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User:WeatherWriter/Possible F5 and EF5 tornadoes

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Possible F5/EF5/T10+ tornadoes officially rated F4/EF4/T9 or lower

[edit]

Because the distinctions between F4/EF4/T9 and F5/EF5/T10 tornadoes are often ambiguous, the official ratings of numerous other tornadoes formally rated below F5/EF5/T10 or equivalent have been disputed, with certain government sources or independent studies contradicting the official record. This list includes tornadoes rated F5/EF5/IF5/T10 by government meteorologists, non-government employeed tornado experts (i.e. Thomas P. Grazulis or Ted Fujita) or meteorological research institutions (i.e. European Severe Storms Laboratory) that rated a tornado differently than the official government organization in charge of the rating. Published academic papers or presentations at academically held meteorological conferences that rate tornadoes as F5/EF5/IF5/T10 or present some evidence to support damage or winds in that category are also ways a tornado can be added to this list. This list can also include tornadoes previously officially rated as an F5 or EF5, but have since been downgraded officially to a lower rating.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by participating in discussions about tornadoes for this list.

Tornadoes officially rated below F5/EF5/T10 or equivalent but which may have been F5/EF5/T10+
Day Year Country Subdivision Location Fatalities Notes Rated F5/EF5 by
Oct 23 1666 United Kingdom England Lincolnshire 3 This tornado has been officially rated at T8-T9 on the TORRO scale, indicating potential windspeeds of up to 269 miles per hour (433 km/h). This places it weakly in the F5 category. The maximum track width of the tornado was reported as 200 metres (660 ft), and the track length at 5 kilometres (16,000 ft). The tornado reportedly killed three people, and passed through the towns of: Welbourn, Wellingore, Navenby and Boothby Graffoe, in Lincolnshire, and levelled large portions of each town. It is the strongest tornado on record in the British Isles.[1] This tornado is not documented by the European Severe Storms Laboratory. TORRO
Jul 20 1931 Poland Lublin Voivodeship Lublin 6 This tornado is officially rated F4; however, the Polish Weather Service estimated winds at 246 to 324 mph (396 to 521 km/h), potentially ranking it as an F5.[2] ESSL
Jun 17 1946 United States,
Canada
Michigan,
Ontario
River Rouge, Windsor, LaSalle, Tecumseh 17 1946 Windsor-Tecumseh, Ontario tornado – Officially rated F4; however, one home had a portion of its concrete block foundation swept away, indicating borderline F5 damage.[3] EC
May 18 1951 United States Texas Olney 2 Many homes in town were destroyed, some of which were swept away with very little debris left. Noted as "possibly F5" by Grazulis.[4][5][6] Grazulis
Mar 21 1952 United States Mississippi,
Tennessee
Byhalia, Moscow 17 March 1952 Southern United States tornado outbreak – Officially rated F4 in tornado databases; however, the National Climatic Data Center lists this as an F5 event in a Tech Memo reporting all known F5 tornadoes.[7][8] The only possible F5 damage was to a concrete block structure that may or may not have been steel-reinforced.[9] It originally was the first officially ranked F5 tornado in the United States, but was later downgraded to F4.[9] NCDC, NWA
May 22 1952 United States Kansas Linwood, Edwardsville 0 Tornado outbreak of May 21–24, 1952 – This tornado moved at 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) and destroyed dozen homes. The home of a bank president was leveled. Grazulis notes it as "possibly F5."[5] Grazulis
Jun 8 1953 United States Ohio Cygnet 18 Flint–Worcester tornado outbreak sequence – Possible but unverifiable F5 damage occurred near Cygnet where homes were swept completely away.[5] A steel-and-concrete bridge was destroyed as the tornado passed near Jerry City.[4][10] Grazulis
Jun 9 1953 United States Massachusetts Worcester 94 Flint-Worcester tornado outbreak sequence – Many strong structures with numerous interior walls were leveled,[5] and entire blocks of homes were swept cleanly away.[4] The large, brick Assumption College sustained severe damage, and its upper stories were completely destroyed.[5] A large, multi-ton storage tank was carried over a road,[11] and trees along the path were debarked as well.[12] Debris from this tornado was found in the Atlantic Ocean.[4] In 1993 Grazulis noted that an F5 rating was "probably appropriate,"[13] Grazulis later rated this tornado F5 in a 2001 publication, based on newly available photographs of the "immense" destruction, and indicated that it "should" have been assigned an F5 rating in 1975. It was officially rated F4.[14] Grazulis
May 1 1954 United States Texas,
Oklahoma
Crowell, Vernon, Snyder 0 Vehicles were thrown more than 100 yd (300 ft),[4] and three farms were entirely swept away. Noted as "possibly F5" by Grazulis.[5] Grazulis
Jul 2 1955 United States North Dakota Walcott 2 Eleven farms were completely leveled or swept away. One farm appeared to show potential F5 damage to a home that was swept completely away.[5] Grazulis
May 21 1957 United States Missouri Fremont 7 May 1957 Central Plains tornado outbreak – Most of Fremont was destroyed, with many structures swept away. Possible F5 damage occurred to schools, homes, and businesses near the railroad tracks, but houses in the area were poorly constructed.[5] Grazulis
