List of costliest tornadoes in the Americas
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The following is a list of the costliest tornadoes in the Americas including Canada and the United States. It includes all tornadoes that, when damage totals are adjusted for inflation, have cost at least $100 million in damages (in 2024 dollars).
As of September 18, 2024, there are 165 entries on this list with several of those entries including multiple tornadoes. This is dependent on how damages are assessed by certain agencies as well as the significance of certain events (e.g. 1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak when seven tornadoes struck the city of Grand Island, Nebraska in the same night; and the Dunrobin—Ottawa, Ontario—Gatineau, Quebec, Canada tornadoes in 2018 — of which there were seven — since monetary damages in Canada are often reported by province and not by individual tornado).
Analysis
[edit]- Besides being one of the deadliest tornadoes on record in the Americas, the 1896 East St Louis tornado is also the costliest; when adjusted for inflation and changes in wealth, it resulted in nearly $5.9 billion in damages.
- When adjusted for inflation, a total of thirteen (13) tornadoes/events have (each) caused in excess of $1 billion in damages;
- a total of thirty-two (32) tornadoes/events have (each) caused in excess of $500 million in damages;
- and a total of sixty-seven (67) tornadoes/events have caused in excess of $250 million in damages.
List of costliest tornadoes
[edit]| Affected Communities [a] | Year | Month & Day | Original Cost[b] | Adjusted Cost [USD] (March 1, 2024)[c] | F or EF [d] | References & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joplin—Duquesne, Missouri | 2011 | May 22 | $2,800,000,000 | $3,839,119,050 | EF5 | 2011 Joplin tornado |
| Tuscaloosa—Holt—Alberta City—Concord—Pleasant Grove—Birmingham (Pratt City)—Fultondale, Alabama | 2011 | April 27 | $2,450,000,000 | $3,359,229,169 | EF4 | 2011 Tuscaloosa–Birmingham tornado |
| Newcastle—Moore, Oklahoma | 2013 | May 20 | $2,000,000,000 | $2,647,844,881 | EF5 | 2013 Moore tornado |
| Nashville—Mount Juliet, Tennessee | 2020 | March 3 | $1,600,000,000 | $1,906,665,207 | EF3 | Tornado outbreak of March 2–3, 2020, (Grazulis 2023, p. 590)
Damage estimates range from $1.5 - $1.6 billion |
| North Dallas—Richardson, Texas | 2019 | October 20 | $1,550,000,000 | $1,869,870,237 | EF3 | Tornado outbreak of October 20–22, 2019 |
| Bridge Creek—Moore, Oklahoma | 1999 | May 3 | $1,000,000,000 | $1,851,242,497 | F5 | 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado |
| Poquonock/Windsor Locks, Connecticut—Feeding Hills, Massachusetts | 1979 | October 3 | $420,000,000 | $1,784,230,579 | F4 | Windsor Locks, Connecticut, tornado
Grazulis reported that damages totaled $214,000,000 or $909,107,961, adjusted. (Grazulis, p. 1,216) |
| Hackleburg—Phil Campbell—Tanner—Harvest—Athens, Alabama | 2011 | April 27 | $1,290,000,000 | $1,768,736,991 | EF5 | 2011 Hackleburg-Phil Campbell tornado |
| Wichita Falls, Texas | 1979 | April 10 | $400,000,000 | $1,699,267,217 | F4 | 1979 Red River Valley tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,209) |
| Omaha, Nebraska | 1975 | May 6 | $250,000,000 | $1,433,164,498 | F4 | 1975 Omaha tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,174)
(Total damages may have been greater than this.) |
| East Peoria—Washington—Long Point, Illinois | 2013 | November 17 | $935,000,000 | $1,237,867,482 | EF4 | 2013 Washington, Illinois tornado |
| Grand Island, Nebraska | 1980 | June 3 | $300,000,000 | $1,122,877,427 | F4 (max) | 1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak:
"The Night of the Twisters" This includes all seven tornadoes. (Grazulis, p. 1,223) |
| Lubbock, Texas | 1970 | May 11 | $135,000,000 | $2,199,201,632 | F5 | Lubbock tornado, (Grazulis, p. 1,113) |
| Topeka, Kansas | 1966 | June 8 | $100,000,000 | $2,298,062,133 | F5 | Tornado outbreak sequence of June 1966, (Grazulis, p. 1,081) (Total damages may have been greater than this.) |
| St. Louis, Missouri | 1927 | September 29 | $53,000,000 | $3,655,074,146 | F3 | Tornado outbreak of September 29, 1927, (Grazulis, p. 814) |
