This page is a useful bookmark for past “famous” tornadoes, supercells, and other storms in the United States and Canada. The list was procured by how impactful the storms were to civilization, how abnormal they were for the area, or how memorable they were to storm chasers.
Each case comes with documentation, a proximity sounding from unmodified RAP and ERA5 reanalysis, (see disclaimer), and storm-centered NEXRAD imagery. Data are valid at the time nearest the climax of the event (e.g., when a tornado was reported, or when the most well-known photographs were taken).
This archive sparks the question, “why did this happen?” Similar environments make similar storms, but a storm’s environment isn’t just skew-Ts and hodographs. If you’re wondering “how did this sounding do that?“, remember to check for boundaries, cell mergers, and chaos!
Long-lived F3 tornado that killed 2 people. The aptly named town’s tornado siren was struck by lightning earlier that year, and was set to be replaced the next week.
September 24, 2001: College Park, Maryland
F3 tornado that hit the University of Maryland, College Park campus, killing two people.
Powerful F4 tornado that killed 5 people, one of the strongest to hit the greater Washington, D.C., area. Part of a larger outbreak of tornadoes in the Mid-Atlantic.
May 5, 2002: Happy, Texas
Destructive F2 tornado that killed 2 people in its circular track around town.
June 23, 2002: Barnard, South Dakota
Long-lived F4 tornado from a cyclic supercell that produced 6 total.
September 20, 2002: Greenwood / Indianapolis, Indiana
Long track F3 from a QLCS that produced 5 other tornadoes in Indiana. This tornado has the longest track in Indiana history at 112 miles.
November 10, 2002: Van Wert, Ohio
Deadly long track F4, part of the larger Veteran’s Day Outbreak of 2002.
November 11, 2002: Carbon Hill & Saragossa, Alabama
Two long track damaging F3 tornadoes, from two separate supercells that tracked within miles of each other along a parallel path through northern Alabama for over 40 miles.
2003
May 4, 2003: Kansas City, Missouri
Large damaging F4 tornado, part of a succession of 4 tornadoes to hit the northern suburbs of the Kansas City metro area.
May 4, 2003: Girard / Liberal / Stockton & Carl Junction & Pierce City Missouri
Numerous high-end, large, long track tornadoes. Out of an outbreak of 15 total tornadoes, 4 were rated F3 and one an F4. Some tracked for 20-80 miles.
May 8, 2003: Moore, Oklahoma
Damaging F4 tornado that struck Moore, Oklahoma and caused significant damage. This was part of a larger outbreak of 26 tornadoes from Oklahoma to Nebraska.
May 10, 2003: Lima, Illinois
Damaging and long-tracked F2 wedge tornado, part of a larger regional outbreak of 43 tornadoes.
May 15, 2003: Stratford, Texas
Numerous photogenic tornadoes associated with a larger outbreak of 26 tornadoes.
June 24, 2003: Manchester, South Dakota
Violent multi-vortex wedge F4, part of South Dakota’s largest tornado outbreak, featuring 66 confirmed tornadoes. This outbreak remains the largest tornado outbreak ever recorded during astronomical summer not related to a tropical system. Manchester, South Dakota was completely destroyed and remains a ‘tornado ghost town’.
2004
April 20, 2004: Utica, Illinois
Deadly F3 tornado, part of an outbreak of 29 tornadoes produced by mini-supercells across Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, that was largely a “surprise”.
May 12, 2004: Attica, Kansas
Particularly photogenic tornado produced by a cyclic supercell. 11 tornadoes struck Harper County, Kansas alone. This supercell also produced giant hail over 5” in diameter.
May 22, 2004: Hallam, Nebraska
Massive, highly destructive, long-track F4. Former largest tornado on record (2.5 miles wide) until El Reno, Oklahoma EF3 in May 2013 (2.6 miles wide).
