List of tornadoes in the 1974 Super Outbreak
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This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2024) |
This is the list of tornadoes confirmed that occurred during the record-breaking 1974 Super Outbreak tornado event that occurred on April 3–4, 1974 across the eastern half of the United States and in Ontario, Canada.
Tornadoes confirmed
edit| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 12 | 38 | 34 | 34 | 23 | 7 | 148* |
- Note: Some tornadoes are not yet included in this table.
April 3 event
edit- Note: Path lengths and widths, tornado start times, injuries, and deaths sometimes vary from source to source; information listed here may conflict other sources.
| F# | Location | County / Parish | State | Start Time (UTC) | Path length [note 2] |
Max width [note 3] |
Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F2 | E of Lebanon | Boone | IN | 13:30 | 0.12 miles (0.19 km) | 50 yards (46 m) | Brief touchdown in an open field. |
| F3 | SW of Cleveland to N of Benton | Bradley, Polk | TN | 18:05 | 18.1 miles (29.1 km) | 350 yards (320 m) | 1 death– Tornado hit two subdivisions near Blue Springs and destroyed 19 out of 20 trailers in a trailer park, with the fatality occurring there. 100 people were injured. |
| F0 | Morris area | Grundy | IL | 18:10 | 0.1 miles (160 m) | 10 yards (9.1 m) | |
| F0 | E of Carlock | McLean | IL | 19:07 | 0.1 miles (160 m) | Unknown | |
| F1 | SE of Lincoln | Logan, McLean | IL | 19:08 | 16.7 miles (26.9 km) | 177 yards (162 m) | |
| F1 | SW of Orleans to E of Mitchell | Orange, Lawrence | IN | 19:15 | 14 miles (23 km) | 177 yards (162 m) | |
| F5 | E of New Boston to Depauw to NE of Underwood | Perry, Crawford, Harrison, Washington, Clark, Scott | IN | 19:20-20:29 | 68 miles (109 km) | 6 deaths – See section on this tornado – One in a series of five F4-F5 tornadoes that travelled from Perry County to northeast of Cincinnati. The tornado lacked a defined condensation funnel and was almost invisible while at F5 intensity. | |
| F5 | SW of Hardinsburg, KY to Brandenburg, KY to N of Laconia, IN | Breckinridge (KY), Meade (KY), Harrison (IN) | KY, IN | 19:25-20:17 | 32.11 miles (51.68 km) | 31 deaths – See section on this tornado – The town of Brandenburg was nearly destroyed. Same storm later produced the Louisville tornado. | |
| F3 | E of Tunnelton to SE of Elizabethtown | Lawrence, Jackson, Bartholomew, Jennings | IN | 19:30 | 35.8 miles (57.6 km) | 1 death – Tornado killed one woman as it destroyed a home. Majority of damage was reported on farms. Parent thunderstorm later produced the F4 Hamburg tornado. | |
| F3 | N of Blue Mound to N Decatur | Macon | IL | 19:30 | 18.2 miles (29.3 km) | 350 yards (320 m) | 1 death – Tornado struck northwest side of Decatur, destroying 35 homes and damaging 120 more. Some homes were leveled, but were not well-built enough to warrant an F4 rating. Over the entire path, 52 homes and 3 mobile homes were destroyed and 110 sustained major damage, in addition to many more which sustained minor damage. At least 26 people were injured. |
| F3 | S of Anchor | McLean | IL | 19:30 | 7.4 miles (11.9 km) | 350 yards (320 m) | Tornado destroyed buildings and equipment on eight separate farms, with two homes destroyed and a third removed from its foundation. Multiple vortices caused cycloidal marks in farm fields. Debris was carried up to 10 miles (16 km) away. |
| F1 | E of Taylorville | Christian | IL | 19:45 | 8.5 miles (13.7 km) | 70 yards (64 m) | |
| F3 | Fairland to NE of Greenfield | Shelby, Hancock | IN | 19:45 | 20.7 miles (33.3 km) | 440 yards (400 m) | 1 death – 11 homes were destroyed at Fountaintown. 42 people were injured. Went across Carey Road. (Any extra information would be helpful) |