Jun 16 1957 Italy Pavia Robecco Pavese, Valle Scuropasso 7 Many large stone buildings were flattened. Officially rated F4 but images show possible T10/low-end F5 damage.[15] ESSL
Jun 10 1958 United States Kansas El Dorado 15 Reports indicated possible F5-level damage to homes.[5] A car was thrown 100 yd (300 ft), but damage photographs were inconclusive as to whether F5 structural damage occurred.[4] Grazulis
May 19 1960 United States Kansas Wamego 0 Rated F5 by Grazulis as two farms were swept away.[5][4] Grazulis
May 30 1961 United States Nebraska Custer County, Valley County 0 All buildings and machinery were swept away from a farm. Widely accepted as an F5 tornado, including within the NCDC Technical Memorandum; however, it is listed as an F4 in the official databases.[5][7][4] NCDC, Grazulis
Jun 6 1963 United States South Dakota near Martin 0 Produced possible F5 damage over farmland north of Martin according to Grazulis. A church "disappeared" and one home "seemed to evaporate into the air." This tornado is listed as only F3 in the official database.[5][4] Grazulis
Apr 12 1964 United States Kansas near Lawrence 0 Produced possible F5 damage according to Grazulis. Farms were leveled and a truck was thrown 300 yd (274 m).[5][4] Grazulis
Apr 11 1965 United States Indiana Dunlap 36 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak – This was the second violent tornado to strike Dunlap within 90 minutes.[5][7] A well-built truck stop was leveled and many permanent homes were swept away in two subdivisions.[5] Rated F5 by Fujita in the Chicago Damage Area Per Path Length (DAPPL), but later downgraded to F4, the tornado is widely considered to be an F5 in older sources.[7][4] NCDC, Grazulis, Fujita
Apr 11 1965 United States Indiana Lebanon, Sheridan 28 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak – This is listed as an F5 in the NCDC memorandum. Farms were obliterated and vehicles were thrown up 100 yd (300 ft).[5][7] NCDC
Apr 11 1965 United States Ohio Pittsfield, Strongsville 18 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak – Homes were cleanly swept away in Strongsville and Pittsfield, and Pittsfield was completely destroyed.[5] Only a concrete war monument remained standing in Pittsfield, where homes "vanished."[16] Rated F5 by Fujita in the Chicago Damage Area Per Path Length (DAPPL), but later downgraded to F4, though widely considered an F5 in older reports.[7][4] Grazulis, Fujita
May 8 1965 United States Nebraska Primrose 4 Early-May 1965 tornado outbreak sequence – Widely accepted as an F5,[7] and reported to have been a double tornado as it hit Primrose.[17] Homes were swept from their foundations, and 90% of the village was destroyed.[4][18][19] Cars from Primrose were carried for 400 yd (1,200 ft), and a truck body was carried and rolled for 2 mi (3.2 km).[5] NCDC, Grazulis
Apr 23 1968 United States Kentucky Falmouth 6 1968 Wheelersburg, Ohio tornado outbreak – Mentioned as a possible F5 by Grazulis.[4] Grazulis
Apr 27 1971 United States Kentucky Gosser Ridge 2 Most buildings on a farm were swept away. Listed as a "questionable" F5 in the NCDC Tech Memo. Rated an F4 according to Grazulis and official records.[5][7] NCDC
May 24 1973 United States Oklahoma Union City 2 A carport was carried intact to the north while the rest of the house was destroyed with the foundation swept clean. A barn was destroyed and trees still standing were denuded, a flatbed truck rolled over, a car was torn apart with only the frame remaining nearby. A small frame house was also destroyed with its foundation clean.[20][21] NSSL
Apr 3 1974 United States Tennessee Lincoln County, Franklin County, Coffee County 11 1974 Super Outbreak – Intense tornado that caused unverifiable F5 damage when it leveled and swept away several "well constructed homes" in Franklin County.[5][9] Destroyed roughly 46 homes and 90 barns in just that county alone. Developed from the same thunderstorm that produced the first F5 Tanner tornado.[5] Previously rated F5 by NWS, but later downgraded to F4.[9] NWS, NWA
Jun 9 1984 Soviet Union (Russia) Ivanovo Oblast Ivanovo, Lunevo 69 1984 Soviet Union tornado outbreak – An extremely intense multiple vortex tornado[22] overturned a crane and "tied him into knot", threw a multi-ton water tank over 200 metres (660 ft), uprooted and threw trees long distances,[23] and obliterated a reinforced concrete building.[24] The tornado was exceptionally long-lived, remaining on the ground for roughly 100 mi (160 km) over the course of two hours. At least 69 fatalities were confirmed, though the actual toll was likely higher. This tornado was originally rated as an F5, but was downgraded to an F4 in 2018.[25][2] TORRO, ESSL
Jun 9 1984 Soviet Union (Russia) Kostroma Oblast Kostroma, Lyubim 0 1984 Soviet Union tornado outbreak – Officially rated F4, but survey mentions possible F5 damage. Trees were ripped from the ground and thrown long distances. A 350-ton industrial crane was blown over.[26] Pending
Jul 31 1987 Canada Alberta Edmonton 27 Edmonton tornado – Heavy trailers and oil tanks were tossed, and large factories were leveled. This tornado has been under scrutiny by Environment Canada in recent years, as to whether or not it could be considered for an F5 rating.[27] If so this would make it the earliest such tornado since records have been kept, next to the 2007 Elie, Manitoba, tornado. EC
