A tornado's size or fame does not predict the danger to you. Any tornado warning calls for shelter.
| Rank | Date | Location | Deaths (estimate for older events) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 18, 1925 | Tri-State (MO, IL, IN) | 695 |
| 2 | May 6, 1840 | Natchez, MS | 317 |
| 3 | May 27, 1896 | St. Louis, MO | 255 |
| 4 | April 5, 1936 | Tupelo, MS | 216 |
| 5 | April 6, 1936 | Gainesville, GA | 203 |
| 6 | April 9, 1947 | Woodward, OK | 181 |
| 7 | May 22, 2011 | Joplin, MO | 158 |
| 8 | April 24, 1908 | Amite, LA and Purvis, MS | 143 |
| 9 | June 12, 1899 | New Richmond, WI | 117 |
| 10 | June 8, 1953 | Flint, MI | 116 |
Deadliest tornadoes
The Tri-State tornado of March 18, 1925 killed an estimated 695 people as it moved at 60 to 73 mph along a track of roughly 243 miles across Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, with F5 damage. It also holds the known record for deaths in a single town: at least 234 at Murphysboro, Illinois. The SPC notes the toll is an estimate and older sources give different counts, and that some historic events may have been several tornadoes along one damage path. The deadliest of the modern era, since 1950, was the Joplin tornado with 158 direct deaths.
Deadliest years
Tornadoes kill about 60 people a year on average, most from flying or falling debris, but the yearly toll varies from single digits to hundreds. Since 1950 the deadliest year was 2011, with 550 deaths in 15 states. The year 1925 had the greatest toll on record, 794 known deaths.
Biggest tornadoes
The El Reno tornado of May 31, 2013 was a multiple-vortex tornado with an official maximum path width of 2.6 miles based on damage and some radar estimates. Mobile-radar research indicates the width of 67 mph winds in its circulation was at least 4.3 miles. The SPC says El Reno and Hallam were probably close to the maximum size for tornadoes, but others of that size may have gone unsampled.
Strongest tornadoes
The SPC answers this question with "Nobody knows". The highest winds measured, about 301 mph plus or minus 20, were sensed by a mobile Doppler radar above ground level near Bridge Creek, Oklahoma, on May 3, 1999. They are the highest winds found very near Earth's surface by any means. Damage ratings are only rough estimates of strength, and EF5 damage is only possible when a tornado hits well-built structures.
Notable F5 and EF5 tornadoes
The SPC lists these among the notable F5 and EF5 tornadoes: Waco, Texas (1953); Flint, Michigan (1953); Topeka, Kansas (1966); Xenia, Ohio (1974); Jarrell, Texas (1997); Bridge Creek/Moore, Oklahoma (1999); Greensburg, Kansas (2007); Joplin, Missouri (2011); Hackleburg/Phil Campbell, Alabama (2011); Moore, Oklahoma (2013).
Costliest tornadoes and busiest month
The Joplin tornado is the costliest on record at an estimated $2.8 billion in 2011 dollars. The month with the most tornadoes since 1950 was April 2011, with 817 in SPC data.
How tornadoes are rated
Ratings come from damage surveys, not wind measurements. See our guide to the EF scale.
Check your own location
See current official alerts and the impact for your ZIP code.
Common questions
What was the strongest tornado ever?
Nobody knows. Wind speeds have only been directly recorded in weaker tornadoes, because strong ones destroy instruments. The highest speed measured remotely was about 301 mph (plus or minus 20) by radar near Bridge Creek, Oklahoma, on May 3, 1999, which also caused F5 damage.
What was the biggest tornado ever?
The El Reno, Oklahoma, tornado of May 31, 2013 had an official maximum path width of 2.6 miles, barely more than the Hallam, Nebraska, tornado of May 22, 2004. Radar research indicates winds of 67 mph or more extended at least 4.3 miles across in the El Reno circulation.
What tornado did the most damage?
The costliest on record was the EF5 tornado at Joplin, Missouri, on May 22, 2011, with an estimated $2.8 billion in damage in 2011 dollars. The Tuscaloosa, Alabama, tornado of April 27, 2011 was the previous record holder at about $2.45 billion.
Are big tornadoes the strongest?
Not necessarily. There is a statistical trend toward wide tornadoes having higher damage ratings, but size does not say conclusively how strong a tornado is. Some narrow rope tornadoes have caused EF4 or EF5 damage, and some tornadoes over a quarter mile wide caused only EF0 to EF1 damage.
Sources
Reviewed by the Storm Incoming editorial team on October 27, 2026. Follow local emergency officials if their instructions differ.