| F4 | Westland to NE of Kennard | Hancock, Rush, Henry | IN | 20:00 | 18.9 miles (30.4 km) | 1 death – Multiple-vortex tornado damaged or destroyed 70% of Kennard, including the school which had its second story torn off. Destroyed 48 homes there and 11 in nearby Grant City. F4 damage was reported at Kennard. | |
| F2 | NE of Maryville | Blount | TN | 20:00 | 0.5 miles (0.80 km) | 50 yards (46 m) | Not listed as F2 tornado by some authorities. Two people were injured. |
| F4 | E of Elizabethtown to NE of Hamburg | Bartholomew, Decatur, Franklin | IN | 20:01 | 37.4 miles (60.2 km) | 1,200 yards (1,100 m) | 4 deaths – Tornado damaged or destroyed 90 percent of Hamburg and produced near-F5 damage to a farm near New Point. Rural homes and barns destroyed in Decatur County. At least 17 people were injured. |
| F1 | E of Farmer City | Piatt, Champaign | IL | 20:10 | 10.9 miles (17.5 km) | 20 yards (18 m) | |
| F4 | NE of Henryville to Madison to NE of Barbersville area | Clark, Scott, Jefferson, Ripley | IN | 20:19 | 35.6 miles (57.3 km) | 11 deaths – See section on this tornado | |
| F0 | NW of Pierson | Piatt | IL | 20:25 | 3.3 miles (5.3 km) | 20 yards (18 m) | |
| F1 | Etowah area (1st tornado) | McMinn | TN | 20:30 | 3.6 miles (5.8 km) | 27 yards (25 m) | 1 death – Tornado produced minor property damage. 32 people were injured. |
| F5 | SW of Xenia to E of Springfield | Greene, Clark | OH | 20:33-21:12 | 31.3 miles (50.4 km) | 1,300 yards (1,200 m) | 32 deaths – See article on this tornado – The tornado caused more than 1,150 injuries, the most of any tornado in the outbreak. Believed to be among the strongest of the seven F5 tornadoes in the outbreak.[1] |
| F4 | W of Blountsville to NE of Parker City | Henry, Delaware, Randolph, Jay | IN | 20:35 | 18 miles (29 km) | 1 death – This large multiple-vortex tornado was widely photographed. It destroyed the steel-reinforced Monroe Central School and leveled homes near Parker City. Numerous homes were destroyed and a forest suffered significant loss of trees. | |
| F4 | Louisville to NE of Brownsboro | Jefferson, Oldham | KY | 20:37 | 18.5 miles (29.8 km) | 3 deaths – See section on this tornado | |
| F4 | E of Madison to E of Cochran | Jefferson, Switzerland, Ohio, Dearborn | IN | 20:40 | 27.1 miles (43.6 km) | The tornado formed immediately as the Madison/Hanover was dissipating. Homes were leveled near the Fairview area with a church also being leveled near Bear Branch. | |
| F3 | E of Tolono | Champaign | IL | 20:48 | 5.9 miles (9.5 km) | 70 yards (64 m) | 1 death – Tornado killed a man in a trailer and destroyed farms near Philo. Worst damage occurred west of Philo, where numerous buildings were destroyed. |
| F1 | NW of Hopewell | Hamilton | TN | 20:50 | 5.9 miles (9.5 km) | 27 yards (25 m) | |
| F3 | NE of Bongard to Fithian | Champaign, Vermilion | IL | 20:55 | 14.9 miles (24.0 km) | Tornado destroyed homes and a park headquarters near Homer Lake. Three trucks were blown off of Interstate 74, near Ogden, and trailers were obliterated. Part of a house was thrown into a lake. | |
| F2 | London area | Clark, Madison | OH | 20:55 | 15.7 miles (25.3 km) | Destroyed one warehouse, grain bins, and trailers. | |
| F4 | S of Caneyville to Leitchfield | Grayson | KY | 21:00 | 14 miles (23 km) | F4 damage was noted to a home south of Caneyville. | |
| F1 | S of Rosman | Transylvania | NC | 21:00 | 1 mile (1.6 km) | ||
| F1 | NW of Springfield | Robertson | TN | 21:00 | 4.3 miles (6.9 km) | ||
| F5 | N of Rising Sun, IN to Cincinnati/Sayler Park, OH to W of White Oak, OH | Ohio (IN), Boone (KY), Hamilton (OH) | IN, KY, OH | 21:20 | 20.8 miles (33.5 km) | 3 deaths – See section on this tornado – Crossed three states (Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio), reaching full strength in Sayler Park. | |
