00 pm 6 dead 220 injured
A shopping center, nursing home, trailer park, and residential area were destroyed at Emporia.

JUN 17, 1978 6:15 pm 16 dead 3 injured
This small tornado swept across Pomona Lake, and capsized the showboat Whippoorwill.

APR 26, 1991 4:55 pm 17 dead 225 injured
The story of the Wichita/Andover tornado is detailed in Tornado Video Classics-1 and in the book The Tornado.

MAY 3, 1999 7:30 pm 6 dead 150 injured
An F4 tornado cut a half-mile wide swath across Haysville and south Wichita.



KENTUCKY: Tornadoes causing 10 or more deaths before 1953; five or more deaths after and including 1953


AUG 27, 1854 25 dead 100 injured
Eighteen of the 25 deaths at Louisville occurred in the destruction of the Third Presbyterian Church.

JAN 12, 1890 5:00 pm 11 dead 53 injured
Fifty-five homes on the hillside area east of Clinton, Hickman County were destroyed.

MAR 27, 1890 5:15 pm 17 dead 170 injured
After crossing the Ohio River from Illinois, the tornado cut a swath from Livingston County to Davis County.

MAR 27, 1890 7:57 pm 76 dead 200 injured
This tornado hit downtown Louisville. About 44 deaths were at a meeting hall called Falls City Hall.

MAY 27, 1917 4:00 pm 65 dead 345 injured
Deaths were at Bondurant (21), west of Hickman (8), and Clinton (17).

MAR 18, 1925 5:00 pm 12 dead 20 injured
After causing 27 deaths in Tennessee, the tornado destroyed homes in Holland and Beaumont, Kentucky.

MAY 9, 1933 8:30 pm 36 dead 87 injured
Tompkinsville, Monroe County was devastated with 18 deaths; 14 died at Russell Springs.

MAR 16, 1942 5:40 pm 11 dead 50 injured
A dozen coal miner homes were swept away in rural Muhlenberg County.

APR 27, 1971 8:30 pm 6 dead 58 injured
Fifty-one homes were destroyed in the Columbia and Mount Pleasant Church areas of Green and Adair Cos.

APR 3, 1974 3:25 pm 31 dead 270 injured
An F5 tornado devastated Brandenburg where 128 homes and 30 businesses were destroyed.

APR 3, 1974 6:40 pm 8 dead 96 injured
Eight people were killed in five rural Clinton County communities; 50 homes were torn apart.

APR 3, 1974 7:20 pm 7 dead 27 injured
Thirty homes were destroyed near Richmond in Madison County.

APR 3, 1974 7:55 pm 6 dead 20 injured
More than a dozen homes were ripped apart near Fawbush, Science Hill, and Walnut Grove, Pulaski Co.



LOUISIANA: Tornadoes causing 15 deaths before 1953; three deaths after and including 1953


APR 24, 1908 5:00 AM 39 dead 150 injured
The worst destruction was on plantations in Concordia Parish: 52 others died in Mississippi.

APR 24, 1908 11:45 AM 47 dead 270 injured
Towns and plantations were ripped apart in four parishes; 29 died at Amite.

MAY 13, 1908 5:30 pm 49 dead 135 injured
Gilliam (34 dead), Caddo Parish and the edge of Bolinger (9 dead), Bossier Parish were devastated.

APR 4, 1923 6:00 pm 15 dead 150 injured
Hundreds of people watched the funnel as homes were leveled near Alexandria and Pineville.

MAY 1, 1933 4:00 pm 28 dead 400 injured
Minden damage totaled about $1,250,000 as 500 homes were damaged or destroyed.

FEB 17, 1938 9:40 pm 21 dead 50 injured
A tornado moved northeast through Rodessa, leveling a large section of that oil-boom town.

DEC 31, 1947 4:00 pm 18 dead 225 injured
Beginning north of Shreveport, the tornado devastated the town of Cotton Valley.

DEC 3, 1953 4:30 AM 7 dead 50 injured
Parts of Vernon, Rapides, and Grant parishes were ripped apart. Deaths were at Leander.

JAN 22, 1957 10:50 AM 3 dead 9 injured
The funnel just missed Princeton High School before ripping apart homes in that Bossier Parish town.

NOV 7, 1957 8:55 pm 3 dead 35 injured
Ninety eight homes were destroyed at Alexandria (two deaths). One woman died at Boyce.

NOV 7, 1957 9:30 pm 4 dead 12 injured
People died near the start of the path in Acadia Parish, and near the St. Landry Parish line.

SEP 12, 1961 1:00 pm 5 dead 37 injured
In this hurricane Carla-spawned tornado, about 20 small homes were destroyed in Hodge.

OCT 3, 1964 6:30 AM 22 dead 165 injured
Spawned by Hurricane Hilda, this tornado moved to the west across the northern part of Larose.

FEB 21, 1971 2:50 pm 10 dead 400 injured
In Madison Parish the tornado killed 10 people in one family, east of Delhi. Many died in Mississippi.

APR 8, 1993 1:20 pm 3 dead 39 injured
What was probably a tornadic waterspout struck land near the middle of Grand Isle, Jefferson Parish.

APR 3, 1999 4:03 pm 7 dead 90 injured
About 400 buildings were damaged or destroyed in a swath across Benton. All deaths were in mobile homes.



MAINE: Tornadoes causing a deaths or two injuries


JLY 8, 1890 6:30 pm 1 dead 2 injured
A dozen homes on the west side of Winthrop were hit. A woman was killed by a church belfry.

AUG 11, 1954 6:27 pm 1 dead 1 injured
One house was thrown into another and two barns were destroyed, nine miles north of Caribou.

JUN 10, 1965 4:50 pm 0 dead 3 injured
Two barns were destroyed near Deblois, Washington County.

AUG 13, 1976 7:00 pm 0 dead 2 injured
At Wells, York County a tornado touched down in the harbor and moved on shore, destroying homes.

JUN 18, 1994 11:15 AM 0 dead 2 injured
One or more weak tornadoes skipped from St. Francis to Portage Lake, Aroostook County.



MARYLAND: Tornadoes causing a death or at least 10 injuries


JUN 28, 1879 4:45 pm 0 dead 20 injured
About fifty buildings were unroofed in downtown Baltimore.

AUG 21, 1888 2:45 pm 0 dead 15 injured
A "grand spectacle" of four waterspouts near Jacobson overturned boats and moved ashore.

AUG 21, 1888 3:30 pm 11 dead 40 injured
A tornado moved east-northeast near Still Pond, Kent County, killing 10 people in a cannery.

NOV 9, 1926 2:35 pm 17 dead 65 injured
Most of the deaths (14) occurred at a small school outside La Plata, Charles County.

NOV 17, 1927 2:20 pm 0 dead 15 injured
After hitting Alexandria and D.C., the funnel tore apart a dozen homes in Hyattsville.

JLY 22, 1928 5:30 pm 1 dead 1 injured
A cottage was destroyed along the Potomac River in Charles County.

MAY 2, 1929 7:30 pm 2 dead 8 injured
A couple was killed as their farmhouse was destroyed west of Frederick.

MAY 2, 1929 9:30 pm 4 dead 4 injured
A home was destroyed, killing three people near Laytonsville, in Montgomery County.

AUG 19, 1939 0:15 AM 1 dead 20 injured
A hurricane-generated tornado crossed he 10-mile-wide mouth of the Potomac River estuary.

JUN 23, 1944 6:11 pm 3 dead 25 injured
The deadly tornado that crossed Pennsylvania hit Oakland, Garrett County; seven homes were destroyed.

