List of costliest tornadoes in the Americas

Last updated

The following is a list of the costliest tornadoes in the Americas including Canada and the United States. It includes all tornadoes that, when damage totals are adjusted for inflation, have cost at least $100 million in damages (in 2024 dollars).

Contents

As of September 18, 2024, there are 165 entries on this list with several of those entries including multiple tornadoes. This is dependent on how damages are assessed by certain agencies as well as the significance of certain events (e.g. 1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak when seven tornadoes struck the city of Grand Island, Nebraska in the same night; and the DunrobinOttawa, OntarioGatineau, Quebec, Canada tornadoes in 2018 — of which there were seven — since monetary damages in Canada are often reported by province and not by individual tornado).

Analysis

List of costliest tornadoes

Affected Communities [a] YearMonth & DayOriginal Cost [b] Adjusted Cost [USD] (March 1, 2024) [c] F or EF [d] References & Notes
JoplinDuquesne, Missouri 2011May 22$2,800,000,000$3,839,119,050EF5 2011 Joplin tornado
TuscaloosaHoltAlberta CityConcordPleasant GroveBirmingham (Pratt City)Fultondale, Alabama 2011April 27$2,450,000,000$3,359,229,169EF4 2011 Tuscaloosa–Birmingham tornado
NewcastleMoore, Oklahoma 2013May 20$2,000,000,000$2,647,844,881EF5 2013 Moore tornado
NashvilleMount Juliet, Tennessee 2020March 3$1,600,000,000$1,906,665,207EF3 Tornado outbreak of March 2–3, 2020, (Grazulis 2023, p. 590)

Damage estimates range from $1.5 - $1.6 billion

North DallasRichardson, Texas 2019October 20$1,550,000,000$1,869,870,237EF3 Tornado outbreak of October 20–22, 2019
Bridge CreekMoore, Oklahoma 1999May 3$1,000,000,000$1,851,242,497F5 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado
Poquonock/Windsor Locks, ConnecticutFeeding Hills, Massachusetts 1979October 3$420,000,000$1,784,230,579F4 Windsor Locks, Connecticut, tornado

Grazulis reported that damages totaled $214,000,000 or $909,107,961, adjusted. (Grazulis, p. 1,216)

HackleburgPhil CampbellTannerHarvestAthens, Alabama 2011April 27$1,290,000,000$1,768,736,991EF5 2011 Hackleburg-Phil Campbell tornado
Wichita Falls, Texas 1979April 10$400,000,000$1,699,267,217F4 1979 Red River Valley tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,209)
Richmond Heights-Clayton-St. Louis, Missouri-Granite City-Pontoon Beach-Edwardsville, Illinois 2025May 16$1,600,000,000$1,557,789,865EF3 2025 St. Louis tornado
Omaha, Nebraska 1975May 6$250,000,000$1,433,164,498F4 1975 Omaha tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,174)

(Total damages may have been greater than this.)

East PeoriaWashingtonLong Point, Illinois 2013November 17$935,000,000$1,237,867,482EF4 2013 Washington, Illinois tornado
Grand Island, Nebraska 1980June 3$300,000,000$1,122,877,427F4 (max) 1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak:

"The Night of the Twisters"

This includes all seven tornadoes. (Grazulis, p. 1,223)

Lubbock, Texas 1970May 11$135,000,000$2,199,201,632F5 Lubbock tornado, (Grazulis, p. 1,113)
Topeka, Kansas 1966June 8$100,000,000$2,298,062,133F5 Tornado outbreak sequence of June 1966, (Grazulis, p. 1,081) (Total damages may have been greater than this.)
St. Louis, Missouri 1927September 29$53,000,000$3,655,074,146F3 Tornado outbreak of September 29, 1927, (Grazulis, p. 814)
Grand Island, Nebraska (#5)1980June 3$200,000,000$748,584,951F4 1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak:

This was the strongest and costliest of the seven tornadoes that touched down on "The Night of the Twisters"