| F2 | N of Bismarck | Vermilion | IL | 21:25-21:48 | 7.8 miles (12.6 km) | Tornado hit and damaged a local high school. Also heavily damaged homes in western Bismarck. | |
| F4 | Cincinnati to N of Mason | Hamilton, Warren | OH | 21:28 | 19.8 miles (31.9 km) | 2 deaths – Formed from the same thunderstorm that spawned the Sayler Park tornado, with the first damage seen in northern Cincinnati. Some homes in Mason were completely leveled. Was the last in a series of five violent F4‑F5 tornadoes spawned by the same storm, beginning in southwest Indiana. | |
| F3 | W of Williamsport to NE of Templeton | Warren, Benton | IN | 21:30 | 25.9 miles (41.7 km) | Tornado damaged all of the 20 homes in the community of Rainsville. | |
| F1 | S of Mattoon to NE of Charleston | Coles | IL | 21:30 | 14.8 miles (23.8 km) | ||
| F2 | Concord area | Jefferson | AL | 21:30 | 1 mile (1.6 km) | A trailer and a house were damaged, and an outbuilding was completely destroyed. | |
| F4 | Elizabethtown to N of Wakefield | Hardin, Nelson, Spencer | KY | 21:45 | 37.9 miles (61.0 km) | 3 deaths – Businesses just northwest of Elizabethtown were leveled, killing two people in that area. Damage also noted near Cox's Creek where a third person was killed. 52 homes and 100 barns destroyed in Nelson County alone. Tornado lifted near Bullitt County. | |
| F3 | Franklin to Railton | Simpson, Warren, Barren | KY | 21:45 | 31.1 miles (50.1 km) | 3 deaths – Seven homes and 40 barns were destroyed in Temperance, where one person was killed. Fatalities also occurred in Three Forks and Rocky Springs. | |
| F4 | SW of Otterbein to Monticello to N of Valentine | Warren, Benton, Tippecanoe, White, Carroll, Cass, Pulaski, Fulton, Marshall, Kosciusko, Noble, LaGrange | IN | 21:45 | 120.8 miles (194.4 km) | 18 deaths – See section on this tornado – May have been a tornado family of three separate F4 tornadoes linked by downbursts. | |
| F2 | N of Greenback | Loudon | TN | 22:00 | 0.1 miles (160 m) | Tornado unroofed a home and damaged six others at Greenback. | |
| F2 | E of Madisonville | Monroe | TN | 22:00 | 1 mile (1.6 km) | ||
| F3 | S of Laurel | Jones | MS | 22:00 | 12 miles (19 km) | Only tornado of the outbreak in Mississippi. Destroyed a home and 30 farm buildings, killing 15,000 chickens. Also damaged 33 other homes and a trailer. | |
| F1 | N of Brasstown | Cherokee | NC | 22:00 | 0.1 miles (160 m) | ||
| F2 | Lebanon area | Warren | OH | 22:00 | 9.8 miles (15.8 km) | Destroyed barns and mobile homes. | |
| F2 | NE of New Albany | Franklin | OH | 22:05 | 5.1 miles (8.2 km) | Caused damage to 20 homes and destroyed a home along with three barns. | |
| F1 | N of Ballardsville to SE of Bromley | Henry, Owen | KY | 22:15 | 31.7 miles (51.0 km) | This is a secondary storm that followed the Louisville storm. 18 were injured and the path width was similar to that of the first event. | |
| F3 | Cleveland to Etowah (2nd tornado) | Bradley, Polk, McMinn | TN | 22:15 | 21.2 miles (34.1 km) | 3 deaths – Tornado passed through southern Etowah, destroying 23 homes and killing two people in trailers. One additional death elsewhere. Tornado damaged or destroyed 37 homes in McMinn County alone. | |
| F2 | Nashville area | Davidson | TN | 22:18 | 4.7 miles (7.6 km) | Tornado hit southeastern Nashville, causing significant damage to large homes, trailers, and businesses. May have been an F3 rather than an F2 tornado due to severity of damage. | |
| F1 | W of Circleville | Pickaway | OH | 22:18 | 1 mile (1.6 km) | ||
| F1 | NW of Jacksonville | Calhoun | AL | 22:21 | 1 mile (1.6 km) | Damage to trees and power lines west of Jacksonville. | |
| F2 | Ellijay to Blue Ridge | Gilmer, Fannin | GA | 22:30 | 15.6 miles (25.1 km) | 200 yards (180 m) | Tornado unroofed or destroyed several homes. Utilities sustained major damage, and many trees were downed. Five people were injured. |