JUN 23, 1944 11:15 pm 2 dead 33 injured
Thirteen homes and many other homes were destroyed at Cambridge, Dorchester County.

MAY 19, 1967 8:15 pm 1 dead 0 injured
East of Loch Lynn Heights, Garrett County, a small frame house was picked up and thrown 100 yards.

JUN 29, 1980 3:30 pm 0 dead 11 injured
A trailer park near the Aberdeen Reservation was ripped apart.

MAY 8, 1984 5:05 pm 1 dead 6 injured
A tornado destroyed a large chicken house near Hurlock, Dorchester County. One worker was killed.

OCT 18, 1990 3:30 pm 0 dead 59 injured
One of three Maryland tornadoes hit Reisterstown, Baltimore County; 50 homes were torn apart.



MASSACHUSETTS: Tornadoes causing a death


JLY 8, 1680 2:00 pm 1 dead 0 injured
The first confirmed tornado in America killed a servant at Cambridge.

JLY 10, 1759 1 dead 13 injured
One house at Leicester, Worcester County was "hurled into a thousand pieces."

SEP 14, 1810 1 dead
One house was "dashed to pieces" at Newbury, Essex County. A child was killed.

SEP 9, 1821 6:00 pm 2 dead 17 injured
People were killed in the north part of Orange and the south part of Warwick, Franklin County.

JLY 16, 1879 2:30 pm 2 dead 6 injured
Newspapers called it "the storm of the decade." The only tornado-related deaths were at Pittsfield.

JLY 26, 1890 9:10 AM 8 dead 63 injured
A rare early-morning tornado ripped apart 100 homes in the southern part of Lawrence.

JLY 17, 1924 11:15 AM 1 dead 14 injured
A man was crushed by a chimney at a paper mill in Fitchburg, Worcester County.

OCT 25, 1925 3:13 pm 1 dead 6 injured
A man was killed by a chimney brick as he ran for cover at Woburn, Middlesex County.

JLY 31, 1927 6:30 pm 1 dead 12 injured
A carriage house was thrown into a car and the car thrown into a tree at Rehobeth.

SEP 2, 1947 11:2O pm 1 dead 4 injured
A machine shop was destroyed in Brockton. The owner was killed.

JUN 9, 1953 3:25 pm 94 dead 288 injured
Most deaths were at Holden (9), Worcester (60), Shrewsbury (12), Westboro (6), Southboro (3).

AUG 9, 1972 1:30 pm 1 dead 6 injured
One person was killed when a cabana was thrown 18 feet at a cricket club in Newton.

AUG 28, 1973 1:00 pm 4 dead 31 injured
Moving from near Canaan, New York this tornado leveled a large truck stop in West Stockbridge.

AUG 10, 1979 2:00 pm 2 dead 2 injured
Near Paxton, Worcester County, two boys were killed by falling trees at a Boy Scout camp.

MAY 29, 1995 6:06 pm 3 dead 24 injured
A intense tornado cut a swath though rugged terrain in and near Great Barrington, Berkshire County,



MICHIGAN: Tornadoes causing five or more deaths before 1953; two or more deaths after and including 1953


MAY 25, 1896 9:00 pm 47 dead 100 injured
Deaths were at Ortonville (22), Oakwood (10), Thomas (3), North Oxford (4), and Whigville (3).

JUN 5, 1905 3:30 pm 5 dead 40 injured
Entire farms were "wiped out of existence" near Shabbona in Sanilac County.

MAY 21, 1953 4:21 pm 2 dead 68 injured
Two people were killed at Port Heron, Michigan and four others died at Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

JUN 8, 1953 6:25 pm 4 dead 18 injured
Before moving out over Lake Erie the tornado destroyed homes near Telegraph, Monroe County.

JUN 8, 1953 7:40 pm 4 dead 13 injured
Five vacation cabins were leveled near Big Island Lake, Iosco County.

JUN 8, 1953 8:30 pm 115 dead 844 injured
A devastating tornado moved east across the north part of Flint, obliterating homes on Coldwater Road.

APR 3, 1956 6:30 pm 18 dead 340 injured
This tornado destroyed part of Hudsonville, Standale, and homes west of Grand Rapids.

APR 3, 1956 6:35 pm 2 dead 24 injured
A tornado originated over Lake Michigan and ended in Grand Traverse Bay.

MAY 12, 1956 5:25 pm 3 dead 116 injured
Three hundred buildings were hit along the Dort Highway at the edge Flint.

MAY 8, 1964 4:59 pm 11 dead 224 injured
A short, wide and intense path was cut across the Anchor Bay area, north of Mt. Clemens.

APR 11, 1965 6:50 pm 5 dead 142 injured
Thirty two homes were destroyed and 192 damaged in the Comstock Park and Alpine (five deaths) area.

APR 11, 1965 7:00 pm 44 dead 612 injured
The death toll: Branch County (19), Hillsdale County (11), Lenawee County (14).

APR 3, 1974 7:30 pm 2 dead 31 injured
A couple was killed when a tree crushed their mobile home near Hillsdale.

MAY 13, 1980 2:58 pm 5 dead 79 injured
This tornado moved east following Main Street into the center of Kalamazoo; 47 homes were destroyed.



MINNESOTA: Tornado causing 10 or more deaths before 1953; four deaths after and including 1953


JLY 2, 1879 11:00 pm 11 dead 30 injured
Fatalities were all in the Vasa area of Goodhue County; 5 deaths were at an orphanage.

JLY 15, 1881 3:30 pm 20 dead 93 injured
Six died at New Ulm as 250 building were ripped apart; 12 died on farms in rural areas.

AUG 21, 1883 5:30 pm 37 dead 200 injured
A mile-wide tornado devastated the north side of Rochester. At least 10 farms were leveled.

APR 14, 1886 4:20 pm 72 dead 213 injured
Hit St. Cloud (24 deaths); Sauk Rapids (37 deaths) and a wedding party at Rice (11 deaths).

OCT 6, 1900 3:50 pm 10 dead 8 injured
Mining camps and other homes were destroyed in and around Biwabik, St. Louis County.

AUG 21, 1918 9:00 pm 36 dead 225 injured
The tornado hit Tyler, where more than 600 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed.

JUN 22, 1919 4:00 pm 57 dead 200 injured
Most of the deaths were in a three-block-wide swath as Fergus Falls became "a vast acreage of kindling."

AUG 17, 1946 6:40 pm 11 dead 100 injured
All deaths and most of the injuries were in cabins at the Green Gables tourist camp near Mankato.

MAY 10, 1953 5:00 pm 6 dead 3 injured
Six members of one family were killed in migrant worker shack near Hollandale.

MAY 6, 1965 8:40 pm 6 dead 150 injured
This erratic tornado was the third to hit Fridley this day.

APR 30, 1967 6:15 pm 6 dead 22 injured
The tornado followed Hwy 67 into Waseca destroying farms and a four-block-wide swath in town.

APR 30, 1967 6:23 pm 5 dead 35 injured
Twenty-six homes were destroyed at Albert Lea. The deaths were near Owatonna.

JUN 13, 1968 6:50 pm 9 dead 125 injured
A spectacular tornado passed through downtown Tracy, destroying 111 homes and damaging 198 others.

AUG 6, 1969 3:48 pm 12 dead 70 injured
The massive tornado hit near Stewart Lake, Outing, Third Guide Lake, Washburn Lake, and Hill City.

JLY 5, 1978 1:45 AM 4 dead 38 injured
About a third of the town of Gary was torn apart with three deaths; one person died at Fosston.