| Grand Island, Nebraska (#5) | 1980 | June 3 | $200,000,000 | $748,584,951 | F4 | 1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak:
This was the strongest and costliest of the seven tornadoes that touched down on "The Night of the Twisters" |
| Jackson, Mississippi | 1966 | March 3 | $75,500,000 | $718,687,762 | F5 | 1966 Candlestick Park tornado outbreak |
| Fort Worth, Texas | 2000 | March 28 | $400,000,000 | $716,415,796 | F3 | 2000 Fort Worth tornado outbreak[1] |
| Andover—Wichita, Kansas | 1991 | April 26 | $300,000,000 | $679,332,599 | F5 | 1991 Andover tornado outbreak[2] |
| Xenia, Ohio | 1974 | April 3 | $107,500,000 | $672,511,714 | F5 | 1974 Xenia tornado, (Grazulis, p. 1,154) |
| Monticello, Indiana (tornado family) | 1974 | April 3 | $100,000,000 | $625,592,292 | F4 | List of tornadoes in the 1974 Super Outbreak[3] (Total damages may have been greater than this.) |
| Conyers, Stockbridge, Georgia | 1973 | March 31 | $90,000,000 | $625,169,594 | F4 | (Grazulis, p. 1,135) |
| Moore—Oklahoma City—Choctaw, Oklahoma | 2003 | May 8 | $370,500,000 | $621,024,448 | F3 | Tornado outbreak sequence of May 2003 |
| Brookville—Trotwood—Dayton—Riverside, Ohio | 2019 | May 27 | $500,000,000 | $603,183,947 | EF4 | Tornado outbreak sequence of May 2019 |
| Petersham—Barre—Rutland—Holden—Worcester—Shrewsbury—Westborough—Southborough, Massachusetts | 1953 | June 9 | $52,193,000 | $2,319,210,704 | F4+ | 1953 Worcester tornado
(includes crop damage of ~$50,000) |
| Fort Smith—Van Buren, Arkansas | 1996 | April 21 | $300,000,000 | $589,707,456 | F3 | Tornado outbreak sequence of April 1996 |
| Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | 1987 | July 31 | $332,270,000 CAD | $572,485,510 | F4 | Edmonton tornado
$770,565,549 CAD, adjusted (average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD) |
| Conestogo Lake—Fergus—Tavistock, Ontario, Canada | 2005 | August 19 | $500,000,000 CAD | $551,433,463 | F2-F1 | Southern Ontario tornado outbreak of 2005
$742,229,492 CAD, adjusted (Total damages may have been greater than this.) (average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD) |
| Oak Leaf—Lancaster—Dallas, Texas | 2012 | April 3 | $400,000,000 | $537,325,888 | EF2 | Tornado outbreak of April 3, 2012 |
| Tallulah, Louisiana—Yazoo City/Durant, Mississippi | 2010 | April 24 | $364,000,000 | $514,839,252 | EF4 | 2010 Yazoo City tornado
Grazulis reported $400 million (or $565,757,420, adjusted) in damages. (Grazulis 2023, p. 438) |
| Margaret/Ragland/Shoal Creek Valley/Ohatchee/Piedmont, Alabama—Cave Spring/Kingston, Georgia | 2011 | April 27 | $366,755,000 | $502,862,895 | EF4 | 2011 Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado |
| Fayetteville, Tennessee | 1952 | February 29 | $43,000,000 | $500,450,226 | F3 | Tornado outbreak of Leap Day 1952, (Grazulis, p. 962) |
| Golden Valley—Mounds View—Centerville, Minnesota | 1965 | May 6 | $51,000,000 | $499,341,810 | F4 | Early May 1965 tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,074) |
| Altus—Altus AFB, Oklahoma | 1982 | May 11 | $150,000,000 | $479,404,663 | F3 | Grazulis reported $200 million in damages including hail, estimated $150 million from the tornado alone (Grazulis, p. 1,239) |
| Waco, Texas | 1953 | May 11 | $41,150,000 | $1,826,623,536 | F5 | 1953 Waco tornado outbreak |
| Shreveport—Bossier City, Louisiana | 1978 | December 3 | $100,000,000 | $473,032,209 | F4 | 1978 Bossier City tornado outbreak
(Total damages may have been greater than this.) |
| Enterprise, Alabama | 2007 | March 1 | $307,000,000 | $456,656,244 | EF4 | Tornado outbreak of February 28 – March 2, 2007 |
| Albany—Ashburn—Rochelle, Georgia | 2017 | January 22 | $310,000,000 | $390,050,873 | EF3 | Tornado outbreak of January 21–23, 2017 |
| Plainfield, Illinois | 1990 | August 28 | $165,000,000 | $389,355,815 | F5 | 1990 Plainfield tornado |
| Birmingham, Alabama | 1998 | April 8 | $202,830,000 | $383,780,491 | F5 | Tornado outbreak of April 6–9, 1998 |
| Oak Lawn—Evergreen Park—Chicago Illinois | 1967 | April 21 | $40,000,000 | $369,361,677 | F4 | 1967 Oak Lawn tornado outbreak[4] (Total damages may have been greater than this.) |
