What Are the 5 Deadliest Tornadoes in US History?
Written by Ericka Harshaw | April 12, 2023 | 3 MIN READ
5 Deadliest Tornadoes in the US
A tornado is a narrow, violently rotating column of air, dust, water droplets, and debris (condensation funnel) that extends from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground. Before the Weather Bureau Severe Weather Unit was established in 1952, tornadoes were much deadlier. While tornadoes have happened in all 50 states, the deadliest tornadoes occur most frequently in Tornado Alley and the South.
Tornado damage is generally categorized by the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale or its predecessor, the Fujita (F) Scale. For example, an EFO causes minor damage with 65-85MPH speeds and an EF5 causes incredible damage with 200+ MPH speeds.
Let’s take a look at 5 of the deadliest tornadoes in US history.
The List:
1. Tri-State (MO/IL/IN) Tornado: 695 Deaths
2. Natchez, MS Tornado: 317 Deaths
3. The Great St. Louis Tornado: 255 Deaths
4. Tupelo, MS Tornado: 216 Deaths
5. Gainesville, GA Tornado: 203 Deaths
1. Tri-State Tornado (MO/IL/IN)
March 18, 1925
Known as the Tri-State Tornado, this deadly twister began its course in Missouri, but southern Illinois was the hardest hit. As an F5 on the Fujita scale (with winds of more than 260MPH), it traveled more than 200 miles through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana and spent more than three hours on the ground. The tornado demolished 164 square miles, had a diameter of more than a mile and traveled at speeds in excess of 70MPH.
According to the National Weather Service, at least 695 people died, 2,027 people were injured, and 15,000 homes were destroyed. It is also said to have caused $17 million in property damage.Death toll: 695
2. Natchez Tornado (Mississippi)
May 7, 1840
The Natchez tornado hit Mississippi on May 7, 1840. It traveled along the Mississippi River creating destruction to the river and Vidalia, Louisiana. The general consensus is that it was likely an EF4 or EF5.
The Natchez twister caused more than $1 million worth of property damage, destroyed the city’s water reservoir, and battered the hospital. It killed 317 people and injured 109 according to the National Weather Service.
Death toll: 317
3. The Great St. Louis Tornado (Missouri)
Bird’s-eye view of the complete destruction of the Union Depot Power House. The building collapsed onto the railcars that were in the building, killing several people. (Credit: SLPL)
May 27, 1896
Just after 5pm on May 27, 1896, the Great St. Louis Tornado broke forth in Missouri and Illinois. Causing massive descruction as mostly likely an EF4, it had winds upwards of 168MPH. The tornado began just south of Forest Park and continued into East St. Louis. Much of the central portion of St. Louis was destroyed as were factories, saloons, hospitals, mills, railroad yards, and churches throughout the city.
The tornado cut a ten-mile path of destruction that destroyed thousands of buildings. In twenty minutes, 255 people were killed, with thousands injured. It also sank several boats on the Mississippi River; however, those deaths are not counted. According to the Missouri Weather Bureau Report for May 1896, the tornado caused as much as $25 million in damages—approximately $700 million today.
Death toll: 255
4. Tupelo Tornado (Mississippi)
The infamous “Tupelo Tornado” was an F5 tornado that struck the northeastern Mississippi city of Tupelo on 5 April 1936.
(Credit: Memphis Press-Scimitar Newspaper Morgue, Special Collections Department, University of Memphis Libraries)
April 5, 1936
On April 5, 1936, an estimated F5 tornado cut a 15-mile path through Tupelo, Mississippi. The residential areas were devastated as well as the Tupelo hospital and water reservoir. At least two hundred homes were partially or completely destroyed.
The Tupelo Tornado killed at least 216 people, injured some 700, and did over $3 million in damage, according to the National Weather Service.
Death toll: 216
5. Gainesville Tornado (Georgia)
April 6, 1936
The Gainesville Tornado was part of a devastating outbreak of 17 tornadoes across the South that converged April 6, 1936, in Gainesville, Georgia. Two F4 tornadoes tore through the heart of town, destroying much of the business district and the county courthouse, trapping hundreds in debris, before moving on to surrounding neighborhoods. This is the same weather system that caused the Tupelo Tornado the day before.
The tornado killed at least 203 people and injured 1,600 people, many of whom were killed in the Cooper Pants factory. It also destroyed four blocks of businesses and 750 houses, left 2,000 homeless, and caused millions in damages according to Today in Georgia History.
Death toll: 203
Summary
In all, the 5 deadliest tornadoes in US History (Tri-State, Natchez, Great St. Louis, Tupelo, and Gainesville tornadoes) left a devastating trail of destruction. They resulted in thousands of deaths and millions of dollars in damages. *It should be noted that in the South before the 1950s, African Americans may not have been counted among tornado deaths; therefore, these totals were probably higher.
Don't be caught unprepared. Tornado season generally runs March through June in the US. Learn more about tornado preparedness so you'll be ready for the next tornado.
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