A HISTORY OF TORNADOES
IN THE U.S.A.
         DATE                LOCATION(S)                DEATHS

1     3/18/1925          Tri-State (MO/IL/IN)               689

2    05/06/1840            Natchez MS                             317

3    05/27/1896            St. Louis MO                          255

4    04/05/1936            Tupelo MS                              216

5    04/06/1936            Gainesville GA                       203

6    04/09/1947            Woodward OK                       181

7    04/24/1908          Amite LA, Purvis MS              143

8    06/12/1899          New Richmond WI                  117

9    06/08/1953              Flint MI                                115

10    05/11/1953              Waco TX                              114

10    05/18/1902             Goliad TX                             114

12    03/23/1913             Omaha NE                            103

13    05/26/1917             Mattoon IL                           101

14    06/23/1944            Shinnston WV                        100

15    04/18/1880            Marshfield MO                       99

16    06/01/1903          Gainesville, Holland GA          98

16    05/09/1927            Poplar Bluff MO                     98

18    05/10/1905              Snyder OK                            97

19    04/24/1908              Natchez MS                           91

20    06/09/1953             Worcester MA                       90

21    04/20/1920          Starkville MS, Waco AL          88

22    06/28/1924           Lorain, Sandusky OH             85

23    05/25/1955                 Udall KS                             80

24    09/29/1927              St. Louis MO                         79

25    05/27/1890              Louisville KY                         76

25 WORST TORNADOES
NOAA
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.
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