| St. Louis—East St. Louis, Illinois | 1896 | May 27 | $10,000,000 | $5,922,975,990 | F4 | 1896 St. Louis–East St. Louis tornado |
| Atlanta, Georgia | 2008 | March 14 | $250,000,000 | $358,119,720 | EF2 | 2008 Atlanta tornado outbreak |
| Jonesboro, Arkansas | 2020 | March 28 | $300,000,000 | $357,499,726 | EF3 | (Grazulis 2023, p. 590) |
| St. Louis, Missouri—Granite City, Illinois | 2011 | April 22 | $250,000,000 | $342,778,487 | EF4 | 2011 St. Louis tornado |
| Atlanta, Georgia | 1975 | March 24 | $56,500,000 | $323,895,177 | F3 | "The Governor's Tornado" as it caused damage to the Governor's mansion among many other buildings (Grazulis, p. 1,173) |
| Haysville—McConnell AFB—Andover, Kansas | 2012 | April 14 | $238,000,000 | $319,708,904 | EF3 | Tornado outbreak of April 13–16, 2012 (Grazulis 2023, p. 495)
Other reports claim upwards of $500 million in damage, but this was proven inaccurate. |
| Carterville—Crainville—Marion, Illinois | 1982 | May 29 | $100,000,000 | $319,603,109 | F4 | Marion, Illinois, tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,242) |
| Salt Lake City, Utah | 1999 | August 11 | $170,000,000 | $314,711,224 | F2 | 1999 Salt Lake City tornado[5] |
| Orland, Indiana—East Gilead/Reading/Hillsdale/Manitou Beach, Michigan (two tornadoes) | 1965 | April 11 | $32,000,000 | $313,312,508 | F4 | List of tornadoes in the 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak |
| Westfield—West Springfield—Springfield—Wilbraham—Monson—Brimfield—Sturbridge—Southbridge—Charlton, Massachusetts | 2011 | June 1 | $227,600,000 | $312,065,534 | EF3 | 2011 New England tornado outbreak
"The Springfield tornado" |
| Augusta—Tupelo—Otwell—Jonesboro, Arkansas | 1973 | May 26 | $44,110,000 | $306,402,565 | F4 | [6] (Total damages may have been greater than this.)
Grazulis reported $37 million in damages or $257,014,167, adjusted (Grazulis, p. 1,141) |
| Hamden—North Haven, Connecticut | 1989 | July 10 | $120,000,000 | $298,468,065 | F4 | [7] July 1989 Northeastern United States tornado outbreak |
| Brownsville—Monroe, Louisiana | 2020 | April 12 | $250,000,000 | $297,916,439 | EF3 | 2020 Easter tornado outbreak,[8] |
| Woodstock, Stratford, Ontario, Canada | 1979 | August 7 | $100,000,000 CAD | $295,070,920 | F4 | 1979 Woodstock, Ontario, tornado
$397,165,486 CAD, adjusted (Total damages may have been greater than this.) (average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD) |
| Mayflower, Vilonia, Arkansas | 2014 | April 27 | $223,450,000 | $291,108,149 | EF4 | Tornado outbreak of April 27–30, 2014 |
| Ellington, Missouri-Murphysboro/De Soto, Illinois-Griffin/Princeton, Illinois | 1925 | March 18 | $16,500,000 | $2,922,730,672 | F5 | The Tri-State Tornado, (Grazulis, p. 796) |
| Vicksburg, Mississippi | 1953 | December 5 | $25,000,000 | $288,779,963 | F5 | 1953 Vicksburg, Mississippi, tornado |
| Gainesville, Georgia | 1936 | April 6 | $13,000,000 | $288,447,554 | F4 | 1936 Tupelo–Gainesville tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 866) |
| Barrie, Ontario, Canada | 1985 | May 31 | $150,000,000 CAD | $281,014,346 | F4 | 1985 Barrie tornado:
$378,245,335 CAD, adjusted (Total damages may have been greater than this) (average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD) |
| Charles City, Iowa | 1968 | May 15 | $31,500,000 | $279,170,560 | F5 | Tornado outbreak of May 1968, (Grazulis, p. 1,097) |
| Kennedale—Arlington, Texas | 2012 | April 3 | $200,000,000 | $268,662,944 | EF2 | Tornado outbreak of April 3, 2012 |
| Haysville—South Wichita, Kansas | 1999 | May 3 | $145,000,000 | $268,430,162 | F4 | List of tornadoes in the 1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak |
| Wildwood—Colfax, Wisconsin | 1958 | June 4 | $25,000,000 | $266,796,713 | F5 | Tornado outbreak of June 3–4, 1958[9] |
| Wilber—Hallam—Norris School District 160—Holland, Nebraska | 2004 | May 22 | $160,220,000 | $261,591,169 | F4 | 2004 Hallam tornado
The second-widest tornado on record (~2.5 miles) almost completely destroyed the small town of Hallam. |