Apr 26 1991 United States Oklahoma Red Rock 0 April 26, 1991 tornado outbreak – Mobile Doppler radar used by storm chasers indicated wind speeds in the range of the F5 threshold, with winds up to 268 mph (431 km/h). Pavement and ground scouring occurred, and a large oil rig was toppled. Officially rated F4, but is mentioned by some sources as an F5 or possible F5.[5][4][28] Grazulis
Nov 29 1992 Australia Queensland Bucca 0 Bucca tornado — One of the most violent tornadoes ever to have occurred in Australia and was the first Australian tornado to be officially rated F4. The tornado flattened some houses to the ground, trees were snapped and stones were embedded into the trunks. A refrigerator was blown away and never found and a 3-ton truck was thrown 300 metres (330 yd). Jeff Callaghan, a retired senior severe weather forecaster for the Bureau of Meteorology conducted a case study on this tornado and said it “was rated a F4 or possible an F5.”[29] Jeff Callaghan
Jun 8 1995 United States Texas McLean, Kellerville 0 Project VORTEX assessed tornado to be F5; one home was so obliterated that the National Weather Service survey likely missed it.[30] Intense pavement and ground scouring occurred, with only bare soil left in some areas.[4][31] VORTEX, Grazulis
Jun 8 1995 United States Texas Allison, Texas 0 A National Weather Service damage survey was not conducted due in part to the extensive damage and injuries from another tornado in Pampa, Texas. Four homes were destroyed and more than 800 head of livestock were killed. An NCDC report states that "all sighting reports would place this as an F5 tornado" with storm spotters calling it "one of the biggest and meanest appearing tornadoes they had ever seen." However, this tornado hit few man-made structures and a significant amount of time elapsed before damage could be examined, so it could not be rated higher than F4.[32][33][34] NWS, VORTEX
Apr 16 1998 United States Tennessee Hardin County, Wayne County 3 1998 Nashville tornado outbreak – Originally considered part of a very long-tracked F5 tornado but was later determined to have been the first in a series of three separate, violent tornadoes. Multiple homes were reduced to their foundations. Although officially rated an F4, a re-analysis conducted in 2013 by the NWS Office in Nashville noted that the damage in Wayne County may warrant EF5; however, no tornadoes are rated using the enhanced scale that occurred prior to February 2007.[35] NWS
May 30 1998 United States South Dakota Spencer 6 Late-May 1998 tornado outbreak and derecho – DOW recorded maximum wind speeds at 264 mph (425 km/h) at 160 ft above ground level, which the NWS classified at almost ground level. Such wind speeds would fall well into the EF5 range on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, though the maximum damage intensity observed in the town of Spencer was F4. The town's water tower was toppled to the ground, an apartment building was leveled, and many homes were completely destroyed, a few of which were swept away.[36] Wurman
May 11 1999 United States Texas Loyal Valley 1 Officially rated high-end F4, though one survey revealed potential F5 damage.[37] Two homes were completely swept away, with debris scattered over great distances. Large pieces of a pickup truck were found 3/4 of a mile away from the residence where it originated, and a 720-foot long stretch of pavement was scoured from a road. Ground scouring occurred, and numerous mesquite trees were completely denuded and debarked.[38] A reporter who also witnessed the destruction at Jarrell said "I hadn't seen anything like that. I couldn't believe what it did to animals, This was wiped clean, too, but the cattle - their hides had been ripped right off of them. Some of them were missing heads, and some were caught up and entwined in barbed wire." Had this tornado touched down in an urban area, the devastation likely would have rivaled that from Oklahoma City or the storm that leveled a subdivision in Jarrell in 1997.[37][39] Hecke
May 12 2004 United States Kansas Harper 0 A well-built farmhouse was leveled with little debris left. Chance Haynes from NWS in Wichita, Kansas rated this tornado as F4 for his very slow-moving, but later express regret over the conservative rating.[40][41] Chance Haynes
July 18 2004 United States North Dakota Marion 0 Officially rated F4, this tornado struck the farmstead near Marion, North Dakota causing extreme damage. The National Weather Service employee who surveyed the damage from this tornado, Greg Gust, rated the tornado at the “very top of the F4 scale”. In an interview in 2016, Gust stated, “if I would have had the EF toolkit at that time I probably would have rated EF5” and “I'd have felt more comfortable going with the F5 rating on that”.[42][43] Greg Gust
Apr 27 2011 United States Alabama Tuscaloosa, Holt, Hueytown, Concord, Pleasant Grove, McDonald Chapel, Birmingham, Fultondale 64 2011 Tuscaloosa–Birmingham tornado – Officially rated high-end EF4, though the final rating was a source of controversy, and one survey team rated some of the damage as EF5. Many homes, a large section of an apartment building, and a clubhouse were swept away, though these structures were either poorly anchored, lacked interior walls, or surrounded by contextual damage not consistent with an EF5 tornado. A manhole cover was removed from a drain and thrown into a ravine near the clubhouse. A 34-tonne (74,957 lb) railroad trestle support structure was thrown 100 ft (30 m) up a hill, and a 35.8-tonne (78,925 lb) coal car was thrown 391 ft (119 m) through the air.[44][45] NWS