MISSISSIPPI: Tornadoes causing 20 deaths before 1953; 10 deaths after and including 1953


MAY 7, 1840 1:45 pm 317 dead 109 injured
At Natchez, at least 48 died on land and 269 on the river, most of those in the sinking of flatboats.

MAY 7, 1846 2:30 pm 21 dead 62 injured
At least 21 died at Grenada. It is likely that some of the 62 injured died from those injuries.

APR 25, 1880 8:30 pm 22 dead 72 injured
At least 20 homes were swept away in the northwest half of Macon, Noxubee County.

APR 22, 1883 3:00 pm 56 dead 300 injured
Wesson was devastated with 13 deaths; 29 died at Beauregard, 14 died at Georgetown.

NOV 20, 1900 2:25 pm 28 dead 100 injured
Plantations were devastated across Coahoma, Tunica, Tate, Desoto, and Marshall Counties.

MAR 2, 1906 6:10 pm 23 dead 60 injured
A devastating swath was cut across the southeast part of Meridian. Homes and factories were leveled.

APR 24, 1908 5:00 AM 52 dead 250 injured
After killing 39 in Louisiana, the funnel passed north of Natchez, killing people in three different counties.

APR 24, 1908 11:45 AM 96 dead 500 injured
After killing 47 in Louisiana, the tornado swept through Purvis, Lamar County with 55 deaths.

MAR 16, 1919 12:05 pm 24 dead 80 injured
Many large plantations were devastated in a swath from Issaquena County to Sunflower County.

APR 20, 1920 7:00 AM 24 dead 180 injured
Deaths were in rural communities such as Ingomar and Glen from Union to Tishomingo Counties.

APR 20, 1920 8:00 AM 44 dead 300 injured
Before killing 44 people in Alabama, this tornado caused 22 fatalities at Aberdeen.

APR 20, 1920 8:30 pm 27 dead 60 injured
Most of the deaths were at a lumber camp near New Deemer, just south of Philadelphia.

APR 20, 1920 9:55 pm 36 dead 200 injured
Fatalities were in small towns in Jasper, Clarke, and Lauderdale Counties.

MAR 31, 1933 10:30 AM 37 dead 170 injured
A massive tornado cut a devastating swath across Jones, Jasper, and Clarke Counties.

APR 5, 1936 8:55 pm 216 dead 700 injured
The northern half of Tupelo was devastated; 200 homes were leveled with up to 13 dead in one home.

MAR 16, 1942 3:00 pm 63 dead 500 injured
Fatalities were scattered across eight counties from Leflore County to Union County.

DEC 5, 1953 5:45 pm 38 dead 270 injured
This tornado crossed the south side of Vicksburg. At least 26 businesses were destroyed.

FEB 1, 1955 2:20 pm 20 dead 141 injured
At Commerce Landing, most of the deaths were at a plantation school, people also died in tenant homes.

MAR 3, 1966 4:00 pm 57 dead 504 injured
This tornado hit 1,000 homes at Jackson and 4 other counties; 19 people were killed in Jackson.

JAN 23, 1969 5:25 AM 32 dead 241 injured
The funnel cut a half-mile-wide swath across the south side of Hazelhurst, killing 11 people.

FEB 21, 1971 2:50 pm 36 dead 400 injured
After killing 10 people in Louisiana, 36 died in eight rural Mississippi towns, with 21 at Inverness.

FEB 21, 1971 4:00 pm 58 dead 700 injured
This tornado hit eight counties. South of Cary, 14 died and 21 people died at Pugh City.

APR 21, 1984 4:00 pm 15 dead 76 injured
Fatalities were in rural Leflore, Tallahatchie, Yalobusha, and Union Counties.

NOV 21, 1992 11:27 pm 12 dead 122 injured
Two people were killed in at Florence, Rankin County; four died at Brandon.



MISSOURI: Tornadoes causing 25 deaths before 1953: three or more deaths after and including 1953


APR 18, 1880 4:30 pm 31 dead 100 injured
This tornado devastated rural settlements near McDowell, Ozark, Linden, and Fordland.

APR 18, 1880 4:30 pm 99 dead 200 injured
Seven died at Springfield, the rest in the destruction of Marshfield, Webster County.

MAY 27, 1896 6:30 pm 137 dead 800 injured
Houses, factories, saloons, hospitals, mills, railroad yards, and churches were destroyed at St. Louis.

APR 27, 1899 6:10 pm 34 dead 125 injured
A violent tornado hit Kirksville, with deaths in at least 17 different families; 300 buildings were destroyed.

JUN 5, 1917 8:30 pm 20 dead 68 injured
Deaths and injuries were in eleven towns across Cooper, Boone, and Audrain Counties.

MAR 18, 1925 13
Information on the Great Tri-State Tornado of 1925 can be found here

MAY 9, 1927 2:35 pm 98 dead 300 injured
After causing five deaths in Arkansas, the tornado devastated Poplar Bluff; 21 died in one hotel.

SEP 29, 1927 1:00 pm 72 dead 550 injured
In downtown St. Louis, more than 200 city blocks were torn apart.

MAY 21, 1949 6:55 pm 23 dead 130 injured
This tornado passed across the northwest part of Cape Girardeau, destroying 203 homes.

MAY 20, 1957 6:15 pm 37 dead 531 injured
After causing seven deaths in Kansas, the funnel crossed into Missouri south of Kansas City.

MAY 21, 1957 3:53 pm 7 dead 75 injured
Only seven homes were left intact in Fremont, with possible F5 damage to homes.

MAY 21, 1957 4:00 pm 8 dead 50 injured
A tornado killed people in and near Desloge and Cantwell.

DEC 18, 1957 5:22 pm 3 dead 4 injured
The downtown area of Chaffee, Scott County was a "shambles" after a tornado swept down Main Street.

FEB 10, 1959 1:40 AM 21 dead 345 injured
At St. Louis, nearly 2,000 buildings were damaged; the fourth tornado to hit in this same area since 1871.

JAN 24, 1967 6:55 pm 3 dead 216 injured
About 2,000 homes were damaged from the western part of St. Louis County to the Mississippi River.

DEC 21, 1967 12:45 AM 3 dead 52 injured
The City Hall and a large portion of the business district of Potosi was destroyed.

JUN 22, 1969 6:35 pm 4 dead 55 injured
Moving to the east-southeast from Doe Run, the funnel passed near Farmington, St. Francois County.

NOV 24, 1973 4:45 AM 3 dead 1 injured
Two dozen frame homes were damaged and trailers were destroyed at Eminence, Shannon County.



MONTANA: Tornadoes causing a death or at least three injuries


MAY 15, 1883 0 dead 6 injured
Homes and other buildings were destroyed at a mining community, eight miles south of Butte.

JUN 10, 1923 2 dead 0 injured
Two men were killed by a falling tree as a tornado hit a copper mine near Rivulet in Mineral County.

JUN 15, 1924 2:30 pm 0 dead 7 injured
Three homes were destroyed at a farming community northwest of Great Falls.

JLY 4, 1927 3:30 pm 0 dead 6 injured
Barns were destroyed and livestock killed eight miles southwest of Suffolk, Fergus County.

MAY 22, 1933 6:00 pm 0 dead 12 injured
Ten buildings were destroyed in Baninville, Roosevelt County. The injuries were in a cafe.

MAY 8, 1934 6:30 pm 0 dead 7 injured
A dozen homes were unroofed and two service stations destroyed at Plentywood, Sheridan County.

SEP 16, 1946 5:15 pm 0 dead 3 injured
A small home was destroyed near Sidney, Richland County.