Jackson, Mississippi 1966March 3$75,500,000$718,687,762F5 1966 Candlestick Park tornado outbreak
Fort Worth, Texas 2000March 28$400,000,000$716,415,796F3 2000 Fort Worth tornado outbreak [1]
AndoverWichita, Kansas 1991April 26$300,000,000$679,332,599F5 1991 Andover tornado [2]
Xenia, Ohio 1974April 3$107,500,000$672,511,714F5 1974 Xenia tornado, (Grazulis, p. 1,154)
Monticello, Indiana (tornado family)1974April 3$100,000,000$625,592,292F4 List of tornadoes in the 1974 Super Outbreak [3] (Total damages may have been greater than this.)
Conyers, Stockbridge, Georgia 1973March 31$90,000,000$625,169,594F4(Grazulis, p. 1,135)
MooreOklahoma CityChoctaw, Oklahoma 2003May 8$370,500,000$621,024,448F3 Tornado outbreak sequence of May 2003
BrookvilleTrotwoodDaytonRiverside, Ohio 2019May 27$500,000,000$603,183,947EF4 Tornado outbreak sequence of May 2019
PetershamBarreRutlandHoldenWorcesterShrewsburyWestboroughSouthborough, Massachusetts 1953June 9$52,193,000$2,319,210,704F4+ 1953 Worcester tornado

(includes crop damage of ~$50,000)

Fort SmithVan Buren, Arkansas 1996April 21$300,000,000$589,707,456F3 Tornado outbreak sequence of April 1996
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 1987July 31$332,270,000 CAD$572,485,510F4 Edmonton tornado

$770,565,549 CAD, adjusted

(average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD)

Conestogo LakeFergusTavistock, Ontario, Canada 2005August 19$500,000,000 CAD$551,433,463F2-F1 Southern Ontario tornado outbreak of 2005

$742,229,492 CAD, adjusted (Total damages may have been greater than this.)

(average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD)

Oak LeafLancasterDallas, Texas 2012April 3$400,000,000$537,325,888EF2 Tornado outbreak of April 3, 2012
Tallulah, LouisianaYazoo City/Durant, Mississippi 2010April 24$364,000,000$514,839,252EF4 2010 Yazoo City tornado

Grazulis reported $400 million (or $565,757,420, adjusted) in damages. (Grazulis 2023, p. 438)

Little RockNorth Little Rock, Arkansas 2023March 31>$489,000,000 [4] $502,940,000EF3 2023 Little Rock tornado
Margaret/Ragland/Shoal Creek Valley/Ohatchee/Piedmont, AlabamaCave Spring/Kingston, Georgia 2011April 27$366,755,000$502,862,895EF4 2011 Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado
Fayetteville, Tennessee 1952February 29$43,000,000$500,450,226F3 Tornado outbreak of Leap Day 1952, (Grazulis, p. 962)
Golden ValleyMounds ViewCenterville, Minnesota 1965May 6$51,000,000$499,341,810F4 Early May 1965 tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,074)
AltusAltus AFB, Oklahoma 1982May 11$150,000,000$479,404,663F3Grazulis reported $200 million in damages including hail, estimated $150 million from the tornado alone (Grazulis, p. 1,239)
Waco, Texas 1953May 11$41,150,000$1,826,623,536F5 1953 Waco tornado outbreak
ShreveportBossier City, Louisiana 1978December 3$100,000,000$473,032,209F4 1978 Bossier City tornado outbreak

(Total damages may have been greater than this.)