May 24 2011 United States Oklahoma Chickasha, Blanchard, Newcastle 1 Tornado outbreak sequence of May 21–26, 2011 – Officially rated a high-end EF4; however, the survey conducted by NWS Norman mentions this tornado as being a "plausible EF5". Well-built homes with anchor bolts were swept away, pavement was scoured from roads and driveways, and vehicles were thrown up to 600 yd (549 m) away, some of which were torn into multiple pieces or stripped down to their frames. Trees were reduced to completely debarked stumps, and severe ground scouring occurred, with all grass and several inches of topsoil removed in some areas. A reinforced concrete dome home was severely damaged and cracked.[44][46][47] NWS
May 24 2011 United States Oklahoma Bradley, Washington, Goldsby 0 Tornado outbreak sequence of May 21–26, 2011 — Officially rated high-end EF4 with winds up to 200 miles per hour (320 km/h), this tornado destroyed or obliterated multiple structures. The National Weather Service noted the structures destroyed were “falling just short of the damage indicator for an EF-5.” Kiel Ortega, a National Weather Service damage surveyor discussed with another surveyor saying, “some people believe it should have been rated EF5”. In 2018, Yuko Murayama (Tsuda University in Tokyo, Japan), Dimiter Velev (University of National and World Economics in Sofia, Bulgaria), & Plamena Zlateva (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia, Bulgaria) authored a book of revised academically peer-reviewed papers, in which they directly rated the Washington—Goldsby tornado an EF5.[48][49] Kiel Ortega, Yuko Murayama, Dimiter Velev, Plamena Zlateva
March 2 2012 United States Indiana, Kentucky Fredericksburg, Henryville, Bedford 11 Tornado outbreak of March 2–3, 2012 — A violent stovepipe tornado (often referred to as the “Henryville Tornado”) that carved a 49 mi (79 km) path of damage from Fredericksburg, Indiana to the Bedford, Kentucky area. This tornado was officially rated a low-end EF4. In 2022, the National Weather Service of Louisville referred to a possible EF5 damage location at a demolished house, where a pickup truck was blown away and never found and a backhoe was deposited into the basement of the house.[50] NWS
May 28 2013 United States Kansas Bennington 0 Tornado outbreak of May 26–31, 2013 – Officially rated EF3. However, a DOW instrument estimated winds inside the tornado at 247 miles per hour (398 km/h), 300 feet above the ground.[51] The Weather Channel
May 31 2013 United States Oklahoma El Reno 8 2013 El Reno tornado – Largest tornado on record at 2.6 miles (4.2 km) wide. Initially rated EF5 based solely on mobile Doppler radar measurements, which recorded winds over 302 miles per hour (486 km/h).[52] However, the most significant structural damage was rated EF3, as the tornado did not strike any buildings when the EF5 winds were recorded. The rating was eventually downgraded to EF3 because of this, though the practicality of the downgrade has been disputed by some meteorologists.[53][54] NCEI, CSWR, Wurman
Apr 27 2014 United States Arkansas Mayflower, Vilonia 16 Tornado outbreak of April 27–30, 2014 – Officially rated high-end EF4, though the rating was a major source of controversy, and meteorologist/civil engineer Timothy P. Marshall noted that the rating assigned was "lower-bound" and "the possibility that EF5 winds could have occurred" despite the structural flaws responsible for the EF4 rating.[55][56] Numerous homes were swept completely away with only bare slabs left, including one that was well-bolted to its foundation, and extensive wind-rowing of debris occurred. Trees were completely debarked and denuded, shrubs were shredded and debarked, and vehicles were thrown hundreds of yards and stripped down to their frames. In one instance, a well-built house was swept away, but an EF5 rating was not assigned as it was just one house and it had been struck by debris from other buildings.[57] A large 29,998-pound (13,610 kg) metal fertilizer tank was found approximately 34 mi (1.2 km) away from where it originated.[55][58][59] Extensive ground scouring occurred as well.[60][61] NWS, Marshall, Grazulis
May 9 2016 United States Oklahoma Sulphur 0 Tornado outbreak of May 7–10, 2016 - This tornado was recorded to have attained 200 mph winds in an open field by RaXPol mobile radar. This would have been sufficient to produce EF5 damage had the tornado impacted any substantial structures during this time period.[62] Several homes were swept away at high-end EF3 strength, and many other outbuildings were destroyed as well. An 18-year old and his cousin were able to survive the tornado by taking shelter in an interior bathroom, which was the only standing section of the house after the tornado had impacted it.[63] NWS, Marshall
May 24 2016 United States Kansas Dodge City 0 Tornado outbreak sequence of May 22–26, 2016 – During the initial stages of development, there was DOW data on this tornado. It intensified from 40 metres per second (89 mph; 140 km/h) to 90 metres per second (200 mph; 320 km/h) in a span of 21 seconds that lasted less than a minute at those velocities. This would have been enough to produce EF5 damage briefly, based on those velocities. As the tornado moved north into a housing addition just west of Dodge City, it showed multiple vortex characteristics and did EF2 damage. One person was seriously hurt in a home that was heavily damaged.[64] NCEI, CSWR