JLY 19, 1952 3:30 pm 1 dead 2 injured
A large farm near the North Dakota border was completely destroyed in Wibaux County.

JLY 9, 1983 6:37 pm 1 dead 1 injured
As the tornado passed near Vida, McCone County it threw a car, with two people, for 200 yards.

JLY 20, 1993 5:30 pm 0 dead 3 injured
Two mobile homes were destroyed in Rosebud County, two miles south of Lame Deer.



NEBRASKA: Tornadoes causing seven or more deaths before 1953; three deaths after and including 1953


JUN 3, 1890 8:30 pm 7 dead 40 injured
The "huge solid column" killed three people in Bradshaw and four on surrounding farms.

JUN 13, 1899 6:30 pm 11 dead 25 injured
The tornado passed directly through Herman, ripping apart about 90 % of the homes and businesses.

JUN 21, 1901 7:45 pm 10 dead 8 injured
Three farms were swept away in the Keya Paha Valley near Naper and Lynch, Boyd County.

JUN 5, 1908 8:30 pm 12 dead 30 injured
A tornado moved north, with some farms totally devastated; eight died near Carleton, four near Geneva.

MAR 23, 1913 5:45 pm 101 dead 350 injured
The tornado killed seven people at Ralston, and then hit Omaha, killing another 94.

JUN 7, 1953 3:15 pm 11 dead 5 injured
South of Arcadia, Valley County, 10 of the dead were members of a family killed during a reunion.

MAY 6, 1975 3:33 pm 3 dead 133 injured
This destructive tornado hit west-central Omaha destroying 287 homes and damaged more than 1,400 others.

JUN 3, 1980 9:16 pm 4 dead 110 injured
This was one of eight tornadoes to hit Grand Island on this "night of the twisters."



NEVADA: Tornadoes causing a death, an injury, or F2 damage


MAY 26, 1964 2:45 pm 0 dead 1 injured
A small tornado damaged outbuildings on a ranch near Yarington. One man was struck by flying debris.

JLY 16, 1973 12:23 pm 0 dead 1 injured
A small tornado touched down six miles north of Reno.

MAR 30, 1992 11:45 AM 0 dead 0 injured
One home was shifted and other partially unroofed at the extreme south edge of Las Vegas.



NEW HAMPSHIRE: Tornadoes causing a death or at least two injuries


MAY 23, 1782 3:00 pm 1 dead 2 injured
A child was killed in the destruction of a home near Claremont, Sullivan County.

AUG 15, 1787 0 dead 2 injured
A home with eight residents was destroyed at Rochester. Pieces were carried three miles.

MAY 12, 1814 1 dead 2 injured
Three boys were caught in a field south of Manchester. They ran to a barn, which collapsed.

SEP 9, 1821 5:45 pm 6 dead 30 injured
A long-lived and intense tornado hit Corydon, Lake Sunapee, Kearsarge Mountain, and north of Warner.

MAY 16, 1890 1 dead O injured
A man was killed as his barn was destroyed at New Market Junction, Rockingham County.

JLY 4, 1898 3:30 pm 3 dead 120 injured
This tornado moved across Hampton Beach. Three people were killed by timbers at a roller skating rink.

SEP 13, 1928 3:30 pm 0 dead 2 injured
Homes were unroofed and barns were destroyed from south of Troy to West Rindge, Cheshire County.

JLY 23, 1946 11:18 AM 1 dead 1 injured
Eight homes were damaged at the northwest edge of Concord. A boy was killed in a shed.

JLY 12, 1967 4:35 pm 0 dead 5 injured
Injuries were in a campground at Indian Powwow Encampment at Epsom.

JUN 9, 1953 4:20 pm 0 dead 15 injured
Passing across the north edge of Exeter; 15 homes and businesses were unroofed or damaged.

JLY 3, 1972 2:20 pm 0 dead 7 injured
Three cottages were moved off their foundations at Loon Pond near Gilmanton; 10 cottages were damaged.



NEW JERSEY: Tornadoes causing a death before 1953; eight or more injuries after and including 1953


JUN 19, 1835 5:12 pm 5 dead 40 injured
This historic tornado moved east, cutting a devastating path through the heart of New Brunswick.

AUG 3, 1885 3:20 pm 4 dead 50 injured
The funnel moved northeast from south Philadelphia across the Delaware River to Camden, New Jersey.

JUN 30, 1892 1:15 pm 2 dead 3 injured
A small along the shoreline at Camden, killed people as a pavilion shelter collapsed.

JLY 13, 1895 3:55 pm 3 dead 30 injured
The worst damage was in the Cherry Hill area, north of Hackensack, where four homes were destroyed.

MAY 28, 1896 2:22 pm 2 dead 8 injured
After killing two people in Pennsylvania the tornado caused two deaths south of Trenton.

JLY 22, 1903 3:00 pm 2 dead 100 injured
This tornado moved across the southern part of Patterson. Six homes were destroyed.

APR 1, 1929 4:30 pm 1 dead 4 injured
After destroying a bridge over the Delaware River the tornado destroyed a barn west of Blairstown.

AUG 25, 1941 11:30 AM 1 dead 24 injured
One person died when the tornado at Swedesboro blew down a chimney and crushed a truck.

JLY 13, 1956 1:26 pm 0 dead 8 injured
A brief tornado at Haddon Heights, Camden County, threw a truck, tore roofs, and blew out glass.

MAY 28, 1973 7:55 pm 0 dead 12 injured
The roof and wall of homes were partially torn from a dozen homes in Flanders.

OCT 5, 1985 9:45 AM 0 dead 8 injured
A tornado skipped from Edison to Woodbridge and to Elizabeth, injuries were in a school band.

OCT 18, 1990 6:07 pm 0 dead 8 injured
At Montgomery in Somerset County, three homes were destroyed and 21 were damaged.



NEW MEXICO: Tornadoes causing a death or at least five injuries


MAY 31, 1930 5:10 pm 2 dead 13 injured
Two men were killed as an auto repair garage was destroyed at Wagon Mound, Mora County.

JUNE 5, 1931 1:00 pm 1 dead 1 injured
Much of Sedan was ripped apart. At Texline a girl was killed in a brooder house.

JUN 25, 1960 6:00 pm 0 dead 34 injured
A tornado struck the Philmont Scout Ranch and destroyed the chapel and some camping facilities.

MAY 29, 1964 12:03 pm 1 dead 8 injured
A tornado moved northeast through Maxwell, Colfax County. More than 50 homes were destroyed.

OCT 10, 1974 2:00 pm 1 dead 8 injured
This was one of four tornadoes that hit Canoncito, Valencia County. An infant was killed in a trailer.

MAY 31, 1991 7:42 pm 0 dead 21 injured
A tornado passed southeast of Carlsbad, destroying 14 mobile homes and damaging 37 other buildings.

JUN 6, 1991 4:15 pm 0 dead 5 injured
This was one of four or five tornadoes that formed southwest of Hobbs and passed south of that town.

JUN 7, 1992 7:10 pm 0 dead 6 injured
On the west edge of Carlsbad the roof of a restaurant collapsed, injuring six people.

JLY 25, 1996 2:25 pm 0 dead 5 injured
Eleven homes and seven businesses were destroyed at Cimarron; injuries were in mobiles homes.



NEW YORK: Tornadoes causing two or more deaths


JUN 13, 1857 4:00 pm 2 dead 1 injured
What was called a "funnel-shaped black moving body of nebulous character" hit the edge of Utica.