May 24, 2004: Chester, Nebraska
Cyclic supercell that produced several tornadoes during a localized outbreak of 16 tornadoes, most of which were weak but photogenic.
May 28, 2004: Sioux City, Iowa
“Mothership” supercell that ultimately became the subject of many “Independence Day” references and hurricane Katrina fakes.
May 29, 2004: Geary, Oklahoma
Cyclic supercell that produced 16 tornadoes, and hail over 4”. A DOW team measured maximum wind gusts of 157kts.
June 12, 2004: Mulvane, Kansas
One of the most classic tornado/rainbow combos of chasing history, a photogenic F3 tornado, part of a localized family of 5 tornadoes.
June 13, 2004: Alvo, Nebraska
Incredibly photogenic mothership/barberpoll supercell that produced a few brief tornadoes.
July 7, 2004: Rockwell Pass, California
Considered to currently be the ‘highest elevation tornado’ documented in the United States, this highly photogenic F0 tornado existed for only a short time at a staggering elevation of 11,600 ft. Severe hail was also documented.
July 12, 2004: Bartlett, Nebraska
Series of 4 photogenic tornadoes (rated up to F2) from massive and well-structured supercell storm.
July 13, 2004: Roanoke, Illinois
Photogenic and highly destructive F4 tornado. Amazingly, only 3 injuries and 0 fatalities were reported, even though this tornado struck the Parsons Manufacturing Plant that had over 140 employees in the building.
July 14, 2004: Campbelltown, Pennsylvania
Strong F3 tornado that struck a densely populated portion of Campbelltown.
July 19, 2004: Marion, North Dakota
Considered one of the strongest tornadoes during the 2000s, this high-end F4 (also known as the “Noot Farm” tornado) was an uncanny Doppelgänger to that which occurred in Roanoke, IL, just a week before, and among 8 tornadoes confirmed in North Dakota.
September 17, 2004: Remington / Warrenton & Centreville, Virginia
F3 wedge tornado beneath a well structured supercell. This tornado was part of an outbreak of 118 tornadoes associated with Hurricane Ivan, the single most tornadoes associated with a tropical cyclone in the United States.
Long-tracked F2 tornado associated with the “Six-State” supercell, which lasted over 17 hours and travelled nearly 800 miles from Oklahoma to Michigan. Part of a large-scale outbreak of tornadoes.
April 2, 2006: Marmaduke, Arkansas / Caruthersville, Missouri
Infamous first EF5 tornado that killed 11 people and destroyed 95% of the town. Associated with a supercell which produced 22 tornadoes across central KS, including one likely wider and stronger than the Greensburg EF5.
June 7, 2007: White Lake, Wisconsin
Long-tracked EF3 tornado and 5” hail that dealt the Northwoods’ distinguishable damage scar.
June 22, 2007: Elie, MB, Canada
Canada’s only (particularly photogenic) EF5 tornado.
EF4 tornado, part of a localized outbreak of tornadoes
October 18, 2007: White Lake, Michigan
Particularly photogenic tornadic waterspout, part of a large-scale tornado outbreak.
October 18, 2007: Owensboro, Kentucky
EF3 tornado, part of a large-scale tornado outbreak.
2008
February 5, 2008: Atkins / Clinton, Arkansas
Long-tracked EF4 tornado, part of the Super Tuesday Outbreak.
February 5, 2008: Jackson and Clifton, TN
Two EF-4 tornadoes from separate supercells, killing 3 people. Both supercells were very long-lived, one producing over 10 tornadoes, many significant and deadly.
March 15, 2008: Branchville, South Carolina
EF3 tornado from long-tracked supercell storm, part of an anomalous severe weather outbreak from Georgia into South Carolina.
Multi-vortex tornado, known for “chasing” storm chasers, that went on to become a long-lived EF3.
May 10, 2010: Norman, Oklahoma
EF4 tornado that occurred simultaneously with 3 other tornadoes, including another other EF4, and associated with a supercell that went on to produce 20 tornadoes across central OK.