| Dunrobin—Ottawa, Ontario—Gatineau, Quebec, Canada | 2018 | September 21 | $294,000,000 CAD | $260,046,596 | EF3 max | 2018 United States-Canada tornado outbreak:
$350,022,742 CAD, adjusted (Total damages may have been greater than this.) (average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD) This includes all seven tornadoes from this event as damages (per event/outbreak) are reported by province, not individual tornado. Damages in Ontario were $192 million+ CAD, and damages in Quebec were $102 million+ CAD.[10] |
| Yale—Tulsa, Oklahoma | 1981 | April 19 | $75,000,000 | $254,469,472 | F3 | (Grazulis, p. 1,229) |
| Huntsville, Alabama | 1989 | November 15 | $100,000,000 | $248,723,387 | F4 | November 1989 tornado outbreak |
| Falmouth/Berlin/Bladeston/Chatham/Dover, Kentucky—Decatur/Otway, Ohio | 1968 | April 23 | $27,775,000 | $246,157,534 | F4 | Tornado outbreak of April 21–24, 1968
(Total damages were estimated.) |
| Marshalltown, Iowa | 2018 | July 19 | $200,000,000 | $245,525,614 | EF3 | Iowa tornado outbreak of July 2018 (Grazulis 2023, p. 569) |
| Toledo, Ohio—Lost Peninsula (Michigan) | 1965 | April 11 | $25,000,000 | $244,775,397 | F4 | List of tornadoes in the 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,071) |
| Sanford—Raleigh, North Carolina | 2011 | April 16 | $172,000,000 | $235,831,599 | EF3 | Tornado outbreak of April 14–16, 2011
Grazulis reported $132 million (or $180,987,040, adjusted) in damages (Grazulis 2023, p. 458) |
| Tulsa/Tulsa County—Catoosa/Rogers County, Oklahoma | 1993 | April 24 | $110,000,000 | $234,781,107 | F4 | (Grazulis, p. 1,348) |
| Carrollton—Reform—Cordova—Sipsey—Blountsville, Alabama | 2011 | April 27 | $170,344,000 | $233,561,034 | EF4 | List of tornadoes in the 2011 Super Outbreak
Grazulis estimated $150 million (or $205,667,092, adjusted) in damages (Grazulis 2023, p. 467) |
| Macksburg—Winterset—Norwalk—Newton, Iowa | 2022 | March 5 | $220,000,000 | $231,848,240 | EF4 | Tornado outbreak of March 5–7, 2022
Grazulis reported $200 million (or $210,771,127, adjusted) in damages (Grazulis 2023, p. 619) |
| Mount Vernon/De Kalb, Texas—Mineral Springs, Arkansas | 1999 | May 4 | $125,000,000 | $231,405,312 | F3 | List of tornadoes in the 1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak |
| Wetumpka—LaFayette, Alabama | 2011 | April 27 | $167,000,000 | $228,976,029 | EF4 | List of tornadoes in the 2011 Super Outbreak |
| Largo—Clearwater—Carrollwood—Temple Terrace—Galloway—Gibsonia—Loughman, Florida | 1966 | April 4 | $24,000,000 | $228,457,037 | F4 | Tornado outbreak of April 4–5, 1966, (Grazulis, p. 1,079) |
| Hennepin County, Minnesota | 2011 | May 22 | $166,620,000 | $228,455,006 | EF1 | List of tornadoes in the tornado outbreak sequence of May 21–26, 2011 |
| Greensburg, Kansas | 2007 | May 4 | $153,000,000 | $227,584,382 | EF5 | List of tornadoes in the tornado outbreak of May 4–6, 2007[11] |
| St. Peter, Minnesota | 1998 | March 29 | $120,000,000 | $227,055,460 | F3 | 1998 Comfrey-St. Peter tornado outbreak |
| Sandusky—Lorain, Ohio | 1924 | June 28 | $12,500,000 | $225,451,023 | F4 | 1924 Lorain–Sandusky tornado, (Grazulis, p. 790) |
| Flint—Beecher, Michigan | 1953 | June 8 | $19,000,000 | $219,472,772 | F5 | 1953 Flint-Beecher tornado, (Grazulis, p. 974) |
| Windsor, Colorado | 2008 | May 22 | $147,000,000 | $210,574,395 | EF3 | Tornado outbreak of May 22–27, 2008 |
| Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma | 1948 | 20/25, March | $16,400,000 | $209,877,129 | F3 | 1948 Tinker Air Force Base tornadoes:
Three tornadoes affected Tinker AFB in the span of six days: two on March 20 led to successful prediction of the third on March 25. These tornadoes significantly contributed to the process of predicting severe weather events. (Grazulis, p. 935) |
| Jefferson City, Missouri | 2019 | May 22 | $174,000,000 | $209,908,014 | EF3 | Tornado outbreak sequence of May 2019 |
| Sarasota, Florida | 1978 | May 4 | $43,000,000 | $203,403,850 | F3 | (Grazulis, p. 1,202) |
| Belvidere, Illinois | 1967 | April 21 | $22,000,000 | $203,148,922 | F4 | 1967 Oak Lawn tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,088) |
