NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information
Deadliest Tornadoes
Most tornadoes do not result in death, and of those that do, most claim only a few lives. Also, as a result of improved forecasting and early warning systems, the death toll from tornadoes has dropped significantly over the years, despite increasing populations in tornado-prone areas. Unfortunately, super-violent tornadoes are still documented, some with exceptional death tolls. Interestingly, a number of these devastating tornadoes have occurred outside of Tornado Alley, and several at times of day or year not normally associated with violent tornadoes. Although all of most deadly tornadoes occurred prior to the invention of the Fujita Scale, historical records of their damage have led them to be classified as either EF-4 or EF-5.
The Ten Deadliest Documented Tornado Events
| Rank | Date | Estimated Intensity* | State | Injuries (Deaths) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 18, 1925 | EF-5 | MO, IL, IN | 2,027 (695) | Tri-State Tornado |
| 2 | May 6, 1840 | Unknown | LA, MS | 109 (317) | The Great Natchez Tornado |
| 3 | May 27, 1896 | EF-4 | MO, IL | 1,000 (255) | The Great St. Louis Tornado |
| 4 | April 5, 1936 | EF-5 | MS | 700 (216) | Hit Tupelo, MS This Day in Weather History |
| 5 | April 6, 1936 | EF-4 | GA | 1,600 (203) | Hit Gainesville, GA This Day in Weather History |
| 6 | April 9, 1947 | EF-5 | TX, KS, OK | 970 (181) | The Woodward Tornado |
| 7 | May 22, 2011 | EF-5 | MO | 1,000 (158) | Hit Joplin, MO NWS Summary |
| 8 | April 24, 1908 | EF-4 | LA, MS | 770 (143) | Hit Amite, LA and Purvis, MS Dixie Tornado Outbreak |
| 9 | June 12, 1899 | EF-5 | WI | 200 (117) | Hit New Richmond, WI History of the New Richmod Cyclone (LOC) |
| 10 | June 8, 1953 | EF-5 | MI | 844 (116) | Hit Flint, MI Flint-Beecher Tornado |