EF5 tornado from a particularly photogenic supercell for the area that killed 3 people. Part of the 2011 Super Outbreak.
April 27, 2011: Hackleburg and Smithville, Alabama
Two long-tracked EF5 tornadoes from separate supercells that, together, killed 95 people. Part of the 2011 Super Outbreak. The latter tornado is often thought to be among the strongest of recorded tornadoes.
April 27, 2011: Tuscaloosa / Birmingham, Alabama
Long-tracked EF4 tornado that killed 64 people and was infamously covered on air. Part of the 2011 Super Outbreak.
Particularly photogenic tornado, part of a “cold-core” outbreak of tornadoes across south/central NE.
July 5, 2011: Phoenix, Arizona
Massive thunderstorm-triggered haboob that lasted over 2 hours and 100 miles. Often regarded as the “gold standard” for dust storms for the Phoenix area.
Massive cold front-driven haboob that lasted over 2 hours and traveled 100 miles. Often regarded as the “gold standard” for recent dust storms for the west Texas area.
November 7, 2011: Tipton, Oklahoma
Particularly photogenic EF4 tornado from a cyclic supercell that produced 9 tornadoes across SW OK. Also known as “quakenado” due to the magnitude 4.7 earthquake which occurred on the same day.
2012
February 29, 2012: Harrisburg, Illinois
EF4 tornado that killed 8 people as part of the Leap Day tornado outbreak.
March 2, 2012: Henryville, Indiana
Long-tracked, EF4 tornado that killed 11 people as part of a large-scale tornado outbreak across the Ohio Valley.
March 2, 2012: West Liberty & Salyersville, Kentucky
Long-tracked, EF3 tornadoes, part of a large-scale tornado outbreak across the Ohio Valley.
EF2 tornado, part of a local tornado outbreak around the DFW metro.
April 14, 2012: Lyons / Salina, Kansas
Long-tracked and particularly photogenic EF4 tornado. Part of an outbreak of tornadoes across the central Plains.
April 14, 2012: Cherokee, Oklahoma
Particularly cyclic supercell that produced over 20 tornadoes up to EF3 in strength, including two at once at times. Part of an outbreak of tornadoes across the central Plains.
April 14, 2012: Woodward, Oklahoma
EF3 tornado that killed 6 people. Part of an outbreak of tornadoes across the central Plains.
Slow-moving, nearly stationary at times, EF3 (but likely stronger) wedge tornado regarded with particular fondness by many storm chasers, due to its lasting over an hour with no physical harm done to civilization; also known as Bennington I.
May 28, 2013: Julesburg, Colorado
Particularly photogenic “mothership” supercell, regarded as a “consolation prize” for storm chasers who missed the Bennington, KS tornado.
May 31, 2013: El Reno, Oklahoma
Widest and strongest recorded tornado on Earth, at 2.6 miles wide and 302 mph winds measured by mobile radar, that exhibited particularly erratic motion and killed 8 people, including storm chasers and 3 members of the TWISTEX research team. Its official EF3 rating is widely held as highly controversial.
One of the longest-lived tornadoes on record, lasting 2.5 to 3 hours, rated EF2 (though likely stronger), a wedge tornado from a high-precipitation supercell.
November 16, 2015: Plains, Kansas and Pampa, Texas
Long-tracked EF3 tornado near Plains, and two EF3 tornadoes, including one wedge tornado, in close proximity to Pampa. Part of an outbreak of particularly photogenic nocturnal tornadoes, unprecedented for the time of year for the area.
Particularly photogenic low-precipitation “barberpole” supercell that later produced an EF3 wedge tornado that took a highly deviant northwest motion.
May 24, 2016: Minneola / Dodge City, Kansas
Prolific tornadic supercell producing 13 often-photogenic tornadoes (up to EF3), with three documented simultaneously, in a localized area. Often regarded as one of the greatest days of modern storm chasing.
