Storms of 1953
Every storm the National Weather Service filed in 1953, month by month, kind by kind and state by state. Before 1955 the record holds tornadoes only.
1953 on the map
The 253 most significant episodes of 1953, colored by kind of event.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The year
- Events
- 492
- Deaths
- 519
- Injuries
- 5,131
- Damage
- $596 million
- Episodes
- 253
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
By month
By kind of event
Deaths, injuries and damage are counted under the kind that heads each episode.
| Kind of event | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | 492 | 519 | 5,131 | $596 million |
The deadliest
- Tornadoes in Texas, May 11, 1953
- Tornadoes in Michigan, June 8, 1953
- Tornadoes in Massachusetts, June 9, 1953
- Tornadoes in Mississippi, December 5, 1953
- Tornadoes in Georgia, April 30, 1953
- Tornadoes in Texas, March 13, 1953
- Tornadoes in Ohio, June 8, 1953
- Tornadoes in Nebraska, June 7, 1953
- Tornadoes in Louisiana, December 3, 1953
- Tornadoes in Alabama, May 1, 1953
- Tornadoes in Minnesota, May 10, 1953
- Tornado in Alabama, April 18, 1953
- Tornadoes in Nebraska, May 9, 1953
- Tornadoes in Wisconsin, May 10, 1953
- Tornadoes in Tennessee, May 2, 1953
- Tornadoes in Oklahoma, March 13, 1953
- Tornadoes in Texas, April 28, 1953
- Tornadoes in Georgia, April 18, 1953
- Tornadoes in Indiana, April 9, 1953
- Tornadoes in Louisiana, March 22, 1953
- Tornadoes in Louisiana, February 6, 1953
- Tornado in Michigan, May 21, 1953
- Tornadoes in North Dakota, May 29, 1953
- Tornadoes in Oklahoma, April 23, 1953
- Tornadoes in Texas, December 2, 1953
The costliest
- Tornadoes in Massachusetts, June 9, 1953
- Tornadoes in Michigan, June 8, 1953
- Tornadoes in Illinois, April 9, 1953
- Tornadoes in Texas, May 11, 1953
- Tornadoes in Georgia, April 30, 1953
- Tornadoes in Georgia, April 18, 1953
- Tornadoes in Mississippi, December 5, 1953
- Tornadoes in Wisconsin, May 10, 1953
- Tornadoes in Louisiana, December 3, 1953
- Tornadoes in Indiana, April 9, 1953
- Tornadoes in Minnesota, May 10, 1953
- Tornadoes in Nebraska, May 9, 1953
- Tornadoes in Louisiana, March 22, 1953
- Tornadoes in Louisiana, February 6, 1953
- Tornadoes in Texas, March 13, 1953
- Tornadoes in Mississippi, December 3, 1953
- Tornado in Alabama, April 18, 1953
- Tornado in Michigan, May 21, 1953
- Tornadoes in Nebraska, June 7, 1953
- Tornadoes in Louisiana, May 16, 1953
- Tornadoes in Iowa, May 10, 1953
- Tornadoes in Oklahoma, March 13, 1953
- Tornadoes in North Dakota, May 29, 1953
- Tornadoes in Louisiana, November 21, 1953
- Tornadoes in Arkansas, March 14, 1953
By state
Events filed in each state in 1953.
- Alabama22
- Arkansas11
- California2
- Colorado14
- Florida21
- Georgia12
- Illinois5
- Indiana9
- Iowa32
- Kansas30
- Louisiana32
- Maine2
- Maryland2
- Massachusetts4
- Michigan20
- Minnesota10
- Mississippi26
- Missouri6
- Montana5
- Nebraska49
- New Hampshire2
- North Carolina5
- North Dakota10
- Ohio8
- Oklahoma56
- Pennsylvania6
- South Carolina4
- South Dakota12
- Tennessee17
- Texas33
- Utah2
- Vermont1
- Virginia6
- Wisconsin9
- Wyoming7
Coastal and lake waters
More from this year
Tornadoes in 1953The 1953 hurricane seasonThis day in weather history
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.