Tornadoes · United States
Tornadoes of 1879
Grazulis's record has 62 significant tornadoes in the United States in 1879, which killed 87 people and injured 503. 11 were rated F4 or above. Before 1950 the record is Thomas P. Grazulis’s list of significant tornadoes: those rated F2 or stronger, and weaker ones that killed somebody.
1878 1880
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. Grazulis rated these tornadoes on the Fujita scale decades after the fact, from written accounts of the damage. The scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
F040 to 72 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
F173 to 112 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
F2113 to 157 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
F3158 to 206 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
F4207 to 260 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
F5261 to 318 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
Grazulis gave no rating: the surviving account records a tornado without enough about the damage to rate it. Almost all of these are before 1880.
The violent tornadoes of 1879
- F4, SW Randolph/Irving/NW Frankfort/NW Axtell/S Cincinnati/, KS/Dawson Mills, NEMay 30, 187918 killed
- F4, Belle Creek Twp./W Vasa/Burnside Twp./Featherstone Twp., MNJuly 2, 187911 killed
- F4, NE Lincoln Co./NW Saline Co./W Minneapolis/SE Delphos/SW Aurora, KSMay 30, 18794 killed
- F4, NW West Line/SE Raymore/SE Lee's Summit/E Blue Springs/Buckner, MOMay 30, 18794 killed
- F4, Wanamingo Twp./E Wastedo/Cannon Falls, MNJuly 2, 18793 killed
- F4, Fredonia Township/NE Le Mars/S Portlandville, IAJuly 2, 18792 killed
- F4, Westfall/Milo, KSMay 30, 18791 killed
- F4, NW Wild Cat/E Stockdale/NW Manhattan, KSMay 30, 18791 killed
- F4, E Ashervill/Brittsville/Glasco, KSJune 10, 18791 killed
- F4, W Renick, MODecember 9, 18791 killed
- F4, NW Fillmore/S Barnard/N Guilford/SE Conception/E Alanthus Grove, MOMay 29, 187929.2 mi (47 km)
- F4, SW Randolph/Irving/NW Frankfort/NW Axtell/S Cincinnati/, KS/Dawson Mills, NEMay 30, 187918 killed, 60 injured
- F3, Walterboro, SCApril 16, 187911 killed, 60 injured
- F4, Belle Creek Twp./W Vasa/Burnside Twp./Featherstone Twp., MNJuly 2, 187911 killed, 30 injured
- F2, Irving, KSMay 30, 18795 killed, 20 injured
- F2, Iuka, MSJanuary 28, 18794 killed, 20 injured
- F4, NE Lincoln Co./NW Saline Co./W Minneapolis/SE Delphos/SW Aurora, KSMay 30, 18794 killed, 30 injured
- F4, NW West Line/SE Raymore/SE Lee's Summit/E Blue Springs/Buckner, MOMay 30, 18794 killed, 25 injured
- F3, Walnut Township, KSJune 10, 18793 killed, 10 injured
- F4, Wanamingo Twp./E Wastedo/Cannon Falls, MNJuly 2, 18793 killed, 8 injured
- F3, S Bunkerhill, ILMarch 10, 18792 killed, 10 injured
January 26 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| January 26 | | F2 | Lockhart, TX | | | 1 | 15 | |
January 28 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| January 28 | 7:20 PM CST | F2 | Iuka, MS | | 100 | 4 | 20 | |
January 30 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| January 30 | 7:20 PM CST | F2 | New Braunfels, TX | | | 1 | 15 | |
February 10 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| February 10 | 5:00 PM CST | F2 | Riverdale, LA | | 100 | | 2 | |
March 10 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| March 10 | | F3 | S Bunkerhill, IL | | 400 | 2 | 10 | |
April 14 3 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| April 14 | 2:45 PM CST | F3 | Collinsville, IL | 0.5 | 400 | 1 | 7 | |
| April 14 | 9:00 PM CST | F2 | Pocahontas, TN | | 3,000 | | | |
| April 14 | 10:40 PM CST | F2 | E Pocahontas, TN | | 300 | | | |
April 15 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| April 15 | 2:00 PM CST | F2 | Lisbon/SSW Dallas, TX | | 500 | | 25 | |
April 16 4 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| April 16 | | F2 | Lee Co., AL | | 600 | 1 | 15 | |
| April 16 | | F2 | S Otho, AL | | | 2 | | |
| April 16 | 3:45 PM EST | F3 | Walterboro, SC | 18.7 | 300 | 11 | 60 | |
| April 16 | 5:00 PM EST | F2 | Oakley, SC | | | 1 | 6 | |
May 29 2 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| May 29 | 3:00 PM CST | F1 | N Nodaway/N Savannah/W Flag Springs, MO | 12.2 | | | | |
| May 29 | 3:30 PM CST | F4 | NW Fillmore/S Barnard/N Guilford/SE Conception/E Alanthus Grove, MO | 29.2 | 500 | | 20 | |
May 30 14 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| May 30 | 2:20 PM CST | F2 | SE Clarinda, IA | 13.4 | 50 | | | |
| May 30 | 2:30 PM CST | F4 | Westfall/Milo, KS | 20.9 | 200 | 1 | 10 | |
| May 30 | 3:00 PM CST | F3 | SE Jewell/Jamestown/Yuma/N Concordia, KS | 20.1 | 300 | | 10 | |
| May 30 | 3:15 PM CST | F4 | NE Lincoln Co./NW Saline Co./W Minneapolis/SE Delphos/SW Aurora, KS | 41.1 | 600 | 4 | 30 | |
| May 30 | 4:00 PM CST | F2 | SW Bellville, KS | 10.1 | 100 | 1 | 2 | |
| May 30 | 4:00 PM CST | F2 | NE Minneapolis/W Lamar/E Aurora, KS | 19.6 | 30 | | 1 | |
