| Type | Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Duration | ~15 hours |
| Highest winds |
|
| Tornadoes confirmed | 11 confirmed |
| Max. rating1 | F3 tornado |
| Duration of tornado outbreak2 | 15 hours |
| Largest hail | 2 inches (5.1 cm) |
| Fatalities | 17 fatalities (+2 non-tornadic), 105 injuries (+3 non-tornadic) |
| Damage | $3.38 million [1] |
| Areas affected | Southeastern United States |
Part of the tornado outbreaks of 1962 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado | |
A small but damaging outbreak of 11 tornadoes impacted the Southeastern United States on the last two days of March 1962. The outbreak was highlighted by a catastrophic, mid-morning F3 tornado that destroyed multiple neighborhoods in Milton, Florida, killing 17 people and injuring 100 others. It was the deadliest tornado ever recorded in Florida until 1998. Overall, the outbreak killed 17 people, injured 105 others, and caused $3.38 million in damage. Lightning caused another two deaths and three injuries.
Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms struck the Southeast during the final two days of March, bringing heavy rain, flash flooding, frequent lightning, high winds, hail, and tornadoes to the region. Individual storms moved through portions of the region before a large line of storms pushed through. [2]
In the Milton, Florida area specifically, the high temperature on March 30 was 77 °F (25 °C) which was coupled with a dewpoint of 65 °F (18 °C). The temperature decreased to 65 °F (18 °C) that night, but the dewpoint continued to hover around 65 °F (18 °C) and then both temperature and dewpoint rose to around 69 °F (21 °C), making it a muggy night. Increasing southerly winds brought moist, unstable air from the Gulf of Mexico northward into the region. [3] Despite overcast skies being over the area since early on March 30 and scattered storms passing over the region just after midnight on March 31, the moist and unstable environment remained in place until much stronger storms entered the area later that morning. [4] Even with the volatile atmospheric conditions, weather forecasters only called for scattered showers for the area on March 31. [5]
| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| F# | Location | County / Parish | State | Start coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max. width | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Littleville | Colbert | AL | 34°36′N87°41′W / 34.60°N 87.68°W | 05:00–? | 0.1 miles (0.16 km) | 10 yards (9.1 m) | A tornado accompanied by 1 in (2.5 cm) hail destroyed several farm buildings, unroofed three homes, and moved another home off its foundation. Damage was estimated at $25,000. [2] [7] |
| F# | Location | County / Parish | State | Start coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max. width | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F3 | N of New Hope to E of Columbus | Lowndes | MS | 33°28′N88°18′W / 33.47°N 88.30°W | 06:15–? | 3 miles (4.8 km) | 880 yards (800 m) | A skipping tornado touched down three times, causing major damage west of McCrary. Two homes were destroyed while eight others, along with a church, were damaged. One person was injured and damage was estimated at $250,000. [2] [5] [8] |
| F2 | N of Belk | Fayette | AL | 33°42′N87°54′W / 33.70°N 87.90°W | 08:00–? | 0.1 miles (0.16 km) | 10 yards (9.1 m) | A brief but strong tornado destroyed a concrete block barn, heavily damaged a house, and unroofed another barn. Damage was estimated at $25,000. [2] [9] |
| F1 | SE of Winfield | Marion | AL | 33°54′N87°48′W / 33.90°N 87.80°W | 08:10–? | 1 mile (1.6 km) | 10 yards (9.1 m) | A damaging tornado moved through the eastern outskirts of Winfield. Several houses and a church were damaged, garages and outbuildings were blown over, a car was overturned, and trees were uprooted. Damage was estimated at $250,000. [2] [10] |
| F1 | Chef Menteur | Orleans | LA | 30°06′N89°45′W / 30.10°N 89.75°W | 13:00–13:14 | 1 mile (1.6 km) | 30 yards (27 m) | A tornado developed near Lake St. Catherine, destroying a shed. Winds from the tornado were recorded at 65 miles per hour (105 km/h). Damage was estimated $2,500. [2] [11] |
| F3 | Milton | Santa Rosa | FL | 30°37′N87°06′W / 30.62°N 87.10°W | 14:00–? | 6.9 miles (11.1 km) | 440 yards (400 m) | 17 deaths – See section on this tornado – 100 people were injured and damage was estimated at $2.5 million. [2] [5] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] |
| F2 | Bon Secour to Miflin to SW of Lillian | Baldwin | AL | 30°18′N87°42′W / 30.3°N 87.7°W | 14:00–? | 11.9 miles (19.2 km) | 100 yards (91 m) | A strong tornado struck Bon Secour, where homes were heavily damaged and trees were uprooted. It continued eastward to Miflin, where more homes and buildings were damaged or destroyed. Damage was estimated at $250,000. [2] [20] |
| F1 | N of Bellview | Escambia | FL | 30°30′N87°20′W / 30.5°N 87.33°W | 15:30–? | 0.1 miles (0.16 km) | 10 yards (9.1 m) | A trailer was destroyed while another residence was damaged. Two people were injured and damage was estimated at $2,500. [2] [21] |
| F1 | Valpariso to Niceville | Okaloosa | FL | 30°30′N86°30′W / 30.5°N 86.5°W | 16:20–? | 0.1 miles (0.16 km) | 10 yards (9.1 m) | A destructive tornado inflicted major damage to six residences and two businesses and caused less severe damage to 12 additional residences. Two people were injured and damage was estimated at $25,000. [2] [22] |