| Raleigh, North Carolina | 1988 | November 28 | $77,000,000 | $200,744,793 | F4 | 1988 Raleigh tornado outbreak |
| Southern Louisville suburbs, including Pioneer Village, Hillview, and Mount Washington, Kentucky | 1996 | May 28 | $101,000,000 | $198,534,843 | F4 | May 1996 Kentucky tornado outbreak[12] |
| La Plata, Maryland | 2002 | April 28 | $115,000,000 | $197,153,724 | F4 | 2002 La Plata tornado |
| Fayetteville, North Carolina | 2011 | April 16 | $141,100,000 | $193,464,178 | EF3 | Tornado outbreak of April 14–16, 2011
Grazulis reported $136 million (or $186,471,497, adjusted) in damages (Grazulis 2023, p. 458) |
| Nashville—East Nashville—Donelson—The Hermitage—Mt. Juliet, Tennessee | 1998 | April 16 | $101,000,000 | $191,105,012 | F3 | Tornado outbreak of April 15–16, 1998 (1998 Nashville tornado outbreak) |
| Granbury, Texas | 2013 | May 15 | $143,000,000 | $189,320,909 | EF4 | Tornado outbreak of May 15–17, 2013 (Grazulis 2023, p. 500) |
| Austin, Texas | 1980 | August 10 | $50,000,000 | $187,146,237 | F2 | (Grazulis, p. 1,226) |
| Kalamazoo, Michigan | 1980 | May 13 | $50,000,000 | $187,146,237 | F3 | 1980 Kalamazoo tornado, (Grazulis, p. 1,221) |
| Mena, Arkansas | 2009 | April 9 | $130,000,000 | $186,887,157 | EF3 | Tornado outbreak of April 9–11, 2009 |
| Oelwein—Maynard, Iowa | 1968 | May 15 | $21,000,000 | $186,113,707 | F5 | Tornado outbreak of May 1968, (Grazulis, p. 1,098) |
| Southaven, Mississippi—Memphis, Tennessee | 2008 | February 5 | $128,400,000 | $183,930,288 | EF2 | List of tornadoes in the 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak |
| Newton Falls/Niles/Hubbard, Ohio—Wheatland/Hermitage/Greenfield, Pennsylvania | 1985 | May 31 | $63,800,000++ | $182,871,790++ | F5 | List of tornadoes in the 1985 United States–Canada tornado outbreak:
"Niles-Wheatland Tornado" Grazulis reported $60 million in damages in Ohio alone. He also mentions a total of $3.8 million in damages in Pennsylvania but only with regard to trucks and other vehicles at a few different locations. He makes no mention of total damages in Pennsylvania and there are no resources available that provide that information. (Grazulis, p. 1,268) Considering the intensity of this violent tornado and the destruction of much of Wheatland's industry as well as the number of houses in and around Wheatland, we can safely surmise that the damage total is actually much higher. |
| Cordell, Oklahoma | 2001 | October 9 | $100,000,000 | $174,148,504 | F3 | Tornadoes of 2001[13] |
| Center Point, Alabama | 1973 | May 27 | $25,000,000 | $173,658,220 | F3 | [14] (Grazulis, p. 1,142) |
| Brent, Alabama | 1973 | May 27 | $25,000,000 | $173,658,220 | F4 | 1973 Central Alabama tornado[15] (Grazulis, p. 1,142) |
| Warner Robins—Robins Air Force Base—Jeffersonville, Georgia | 1953 | April 30 | $15,000,000 | $173,267,978 | F4 | Tornado outbreak sequence of April 28 – May 2, 1953, (Grazulis, p. 968) |
| Highland Park—Detroit, Michigan | 1997 | July 2 | $90,000,000 | $172,944,112 | F2 | Tornado outbreak of July 1–3, 1997[16] |
| Little Rock Air Force Base—Jacksonville, Arkansas | 2011 | April 25 | $125,000,000 | $171,389,243 | EF2 | List of tornadoes in the 2011 Super Outbreak |
| Atkins—Clinton—Mountain View—Highland, Arkansas | 2008 | February 5 | $119,310,000 | $170,909,055 | EF4 | List of tornadoes in the 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak |
| Wildwood—Lady Lake, Florida | 2007 | February 2 | $114,000,000 | $169,572,677 | EF3 | 2007 Groundhog Day tornado outbreak |
| Monroe—Athens, Georgia | 1973 | March 31 | $24,000,000 | $166,711,892 | F4 | (Grazulis, p. 1,136) |
| Lake Pat Cleburne—Cleburne, Texas | 2013 | May 15 | $124,000,000 | $164,166,383 | EF3 | Tornado outbreak of May 15–17, 2013 (Grazulis 2023, p. 500) |
| Americus, Georgia | 2007 | March 1 | $111,000,000 | $165,110,238 | EF4 | Tornado outbreak of February 28 – March 2, 2007 |
| Louisville, Mississippi | 2014 | April 28 | $126,150,000 | $164,346,802 | EF4 | Tornado outbreak of April 27–30, 2014
Grazulis reported $117 million (or $152,426,284, adjusted) in damages (Grazulis 2023, p. 516) |
