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On April 3–4, 1974, a violent tornado outbreak described as "the outbreak of the century" caused widespread devastation across 13 states in the United States and 1 Canadian province.[1] Dubbed the "Super Outbreak" and "Jumbo Outbreak", 149 tornadoes touched down in a 24-hour period. It is the second-largest continuous outbreak only behind the 2011 Super Outbreak which produced 358 tornadoes over a three-day period.[2][3] However, the 1974 outbreak remains the most violent on record with 30 F4/5 tornadoes.[4] At times, up to 15 tornadoes were on the ground simultaneously.[5] A team of meteorologists led by Tetsuya Theodore Fujita studied the outbreak, compiling aerial surveys, ground surveys, photographs, and videos to construct a complete picture of the events.[6] A total of 310–335 fatalities and 5,454 to 6,142 injuries are attributed to the outbreak.[2][3][7] Destruction of property was widespread and ruinous: 7,512 homes, 2,091 mobile homes, and 3,996 farm buildings were destroyed; 14,336 homes, 909 mobile homes, and 2,871 farm buildings suffered damage; 1,497 small buisiness were damaged or destroyed.[3] Total damage exceeded $600 million (1974 USD).[7][8]
Activity occurred across three rounds throughout the 24-hour event, with the second and third being the most prolific.[9]
The scale of destruction prompted sweeping changes in how public awareness of severe weather was handled and a reorganization of the National Weather Service itself. News broadcasters began running storm coverage beyond normal hours and local governments utilized the Emergency Broadcast System more frequently.[8]
Prior to 1990, there is a likely undercount of tornadoes, particularly E/F0–1, with reports of weaker tornadoes becoming more common as population increased. A sharp increase in the annual average E/F0–1 count by approximately 200 tornadoes was noted upon the implementation of Doppler Radar in 1990–1991.[10] 1974 marked the first year where significant tornado (E/F2+) counts became homogenous with contemporary values, attributed to the consistent implementation of Fujita Scale assessments.[11] Numerous discrepancies on the details of tornadoes in this outbreak exist between sources. The total count of tornadoes and ratings differs from various agencies accordingly. The list below documents information from the most contemporary official sources alongside assessments from tornado historian Thomas Grazulis. All times are listed as described in Abbey and Fujita 1981 unless noted otherwise for consistency.
Confirmed tornadoes
edit| Date | Total | Fujita scale rating[nb 2] | Deaths | Injuries | Damage[nb 3] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | |||||
| April 3 | 130 | 12 | 24 | 33 | 31 | 23 | 7 | 10–11 | 211–254 | >$9,301,000 |
| April 4 | 19 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | ||
| Total | 149 | 18 | 32 | 35 | 34 | 23 | 7 | 310–335 | 5,454–6,142 | ~$600,000,000 |
| Color / symbol | Description |
|---|---|
| § | Data from Shamburger 2015, 2021/2022 |
| † | Data from Grazulis 1990/1993 |
| ♭ | Data from Abbey and Fujita 1981 |
| ¶ | Data from a local National Weather Service office |
| ※ | Data from the 1974 Storm Data publication |
| ‡ | Data from the NCEI database |
| ♯ | Maximum width of tornado |
| F# | Location | County / Parish | State | Coord.[nb 4] | Date | Time (UTC)[nb 5] | Path length | Max. width[nb 6] | Damage | Fujita Tor#[15] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F2 | NE of Whitestown | Boone | IN | 40°02′N 86°18′W / 40.03°N 86.30°W | April 3 | 13:30‡ | 0.12 mi (0.19 km)※ | 50 yd (46 m)※ | — | |
| A tornado touched down over an open field.[16]: 5 It is listed as a F2 tornado in the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) database;[17] however, Grazulis did not include it in his Significant Tornadoes book and it is not depicted in Ted Fujita's outbreak map.[18][19] This tornado was produced by a mesoscale convective system that developed ahead of the two main rounds of tornadic activity.[19] | ||||||||||
| F0 | Morris | Grundy | IL | 41°22′N 88°25′W / 41.37°N 88.42°W | April 3 | 18:10–18:11B | 0.5 mi (0.80 km)♭ | 10 yd (9.1 m)‡ | $1,000 | 1 |
| This was the first tornado associated with the outbreak listed by Fujita.[9] The Storm Data publication lists this event as a funnel cloud that did not reach the ground; accompanying winds caused $1,000 in damage.[16]: 4 [20] | ||||||||||
| F2 | Ellijay to Blue Ridge | Gilmer, Fannin | GA | 34°41′N 84°30′W / 34.68°N 84.50°W | April 3 | 18:50–19:20B | 19 mi (31 km)† | 200 yd (180 m)† | $800,000 | 123 |
| 5 injuries — This strong tornado caused extensive damage to homes—some of which had their roof torn off or were otherwise destroyed—trees, and power lines. Five people were injured and losses reached $800,000.[16]: 3 [21] The tornado moved close to Cherry Log, damaging several homes in the area. The community of Aska was impacted before the tornado crossed Blue Ridge Lake, damaging homes in the area. Newspaper reports indicate the tornado lifted near Blue Ridge and touched back down near Hemp where one home and several farm buildings were destroyed.[22] Sources differ significantly on the timing of this tornado: the NCEI database lists the tornado as occurring at 18:00 UTC,[23] Grazulis lists 19:15 UTC,[21] and the Storm Data publication lists 23:30 UTC.[16]: 3 | ||||||||||
| F1 | Etowah | McMinn | TN | 35°20′N 84°34′W / 35.33°N 84.57°W | April 3 | 19:00–19:05D | 3.3 mi (5.3 km)¶ | 80 yd (73 m)¶♯ | 112 | |
| This was the first of two tornadoes to impact Etowah. Damage from this tornado is unspecified; the combined effects are listed under the second Etowah tornado.[16]: 17 [24][25] | ||||||||||
| F1 | S of Lincoln to McLean | Logan, McLean | IL | 40°07′N 89°20′W / 40.12°N 89.33°W | April 3 | 19:03–19:19A | 15 mi (24 km)♭ | 177 yd (162 m)‡ | ≥$600,000 | 3 |
| This tornado moved northeast at a fast pace, roughly 70 mph (110 km/h).[26] It caused $600,000 in property damage in McLean.[16]: 4 [27] | ||||||||||
| F1 | N of West Baden Springs to E of Mitchell | Orange, Lawrence | IN | 38°37′N 86°35′W / 38.62°N 86.58°W | April 3 | 19:03–19:20B | 13 mi (21 km)♭ | 177 yd (162 m)‡ | 34 | |
| 1 death, 4 injuries — This tornado moved along an intermittent path.[16]: 5 South of Orleans, a mobile home and an unoccupied home were destroyed; two people were injured in the former. Another home east of Spring Mill State Park in the Stonington area was destroyed with both occupants injured. A metal shed on the property was blown away and could not be found. Two other homes suffered minor damage. Several trees and power lines were snapped or uprooted.[28] The Storm Data publication lists one fatality and four injuries while the NCEI database lists none.[16]: 5 [17][29] | ||||||||||
| F3 | SW of Cleveland to N of Benton | Bradley, Polk | TN | 35°06′N 84°55′W / 35.10°N 84.92°W | April 3 | 19:03–19:26B | 13 mi (21 km)† | 1,050 yd (960 m)¶# | $4,500,000 | 113 |
| 1 death. 100 injuries — This was one of two tornadoes to impact areas around Cleveland. Extensive damage to occurred to many homes. A trailer park east of Cleveland was almost completely destroyed, with only 1 of 20 remaining; one person died here.[16]: 16 [21] At least 120 homes were damaged, of which 73 were destroyed, in Cleveland.[30] A total of 100 people were injured and damage reached $4.5 million.[21][24][25] | ||||||||||
| F0 | E of Carlock | McLean | IL | 40°35′N 89°02′W / 40.58°N 89.03°W | April 3 | 19:07–19:08A | 0.5 mi (0.80 km)♭ | 33 yd (30 m)‡ | A tornado was reported without causing damage.[16]: 4 [27] | 2 |
| F0 | Mountain City | Rabun | GA | — | April 3 | 19:09–19:10D | 0.5 mi (0.80 km)♭ | — | Details on this tornado are unspecified.[31] This tornado was omitted from the NCEI database.[7] | 130 |
| F3 | E of Mitchell to ENE of Azalia | Lawrence, Jackson, Bartholomew, Jennings | IN | 38°46′N 86°18′W / 38.77°N 86.30°W | April 3 | 19:15–20:05B | 38 mi (61 km)† | 300 yd (270 m)‡ | 1 death, 23 injuries — This tornado moved along an intermittent path,[16]: 6 causing extensive damage to farms.[32] A block foundation poultry building, egg farm, and barn were destroyed north of Medora.[33] A well-anchored mobile home was torn from its frame and obliterated, killing the occupant.[32][34] Continuing toward Jonesville, the tornado caused extensive damage to homes, mobile homes, and farm buildings. A high tension power line collapsed along I-65. "Extreme damage" took place in areas near Acme and Freetown.[35] | 35 |
| F5 | S of Huffman to Depauw to Martinsburg to NE of Underwood | Perry, Crawford, Harrison, Washington, Clark, Scott | IN | 38°04′N 86°45′W / 38.07°N 86.75°W | April 3 | 19:16–20:25B | 62 mi (100 km)† | >1,760 yd (1,610 m)†♯ | 6–7 deaths, 76–95 injuries – See section on this tornado – This was the first of seven F5 tornadoes to touch down during the outbreak. It caused extensive damage to small communities, with the worst occurring in Depauw and Martinsburg. In the latter, 38 of the town's 48 homes were destroyed. Six or seven people were killed and 76–95 people were injured by this tornado.[16]: 6 [21][29] | 40 |
| F3 | WSW of Decatur to W of Oreana | Christian, Macon | IL | 39°43′N 89°08′W / 39.72°N 89.13°W | April 3 | 19:30–19:50B | 19 mi (31 km)† | 350 yd (320 m)‡ | 1 death, ≥26 injuries — See section on this tornado | 5 |
| F0± | SE of Murphy | Cherokee | NC | 35°03′N 83°57′W / 35.05°N 83.95°W | April 3 | 19:40–19:41C | 0.5 mi (0.80 km)♭ | — | Fujita rated this tornado F0;[15] however, the NCEI database lists is as a F1 tornado.[24] | 124 |
| F3 | SSW of Colfax to E of Anchor | McLean | IL | 40°31′N 88°37′W / 40.52°N 88.62°W | April 3 | 19:48–19:57A | 8 mi (13 km)† | 350 yd (320 m)‡ | A multiple vortex tornado destroyed two homes and damaged eight farms. Another home was lifted off its foundation. Debris was lofted up to 10 mi (16 km) away.[21] Chicken coops were destroyed, killing many. Farm equipment was mangled beyond recognition.[36] The multiple vortex nature of the tornado was most evident near Anchor where corn stubble was destroyed in spiraling patterns.[16]: 4 [21][27] Damage was estimated at $700,000.[37] Hundreds of local residents assisted farmers with the clean up.[36] |
4 |
| F3 | NW of Shelbyville to NE of Greenfield | Shelby, Hancock | IN | 39°35′N 85°52′W / 39.58°N 85.87°W | April 3 | 19:50–20:10A | 17 mi (27 km)† | 1,760 yd (1,610 m)※ | 25 injuries — See section on this tornado family | 31 |
| F1 | Owaneco | Christian | IL | 39°28′N 89°12′W / 39.47°N 89.20°W | April 3 | 19:47–19:56A | 8 mi (13 km)♭ | 70 yd (64 m)‡ | Several homes suffered roof damage in Owaneco.[16]: 4 An unoccupied home and several were destroyed near Boody. Two-hundred farmers assisted with debris clean up and salvage.[38][27] | 7 |
| F4+ | SE of Grammer to Hamburg to S of Laurel | Bartholomew, Decatur, Franklin | IN | 39°08′N 85°43′W / 39.13°N 85.72°W | April 3 | 20:00–20:42B | 37 mi (60 km)† | 1,200 yd (1,100 m)¶# | 4 deaths, 17 injuries — [16]: 6 About 3 mi (4.8 km) southwest of New Point, a farmstead was completely leveled. Grazulis assessed damage here to be near-F5 intensity.[32] An April 19, 1974, states damage was "definitely...at [F5] level in Hamburg."[39] Two people were killed southeast of Greensburg when their home was destroyed.[32] Seven planes were destroyed at the Puttman Airport near the town, one of which was thrown 500 ft (150 m). Damage to the airport exceeded $100,000.[40] Tremendous damage occurred in Hamburg where 90 percent of the town was damaged or destroyed.[32] Only six of the town's homes were left standing.[41] A mother and daughter died when their mobile home was hurled into a tree.[32][17][42] | 36 |
| F4 | E of Westland to Grant City to Kennard to N of Cadiz | Hancock, Rush, Henry | IN | 39°35′N 85°52′W / 39.58°N 85.87°W | April 3 | 20:02–20:25A | 20 mi (32 km)† | 1,000 yd (910 m)※ | 1 death, 17 injuries — See section on this tornado family | 32 |
| F1± | NE of Maryville | Blount | TN | 35°47′N 83°55′W / 35.78°N 83.92°W | April 3 | 20:09–20:10C | 1 mi (1.6 km)♭ | 150 yd (140 m)¶# | 1–2 injuries — A brief tornado touched down near Maryville; one or two people were reportedly injured.[16]: 17 [25] Seven mobile homes were destroyed and a few homes sustained roof damage.[43] The NCEI database and National Weather Service Office in Morristown, Tennessee, list this as a F2 tornado;[25][24] however, Fujita rated as F1 and Grazulis does not list this event in his Significant Tornadoes book.[15][18] | 111 |
| F1 | SE of Farmer City to W of Fisher | Piatt, Champaign | IL | 40°13′N 88°36′W / 40.22°N 88.60°W | April 3 | 20:14–20:27B | 13 mi (21 km)♭ | 20 yd (18 m)‡ | A large barn and corn crib were destroyed.[44][27] | 6 |
| F4 | NE of Henryville to Hanover to Madison to W of Cross Plains | Clark, Scott, Jefferson, Ripley | IN | 38°33′N 85°45′W / 38.55°N 85.75°W | April 3 | 20:19–21:06B | 38 mi (61 km)† | 1,760 yd (1,610 m) | 11 deaths, 190 injuries — [16]: 6 See section on this tornado | 41 |
| F0 | NE of Hammond | Piatt | IL | 39°48′N 88°34′W / 39.80°N 88.57°W | April 3 | 20:20–20:25B | 4 mi (6.4 km)♭ | 20 yd (18 m)‡ | A tree was knocked over onto a car in Pierson.[44][27] | 8 |
| F1§ | SE of Cunningham | Montgomery | TN | 36°23′N 87°22′W / 36.38°N 87.37°W | April 3 | 20:30 | 0.25 mi (0.40 km) | 25 yd (23 m)♯ | This brief tornado was unreported prior to Shamburger's 2021 reanalysis of Middle Tennessee tornadoes. One mobile home was destroyed, with debris scattered hundreds of yards away.[45] | — |
| F5 | SW of Hardinsburg, KY, to Brandenburg, KY, to NNW of Laconia, IN | Breckenridge (KY), Meade (KY), Harrison (IN) | KY, IN | 37°44′N 86°32′W / 37.73°N 86.53°W | April 3 | 20:30–21:22A | 34 mi (55 km)† | 800 yd (730 m)† | 31 deaths, 270 injuries — See section on this tornado | 47 |
| F5 | SW of Xenia to Downtown Xenia to N of South Charleston | Green, Clark | OH | 39°38′N 84°03′W / 39.63°N 84.05°W | April 3 | 20:32–21:09A | 32 mi (51 km)† | 1,300 yd (1,200 m)‡♯ | 34–36 deaths, 1,150 injuries — See article on this tornado | 37 |
| F1 | NW of Cleveland | Hamilton | TN | 35°15′N 85°01′W / 35.25°N 85.02°W | April 3 | 20:33–20:40C | 5.9 mi (9.5 km)¶ | 80 yd (73 m)¶# | Details on this tornado are unspecified.[24][25] | 109 |
| F4 | SW of Blountsville to N of Ridgeville | Henry, Delaware, Randolph, Jay | IN | 40°03′N 85°16′W / 40.05°N 85.27°W | April 3 | 20:35–20:58A | 22 mi (35 km)† | ≥1,760 yd (1,610 m)†# | 1 death, 12 injuries — See section on this tornado family | 33 |