| F1 | Tifton to Douglas to Nicholls to Alma | Tift, Berrien, Coffee, Bacon | GA | 31°27′N83°30′W / 31.45°N 83.5°W | 17:30–? | 61.2 miles (98.5 km) | 200 yards (180 m) | This long-tracked tornado, which may have been a tornado family, caused most of its damage in Tifton, although damage from the storm was reported as far back as Doerun. Several homes were unroofed, trees were uprooted, and power lines were blown down on the southeast side of Tifton. The funnel cloud from the tornado was seen by a pilot in Alma as well, but no damage was reported there. Damage was estimated at $25,000. [2] [5] [23] |
| F1 | West Panama City Beach to Youngstown | Bay | FL | 30°11′N85°44′W / 30.18°N 85.73°W | 20:00–? | 0.1 miles (0.16 km) | 10 yards (9.1 m) | A tornado was spotted by the highway patrol. Several residences and a motel suffered major damage in West Panama City Beach. The tornado lifted after that, only to touch down again and cause minor damage in Youngstown. Damage was estimated at $25,000. [2] [5] [24] |
| F3 tornado | |
|---|---|
| Max. rating1 | F3 tornado |
| Fatalities | 17 fatalities, 100 injuries |
| Damage | $2.5 million |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
In the far northeastern suburbs of Pensacola, Florida, a tornado developed south of Hamilton Bridge Road west of Milton, shortly after 9 am CST on March 31. [15] It then grew into a large, destructive tornado as it moved northeastward through the northwest side of town. It struck multiple neighborhoods with little to no warning, heavily damaging or destroying dozens of frame homes. The hardest-hit area was the College Park residential area, where several homes were completely leveled with some swept away while other homes were extensively damaged. [5] [13] In an extreme case, one home was swept off its foundation while the neighboring home was lifted off its foundation and set back down on the empty slab of the swept away home. [14] At the corner of Magnolia and Orange St, a man's car stalled right in the path of the tornado. He and his car was carried two blocks to Stewart St, where it landed essentially intact. [15] A 350 ft (110 m) microwave tower was blown over and a number of high-voltage power lines were knocked down. [5] Trailers and cars were also thrown several hundred feet. [19] After exiting Milton, the tornado continued northeastward, uprooting trees and damaging other isolated structures before dissipating on Munson Highway north of its intersection with Wolfe Road just southwest of Roeville. [5] It traveled 6.9 miles (11.1 km) and reached a peak width of 440 yards (400 m). When the Fujita Scale was made operational in the 1970s, the damage from the tornado was rated F2-F3, giving the tornado a final maximum rating F3. In all, a total of 130 homes, including 75 small homes, were destroyed along a six-block area. About 200 other homes and buildings were damaged. [19] Extensive damage also occurred at a mobile home park. [17] Debris was carried east-northeast to as far away as areas north of Baker 26 mi (42 km) away while other debris was carried northeast to Andalusia, Alabama 58 mi (93 km) away. There were 17 deaths, including five out of six members of one family, as well as a mother and three young children that were killed in their home. At least 10 homes had a single death. An additional 100 people were injured, about 80 of which required treatment. [2] [5] [12] [13] [15] [16] [17] [19] This made it the deadliest tornado ever recorded in Florida until 1998 as well the worst tornado ever recorded in Santa Rosa County. [18] [14] The storm that produced the tornado may have also caused a lightning-induced injury in Crestview, Florida, two hours later. [2]
There were 13 reports of high winds and large hail during the events. Hail peaked at 2 inches (5.1 cm) in diameter in De Soto County, Mississippi, with winds peaking at 79 miles per hour (127 km/h) at the Sunny Point Military Ocean Terminal east of Boiling Spring Lakes, North Carolina. Both events occurred on March 31. [25]
Early on March 30, a lightning strike sparked a large fire at a horse stable in Kingston, Oklahoma, although no casualties occurred. That evening, two students were struck by lightning while walking on the Emory University campus, killing one and injuring the other. Early the next morning, a woman was knocked unconscious and injured in Decatur, Tennessee, after lightning traveled from outside her farmhouse into her kitchen through the water pipes, sparking a fire. Later, another man was killed in Lee County, Alabama, when the power line he was working on was struck by lightning. One other person was injured by lightning in Crestview, Florida. [2]
Rounds of storms caused widespread hail and wind damage in Central Alabama on March 30. The Birmingham Municipal Airport was particularly hard-hit as winds of up to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and hail up to 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) in diameter damaged around 60 planes. Albertville was buried under 2 inches (5.1 cm) of marble-sized hail. The small hail caused an unusually high amount of destruction as it damaged roofs, broke windows, and heavily damaged a greenhouse, trees, and shrubs. Early the next morning, a line of storms caused heavy wind damage in Port Arthur, Texas. This same line moved into Southeastern Alabama, producing high winds, heavy rainfall that peaked at 5 inches (13 cm), and flash flooding that damaged several homes, farm buildings, two airplanes, roads, and newly planted crops. [2]