| Paris—Reno—Blossom, Texas | 1982 | April 2 | $50,000,000 | $159,801,554 | F4 | Tornado outbreak of April 2–3, 1982, (Grazulis, p. 1,236) |
| Minneapolis—Roseville, Minnesota | 1981 | June 14 | $47,000,000 | $159,467,536 | F3 | (Grazulis, p. 1,232) |
| Whiteface—Whitharral—Anton, Texas | 1970 | April 17 | $20,000,000 | $158,977,835 | F4 | Tornado outbreak sequence of April 17–19, 1970 |
| Arabi, Louisiana | 2022 | December 14 | $150,000,000 | $158,078,356 | EF2 | Tornado outbreak of December 12–15, 2022 (Grazulis 2023, p. 633) |
| Jackson, Tennessee | 2008 | February 5 | $110,300,000 | $158,002,420 | EF4 | List of tornadoes in the 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak |
| Omaha, Nebraska | 1913 | March 23 | $5,000,000 | $155,766,162 | F3 | Tornado outbreak sequence of March 1913, (Grazulis, p. 737) |
| Port Huron, Michigan, United States—Sarnia, Ontario, Canada | 1953 | May 21 | $2,600,000 (US, USD) + $15,000,000 (CA, USD) | $153,066,781 | F4 | 1953 Sarnia tornado outbreak
CA: $15 million USD = $14,617,170 CAD (average exchange rate for 1953: 1 USD = 0.974478 CAD), $165,603,324 CAD adjusted = $123,033,665 USD adjusted (average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD).US: $2.6 million USD = $30,033,116 USD adjusted |
| Ardmore, Oklahoma | 1995 | May 7 | $75,000,000 | $151,780,020 | F3 | List of tornadoes in the May 1995 tornado outbreak sequence. Grazulis reported at least $100 million (or $202,373,359, adjusted) in damages. (Grazulis, p. 1,373) |
| Wichita Falls, Texas | 1964 | April 3 | $15,000,000 | $149,234,032 | F5 | (Grazulis, p. 1,050) |
| Tampa—Pinellas County, Florida | 1979 | May 8 | $35,000,000 | $148,685,882 | F2 | (Grazulis, p. 1,213) |
| Pella—Peoria, Iowa | 2018 | July 19 | $120,000,000 | $147,315,368 | EF3 | Iowa tornado outbreak of July 2018 (Grazulis 2023, p. 569) |
| Comstock Park—Alpine—Grand Rapids, Michigan | 1965 | April 11 | $15,000,000 | $146,865,238 | F4 | List of tornadoes in the 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,065) |
| Millbury—Lake Township, Ohio | 2010 | June 5 | $102,400,000 | $144,833,900 | EF4 | Tornado outbreak of June 5–6, 2010 |
| Delhi, Louisiana—Moorhead, Mississippi + Cary—Oxford, Mississippi + Vicksburg—Lexington, Mississippi (three tornadoes) | 1971 | February 21 | $19,000,000 | $144,689,457 | F5 | Tornado outbreak of February 21–22, 1971[17] |
| Bauxite—Vimy Ridge—Shannon Hills—North Little Rock, Arkansas | 1997 | March 1 | $75,000,000 | $144,120,093 | F4 | March 1997 tornado outbreak[18] |
| Murfreesboro, Tennessee | 2009 | April 10 | $100,000,000 | $143,759,352 | EF4 | Tornado outbreak of April 9–11, 2009[19] |
| Jeffers—Comfrey—Hanska, Minnesota | 1998 | March 29 | $75,050,000 | $142,004,269 | F4 | 1998 Comfrey-St. Peter tornado outbreak |
| Dunwoody, Georgia | 1998 | April 8 | $75,000,000 | $141,909,663 | F2 | Tornado outbreak of April 6–9, 1998 |
| Chesterfield—Maryland Heights—St. Ann—Lambert Field, St. Louis—Spanish Lake, Missouri | 1967 | January 24 | $15,000,000 | $138,510,629 | F4 | 1967 St. Louis tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,087) |
| Smith Mills, Kentucky—Evansville/Paradise/Gentryville, Indiana | 2005 | November 6 | $87,260,000 | $137,800,652 | F3 | Evansville tornado outbreak of November 2005 |
| Oologah, Oklahoma | 1991 | April 26 | $60,000,000 | $135,866,520 | F4 | 1991 Andover tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,412) |
| Cedar Park, Texas | 1997 | May 27 | $70,110,000 | $134,723,463 | F3 | 1997 Central Texas tornado outbreak |
| Forney, Texas | 2012 | April 3 | $100,000,000 | $134,331,472 | EF3 | Tornado outbreak of April 3, 2012 |
| Mechanicville/Stillwater, New York—Bennington, Vermont | 1998 | May 31 | $70,630,000 | $133,641,060 | F3 | Late-May 1998 tornado outbreak and derecho |
| Marmaduke, Arkansas—Caruthersville, Missouri | 2006 | April 2 | $86,500,000 | $132,331,699 | F3 | Tornado outbreak of April 2, 2006 |
| Tinker AFB, Oklahoma | 1948 | March 20 | $10,250,000 | $131,173,205 | F3 | 1948 Tinker Air Force Base tornadoes (Grazulis, p. 935) |
| Goderich, Ontario, Canada | 2011 | August 21 | $130,000,000 CAD | $127,961,855 | F3 | 2011 Goderich, Ontario, tornado