Enterprise, Alabama 2007March 1$307,000,000$456,656,244EF4 Tornado outbreak of February 28 – March 2, 2007
AlbanyAshburnRochelle, Georgia 2017January 22$310,000,000$390,050,873EF3 Tornado outbreak of January 21–23, 2017
Plainfield, Illinois 1990August 28$165,000,000$389,355,815F5 1990 Plainfield tornado
Birmingham, Alabama 1998April 8$202,830,000$383,780,491F5 Tornado outbreak of April 6–9, 1998
Oak LawnEvergreen ParkChicago Illinois 1967April 21$40,000,000$369,361,677F4 1967 Oak Lawn tornado outbreak [5] (Total damages may have been greater than this.)
St. LouisEast St. Louis, Illinois 1896May 27$10,000,000$5,922,975,990F4 1896 St. Louis–East St. Louis tornado
Atlanta, Georgia 2008March 14$250,000,000$358,119,720EF2 2008 Atlanta tornado outbreak
Jonesboro, Arkansas 2020March 28$300,000,000$357,499,726EF3(Grazulis 2023, p. 590)
St. Louis, MissouriGranite City, Illinois 2011April 22$250,000,000$342,778,487EF4 2011 St. Louis tornado
Atlanta, Georgia 1975March 24$56,500,000$323,895,177F3"The Governor's Tornado" as it caused damage to the Governor's mansion among many other buildings (Grazulis, p. 1,173)
HaysvilleMcConnell AFBAndover, Kansas 2012April 14$238,000,000$319,708,904EF3 Tornado outbreak of April 13–16, 2012 (Grazulis 2023, p. 495)

Other reports claim upwards of $500 million in damage, but this was proven inaccurate.

CartervilleCrainvilleMarion, Illinois 1982May 29$100,000,000$319,603,109F4 Marion, Illinois, tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,242)
Salt Lake City, Utah 1999August 11$170,000,000$314,711,224F2 1999 Salt Lake City tornado [6]
Orland, IndianaEast Gilead/Reading/Hillsdale/Manitou Beach, Michigan (two tornadoes)1965April 11$32,000,000$313,312,508F4 List of tornadoes in the 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak
WestfieldWest SpringfieldSpringfieldWilbrahamMonsonBrimfieldSturbridgeSouthbridgeCharlton, Massachusetts 2011June 1$227,600,000$312,065,534EF3 2011 New England tornado outbreak

"The Springfield tornado"

AugustaTupeloOtwellJonesboro, Arkansas 1973May 26$44,110,000$306,402,565F4 [7] (Total damages may have been greater than this.)

Grazulis reported $37 million in damages or $257,014,167, adjusted (Grazulis, p. 1,141)

HamdenNorth Haven, Connecticut 1989July 10$120,000,000$298,468,065F4 [8] July 1989 Northeastern United States tornado outbreak
BrownsvilleMonroe, Louisiana 2020April 12$250,000,000$297,916,439EF3 2020 Easter tornado outbreak, [9]
Woodstock, Stratford, Ontario, Canada 1979August 7$100,000,000 CAD$295,070,920F4 1979 Woodstock, Ontario, tornado

$397,165,486 CAD, adjusted (Total damages may have been greater than this.) (average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD)

Mayflower, Vilonia, Arkansas 2014April 27$223,450,000$291,108,149EF4 Tornado outbreak of April 27–30, 2014
Ellington, Missouri-Murphysboro/De Soto, Illinois-Griffin, Indiana/Princeton, Indiana 1925March 18$16,500,000$2,922,730,672F5 The Tri-State Tornado, (Grazulis, p. 796)
Vicksburg, Mississippi 1953December 5$25,000,000$288,779,963F5 1953 Vicksburg, Mississippi, tornado
Gainesville, Georgia 1936April 6$13,000,000$288,447,554F4 1936 Tupelo–Gainesville tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 866)
Barrie, Ontario, Canada 1985May 31$150,000,000 CAD$281,014,346F4 1985 Barrie tornado:

$378,245,335 CAD, adjusted (Total damages may have been greater than this)

(average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD)

Charles City, Iowa 1968May 15$31,500,000$279,170,560F5 Tornado outbreak of May 1968, (Grazulis, p. 1,097)
Indianapolis 2002September 20$156,000,000$269,190,000F3 2002 Indianapolis tornado
KennedaleArlington, Texas 2012April 3$200,000,000$268,662,944EF2 Tornado outbreak of April 3, 2012
HaysvilleSouth Wichita, Kansas 1999May 3$145,000,000$268,430,162F4 List of tornadoes in the 1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak
WildwoodColfax, Wisconsin 1958June 4$25,000,000$266,796,713F5 Tornado outbreak of June 3–4, 1958 [10]
WilberHallamNorris School District 160Holland, Nebraska 2004May 22$160,220,000$261,591,169F4 2004 Hallam tornado

The second-widest tornado on record (~2.5 miles) almost completely destroyed the small town of Hallam.