| F3 | E of Tolono to N of Philo | Champaign | IL | 39°59′N 88°14′W / 39.98°N 88.23°W | April 3 | 20:44–20:52A | 8 mi (13 km)† | 70 yd (64 m)† | 1 death — One person was killed near where the tornado touched down when their mobile home was lofted and obliterated.[44] Northeast of Tolono, a barn and three toolsheds were destroyed and five cows were killed on the property. The most severe damage occurred on four farmsteads west of Philo where many buildings were destroyed.[46][16]: 4 The Storm Data publication lists this tornado as continuing into Vermillion County;[16]: 4 however, contemporary analyses indicate that two separate tornadoes occurred with another F3 forming to the southeast.[32][27] Damage from the three tornadoes in Champaign reached $800,000.[44] | 9 |
| F3 | ENE of Cleveland to southern Etowah | Bradley, Polk, McMinn | TN | 35°11′N 84°52′W / 35.18°N 84.87°W | April 3 | 20:55–21:26A | 24 mi (39 km)† | ≥1,500 yd (1,400 m)¶# | 3 deaths, 50 injuries — This was the second tornado to strike Etowah.[15] The two tornadoes severely damaged 100 homes and a large shopping plaza across Bradley County. One person was killed in Cleveland and two in Etowah.[43][16]: 17 [47] Thirty-seven homes were damaged or destroyed in McMinn County.[47][24][25] | 114 |
| F3 | S of Sydney to E of Ogden | Champaign, Vermillion | IL | 39°57′N 88°04′W / 39.95°N 88.07°W | April 3 | 20:58–21:14A | 17 mi (27 km)† | 350 yd (320 m)‡ | Shortly after the 20:44 UTC F3 Tolono tornado dissipated, the same supercell produced another tornado near Sydney.[16]: 4 [48] Moving on a brisk northeast trajectory, the tornado struck the Homer Lake Park Preserve. The park headquarters and several homes were destroyed.[32] Aerial surveys by Fujita revealed a large area of ground scouring from two suction vortices near Homer Lake.[49] Three semi trucks and three cars were blown off of I-74 just east of Ogden. No one was injured in those vehicles but one person was injured in a subsequent accident related to them.[44][27] | 10 |
| F4 | W of Caneyville to Big Clifty | Grayson, Hardin | KY | 37°25′N 86°34′W / 37.42°N 86.57°W | April 3 | 21:00–21:34B | 28 mi (45 km)† | 150 yd (140 m)† | 2 injuries — One home was leveled near Caneyville.[50][29] | 52 |
| F0± | SSW of Rosman | Transylvania | NC | 35°07′N 82°50′W / 35.12°N 82.83°W | April 3 | 21:00–21:01D | 1 mi (1.6 km)‡ | 30 yd (27 m)‡ | Details on this tornado are unspecified. Fujita rated this as a F0 tornado;[15] however, the NCEI database lists this as a F1 tornado.[51] | 132 |
| F2 | SW of Florence to London to SW of West Jefferson | Clark, Madison | OH | 39°47′N 83°43′W / 39.78°N 83.72°W | April 3 | 21:01–21:20A | 15 mi (24 km)† | 180 yd (160 m)† | As the Xenia tornado weakened, a second tornado formed to the east near Florence.[48] It produced F2 damage along its path, destroying trailers, grain bins, and a warehouse.[50] A few structures were damaged in the center of London. This tornado was initially believed to have just been thunderstorm winds based on public reports of no funnel cloud.[16]: 14 | 38 |
| F4 | S of Manville to Aurora | Jefferson, Switzerland, Ohio, Dearborn | IN | 38°46′N 85°16′W / 38.77°N 85.27°W | April 3 | 21:04–21:29A | 28 mi (45 km)† | 1,133 yd (1,036 m)‡ | This tornado formed as the 20:19 UTC Henryville–Cross Plains, Indiana, F4 tornado was dissipating.[50] The two tornadoes were on the ground simultaneously near Madison.[42][29] A third funnel was reported but it did not touch down.[16]: 6 Homes and forests were totally destroyed west of Fairview and a church was demolished north of Bear Branch.[50] As this tornado weakened and turned north, another tornado formed to its southeast.[52] | 42 |
| F1 | W of Springfield | Robertson | TN | 36°29′N 86°59′W / 36.48°N 86.98°W | April 3 | 21:05–21:11B | 6 mi (9.7 km)§ | 50 yd (46 m)§# | Shamburger 2021 and the NCEI database list this as a F1 tornado.[45] Fujita rated this as a F0 tornado.[15] | 60 |
| F2 | Concord | Jefferson | AL | 33°27′N 87°03′W / 33.45°N 87.05°W | April 3 | 21:15–21:21:16C | 1 mi (1.6 km)† | 800 yd (730 m)†# | A brief tornado destroyed an outbuilding and trailer and damaged one home.[16]: 22 [50][53] | 104 |
| F2 | Bismarck | Vermillion | IL | 40°15′N 87°38′W / 40.25°N 87.63°W | April 3 | 21:18–21:25A | 7 mi (11 km)† | 175 yd (160 m)† | 12 injuries — The local high school was damaged and several homes were destroyed. Monetary losses reached $1 million. Twelve people sustained injuries.[16]: 4 [32][42] | 11 |
| F1 | S of Mattoon to NE of Charleston | Coles | IL | 33°27′N 87°03′W / 33.45°N 87.05°W | April 3 | 21:22–21:33B | 14.8 mi (23.8 km)‡ | 70 yd (64 m)‡ | A home and barns were damaged on a farmstead and several homes were damaged around Charleston.[44][27] A 100 ft (30 m) antenna was folded in half. The 1974 Storm Data publication states that six funnel clouds were observed around Charleston with no confirmed tornado;[16]: 4 however, this event was later classified as a tornado by Fujita.[48] | 17 |
| F5 | N of Rising Sun, IN, to Belleview, KY, to Sayler Park | Ohio (IN), Boone (KY), Hamilton (OH) | IN, KY, OH | 38°58′N 84°53′W / 38.97°N 84.88°W | April 3 | 21:28–21:51B | 21 mi (34 km)† | 1,320 yd (1,210 m)※# | 3 deaths, 210 injuries — See section on this tornado | 43 |
| F3 | W of Gold City to E of Smiths Grove | Simpson, Warren, Barren | KY | 36°43′N 86°32′W / 36.72°N 86.53°W | April 3 | 21:34–22:05B | 25 mi (40 km)† | — | 40 barns and seven homes were wrecked at Temperance.[16]: 8 [54][29] | 61 |
| F3 | W of Attica to Rainsville to S of Judy | Warren, Benton | IN | 40°17′N 87°29′W / 40.28°N 87.48°W | April 3 | 21:37–22:02B | 26 mi (42 km)† | 700 yd (640 m)† | The entire community of Rainsville, 20 homes in all, was damaged.[16]: 6 [47][20][17] | 12 |
| F4 | Louisville to W of Buckner | Jefferson, Oldham | KY | 38°12′N 85°45′W / 38.20°N 85.75°W | April 3 | 21:37–21:59A | 21 mi (34 km)† | 200 yd (180 m)† | 2 deaths, 228 injuries — See section on this tornado[16]: 8 [54][29] | 48 |
| F2± | Ballplay | Monroe | TN | 35°31′N 84°21′W / 35.52°N 84.35°W | April 3 | 21:37–21:50C | 9 mi (14 km)♭ | 600 yd (550 m)¶# | Seven homes and several barns were destroyed or severely damaged.[16]: 17 [24] The NWS Office in Morristown, Tennessee, lists this as a F2 tornado.[24][25] Fujita rated this as a F1 tornado and Grazulis does not list this event in his Significant Tornadoes book.[15][18] | 115 |
| F4 | NW of Elizabethtown to N of Farfield | Hardin, Bullitt, Nelson, Spencer | KY | 37°43′N 85°54′W / 37.72°N 85.90°W | April 3 | 21:43–22:33A | 42 mi (68 km)† | 400 yd (370 m)† | "Several" homes in Nelson County sustained F4-level damage, being described as "leveled".[16]: 7 [55][54][29] | 53 |
| F4 | W of Otterbein to Monticello to Ligonier to NW of Wolcottville | Benton, Tippecanoe, White, Cass, Pulaski, Fulton, Marshall, Kosciusko, Elkhart, Noble, Lagrange | IN | 40°30′N 87°08′W / 40.50°N 87.13°W | April 3 | 21:47–23:47A | 121 mi (195 km)† | 1,760 yd (1,610 m)‡ | 18 deaths, 362 injuries — See section on this tornado[16]: 6 According to Grazulis, this was likely a family of three distinct tornadoes rather than a single, continuous event.[54][20][17] | 13 |
| F4 | Northeastern Cincinnati to N of Mason | Hamilton, Butler, Warren | OH | 39°11′N 84°29′W / 39.18°N 84.48°W | April 3 | 21:52–23:14B | 20 mi (32 km)† | 350 yd (320 m)‡ | [16]: 14 [47][42][29] | 44 |
| F2† | Paris | Edgar | IL | — | April 3 | 22:00–22:02C | 2 mi (3.2 km)† | — | This brief tornado destroyed a barn and mobile home and shifted two frame homes off their foundation.[50] This tornado was omitted from the NCEI database.[7] | 18 |
| F3 | SE of Ellisville to ENE of Laurel | Jones | MS | 31°33′N 89°11′W / 31.55°N 89.18°W | April 3 | 22:00–22:19C | 12 mi (19 km)† | 150 yd (140 m)† | 1 injury — This tornado moved along an intermittent path from MS 29 to MS 15 to east-northeast of Laruel.[16]: 10 [56] A pecan grove was damaged near MS 29.[57] It destroyed 1 home, damaged 35 others, and damaged or destroyed 30 farm buildings. A chicken house was destroyed, killing 15,000 chickens inside. Damage was estimated at $150,000.[16]: 10 [47] One person was injured by flying debris.[57] | 105 |
| F1 | SE of La Grange to SW of Jonesville | Oldham, Henry, Owen | OH | 38°23′N 85°20′W / 38.38°N 85.33°W | April 3 | 22:04–22:27B | 21.3 mi (34.3 km)‡ | — | [16]: 8 [42][29] | 49 |
| F2+ | Southeastern Nashville | Williamson, Davidson | TN | 35°59′N 86°41′W / 35.99°N 86.69°W§ | April 3 | 22:07–22:20A | 12 mi (19 km)§ | 400 yd (370 m)§# | 1 death — One person died from a heart attack as the tornado approached Percy Priest Lake.[43]
[16]: 17 Grazulis and Shamburger assert this tornado was likely of F3 intensity.[45][47] |
67 |
| F2 | Greenback | Loudon | TN | 35°40′N 84°10′W / 35.67°N 84.17°W | April 3 | 22:09–22:11A | 2 mi (3.2 km)† | 300 yd (270 m)¶# | Seven homes were damaged in Greenback, one of which had its roof removed.[16]: 17 [24][25][54] | 110 |
| F2 | S of Lebanon to NE of Pekin | Warren | OH | 39°23′N 84°14′W / 39.38°N 84.23°W | April 3 | 22:12–22:22B | 10 mi (16 km)† | 175 yd (160 m)† | [16]: 14 [54][42] | 45 |
| F2 | W of New Albany | Franklin | OH | 40°05′N 82°51′W / 40.08°N 82.85°W | April 3 | 22:13–22:18C | 5 mi (8.0 km)† | 90 yd (82 m)† | Nearly an hour after the 21:01 UTC F2 London tornado dissipated, a third tornado from the Xenia supercell formed near New Albany.[48] It destroyed 3 barns and 1 home and damaged 20 other homes.[54] A 345,000 volt transmission line was torn from its tower.[16]: 14 | 39 |
| F0± | W of Circleville | Pickaway | OH | 39°36′N 83°00′W / 39.60°N 83.00°W | April 3 | 22:18–22:19A | 1 mi (1.6 km)‡ | 10 yd (9.1 m)‡ | Fujita lists this as a F0 tornado;[15] however, the NCEI database lists it as a F1. Seven people were injured.[42] | 50 |
| F1 | NW of Jacksonville | Calhoun | AL | 33°52′N 85°50′W / 33.87°N 85.83°W | April 3 | 22:21–22:22B | 1 mi (1.6 km)‡ | 800 yd (730 m)‡ | [16]: 22 [53] | 126 |
| F1 | SE of Columbia to NW of Chapel Hill§ | Maury, Marshall§ | TN | 35°35′N 86°56′W / 35.59°N 86.94°W§ | April 3 | 22:25–22:37C | 10 mi (16 km)§ | 100 yd (91 m)§# | [16]: 17 [45] | 71 |
| F2 | SE of Heflin, AL, to S of Pine Log Mountain | Cleburne (AL), Haralson (GA), Paulding (GA), Cobb (GA), Bartow (GA), Cherokee (GA) | AL, GA | 33°33′N 85°28′W / 33.55°N 85.47°W | April 3 | 22:29–00:00B | 65 mi (105 km)† | 200 yd (180 m)† | 1 death, 20 injuries — This long-lived tornado touched down southeast of Heflin near the Alabama-Georgia border. Only minor tree damage occurred before it moved into Georgia.[54] Newspaper reports indicated this was originally considered to be several tornadoes. Seven members of one family were injured in Buchanan, one of whom was a pregnant mother who was in critical condition.[22] Her child was stillborn in the hospital and listed as the sole fatality from this tornado.[54][58] Eight people were injured in Yorkville in Paulding County. Power outages accompanied the tornado as it moved through northern Cobb County.[22] A mobile home park was damaged near Cartersville in Bartow County, resulting in several injuries.[59] In Cherokee County, damage was reported to homes along SR 92.[22] Damage was estimated at $2 million.[16]: 3 [53][23] | 127 |
| F3 | SW of Centre to Alexis | Cherokee | AL | 34°03′N 85°49′W / 34.05°N 85.82°W | April 3 | 22:35–22:48B | 14 mi (23 km)† | 800 yd (730 m) | [16]: 22 [54] The NCEI database lists this tornado as occurring at 00:00 UTC and has a path length of 20.9 mi (33.6 km).[53] | 118 |
| F4 | S of Greensburg to Mannsville | Green, Taylor | KY | 37°13′N 85°28′W / 37.22°N 85.47°W | April 3 | 22:40–23:08B | 29 mi (47 km)† | 800 yd (730 m)† | [16]: 8 [60][29] | 62 |
| F3†§ | NE of Lebanon to Dickson Springs | Wilson, Trousdale, Smith | TN | 36°14′N 86°14′W / 36.23°N 86.24°W§ | April 3 | 22:50–23:13A | 18 mi (29 km)§ | 300 yd (270 m)§ | A trailer was destroyed east of Lebanon.[43][16]: 17 This event was listed as a F2 tornado in the NCEI database; however, Fujita, Grazulis, and Shamburger assessed it as a F3.[45] Grazulis further indicated that it was near-F4 levels in Dickson Springs.[54] | 68 |
| F4 | Alton to Frankfort to Stamping Ground | Anderson, Franklin, Scott | KY | 38°03′N 85°04′W / 38.05°N 85.07°W | April 3 | 22:50–23:28B | 36 mi (58 km)† | 800 yd (730 m)† | [16]: 7 [60][29] | 54 |
| F2 | NW of Phil Campbell to Oak Grove | Franklin | AL | 34°20′N 87°44′W / 34.33°N 87.73°W | April 3 | 23:01–23:15B | 12 mi (19 km)† | 350 yd (320 m)† | This tornado was originally considered to be part of the 23:50 UTC F5 Mount Hope–Harvest event.[16]: 22 [60][61] | 95 |
| F3 | NW of Downtown Murfreesboro to Statesville | Rutherford, Wilson | TN | 35°52′N 86°25′W / 35.87°N 86.42°W§ | April 3 | 23:03–23:26C | 19 mi (31 km)§ | 100 yd (91 m)§ | This tornado formed at the end of a damaging rear-flank downdraft within the Murfreesboro city limits. After touching down, the tornado downed trees and caused minor damage to homes around the Stones River Golf Course. Continuing northeast across northern areas of Murfreesboro, the tornado caused minor damage to many structures.[45] Five homes were destroyed in the Valley View community north of Murfreesboro.[43] Three homes sustained severe damage near Lancassas. Beyond this point, the tornado's track is uncertain but it is believed to have continued into Wilson County and dissipated near Statesville.[45] Newspaper reports from The Tennessean state 20 injuries occurred in the Murfreesboro area;[43] however, these were not attributed to the tornado by Shamburger 2021 or Fujita.[16]: 17 [45][54] | 72 |
| F3 | SW of Hustonville to Junction City to Herrington Lake | Casey, Lincoln, Boyle | KY | 37°26′N 84°55′W / 37.43°N 84.92°W | April 3 | 23:10–23:55B | 18 mi (29 km)† | — | [16]: 7 [60][29] | 63 |
| F2§ | NW of Lewisburg to N of Unionville | Marshall, Bedford | TN | 35°28′N 86°50′W / 35.46°N 86.84°W§ | April 3 | 23:14–23:34C | 20 mi (32 km)§ | 200 yd (180 m)§# | Originally rated F1 by Fujita and later reassessed as a F2 by Shamburger 2022.[16]: 17 [45] However, Grazulis did not list this event in his Significant Tornadoes book.[18] | 78 |
| F1 | N of Farmington to SE of Unionville | Marshall, Bedford | TN | 35°30′N 86°44′W / 35.50°N 86.74°W§ | April 3 | 23:14–23:45B | 15 mi (24 km)§ | — | [16]: 17 [45] | 79 |
| F5 | Mount Hope to Moulton to ESE of Harvest | Lawrence, Morgan, Limestone, Madison | AL | 34°20′N 87°44′W / 34.33°N 87.73°W | April 3 | 23:20–00:21B | 51 mi (82 km)† | >1,320 yd (1,210 m)†♯ | 28 deaths, 267–280 injuries — See section on this tornado | 96 |