| F1 | E of Columbia | Maury, Marshall | TN | 22:30 | 7.9 miles (12.7 km) | ||
| F4 | W of Calhoun to E of Chatsworth | Gordon, Whitfield, Murray | GA | 22:40 | 29.5 miles (47.5 km) | 9 deaths – Homes destroyed in Sugar Valley and on the northwest side of Resaca. Tornado killed more than 50,000 chickens in Gordon County alone. Seven of the nine deaths occurred at Sugar Valley. | |
| F4 | S of Greensburg to Mannsville | Green, Taylor | KY | 22:40 | 20.2 miles (32.5 km) | Most of Mannsville was heavily damaged or destroyed. A total of 50 homes and 60 barns destroyed along the entire track, including 40 homes in Mannsville. 56 people injured. | |
| F4 | N of Gee to Frankfort to S of Sadieville | Anderson, Franklin, Scott | KY | 22:50 | 46.2 miles (74.4 km) | 4 deaths – One of the largest recorded tornadoes in the outbreak, over 1 mi (1.6 km) wide. A total of 120 homes as well as businesses and factories damaged or destroyed in the southern sections of Frankfort. 12 homes destroyed in the Alton area. Over 120 people injured. | |
| F2 | W of Liberty Hill, AL to NE of Acworth, GA | Cleburne (AL), Haralson (GA), Paulding (GA), Cobb (GA), Bartow (GA), Cherokee (GA) | AL, GA | 22:50 | 65.9 miles (106.1 km) | 1 death – Crossed into Georgia where numerous homes were destroyed. | |
| F2 | NE of Lebanon to Cato | Wilson, Trousdale, Smith | TN | 23:00 | 15.8 miles (25.4 km) | Tornado destroyed six homes at Dixon Springs. Produced damage of at least F3 and possibly F4 intensity at Dixon Springs according to Grazulis. | |
| F1 | NE of Lewisburg to Rover | Marshall, Bedford | TN | 23:00 | 12.9 miles (20.8 km) | ||
| F3 | Murfreesboro to E of Cainsville | Rutherford, Wilson | TN | 23:10 | 15.9 miles (25.6 km) | Tornado produced high-end F3 damage to three homes, which were completely destroyed. | |
| F1 | NW of Lewisburg to N of Deason | Marshall, Bedford | TN | 23:15 | 26.1 miles (42.0 km) | ||
| F5 | W of Moulton to Tanner to Harvest (1st tornado) | Lawrence, Limestone, Morgan, Madison | AL | 23:15-00:28 | 52 miles (84 km) | 28 deaths – See section on this tornado – First of the two F5 tornadoes to hit Tanner. The structures destroyed were again struck just 30 minutes after this tornado. An EF5 tornado also struck the Moulton‑Tanner‑Harvest area on April 27, 2011. | |
| F2 | Continental area | Paulding, Putnam | OH | 23:30 | 9.2 miles (14.8 km) | Destroyed one home, a garage, and two barns. | |
| F2 | E of Phil Campbell | Franklin | AL | 23:30 | 12.8 miles (20.6 km) | One home and one mobile home factory were heavily damaged. An EF5 tornado later struck Phil Campbell in 2011. | |
| F4 | W of Carrollton to Jasper to NE of Cullman | Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Fayette, Walker, Cullman | AL | 23:35 | 110.6 miles (178.0 km) | 3 deaths – See section on this tornado – Path paralleled that of an EF4 tornado in 2011 that affected nearby Cordova. | |
| F3 | S of Ellisburg to NE of Danville | Casey, Lincoln, Boyle | KY | 23:35 | 21.1 miles (34.0 km) | 1 death – Over 100 homes were heavily damaged or destroyed in Junction City. Damage figures were estimated at $5 million in Lincoln County alone. 98 people were also injured. | |
| F1 | E of North Manchester | Wabash, Huntington | IN | 23:35 | 7.1 miles (11.4 km) | ||
| F4 | NE of Peytonsburg to NE of Monticello | Cumberland, Clinton, Wayne | KY | 23:40 | 38.4 miles (61.8 km) | 10 deaths – Tornado struck several communities in Clinton County. Eight of the 10 fatalities occurred in that county. Over 50 homes damaged or destroyed. | |
| F2 | N of Windfall City to N of Marion area | Howard, Grant | IN | 23:45 | 19 miles (31 km) | Numerous homes and mobile homes heavily damaged in Swayzee. | |
| F3 | NW of Albion to NE of Angola | Noble, LaGrange, Steuben | IN | 23:50 | 36.2 miles (58.3 km) | 5 deaths – Two of the victims were in mobile homes, while two others drowned in Turkey Lake. Tornado ended in a downburst near Angola. | |
