Tornadoes are a significant natural threat in the United States, particularly across the wide Midwestern plains where environmental conditions are ideal for their formation.
These powerful storms are categorized using the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which estimates wind speeds based on observed damage indicators.
The scale ranges from EF-0 (no damage) to EF-5 (severe destruction). The tornadoes highlighted here are among the most horrific and deadly, all rated at least EF-4 (or F-4).
1: Tri-State Tornado
The deadliest tornado in U.S. history was the Tri-State Tornado, which occurred on March 18, 1925. It swept through Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri, causing widespread chaos and destruction.
According to NOAA, it was responsible for 695 deaths. The storm wrecked over 15,000 homes. Property damage costs in today’s dollars are estimated at more than $1.4 billion.
2: Great Natchez Tornado
In 1840, the Great Natchez Tornado touched down in Natchez, Mississippi, killing 314 people and injuring 109. Notably, it is the only tornado in U.S. history to kill more people than it wounded.
There was no national weather service or communication systems at the time, meaning residents had no warning, making this storm exceptionally deadly.
3: East St. Louis Tornado
The East St. Louis Tornado in 1896 is believed by scientists to have been an E4 storm by today’s measurements. It cut a three-mile path through East St. Louis, Missouri.
The storm destroyed the Eads Bridge, which architects had previously claimed was tornado-proof. It killed at least 255 people and injured over a thousand more.
4: Tupelo Tornado
Tupelo, Mississippi, experienced a memorable storm in 1936. The Tupelo Tornado started as an E3 in Arkansas, split into two tornadoes in Tennessee, and reached Mississippi as an E5 twister moving over 50 mph.
It killed over 250 people, plowing through residential neighborhoods, and destroying schools and churches. Flawed construction in many hit public buildings led to updates in local architectural codes.
5: Gainesville Tornado
On April 6, 1936, a massive tornado outbreak saw 17 storms hit the Southern U.S., with the deadliest striking Gainesville, Georgia.
This F4 storm tore through the town’s center, hitting the courthouse, business district, and residential areas. It ultimately killed over 200 people. The destruction left over 1200 residents homeless.
6: Woodward Tornado
The deadliest tornado to hit Oklahoma was the Woodward Tornado of 1947, also the sixth deadliest in the U.S..
This F5 storm was over 1.8 miles wide and moved at over 50 mph, leaving citizens no time to flee. It plowed through over 100 city blocks in Woodward, killing 181 people and destroying over 1,000 homes and businesses. Some victims were never identified.
7: Joplin Tornado
Uniquely, the Joplin tornado occurred in 2011, despite the availability of modern storm-tracking technology.
This E5 multiple vortex storm struck Joplin, Missouri, on May 22, 2011, resulting in over 150 deaths. It stretched almost a mile wide with winds peaking over 200 mph. Everything in its six-mile path was destroyed, including 8,000 homes and businesses.
8: Dixie Tornado Outbreak
From April 23 to 24, 1908, the Dixie Tornado Outbreak saw 34 tornadoes strike east of the Mississippi River. This outbreak killed over 300 people and injured 1,000 more.
The hardest-hit community was Purvis, Mississippi, which lost 55 residents. Reports indicated that essentially all buildings within Purvis town limits were leveled.
9: New Richmond Tornado
Despite Wisconsin not being a tornado-heavy state, the town of New Richmond experienced immense destruction on June 12, 1899.
Though not exceptionally large, the New Richmond Tornado was deadly because the circus was in town, increasing the population. The tornado ripped directly through the town center, killing 117 people in its path.
10: Flint-Beecher Tornado
A 2000 poll identified the Flint-Beecher Tornado of 1953 as Michigan’s worst 20th-century disaster. Striking on June 8, 1953, it caused 116 deaths and nearly 850 injuries.
Weather scientists forecasted the event without radar or satellite. It was exceptionally destructive, leveling the Beecher suburb of Flint, Michigan.
11: Waco Tornado
The Waco Tornado touched down near Lorena, Texas, in Waco County around 4:10 pm on May 11, 1953. It then carved a path into the city of Waco, Texas, killing 114 people and injuring 597.
Heavy rainfall obscured the funnel, and the storm hit at the end of the workday when the city was crowded. Survivors waited up to 14 hours for rescue.
12: Goliad Tornado
The town of Goliad, Texas, southeast of San Antonio, was struck by one of the state’s deadliest tornadoes around 3:00 pm on May 18, 1902.
The Goliad Tornado leveled the Methodist church during a service, killing nearly everyone inside. Without a hospital in town, many victims perished from their injuries.
13: Omaha’s Easter Tornado
On Easter of 1913, Omaha, Nebraska, experienced a sudden drop in pressure, temperature fall, and heavy rain before a half-mile-wide tornado struck.
This was the only warning residents received. The tornado cut through residential areas, killing 103 people. It devastated over 2,000 homes.
14: Mattoon-Charleston Tornado
Originally thought to be a single, long-track tornado, the Mattoon-Charleston Tornado event on the evening of May 26, 1917, is now believed to be a system of four to eight tornadoes.
The strongest F4 storm hit the Mattoon and Charleston areas of Illinois. Despite being multiple storms, the day was deadly, killing over 100 people and injuring more than 600.
15: Shinston Tornado
The Shinston Tornado on June 23, 1944, is considered one of West Virginia’s most violent and deadly.
Early reports claimed 153 victims, though later reports indicate 100 lives lost. Regardless, over 1,600 families were affected, losing lives, homes, or businesses.
16: Marshfield Tornado
April 18, 1880, was a bad day for Montana, with tornadoes hitting central and southwestern parts of the state.
The most destructive, the Marshfield Tornado, essentially leveled the town of Marshfield. Ninety-nine people lost their lives, and nearly every building was badly damaged or destroyed.
17: 1903 Gainesville Tornado
Gainesville, Georgia, was hit again by a significant tornado in 1903. This F4 storm touched down for only two minutes but caused astonishing destruction.
It killed 98 people and injured at least 180, sweeping through a cotton mill and other businesses on the town’s outskirts. Sadly, child laborers accounted for several fatalities.
18: Poplar Bluff Tornado
On May 9, 1927, an F4 tornado hit Poplar Bluff, Missouri, killing 98 people and destroying much of the downtown. It injured 350 others.
The storm took just three minutes to rip through the city, leveling thirty-one square blocks. Many casualties occurred at the Melbourne Hotel, which collapsed.
19: Oklahoma Territory Tornado
A tornado ravaged Snyder, Oklahoma, in the Oklahoma Territory in 1905. The official death count for the Oklahoma Territory Tornado was 97 people, though the actual number is likely unknown.
Striking between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on May 10th, the storm likely flattened the town in less than three minutes. Watches stopped at 8:45 p.m. confirmed the timing.
20: The Terrible Tornado
Coined “The Terrible Tornado” by The New York Times, this storm hit Comanche, Iowa, and Albany, Illinois, on June 3, 1860.
Settlers in Comanche had no warning. After dropping golf-ball-sized hail, a funnel struck, destroying much of both towns. 92 people lost their lives to this storm.
21: Worcester Tornado
Massachusetts experiences few tornadoes, but none have been as deadly as the Worcester Tornado on June 9, 1953.
This storm caused 90 casualties and massive damage. Four thousand buildings were severely damaged or destroyed, and over 1,200 were injured. Onlookers reported baseball-sized hail and debris thrown as far as Cape Cod.
Alicia Richards