DunrobinOttawa, OntarioGatineau, Quebec, Canada 2018September 21$294,000,000 CAD$260,046,596EF3 max 2018 United States-Canada tornado outbreak:

$350,022,742 CAD, adjusted (Total damages may have been greater than this.)

(average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD)

This includes all seven tornadoes from this event as damages (per event/outbreak) are reported by province, not individual tornado.

Damages in Ontario were $192 million+ CAD, and damages in Quebec were $102 million+ CAD. [11]

YaleTulsa, Oklahoma 1981April 19$75,000,000$254,469,472F3(Grazulis, p. 1,229)
Huntsville, Alabama 1989November 15$100,000,000$248,723,387F4 November 1989 tornado outbreak
Falmouth/Berlin/Bladeston/Chatham/Dover, KentuckyDecatur/Otway, Ohio 1968April 23$27,775,000$246,157,534F4 Tornado outbreak of April 21–24, 1968

(Total damages were estimated.)

Marshalltown, Iowa 2018July 19$200,000,000$245,525,614EF3 Iowa tornado outbreak of July 2018 (Grazulis 2023, p. 569)
Toledo, OhioLost Peninsula (Michigan) 1965April 11$25,000,000$244,775,397F4 List of tornadoes in the 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,071)
SanfordRaleigh, North Carolina 2011April 16$172,000,000$235,831,599EF3 Tornado outbreak of April 14–16, 2011

Grazulis reported $132 million (or $180,987,040, adjusted) in damages (Grazulis 2023, p. 458)

Tulsa/Tulsa CountyCatoosa/Rogers County, Oklahoma 1993April 24$110,000,000$234,781,107F4(Grazulis, p. 1,348)
CarrolltonReformCordovaSipseyBlountsville, Alabama 2011April 27$170,344,000$233,561,034EF4 List of tornadoes in the 2011 Super Outbreak

Grazulis estimated $150 million (or $205,667,092, adjusted) in damages (Grazulis 2023, p. 467)

MacksburgWintersetNorwalkNewton, Iowa 2022March 5$220,000,000$231,848,240EF4 Tornado outbreak of March 5–7, 2022

Grazulis reported $200 million (or $210,771,127, adjusted) in damages (Grazulis 2023, p. 619)

Mount Vernon/De Kalb, TexasMineral Springs, Arkansas 1999May 4$125,000,000$231,405,312F3 List of tornadoes in the 1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak
WetumpkaLaFayette, Alabama 2011April 27$167,000,000$228,976,029EF4 List of tornadoes in the 2011 Super Outbreak
LargoClearwaterCarrollwoodTemple TerraceGallowayGibsoniaLoughman, Florida 1966April 4$24,000,000$228,457,037F4 Tornado outbreak of April 4–5, 1966, (Grazulis, p. 1,079)
Hennepin County, Minnesota 2011May 22$166,620,000$228,455,006EF1 List of tornadoes in the tornado outbreak sequence of May 21–26, 2011
Greensburg, Kansas 2007May 4$153,000,000$227,584,382EF5 2007 Greensburg tornado [12]
St. Peter, Minnesota 1998March 29$120,000,000$227,055,460F3 1998 Comfrey-St. Peter tornado outbreak
SanduskyLorain, Ohio 1924June 28$12,500,000$225,451,023F4 1924 Lorain–Sandusky tornado, (Grazulis, p. 790)
FlintBeecher, Michigan 1953June 8$19,000,000$219,472,772F5 1953 Flint-Beecher tornado, (Grazulis, p. 974)
Windsor, Colorado 2008May 22$147,000,000$210,574,395EF3 Tornado outbreak of May 22–27, 2008
Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma 1948March 20/25$16,400,000$209,877,129F3 1948 Tinker Air Force Base tornadoes:

Three tornadoes affected Tinker AFB in the span of six days: two on March 20 led to successful prediction of the third on March 25. These tornadoes significantly contributed to the process of predicting severe weather events. (Grazulis, p. 935)

Jefferson City, Missouri 2019May 22$174,000,000$209,908,014EF3 Tornado outbreak sequence of May 2019
Sarasota, Florida 1978May 4$43,000,000$203,403,850F3(Grazulis, p. 1,202)
Belvidere, Illinois 1967April 21$22,000,000$203,148,922F4 1967 Oak Lawn tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,088)
Raleigh, North Carolina 1988November 28$77,000,000$200,744,793F4 1988 Raleigh tornado outbreak
Southern Louisville suburbs, including Pioneer Village, Hillview, and Mount Washington, Kentucky 1996May 28$101,000,000$198,534,843F4 May 1996 Kentucky tornado outbreak [13]
La Plata, Maryland 2002April 28$115,000,000$197,153,724F4 2002 La Plata tornado
Fayetteville, North Carolina 2011April 16$141,100,000$193,464,178EF3 Tornado outbreak of April 14–16, 2011

Grazulis reported $136 million (or $186,471,497, adjusted) in damages (Grazulis 2023, p. 458)

NashvilleEast NashvilleDonelsonThe HermitageMt. Juliet, Tennessee 1998April 16$101,000,000$191,105,012F3 Tornado outbreak of April 15–16, 1998 (1998 Nashville tornado outbreak)
Granbury, Texas 2013May 15$143,000,000$189,320,909EF4 2013 Granbury tornado (Grazulis 2023, p. 500)
Austin, Texas 1980August 10$50,000,000$187,146,237F2(Grazulis, p. 1,226)
Kalamazoo, Michigan 1980May 13$50,000,000$187,146,237F3 1980 Kalamazoo tornado, (Grazulis, p. 1,221)
Mena, Arkansas 2009April 9$130,000,000$186,887,157EF3 Tornado outbreak of April 9–11, 2009
OelweinMaynard, Iowa 1968May 15$21,000,000$186,113,707F5 Tornado outbreak of May 1968, (Grazulis, p. 1,098)
Southaven, MississippiMemphis, Tennessee 2008February 5$128,400,000$183,930,288EF2 List of tornadoes in the 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak
Newton Falls/Niles/Hubbard, OhioWheatland/Hermitage/Greenfield, Pennsylvania 1985May 31$63,800,000++$182,871,790++F5 List of tornadoes in the 1985 United States–Canada tornado outbreak:

"Niles-Wheatland Tornado"

Grazulis reported $60 million in damages in Ohio alone. He also mentions a total of $3.8 million in damages in Pennsylvania but only with regard to trucks and other vehicles at a few different locations. He makes no mention of total damages in Pennsylvania and there are no resources available that provide that information. (Grazulis, p. 1,268)

Considering the intensity of this violent tornado and the destruction of much of Wheatland's industry as well as the number of houses in and around Wheatland, we can safely surmise that the damage total is actually much higher.