The Florida Highway Patrol, who were some of the first on the scene in Milton, Florida after the F3 tornado, provided early estimates of 75 homes being destroyed, with varying degrees of damage to many others. They also estimated that 75 to 100 people had been injured. At the time of the tornado, the town of Milton had only about 4,000 residents (as of 2020 it has an estimated population of over 10,000 residents) [26] and one 50-bed hospital – Santa Rosa Hospital, which was quickly overwhelmed after the storm. A total 52 people were treated and released from Santa Rosa Hospital. Some of the most seriously injured victims were eventually sent to Escambia General Baptist Hospital and Sacred Heart N.A.S. Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida. Meanwhile, a temporary makeshift morgue was made in the core of Milton as highway patrolmen, civil defense workers, and volunteers sifted through collapsed buildings in search of survivors and bodies. Many telephone lines were damaged and the few that were remaining were completely overwhelmed by long-distance calls. [13] [15] [14]
The 17 deaths caused by the F3 tornado made it the deadliest tornado of 1962 as well as the deadliest tornado ever recorded in Florida until 1998, when another F3 (initially rated F4) tornado killed 25. [27]
The 2002 Veterans Day weekend tornado outbreak was an unusually severe and expansive severe weather event across portions of the Central and Eastern United States from the evening hours of November 9 into the early morning hours of Veterans Day, November 11, 2002. A series of troughs tracked eastward across the United States, providing strong wind shear, while anomalously warm and unstable air surged northward into the Ohio River Valley. As a result, multiple tornadoes occurred across Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri on November 9. A far more widespread and severe event occurred the following day, with three distinct tornado outbreaks focused across areas from Illinois to Pennsylvania; Tennessee and Kentucky; and areas from Mississippi to South Carolina. The most intense tornado of the outbreak was a violent F4 tornado that occurred near Van Wert, Ohio. A total of 76 tornadoes occurred during the 3-day period, collectively resulting in 36 deaths and 303 injuries. As of 2022, the event ranks as the third-largest tornado outbreak on record in November.
The Tornado outbreak sequence of March 9–13, 2006 was an early season and long lasting tornado outbreak sequence in the central United States that started on the morning of March 9 and continued for over four days until the evening of March 13. The outbreak produced 99 confirmed tornadoes, which killed a total of 10 people. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issued multiple elavated outlook throughout the sequence, including a rare high risk for March 12, which would end up being the most intense day of the outbreak, producing 62 in total. 11 F3 tornadoes were tallied, and a violent F4 tornado touched down in Monroe County, Missouri, becoming the strongest of the outbreak. Multiple tornado emergencies were issued for tornadoes throughout the outbreak as well. An intense F3 tornado that affected the towns of Renick and Maddison in Missouri killed 4 people and injured dozens others, becoming the deadliest of the sequence. Multiple of the tornadoes were long-tracked in nature, with 6 of them having paths exceeding 30 miles (48 km). One particular supercell thunderstorm during the outbreak persisted for many hours and progressed in excess of 800 miles (1,300 km) through Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and extreme southern Michigan.
The tornado outbreak of April 1–2, 1974, affected much of the eastern and central United States. Four fatalities and more than seventy injuries were confirmed in this outbreak. Damaging, deadly tornadoes struck Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama—including the Nashville and Huntsville metropolitan areas. In the latter areas, tornadoes produced F3 damage on the Fujita scale and impacted areas that would later sustain damage on April 3. Large hail and severe thunderstorm winds also impacted a broad area.
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1961, 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.
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1962, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although tornadoes events can take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1954, 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.
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1953, 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. This was the first year to record an F5 tornado as well as one of the deadliest tornado seasons in official U.S. records, which go back to 1950.
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1952, 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.