SEP 28, 1884 5:20 pm 3 dead 31 injured
A balloon-shaped tornado ripped apart the east half of Shongo, Allegany County.

SEP 15, 1912 5:25 pm 3 dead 40 injured
This tornado moved from the outlet of Onondaga Lake, and passed just north of the Syracuse city limits.

JLY 19, 1935 3:30 pm 2 dead 2 injured
A mother and daughter were killed as their farmhouse was destroyed near Philadelphia, Jefferson County.

MAY 2, 1983 4:05 pm 2 dead 2 injured
A tornado destroyed 100 buildings after moving over Chautauqua Lake.

SEP 3, 1993 1:15 pm 2 dead 0 injured
Near Batavia, a delivery van was dropped onto an oncoming tractor trailer. Both drivers were killed.

The following event was called a tornado by the NWS. However, experts in severe storm analysis later concluded that it was a microburst, not a tornado. The event continues to be erroneously listed as a tornado by the NWS. At this time, it is prudent not to speculate why it was called a tornado in the first place. Professor Fujita's survey of the Coldenham microburst can be seen here. Additional details about the event can be found in The Tornado.

NOV 16, 1989 12:05 pm 9 dead 18 injured
Nine children were killed at the Coldenham School in Orange County when a cafeteria wall was blown over.



NORTH CAROLINA: Tornadoes causing four or more deaths


MAR 20, 1875 3:30 pm 5 dead 30 injured
Deaths occurred on plantations south of Florence and in Marion County.

FEB 19, 1884 8:00 pm 4 dead 50
Both large and small homes were destroyed in a swath across Union, Anson, Richmond, and Montgomery counties.

FEB 19, 1884 9:30 pm 23 dead 100 injured
Two people died in the Pee Dee area; 15 other died in the town of Philadelphia.

APR 30, 1924 12:30 pm 4 dead 5 injured
A small home and a sawmill were destroyed north of Pittsboro, Chatham County.

JAN 5, 1931 4:45 pm 6 dead 10 injured
A man and his four sons were killed as their home was swept away near Norlina.

APR 2, 1936 7:12 pm 14 dead 144 injured
About 300 buildings were damaged or destroyed in a swath along the south side of Greensboro.

APR 19, 1943 7 dead 15 injured
A tornado damaged or destroyed every building in the town of Roxobel.

APR 8, 1957 7:30 pm 4 dead 64 injured
Between Roseboro and Parkersburg, about 20 homes were destroyed and four people were killed.

MAR 28, 1984 7:45 pm 12 dead 101 injured
Deaths were at Beaver Dam (2), Salemburg (1), Roseboro (2), and Clinton (6).

MAR 28, 1984 8:45 pm 16 dead 153 injured
Six people were killed near Snow Hill, two at Ayden, one at Winterville, and six near Greenville.

MAR 28, 1984 8:55 pm 6 dead 19 injured
This tornado struck a trailer park near Lewiston, killing five members of one family.

NOV 28, 1988 1:00 AM 4 dead 154 injured
The funnel crossed the northwest part of Raleigh, New Hope, Justice, Ita, Halifax, and Jackson.

MAY 5, 1989 5:54 pm 4 dead 52 injured
Damage was in the millions as the funnel cut a swath across Cleveland, Lincoln, and Catawba counties.



NORTH DAKOTA: Tornadoes causing four or more deaths


MAY 29, 1909 6:00 pm 5 dead 30 injured
About half of the town of Langdon, Cavalier County was destroyed; deaths were in four different homes.

AUG 20, 1911 6:30 pm 5 dead 30 injured
One child died on a farm in Renville County as a home was blown away. Two people died on farm southwest of Antler.

JUN 24, 1923 8:30 pm 8 dead 20 injured
Three people were killed just north of Bucyrus. Five died in two ranch homes eight miles north of Hettinger.

MAY 22, 1933 7:00 pm 4 dead 8 injured
The tornado cut a swath across Hettinger and Grant counties; four children died on one farm.

JLY 1, 1935 3:30 pm 4 dead 7 injured
A half-mile-wide funnel devastated farms across McKenzie and Mountrail counties.

JLY 3, 1947 6:30 pm 7 dead 14 injured
Near Auburn, about five miles northwest of Grafton, seven migrant workers were killed and 14 were injured.

JUN 20, 1957 6:28 pm 10 dead 103 injured
More than 1,300 homes were damaged or destroyed at Fargo, with some completely swept away.

JLY 4, 1978 8:34 pm 5 dead 35 injured
About 45 homes and trailers were torn apart at Elgin; deaths were in a car, a truck, and an RV.



OHIO: Tornadoes causing five or more deaths


APR 27, 1884 4:30 pm 5 dead 40 injured
At Jamestown, 186 homes were damaged or destroyed, which was about two-thirds of the town.

MAY 14, 1886 10:00 pm 5 dead 20 injured
After causing one death in Indiana the tornado destroyed farms northwest of Celina, Mercer County.

MAY 14, 1886 11:30 pm 11 dead 25 injured
Described as "an immense balloon" the funnel destroyed much of Dunkirk and Cary.

MAR 28, 1920 5:15 pm 10 dead 14 injured
After killing 13 in Indiana, the tornado killed six people near Brunersburg and five near Lightsville.

JUN 28, 1924 4:35 pm 85 dead 300 injured
This tornado hit Sandusky (eight dead), and swept across Lake Erie to Lorain (64 dead).

JUN 8, 1953 7:00 pm 8 dead 48 injured
Homes were swept away across Wood and Sandusky Counties; 5 died in one home west of Cygnet.

JUN 8, 1953 9:08 pm 8 dead 300 injured
This tornado passed south of Elyria, hit the edge of airport, then onto Lake Erie at Cleveland (5 dead).

APR 11, 1965 9:30 pm 13 dead 104 injured
Homes and farms were leveled from Lima to Carey (two deaths) to Bluffton (five deaths), Allen County.

APR 11, 1965 9:35 pm 16 dead 236 injured
A tornado hit the edge of Toledo, about 50 homes were destroyed. Two people died in Michigan.

APR 23, 1968 3:55 pm 7 dead 107 injured
The funnel crossed the Ohio River and hit a train. At Wheelersburg, seven people were killed.

MAY 10, 1973 4:40 pm 5 dead 100 injured
Trailer homes were obliterated at Willard as the tornado hit Seneca and Huron counties.

APR 3, 1974 3:30 pm 34 dead 1150
A large multiple-vortex tornado devastated a large portion of Xenia. More than 2,000 homes were hit.

MAY 31, 1985 5:30 pm 8 dead 210 injured
An F5 tornado destroyed parts of Newton Falls, Lordstown, Niles, Coalburg, and Hubbard.



OKLAHOMA: Tornadoes causing 15 deaths before 1953; five or more deaths after and including 1953


MAY 8, 1882 6:15 pm 21 dead 42 injured
Most of the mining community of McAlester (now in Pittsburg County) was destroyed.

APR 25, 1893 6:30 pm 31 dead 100 injured
The pioneer town of Moore, Cleveland County was nearly obliterated by a mile-wide tornado.

MAY 10, 1905 6:45 pm 97 dead 150 injured
This large and violent tornado began near Olustee, Jackson County and devastated Snyder.

JAN 4, 1917 11:00 AM 16 dead 20 injured
The poorly constructed Choctaw Indian Baptist Mission school was destroyed at Vireton.

MAY 2, 1920 8:35 pm 71 dead 100 injured
The small town of Peggs, Cherokee County was destroyed and a third of the population was killed.

NOV 19, 1930 9:30 AM 23 dead 125 injured
The tornado moved northwest from Oklahoma City, hitting Bethany, destroying a fourth of the town.