May 25 2016 United States Kansas Solomon, Abilene, Chapman 0 Tornado outbreak sequence of May 22–26, 2016 – An anchor-bolted brick farm home was swept away and was ripped from its foundation so violently that part of the foundation was severely cracked, though the area surrounding the home was not swept completely clean. Vehicles and large pieces of farm machinery were thrown and mangled beyond recognition, and a section of metal railroad track was bent horizontally by the tornado. Officially rated EF4 with winds of 180 mph (290 km/h), though NWS Topeka damage surveyors later noted that based on the severity of the damage in rural areas, it "could have very well been" rated EF5 had it struck Chapman directly.[65][57][66] NWS
December 10 2021 United States Tennessee, Kentucky Woodland Mills, Cayce, Mayfield, Princeton, Dawson Springs, Bremen, McDaniels 57 2021 Western Kentucky tornado — A long-tracked wedge spawned by the Quad-State supercell, that damaged, destroyed, or obliterated thousands of structures along a path of 165.6 miles (266.5 km) while moving at 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). In 2022, Timothy Marshall, a meteorologist, and structural and forensic engineer, Christine L. Wielgos, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service of Paducah, & Brian E. Smith, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service of Omaha, published a damage survey of portions of the tornado’s track, particularly through Mayfield and Dawson Springs. At the end of the report, they said, “the tornado damage rating might have been higher had more wind resistant structures been encountered. Also, the fast forward speed of the tornado had little ‘dwell’ time of strong winds over a building and thus, the damage likely would have been more severe if the tornado were slower”[67]. Timothy P. Marshall, Zachary B. Wienhoff, Brian E. Smith, Christine L. Wielgos


Possible F5/EF5/T10+ tornadoes with no official rating

[edit]

Many other tornadoes have never been formally rated by an official government source but have nonetheless been described as F5/EF5/T10+ or equivalent, often by independent studies. Most of these tornadoes occurred prior to 1950, before tornadoes were rated according to standardized damage assessments, and their unofficial classifications as F5/EF5/T10+ or equivalent have been made in retrospect, largely on the basis of photographic analysis and eyewitness accounts. A few, such as the Tri-State Tornado of 1925, are widely accepted as F5/EF5/T10+ tornadoes, despite not being rated as such in official records.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by participating in discussions about tornadoes for this list.

Tornadoes with no official rating, but which may have been F5/EF5/T10+ or equivalent
Day Year Country Subdivision Location Fatalities Notes Rated F5/EF5 by
Apr 24 1880 United States Illinois West Prairie, Christian County 6 Many "well built" homes were leveled and farms vanished. Its victims (both people and cattle) were reportedly carried up to half a mile. This is the earliest estimated F5 that can be verified in the U.S. according to Grazulis. (The 1953 Waco tornado is the earliest officially rated - see section.) The F5 rating is widely accepted.[7][4][68][69] NWS, NCDC, Grazulis
Jun 12 1881 United States Missouri Hopkins 2 1881 Hopkins tornado – Two farms were completely swept away.[7][4][70] May have reached F5 intensity according to Grazulis. NCDC, Grazulis
Jul 15 1881 United States Minnesota Renville County 20 1881 Minnesota tornado outbreak – According to Grazulis, this tornado was "probably" an F5. Severe damage occurred in Renville County where five farms were completely swept away.[70] Grazulis
Jun 17 1882 United States Iowa Grinnell 68 Sixteen farms were blown away and the town of Grinnell was devastated, as well as the Grinnell College campus. Debris was carried 100 mi (160 km). Caused 68 fatalities according to Grazulis.[7][4][71][72] NWS, NCDC, Grazulis
Aug 21 1883 United States Minnesota Rochester 37 1883 Rochester tornado – Numerous homes in Rochester were destroyed, some of which were oblitereted and swept away with the debris finely granulated. Trees were completely debarked, and grass and shrubbery was scoured from the ground. A large metal railroad bridge was completely destroyed and mangled. At least 10 farms outside the city were also completely leveled and swept away, with little debris recovered at some of them.[4][73][74][75] NWS, Grazulis
Apr 1 1884 United States Indiana Oakville 8 Among contemporary meteorologists, this was considered one of the most intense tornadoes observed up to that time. Parts of Oakville "vanished," with house debris scattered for miles.[7][4][76][77] NWS, NCDC, Grazulis
Jun 15 1892 United States Minnesota Faribault County, Freeborn County, Steele County 12 1892 Southern Minnesota tornado – Entire farms were obliterated, and house timbers were embedded into the ground 3 mi (4.8 km) away from the foundations.[4][78] Grazulis
May 22 1893 United States Wisconsin Willow Springs 3 Two farm complexes were completely swept away.[7][4][79] NCDC, Grazulis
Jul 6 1893 United States Iowa Pomeroy 71 Well-built homes were swept away in four counties with F5 damage in the town of Pomeroy.[4][80] Grass was scoured from the ground, and a metal bridge was torn from its supports. A well pump and 40 ft (12 m) of piping were pulled out of the ground.[81][72] NWS, NCDC, Grazulis