| F4 | SW of Sugar Valley to NW of Resaca | Gordon, Whitfield, Murray | GA | 34°30′N 85°03′W / 34.50°N 85.05°W | April 3 | 23:30–00:00C | 26 mi (42 km)† | 880 yd (800 m)¶# | 9–10 deaths – This violent tornado touched down near Sugar Valley and leveled homes along the from east side of town northeast toward Raseca. More than 50,000 chickens were killed in Gordon County.[60] Seven people, four from one family and three from another,[62][63] were killed in the Sugar Hill area.[60][62] Two people were killed in a mobile home park near Dalton.[60][64] In Chatsworth, the wall of a rug mill collapsed, trapping 60 people for several hours;[65] one person died here and the mill suffered $5 million in losses.[60][64] Local NWS surveys indicated a maximum width around 0.5 mi (0.80 km).[65] At least 200 people were injured.[60]
The NCEI database erroneously lists this tornado as occurring an hour earlier.[16]: 3 [60][23] |
119 |
| F3 | S of Oakwood to NW of Continental | Paulding, Putnam | OH | 41°02′N 84°24′W / 41.03°N 84.40°W | April 3 | 23:33–23:43B | 10 mi (16 km)† | 350 yd (320 m)‡ | [16]: 14 [60] Storm Data lists the event time at approximately 22:30 UTC;[16]: 14 the NCEI database lists this tornado as occurring at 00:45 UTC.[66] | 27 |
| F1 | SE of North Manchester | Wabash, Whitley | IN | 40°58′N 85°44′W / 40.97°N 85.73°W | April 3 | 23:35–23:45D | 7.1 mi (11.4 km)‡ | 90 yd (82 m)‡ | Details on this tornado are unspecified.[66] | 19 |
| F4 | S of Kettle to Ida to Piney Woods to Mill Springs | Cumberland, Clinton, Wayne | KY | 36°39′N 85°22′W / 36.65°N 85.37°W | April 3 | 23:35–00:04B | 30 mi (48 km)† | 1,760 yd (1,610 m)# | [16]: 7 [60][29][67] | 69 |
| F4 | NNW of Aliceville to Jasper to Cullman to Fairview | Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Fayette, Walker, Cullman | AL | 33°16′N 88°12′W / 33.27°N 88.20°W | April 3 | 23:44–01:48A | 103 mi (166 km)† | 800 yd (730 m)‡ | [16]: 22 [60][61][53] | 103 |
| F2 | Windfall to Swayzee to E of Sweetser | Tipton, Howard, Grant | IN | 40°23′N 85°58′W / 40.38°N 85.97°W | April 3 | 23:45–00:08B | 19 mi (31 km)† | 350 yd (320 m)† | 12 injuries — [16]: 6 [17][66] Twelve people were injured.[60] A trailer park in the southeastern corner of Swayzee was largely destroyed; eight people were injured here. Natural gas lines were damaged across town, sparking several fires.[68] | 21 |
| F1 | SE of Lagrange | Lagrange | IN | 41°35′N 85°23′W / 41.58°N 85.38°W | April 3 | 23:51–23:59B | 8.8 mi (14.2 km)‡ | 350 yd (320 m)‡ | Details on this tornado are unspecified.[66] | 14 |
| F3 | SW of Brimfield to S of South Milford to NNW of Freemont | Noble, Lagrange, Steuben | IN | 41°25′N 85°28′W / 41.42°N 85.47°W | April 3 | 23:53–00:29B | 36 mi (58 km)† | 700 yd (640 m) | The Storm Data publication indicates this tornado continued for an additional 34 mi (55 km) into Michigan; however, this is not supported by contemporary analyses.[16]: 6, 9 [60][66] | 15 |
| F3 | Lees Lick to Poindexter to Claysville | Harrison, Robertson | KY | 38°20′N 84°26′W / 38.33°N 84.43°W | April 3 | 23:55–00:21B | 25 mi (40 km)† | — | [16]: 7 [60][42] | 55 |
| F3 | WNW of Monticello to W of Burnside | Wayne, Pulaski | KY | 36°51′N 84°58′W / 36.85°N 84.97°W | April 3 | 23:56–00:24B | 24 mi (39 km)† | 150 yd (140 m)† | This tornado was on the ground simultaneously in Wayne County with the 23:40 UTC Kettle–Mill Springs F4 tornado.[16]: 7 [69][67] | 70 |
| F1 | Aberdeen, OH | Butler (KY), Brown (OH), Adams (OH) | KY, OH | 38°40′N 83°45′W / 38.67°N 83.75°W | April 3 | 00:10–00:20E | 9.1 mi (14.6 km)‡ | 180 yd (160 m)‡ | Fujita's analysis indicates this tornado began aloft near Maysville and touched down along the North Fork Licking River by the Kentucky–Ohio border.[15] Details on the impacts of this tornado are unspecified. The exact timing of this tornado is very uncertain;[70] The NCEI database lists a duplicate event for Maysville at 01:25 UTC.[42] | 56 |
| F2 | Robbinsville to Stecoah | Graham, Swain | NC | 35°20′N 83°49′W / 35.33°N 83.82°W† | April 3 | 00:10–00:25C | 12 mi (19 km)† | — | Storm Data lists this as part of a long-lived tornado originating in Cherokee County.[16]Cite error: The <ref> tag name cannot be a simple integer (see the help page).[71][24] Significant discrepancies exist for this tornado. Storm Data lists this part of a long-lived, intermittent tornado that tracked across Cherokee, Graham, and Swain counties. However, the publication indicates it touched down three hours later.[16]: 13 [24][51][72]
|
117 |
| F2 | W of Danville to eastern Pleasant Hill to NE of Harrodsburg | Boyle, Mercer | KY | 37°41′N 84°56′W / 37.68°N 84.93°W | April 3 | 00:15–00:35A | 18 mi (29 km)† | — | [16]: 7 [60][29] | 58 |
| F2 | SW of Bluffton to W of Peterson | Wells, Adams | IN | 40°44′N 85°15′W / 40.73°N 85.25°W | April 3 | 00:15–00:27C | 12 mi (19 km)† | 175 yd (160 m)† | [69][66] | 24 |
| F3 | SE of Readyville to Dowelltown | Cannon, DeKalb | TN | 35°49′N 86°10′W / 35.81°N 86.16°W¶ | April 3 | 00:17–00:35C | 20 mi (32 km)¶ | 100 yd (91 m)¶ | [16]: 17 [45][60] The Dowelltown Manufacturing Co. was destroyed, leaving 200 people unemployed.[73] | 80 |
| F4 | Cottonburg to N of Richmond to E of Mount Sterling | Garrard, Madison, Clark | KY | 37°43′N 84°30′W / 37.72°N 84.50°W | April 3 | 00:18–00:57B | 35 mi (56 km)† | 400 yd (370 m) |
7 deaths, 28 injuries — This tornado predominantly tracked through rural areas.[74] The majority of damage occurred near Richmond, with thirty homes destroyed.[16]: 8 [69][29] |
64 |
| F3 | WNW of West Union to E of Peebles | Adams | KY | 38°40′N 83°45′W / 38.67°N 83.75°W | April 3 | 00:20–00:37B | 16 mi (26 km)† | 150 yd (140 m)† | [16]Cite error: The <ref> tag name cannot be a simple integer (see the help page).[69][42]
|
51 |
| F2 | SW of Warren to S of Markle | Huntington | IN | 40°40′N 85°30′W / 40.67°N 85.50°W | April 3 | 00:20–00:30C | 11 mi (18 km)† | 350 yd (320 m)† | [69][66] | 22 |
| F4 | Ball Ground to Juno to W of Dahlonega | Cherokee, Pickens, Dawson, Lumpkin | GA | 34°22′N 84°20′W / 34.37°N 84.33°W | April 3 | 00:22–00:53B | 24 mi (39 km)† | 200 yd (180 m)† | [16]: 9 [69][23] One person was killed and three others were injured near Marble Hill in Pickens County.[59] | 128 |
| F1 | NNE of Bluffton to NW of Decatur | Wells, Adams | IN | 40°46′N 85°09′W / 40.77°N 85.15°W | April 3 | 00:25–00:40C | 10.9 mi (17.5 km)‡ | 350 yd (320 m)‡ | Details on this tornado are unspecified.[66] | 26 |
| F2± | SW of Melrose to N of Oakwood | Paulding | OH | 41°05′N 84°28′W / 41.08°N 84.47°W | April 3 | 00:26–00:34A | 8 mi (13 km)† | 175 yd (160 m)† | Fujita and Grazulis list this as a F2 tornado.[15][69] The NCEI database lists this as a F1 tornado.[17] | 25 |
| F5± | SSW of Athens, AL, to Tanner, AL, to Capshaw, AL, to Harvest, AL, to Flintville, TN† | Limestone (AL), Madison (AL), Lincoln (TN), Franklin (TN) | AL, TN | 34°42′N 87°03′W / 34.70°N 87.05°W | April 3 | 00:30–01:25B | 50 mi (80 km)† | 800 yd (730 m)§ | 22–27 deaths, 250–270 injuries — See section on this tornado | 98 |
| F1± | Berlin Township | Monroe | MI | 42°02′N 83°15′W / 42.03°N 83.25°W | April 3 | 00:30–00:31C | 2 mi (3.2 km)† | 30 yd (27 m)† | A barn and shed were destroyed and other buildings were damaged near Estral Beach.[16]: 9 Fujita analyzed this as a F1 tornado and Grazulis does not list it in his Significant Tornadoes book.[18][15] The NCEI database lists this as a F2 tornado.[75] This may have been the same tornado that struck Windsor, Ontario.[16]: 9 | 29 |
| F3 | Northeastern Gilmer County to NW of Blue Ridge | Gilmer, Fannin | GA | — | April 3 | 00:40–01:06B | 17 mi (27 km)† | 200 yd (180 m)† | Fujita and Grazulis list a F3 tornado.[15][71] This tornado is omitted from the NCEI database.[7] | 120 |
| F2 | W of Hillsdale to W of Clark Lake | Hillsdale, Jackson | MI | 42°02′N 83°15′W / 42.03°N 83.25°W | April 3 | 00:44–00:59B | 21 mi (34 km)† | 440 yd (400 m)‡ | 2–3 deaths, 31 injuries — A total of 160 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. Thirty-one people were injured, mostly in mobile homes.[76] Twenty trailers were destroyed and others were flipped over in a mobile home park north of Hillsdale;[77] only five people were injured here as most sought refuge in a concrete building.[78] Fifty homes were damaged or destroyed along Goose Lake and four people were injured. Forty homes and cottages were damaged or destroyed around Lake LeAnn,[77] two of which "simply disappeared."[78] Two people were killed in North Adams when a tree fell on their trailer.[77] A third person died in Jerome;[78] however, this fatality is not listed by Fujita or Grazulis. The Storm Data publication states that this tornado originated in Indiana and tracked through Branch County, with the total path length reaching 34 mi (55 km).[16]: 9 [69][66] Newspaper reports indicate the tornado aloft was sighted in five other counties.[78] | 16 |
| F2 | SE of Lexington | Madison, Fayette | KY | 37°50′N 84°26′W / 37.83°N 84.43°W | April 3 | 00:45–00:55C | 9 mi (14 km)† | — | [16]: 8 [69][29] | 59 |
| F4 | SW of Flintville to AEDC | Lincoln, Franklin, Coffee§ | TN | 34°59′N 86°29′W / 34.99°N 86.48°W§ | April 3 | 00:45–01:25B | 40 mi (64 km)§ | 800 yd (730 m)§ | [16]: 17 [60][61][79] | 97 |
| F0 | Apalachia Dam | Cherokee | NC | — | April 3 | 00:55–00:59B | 3 mi (4.8 km) | — | Significant discrepancies exist for this tornado. Storm Data lists this as the beginning of a long-lived, intermittent tornado that tracked across Cherokee, Graham, and Swain counties.[16]: 13 [24] However, the latter half of the track was a tornado that occurred 40 minutes earlier.[80] | 116 |
| F2¶ | W of Cummins Falls State Park to WNW of Rickman¶ | Jackson, Putnam¶ | TN | 36°15′N 85°37′W / 36.25°N 85.61°W¶ | April 3 | 00:55–01:07C | 8 mi (13 km)¶ | 200 yd (180 m)¶ | [16]: 17 [45] Original assessments indicated the tornado tracked from Jackson County into Overton; however, later analysis showed a track farther south from Jackson into Putnam. The analysis also revealed it to be stronger, with a rating of F2.[45] Fujita rated this as a F1 tornado and Grazulis did not list this event in his Significant Tornadoes book, indicating a rating below F2.[15][18] | 81 |
| F3 | N of Ano to Elgin | Pulaski, Rockcastle, Jackson | KY | 37°01′N 84°52′W / 37.02°N 84.87°W | April 3 | 00:55–01:30C | 30 mi (48 km)† | 600 yd (550 m)† | [71] The NCEI database lists this tornado as occurring at 04:30 UTC[67] | 84 |
| F4 | Boone National Forest | Wayne, McCreary | KY | 36°38′N 84°47′W / 36.63°N 84.78°W | April 3 | 01:04–01:32R | 26 mi (42 km)† | 500 yd (460 m)† | [16]: 8 [71] The NCEI database lists this tornado as occurring at 03:00 UTC.[67] | 74 |
| F1±† | SE of Mount Sterling | Montgomery | KY | 37°59′N 83°53′W / 37.98°N 83.88°W | April 3 | 01:05–01:13B | 4.9 mi (7.9 km)‡ | — | This tornado is listed as a F3 in the NCEI database;[67] Fujita rated this tornado as a F1 and Grazulis does not list it in his Significant Tornadoes book.[15][18] | 65 |
| F2 | Waldron to SE of Hudson | Hillsdale, Lenawee | MI | 41°45′N 84°25′W / 41.75°N 84.42°W | April 3 | 01:05–01:10C | 10 mi (16 km)† | 440 yd (400 m)† | 3 injuries — It is uncertain whether this was a single tornado or two distinct events.[15][66][75] A barn was destroyed and a home had its roof torn off near Prattville. One person was injured near Waldron when debris from a barn was thrown into a nearby home. Two people were injured near Hudson when their mobile home was destroyed.[71] | 20 |
| F4 | Macedonia to SE of Cookeville to SE of Crawford¶ | White, Putnam, Overton¶ | TN | 36°02′N 85°35′W / 36.03°N 85.59°W¶ | April 3 | 01:05–01:39C | 30 mi (48 km)¶ | 700 yd (640 m)¶ | This tornado was originally believed to have continued into Fentress County;[16]: 17 however, contemporary analysis indicates it was two separate tornadoes, with the first lifting before reaching the Overton–Fentress County line.[45][69] | 86 |
| F2± | Windsor, ON, to Grosse Pointe, MI | Essex (ON), Monroe (MI) | ON (Canada), MI | — | April 3 | 01:09–01:16B | 6–14 mi (9.7–22.5 km) | 200–300 m (220–330 yd) | 9 deaths, 10–25 injuries — See section on this tornado | 30 |
| F2 | SE of Stamping Ground to Muddy Ford | Scott | KY | 38°14′N 84°39′W / 38.23°N 84.65°W | April 3 | 01:13–01:28B | 14 mi (23 km)‡ | — | [16]: 8 [71][29] | 57 |
| F2+ | Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area | Fentress (TN), Pickett (TN), Scott (TN), McCreary (KY) | TN, KY | 36°31′N 84°49′W / 36.51°N 84.82°W§ | April 3 | 01:15–01:35C | 20 mi (32 km)†§ | 800 yd (730 m)§# | [69] Based on satellite imagery depicting the damage path nearly 50 years after the tornado, Shamburger 2022 suggests the tornado may have been of F3 or F4 intensity.[45][67] | 75 |
| F4 | SE of McCaysville, GA, to Murphy, NC to SW of Marble, NC | Fannin (GA), Cherokee (NC) | GA, NC | 34°57′N 84°18′W / 34.95°N 84.30°W | April 3 | 01:15–01:45B | 22 mi (35 km)† | 1,050 yd (960 m)¶# | 3 deaths, 40 injuries — [23] The tornado struck southeastern Murpy, damaging or destroying 45 homes and 17 mobile homes. Three fatalities occurred in the city. Forty people were injured overall.[16]: 13 It reached a width of nearly three-quarters of a mile.[24][25] The NCEI database erroneously duplicates this event.[81][24] | 121 |
| F2† | NE of Payne to SW of Paulding | Paulding | OH | 41°05′N 84°42′W / 41.08°N 84.70°W | April 3 | 01:16–01:23A | 7 mi (11 km)† | 90 yd (82 m)† | [71][66] | 23 |
| F1 | Livingston | Overton | TN | 36°26′N 85°13′W / 36.43°N 85.21°W¶ | April 3 | 01:20–01:25C | 4 mi (6.4 km)¶ | 200 yd (180 m)¶# | [45] | 73 |
| F4 | Faix, TN, to Moodyville, TN, to W of Mount Pisgah | Pickett (TN), Wayne (KY) | TN, KY | 36°30′N 85°08′W / 36.50°N 85.13°W§ | April 3 | 01:25–01:50B | 19 mi (31 km)§ | 300 yd (270 m)§ | [16]: 17 [45][67][69] | 82 |
| F2 | N of Whitley City to Laurel River Lake | McCreary, Whitley | KY | 36°48′N 84°26′W / 36.80°N 84.43°W | April 3 | 01:30–01:45R | 13 mi (21 km)† | — | [16]: 8 [71][67] | 76 |
| F2§ | ESE of Estill Springs NW of Altamont§ | Franklin, Coffee, Grundy | TN | 35°16′N 86°02′W / 35.26°N 86.04°W§ | April 3 | 01:40–02:02B | 20 mi (32 km)§ | 100 yd (91 m)§ | [16]: 17 [61] Shamburger 2015 rated this as a F2 tornado.[45][71] This tornado may have continued into Warren County as part of the 02:15 UTC Irving College–Spencer F3 tornado.[45] | 99 |
| F4 | NE of Wilder to SE of Jamestown to SSW of Sharp Place§ | Fentress | TN | 36°17′N 85°05′W / 36.28°N 85.09°W§ | April 3 | 01:41–01:57C | 20 mi (32 km)§ | 200 yd (180 m)§ | At least six people were killed in Jamestown as the tornado destroyed portions of a mobile home park and neighboring residential neighborhood. Thirty-five homes were destroyed here.[43] This was originally considered to be part of the 01:15 UTC Macedonia–Crawford F4 tornado.[16]: 17 [45][69] | 87 |