May 25, 2016: Chapman, Kansas
Slow-moving EF4 wedge tornado lasting over 90 minutes, often referred to as Bennington II.
EF3 tornado, part of a “surprise” outbreak of 24 tornadoes (up to EF3) produced by mini-supercells across northern IN and OH that went largely unforecast.
2017
February 7, 2017: New Orleans, Louisiana
EF3 tornado, the strongest recorded tornado to hit New Orleans.
February 28, 2017: Washburn, Illinois
Particularly photogenic dusty EF3 tornado, part of an outbreak of tornadoes across IL and the Ohio Valley.
February 28, 2017: Perryville, Missouri
Long-tracked EF-4 tornado, part of an outbreak of tornadoes across IL and the Ohio Valley.
April 14, 2017: Dimmitt, Texas
Prolific cyclic and nearly stationary high-precipitation supercell that produced several tornadoes, including an EF3 wedge; this was a largely “surprise” event.
The first of several tornadoes from a particularly photogenic and cyclic “mothership” supercell, part of an unusual outbreak of tornadoes across WY into the NE panhandle.
July 12, 2017: Mayville/ Buxton, North Dakota
Long-lived EF2 tornado from an HP supercell with northwest flow. Also featured a rather large “eye” on radar at peak intensity.
Particularly photogenic haboob that traveled around 200 miles across the Sonoran Desert.
July 19, 2018: Bondurant, Marshalltown, and Pella, Iowa
Localized outbreak of tornadoes (up to EF3), including 2 simultaneous EF2 tornadoes across central IA. An event that was largely a “surprise” (especially in magnitude) until later in the forecast period.
September 21, 2018: Dunrobin / Gatineau / Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
EF2 tornado, the first tornado of the largest October tornado outbreak in Pennsylvania on record.
December 1, 2018: Havana and Taylorville, Illinois
A couple of several tornadoes (up to EF3) produced by photogenic and cyclic “cold-core” supercells, part of the largest December tornado outbreak in Illinois on record.
Photogenic EF2 tornado from a cyclic supercell that produced tornadoes up to EF3.
May 17, 2019: Forgan, Oklahoma
Particularly photogenic tornado, the first of multiple (up to EF3) from a cyclic supercell.
May 20, 2019: Mangum, Oklahoma
Wedge tornado produced by high-precipitation supercell, with recorded winds up to 212 mph, though rated an EF2. Part of a High Risk event regarded by some as a “bust” due to a lack of intense tornadoes across Oklahoma.
Long-lived EF4 tornado, part of an outbreak of tornadoes across IN and OH. The OH extent of the event was largely a “surprise” until late in the forecast period.
May 28, 2019: Waldo / Tipton, Kansas
EF2 tornado, one of multiple photogenic tornadoes from a cyclic supercell.
EF3 tornado, highly-visible for the area and time of occurrence.
2020
March 2, 2020: Nashville / Cookeville, Tennessee
EF3 and EF4 tornadoes, the former long-tracked and killing 5 people, the latter killing 19 people. Two of 10 tornadoes produced by a cyclic supercell, part of an event with an eastern extent and intensity that was largely a “surprise.”
Long-tracked EF4 tornado that became the third widest on record at 2.25 miles, and killed 8 people. It followed an EF4 tornado from the same supercell, and was followed from behind by an even longer-tracked EF3 tornado ongoing simultaneously from a different supercell. All were part of the 2020 Easter Sunday tornado outbreak.
April 13, 2020: Hampton County, South Carolina
Long-tracked EF4 tornado, part of a prolific QLCS that produced multiple intense tornadoes simultaneously.
April 22, 2020: Madill / Springer, Oklahoma
Photogenic “cold-core” EF2 tornadoes occurring close to each other both in location and time, from two separate supercells.
Particularly photogenic EF3 tornado that killed two teens driving.