| F1 | E of LaGrange | Lagrange | IN | 23:55 | 8.8 miles (14.2 km) | ||
| F3 | SW of Cynthiana to E of Claysville | Harrison, Robertson | KY | 23:55 | 19.3 miles (31.1 km) | 40 homes and 75 barns were destroyed. 27 people were injured. | |
| F3 | NW of West Union to E of Peebles | Adams | OH | 00:00 | 15.5 miles (24.9 km) | 500 yards (460 m) | 1 death – Tornado destroyed five homes, a barn, and some small buildings. One woman killed as she attempted to seek cover in her basement. Four others were injured. |
| F3 | NE of Gadsden to W of Kirks Grove | Etowah, Cherokee | AL | 00:00 | 20.9 miles (33.6 km) | 100 yards (91 m) | 20 people were injured in the storm while numerous trailers and mobile homes were destroyed. |
| F1 | N of Aberdeen to N of Manchester | Brown, Adams | OH | 00:00 | 9.1 miles (14.6 km) | 180 yards (160 m) | |
| F3 | SW of Parnell to W of Bronston | Wayne, Pulaski | KY | 00:05 | 18 miles (29 km) | Unknown | Some sources list up to two deaths, but none are listed officially. Five people were injured. |
| F2 | SW of Robbinsville to Almond | Graham, Swain | NC | 00:05 | 24.1 miles (38.8 km) | Unknown | 2 deaths – Widespread damage centered around the community of Stecoah, in rugged areas south of Fontana Lake. Tornado later dissipated just south of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Eleven people were injured. Tornado may have begun further southwest in Cherokee County and continued further northeast to just west of Bryson City.[2] |
| F2 | W of Warren to NW of Bluffton | Huntington, Wells | IN | 00:10 | 11.5 miles (18.5 km) | 350 yards (320 m) | 16 buildings were heavily damaged or destroyed in Plum Tree. |
| F2 | Harrodsburg area | Boyle, Mercer | KY | 00:12 | 16.2 miles (26.1 km) | In Mercer County four homes were destroyed and 60 homes were damaged. | |
| F1 | W of Bluffton to W of Decatur | Wells, Adams | IN | 00:15 | 14.4 miles (23.2 km) | 177 yards (162 m) | Eight homes suffered extensive damage and two mobile homes were destroyed. |
| F2 | NNE of Jamestown, TN to W of Wiborg, KY | Fentress (TN), Pickett (TN), Scott (TN), McCreary (KY) | TN, KY | 00:15 | 27.4 miles (44.1 km) | 400 yards (370 m) | Tornado mostly hit forested land but caused F2 damage. It barely clipped the far northwest corner of Scott County. Eleven people were injured, all in McCreary County. |
| F4 | Richmond to E of Winchester | Garrard, Madison, Clark | KY | 00:20 | 31.9 miles (51.3 km) | 7 deaths – Tornado narrowly missed the central sections of Richmond. Produced F4 damage near Richmond. Affected Hackley, Cottonburg, and Mt. Sterling, destroying 30 homes. | |
| F1 | Livingston | Overton | TN | 00:30 | 4.3 miles (6.9 km) | 200 yards (180 m) | |
| F3 | SW of Gassaway to NE of Dowelltown | Cannon, DeKalb | TN | 00:30 | 14.6 miles (23.5 km) | 100 yards (91 m) | 1 death – A woman was killed in a trailer at Sycamore in Cannon County. Crossing south of Liberty, the tornado struck Dowelltown, destroying a factory, a post office, and 18 homes in Dowelltown. It continued to the Dale Ridge community before dissipating. 23 people were injured. |
| F4 | NW of Dawsonville | Cherokee, Pickens, Dawson, Lumpkin | GA | 00:30 | 17.7 miles (28.5 km) | 6 deaths– Deaths were at Yellow Creek and Juno. Tornado destroyed nine homes along its path. 17 injuries were reported from Pickens County. | |
| F2 | S of Rockwood | Monroe | MI | 00:30 | 2 miles (3.2 km) | ||
| F2 | E of Cuzick | Madison, Fayette | KY | 00:30 | 9 miles (14 km) | Several buildings were destroyed in southern Fayette County. | |