Cordell, Oklahoma 2001October 9$100,000,000$174,148,504F3 Tornadoes of 2001 [14]
Center Point, Alabama 1973May 27$25,000,000$173,658,220F3 [15] (Grazulis, p. 1,142)
Brent, Alabama 1973May 27$25,000,000$173,658,220F4 1973 Central Alabama tornado [16] (Grazulis, p. 1,142)
Warner RobinsRobins Air Force BaseJeffersonville, Georgia 1953April 30$15,000,000$173,267,978F4 Tornado outbreak sequence of April 28 – May 2, 1953, (Grazulis, p. 968)
Highland ParkDetroit, Michigan 1997July 2$90,000,000$172,944,112F2 Tornado outbreak of July 1–3, 1997 [17]
Little Rock Air Force BaseJacksonville, Arkansas 2011April 25$125,000,000$171,389,243EF2 List of tornadoes in the 2011 Super Outbreak
AtkinsClintonMountain ViewHighland, Arkansas 2008February 5$119,310,000$170,909,055EF4 List of tornadoes in the 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak
WildwoodLady Lake, Florida 2007February 2$114,000,000$169,572,677EF3 2007 Groundhog Day tornado outbreak
MonroeAthens, Georgia 1973March 31$24,000,000$166,711,892F4(Grazulis, p. 1,136)
Lake Pat CleburneCleburne, Texas 2013May 15$124,000,000$164,166,383EF3 Tornado outbreak of May 15–17, 2013 (Grazulis 2023, p. 500)
Americus, Georgia 2007March 1$111,000,000$165,110,238EF4 Tornado outbreak of February 28 – March 2, 2007
Louisville, Mississippi 2014April 28$126,150,000$164,346,802EF4 Tornado outbreak of April 27–30, 2014

Grazulis reported $117 million (or $152,426,284, adjusted) in damages (Grazulis 2023, p. 516)

ParisRenoBlossom, Texas 1982April 2$50,000,000$159,801,554F4 Tornado outbreak of April 2–3, 1982, (Grazulis, p. 1,236)
MinneapolisRoseville, Minnesota 1981June 14$47,000,000$159,467,536F3(Grazulis, p. 1,232)
WhitefaceWhitharralAnton, Texas 1970April 17$20,000,000$158,977,835F4 Tornado outbreak sequence of April 17–19, 1970
Arabi, Louisiana 2022December 14$150,000,000$158,078,356EF2 Tornado outbreak of December 12–15, 2022 (Grazulis 2023, p. 633)
Jackson, Tennessee 2008February 5$110,300,000$158,002,420EF4 List of tornadoes in the 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak
Omaha, Nebraska 1913March 23$5,000,000$155,766,162F3 Tornado outbreak sequence of March 1913, (Grazulis, p. 737)
Port Huron, Michigan, United StatesSarnia, Ontario, Canada 1953May 21$2,600,000 (US, USD) + $15,000,000 (CA, USD)$153,066,781F4 1953 Sarnia tornado

CA: $15 million USD = $14,617,170 CAD (average exchange rate for 1953: 1 USD = 0.974478 CAD), $165,603,324 CAD adjusted = $123,033,665 USD adjusted (average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD).US: $2.6 million USD = $30,033,116 USD adjusted