APR 27, 1942 3:15 pm 52 dead 350 injured
About a third of Pryor, a wartime boomtown of poorly built homes, was destroyed.

MAY 2, 1942 3:30 pm 16 dead 80 injured
Small homes were destroyed near Paden, Boley, and Welty; 12 died at Childsville.

JUN 12, 1942 8:41 pm 35 dead 100 injured
This funnel cut an erratic path in southwest Oklahoma City, destroying more than 70 homes.

APR 12, 1945 5:40 pm 69 dead 353 injured
At Antlers, Pushmataha County, about a third of that town, more than 600 buildings, were destroyed.

APR 9, 1947 6:05 pm 113 dead 900 injured
This deadliest tornado of the 1940s killed at least 107 people in the northern half of Woodward.

MAY 25, 1955 9:26 pm 20 dead 280 injured
A tornado moved northwest through the heart of Blackwell. About 400 homes were destroyed.

MAY 5, 1960 7:10 pm 16 dead 106 injured
The tornado swept through Wilburton killing 13 people and destroying 82 homes; three died at Keota.

MAY 5, 1961 5:20 pm 16 dead 58 injured
Twelve people were killed at Howe and four died at Reichert, LeFlore County.

JUN 8, 1974 3:55 pm 14 dead 150 injured
The tornado hit the northwest part of Drumright. Six people were killed in a nursing home.

APR 24, 1993 5:50 pm 7 dead 100 injured
This tornado, largely hidden by rain and dust, hit Tulsa and western Rogers County.

MAY 3, 1999 5:23 pm 38 dead 800 injured
An massive F5 tornado devastated Bridge Creek (10) parts of Moore (8), Del City (5), and Oklahoma City (12).



OREGON: Tornadoes causing a death, an injury, or F2 damage


JUN 14, 1888 3 dead 5 injured
A woman and two children were killed in three homes at Lexington, Morrow County.

JUN 3, 1894 3 dead 10 injured
A tornado moved due north from mountain slopes, south of Long Creek, Grant County.

APR 5, 1972 12:30 pm 0 dead 0 injured
The funnel first touched down north of Portland. Six people died at Vancouver, Washington.

DEC 8, 1993 2:00 pm 0 dead 0 injured
A tornado hit near Newburg, destroying buildings and trees on a dairy farm and a horse ranch.

SEP 15, 1996 5:21 pm 0 dead 1 injured




PENNSYLVANIA: Tornadoes causing three or more deaths


MAY 30, 1860 12:05 pm 7 dead 30 injured
A tornado "resembling a whirlwind of fire and smoke" hit 20 homes near Maysville.

JLY 4, 1874 6 dead 20 injured
Deaths were in a factory and under a bridge near Lewistown, Mifflin County.

JUN 30, 1882 7:10 pm 3 dead 32 injured
The center of Coaltown, Butler County was ripped apart; debris was scattered for miles.

AUG 19, 1890 5:20 pm 16 dead 60 injured
The funnel was seen first as "a column of smoke" at the north edge of South Wilkes-Barre.

SEP 7, 1893 4:00 pm 3 dead 20 injured
Homes and barns were swept away near East Troy, Granville Center, and Franklindale, Bradford County.

AUG 21, 1914 5:50 pm 7 dead 75 injured
This tornado moved north along the edge of Wilkes-Barre. Twenty homes were unroofed or destroyed.

JUN 23, 1944 6:11 pm 26 dead 300 injured
In Greene County, the tornado leveled many homes, killing 22 people, 10 of whom were at Chartiers.

JUN 23, 1944 6:30 pm 17 dead 200 injured
All deaths took place at McKeesport, Dravosburg, Port Vue, Versailles, Boston, and Greenock.

JUN 7, 1947 2:28 pm 3 dead 100 injured
After killing three people near Warren, Ohio three more were killed in Sharon, Pennsylvania.

MAY 31, 1985 3:59 pm 12 dead 82 injured
At Albion, the tornado devastated an area ten blocks long and two blocks wide in the center of town.

MAY 31, 1985 4:17 pm 16 dead 125 injured
This tornado hit Atlantic (5 dead), Hannasville, Cooperstown, Sheakleyville, and Dempseytown.

MAY 31, 1985 5:30 pm 7 dead 30 injured
A tornado moved through Venango and Forest Counties passing near Tionesta, German Hill, and Starr.

MAY 31, 1985 5:30 pm 10 dead 100 injured
A tornado hit Niles, OH, and then Wheatland, PA, where 95% of the town's industry was destroyed.

MAY 31, 1985 7:00 pm 4 dead 40 injured
Most of the destruction was at Kane as the tornado hit Warren, McKean, and Elk Counties.

MAY 31, 1985 7:10 pm 9 dead 120 injured
Shopping centers, homes, and businesses were destroyed across Beaver and Butler Counties.

MAY 31, 1985 8:25 pm 6 dead 60 injured
Campers, trailers, homes, and businesses were destroyed across Lycoming, Union, and Northumberland Cos.

JLY 27, 1994 11:45 pm 3 dead 25 injured
An intense tornado touched down in Limerick, passing through a development called "The Hamlet."



RHODE ISLAND: Tornadoes causing an injury or F2 and greater damage


AUG 15, 1787 5:00 pm 0 dead 0 injured
Homes were unroofed in the northern part of Gloucester, Providence County.

AUG 30, 1838 4:00 pm 0 dead 5 injured
The "enormous elephant truck" passed five miles south of Providence.

AUG 7, 1986 4:15 pm 0 dead 20 injured
A tornado moved east-northeast from Cranston to South Providence.



SOUTH CAROLINA: Tornadoes causing 10 or more deaths before 1953; five or more deaths after and including 1953


SEP 10, 1811 12:30 pm 11 dead injured
A hurricane-generated tornado moved to the NW across the center of Charleston.

JUN 30, 1814 23
A tornado moved over Port Royal Sound, Beaufort County. and hit the schooner Alligator, sinking it.

APR 16, 1879 3:45 pm 11 dead 60 injured
Homes and a turpentine plantation were destroyed in and near Walterboro, Colleton County.

APR 30, 1924 11:00 AM 53 dead 534 injured
People died in schools and rural homes in six counties from near Aiken to Timmonsville.

APR 30, 1924 2:45 pm 14 dead 144 injured
All the deaths were in rural communities as the tornado ripped a swath across Florence County.

MAY 5, 1933 2:30 pm 19 dead 100 injured
Hit the north edge of Anderson. Most of the deaths were in homes and mill buildings at Belton.

SEP 29, 1938 8:00 AM 27 dead 80 injured
A tornado caused great damage on Market and Broad streets in Charleston. Many buildings collapsed.

APR 16. 1944 1:00 AM 16 dead 200 injured
People were killed at Abbeville, Ninety-Six, Prosperity, and Greenwood.

MAR 31, 1973 7:35 pm 7 dead 30 injured
This tornado hit east of Calhoun Falls and passed across the north part of Abbeville.

MAY 19, 1974 10:00 pm 6 dead 1 injured
Six people were killed when a tornado hit a boat at Murrells Inlet, Georgetown County.

MAR 28, 1984 6:00 pm 5 dead 49 injured
The tornado moved across part of Winnsboro, crossed Wateree Lake in Kershaw County.

MAR 28, 1984 7:10 pm 7 dead 100 injured
The funnel hit a shopping center at Bennettsville and killed people in rural Marlboro County.



