Tornado records

Here are some notable tornado records that remain unbroken.

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Deadliest single tornado in the world:

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April 26, 1989 - Bangladesh - A massive tornado claimed 1,300 lives.

Related Topics:
April 26 - 1989 - Bangladesh

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The 10 Deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history:

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• Tri-State Tornado - March 18, 1925 - 695 dead.
• Great Natchez Tornado - May 7, 1840 - 317 dead.
• St. Louis-East St. Louis Tornado - May 27, 1896 - 255 dead.
• Tupelo Tornado - April 5, 1936 - 233 dead.
• Gainesville Tornado - April 6, 1936 - 203 dead.
• Glazier-Higgins-Woodward Tornadoes - April 9, 1947 - 181 dead.
• Amite-Pine-Purvis Tornadoes - April 24, 1908 - 143 dead.
• New Richmond Tornado - June 12, 1899 - 117 dead.
• Flint Tornado - June 8, 1953 - 115 dead.
• Waco Tornado - May 11, 1953 - 114 dead.

The 10 Deadliest tornadoes in Canadian history:

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• The Regina Cyclone - June 30, 1912 - 28 dead.
• Edmonton, Alberta - July 31, 1987 - 27 dead.
• Windsor, Ontario - June 17, 1946 - 17 dead.
• Pine Lake, Alberta - July 14, 2000 - 12 dead.
• Valleyfield, Quebec - August 16, 1888 - 9 dead.
• Windsor, Ontario - April 3, 1974 - 9 dead.
• Barrie, Ontario - May 31, 1985 - 8 dead.
• Sudbury, Ontario - August 20, 1970 - 6 dead.
• St. Rose, Quebec - June 14, 1892 - 6 dead.
• Portage la Prairie, Manitoba - June 23, 1922 - 5 dead.

Canadian tornadoes tend to be less deadly in part due to sturdier buildings, made for colder weather. The F4 tornado that struck a densely populated area of Edmonton, killing 27, would likely have killed hundreds had it struck a US city of similar size, and would likely have been rated an F5 due to greater damage.

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Biggest outbreak of tornadoes:

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The Super Outbreak, in which 148 tornadoes affected 13 states and one Canadian province on April 3 and 4, 1974. The outbreak was also an unprecedented producer of large, long-track, and intense tornadoes; with 6 F5s and 24 F4s, far and away a record.

Related Topics:
Super Outbreak - April 3 - 4 - 1974

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Highest (observed) winds in a tornado:

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The F5 tornado that moved into Oklahoma City on May 3, 1999. A doppler radar near the tornado measured winds of up to 318 mph inside the vortex.

Related Topics:
Oklahoma City - May 3 - 1999

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Fastest ground speed (movement):

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73 mph (117 km/h) from the Tri-State Tornado.

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Longest path lengths:

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The longest track single tornado is thought to be the Tri-State Tornado, which traversed 219 miles (350 kilometers) in about 3.5 hours.

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Costliest tornado:

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The Oklahoma City tornado of May 3, 1999 caused more than $1 billion in damage. This was the first time in history damages from a single tornado exceeded this amount. Adjusted for inflation, the St. Louis-East St. Louis Tornado is very clearly the most destructive and costliest tornado, with damages estimated at $2.9 billion (1997 USD).

Related Topics:
Oklahoma City - May 3 - 1999 - St. Louis-East St. Louis Tornado

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Last tornado to kill more than 40 people:

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May 3, 1999 - Oklahoma City - 42 dead.

Related Topics:
May 3 - 1999 - Oklahoma City

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Least deadly tornado decade:

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There were no tornado fatalities in Canada in the 1990's.

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First confirmed tornado in the U.S.:

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July 8, 1680 - Cambridge, Massachusetts - 1 dead.

Related Topics:
July 8 - 1680 - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Deadliest tornado of the 80s:

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May 22, 1987 - Saragosa, Texas - 30 dead.

Related Topics:
May 22 - 1987 - Saragosa, Texas

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Biggest outbreak in the fall:

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143 tornadoes broke out in 41 hours of continuous tornado activity from November 21 to 23, 1992.

Related Topics:
November 21 - 23 - 1992

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Longest span without an F5 tornado:

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Probably as of this writing. As of February 7, it has been 4 years 280 days since the United States has had a F5 tornado. The last hit in Oklahoma City during the May 3, 1999 event.

Related Topics:
February 7 - Oklahoma City - May 3, 1999 event

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Latest in the year without a tornado:

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The first confirmed tornado of 2003 hit in Mississippi on February 15.

Related Topics:
2003 - Mississippi - February 15

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Slowest years for tornado outbreaks:

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Probably the 10 most insignificant years of the last 50 for tornado outbreaks were 1994, 1988, 1986, 1983, 1978, 1977, 1976, 1972, 1969, and 1954.

Related Topics:
1994 - 1988 - 1986 - 1983 - 1978 - 1977 - 1976 - 1972 - 1969 - 1954

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Most tornadoes spawned from a hurricane:

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117 tornadoes spun out of Hurricane Frances upon landfall in Florida in September 2004. The old record was 115 from Hurricane Beulah in 1967.

Related Topics:
Hurricane Frances - Florida - September - 2004 - Hurricane Beulah - 1967

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Most significant coincidence:

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A small town in Kansas called Codell was hit by a tornado on the exact same date three years straight. A tornado hit on May 20, 1916, 1917, and 1918. The U.S. gets 100,000 storms a year; only 1% produces a tornado. The odds of this coincidence occurring again is practically infinitesimal.

Related Topics:
Kansas - Codell - May 20 - 1916 - 1917 - 1918 - Infinitesimal

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Tornado records: See also ►