Ardmore, Oklahoma 1995May 7$75,000,000$151,780,020F3 List of tornadoes in the May 1995 tornado outbreak sequence. Grazulis reported at least $100 million (or $202,373,359, adjusted) in damages. (Grazulis, p. 1,373)
Wichita Falls, Texas 1964April 3$15,000,000$149,234,032F5(Grazulis, p. 1,050)
TampaPinellas County, Florida 1979May 8$35,000,000$148,685,882F2(Grazulis, p. 1,213)
PellaPeoria, Iowa 2018July 19$120,000,000$147,315,368EF3 Iowa tornado outbreak of July 2018 (Grazulis 2023, p. 569)
Comstock ParkAlpineGrand Rapids, Michigan 1965April 11$15,000,000$146,865,238F4 List of tornadoes in the 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,065)
MillburyLake Township, Ohio 2010June 5$102,400,000$144,833,900EF4 Tornado outbreak of June 5–6, 2010
Delhi, LouisianaMoorhead, Mississippi + CaryOxford, Mississippi + VicksburgLexington, Mississippi (three tornadoes)1971February 21$19,000,000$144,689,457F5 Tornado outbreak of February 21–22, 1971 [18]
BauxiteVimy RidgeShannon HillsNorth Little Rock, Arkansas 1997March 1$75,000,000$144,120,093F4 March 1997 tornado outbreak [19]
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 2009April 10$100,000,000$143,759,352EF4 Tornado outbreak of April 9–11, 2009 [20]
JeffersComfreyHanska, Minnesota 1998March 29$75,050,000$142,004,269F4 1998 Comfrey-St. Peter tornado outbreak
Dunwoody, Georgia 1998April 8$75,000,000$141,909,663F2 Tornado outbreak of April 6–9, 1998
ChesterfieldMaryland HeightsSt. AnnLambert Field, St. LouisSpanish Lake, Missouri 1967January 24$15,000,000$138,510,629F4 1967 St. Louis tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,087)
Smith Mills, KentuckyEvansville/Paradise/Gentryville, Indiana 2005November 6$87,260,000$137,800,652F3 Evansville tornado outbreak of November 2005
Oologah, Oklahoma 1991April 26$60,000,000$135,866,520F4 1991 Andover tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,412)
Cedar Park, Texas 1997May 27$70,110,000$134,723,463F3 1997 Central Texas tornado outbreak
Forney, Texas 2012April 3$100,000,000$134,331,472EF3 Tornado outbreak of April 3, 2012
Mechanicville/Stillwater, New YorkBennington, Vermont 1998May 31$70,630,000$133,641,060F3 Late-May 1998 tornado outbreak and derecho
Marmaduke, ArkansasCaruthersville, Missouri 2006April 2$86,500,000$132,331,699F3 Tornado outbreak of April 2, 2006
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma 1948March 20$10,250,000$131,173,205F3 1948 Tinker Air Force Base tornadoes (Grazulis, p. 935)
Goderich, Ontario, Canada 2011August 21$130,000,000 CAD$127,961,855F3 2011 Goderich, Ontario, tornado

$172,236,668 CAD, adjusted (average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD)

BloodlandFort Leonard Wood, Missouri 2010December 31$90,000,000$127,295,420EF3 2010 New Year's Eve tornado outbreak
College ParkBeltsvilleLaurel, Maryland 2001September 24$73,000,000$127,128,408F3 Tornado outbreak of September 24, 2001
CincinnatiWilliamsburg, Ohio 1969August 9$15,000,000$126,055,995F3(Grazulis, p. 1,107)
Emporia, Kansas 1974June 8$20,000,000$125,118,458F4 Tornado outbreak of June 8, 1974, (Grazulis, p. 1,166)
CamdenHermitage, Arkansas 1979April 8$28,800,000$122,347,240F3(Grazulis, p. 1,207)
WindsorTecumseh, Ontario, Canada 1946June 17$9,663,000 CAD$120,851,545F4 1946 Windsor-Tecumseh tornado

$162,666,191 CAD, adjusted (average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD)

GoodlettsvilleGallatin, Tennessee 2006April 7$79,000,000$120,857,852F3 Tornado outbreak of April 6–8, 2006 [21]
CookevillePutnam County, Tennessee 2020March 3$100,000,000$119,166,575EF4 Tornado outbreak of March 2–3, 2020
SenecaClemson, South Carolina 2020April 13$100,000,000$119,166,575EF3 List of tornadoes in the 2020 Easter tornado outbreak
Eagle Pass, Texas 2007April 24$80,000,000$118,998,370EF3 Tornado outbreak sequence of April 20–27, 2007
BarneveldBlack Earth, Wisconsin 1984June 7$40,000,000$118,736,092F5 Tornado outbreak of June 7–8, 1984 (Grazulis, p. 1,259)
Lockett/Vernon, TexasDavidson, Oklahoma 1979April 10$27,000,000$114,700,537F4 1979 Red River Valley tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,207)
FiattCanton, Illinois 1975July 23$20,000,000$114,653,160F3 1975 Canton, Illinois, tornado
ClarionBelmond, Iowa 1966October 14$12,000,000$114,228,518F4(Grazulis, p. 1,084)
SaugatuckHudsonvilleStandaleGrand Rapids, Michigan 1956April 3$10,000,000$113,388,603F5 Tornado outbreak of April 2–3, 1956, (Grazulis, p. 995)
Atlanta Motor Speedway; Hampton, Georgia 2005July 6$71,500,000$112,912,522F2 Hurricane Cindy (2005)
ChandlerLake Wilson, Minnesota 1992June 16$50,000,000$109,913,400F5 Tornado outbreak of June 14–18, 1992