| F5 | SW of Tanner, AL to SE of Manchester, TN (2nd tornado) | Limestone (AL), Madison (AL), Lincoln (TN), Franklin (TN), Coffee (TN) | AL, TN | 00:35-02:05 | 83.3 miles (134.1 km) | 16 deaths– See section on this tornado – Originally disputed but ranked F5 in latest official data,[3][4] bringing the number of F5 tornadoes in the Super Outbreak to seven and second F5 tornado to strike Tanner in 30 minutes.[5] No effort made to determine the exact number of buildings destroyed by the two F5 tornadoes in Tanner. | |
| F2 | Hillsdale to NE of Liberty | Hillsdale, Jackson | MI | 00:44 | 19.3 miles (31.1 km) | 2 deaths– Continuous damage from west of Hillsdale to Clark's Lake. Both deaths were inside mobile homes. Over 160 structures were heavily damaged or destroyed, including homes and trailers. | |
| F3 | E of Paulding | Paulding | OH | 00:45 | 8.7 miles (14.0 km) | Destroyed five mobile homes and a barn. | |
| F4 | SE of Fayetteville to SE of Tullahoma | Lincoln, Franklin | TN | 00:45 | 27.5 miles (44.3 km) | 11 deaths – Intense tornado swept away homes at Harmony Hill, Pleasant Ridge (northwest of Huntland), and Broadview. Destroyed roughly 46 homes and 90 barns in Franklin County alone. Developed from the same thunderstorm that produced the first F5 Tanner tornado. | |
| F3 | Flat Rock, MI/Windsor, ON areas | Wayne (MI), Essex (ON) | MI, ON | 00:50 | 6 miles (9.7 km) | 9 deaths – This intermittent tornado was first sighted in Michigan. All nine deaths occurred at the Windsor Curling Club, which sustained total collapse of a large wall, and lost its roof as well. An addition to a mall that was undergoing construction was severely damaged, and a Chrysler plant lost a section of its roof. | |
| F3 | E of Somerset to E of Livingston | Pulaski, Laurel, Rockcastle | KY | 00:55 | 22.3 miles (35.9 km) | 7 deaths – Tornado caused 40 injuries. Tornado dissipated near Elgin. May have caused one death in Rockcastle County, but this is not listed officially. | |
| F1 | W of Melrose | Paulding | OH | 01:00 | 1.3 miles (2.1 km) | Destroyed two barns and a mobile home. | |
| F1 | SW of Paulding | Paulding | OH | 01:00 | 6.4 miles (10.3 km) | ||
| F1 | SE of Gainesboro | Jackson, Overton | TN | 01:00 | 8.6 miles (13.8 km) | ||
| F3 | E of Camargo | Montgomery | KY | 01:05 | 4.9 miles (7.9 km) | Listed as an F1 tornado by some sources. | |
| F2 | N of Georgetown | Scott | KY | 01:15 | 10 miles (16 km) | Over 130 homes were left uninhabitable. | |
| F4 | SE of Cookeville to S of Windletown | White, Putnam, Overton | TN | 01:15 | 28.4 miles (45.7 km) | 10 deaths – Tornado destroyed as many as 50 homes near Cookeville, killing 10 people in the vicinity. One person injured in the tornado died a month later. | |
| F2 | S of Hudson | Hillsdale, Lenawee | MI | 01:15 | 9.9 miles (15.9 km) | Tornado unroofed one home, destroyed a mobile home, and damaged a barn in the Prattville area, causing three injuries. | |
| F2 | SW of Hudson area | Hillsdale, Lenawee | MI | 01:15 | 5.4 miles (8.7 km) | ||
| F4 | W of Pleasant Hill, GA to NE of Murphy, NC | Fannin (GA), Cherokee (NC) | GA, NC | 01:20 | 24 miles (39 km) | 4 deaths – Crossed into North Carolina. Storm traversed rugged terrain. $13 million (1974 USD) in damage, with massive timber damage. Tornado destroyed utilities and 45 homes in a neighborhood at Murphy. | |
| F1 | NW of Maysville | Mason | KY | 01:25 | 0.1 miles (160 m) | ||
| F1 | N of Aberdeen | Brown | OH | 01:30 | 4.1 miles (6.6 km) | 100 yards (91 m) | |
| F4 | S of Moodyville, TN to SE of Jimtown, KY | Pickett (TN), Wayne (KY) | TN, KY | 01:30 | 13 miles (21 km) | 300 yards (270 m) | 5 deaths – Tornado caused all five deaths and destroyed homes at Moodyville before crossing the Tennessee-Kentucky border. Six people were injured. |
| F1 | NW of Bluffton to NW of Decatur | Wells, Adams | IN | 01:45 | 10.9 miles (17.5 km) | 350 yards (320 m) | |