SOUTH DAKOTA: Tornadoes causing four or more deaths before 1953; two or more deaths after and including 1953


JLY 21, 1884 1:30 pm 4 dead 15 injured
Deaths were in four separate farmhouses in a swath across Minnehaha County.

AUG 28, 1884 4:30 pm 4 dead 2 injured
Four people died on a farm that was destroyed south of Bridgewater. Three died in the open.

AUG 15, 1886 6:00 pm 4 dead 15 injured
The entire town of Newark, Marshall County was destroyed; people died on farms outside of town. AUG 14, 1898 6:15 pm 8 dead 6 injured A half-mile-wide tornado passed north of Clear Lake, Deuel County. Deaths were on two farms.

MAY 27, 1899 5:30 pm 7 dead 3 injured
Farmhomes were swept away near Bijou Hills and Academy. All deaths were in one home.

SEP 13, 1928 4:00 pm 4 dead 19 injured
Near Irene, a family was killed as they were about the enter the storm cellar. Davis was destroyed.

JUN 17, 1944 5:15 pm 8 dead 43 injured
Farm devastation occurred south of Wilmot, Roberts County. None of this outbreak is on official records.

JLY 31, 1966 7:30 pm 2 dead 4 injured
North of Long Lake, McPherson County, two adults were killed as a car was thrown 500 feet.

MAY 30, 1998 7:30 pm 6 dead 150 injured
Most of the small town of Spencer, McCook County, was engulfed by a tornado. All fatalities were elderly.



TENNESSEE: Tornadoes causing 25 or more deaths before 1953; five or more deaths after and including 1953


NOV 20, 1900 9:30 pm 27 dead 75 injured
Most deaths were in a rural community just west of Columbia; homes were "turned into kindling."

APR 29, 1909 11:00 pm 29 dead 70 injured
Homes were obliterated in "Bee Springs" and near Millville in Lincoln County.

OCT 14, 1909 5:30 pm 24 dead 80 injured
Destroyed were Stantonville (15 dead) and Pittsburg Landing (six dead) near the Shiloh Battlefield.

MAR 11, 1923 8:00 pm 20 dead 70 injured
Two people died at Deanburg, and at least 18 were killed in the destruction of Pinson, Madison County.

MAR 18, 1925 5:00 pm 27 dead 70 injured
Homes were swept away in many communities, including Keytown, Angle, Oak Grove, and Liberty.

MAY 10, 1933 0:15 AM 35 dead 150 injured
A midnight tornado moved from near Livingston to near Byrdstown; 35 died in the "Beatty Swamps."

MAR 21, 1952 10:45 pm 38 dead 157 injured
Four people were killed near Bolivar, Hardeman Co. The rest died near Henderson, Chester County.

APR 3, 1974 6:25 pm 6 dead 20 injured
After causing sixteen deaths in Alabama the tornado destroyed homes near Flintville, Tennessee.

APR 3, 1974 7:00 pm 5 dead 20 injured
The deaths were in Franklin County, including a woman and her son who were killed by a falling basement wall.

APR 3, 1974 7:15 pm 10 dead 51 injured
Fifty homes were destroyed by a tornado that passed southeast of Cookeville, Putnam County.

APR 3, 1974 7:30 pm 5 dead 6 injured
At least a dozen homes were leveled at Moodyville, Pickett County.

APR 3, 1974 7:50 pm 7 dead 150 injured
Four different subdivisions were torn apart at Jamestown, Fentress County.

JAN 19, 1988 11:52 AM 3 dead 24 injured
A total of 33 frame and mobile homes were destroyed, 12 of them south of Williston, Fayette County.

MAY 18, 1995 3:32 pm 3 dead 32 injured
A tornado touched down near Deerfield, passed through Ethridge and lifted near Campellville.

JAN 17, 1999 6:25 pm 6 dead 106 injured
An F4 tornado damaged or destroyed more than 500 homes in the southern part of Jackson.



TEXAS: Tornadoes causing 20 or more deaths before 1953; 10 or more deaths after and including 1953


APR 28, 1893 9:30 pm 23 dead 150 injured
The entire town of Cisco was either destroyed or severely damaged. Half the population was homeless.

MAY 15, 1896 4:30 pm 73 dead 200 injured
The tornado cut through the west side of Sherman, contracting from 400 yards wide to just 60 yards.

MAY 18, 1902 3:45 pm 114 dead 250 injured
At Goliad, about 85 people died within the first few hours of the tornado's passage.

MAY 30, 1909 0:15 AM 34 dead 70 injured
This tornado cut a very narrow and intense damage path through Zephyr shortly after midnight.

APR 9, 1919 4:15 pm 24 dead 100 injured
Up to a mile wide, the tornado devastated farms and towns across Wood, Camp, and Titus Counties.

May 14, 1923 4:30 AM 23 dead 250 injured
This massive, violent tornado completely swept away ranch houses across Howard and Mitchell Counties.

APR 12, 1927 7:45 pm 74 dead 205 injured
A mile-wide funnel enveloped Rock Springs, destroying 235 of the town's 247 buildings.

MAY 6, 1930 3:30 pm 41 dead 200 injured
Sixteen people died on farms south of Bynum and Mertens. At least 22 people were killed at Frost.

MAY 6, 1930 4:45 pm 26 dead 30 injured
Only three brick buildings remained standing after a tornado devastated Frost.

APR 9, 1947 6:05 pm 68 dead 970 injured
This historic tornado destroyed Glazier, and much of Higgins before hitting Woodward, Oklahoma.

MAR 13, 1953 2:15 pm 17 dead 60 injured
Rural homes near Jud, O'Brien, and Knox City were swept away; five died in one home.

MAY 11, 1953 2:15 pm 13 dead 159 injured
About 519 homes, 19 businesses, and 150 cars were hit at San Angelo.

MAY 11, 1953 4:10 pm 114 dead 597 injured
Two hours after the San Angelo tornado, a massive tornado devastated downtown Waco.

APR 2, 1957 4:15 pm 10 dead 216 injured
This tornado at Dallas was among the most photographed and studied tornadoes of the twentieth century.

MAY 15, 1957 9:35 pm 20 dead 80 injured
A eight-block-long swath was cut through the town of Silverton, Briscoe County.

APR 18, 1970 1:00 AM 17 dead 41 injured
The tornado struck first west of Clarendon then hit the Sherwood Shores resort at Green Belt Reservoir.

MAY 11, 1970 8:35 pm 28 dead 500 injured
This tornado plowed through downtown Lubbock, destroying and damaging more than 1,000 residences.

APR 10, 1979 3:20 pm 11 dead 67 injured
The funnel hit the south and east sides of Vernon, sweeping cars off US-287, killing seven people.

APR 10, 1979 5:50 pm 45 dead 1740 injured
The massive tornado devastated entire housing developments as it passed through Wichita Falls.

APR 2, 1982 4:00 pm 10 dead 170 injured
The northern part of Paris was hit with six deaths occurring out in the open.

MAY 22, 1987 7:16 pm 30 dead 121 injured
The deadliest tornado of the decade touched down southwest of Saragosa, wiping out 85% of the town.

MAY 27, 1997 2:20 pm 27 dead 12 injured
The Double Creek area of Jarrell was literally wiped of the face of the Earth; no debris remained at some home sites.



UTAH: Tornadoes causing one or more injuries


AUG 14, 1968 10:53 AM 0 dead 1 injured
The front of a small home was destroyed at West Weber. Its roof was carried 220 feet.

APR 23, 1990 4:45 pm 0 dead 1 injured
A person was thrown from a bicycle as a weak tornado touched down in Farr West, near Ogden, Weber County.

