Fast Tornado Facts
A tornado or a severe thunderstorm watch means that tornadoes or severe
thunderstorms are possible. If you are in a watch area or close to a watch area
dangerous weather may affect you.
A tornado or a severe thunderstorm warning means a tornado or a severe
thunderstorm is occurring or highly suspected. Warnings are issued for one
county or multiple counties. If the county you are in is under a warning, be
ready to take action.
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air. The circulation, whether
visibly connected or no, is in contact with the ground causing damage. A funnel
cloud is a violently rotating column of air, whose circulation does not reach
ground.
A severe thunderstorm is a thunderstorm producing sustained winds or gusts of
58 m.p.h., or greater, and/or hail three-fourths of an inch in diameter, or
larger.
A squall line is a long line of thunderstorms often preceded by a dark
horizontal band of clouds and often associated with strong straight line winds
and heavy downpours.
A downburst is a strong downdraft and outrush of straight line wind from a
thunderstorm which can cause tree or structural damage.
A flash flood is a flood occurring within hours of a heavy rainfall. Floods are
the number one weather killer in our country.
Major Cities Struck by Tornadoes
Oklahoma City, Okla., May 3, 1999...On Monday evening, May 3, a long track
F5, violent tornado traveled from near Chickasha, Oklahoma, to just east of
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Along its path this tornado produced areas of F5
damage to both rural sections of central Oklahoma as well as densely populated
areas of Oklahoma City and its suburbs. In the wake of this single tornado,
there were 42 people left dead, several hundred injured and more than $1
billion in damage.
Wichita, Kan., May 3, 1999...Another violent tornado, rated F4 intensity,
plowed through Haysville in suburban Wichita, Kansas, shortly after the
Oklahoma City tornado. This tornado was responsible for 6 deaths, 150 injuries
and more than $140 million in damage. While these two tornadoes received the
greatest attention, they were just two of a rare and significant outbreak of
violent tornadoes. Almost 70 tornadoes, many of them rated F3 or stronger, were
spawned by a dozen supercell thunderstorms across Oklahoma and southern Kansas.
Little Rock, Ark., Jan 21, 1999...F3, 3 fatalities. There were 63 tornadoes
statewide that day in Arkansas, which is three times the average tornadoes per
year.
Nashville, Tenn., April 16, 1998...F3, 1 fatality, 60 injuries, $100 million in
damage. This tornado struck downtown Nashville.
Birmingham, Ala., April 8, 1998 – F5, 33 fatalities, over 258 injuries,
$202 million in damage. This tornado struck about two miles away from downtown.
Miami, Fla., May 12, 1997 – F1, no fatalities, 12 injuries, $525,000 in
damage. A very dramatic tornado which struck very near downtown Miami and
lasted for about 15 minutes.
Deadliest
The Tri-State Tornado Outbreak of March 18, 1925 killed 689 people in
Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. Murphrysboro, Ill., had 234 of those deaths,
and West Frankfort, Ill., had 127.
Other deadly tornadoes include the May 6, 1840 tornado which killed 317 people
in Natchez, Mississippi; the May 27, 1896, tornado which killed 255 in St.
Louis, Missouri. Tornadoes on successive days in 1936 killed 216 people in
Tupelo, Mississippi, on April 5; and 203 people in Gainesville, Georgia, on
April 6.
Biggest, Costliest Outbreaks
The April 3-4, 1974 Super Outbreak was the largest known outbreak, with 148
tornadoes in 11 states, killing 315 people, injuring more than 5,300 and
causing $600 million in damages. Alabama, Kentucky and Ohio were the states
hardest hit. Perhaps the most notable tornado of the outbreak was one which
touched down southwest of
Xenia, Ohio. The
violent tornado destroyed half the town, killing 34 and causing property
damages of more than $100 million.
The second most devastating outbreak of tornadoes of modern record was the 1965
Palm Sunday outbreak. Severe thunderstorms in the Upper Midwest spawned a total
of 51 tornadoes within twelve hours. Indiana, Ohio and Michigan were hardest
hit. The tornadoes killed 256 people and caused more than $200 million in
damages. Two powerful tornadoes, about 30 minutes apart in time, traveled
nearly identical paths across Branch, Hilsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties in
extreme south central and southeastern Lower Michigan. The tornadoes killed 44,
and caused more than $32 million in damages to those areas. In Lenawee County,
the damage path was up to four miles in width.
Tornado Season
Tornadoes can occur at any time of the year. In the southern states, peak tornado occurrence is in March through May, while peak months in the northern states are during the summer. Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 and 9 p.m. but have been known to occur at all hours of the day or night.