$172,236,668 CAD, adjusted (average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD) |
| Bloodland—Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri | 2010 | December 31 | $90,000,000 | $127,295,420 | EF3 | 2010 New Year's Eve tornado outbreak |
| College Park—Beltsville—Laurel, Maryland | 2001 | September 24 | $73,000,000 | $127,128,408 | F3 | Tornado outbreak of September 24, 2001 |
| Cincinnati—Williamsburg, Ohio | 1969 | August 9 | $15,000,000 | $126,055,995 | F3 | (Grazulis, p. 1,107) |
| Emporia, Kansas | 1974 | June 8 | $20,000,000 | $125,118,458 | F4 | Tornado outbreak of June 8, 1974, (Grazulis, p. 1,166) |
| Camden—Hermitage, Arkansas | 1979 | April 8 | $28,800,000 | $122,347,240 | F3 | (Grazulis, p. 1,207) |
| Windsor—Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada | 1946 | June 17 | $9,663,000 CAD | $120,851,545 | F4 | 1946 Windsor-Tecumseh tornado
$162,666,191 CAD, adjusted (average exchange rate for 2024, 1 CAD = 0.742942 USD) |
| Goodlettsville—Gallatin, Tennessee | 2006 | April 7 | $79,000,000 | $120,857,852 | F3 | Tornado outbreak of April 6–8, 2006[20] |
| Cookeville—Putnam County, Tennessee | 2020 | March 3 | $100,000,000 | $119,166,575 | EF4 | Tornado outbreak of March 2–3, 2020 |
| Seneca—Clemson, South Carolina | 2020 | April 13 | $100,000,000 | $119,166,575 | EF3 | List of tornadoes in the 2020 Easter tornado outbreak |
| Eagle Pass, Texas | 2007 | April 24 | $80,000,000 | $118,998,370 | EF3 | Tornado outbreak sequence of April 20–27, 2007 |
| Barneveld—Black Earth, Wisconsin | 1984 | June 7 | $40,000,000 | $118,736,092 | F5 | Tornado outbreak of June 7–8, 1984 (Grazulis, p. 1,259) |
| Lockett/Vernon, Texas—Davidson, Oklahoma | 1979 | April 10 | $27,000,000 | $114,700,537 | F4 | 1979 Red River Valley tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,207) |
| Fiatt—Canton, Illinois | 1975 | July 23 | $20,000,000 | $114,653,160 | F3 | 1975 Canton, Illinois, tornado |
| Clarion—Belmond, Iowa | 1966 | October 14 | $12,000,000 | $114,228,518 | F4 | (Grazulis, p. 1,084) |
| Saugatuck—Hudsonville—Standale—Grand Rapids, Michigan | 1956 | April 3 | $10,000,000 | $113,388,603 | F5 | Tornado outbreak of April 2–3, 1956, (Grazulis, p. 995) |
| Atlanta Motor Speedway; Hampton, Georgia | 2005 | July 6 | $71,500,000 | $112,912,522 | F2 | Hurricane Cindy (2005) |
| Chandler—Lake Wilson, Minnesota | 1992 | June 16 | $50,000,000 | $109,913,400 | F5 | Tornado outbreak of June 14–18, 1992
Grazulis reported $45 million or $98,922,060 adjusted. (Grazulis, p. 1,331) |
| Parkersburg—New Hartford, Iowa | 2008 | May 25 | $75,000,000 | $107,435,916 | EF5 | Tornado outbreak of May 22–27, 2008 |
| St. Louis, Missouri | 1959 | February 10 | $10,000,000 | $105,985,223 | F4 | St. Louis tornado outbreak of February 1959:
Total damages may have been greater than this. (Grazulis, p. 1,018) |
| Canton—Hazlehurst—Newton—Meridian, Mississippi | 1976 | March 29 | $19,550,000 | $105,967,528 | F4 | (Grazulis, p. 1,183) |
| Ragland—Piedmont—Rock Run, Alabama | 1994 | March 27 | $50,500,000 | $105,094,862 | F4 | 1994 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak |
| Campbell—Poinciana—Kissimmee—Buenaventura Lakes—Lake Hart—Lake Mary Jane, Florida | 1998 | February 22 | $55,000,000 | $104,067,086 | F3 | 1998 Kissimmee tornado outbreak |
| Dallas—De Soto, Texas | 1994 | April 25 | $50,000,000 | $104,054,318 | F2 | Tornado outbreak of April 25–27, 1994 |
| Louisville—Jefferson County, Kentucky | 1890 | March 27 | $3,000,000 | $101,675,934 | F4 | Tornado outbreak of March 27, 1890, (Grazulis, p. 651) |
| Rolling Fork, Mississippi—Silver City, Mississippi | 2023 | March 24 | $100,000,000 | $101,219,168 | EF4 | 2023 Rolling Fork–Silver City tornado
Total damages may have been greater than this. |
| Adairsville—Blackwood, Georgia | 2013 | January 30 | $75,000,000 | $99,294,183 | EF3 | Tornado outbreak of January 29–30, 2013 (Grazulis 2023, p. 499) |
Bibliography
[edit]- Grazulis, Thomas (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
- Grazulis, Thomas (1997). Significant Tornadoes Update, 1992–1995. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-04-X.