| F5 | N of Vernon to Guin, to Delmar, to ESE of Decatur | Lamar, Marion, Winston, Lawrence, Morgan | AL | 33°50′N 88°08′W / 33.83°N 88.13°W | April 3 | 01:50–03:57¶B | ≥79.5 mi (127.9 km)¶ | ≥1,760 yd (1,610 m)† | 28–30 deaths, 272–280 injuries — See section on this tornado – The Storm Data publication describes this event as "probably the most powerful tornado ever observed in Alabama."[16]: 22 | 101 |
| F3† | Corbin to W of Fogertown | Laurel, Clay | KY | 36°58′N 84°07′W / 36.97°N 84.12°W | April 3 | 01:55–02:20B | 21 mi (34 km)† | — | [16]: 8 [71] The NCEI database lists this as a F2 tornado.[67] | 88 |
| F2† | NW of Erie | Monroe | MI | 41°48′N 83°31′W / 41.80°N 83.52°W | April 3 | 01:56–01:57A | 0.5 mi (0.80 km)† | 30 yd (27 m)† | 3 injuries — A brief tornado destroyed one home and damaged another.[71] Three people were injured, one seriously.[16]: 9 [78] The NCEI database lists this as a F3 tornado.[75] | 28 |
| F3 | Kidds Crossing to Ula | Wayne, Pulaski | KY | 36°47′N 84°42′W / 36.78°N 84.70°W | April 3 | 02:00–02:35C | 29 mi (47 km)† | — | [71][67] | 83 |
| F0+ | Dillard | Rabun | GA | 34°58′N 83°23′W / 34.97°N 83.38°W | April 3 | 02:00–02:01C | 0.5 mi (0.80 km)♭ | 20 yd (18 m)‡ | A brief tornado damaged homes, businesses, trees, and utilities in Dillard. Losses reached $90,000.[16]: 3 The NCEI database lists it as a F2 tornado.[51] Fujita rated this tornado as a F0 and Grazulis did not list it in his Significant Tornadoes book.[18][15] | 131 |
| F3 | SSW of Irving College SSW of Spencer§ | Warren, Van Buren§ | TN | 35°16′N 86°02′W / 35.26°N 86.04°W§ | April 3 | 02:04–02:22B | 16 mi (26 km)§ | 200 yd (180 m)§ | [16]: 17 [45][71] This tornado may have been a continuation of the 02:00 UTC Estill Springs–Altamont F2 tornado.[45] | 100 |
| F0 | London | Laurel | KY | — | April 3 | 02:05–02:09R | 3 mi (4.8 km) | — | No information beyond the tornado's existence was found by the NWS Office in Jackson, Kentucky.[67] This tornado was omitted from the NCEI database.[7] | 77 |
| F0± | Frewsburg | Chatauqua | NY | 42°03′N 79°10′W / 42.05°N 79.17°W | April 3 | 02:57–02:58A | 0.25 mi (0.40 km) | 50 yd (46 m) | A brief tornado damaged the roofs of several buildings in a business district of Frewsburg. Trees were downed and a few windows were shattered.[16]: 13 Fujita listed this as a F0 tornado while the NCEI database lists it as a F1.[15][82] | 46 |
| F3 | SE of Decatur to southern Huntsville to E of Princeton | Morgan, Limestone, Madison, Jackson | AL | 34°32′N 86°54′W / 34.53°N 86.90°W | April 3 | 03:29–04:27A | 41 mi (66 km)† | 500 yd (460 m)† | 2 deaths, 7–50 injuries — See section on this tornado | 102 |
| F3 | Fawbush to Walnut Grove | Pulaski, Laurel, Rockcastle | KY | 37°02′N 84°24′W / 37.03°N 84.40°W | April 3 | 03:35–04:05B | 24 mi (39 km)† | — | [16]: 7 [69][29][67] | 66 |
| F1 | NE of Pulaski to SW of Shelbyville | Giles, Marshall, Bedford | TN | 35°16′N 86°56′W / 35.27°N 86.93°W§ | April 3 | 04:00–04:30D | 28 mi (45 km)§ | 100 yd (91 m)§ | [16]: 17 [45] | 91 |
| F3 | Livingston to Monroe | Overton | TN | 36°22′N 85°22′W / 36.36°N 85.36°W§ | April 3 | 04:30–04:45C | 13 mi (21 km)§ | 400 yd (370 m)§ | [16]: 17 [45] | 85 |
| F1 | NW of Jessie to SE of Doyle | Warren, White | TN | 35°46′N 85°49′W / 35.76°N 85.82°W | April 3 | 04:33–04:46B | 20 mi (32 km)¶ | 100 yd (91 m)¶ | [16]: 17 [45] | 92 |
| F2† | SE of Black Oak to Oneida to Norma | Scott | TN | 36°29′N 84°36′W / 36.48°N 84.60°W | April 3 | 04:48–05:01B | 12 mi (19 km)† | 1,200 yd (1,100 m)¶# | [16]: 17 [71] The NCEI database lists this as a F3 tornado.[24] | 89 |
| F2† | NE of Knoxville | Knox | TN | 36°06′N 83°46′W / 36.10°N 83.77°W | April 3 | 05:30–05:35C | 4 mi (6.4 km)† | 450 yd (410 m)¶# | [16]: 17 [25][71] The NCEI database lists this as a F1 tornado.[24] | 107 |
| F3† | E of Sparta to Woody | White, Cumberland | TN | 35°56′N 85°20′W / 35.94°N 85.33°W§ | April 3 | 05:30–06:00C | 20 mi (32 km)§ | 900 yd (820 m)¶# | [16]: 17 [25][45][71] The NCEI database lists this as a F2 tornado.[7] | 93 |
| F1¶ | Board Valley | White | TN | 36°03′N 85°22′W / 36.05°N 85.36°W | April 3 | 05:30–06:00D | 4 mi (6.4 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | [45] This tornado was omitted from the NCEI database.[7] | 90 |
| F3 | NE of Sunbright to Huntsville | Morgan, Scott | TN | 36°15′N 84°40′W / 36.25°N 84.67°W | April 3 | 05:50–06:05C | 12 mi (19 km)† | 1,050 yd (960 m)¶# | [24][25][71] | 94 |
| F0 | W of Jefferson City | Jefferson | TN | 36°08′N 83°37′W / 36.13°N 83.62°W | April 4 | 06:55–07:00C | 4.5 mi (7.2 km)¶ | 80 yd (73 m)¶# | [24][25] | 108 |
| F1 | Breaks Interstate Park | Dickenson | VA | 37°15′N 82°25′W / 37.25°N 82.42°W | April 4 | 07:00–07:05D | 7.3 mi (11.7 km)‡ | 17 yd (16 m)‡ | [83] | 138 |
| F0 | Andersonville | Anderson, Union | TN | 36°12′N 84°04′W / 36.20°N 84.07°W | April 4 | 07:20–07:30C | 8.7 mi (14.0 km)¶ | 600 yd (550 m)¶# | [24][25] | 106 |
| F0 | E of Jonesville | Lee | VA | 36°41′N 83°04′W / 36.68°N 83.07°W | April 4 | 07:21‡ | 8.6 mi (13.8 km)¶ | 50 yd (46 m)¶♯ | [24][25] | 143 |
| F0 | Rogersville | Hawkins | TN | 36°24′N 83°02′W / 36.40°N 83.03°W | April 4 | 07:50–07:51D | 0.5 mi (0.80 km)¶ | 80 yd (73 m)¶# | [24][25] | 134 |
| F1 | W of Mullensville | Wyoming | WV | 37°34′N 81°27′W / 37.57°N 81.45°W | April 4 | 08:00–08:10C | 4.9 mi (7.9 km)‡ | — | [15][16]: 21 [83] In Mullinsville, 15 homes were destroyed and 50 others suffered major damage; a mobilehome thrown into the Guyandotte River.[84] Many trees were uprooted along the hillsides surrounding the town. Five to eight people were injured.[84][85] | 139 |
| F1 | Gary | McDowell | WV | 37°23′N 81°33′W / 37.38°N 81.55°W | April 4 | 08:00–08:01D | — | — | [15][16]: 21 Details on its impacts are unspecified.[83] | 141 |
| F3 | W of Coal City to Shady Spring | Raleigh | WV | 37°40′N 81°16′W / 37.67°N 81.27°W | April 4 | 08:14–08:28B | 12 mi (19 km)† | 150 yd (140 m)† | [15][16]: 21 [71][83] Homes were destroyed south of Beckley; nine people were injured. Near the tornado's origin point,[71] one trailer was destroyed in each of Coal City and Epperly. In Shady Spring, four homes and four trailers were destroyed and ten homes and three trailers were damaged.[85] Damage in the county exceeded $1 million.[86] | 140 |
| F3 | Channels State Forest to Saltville | Washington, Smyth | VA | 36°51′N 81°55′W / 36.85°N 81.92°W | April 4 | 08:15–08:26B | 9 mi (14 km)† | ≥530 yd (480 m)¶ | [16]: 20 [87] Width reached 530 yd (480 m) in Washington County but is unspecified in Smyth.[24][88] One person was killed near Saltville when their mobile home was hurled over 100 yd (91 m); his wife was injured.[89] | 144 |
| F0 | Leonardtown, TN, to Bristol, VA | Sullivan (TN), Bristol (City of, VA) | TN, VA | 36°31′N 82°30′W / 36.52°N 82.50°W | April 4 | 08:20–08:50C | 18.2 mi (29.3 km)‡ | 2,500 yd (2,300 m)‡ | 7 injuries — Four people were hospitalized in Sullivan County after their mobile homes were destroyed. In northern Bristol, an under-construction home had its entire second story destroyed. Several other homes lost their roof. The 280 ft (85 m) tall radio antenna of WZAP collapsed during the storm.[90][16]: 20 [24][25]Seven people were injured overall.[15] Radar operators at the Tri-Cities Regional Airport did not report a tornadic signature.[90] | 135 |
| F1 | Beckley | Raleigh | WV | 37°46′N 81°10′W / 37.77°N 81.17°W | April 4 | 08:26–08:28B | — | — | [16]: 21 The NCEI database erroneously lists the tornado as occurring in Barbour County.[83] | 136 |
| F3 | ENE of Beckley to Meadow Bridge to Friars Hill | Raleigh, Fayette, Greenbrier | WV | 37°48′N 81°01′W / 37.80°N 81.02°W | April 4 | 08:30–09:10C | 35 mi (56 km)† | ≥1,760 yd (1,610 m)♭# | 1 death, 21 injuries — [15][16]: 21 [71][83][88] The tornado moved through the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve where it traversed mountains up to 3,000 ft (910 m) and down 1,800 ft (550 m) into the valley gorges; This was the first clearly documented instance of a tornado traversing such mountainous terrain.[91] The tornado's width fluctuated between 60 and 300 yd (55 and 274 m) in this area.[92] Hardest-hit was Meadows Bridge where 10 homes were destroyed, 42 sustained major damage, and 38 had minor damage; 25 mobile homes were damaged.[85] Multiple frame homes were demolished at near-F4 intensity;[71] monetary reached $750,000.[93] Many trees were snapped in half around Meadows Bridge.[92] Aerial surveys showed two distinct damage paths that converged on Meadow Bridge;[84] however, this was assessed as a single tornado with a maximum width in excess of 1 mi (1.6 km).[15] One person was killed when their mobile home was tossed 75 yd (69 m).[71] Four trailers were destroyed and one home had major damage in Rupert.[85] Twenty-one people were injured.[71] | 137 |
| F1± | Hinton | Summers | WV | 37°40′N 80°55′W / 37.67°N 80.92°W | April 4 | 08:40–08:41B | — | — | A six-story brick building had its roof torn off, rendering the top two floors a total loss; debris damaged a nearby bank.[84][94] Windows were shattered at many businesses and trees were downed.[84] Fujita rated this as a F1 tornado;[15][16]: 21 however, the NCEI database lists it as a F0.[88] | 142 |
| F2 | Roanoke | Roanoke, Roanoke (City of) | VA | 37°18′N 80°02′W / 37.30°N 80.03°W | April 4 | 09:42–10:03A | 9 mi (14 km)† | 1,760 yd (1,610 m)※# | The tornado touched down near VA 419 and the Lynchburg Turnpike where a trailer or pickup truck were blown across a road.[89] It was initially very large, estimated at 1 mi (1.6 km) in width, and narrowed until its dissipation.[16]: 20 [87] A new building at an elementary school had its roof collapse. Approximately 120 homes, 2 apartment complexes, and 2 schools were damaged. All 18 structures at one of the complexes were damaged, some of which lost their roof. Homes under-construction in northeastern Roanoke County were knocked off their foundations. Many outbuildings and utility poles were destroyed.[89][88] Total damage reached $400,000–500,000.[95]
The Red Cross prepared to open shelters and provide meals to displaced residents;[90] they aided 125 people displaced from one of the apartment complexes.[96] |
146 |
| F0 | SE of Blue Ridge | Fannin | GA | — | April 4 | 10:00–10:01E | 0.5 mi (0.80 km) | — | This tornado was omitted from the NCEI database.[7] | 125 |
| F1 | E of Swoop to Staunton to S of Weyers Cave | Augusta, Staunton (City of) | VA | 38°09′N 79°10′W / 38.15°N 79.17°W | April 4 | 11:07–11:27C | 15.2 mi (24.5 km)‡ | — | This tornado occurred within a broader area of wind damage.[16]: 20 [97]> Several barns were knocked over and highway signs were bent. A state trooper observing the tornado stated it was up to 0.5 mi (0.80 km) wide.[98] Churchville suffered $15–20,000 in property damage. A 20 to 25 ft (6.1 to 7.6 m) section of roof was torn off of the Fort Defiance high school, leaving eight classrooms with water damage. Three homes suffered wall collapses in Staunton and the Augusta County Courthouse lost part of its roof.[90] | 145 |
| F0 | Brasstown | Cherokee | NC | 35°02′N 83°58′W / 35.03°N 83.97°W | April 4 | 13:00–13:01D | 0.5 mi (0.80 km)♭ | — | [16]: 13 The NCEI database includes the funnel cloud aloft portion of this tornado as part of its track.[15][24] | 129 |
| F1 | Morganton to NE of Drexel | Burke | NC | 35°45′N 81°42′W / 35.75°N 81.70°W | April 4 | 13:30–13:35E | 6.9 mi (11.1 km)‡ | — | A tornado touched down in Morganton and damaged several structures. The NCEI database erroneously lists this tornado as occurring on April 3.[16]: 13 [51] | 147 |
| F2 | Hudson | Caldwell | NC | 35°49′N 81°32′W / 35.82°N 81.53°W | April 4 | 13:45–13:50E | 5 mi (8.0 km)† | — | [16]: 13 [87][51] | 148 |
| F0 | Del Rio | Cocke | TN | 35°55′N 83°02′W / 35.92°N 83.03°W | April 4 | 14:45–14:46D | 0.5 mi (0.80 km)¶ | 80 yd (73 m)¶ | [24][25] | 133 |
Other events
editMultiple funnels were reported with the F5 Sayler Park tornado, two of which may have been distinct tornadoes.[39] There is conflicting information on whether the damage from Waldron to Hudson, Michigan, was caused by one or two tornadoes. The Storm Data publication and NCEI database indicate two, nearly simultaneous F2 tornadoes originating near Waldron.[16]: 9 [66] However, Fujita and Grazulis list a single F2 tornado.[15][71] The Storm Data publication lists a tornado that caused no damage north of Gibson City in Ford County, Illinois.[16]: 4 This was not classified as a tornado by Fujita.[99] Fujita initially analyzed a F0 tornado to the southwest of Cherry Log in Gilmer County, Georgia (Fujita tornado #122). This was later reclassified as a "tornado cyclone" rather than a true tornado.[100] During the afternoon of April 4, two tornadoes touched down in southern Alabama.[7] The Macon News listed that additional tornadoes were reported in Powder Springs, Douglasville, Austell, and Marietta.[101] Although temporally close, they are not considered part of the Super Outbreak by Abbey and Fujita 1981 and Corfidi et al. 2010.[102][99] The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that a tornado caused damage to a horse farm and lumber yard in Kenbridge, Lunenburg County, Virginia, with a resident reporting a cone-shaped funnel. The two properties suffered $18,000 in damage.[103]
Depauw–Martinsburg–Daisy Hill, Indiana
edit As the tornado moved near Depauw, a traditional condensation funnel was not observed. Rather, it had a "very hazy appearance".[50] | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | April 3, 1974, 2:16 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00) |
| Dissipated | April 3, 1974, 3:25 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00) |
| Duration | 1 hour and 9 minutes |
| F5 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Overall effects | |
| Casualties | 6 fatalities, 76 injuries |
This was the first in a series of five consecutive violent tornadoes produced by a single supercell from southern Indiana into extreme northern Kentucky and then southwestern Ohio.[15][104] The tornado initially touched down south of Huffman around 2:16 p.m. CDT and moved along an east-northeast to northeast path.[48][21] One person died near the origin point when their mobile home was destroyed. Southeast of Branchville, one person died and another was injured while sheltering in a ditch. The bus they were previously in was thrown 50 ft (15 m) into the ditch and crushed them. In Crawford County, the tornado grew to over 1 mi (1.6 km). It skirted by several smaller communities but completely destroyed many rural farms. It struck southeastern portions of Depauw, killing one person.[21] While moving through Depauw, no condensation funnel was observed with the tornado despite its intensity and remained that way as it moved into Martinsburg.[50][105] Another person was killed east of Palmyra. In Washington County, the tornado moved directly through Martinsburg, destroying 38 out of 48 homes in the town.[21] The Indianapolis News described the town as "for all practical purposes is no longer there". Numerous trees were completely stripped of their branches and debarked.[105] The tornado soon struck Daisy Hill where several homes were completely swept away. It ultimately dissipated near New Liberty around 3:25 p.m. CDT after traveling 62 mi (100 km).[48][21]