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1951, 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 widespread, destructive, and deadly tornado outbreak sequence affected the Southeastern United States from April 28 to May 2, 1953, producing 24 tornadoes, including five violent F4 tornadoes. The deadliest event of the sequence was an F4 tornado family that ravaged Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia, on April 30, killing at least 18 people and injuring 300 or more others. On May 1, a pair of F4 tornadoes also struck Alabama, causing a combined nine deaths and 15 injuries. Additionally, another violent tornado struck rural Tennessee after midnight on May 2, killing four people and injuring eight. Additionally, two intense tornadoes impacted Greater San Antonio, Texas, on April 28, killing three people and injuring 20 altogether. In all, 36 people were killed, 361 others were injured, and total damages reached $26.713 million (1953 USD). There were additional casualties from non-tornadic events as well, including a washout which caused a train derailment that injured 10.
A widespread and deadly tornado outbreak affected the Great Plains, Mississippi Valley, and Southeast between March 12–15, 1953. At least 23 tornadoes were confirmed with the strongest one reaching F4 intensity and striking O'Brien, Texas on Friday the 13th. Overall, 21 people were killed, 72 others were injured, and damages were estimated at $6.835 million (1953 USD). There were additional casualties from non-tornadic events as well.
An unusually intense fall outbreak of tornadoes caused considerable damage to the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys. One person was killed, 35 others were injured, and damages reached $4.665 million. A total of 13 other people were killed and over 32 others were injured by non-tornadic events as well.
A highly destructive outbreak of 19 tornadoes struck areas from Oklahoma to Indiana. The Oklahoma City metropolitan area took the brunt of the outbreak with 10 F2 or F3 tornadoes touching down in the area alone on April 28, including one F3 tornado that just missed Downtown Oklahoma City, tearing through southeast of there. The outbreak killed three, injured 79, and caused $3.883 million (1960 USD) in damage.
Between April 23–30, 1961, a tornado outbreak sequence struck the Midwest, Ohio, and Mississippi Valleys, and the Eastern United States. Large hailstorms accompanied the tornadoes as well and numerous other weather events also occurred. Three people were killed, 38 others were injured and losses totaled $26.810 million. Two additional fatalities also occurred due to flooding and lightning.
A destructive outbreak of 14 tornadoes hit the Southeast. Seven of the 14 tornadoes were significant (F2+) and multiple populated areas were struck. Overall, the outbreak injured 11 and caused $460,030 in damage.
An outbreak of seven tornadoes struck the Central Plains and Mississippi in Late-April 1950. Five of the seven tornadoes were significant (F2+), including two violent F4 tornadoes in Texas and Oklahoma, both of which killed five. Overall, the outbreak killed 11, injured 38, and caused $1.575 million in damage. A lightning strike at Lake Texoma in Oklahoma caused an additional fatality and injury as well.
A destructive outbreak sequence triggered 13 tornadoes from Nebraska to Virginia. The most and strongest tornadic activity, as well as most of the casualties, including all the deaths, came on June 27, when a catastrophic early-morning F4 tornado killed five and injured 100 in Kansas while two F3 tornadoes caused a combined 50 injuries and one fatality in Illinois later that afternoon. Overall, the outbreak sequence killed six, injured 161, and caused $10.283 million in damage.
A localized, but destructive and deadly tornado outbreak impacted Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia on Leap Day in 1952. Thanks in part to unseasonably strong jet stream winds and a strong cold front, eight tornadoes left trails of damage and casualties. The tornado to cause the most casualties was an F1 tornado in Belfast, Tennessee, which killed three people and injured 166. A violent F4 tornado moved through Fayetteville, Tennessee, destroying most of the town and killing two and injuring 150 others. On the north side of Fort Payne, Alabama, an F3 tornado caused major damage and injured 12 people. In all, the outbreak killed five, injured 336, and caused $3.1 million (1952 USD) in damage. Four more fatalities and 14 more injuries occurred from other non-tornadic events as well.
A destructive severe weather and tornado outbreak struck the Central Plains, Great Lakes, Southeastern United States over a four day period. Multiple strong tornadoes were confirmed as well as widespread severe hail and wind, lightning, and heavy rain. One violent F4 tornado, which may have reached F5 intensity, caused severe damage between Lawrence and Kansas City, Kansas, injuring three people. Although the tornadoes themselves only caused eight injuries, scores of fatalities and additional injuries came from the non-tornadic effects as well.
A long-lived, destructive tornado outbreak sequence caused widespread damage and numerous casualties across the United States during mid- to late-May 1962. Over the course of 18 days, 188 tornadoes touched down across 25 states from California to Connecticut. There were 62 significant (F2+) tornadoes during the event, including 15 F3 tornadoes and four F4 tornadoes. In addition to the tornadoes, storms across the region produced destructive straight-line winds, large hail, heavy rainfall that led to flash flooding, and frequent lightning. Overall, the outbreak sequence caused three fatalities, 168 injuries, and caused $33.450 million in damage. There were additional casualties that occurred as a result of non-tornadic weather events as well.
