This article lists various tornado records. The most "extreme" tornado in recorded history was the Tri-State tornado,which spread through parts of Missouri,Illinois,and Indiana on March 18,1925. It is considered an F5 on the Fujita Scale,even though tornadoes were not ranked on any scale at the time. It holds records for longest path length at 219 miles (352 km),longest duration at about 3½hours,and it held the fastest forward speed for a significant tornado at 73 mph (117 km/h) anywhere on Earth until 2021. In addition,it is the deadliest single tornado in United States history with 695 fatalities. It was also the third most costly tornado in history at the time,but has been surpassed by several others non-normalized. When costs are normalized for wealth and inflation,it still ranks third today.
The 1996 Oakfield tornado outbreak was a severe weather event that occurred on July 18,1996 in Wisconsin,United States,primarily affecting the village of Oakfield,Wisconsin. The outbreak produced 12 tornadoes,with the most significant being an F5 tornado which caused severe damage to the village and the surrounding areas. No deaths were associated with the outbreak,with 17 injuries in total.
The Enhanced Fujita scale rates tornado intensity based on the severity of the damage they cause. It is used in some countries,including the United States,Canada,China,and Mongolia.
Tornado intensity is the measure of wind speeds and potential risk produced by a tornado. Intensity can be measured by in situ or remote sensing measurements,but since these are impractical for wide-scale use,intensity is usually inferred by proxies,such as damage. The Fujita scale,Enhanced Fujita scale,and the International Fujita scale rate tornadoes by the damage caused. In contrast to other major storms such as hurricanes and typhoons,such classifications are only assigned retroactively. Wind speed alone is not enough to determine the intensity of a tornado. An EF0 tornado may damage trees and peel some shingles off roofs,while an EF5 tornado can rip well-anchored homes off their foundations,leaving them bare;even deforming large skyscrapers. The similar TORRO scale ranges from a T0 for extremely weak tornadoes to T11 for the most powerful known tornadoes. Doppler radar data,photogrammetry,and ground swirl patterns may also be analyzed to determine the intensity and assign a rating.
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 2002,primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S.,although some events may take place internationally. The year had several large outbreaks that included the Veterans Day Weekend tornado outbreak and the Midwest to Mid-Atlantic United States tornado outbreak.
Tornadoes are more common in the United States than in any other country or state. The United States receives more than 1,200 tornadoes annually—four times the amount seen in Europe. Violent tornadoes—those rated EF4 or EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale—occur more often in the United States than in any other country.
The March 1990 Central United States tornado outbreak affected portions of the United States Great Plains and Midwest regions from Iowa to Texas from March 11 to March 13,1990. The outbreak produced at least 64 tornadoes across the region,including four violent tornadoes;two tornadoes,which touched down north and west of Wichita,Kansas,were both rated F5,including the tornado that struck Hesston. In Nebraska,several strong tornadoes touched down across the southern and central portion of the state,including an F4 tornado that traveled for 131 miles (211 km) making it the longest tracked tornado in the outbreak. Two people were killed in the outbreak,one each by the two F5 tornadoes in Kansas.
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1990,primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S.,although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes,however by the 1990s tornado statistics were coming closer to the numbers we see today.
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1996,primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S.,although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes,however by the 1990s tornado statistics were coming closer to the numbers we see today.
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1997,primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S.,although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes,however by the 1990s tornado statistics were coming closer to the numbers we see today.
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1986,primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S.,although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
The 1953 Worcester tornado was an extremely powerful and destructive tornado that struck the city of Worcester,Massachusetts and surrounding areas on Tuesday,June 9,1953,the final day of the Flint–Worcester tornado outbreak sequence. It stayed on the ground for 48 miles (77 km) and 78 minutes. Besides injuring a staggering 1,288 people,a total of 94 people were killed which made it one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history,and the deadliest tornado ever to strike New England. A total of 4,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed and,per National Weather Service estimates,10,000 people were left homeless. The tornado caused $52.193 million which,at the time,was the costliest tornado ever recorded.
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1964,primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S.,although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
A series of destructive tornadoes struck North Dakota and Iowa as part of a much larger severe weather event that took place on June 27,1953. The worst tornado was a violent F5 tornado that obliterated farmlands east of Anita,Iowa. In all,five tornadoes touched down,killing one,injuring five,and causing $305,000 (1953 USD) in damage. Several other casualties also occurred from non-tornadic events that day as well.
During the afternoon of June 16,1992,a violent tornado,commonly known as the Chandler–Lake Wilson tornado,tore through the town of Chandler and city of Lake Wilson in Murray County,Minnesota. The damage in Chandler was extreme enough,for the local National Weather Service office to rate the damage F5 on the Fujita scale.
On December 18,1957,a violent tornado struck Sunfield,Illinois,completely wiping out the community. The extreme damage in Sunfield caused the National Weather Service to assign a rating of F5 on the Fujita scale.
On April 19,1976,a violent tornado struck Brownwood,Texas. The damage caused by the tornado was extreme enough for the National Weather Service to rate the tornado F5 on the Fujita scale. In 1993,meteorologist and tornado expert Thomas P. Grazulis disagreed with the National Weather Service's assessment of the tornado,which he assigned a max rating of F4 on the Fujita scale.