JUN 2, 1993 4:20 pm 0 dead 2 injured
In Davis County, a small tornado injured people at a Little League baseball game.

MAY 29, 1996 4:30 pm 0 dead 1 injured
Trees and automobiles were damaged along a one mile path in North Ogden. A woman was injured by flying glass.

AUG 20, 1998 5:30 pm 0 dead 6 injured
All injuries were from flying debris at a campground in eastern Weber County.

AUG 11, 1999 12:55 pm 1 dead 100 injured
Many buildings were damaged in downtown Salt Lake City. Death and injuries were at an outdoor trade show.



VIRGINIA: Tornadoes causing three or more deaths


APR 24, 1896 4:30 pm 3 dead 5 injured
The tornado moved northeast at Salem, Roanoke County, destroying a bowling alley and a home.

MAY 2, 1929 12:55 pm 13 dead 100 injured
A tornado at Rye Cove, 15 miles northwest of Gate City, Scott County, destroyed the school.

MAY 2, 1929 3:30 pm 3 dead 30 injured
Homes and a school were torn apart as the funnel passed through Woodville, Rappahannock County.

MAY 2, 1929 8:15 pm 6 dead 15 injured
Deaths were at LaGrange and Weaversville in a swath across Culpeper and Fauquier Counties.

MAY 20, 1938 3:30 pm 3 dead 2 injured
A house was destroyed south of Farnham, Richmond County, killing a mother and two children.

APR 24, 1944 6:00 pm 3 dead 6 injured
Homes and barns were destroyed on seven farms near North View and South Hill.

SEP 30, 1959 4:30 pm 11 dead 9 injured
Ten people died near Ivy in a frail duplex that had been used as the apple pickers' bunk house.

AUG 6, 1993 12:30 pm 4 dead 246 injured
Virginia's first confirmed violent tornado cut across the historic commercial district of Petersburg.



VERMONT: Tornadoes causing an injury


AUG 9, 1829 5:00 pm 0 dead 1 injured
The tornado moved across southern Caledonia County, destroying barns at Peacham and Barnet.

AUG 3, 1970 3:25 pm 0 dead 7 injured
A waterspout moved from Lake Champlain to the south part of Swanton, injuring people in a cabin.



WASHINGTON: Tornadoes causing a death or injury


DEC 12, 1969 2:15 pm 0 dead 1 injured
A waterspout on the southern part of Puget Sound moved ashore near Saltwater State Park.

APR 5, 1972 12:30 pm 6 dead 304 injured
From Oregon, the tornado swept into Vancouver, hit a school, and killed people at a shopping center.

APR 5, 1972 5:30 pm 0 dead 1 injured
A trailer was destroyed at Creston, critically injuring one woman.

JLY 17, 1978 4:00 pm 0 dead 0 injured
A home was unroofed west of Newport, Pend Oreille County.

JUN 29, 1989 3:30 pm 0 dead 1 injured
Trees were blown down by a small tornado near LaCenter, Clark County; a car was lifted six feet.



WEST VIRGINIA: Tornadoes causing a death


MAY 30, 1889 3:30 pm 2 dead 2 injured
Two men were killed at Falling Waters, Berkeley County. The men had hidden in a shed as the funnel approached.

MAY 30, 1909 2 dead
One man who died in a barn at Falling Water left a wife and 14 children.

MAY 29, 1910 10:00 pm 1 dead 40 injured
A tornado passed four miles west of Charleston, killing a man as he ran for cover.

JUN 18, 1928 10:00 pm 1 dead 2 injured
Two homes were destroyed in a brief touchdown south of Sisterville, Tyler County.

JUN 23, 1944 6:30 pm 100 dead 381 injured
Deaths: Marion Co (3); Harrison County (72): Taylor Co. (9); Barbour Co. (9); Randolph Co. (7).

JUN 23, 1944 10:25 pm 3 dead 25 injured
A tornado moved southeast through Thomas, Tucker County with about 50 homes damaged or destroyed.

MAY 2, 1948 8:30 pm 4 dead 78 injured
One person was killed in a home at Big Isaac. Three people were killed in a car in that area.

APR 4, 1974 3:26 AM 1 dead 21 injured
From near Beckley, the funnel passed along the south edge of Fayette County, hitting Meadow Bridge.



WISCONSIN: Tornadoes causing 10 or more deaths before 1953; three or more deaths after and including 1953


JUN 28, 1865 4:00 pm 22 dead 100 injured
At Viroqua, Vernon County, nine of the deaths were in a school.

MAY 23, 1878 3:00 pm 17 dead 45 injured
Deaths were at Mineral Point and in a schoolhouse where a record book was carried 60 miles.

MAY 18, 1898 6:00 pm 12 dead 75 injured
A dozen farms and miles of forests were flattened across northern Marathon County.

JUN 12, 1899 5:40 pm 117 dead 200 injured
The tornado hit New Richmond on Circus Day, with 1000 extra people in town.

JLY 3, 1907 5:00 pm 11 dead 40 injured
Three people died near Oakdale; four died near Elroy and four died near Tomah.

SEP 21, 1924 2:30 pm 18 dead 50 injured
Near Augusta, Thorp, Chelsea, and Rib Lake, at least 20 farms were destroyed, even obliterated.

APR 3, 1956 1:30 pm 7 dead 50 injured
A tornado devastated the southeast side of Berlin. At least 20 homes were swept away.

JUN 4, 1958 5:30 pm 20 dead 110 injured
The funnel devastated the south and east parts of Colfax, leveling dozens of homes.

JUN 4, 1958 6:45 pm 4 dead 56 injured
Farms and homes were leveled in and near Chippewa Falls, Chippewa County.

JUN 4, 1958 7:30 pm 4 dead 3 injured
Deaths occurred in farmhouses south of Boyd and Stanley, Chippewa County.

APR 11, 1965 3:20 pm 3 dead 35 injured
West of Ixonia, Jefferson County, three people were killed as cars were thrown from U.S. highway #16.

APR 4, 1981 12:04 AM 3 dead 53 injured
A violent anticyclonic tornado ripped apart West Bend, Washington County.

JUN 7, 1984 11:41 pm 9 dead 200 injured
About 90% of the town of Barneveld was torn apart; 39 homes were destroyed and 64 damaged.



WYOMING: Tornadoes causing a death or six injuries before 1953, three or more injuries after and including 1953


MAY 18, 1907 1:45 pm 0 dead 6 injured
Six men were injured as a small house was destroyed on a sheep ranch in Converse County.

MAY 31, 1923 3:45 pm 1 dead 2 injured
A small homestead shack was destroyed near Lariat in the southeast corner of Sheridan County.

JUN 15, 1926 3:30 pm 0 dead 26 injured
The erratic looping path of this tornado hit one farmhouse twice, west of Torrington, Goshen County.

JUN 25, 1942 7:00 pm 2 dead 4 injured
Two field workers were killed in their home near Wheatland, Platte County.

JUN 27, 1955 12:10 pm 0 dead 3 injured
A tornado destroyed all buildings on a farm south of Wheatland, Platte County.

JUN 26, 1959 3:00 pm 1 dead 0 injured
A man was killed when a tornado uprooted a tree, which crushed his pickup truck in Big Horn County.

JLY 16, 1979 3:25 pm 1 dead 40 injured
A tornado hit 500 homes in an eight-mile-long path across the northern part of the Cheyenne.

JUN 5, 1982 7:35 pm 0 dead 3 injured
In Niobrara County, at Lance Creek, a barn and mobile home were destroyed.



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beginning on April 26, 2000