Decatur, Illinois
edit| F3 tornado | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2:30 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. April 3 (UTC−05:00) |
| Max. rating1 | F3 tornado |
| Fatalities | 1 fatality, ≥26 injuries |
| Damage | $3.2 million (1974 USD) |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
This tornado touched down just north of the Sangamon River and traveled along an east-northeast trajectory, damaging several homes as it moved toward Decatur.[16]: 4 Residents in the area reported two funnels as the tornado intensified.[38] Many homes were damaged near Wyckles Corners in western Decatur.[16]: 4 Many trees were left "mangled and twisted" in the area.[106] After crossing the cloverleaf interchange between I-72 and US 51, it moved across a sparsely populated area of farmland. The few homes that were struck in this area were obliterated as aerial surveys shows concrete slabs and exposed basements and debris strewn across open fields. The tornado then traversed IL-121 and struck the Macon County Fairgrounds.[106] Near the Fairgrounds, one person was killed and another was injured when their mobile home was thrown into a tree and torn apart.[107] At the Macon County Fairgrounds an exhibit housing 21 boats and 2 campers was destroyed and three barns were destroyed; losses reached $100,000.[108] Along Shadow Lane, 26 homes were heavily damaged and 8 others were impacted.[109] A section of a concrete bridge was dislodged and lifted at a construction site along I-72. Across its path, the tornado destroyed 55 homes and damaged 106 others with total losses amounting to $3.2 million. A total 26 people were hospitalized but the full extent of injuries is unspecified.[16]: 4 [21][27]
The tornado struck Decatur without warning around 2:45 p.m. CST. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued at 2:43 p.m., tornado sirens were sounded at 2:48 p.m., and a tornado warning wasn't issued until 2:56 p.m. by which time the tornado had cleared Decatur and dissipated near US 51.[38][48] Local police established two command posts and dispatched officers, including off duty and auxiliary, to Decatur for patrol duties. Fifteen firefighters were deployed to check for fires and assist with downed wires while the street division assisted with debris removal. Representative Edward Rell Madigan (R-IL) pledged all possible assistance to victims.[38] Electrical service was restored to the city by 8:00 a.m. on April 4, with the exception of 35 homes. Cablevision service remained offline due to damaged wires.[110] The American Red Cross set up a relief headquarters at Boling Springs Church of God with two coordinators assisting victims with federal assistance paperwork. A canteen operated by the Salvation Army provided food and Catholic Charities distributed clothing. The Council of Community Services was likely to head long-term relief efforts.[111] All roads in the city were cleared by April 5. The tornado prompted the additional of additional procedures to an in-the-works emergency preparedness program which would now include the Inspection and Public Works Department. Faster emergency medical response was identified as a pressing issue and plans to have a mobile headquarters were made.[112] The Macon County Fairgrounds president sought state aid to repair the facility.[108]
On April 5, 300–400 volunteers, including farmers from DeWitt and Moultrie Counties, gathered at the Fairgrounds to help with clean up across the city. Heavy machinery was used by city crews in the hardest-hit areas while the volunteers focused on less damaged areas.[113] Volunteer work concluded on April 7 with more than 2,000 people assisting during the four-day period.[114] Several people suffered cuts from sheet metal while clearing debris.[113] The tornado was described as the worst to ever hit Decatur.[115]
Parker tornado family
edit| Type | Tornado family |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2:50 p.m. – 3:58 p.m. April 3 (UTC−05:00) 1 hour, 8 minutes |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 3 confirmed |
| Max. rating1 | F4 tornado |
| Fatalities | 2 fatalities, 54 injuries |
| Damage | >$10 million (1974 USD) |
| Areas affected | Indiana |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
These three tornadoes in east-central Indiana were part of the seventh tornado family described by Abbey and Fujita 1981.[104] Agee et al. 1976 described it as a Type II-A family, indicating cyclical tornadoes that turn left as a new tornado forms. Twin circulations rotating around within the supercell as the tornadoes formed and dissipated.[116] Observations of the storm indicated a broad wall cloud with a smaller "pedestal cloud" extending down throughout its existence. A clear condensation funnel was not always observed, but the pedestal cloud would periodically descend and merge with debris clouds rising from the ground. Agee et al. 1976 estimated the condensation funnel to have reached 330 yd (300 m) at the ground with damaging winds extending 3,000 ft (1,000 yd).[117] The parent supercell was initially observed over central Indiana, with a funnel cloud sighted around 2:15 p.m. CDT to the northeast of Bloomington in Monroe County. A larger funnel cloud was observed over Johnson County from 2:20 to 2:30 p.m CDT.[16]: 5 [118] At 2:50 p.m. CDT, the first tornado of the family touched down near Fairland in Shelby County.[17][48] The tornado struck Fountaintown, destroying 11 homes. Twenty-five people were injured,[32][17] five of whom required hospitalization.[119] It continued along a northeast to north-northeast path into Hancock County and struck Stringtown around 3:07 p.m. CDT. A church had its roof torn off, five homes were damaged, and a bus was lofted into a tree.[120] The tornado subsequently dissipated at 3:10 p.m. CDT after traveling 17 mi (27 km).[48] It was rated F3 at its peak.[48] The Storm Data publication states this tornado was larger than the subsequent F4 tornado, with a width of 1 mi (1.6 km);[16] Grazulis lists a mean width of 400 yd (370 m).[32]
As the tornado hooked left and dissipated, a new tornado formed farther east at 3:02 p.m. CDT to the southwest of Charlottesville in Hancock County.[48][17] It initially moved on a northeast trajectory and the O'Neal Trailer Court about 2 mi (3.2 km) south of Charlottesville along the Hancock-Rush County line. All eleven mobile homes were obliterated,[121] with debris scattered up to 1 mi (1.6 km) away; only bent frames of two and part of a third were found while the remainder were completely swept away. At least seven people were injured here, many found in ditches across the street. East of Charlottesville along US 40, a two-story brick home was leveled with only the entry steps left behind.[122] Heading toward Knightstown, it abruptly turned more to the north and bypassed the town to the west resulting in damage to only a few homes. As it continued across southwestern Henry County, it struck a truck stop near I-70 and IN 109 before traversing rural farmland.[123] Two vehicles, one being a semi-trailer, were thrown from I-70.[124] Farmsteads were entirely leveled and trees were uprooted.[123] Damage across Rush County was estimated at $5 million.[121] It then moved directly through Grant City in Henry County, destroying 11 of the town's 25 homes and damaging the rest. Four people were injured in the community.[125][122] After crossing more farmland, newspaper reports indicate the tornado lifted as it approached Kennard, only to touch back down on the west side of town.[123] Kennard suffered extensive damage with 70 percent of the town damaged or destroyed; much of the northern portion of town was severely damaged. Homes in the town were leveled, with 48 destroyed overall, and the upper half of a two-story brick elementary school was swept away.[125][123] A pregnant woman was injured and subsequently had a premature birth; the infant did not survive. Seventeen people were injured.[32][17] Northeast of Kennard, more farms were damaged. Between Mount Summit and Mooreland, the ceiling of a high school collapsed.[123] The tornado dissipated at 3:20 p.m. CDT after traveling 20 mi (32 km). It was rated F4 at its peak.[48]
The final tornado originated near US 35 around 3:35 p.m. CDT and traveled north-northeast.[48][50][17] Between Parker City and Farmland along SR 32, the tornado reached a width of 1 mi (1.6 km) and featured four vortices circulating around each other.[50][118] Based on video evidence, Grazulis approximated the tornado may have had winds of 210 mph (340 km/h) aloft within one of the vortices. This was based on the forward speed of the tornado, the velocities of the smaller vortices rotating around the mean center of the tornado, their velocity rotating around each other.[126] In this area the Monroe Central Junior-Senior High School (a large, steel-reinforced building) was mostly destroyed.[50] The Muncie Star stated "a greater tragedy was avoided" as hundreds of students were dismissed to go home just 20 minutes before the tornado struck. Only the principal and several teachers remained, taking refuge in the boiler room. All east-facing walls and large portions of the roof of the school collapsed. Nine cars were thrown into the building from the parking lot. Damage to the school alone was estimated at $3–7 million. On the other side of SR 32, 5 homes were destroyed and 14 others were damaged.[127] One person was killed here. Throughout the path, wide swaths of trees were stripped of their branches and debarked.[128] The tornado dissipated at 3:58 p.m. CDT after traveling 22 mi (35 km); it was rated F4 at its peak.[48]
Collectively, the tornadoes killed 2 people, injured 54, and inflicted well over $10 million in damage.[129][130] The Carthage Volunteer Fire Department set up clothing donations for victims in Charlottesville and the Red Cross provided food.[131] In the immediate aftermath, emergency responders in Kennard were unable to coordinate due to the lack of a command center. Looting was reported before county police arrived.[132] An estimated 300 sightseers clogged roadways into the community. Fifty-eight members of the Nation Guard arrived in Kennard for search and rescue and clean up. The Red Cross assisted residents with applying for relief aid, with 20 volunteers arriving within a day of the tornado.[133] Displaced persons were sheltered at a community center and elementary school in Greensboro.[132]
Xenia, Ohio
edit| F5 tornado | |
|---|---|
 The tornado as it moved through Xenia | |
| Duration | 3:32 p.m. – 4:09 p.m. April 3 (UTC−05:00) |
| Max. rating1 | F5 tornado |
| Fatalities | 34 fatalities, 1,150 injuries |
| Damage | $100 million (1974 USD) |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
This violent tornado originated southwest of Xenia and initially formed as two small funnels, one only 33 ft (10 m) in diameter, rotating rapidly around each other at an estimated 210 mph (340 km/h). These multiple vortices persisted throughout the tornado's duration.[134] As the overall circulation grew to at least 1 mi (1.6 km) in diameter,[42] it moved directly through Xenia. Photographic evidence showed that the condensation funnel never reached the ground during this time. However, violent sub-vortices on the right side of the tornado caused swaths of F5 damage to many homes. These vortices were estimated to be only 66 ft (20 m) wide. Large debris was estimated to be hurled through the air at 161 mph (259 km/h) at a height of 390 ft (120 m).[134] Total devastation occurred in much of Xenia. About half of the city of 25,000 people was damaged or destroyed; 300 homes were destroyed and 2,100 were damaged, some of which were newly constructed.[32] Total damage reached $100 million (normalized to $491 million in 2001).[135][nb 7] Northeast of Xenia, Wilberforce University (formerly part of Central State University) suffered $7.5 million in damage.[32] In his operational assessment, Fujita assigned a F6 rating to this tornado indicating "inconceivable damage";[136][137] this was later reconciled to F5 when the scale was formalized.[42] Grazulis described it as the most publicized tornado of the outbreak and "most well-studied tornado in history, from a wind-engineering perspective."[32]
Hardest-hit was the recently built Arrowhead subdivision which was nearly leveled. Freight cars from a Penn Central train were lofted onto a supermarket and a parking lot. A tractor-trailer was hurled 100 yd (91 m) onto the roof of a bowling alley. Six of the city's twelve schools were damaged or destroyed.[138]
Bank checks from Xenia were found up to 200 mi (320 km) away in Chagrin Falls.[139]
About 1,500 National Guard troops were deployed to Xenia. Natural gas service was shut off due to the risk of explosions. At the time of the tornado, the city did not have a formal disaster plan in place. Only a partial one was in the works.[138]
Hanover–Madison, Indiana
edit| F4 tornado | |
|---|---|
| File:Madison 1974.jpg Photograph of the tornado as it approached Madison | |
| Duration | 3:19 p.m. – 4:06 p.m. April 3 (UTC−05:00) |
| Max. rating1 | F4 tornado |
| Fatalities | 11 deaths, 190 injuries |
| Damage | $35 million (1974 USD) |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
As the F5 Depauw tornado weakened, the same supercell spawned a second tornado to the east at 3:19 p.m. just northeast of Henryville in Clark County. It moved generally east-northeast and entered Scott County, killing one person there.[32] As the tornado approached Chelsea, it grew to an estimated 0.75 to 1 mi (1.21 to 1.61 km) wide and swept away many homes.[105] Doctors at the Madison State Hospital observed two funnels merge together as the tornado struck Hanover.[140] Hanover College was largely destroyed; a few students were injured and damage to the college alone reached $10 million.[32] At a housing development in Havover, 71 of the community's 75 homes were leveled with a state trooper likening the destruction to an "[atomic] bomb testing ground".[141]