| F4 | SE of Wilder to E of Jamestown | Fentress | TN | 01:50 | 18.8 miles (30.3 km) | 200 yards (180 m) | 7 deaths – Tornado injured 150 people and destroyed 48 homes in four separate subdivisions near Jamestown. All seven deaths occurred in the four subdivisions. |
| F3 | SE of Monticello to SE of Tateville | Wayne, Pulaski | KY | 01:50 | 13.9 miles (22.4 km) | Unknown | 2 deaths – Some sources indicate three deaths rather than two. 45 people were injured. |
| F5 | N of Vernon to Guin to S of Basham | Lamar, Marion, Winston, Lawrence, Morgan | AL | 01:50-03:30 | 79.52 miles (127.98 km) | 28 deaths – See section on this tornado – Possibly the most intense tornado in Alabama history; believed to be one of the strongest of the seven F5 tornadoes in the outbreak. | |
| F3 | N of Corbin to Fogertown | Laurel, Clay | KY | 01:55 | 19.8 miles (31.9 km) | Unknown | The Quality Inn Motel at I-75 north of Corbin was destroyed, along with 12 homes. Numerous homes and farm buildings were damaged. 22 people were injured. |
| F3 | NE of Temperance | Monroe | MI | 01:56 | 0.3 miles (480 m) | 30 yards (27 m) | Tornado destroyed a home and damaged another near Erie. Some sources rate this as an F2 tornado. |
| F3 | NE of Decherd | Franklin, Coffee | TN | 02:00 | 7.1 miles (11.4 km) | 100 yards (91 m) | A home and a trailer were destroyed. One person was injured. |
| F2 | E of Viola to NE of Irving College | Warren | TN | 02:15 | 8.7 miles (14.0 km) | 100 yards (91 m) | 1 death – Tornado destroyed two trailers and two frame homes. A pickup truck was swept off a road, killing the driver, and another vehicle was moved 500 yards (460 m). One person was injured. |
| F0 | SE of Bridgeport | Cocke | TN | 03:00 | 0.5 miles (0.80 km) | ||
| F1 | N of Beech Hill to SW of Shelbyville | Giles, Marshall, Bedford | TN | 03:00 | 27.5 miles (44.3 km) | ||
| F4 | SW of Whitley City | Wayne, McCreary | KY | 03:00 | 16.1 miles (25.9 km) | Passed near Mount Pisgah and north of Greenwood. Destroyed homes along with 10,000,000 board feet (23,597 m3) of timber in the Daniel Boone National Forest. | |
| F1 | Frewsburg area | Chautauqua | NY | 03:00 | 0.2 miles (0.32 km) | Minor damage to the business district of the town. | |
| F3 | SE of Decatur to Huntsville to SW of Hytop | Morgan, Limestone, Madison, Jackson | AL | 03:24 | 46.5 miles (74.8 km) | 2 deaths – See section on this tornado – Developed after the F5 Guin tornado. Seven people were injured. | |
| F2 | NE of Whitley City | McCreary, Whitley | KY | 03:30 | 8 miles (13 km) | Tornado damaged 20 homes and unroofed a motel near Whitley City. | |
| F3 | SW of Livingston to Monroe | Overton | TN | 04:30 | 9.4 miles (15.1 km) | 400 yards (370 m) | 3 deaths – Tornado destroyed two subdivisions in northwest Livingston. Damaged more than 275 homes and destroyed 50 homes and trailers each. All three deaths occurred in trailers. 120 people were injured. |
| F3 | NE of Jabez to W of Plato | Russell, Pulaski, Rockcastle | KY | 04:30 | 28.8 miles (46.3 km) | Tornado destroyed at least a dozen homes along its path. | |
| F1 | N of McMinnville | Warren | TN | 04:45 | 7.2 miles (11.6 km) | 100 yards (91 m) | One person was injured. |
| F1 | NE of Sparta | White | TN | 04:45 | 3 miles (4.8 km) | 100 yards (91 m) | Tornado occurred in the Board Valley area. |
| F3 | NE of Sunbright to S of Huntsville | Morgan, Scott | TN | 04:50 | 12.2 miles (19.6 km) | 350 yards (320 m) | Tornado tore apart two trailers and other buildings. Also damaged or destroyed a dozen additional homes. Eleven people were injured. |
| F3 | SW of Oneida to NE of Winfield | Scott | TN | 04:50 | 13 miles (21 km) | 400 yards (370 m) | Tornado tore apart ten homes at Black Oak and destroyed numerous trailers. 21 people were injured. |
April 4 event
edit- Note: Path lengths and widths, tornado start times, injuries, and deaths sometimes vary from source to source; information listed here may conflict other sources.