Sep 21 1894 United States Iowa Kossuth County 43 Five farms and a home were swept away, leaving little trace.[7][4][82][72] NWS, NCDC, Grazulis
May 1 1895 United States Kansas Harvey County 8 Farms "entirely vanished," with debris carried for miles.[7][4][83] NCDC, Grazulis
May 3 1895 United States Iowa Sioux County 9 Farms were swept away, with debris carried for miles.[4][83][72] NWS, Grazulis
May 15 1896 United States Texas Sherman 73 May 1896 tornado outbreak sequence – This was one of the most intense tornadoes of the 19th century according to Grazulis.[7][84] "Extraordinary" damage occurred to farms and 20 homes that were obliterated and swept away.[4][84][85] An iron-beam bridge was torn apart and scattered, with one of the beams deeply embedded into the ground.[86][87] Trees were reduced to debarked stumps, and grass was scoured from lawns in town as well. Several headstones at a cemetery were shattered or thrown up to 250 yards through the air, and a trunk lid from Sherman was found 35 miles away.[88] Reliable reports said that numerous bodies were carried hundreds of yards,[84] and that multiple deaths occurred in 17 different families; seven deaths were in one family alone.[84][89] NWS, NCDC, Grazulis
May 17 1896 United States Kansas,
Nebraska
Washington County, Marshall County, Nemaha County, Brown County, Richardson County 25 May 1896 tornado outbreak sequence – An opera house in Seneca was swept away, along with some farms. Entire farms were reportedly swept clean of debris, leaving the areas "bare as the prairie."[4][84] Damage estimated at $400,000.[90] NWS, Grazulis
May 25 1896 United States Michigan Ortonville, Oakwood 47 May 1896 tornado outbreak sequence – Houses and farms were leveled and swept away, with debris carried up to 12 mi (19 km) away. Trees were completely debarked, with even small twigs stripped bare in some cases.[7][4][91][92] NWS, NCDC, Grazulis
May 18 1898 United States Wisconsin Marathon County 12 Twelve farms were flattened. Timber losses totaled 100 million board feet.[4][93] Grazulis
Jun 11 1899 United States Nebraska,
Iowa
Salix 5 This tornado impacted several farms, including one where a "fine new residence" was swept completely away.[7][94] NCDC
Jun 12 1899 United States Wisconsin St. Croix County, New Richmond 117 New Richmond tornado – This tornado devastated New Richmond, leveling or sweeping away many homes and businesses.[94] A large section of the town was reduced to nothing but scattered debris and house foundations. The three-story brick Nicollet Hotel was completely leveled to the ground.[95] Numerous trees were completely debarked and shorn of their branches.[95][96] A 3,000-pound (1,361 kg) safe was carried a full block.[94][97] Grazulis
May 10 1905 United States Oklahoma Snyder 97 Snyder, Oklahoma tornado – The town of Snyder was devastated, with many structures swept away.[7][4][98] A piano was found in a field 8 mi (13 km) outside town, and debris was carried 60 mi (97 km) away.[99][100] NWS, NCDC, Grazulis
Jun 5 1905 United States Michigan Colling 5 Three farms were "wiped out of existence" with only "bits of kindling" remaining on the foundations.[4][101] Grazulis
Jun 5 1906 United States Iowa,
Minnesota,
Wisconsin
Houston County 4 A farm was completely leveled, and a child was reportedly carried .5 mi (0.80 km) away.[7][102] NCDC
Apr 23 1908 United States Nebraska Cuming County, Thurston County 3 1908 Dixie tornado outbreak – A well-built two-story home was swept away.[7][4][103] NCDC, Grazulis
May 12 1908 United States Iowa Fremont County, Page County 0 Five farms had all buildings swept away, homes were "absolutely reduced to kindling," and lumber was scattered for miles.[7][4][104] NCDC, Grazulis
Jun 5 1908 United States Nebraska Fillmore County 11 Farms vanished, with little left to indicate farmsteads ever existed at some locations.[7][4][105] NCDC, Grazulis
Apr 20 1912 United States Oklahoma Kingfisher County 2 April 20–22, 1912 tornado outbreak - Entire farms were swept away. Listed as an F5 by the NCDC Technical Memorandum.[5][7][106] NCDC
Apr 27 1912 United States Oklahoma Kiowa County, Canadian County 15 This tornado is only listed as an F5 by the NCDC Technical Memorandum, and is not listed at all by Grazulis or any other sources, and is therefore a possible typographical error in the memorandum.[7] NCDC
Jun 15 1912 United States Missouri Creighton 5 Two large homes were completely swept away.[4][107] Grazulis
Mar 23 1913 United States Nebraska Omaha 113 March 1913 tornado outbreak sequence – Photo analysis by Grazulis revealed possible F5 damage with many empty foundations throughout Omaha, though it is uncertain if this was a result of the tornado or cleanup efforts following the event. An F4 rating was assigned due to the uncertainty.[4][108] Grazulis
Jun 11 1915 United States Kansas Mullinville 0 One entire farm was swept completely away.[7][4][109] NCDC, Grazulis
May 25 1917 United States Kansas Andale, Sedgwick 23 May–June 1917 tornado outbreak sequence – Many structures were swept away, and trees were debarked.[110] The F5 rating is widely accepted.[5][7][4][111] NCDC, Grazulis