The tornado reached its peak strength as it struck Madison where large, expensive homes were completely destroyed. Roughly 300 homes were destroyed in northern Madison and seven people were killed.[32][29] The six-story Indiana-Kentucky Electric Company Clifty Creek Power Plant was almost completely leveled north of Madison, with only three smokestacks left standing amid a two-story pile of debris. A large swath of trees were "snapped and crushed" nearby the plant.[105] The Madison State Hospital suffered $600,000 in damage, with one patient and several maintenance buildings were destroyed.[140] Three people were killed near China.[32][29]
A total of 11 people were killed, 190 others were injured, and damage reached $35 million.[125][142] Doctors from the damaged Madison State Hospital were sent to Hanover to assist victims; 30 people were rescued from basements. The hospital provided shelter for 29 residents.[140]
Brandenburg, Kentucky
edit| F5 tornado | |
|---|---|
 A home completely swept away from its foundation near Brandenburg | |
| Duration | 3:30 p.m. – 4:22 p.m. April 3 (UTC−05:00) |
| Max. rating1 | F5 tornado |
| Fatalities | 31 fatalities, 270 injuries |
| Damage | $15 million (1974 USD) |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
The tornado struck northwestern areas of Hardinsburg at F3 intensity, destroying several homes. Moving northeast across Breckenridge County, the tornado destroyed 35 homes and injured 13 people. The tornado grew and strengthened as it moved into the town of Brandenburg (pop. 1,700).[32][143] A tornado warning was issued for Brandenburg about 15 minutes before it struck; however, residents did not pay attention to it.[143] No photographs of the tornado are known to exist, though it is believed to have been a large wedge-shaped tornado.[74] Tremendous damage occurred in the town with 128 homes totally destroyed, many of which were completely swept away.[32] The town's business district was entirely destroyed.[16]: 6–7 [32] Several children were killed in a ditch when the school bus they were in rolled on top of them. Two people were sitting on their couch when the tornado tore their home apart; the couch was the only piece of furniture not blown away.[143] In Meade County, 31 people were killed and 257 were injured; twenty-eight deaths were in Brandenburg alone.[16]: 6–7 [32] F4 damage occured in areas north of Irvington and across the Ohio River into Harrison County, Indiana. Approximately 270 people were injured.[32][29] Initial assessments placed damage at $25 million;[143] however a 2001 paper stated damage to be $15 million.[142]
The United States Army deployed two refrigerator trucks two transport dead bodies.[143]
Sayler Park, Ohio
edit| F5 tornado | |
|---|---|
 The tornado viewed from Bridgetown, Ohio | |
| Duration | 5:28 p.m. – 5:51 p.m. April 3 (UTC−04:00) |
| Max. rating1 | F5 tornado |
| Fatalities | 2 fatalities, 210 injuries |
| Damage | >$10 million (1974 USD) |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
As the Bear Branch, Indiana, tornado dissipated, the same supercell produced another tornado at 5:28 p.m. EDT about 2 mi (3.2 km) north of Rising Sun, Ohio County, Indiana.[70][47] This new tornado tracked northeast, crossing the Ohio River and entering Kentucky just north of Belleview in Boone County. Damage in the area was limited to snapped tree tops as the tornado intermittently touched down before remaining continuous near KY 18. It heavily damaged a barn and outbuilding as it moved up a hill and subsequently along its ridge.[39] About ten barns were damaged in the area.[144] Moving parallel to KY 18, the tornado damaged several structures and flattened trees. West-southwest of Burlington, barns were completely destroyed. Two funnels were observed in this area, with the smaller one quickly merging back into the main funnel. The tornado then lifted and relocated to the north, touching back down southwest of Bullittsville. A "solid path of destruction" spanned 200 yd (180 m) as the tornado moved north-northeast. A 1,500 lb (680 kg) truck was hurled; its trailer was crumpled In Bullitsville, several homes and a grocery store were leveled. Two brick homes were largely destroyed north of I-275, with only partial walls remaining.[39] One home was swept off its slab foundation.[145] Twin damage paths were documented 0.5 to 0.75 mi (0.80 to 1.21 km) apart, with the smaller one to the southeast.[39] The total swath of damage was roughly 1.5 mi (2.4 km) across.[146] Approaching KY 8, the paths of the two tornadoes diverged. The smaller tornado snapped trees and damaged homes as it moved east before crossing the Ohio River. The larger tornado destroyed a marina—186 boats were destroyed[147]—shifted a home off its foundation, and lofted another home into the Ohio River before crossing the river itself.[39] Damage to the marina alone reached $6 million. A boat restaurant was lofted into the river where it subsequently sank.[144] Throughout Boone County, it damaged or destroyed 75 homes and 100 barns and injured 20 people.[47] Eighty people were left homeless and property damage reached $4 million.[148]
Both tornadoes struck the Sayler Park neighborhood of Cincinnati around 5:45 p.m.,[47][39] with the smaller damaging trees along US 50 about 0.25 mi (0.40 km) east of the main tornado before dissipating. The larger tornado moved north, paralleling the river through Sayler Park. It grew to a maximum width of 880 to 1,320 yd (800 to 1,210 m) with the greatest damage occurring within a swath 300 yd (270 m) wide. Damage in Saylor Park and in areas southwest of Mack was "indescribable".[39] Homes were completely swept from their foundations, leaving behind concrete slabs. Lesser, albeit significant, damage continued as the tornado moved northeast. Two people were killed when they were thrown into a tree.[16]: 8, 14 The tornado dissipated around 5:51 p.m. to the north of Dent.[70][47] Of the 508 homes in Sayler Park, 375 were damaged or destroyed.[149] About 190 people were injured.[16]: 8, 14
Twelve National Guardsmen, ten members of the Kentucky Department of Forestry, and six Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms personnel were dispatched to Boone County. Cadaver dogs were sent to Bullittsville and Taylorsville.[144] The Cincinnati fire chief sounded a five-alarm fire in Sayler Park immediately after the tornado, prompting the dispatch of 75 firefighters from 20 companies for immediate relief.[150] A two-night curfew was put in place for Hamilton County. The Cincinnati Bar Association assisted residents with repair plans and avoiding scams. The Red Cross opened two shelters and the Salvation Army provided meals. Cincinnati provided lumber and paper.[147] Few residents utilized public shelters, with 50 homes deemed uninhabitable being lived in by April 7.[149]
Louisville, Kentucky
edit| F4 tornado | |
|---|---|
 Damage in the Northfield neighborhood of Louisville | |
| Duration | 4:37 p.m. – 4:59 p.m. April 3 (UTC−05:00) |
| Max. rating1 | F4 tornado |
| Fatalities | 2 fatalities, 228 injuries |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
Approximately 900 homes were destroyed in Louisville.[151]: 9
Tornado sirens were activated in Louisville 19 minutes before the tornado struck. This is credited as the primary reason the death toll in the city was limited to two people.[151]: 9–10
Monticello–Rochester, Indiana
edit| F4 tornado | |
|---|---|
 A view of the destroyed Presbyterian Church in Monticello. | |
| Duration | 4:47 p.m. – 6:47 p.m. April 3 (UTC−05:00) |
| Max. rating1 | F4 tornado |
| Fatalities | 18 fatalities, 362 injuries |
| Damage | $50 million (1974 USD) |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
This was the longest-tracked and lived tornado of the outbreak, traveling approximately 121 mi (195 km) over the span of two hours.[48][54] However, this path may have been comprised of three separate tornadoes.[54] The tornado initially touched down 2 mi (3.2 km) west of Otterbein and quickly became violent. Two people were killed north of the town when their home was leveled. It soon weakened and caused minor damage in Tippecanoe and southwestern White counties. It re-intensified as moved directly into Monticello. Ample warning allowed residents to seek shelter, limiting the fatalities to only two. The tornado reached its maximum intensity to the northeast of town where farms were leveled. It weakened again as it moved across Pulaski County. It once again regained strength in Fulton County, killing one person on SR 14 before striking Rochester. Two people were killed in a mobile home. Damage in the city reached $10 million. It briefly crossed through the southeastern corner of Marshall County and then entered Kosciusko County. A Mexican national was killed in Atwood. F3 damage occurred in the southern portion of Leesburg. One person was killed near SR 6 in Elkhart County. North of Ligonier, Noble County, a school was destroyed. The last fatality occurred near Topeka in LaGrange County. The tornado dissipated at 6:47 p.m. near Oliver Lake airport.[54]
A bus carrying six people was thrown off a bridge into the Tippecanoe River. Five of the occupants died while the sixth swam to shore.[54][152]
The five-block downtown area of Monticello was largely wiped out. The Bryan Manufacturing plant was destroyed, leaving one employee dead and nearly all 140 people working at the time injured.[153] A 250 ft (76 m) microwave transmission tower collapsed.[154]
Initial estimates placed damage at $100 million.[155] However, in a 2001 paper damage was stated to be $50 million (normalized to $163 million in 2001).[135][nb 7]
Mount Hope–Harvest, Alabama
edit| F5 tornado | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6:20 p.m. – 7:21 p.m. April 3 (UTC−05:00) |
| Max. rating1 | F5 tornado |
| Fatalities | 28 fatalities, 267–280 injuries |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
This tornado touched down around 6:20 p.m. CDT in Lawrence County and entered Limestone County at 7:05 p.m. CDT.[80][156] Along US 31, the Lawson's Trailer Court with 215 mobile homes was severely impacted by both tornadoes.[157]
Six people from one family were killed when their trailer was obliterated near Mt. Moriah community northwest of Moulton. Their bodies were found scattered 1 mi (1.6 km) away.[157] Four people from another family were killed when their home was destroyed.[60] A total of 28 people were killed and 267–280 others were injured.[60][79]
This tornado was soon followed by another violent tornado 30 minutes later which tore through areas from 2 mi (3.2 km) to only a block to the north of the first.[156] The two tornadoes left the entirety of Lawrence County without power.[157]
Jasper–Cullman, Alabama
edit| F4 tornado | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6:44 p.m. – 8:48 p.m. April 3 (UTC−05:00) |
| Max. rating1 | F4 tornado |
| Fatalities | 3 fatalities, 178 injuries |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
Sixty troops of the 131st Signal battalion's B. Company were deployed to Jasper and the Red Cross established a shelter at a local elementary school.[158]
About 90 people were injured in rural areas of Walker County.[158]
The administration building of the Bevill State Community College campus in Jasper (Walker College) had a part of its roof torn off and the campus lost 75 percent of its trees.[159]
The tornado struck Jasper around 7:58 p.m. CDT, based on clocks stopping.[158]
Tanner–Harvest, Alabama – Flintville, Tennessee
edit| F5 tornado | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 7:30 p.m. – 8:25 p.m. April 3 (UTC−05:00) |
| Max. rating1 | F5 tornado |
| Fatalities | 22–27 fatalities, 250–270 injuries |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
The tornado entered Limestone County at 7:35 p.m. CDT, almost exactly where the F5 Mount Hope–Harvest tornado struck 30 minutes earlier.[156]
The maximum rating of this tornado is disputed.[16]: 17, 22 Fujita and Grazulis list this as a F4 tornado while 2013 publication by NOAA lists it as a F5.[160][161] This tornado touched down only 0.5 mi (0.80 km) north of where the 23:50 UTC Mount Hope–Harvest F5 tornado tracked just 30 minutes prior.[45][60][61][79]
Windsor, Ontario
edit| F2 tornado | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 8:09 p.m. – 8:16 p.m. April 3 (UTC−04:00) |
| Max. rating1 | F2 tornado |
| Fatalities | 9–10 fatalities, 10–25 injuries |
| Damage | C$1 million (1974 CAD) |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
The Storm Data publication indicates this was the same tornado that struck Berlin Township, Michigan, 48 minutes earlier.[16]: 9 [99] Fujita analyzes this tornado originating as a funnel cloud that moved northeast from Flat Rock, across the Detroit River and Grosse Ile, before entering Ontario, Canada.[15] It touched down in Windsor around 8:09 p.m. EDT (±7 minutes, UTC−04:00) and moved along a skipping path.[16]: 9 The tornado struck the Windsor Curling Club, a steel frame and concrete structure, around 8:13 p.m. during a match with 48 players and an estimated 30 spectators in the building.[162][163] A portion of the building's roof and one of its walls collapsed, crushing multiple people. Nine people were killed—seven died instantly from traumatic brain injuries,[164] one died two hours later, and the ninth died on January 15, 1975[165]—eleven required hospitalization, and another 14 were reportedly injured.[77][162] This marked it as Canada's sixth-deadliest tornado.[166] One of the injured persons died three years later, with his wife asserting it was related to the tornado.[167] Another club across the street was undamaged.[162] A 30 ton crane was shifted 6 ft (1.8 m) at the Devonshire Mall.[168][169] Two businesses suffered extensive damage and at least one home had its roof torn off. Damage from the tornado amounted to C$1 million.[163][170] Turning north, it crossed the Detroit river again and briefly impacted the Grosse Point suburb in Metro Detroit before dissipating around 8:16 p.m. EDT.[16]: 9 [48]