| F# | Location | County / Parish | State | Start Time (UTC) | Path length [note 2] |
Max width [note 3] |
Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F2 | W of Clarktown to NW of Crossville | White, Cumberland | TN | 05:30 | 16.2 miles (26.1 km) | 300 yards (270 m) | Tornado destroyed 11 or more homes along with three businesses, 16 barns, and 18 trailers. Rated F3 by Grazulis. 28 people were injured. |
| F1 | SW of Blaine | Knox | TN | 05:30 | 1 mile (1.6 km) | 150 yards (140 m) | 2 deaths – Tornado struck a mobile home park, damaging or destroying multiple homes. May have been an F2 according to Grazulis. 21 people were injured. |
| F0 | W of Andersonville to WSW of Maynardville | Anderson, Union | TN | 06:30 | 8.7 miles (14.0 km) | 200 yards (180 m) | |
| F0 | NW of Jefferson City | Jefferson | TN | 07:00 | 4.5 miles (7.2 km) | Unknown | |
| F1 | N of Bartlick | Dickenson, Buchanan | VA | 07:20 | 7.3 miles (11.7 km) | Unknown | |
| F0 | E of Jonesville | Lee | VA | 07:21 | 8.6 miles (13.8 km) | Unknown | |
| F0 | W of Rogersville | Hawkins | TN | 07:30 | 0.5 miles (0.80 km) | Unknown | |
| F0 | SE of Kingsport, TN to Bristol, VA | Sullivan (TN), City of Bristol (VA) | TN, VA | 08:00 | 18.1 miles (29.1 km) | 2,500 yards (2,300 m) | Crossed into Virginia and had a width of over 1 mile (1.6 km). |
| F1 | E of Wilcoe | McDowell | WV | 08:05 | 0.1 miles (160 m) | Unknown | |
| F1 | W of Mullens | Wyoming | WV | 08:16 | 4.9 miles (7.9 km) | Unknown | Nine people were injured. |
| F3 | W of Shady Spring | Raleigh | WV | 08:20 | 9.2 miles (14.8 km) | Unknown | Destroyed homes while passing south of Beckley. Twelve people were injured. |
| F3 | W of Bragg to Friars Hill | Raleigh, Fayette, Greenbrier | WV | 08:26 | 32.2 miles (51.8 km) | Unknown | 1 death – Struck the town of Meadow Bridge. Frame homes sustained near-F4 damage, and a child was killed when a mobile home was thrown 75 yards (69 m) onto railroad tracks. Eleven people were injured. |
| F0 | W of Hinton | Summers | WV | 09:00 | 0.1 miles (160 m) | Unknown | |
| F3 | WSW of Saltville | Washington, Smyth | VA | 09:00 | 8.4 miles (13.5 km) | 177 yards (162 m) | 1 death — Four mobile homes, two frame homes, and three barns were destroyed, and 42 houses were damaged. The fatality occurred in a mobile home. Four others were injured. |
| F1 | Beckley area | Raleigh | WV | 09:25 | 0.1 miles (160 m) | Unknown | |
| F1 | N of Staunton | Augusta | VA | 10:40 | 15.2 miles (24.5 km) | Unknown | |
| F2 | Salem/Roanoke | Roanoke | VA | 11:00 | 6.5 miles (10.5 km) | 1,760 yards (1,610 m) | Up to 1 mile (1.6 km) wide as it entered the city of Salem, but narrower near the end of the path. Two apartment buildings were severely damaged with 30 homes sustaining roof damage. |
| F1 | Morganton to NE of Drexel | Burke | NC | 13:00 | 6.9 miles (11.1 km) | Unknown | |
| F2 | NW of Granite Falls area | Caldwell | NC | 13:00 | 5.7 miles (9.2 km) | Unknown | Tornado removed roofs from homes and overturned trailers. |
| F0 | W of Brasstown | Cherokee | NC | 13:00 | 9.7 miles (15.6 km) | Unknown | |
| F0 | W of Midland City | Dale | AL | 21:25 | 1 mile (1.6 km) | Unknown | Tornado moved northeast and caused minor damage. |
| F1 | Columbia | Houston | AL | 23:00 | 1 mile (1.6 km) | Unknown | Tornado moved east-northeast and caused minor damage. |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time and dates are split at midnight CDT (05:00 UTC) for consistency.
- ^ a b Path lengths are mostly estimated and vary from source to source.
- ^ a b Path widths are mostly estimated and vary from source to source.
References
edit- ^ "April 3, 1974 Xenia Tornado Memorial Marker". Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
- ^ Danville Register, Danville, Virginia. April 5, 1974, page 1.
- ^ "Alabama Tornado Database—Year 1974 Tornadoes". Alabama Tornado Database. Birmingham, Alabama: National Weather Service. 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
- ^ "National Weather Service Huntsville, AL - Tornado Database". Srh.noaa.gov. 2009-11-24. Retrieved 2012-09-03.
- ^ Roger, Edwards (23 March 2012). "What was the biggest outbreak of tornadoes?". The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC). Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
Further reading
edit- Deitz, Robert E.; et al., eds. (1974). April 3, 1974: Tornado!. The Courier-Journal and The Louisville Times. Library of Congress Catalog Number 74-80806.
- Hartsfield, Ray J.; Garr, Robin; Morrisette, Phyllis; Harris, Jay; Knapp, Dave; Scott, Tom; Cowan, Terry; Woosley, Mary Ann; Hammer, Allen (1974). April 3, 1974: The Kentucky Tornadoes. C. F. Boone.
- Butler, William S., ed. (2004). Tornado: A look back at Louisville's dark day, April 3, 1974. A 30th Anniversary Publication. Butler Books. ISBN 1-884532-58-6.