Jun 5 1917 United States Kansas Kiro, Elmont 9 The tornado hit only 8 mi (13 km) northwest of downtown Topeka. Homes were swept away. Rated F4 by Grazulis but listed as an F5 in the NCDC memorandum.[112] In the damaged area, homes and farms were swept completely away. A schoolhouse was reduced to an empty stone foundation.[112] Trees were debarked, and heavy farm machinery was carried for miles.[7][112] NCDC
May 21 1918 United States Iowa Crawford County, Greene County 6 At least two farms were swept away, and house foundations were left bare. Mattresses from the homes were transported 2 mi (3.2 km).[7][4][113][72] NWS, NCDC, Grazulis
May 21 1918 United States Iowa Boone County, Story County 9 A large tornado completely swept away two entire farms. Mentioned as a possible F5 by Grazulis.[113] Grazulis
Jun 22 1919 United States Minnesota Fergus Falls 59 1919 Fergus Falls tornado – This tornado produced extreme damage in Fergus Falls.[114] A three-block-wide swath was leveled, with some homes swept away.[7][4][115] Several summer homes were swept away into Lake Alice.[116] A train station was swept away,[116] railroad tracks were ripped from the ground,[114] and a large three-story hotel was completely leveled.[116] Numerous small trees were completely debarked.[114] NCDC, Grazulis
Mar 28 1920 United States Indiana,
Ohio
Jackson Township, West Liberty, Van Wert 17 1920 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak – Farms were leveled and swept away in Indiana and Ohio.[117] Some homes had their floors dislodged and moved some distance.[118] Mentioned as a possible F5 by Grazulis.[117][119] NWS, Grazulis
Apr 20 1920 United States Mississippi, Alabama Clay County, Marion County, Lawrence County 88[5] April 1920 tornado outbreak – This large, long-tracked tornado struck the same areas as the EF5 tornado in 2011, passing near Hackleburg and Phil Campbell, Alabama.[4][120] Many homes were swept away and entire forests were leveled as the tornado tracked for 130 mi (210 km).[121] Large boulders were picked up and thrown, and part of one was found 11 mi (18 km) away from where it originated. Vehicles were thrown hundreds of yards.[121] May have gained F5 strength; however, this is uncertain. Grazulis
Jul 22 1920 Canada Saskatchewan Frobisher, Alameda 4 "Splendid homes" were swept away and "reduced to splinters."[4][122] Grazulis
Apr 15 1921 United States Texas,
Arkansas
Harrison County, Pike County, Hempstead County 62 This tornado family tracked for 112 mi (180 km), killing at least 59 people,[123] and reached a peak width of 1.1 mi (1.8 km).[124] Many homes were leveled, some of which were swept away and scattered across fields. A large concrete fireplace was shifted 3 ft (1.0 yd), and a vehicle was thrown 200 yd (600 ft) and partially buried into the soil.[124] Tornado is not listed as an F5 by Grazulis but is listed on the NCDC memorandum.[7] NCDC
Mar 11 1923 United States Tennessee Pinson 20 An entire section of the town was swept away.[7][4][125] Bodies or body parts were found up to 1 mi (1.6 km) away.[125] This is the first of only two F5 tornadoes to hit Tennessee, the other having struck Lawrence County on April 16, 1998.[7][9] NCDC, Grazulis
May 14 1923 United States Texas Big Spring 23 A large ranch home and farms were swept away.[4][126] Grazulis
Jun 24 1923 United States North Dakota Hettinger 8 Some ranch homes had possible F5 damage.[127] Grazulis
Sep 21 1924 United States Wisconsin Clark County, Taylor County 18 20 farms were destroyed, some of which were obliterated. An entire wall of a home was carried for 14 mi (23 km). Considered to be a probable F5 by Grazulis.[4][128] Grazulis
Mar 18 1925 United States Missouri,
Illinois,
Indiana
Ellington, Annapolis, Biehle, Gorham, Murphysboro, De Soto, West Frankfort, Parrish, Griffin, Owensville, Princeton 695 Tri-State Tornado – This was the deadliest and longest-tracked single tornado in U.S. history, producing the highest tornado-related death toll in a single U.S. city (234, at Murphysboro, Illinois) and the largest such toll in a U.S. school (33, at De Soto, Illinois).[129] Thousands of structures were destroyed, with hundreds of homes swept away along the path, especially in Illinois and Indiana. The towns of Murphysboro, West Frankfort, Gorham, and Griffin were devastated, along with numerous other small towns and communities.[130] Gorham and Griffin were destroyed entirely, with every single structure in Gorham leveled or swept away.[129][131] Trees were debarked, debris was finely granulated, and deep ground scouring was noted in several areas as well.[131][132] A Model T Ford was thrown a long distance and stripped, railroad tracks were ripped from the ground at multiple locations along the path, and a large multi-ton coal tipple was blown over and rolled.[131][132] The F5 rating is widely accepted.[7][4][133][97][134][135] NWS, NCDC, Grazulis
Jun 3 1925 United States Iowa Pottawattamie County, Harrison County 0 Nineteen buildings on two farms reportedly "vanished". This tornado took nearly the same path as the next one, below. It is described as a "possible" F5.[136] Grazulis
Jun 3 1925 United States Iowa Pottawattamie County, Harrison County 1 Parts of two farms and some homes swept away, but they may have been hit by both tornadoes, thus the uncertainty of a possible F5.[4][136] Grazulis
Apr 12 1927 United States Texas Rocksprings 74 This massive tornado swept away or leveled 235 out of 247 structures, more than 90% of the town, killing or injuring a third of the population. Many of the structures were reduced to bare foundations, leaving "no trace of lumber or contents." Acres of ground were "swept bare" in some parts of town.[137][4][138][139] NWS, Grazulis