- Grazulis, Thomas (2023). Significant Tornadoes 1974-2022. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-01-5.
See also
[edit]- Ted Fujita, creator of the original Fujita Scale (used in the United States from 1971 to 2007)
- Thomas P. Grazulis, meteorologist and author of "Significant Tornadoes"
- List of deadliest tornadoes in the Americas
- List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of F5 and EF5 tornadoes
- List of F4 and EF4 tornadoes
- Tornado climatology
- Tornado records
Notes
[edit]- ^ These are the communities (e.g. cities, towns, counties) where the greatest damage or loss of life occurred or at the beginning or end of the tornado’s track. The number of places that experience loss of life or damage is often higher than this. Colloquial tornado/event names, if applicable/known, are included in the Notes column of this table.
- ^ Estimated total damages are primarily taken from the NCEI database; however, before 1996, coding included on the Storm Data reports provided an extremely broad, often inaccurate, range for damage totals. If a more accurate or updated total can be obtained from a reputable source, it will be included here instead.
- ^ Wikipedia formulas only allow adjusting damage totals (for inflation) through 2021. Adjustments of damage totals for inflation and wealth changes have been calculated with the website in2013dollars.com and Charles A. Doswell's 1997 paper which includes rates of inflation through the current year and normalised damage values. As these rates can be volatile (possibly changing from month to month), note that these calculations were made on May 15, 2023 and will be updated regularly.
- ^ After the Fujita Scale was implemented in 1971, tornadoes from the previous 100 years (1871-1971) were retrospectively reviewed to determine their ratings. These reviews were completed by either Ted Fujita or Thomas P. Grazulis. Damage assessments from 1971-2006 were completed by using the Fujita Scale or, since 2007, the Enhanced Fujita Scale. These reviews have been handled by teams of meteorologists and structural engineers as assigned by National Weather Service (NWS) offices around the United States.
References
[edit]- ^ "A 2000 tornado in Fort Worth triggered a boom in development". AP News (The Associated Press). March 31, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ "Top Ten KS Tornadoes". National Weather Service; Wichita, KS. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ "The Monticello Tornado". National Weather Service, Northern Indiana. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ "The Oak Lawn Tornado; April 21, 1967" (PDF). National Weather Service; Chicago, Illinois. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ "Storm Events Database, Salt Lake City, F2 tornado, 11 August 1999". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ "Storm Events Database, Jonesboro, F4 tornado, 26 May 1973". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ "Storm Events Database, Hamden, F4 tornado, 10 July 1989". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ "Storm Events Database, Monroe, EF3 tornado, 12 April 2020". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ "Storm Events Database, Colfax, F5 tornado, 4 June 1958". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ "Tornado damage costs insurers $295M". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ "Insured losses from twister: $153 million". Wichita Eagle (Amanda O'Toole). Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ "Stom Events Database, Search Results for Bullitt, Jefferson, and Spencer Counties, Kentucky; Event Types: Tornado; 28 May 1996". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ "Storm Events Database, Cordell, F3 tornado, 9 October 2001". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
- ^ "Storm Events Database, Jefferson/St. Clair Counties, F3 tornado, 27 May 1973". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
- ^ "Storm Events Database, Hale/Perry/Bibb/Shelby/Talladega Counties, F4 tornado, 27 May 1973". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
- ^ "Storm Events Database, Highland Park/Detroit, F2 tornado, 2 July 1997". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ "National Disaster Survey Report 71-2: Mississippi Delta Tornadoes of February 21, 1971" (PDF). U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ "Storm Events Database, Pulaski/Saline Counties, Arkansas, F4 tornado, 1 March 1997". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ "Storm Events Database, Rutherford County, Tennessee, EF4 tornado, 10 April 2009". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ "Storm Events Database, Dickson/Davidson/Sumner Counties, Tennessee, F3 tornado, 7 April 2006". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 11, 2023.