Portal:Tornadoes
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The Tornadoes Portal
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A significant and destructive tornado outbreak that affected parts of the Midwestern United States and lower Great Plains in mid-May 2013. This event occurred just days after a deadly outbreak struck Texas and surrounding southern states on May 15. On May 16, a slow moving trough crossed the Rockies and traversed the western Great Plains. Initially, activity was limited to scattered severe storms; however, by May 18, the threat for organized severe thunderstorms and tornadoes greatly increased. A few tornadoes touched down that day in Kansas and Nebraska, including an EF4 tornado near Rozel, Kansas. Maintaining its slow eastward movement, the system produced another round of severe weather nearby. Activity significantly increased on May 19, with tornadoes confirmed in Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. In Oklahoma, two strong tornadoes, one rated EF4, caused significant damage in rural areas of the eastern Oklahoma City metropolitan area; two people lost their lives near Shawnee. The most dramatic events unfolded on May 20 as a large EF5 tornado devastated parts of Moore, Oklahoma, killing 24 people. Thousands of structures were destroyed, with many being completely flattened. Several other tornadoes occurred during the day in areas further eastward, though the majority were weak and caused little damage.
The severe threat shifted towards damaging straight-line winds on May 21 as a large squall line developed across the southern states. Further north in Ontario, three tornadoes, including an EF2, touched down. Over the following five days, the system responsible for the outbreak moved very little across the Eastern United States. By May 24, it virtually stalled off the coast of New England, resulting in several days of heavy rain across the region. It later moved northeastward and was last noted by the Weather Prediction Center late on May 26 over southeastern Canada. During the storm's eleven-day trek across the United States, it produced 75 tornadoes, 4 of which were rated EF3 or higher. Over 1,000 reports of damaging winds were received by the Storm Prediction Center as well. The system's slow movement also resulted in record-breaking rainfall in North Dakota, New York and Vermont. Additionally, during the overnight of May 25–26, unusually cold air behind the cyclone resulting in record-late snowfall across northern New England. (Full article...)Selected tornado list -
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2024 tornado activity
A multi-day period of significant tornado activity along with significant derechos occurred across the Midwestern United States and the Mississippi Valley as well as an additional tornado in the Canadian province of Quebec. From May 19–27, 2024, two derechos occurred and tornadoes were reported across large portions of the Central United States, with multiple Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) watches issued across the sequence. On May 19, strong tornadoes occurred with isolated supercells in Colorado and Oklahoma while a derecho produced widespread wind damage and weak tornadoes across Kansas into the early morning hours of May 20. Limited tornadic activity took place on May 20, but another outbreak along with widespread damage struck mainly Iowa and Wisconsin on May 21. Five fatalities were confirmed with a large, violent, long-tracked EF4 tornado that went through Greenfield, Iowa. Scattered to widespread severe weather and tornadoes occurred over the next two days, including an EF2 tornado that injured 30 people on the west side of Temple, Texas. Another derecho formed in southwestern Nebraska late on May 23 and moved eastward, producing widespread wind damage and weak tornadoes through Nebraska and Iowa and northwestern Illinois before withering away in the northern part of the state during the morning hours of May 24.
A nocturnal outbreak occurred during the overnight hours of May 25 into May 26. An isolated supercell in northern Texas produced multiple tornadoes, including a low-end EF3 tornado that passed near Valley View, Texas, killing seven people. Another longer-lived supercell moved through northeastern Oklahoma and across northern Arkansas, producing several tornadoes along with straight-line winds of 100 mph (160 km/h). Two fatalities were confirmed from an EF3 tornado that struck Claremore, Oklahoma along with areas near Pryor. Later, it produced a very large EF3 tornado near Decatur, Arkansas, which became the largest tornado ever recorded in Arkansas. Another EF3 tornado killed four people near Olvey and Pyatt while an additional tornadic death occurred with yet another EF3 tornado that passed near Yellville and through Briarcliff. Another supercell in southern Missouri produced a low-end EF3 tornado that passed near Morehouse and through Sikeston, killing one. May 26 would be the most active day of severe weather; several rounds of squall lines and tornadic supercells moved through the Mid-Mississippi and the Ohio Valleys, producing widespread wind damage, large hail, and tornadoes. This included a very destructive, intense high-end EF3 tornado that prompted the issuance of four tornado emergencies across areas that had been previously impacted by the 2021 Western Kentucky tornado. One person was killed by this tornado. Severe weather activity became more isolated and scattered on May 27, marking the end of the outbreak sequence.
In all, 220 tornadoes occurred during the outbreak sequence; 21 people were killed by tornadoes while 10 other people died due to non-tornadic events as well. Over 240 people were injured. (Full article...)Tornado anniversaries
June 12
- 1899 – An F5 tornado, one of the deadliest in U.S. history, devastated much of New Richmond, Wisconsin, leveling numerous buildings and killing 117 people. The high death toll was in part due to about 1,000 people visiting from out of town to attend a circus, which ended about an hour before the tornado formed.
- 1942 – An F4 tornado moved erratically through the southwest side of Oklahoma City, destroying more than 70 homes and killing 35 people.
June 13
- 1968 – An F5 tornado struck Tracy, Minnesota, killing nine people, injuring 125, and destroying 111 homes, some of which were swept away.
- 1981 – Widely scattered tornadoes touched down across much of the United States, from Texas to Minnesota, Ohio, and Florida. An F3 tornado destroyed most of downtown Cardington, Ohio, including 100 homes, 50 businesses, and an apartment complex. Four people were killed and 56 were injured.
June 14
- 1957 – A tornado outbreak hit the Midwestern United States. An F4 tornado moved through the southeastern part of Springfield, Illinois, killing two people and injuring 50. An F2 tornado hit the business district of Jacksonville, Illinois, damaging dozens of buildings and injuring five people.
Did you know…
- ...that the 2013 Moore tornado that struck Moore and Newcastle, Oklahoma, is the most recent EF5 tornado?
- ...that the 2021 South Moravia tornado, an IF4 tornado with winds between 207–260 mph (333–418 km/h), was the strongest tornado to hit the Czech Republic in modern history?
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The 2006 Westchester County tornado was the strongest and largest tornado in Westchester County, New York since the 1904 Chappaqua tornado. It touched down there on Wednesday, July 12, 2006, and traveled 13 miles (21 km) into southwestern Connecticut during a 33-minute span through two states. The tornado touched down at 3:30 p.m. EDT (19:30 UTC) on the shore of the Hudson River before becoming a waterspout and traveling 3 mi (5 km) across the river. Coming ashore, the tornado entered Westchester County and struck the town of Sleepy Hollow at F1 intensity. After passing through the town, it intensified into an F2 tornado and grew to almost a one-quarter mile (400 m) in diameter. The tornado continued through the county, damaging numerous structures, until it crossed into Connecticut at 4:01 p.m. EDT (20:01 UTC). Not long after entering the state, it dissipated in the town of Greenwich at 4:03 p.m. EDT (20:03 UTC). When the tornado entered Westchester County, it was the eighth known tornado to either touch down or enter the county since 1950.
Two barns and a warehouse were destroyed, and a large stained-glass window was shattered. Numerous homes and businesses were damaged and thousands of trees were uprooted. There were no fatalities and only six minor injuries were associated with the storm. The cost of damages was estimated at $12.1 million. (Full article...)List of Featured articles and lists
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