In the storm's wake, all police officers in Windsor were called in. Eighteen ambulances were dispatched to the curling club, including two from 55 mi (89 km) away.[162] Torrential rains continued after the tornado, including 0.5 in (1.3 cm) in a 15-minute span around 9:00 p.m. EDT, and ultimately totaled 7.5 in (19 cm).[171] On May 28, The Canadian Press reported that the Atmospheric Enviornment Service (AES, later called Meteorological Service of Canada) of Environment Canada failed to issue timely warnings for Windsor despite information being readily provided by the NWS office in Detroit, Michigan. The NWS office issued a tornado warning at 7:40 p.m. EDT for Metro Detroit and relayed the information to Toronto. This warning was not disseminated to Windsor until 8:10 p.m. EDT, by which time the tornado was on the ground.[172] R.C. Graham, director of the AES, stated that there is no direct line of communication between the two offices. Plans were put in place for the NWS and AES to meet and work on facilitating better communication.[173] This spurred the establishment of a telephone line to fax radar images.[174]
On April 5, the city's coroner confirmed an inquest on the disaster would be conducted. At the time of the tornado, national building codes in Canada required buildings be constructed to withstand 80 to 90 mph (130 to 140 km/h) winds but not specifically from tornadoes.[168] The trial proceeded in July, with an engineer from the Ministry of Labor's Industrial Safety Branch testifying. Based on his calculations, the building was structurally deficient and only one-thirteenth as sturdy as building codes dictated.[175] The jury recommended that buildings with long concrete walls have steel beams reinforced into them to strengthen the spans. They further advised that buildings with large gathering be inspected regularly.[164] The building required a C$250,000 reconstruction plan and reopened several months later.[163][165]
The damage rating of this tornado is uncertain, with sources ranging from F1 to F3. In 2021, the University of Western Ontario's Northern Tornadoes Project assigned a F1 rating based on the limited scope of damage and the most severely impacted building being of inadequate construction.[176] Fujita and Grazulis list this as a F2 tornado,[71][15] and a publication through the Windsor Public Library and the CBC report it as F3.[166][177] Its maximum width ranged from 220–330 yd (200–300 m) and the path length ranged from 6 mi (9.7 km) to 14 mi (22 km), with the latter being the most contemporary.[71][15][169] Additionally, the meteorologist in charge of the Windsor office asserted that no tornado took place at all and the disaster was instead the result of thunderstorm winds.[175]
Guin, Alabama
edit| F5 tornado | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 8:50 p.m. – 10:57 p.m. April 3 (UTC−05:00) |
| Max. rating1 | F5 tornado |
| Fatalities | 28–30 fatalities, 272–280 injuries |
| Damage | $15–30 million (1974 USD) |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
This violent tornado was first observed as a funnel cloud near Starkville, Mississippi, in Oktibbeha County at 7:55 p.m. CDT.[16]: 10 The exact point at which it touched down is uncertain, with Fujita's initial analysis indicating it reaching the ground by the Mississippi-Alabama state line at 8:25 p.m. CDT well to the north-northeast of Columbus.[15][80] Contemporary analyses from the National Weather Service indicate the tornado did not touch down until 8:50 p.m. CDT about 6 mi (9.7 km) north of Vernon. From Vernon, it moved on a continuous 79.5 mi (127.9 km) path to the northeast at 55 to 75 mph (89 to 121 km/h), causing catastrophic damage in Guin at 9:02–9:04 p.m. CDT and later Delmar.[16]: 22 [79][156] It lifted around 10:57 p.m. CDT as it approached the Tennessee River in Morgan County, Alabama.[80] A second tornado formed soon after to the east, severely impacting parts of Huntsville. Fujita's analysis indicates it continued aloft thereafter and briefly touched back down in Huntsville before lifting again.[15] It persisted for a short while and dissipated entirely over the Flint River.[15] The total path length ranges from 79.5 mi (127.9 km) to 135 mi (217 km), with Fujita analyzing it to be on the ground for 102 mi (164 km).[16]: 22 [80][79]
Almost the entirety of Guin (pop. ~2,000) was leveled, with approximately 400 homes destroyed several of which were completely swept away. Only 34 of the town's homes were "salvageable".[178] Damage spanned about 0.5 mi (0.80 km) across.[158] A total of 23 people died and 250 people were injured in Guin.[156] The majority of the fatalities occurred in a densely populated area in southeastern Guin.[158] Due to the volume of injuries, some victims were transported to hospitals in Tupelo, Mississippi. Damage to businesses alone in Guin reached $3 million.[178]
Oak trees were completely stripped of the bark and branches, leaving behind only denuded trunks.[178]
Five people were killed in Delmar.[156]
An apartment complex in Decatur had a dozen units torn open and many windows shattered.[179]
Fujita and Grazulis list 30 fatalities and 280 injuries,[80][69] while the NWS Office in Huntsville, Alabama, lists 28 fatalities and 272 injuries.[79]
The Red Cross opened a shelter at the Guin National Guard Armory and a local high school.[178]
| “ | The path looked like a field had been plowed and then someone threw debris, clothing and furniture all over it. | ” |
| — Anonymous resident of Guin, Alabama, April 5, 1974, interview with The Birmingham Post-Herald[157] | ||
Huntsville, Alabama
edit| F3 tornado | |
|---|---|
 Damage at the intersection of Drake Avenue and Memorial Parkway in Huntsville. | |
| Duration | 10:29 p.m. – 11:27 p.m. April 3 (UTC−05:00) |
| Max. rating1 | F3 tornado |
| Fatalities | 0–2 fatalities, 7–50 injuries |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
An unusual amount of lightning accompanied this tornado as it moved into Huntsville. Scientists at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center reported near-continuous flashes, with individual flashes or bolts being brighter and longer-lasting than typically expected.[181] Orange or red lightning occurred above the thunderstorm anvils,[182] what would eventually be known as sprite lighning.[183] There was one potential instance of ball lightning.[184] This tornado formed near Decatur shortly after the F5 Guin, Alabama, tornado dissipated in the same area. It was originally considered to be an extension of that tornado's path.[16]: 22 [185][61]
Thirty buildings at the Redstone Arsenal were damaged or destroyed. Approximately 90 percent of Huntsville lost power and many lost water.[157]
Fujita and Grazulis list no fatalities and 50 injuries,[80][71] while the NWS Office in Huntsville, Alabama, lists 2 fatalities and 7 injuries.[79]
Notes
edit- ^ a b All dates are based Central Standard Time as listed by the National Centers for Environmental Information; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time for consistency.
- ^ The Fujita Scale (F-scale) was used to rate tornado damage from its introduction in the late-1970s through February 1, 2007, when it was succeeded by the Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-scale). Tornado ratings were retroactively applied to events prior to the formal adoption of the F-scale by the National Weather Service.[12]
- ^ The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Data publication does not list exact damage totals for every event, instead giving damage categories. As such, damage for individual tornadoes is not comprehensive.
- ^ All starting coordinates are based on the NCEI database and may not reflect contemporary analyses
- ^ Durations are based on Abbey and Fujita (1981) unless noted otherwise. Letters indicate confidence intervals in the time: A is ±3 minutes; B is ±7 minutes; C is ±15 minutes; D is ±30 minutes; E is ±60 minutes; R is derived from radar.[13]
- ^ The listed width values are primarily the average/mean width of the tornadoes, with those having known maximum widths denoted by ♯. From 1952 to 1994, reports largely list mean width whereas contemporary years list maximum width.[14]
- ^ a b A normalization estimates direct economic losses from a historical extreme event if that same event was to occur under contemporary societal conditions.
References
edit- ^ Corfidi, Stephen F.; Levit, Jason J.; Weiss, Steven J. (October 5, 2004). The Super Outbreak: Outbreak of the Century (PDF). 22nd Conference on Severe Local Storms. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
- ^ a b Corfidi et al. 2010, p. 465.
- ^ a b c The Widespread Tornado Outbreak of April 3–4, 1974: A Report to the Administrator (PDF) (Report). National Disaster Survey Report. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. December 1974. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
- ^ Lyza, Tony (April 27, 2012). "A Numerical Comparison of the 1974 and 2011 Super Outbreaks". United States Tornadoes. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- ^ Analysis and Reconstruction of the 1974 Tornado Super Outbreak (PDF) (Report). Risk Management Solutions. April 2, 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 23, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- ^ Fujita, T. Theodore; Forbes, Gregory S. (November 12–15, 1974). Superoutbreak Tornadoes of April 3, 1974 As Seen In Pictures (PDF). 6th Conference on: Aerospace & Aeronautical Meteorology. American Meteorological Society. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Texas Tech University Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Various National Weather Service Forecast Offices. "[United States Tornado Events for April 3–4, 1974]". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
- ^ a b Valle, Dan (April 2, 2020). "The April 1974 Super Outbreak of Tornadoes". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
- ^ a b Corfidi et al. 2010, p. 466.
- ^ Agee and Childs 2014, p. 1496.
- ^ Agee and Childs 2014, p. 1497, 1503.
- ^ Edwards et al. 2013, p. 641–642.
- ^ Abbey and Fujita 1981, pp. 50–53.
- ^ Agee and Childs 2014, p. 1494.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag Fujita, Ted (April 1975). "Superoutbreak Tornadoes of April 3–4, 1974" (JPG). National Weather Service. The University of Chicago. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj dk dl dm dn do dp dq dr ds dt du dv dw dx dy Storm Data (PDF) (Report). Vol. 16. National Centers for Environmental Information. 1974. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 9, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "NWS Indianapolis Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Indianapolis, Indiana. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Grazulis 1990, pp. 543–557. Cite error: The named reference "FOOTNOTEGrazulis1990543–557" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b Corfidi et al. 2010, p. 500.
- ^ a b c "NWS Chicago Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Chicago, Illinois. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Grazulis 1990, p. 547.
- ^ a b c d "12 Die in North Georgia". The Atlanta Constitution. April 4, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e "NWS Atlanta Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "NWS Morristown Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Morristown, Tennessee. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Hotz, David; Labounty, Joanne (1997). "NWSO Morristown, Tennessee Severe Weather Climatology". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Morristown, Tennessee.
- ^ "The April 3-4, 1974 Super Outbreak of Tornadoes -- Impacts on Illinois". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Lincoln, Illinois. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "NWS Lincoln Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Lincoln, Illinois. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ "Little Tornado Damage Here". Mitchell Tribune. April 4, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "NWS Louisville Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Louisville, Kentucky. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ "2 in Knox Among 52 Known Dead Across Tennessee in Tornado Wake". Knoxville News-Sentinel. April 4, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Abbey and Fujita 1981, p. 47–84.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Grazulis 1990, p. 548.
- ^ "Tornado Damage". Seymour Daily Tribune. April 4, 1974. p. 24. Retrieved May 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "The aftermath of a tornado". Daily Times Mail. April 4, 1974. p. 17. Retrieved May 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tornado Takes Toll In County". Seymour Daily Tribune. April 4, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Hergold, Scott (April 5, 1974). "Sense of loss hits tornado victims". The Pantagraph. p. A-5. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hett, David (April 4, 1974). "Livingston had little storm damage". The Daily Leader. p. 4. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d Cooper, Glen R. (April 4, 1974). "1 Dead, 26 Injured In Tornado's Wake". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 46. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Summary of Tornado activity in the WSO CVG area of responsibility (PDF) (Report). National Weather Service Forecast Office in Wilmington, Ohio. April 19, 1974. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
- ^ "Tornadoes Scar Villages, Rural Areas". The Indianapolis Star. April 6, 1974. p. 56. Retrieved May 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Trammer, Monte I. (April 6, 1974). "Hamburg's Residents Do Little Looking Back, Begin Rebuilding". The Indianapolis Star. p. 4. Retrieved May 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "NWS Wilmington, OH Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Wilmington, Ohio. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ a b c d e f g "State Twisters Kill 39". The Tennessean. April 4, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f Petrina, Dave (April 4, 1974). "Twisters Batter Central Illinois". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 34. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "NWS Nashville Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Nashville, Tennessee. 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ Grazulis 199, p. 548.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Grazulis 1990, p. 550.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Abbey and Fujita 1981, p. 50.
- ^ Abbey and Fujita 1981, p. 77.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Grazulis 1990, p. 549.
- ^ a b c d e "NWS Greenville/Spartanburg Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ Abbey and Fujita 1981, pp. 50–52.