Grazulis reported $45 million or $98,922,060 adjusted. (Grazulis, p. 1,331)

Tupelo, Mississippi 2023March 31$105,000,000 [22] $109,750,000EF1 List of tornadoes in the tornado outbreak of March 31 – April 1, 2023#Mississippi (March 31 – April 1)
ParkersburgNew Hartford, Iowa 2008May 25$75,000,000$107,435,916EF5 Tornado outbreak of May 22–27, 2008
St. Louis, Missouri 1959February 10$10,000,000$105,985,223F4 St. Louis tornado outbreak of February 1959:

Total damages may have been greater than this. (Grazulis, p. 1,018)

CantonHazlehurstNewtonMeridian, Mississippi 1976March 29$19,550,000$105,967,528F4(Grazulis, p. 1,183)
RaglandPiedmontRock Run, Alabama 1994March 27$50,500,000$105,094,862F4 1994 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak
CampbellPoincianaKissimmeeBuenaventura LakesLake HartLake Mary Jane, Florida 1998February 22$55,000,000$104,067,086F3 1998 Kissimmee tornado outbreak
DallasDe Soto, Texas 1994April 25$50,000,000$104,054,318F2 Tornado outbreak of April 25–27, 1994
LouisvilleJefferson County, Kentucky 1890March 27$3,000,000$101,675,934F4 Tornado outbreak of March 27, 1890, (Grazulis, p. 651)
Rolling Fork, MississippiSilver City, Mississippi 2023March 24$100,000,000$101,219,168EF4 2023 Rolling Fork–Silver City tornado

Total damages may have been greater than this.

AdairsvilleBlackwood, Georgia 2013January 30$75,000,000$99,294,183EF3 Tornado outbreak of January 29–30, 2013 (Grazulis 2023, p. 499)

Bibliography

See also

Notes

  1. These are the communities (e.g. cities, towns, counties) where the greatest damage or loss of life occurred or at the beginning or end of the tornado’s track. The number of places that experience loss of life or damage is often higher than this. Colloquial tornado/event names, if applicable/known, are included in the Notes column of this table.
  2. Estimated total damages are primarily taken from the NCEI database; however, before 1996, coding included on the Storm Data reports provided an extremely broad, often inaccurate, range for damage totals. If a more accurate or updated total can be obtained from a reputable source, it will be included here instead.
  3. Wikipedia formulas only allow adjusting damage totals (for inflation) through 2021. Adjustments of damage totals for inflation and wealth changes have been calculated with the website in2013dollars.com and Charles A. Doswell's 1997 paper which includes rates of inflation through the current year and normalised damage values. As these rates can be volatile (possibly changing from month to month), note that these calculations were made on May 15, 2023 and will be updated regularly.
  4. After the Fujita Scale was implemented in 1971, tornadoes from the previous 100 years (1871-1971) were retrospectively reviewed to determine their ratings. These reviews were completed by either Ted Fujita or Thomas P. Grazulis. Damage assessments from 1971-2006 were completed by using the Fujita Scale or, since 2007, the Enhanced Fujita Scale. These reviews have been handled by teams of meteorologists and structural engineers as assigned by National Weather Service (NWS) offices around the United States.

References

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  4. Hampton, Tylisa (February 14, 2024). "Arkansans feel impact of increased insurance rates". KARK-TV . Retrieved December 12, 2024.
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