August 10, 2020: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
One of the costliest severe thunderstorm events in U.S. modern history at an estimated $11 billion. A derecho that damaged over 850,000 acres of crops across eastern IA and destroyed over 1,000 homes in Cedar Rapids alone, where a gust of 126 mph was recorded nearby.
2021
March 13, 2021: Happy / Canyon, Texas
A few tornadoes (up to EF2, though likely stronger) occurring primarily from the same supercell in rapid succession (with a brief period of two simultaneous tornadoes), part of a local outbreak in and around the Texas panhandle.
Cyclic supercell that produced multiple tornadoes (rated up to EF3) and later acquired a particularly photogenic “mothership” structure, part of an anomalous and Plains-like severe weather outbreak for the area.
EF3 tornado, part of several tornadoes produced by the remnants of Hurricane Ida.
December 10, 2021: Mayfield–Dawson Springs, Kentucky
A series of two EF4 tornadoes, one of which was extremely long-tracked, that quickly became colloquialized as the “Quad-State Tornado”, though surveys found a significant break in damage. This tornado family killed 65 people, leveled large portions of multiple towns along its path, and along with another tornado this day, stirred controversy over workplace preparedness.
January 12 2023: Selma / Old Kingston AL EF3 tornadoMarch 24 2023 Rolling Fork MS EF4 tornadoMarch 31 2023 Little Rock AR EF3 tornadoMarch 31 2023 Ottumwa / Keota IA EF4 tornadoApril 4 2023 Industry / Table Grove / Bryant IL mothership, tornadoApril 19 2023 Cottonwood Falls–Strong City KS tornadoApril 19 2023 Cole / Etowah / Shawnee OK EF3 tornado, mothershipMay 6 2023 Linneus MO EF2 tornado, mothershipMay 11 2023 Arapahoe CO / Weskan / Goodland KS tornadoesMay 11 2023 Cole–Goldsby OK tornadoMay 12 2023 Spalding NE tornadoMay 24 Grady NM–Bledsoe TX tornado, mothershipMay 25 2023 Grady NM mothershipMay 31 2023 Stettler AB landspout tornadoJune 2 2023 Fort Stockton tornadoJune 2 2023 Sanderson–Dryden TX tornadoesJune 10 2023 Dalhart TX LP supercellJune 15 2023 Perryton TX EF3 tornadoJune 17 2023 Hamlin TX tornadoJune 21 2023 Akron CO tornadoesJune 21 2023 Matador TX EF3 tornadoJune 23 2023 Granada–Holly CO / Johnson KS tornadoes, mothershipJune 23 2023 Chugwater / Hawk Springs WY / Scottsbluff NE tornadoesJune 23 2023 Campo CO tornadoJune 28 2023 Kimball NE tornadoJuly 1 2023 Didsbury AB EF4 tornadoJuly 12 2023 Elgin IL tornadoJuly 20 2023 Pikes Peak tornadoJuly 25 2023 Taylor NE tornadoAugust 8 2023 Yuma CO EF3 tornado and CO state record hailSeptember 23 2023 Ada OK LP supercellDecember 9 2023 Nashville–Madison / Henderson TN EF2 tornadoes
Disclaimer
Neither RAP nor ERA5 will not perfectly represent the observed environment.
In general (especially prior to 2021), RAP has a bias toward warm, dry surface conditions and weak low-level shear, especially on drier days. ERA5 has a bias toward cool surface temperatures and weak buoyancy. Soundings were not adjusted for observed surface variables or storm motions.
Certain artifacts are inevitable. RAP soundings will often display saturation aloft that masks otherwise drier profiles near convection. RAP may also feature unrealistic low-level moisture distributions, such as high surface dewpoints in otherwise dry boundary layers. ERA5 soundings are occasionally marked by an incongruent disconnect in the low-level thermodynamic profile.
For educational use. If any info here is re-used please cite author (Cameron Nixon) and web page (https://www.ustornadoes.com/case-archive/).