| May 30 | 4:15 PM CST | F4 | SW Randolph/Irving/NW Frankfort/NW Axtell/S Cincinnati/, KS/Dawson Mills, NE | 92.5 | 800 | 18 | 60 | |
| May 30 | 5:15 PM CST | F3 | S Wakefield, KS | 15.9 | 200 | 1 | 3 | |
| May 30 | 5:30 PM CST | F4 | NW West Line/SE Raymore/SE Lee's Summit/E Blue Springs/Buckner, MO | 52.3 | 300 | 4 | 25 | |
| May 30 | 6:15 PM CST | F4 | NW Wild Cat/E Stockdale/NW Manhattan, KS | 15.4 | 400 | 1 | 4 | |
| May 30 | 6:20 PM CST | F2 | Irving, KS | 2.8 | 800 | 5 | 20 | |
| May 30 | 6:30 PM CST | F2 | S Waterville/NW Blue Rapids, KS | 18.1 | 70 | | 1 | |
| May 30 | 9:00 PM CST | F2 | S Stanberry/Darlington, MO | 26.4 | 100 | | | |
| May 30 | 11:00 PM CST | F3 | S Cincinnati, IA | 2.6 | 200 | 1 | | |
June 10 3 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| June 10 | 4:00 PM CST | F3 | Walnut Township, KS | | | 3 | 10 | |
| June 10 | 6:00 PM CST | F2 | Onaga, KS | | | | | |
| June 10 | 9:00 PM CST | F4 | E Ashervill/Brittsville/Glasco, KS | 6.8 | 600 | 1 | 8 | |
June 13 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| June 13 | 7:00 PM CST | F2 | Nickell Grove, MO | | | | | |
June 28 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| June 28 | 4:45 PM EST | F2 | Baltimore MD | | | | 20 | |
July 2 6 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| July 2 | | F2 | Lake Pepin/N Frontenac, MN/Trenton Twp./Warrentown, WI | 5.2 | | | | |
| July 2 | 5:30 PM CST | F3 | Elkhorn, SD | | | | 1 | |
| July 2 | 6:30 PM CST | F4 | Fredonia Township/NE Le Mars/S Portlandville, IA | 4.6 | | 2 | | |
| July 2 | 6:30 PM CST | F3 | Lake Emily/E St. Peter, MN | | | | 5 | |
| July 2 | 10:45 PM CST | F4 | Wanamingo Twp./E Wastedo/Cannon Falls, MN | 11.7 | | 3 | 8 | |
| July 2 | 11:00 PM CST | F4 | Belle Creek Twp./W Vasa/Burnside Twp./Featherstone Twp., MN | 15.7 | 300 | 11 | 30 | |
July 3 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| July 3 | 2:00 AM CST | F2 | Merton, WI | | | | | |
July 11 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| July 11 | 11:00 AM EST | F2 | Thornton, MI | | | | 10 | |
July 16 3 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| July 16 | 2:30 PM EST | F2 | Coxsackie, NY | | | | | |
| July 16 | 2:30 PM EST | F2 | Pittsfield, MA | | 300 | 2 | 6 | |
| July 16 | 4:00 PM EST | F2 | Kingston/Saugerties, NY | | | | | |
August 22 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| August 22 | | F1 | Biloxi, MS | | 30 | 1 | 1 | |
September 3 3 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| September 3 | 5:30 PM EST | F1 | SE Huntersville, PA | | 20 | | | |
| September 3 | 5:55 PM EST | F1 | Sandy Springs, MD | 5.9 | 70 | | | |
| September 3 | 6:30 PM EST | F2 | SW Hunterstown, PA | | 20 | | | |
October 3 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| October 3 | 5:30 PM EST | F1 | Watrousville, MI | | | | 10 | |
October 10 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| October 10 | | F1 | Waynesboro, GA | | | | | |
November 8 2 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| November 8 | 2:15 PM CST | F3 | Strasburg/E Odessa/Page City/SE Lexington/Dover, MO | 40.1 | | 2 | 14 | |
| November 8 | 3:00 PM CST | F2 | Fort Smith, AR | | 300 | 1 | | |
November 12 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| November 12 | 4:20 PM EST | F2 | Detroit, MI | | 150 | | | |
November 28 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| November 28 | 6:04 PM EST | F1 | Louisville, KY | | | | | |
December 9 2 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| December 9 | 3:30 PM CST | F3 | S Shelbina, MO | | | | 5 | |
| December 9 | 4:00 PM CST | F4 | W Renick, MO | 10.2 | 200 | 1 | 7 | |
About the record before 1950
- Significant tornadoes only
- Grazulis listed tornadoes rated F2 or stronger, and weaker ones that killed somebody. Most tornadoes are weaker than F2, so the list holds a fraction of the tornadoes that happened.
- The early years are thin
- A tornado is on record only where somebody saw it and wrote it down. The count rises through the 1800s with settlement and newspapers, not with the weather.
- Rated from accounts
- Grazulis rated each tornado decades later from newspaper reports, Weather Bureau records and local histories, not from a damage survey.
- The tracks are reconstructed
- Tornado Archive drew each path through the places Grazulis names, most often as a straight line from the first to the last. A track can miss a town it hit, and a tornado with one named place is a point. The counties are today’s.
- A separate record
- SPC’s database, from 1950, counts every confirmed tornado of any strength. The two are kept apart on every page and never added together.
Thomas P. Grazulis, Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991 and Significant Tornadoes 1880-1989, as digitized by Tornado Archive (Maas and others, 2024). Public domain. Counties assigned by this site from today’s NWS county lines.