May 7 1927 United States Kansas Barber County, McPherson County 10 Many farms were destroyed and some were swept completely away.[140] The F5 rating is widely accepted.[7][4] NCDC, Grazulis
Sep 13 1928 United States Nebraska Cuming County, Thurston County, Dakota County 5 Three rural schools houses were obliterated, at least one was "swept entirely away".[141][142] Possible F5 damage, according to Grazulis, was in an area where two farms "were completely leveled".[141] 66 homes and at least another 450 buildings were damaged or destroyed. The tornado caused $1 million in damages.[142][4][141] Grazulis
Apr 10 1929 United States Arkansas Sneed 23 This tornado is considered the only F5 on record in Arkansas.[143] It destroyed the Sneed community,[144] reduced homes to "splinters", and made a "clean sweep" of the area. Huge trees were snapped or torn apart.[4][145][146] NWS, Grazulis
May 22 1933 United States Nebraska Tryon 8 Two farms were swept away.[7][4][147] NCDC, Grazulis
Jul 1 1935 Canada Saskatchewan Benson 1 Several structures were leveled.[4] Grazulis
Apr 5 1936 United States Mississippi Tupelo 216 Tupelo-Gainesville tornado outbreak – This tornado leveled and swept away many large and well-constructed houses, killing entire families.[4][148] A concrete war monument was toppled and broken, with nearby brick gate posts snapped off at the base. Granulated structural debris was scattered and wind-rowed for miles east of the city. Pine needles were reportedly driven into tree trunks as well.[149][150][151][152] NWS, Grazulis
Apr 26 1938 United States Nebraska Oshkosh 3 A school disintegrated, and two farms were swept away. Dead bodies were carried .25 mi (0.40 km) away.[7][4][153] NCDC, Grazulis
Jun 10 1938 United States Texas Clyde 14 All nine homes in a small subdivision "literally vanished", with bodies carried up to .50 mi (0.80 km) away. A car engine, found nearby, was carried for a similar distance.[154] 19 railroad cars were "tossed like toys."[4][154] Grazulis
Apr 14 1939 United States Oklahoma,
Kansas
Woodward County, Barber County 7 Homes and entire farms were swept away, and cars were carried for hundreds of yards.[7][4][155] NCDC, Grazulis
Jun 18 1939 United States Minnesota Hennepin County, Anoka County 9 Homes were swept away in Champlin and Anoka.[4][156] A car was tossed 300 yd (900 ft) and smashed to pieces. As the tornado crossed the Mississippi River, witnesses reported that so much water was sucked into the air that the riverbed was briefly exposed, and that the flow of water was stopped until the tornado reached the opposite bank.[157][158] Tornado is not listed as an F5 by Grazulis, but appears on the NCDC memorandum.[7] NCDC
Apr 7 1940 United States Louisiana Amite 3 This tornado produced possible F5 damage to a "large new home," killing the couple inside.[159][103] Grazulis
Mar 16 1942 United States Illinois Peoria County, Marshall County 8 March 1942 tornado outbreak – Many homes were swept away in the town of Lacon, Illinois, and a rural farmhouse sustained F5-level damage.[7][4][160][161][69] NWS, NCDC, Grazulis
Apr 29 1942 United States Kansas Oberlin 15 Three farms were obliterated, with all buildings and several inches of topsoil swept away.[162] Debris from homes was granulated into splinters "no larger than match sticks."[7][4][163] NCDC, Grazulis
Jun 17 1944 United States South Dakota,
Minnesota
Wilmot 8 Farms were swept away with no visible debris left.[4][162] Grazulis
Jun 22 1944 United States Wisconsin,
Illinois
Grant County, Stephenson County 9 This long-tracked tornado or tornado family destroyed many homes in both Wisconsin and Illinois. Hundreds of cattle were killed. Rated F4 by Grazulis.[5][7] NCDC
Apr 12 1945 United States Oklahoma Antlers 69 Six hundred buildings were destroyed, and some areas were swept clean of all debris. The F5 rating is widely accepted.[7][4][164] NCDC, Grazulis
Apr 9 1947 United States Texas,
Oklahoma,
Kansas
Glazier, Higgins, Woodward 181 1947 Glazier-Higgins-Woodward tornadoes – Several towns were partially or totally destroyed. Most structures in Glazier were swept away, where shrubbery was debarked, ground scouring occurred, and vehicles were thrown hundreds of yards. In Higgins, a 4½ ton lathe was ripped from its anchors and broken in half.[165][166] A 20-ton boiler tank in Woodward was thrown a block and a half. The F5 rating is widely accepted.[5][7][4][167][33][168][169] NWS, NCDC, Grazulis
Apr 29 1947 United States Missouri Worth 14 Most of Worth was destroyed. Half of a brick building remained standing in the village. Considered to be a possible F5 by Grazulis.[5] Grazulis
May 31 1947 United States Oklahoma Leedey 6 This tornado reportedly left more intense damage than the previous event did in Woodward.[170] Many structures were swept away, leaving no debris or grass in some areas. Yards at some residences were stripped of their lawns and all vegetation, and several inches of topsoil were removed as well. The F5 rating is widely accepted, though the tornado was very slow-moving, which may have exacerbated the level of destruction to some extent.[4][170][171] Grazulis
May 21 1949 United States Illinois,
Indiana
Palestine 4 A restaurant was leveled, and cars in the parking lot were thrown up to 300 yd (900 ft) away from where they originated. Rated F4 by Grazulis.[5][7] NCDC
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