- ^ a b c d e f "NWS Birmingham Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Birmingham, Alabama. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Grazulis 1990, p. 553.
- ^ Grazulis 1984, p. A-86.
- ^ "NWS Jackson Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Jackson, Mississippi. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ a b "One Hurt In Jones". The Clarion-Ledger. April 4, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Sixteen Persons Killed By Twisters in Georgia". The Atlanta Constitution. April 5, 1974. p. 10A. Retrieved May 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Killer Tornadoes Rip Eight States, Leaving At Least 170 Dead In Wake". The Columbus Enquirer. April 5, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Grazulis 1990, p. 554.
- ^ a b c d e f g "NWS Huntsville Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Huntsville, Alabama. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ a b Wells, Frank (April 5, 1974). "Wind Roared Over the Hill And Death Came to Dawson". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 11A. Retrieved April 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Granum, Rex (April 5, 1974). "One Family Survives, 4 in Another are Dead". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 11A. Retrieved April 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "North Georgia Hit Hard By Tornadoes". The Macon News. Associated Press. April 5, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "State Damage Near $16 Million; Carter Asks U.S. Disaster Aid". The Macon Telegraph. United Press International. April 5, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "NWS Northern Indiana Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Northern Indiana. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "NWS Jackson Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Jackson, Kentucky. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ "Swayzee Trailer Court Slammed by Twister". The Muncie Star. April 4, 1974. p. 9. Retrieved May 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Grazulis 1990, p. 555.
- ^ a b c Abbey and Fujita 1981, p. 51.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Grazulis 1990, p. 556.
- ^ Grazulis 1990, p. 546.
- ^ Tatro, Nick (April 6, 1974). "Relief Efforts Flowing To Tornado Refugees". Daily Press. Associated Press. p. 8. Retrieved May 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "April 3, 1974: In the Path". National Weather Service Office in Louisville, Kentucky. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
- ^ a b c "NWS Detroit Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Detroit, Michigan. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ Grazulis, p. 555.
- ^ a b c d "8 killed in Windsor; lower state hard hit". The Times Herald. Associated Press. April 4, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Three Dead As Tornado Strikes Hillsdale County". The Holland Evening Sentinel. United Press International. April 4, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g "April 3-4, 1974 Tornado Tracks". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Huntsville, Alabama. Retrieved April 16, 2023. Cite error: The named reference "HUN_2" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b c d e f g Abbey and Fujita 1981, p. 52.
- ^ Grazulis 1990, p. 543, 556.
- ^ "NWS Buffalo Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Buffalo, New York. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ a b c d e f "NWS Charleston, WV Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Charleston, West Virginia. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ a b c d e "Area Residents Begin Clearing Up Tornado Wreckage". The Raleigh Register. April 5, 1974. p. 6. Retrieved April 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d "Red Cross Completes Tornado Damage List". Beckley Post-Herald. April 11, 1974. p. 15. Retrieved April 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Six Shady Springs Families Need Homes". Beckley Post-Herald. April 10, 1974. p. 15. Retrieved April 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Grazulis 1990, p. 557.
- ^ a b c d "NWS Blacksburg Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Blacksburg, Virginia. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ a b c Reed, Ray (April 5, 1974). "Abingdon Man Dies As Trailer Smashed". The Roanoke Times – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d "Tornadic Winds Cause Havoc In State". Daily Press. Associated Press. April 5, 1974. p. 8. Retrieved May 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tornado That Hit Area Was 'Spectacular'". Beckley Post-Herald. April 26, 1974. p. 21. Retrieved April 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "2 Tornadoes Reported In County". Beckley Post-Herald. April 5, 1974. p. 17. Retrieved April 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Funds Sought By W.Va. Town". The Weirtion Daily Times. United Press International. April 9, 1974. p. 11. Retrieved April 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Withrow, Lynn; Adams, Bob (April 5, 1974). "Tornado-Torn Town Begins Digging Out". The Charleston Daily Mail – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hancock, Frank (April 5, 1974). "Pictures first in storm". The World-News – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Red Cross Asks Aid in Relief". Richmond Times-Dispatch. April 7, 1974. p. B-9. Retrieved May 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "NWS Baltimore Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Baltimore/Washington. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ "Winds Hit Roanoke, Radford, Other Areas". The Bee. Associated Press. April 4, 1974. p. B1. Retrieved May 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Abbey and Fujita 1981, pp. 50–53.
- ^ Abbey and Fujita 1981, pp. 47, 52.
- ^ "13 Counties Are Disaster Areas--Carter". The Macon News. Associated Press. April 5, 1974. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Corfidi et al. 2010, p. 506.
- ^ "One Death Reported From Storm in State". Richmond Times-Dispatch. April 5, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Abbey and Fujita 1981, p. 54.
- ^ a b c d Traub, Pat (April 5, 1974). "Only Smokestacks Mark Where Power Plant Stood". The Indianapolis News – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Witherspoon, Tom (April 4, 1974). "Tornado Hit 3 Major Areas". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 5. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Witherspoon, Tom (April 4, 1974). "Fairground Trailer Sit Hard to Find After Storm". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 5. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Spires, Rex (April 4, 1974). "Fair Unit Will Seek State Aid". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 46. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Sampson, Bob (April 4, 1974). "Horror on Shadow Lane Recalled". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 4. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Services Hit; Restored Today". The Decatur Daily Review. April 4, 1974. p. 46. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Tatham, Judy (April 4, 1974). "Agencies Aid Victims". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 46. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cooper, Geln R. (April 5, 1974). "Unsafe Houses Posted". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 60. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Mahsman, David L. (April 5, 1974). "Volunteers Start Cleanup Effort". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 60. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tornado Cleanup Campaign Completed". The Decatur Daily Review. April 7, 1974. p. 3. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hopwood, Jim (April 4, 1974). "Tornado Worst in City History; None Killed in Four Previous". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 55. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Agee et al. 1976, p. 553–554.
- ^ Agee et al. 1976, p. 555.
- ^ a b Agee et al. 1976, p. 554.
- ^ "Greenfield Hospital Treated 30 Persons". The Muncie Star. April 4, 1974. p. 9. Retrieved May 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Stringtown Church Smashed By Tornado". The Indianapolis. April 4, 1974. p. 5. Retrieved May 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Several Injured As Tornado Hits County". Rushville Republican. April 4, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Denney, Steve (April 4, 1974). "'The house can be replaced, my family can't'". Anderson Daily Bulletin – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e Lough, Larry (April 4, 1974). "Pupils Huddle in School Basement While Tornado Crumples Kennard". The Muncie Star – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "The sound of sirens". The Kokomo Tribune. Associated Press. April 4, 1974. p. 32. Retrieved May 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Grazulis, p. 548.
- ^ Grazulis 1990, p. 551.
- ^ Luzadder, Dan (April 4, 1974). "Twister Demolishes Monroe Central". The Muncie Star. p. 1. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Grazulis, p. 549.
- ^ Grazulis, 1990 & 548–549.
- ^ Details Concerning 7 Primary Tornado Tracks in Indiana on April 3, 1974 (PDF) (Report). National Weather Service Forecast Office in Louisville, Kentucky. 1974. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
- ^ "Clothing, Other Items Needed For People In Charlottesville Tornado". Rushville Republican. April 4, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Kennedy, Charles (April 4, 1974). "Rescuers, Sightseers Jam Kennard After Storm". The Muncie Star. p. 8. Retrieved May 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Staton, Connie (April 4, 1974). "County units assist in Kennard cleanup". Anderson Daily Bulletin – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Abbey and Fujita 1981, p. 66–70. Cite error: The named reference "FOOTNOTEAbbey and Fujita198166–70" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b Brooks and Doswell 2001, p. 172.
- ^ Fujita 1974.
- ^ Fujita, Theodore (February 1971). Proposed Characterization of Tornadoes and Hurricanes by Area and Intensity (PDF) (Report). Satellite and Mesometeorology Research Project Reports. Department of Geophysical Sciences, The University of Chicago. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
- ^ a b "For Xenia It Was Day Of Destruction". The Indianapolis News. Associated Press. April 5, 1974. p. 10. Retrieved May 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Winds Suck, Tote Checks For 200 Miles". Muncie Evening Press. Associated Press. April 5, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved May 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Madison Hospital Damage $600,000". The Indianapolis Star. April 6, 1974. p. 4. Retrieved May 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "How do you start tornado cleanup?". Muncie Evening Press. Associated Press. April 5, 1974. p. 7. Retrieved May 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Brooks and Doswell 2001, p. 171.
- ^ a b c d e "Brandenburg, Ky., Survivors Marvel At Twister's Fury". The Indianapolis News. The Los Angeles Times. April 5, 1974. p. 10. Retrieved May 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Blincoe, Caden (April 5, 1974). "Boone Countians Awed At Sight Of Tornado, Its Damage". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 10. Retrieved May 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Boone Countians Awed At Sight Of Tornado, Its Damage". The Journal Press. April 9, 1974. p. 4. Retrieved May 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Storms' death toll worst in 49 years". The Cincinnati Post. United Press International. April 4, 1974. p. 15. Retrieved May 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Cincy twister cleanup starts". Wilmington News-Journal. Associated Press. April 5, 1974. p. 16. Retrieved May 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Blincoe, Caden (April 18, 1974). "Boone Countians Give Thanks". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 48. Retrieved May 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Cincinnati area victims determined to avoid aid". The Journal-News. Associated Press. April 7, 1974. p. A-7. Retrieved May 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Chief Acted Swift As The Wind". The Cincinnati Enquirer. April 5, 1974. p. 50. Retrieved May 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Mandate For Readiness: Annual Report of the U.S. Defense Civil Preparedness Agency (PDF) (Report). Federal Emergency Management Agency. February 12, 1975. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ "Found In River". The Indianapolis News. April 5, 1974. p. 10. Retrieved May 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Twister Death Toll Rising". Detroit Free Press. Associated Press. April 5, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Utilities begin recovery from tornado devastation". The Daily Journal. April 11, 1974. p. 2. Retrieved May 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tornado Toll at 341 As Rescue Work Advances". The Holland Evening-Sentinel. United Press International. April 5, 1974 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f "The April 3rd and 4th 1974 Tornado Outbreak in Alabama". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Birmingham, Alabama. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Jones, James (April 5, 1974). "16 counties are trying to climb from destruction". The Birmingham Post-Herald. p. A1. Retrieved May 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e Harris, Mike (April 5, 1974). "Tornado left four square blocks of downtown Jasper in shambles". The Birmingham Post-Herald. p. A12. Retrieved May 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Quick action probably saved Walker campus". The Birmingham Post-Herald. April 5, 1974. p. A13. Retrieved May 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Grazulis 1990, pp. 545, 554.
- ^ "F5 and EF5 Tornadoes of the United States". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Agnew, Dave (April 4, 1974). "Windsor Curling Club Hit, 8 Killed". The Sault Daily Star. The Canadian Press – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c McLachlan, Lloyd (April 3, 1979). "Curlers remember tornado". The Windsor Star – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Gruending, Dennis (July 6, 1974). "Jury rules curlers killed by falling cement blocks". The Windsor Star. The Canadian Press – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Carter, John (April 3, 1975). "Curling club marks a tragic anniversary". The Windsor Star. p. 3. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Windsorites remember tornado that killed 9 at curling club". CBC News. April 3, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
- ^ Crawford, Blair (April 3, 1999). "Tornado nightmares linger". The Windsor Star – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Hickey, Bill (April 5, 1974). "Cleanup begins in wake of disaster at curling club". The Windsor Star – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Northern Tornadoes Project [@westernuNTP] (April 3, 2021). "The 1974 #Windsor tornado had a track in Canada over 22 km, though funnel clouds were spotted at Flat Rock and Grosse Ile, MI to the SW and Grosse Point, MI to the NE. A 30-ton crane was moved 6 ft at Devonshire Mall before the tornado hit the curling arena just after 8 pm. 2/5" (Tweet). Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ Dulmage, Jack (May 17, 1974). "Of hides and men". The Windsor Star. p. 22. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Paiser, Lee (April 3, 1984). "10 years can't erase the horror". The Windsor Star. p. A5. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Didn't Pass On Warning Of Tornado". The Sault Daily Star. The Canadian Press. May 17, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Weatherman 'not always clear'". The Montreal Star. The Canadian Press. May 30, 1974. p. A-4. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Faster tornado warning mulled". The Windsor Star. The Canadian Press. June 5, 1974. p. 5. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Windsor club walls weak, expert tells inquest jury". The Ottawa Citizen. The Canadian Press. July 6, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Northern Tornadoes Project [@westernuNTP] (April 3, 2021). "Considering the construction, and the lack of impacts in the area immediately surrounding the curling arena, the damage from the 1974 #Windsor tornado has been rated at F1 on the Fujita scale (120-170 km/h). 4/5" (Tweet). Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Tornado – 1974". Windsor Public Library. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Skinner, Franklin (April 5, 1974). "Guin surveys wind damage; night of death is described". The Birmingham Post-Herald. p. A12. Retrieved May 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Harris, Mike (April 5, 1974). "Almost all power in Decatur off as city starts cleaning up debris". The Birmingham Post-Herald. p. A13. Retrieved May 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "NWS Memphis Tornado Database". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Memphis, Tennessee. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Mississippi State University.
- ^ Vaughan and Vonnegut 1976, p. 1220.
- ^ Vaughan and Vonnegut 1976, p. 1221.
- ^ Franz et al. 1990.
- ^ Vaughan and Vonnegut 1976, p. 1224.
- ^ Grazulis, p. 556.
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- Franz, R.C.; Nemzek, R.J.; Winckler, J.R. (1990). "Television Image of a Large Upward Electrical Discharge Above a Thunderstorm System". Science. 249 (4964): 48–51. Bibcode:1990Sci...249...48F. doi:10.1126/science.249.4964.48. PMID 17787625. S2CID 9343018.
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- Corfidi, Stephen F.; Weiss, Steven J.; Kain, John S.; Corfidi, Sarah J.; Rabin, Robert M.; Levit, Jason J. (April 1, 2010). "Revisiting the 3–4 April 1974 Super Outbreak of Tornadoes". Weather and Forecasting. 25 (2). American Meteorological Society: 465–510. doi:10.1175/2009WAF2222297.1.
- Edwards, Roger; LaDue, James G.; Ferree, John T.; Scharfenberg, Kevin; Maier, Chris; Coulbourne, William L. (May 1, 2013). "Tornado Intensity Estimation: Past, Present, and Future". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 94 (5). American Meteorological Society: 641–653. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-11-00006.1.
- Fujita, T. Theodore (June 1, 1974). "Jumbo Tornado Outbreak of 3 April 1974". Weatherwise. Vol. 27, no. 3. Taylor & Francis Group. pp. 116–126. doi:10.1080/00431672.1974.9931693.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link) - Grazulis, Thomas P. (May 1984). Violent Tornado Climatography, 1880–1982. OSTI (Technical report). NUREG. Washington, D.C.: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. OSTI 7099491. CR-3670.
- — (November 1990). Significant Tornadoes 1880–1989: A Chronology of Events. Vol. 2. The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-02-3.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link) - — (July 1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
- — (November 1990). Significant Tornadoes 1880–1989: A Chronology of Events. Vol. 2. The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-02-3.
- Vaughan, Jr., Otha H.; Vonnegut, Bernard (October 1, 1976). "Luminous electrical phenomena associated with nocturnal tornadoes in Huntsville, Ala., 3 April 1974". Bulletin to the American Meteorological Society. 57 (10). American Meteorological Society: 1220–1224. doi:10.1175/JAMC-D-13-0235.1.