Tornadoes · United States
Tornadoes of 1883
Grazulis's record has 110 significant tornadoes in the United States in 1883, which killed 292 people and injured 1,968. 16 were rated F4 or above, 1 of them F5. Before 1950 the record is Thomas P. Grazulis’s list of significant tornadoes: those rated F2 or stronger, and weaker ones that killed somebody.
1882 1884
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 1883
- F5 Rochester tornado, MinnesotaAugust 21, 188337 killed
- F4, Wesson to Beauregard to Georgetown, MSApril 22, 188356 killed
- F4, Literberry, ILMay 18, 188312 killed
- F4, S Springfield to E Kenney, ILMay 18, 188311 killed
- F4, Parrott to NNE Americus, GAApril 22, 188310 killed
- F4, Hardaway Station, GAApril 23, 18838 killed
- F4, Greasy Prairie, ILMay 18, 18838 killed
- F4, Racine, WIMay 18, 18838 killed
- F4, Belton/Midway, TXApril 27, 18835 killed
- F4, W Shipman to N Gillespie, ILMay 18, 18835 killed
- F4, E Clay City to SE Patricksburg, INMay 28, 18835 killed
- F4, Capron to Alden, IL to WIMay 18, 18834 killed
- F4, SE Dodge Center to SE Douglas, MNJuly 21, 18834 killed
- F4, N Eaton Rapids to S Leslie, MIJuly 23, 18833 killed
- F4, Dunlap, IAApril 21, 18832 killed
- F4, S Vistula, IN to S Burr Oak, MIMay 14, 18831 killed
- F4, Wesson to Beauregard to Georgetown, MSApril 22, 188356 killed, 300 injured
- F5 Rochester tornado, MinnesotaAugust 21, 188337 killed, 200 injured
- F4, Literberry, ILMay 18, 188312 killed, 50 injured
- F3, N Georgetown/Harrisville/Morton to NW Forest, MSApril 22, 188311 killed, 100 injured
- F4, S Springfield to E Kenney, ILMay 18, 188311 killed, 50 injured
- F4, Parrott to NNE Americus, GAApril 22, 188310 killed, 80 injured
- F4, Hardaway Station, GAApril 23, 18838 killed, 50 injured
- F4, Greasy Prairie, ILMay 18, 18838 killed, 50 injured
- F4, Racine, WIMay 18, 18838 killed, 85 injured
- F3, NW Starkville/Aberdeen, MSApril 22, 18837 killed, 70 injured
April 5 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| April 5 | 8:00 PM CST | F2 | N Arkadelphia/SE Benton, AR | 56.2 | | 2 | 10 | |
April 13 2 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| April 13 | 7:30 PM CST | F3 | W Alma, KS | 10.0 | 100 | | 2 | |
| April 13 | 10:00 PM CST | F2 | Zumbro Falls, MN | | | | | |
April 14 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| April 14 | 12:30 AM CST | F3 | White Oak, AR | 9.6 | | 3 | 10 | |
April 21 2 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| April 21 | 6:30 PM CST | F2 | E Mapleton/Danbury, IA | 6.9 | | | 6 | |
| April 21 | 8:00 PM CST | F4 | Dunlap, IA | 10.1 | 150 | 2 | 10 | |
April 22 12 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| April 22 | 12:30 AM CST | F3 | Sun City, KS | 5.0 | | 3 | 5 | |
| April 22 | 9:40 AM CST | F3 | Deer Park, LA/Natches/Red Lick/Tillman Station, MS | 79.4 | 200 | 4 | 30 | |
| April 22 | 12:00 PM CST | F3 | Rutherford Co., TN | 1.2 | 200 | 1 | 2 | |
| April 22 | 1:00 PM CST | F3 | N Georgetown/Harrisville/Morton to NW Forest, MS | 55.1 | 400 | 11 | 100 | |
| April 22 | 1:00 PM CST | F3 | NW Starkville/Aberdeen, MS | 31.4 | 500 | 7 | 70 | |
| April 22 | 2:30 PM CST | F2 | S French Camp, MS | 25.1 | 200 | 5 | 30 | |
| April 22 | 3:30 PM EST | F4 | Parrott to NNE Americus, GA | 26.3 | 800 | 10 | 80 | |
| April 22 | 3:00 PM CST | F4 | Wesson to Beauregard to Georgetown, MS | 45.0 | 800 | 56 | 300 | |
| April 22 | 4:00 PM CST | F2 | Tubble Station, MS | 13.3 | 300 | 2 | 40 | |
| April 22 | 11:00 PM EST | F2 | Chattanooga, TN | 0.9 | 100 | | | |
| April 22 | 10:30 PM CST | F2 | Springville/Whitney, AL | 11.9 | 200 | 1 | 10 | |
| April 22 | 11:30 PM CST | F2 | W Roanoke, AL | | | 1 | 5 | |
April 23 6 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| April 23 | 12:30 AM EST | F2 | N Crawford/Sandy Cross, GA | 8.2 | 100 | 1 | 10 | |
| April 23 | 5:00 AM EST | F2 | Darlington, SC | | | | | |
| April 23 | 5:30 AM EST | F4 | Hardaway Station, GA | 29.9 | 400 | 8 | 50 | |
| April 23 | 6:15 AM EST | F2 | S Woodville, GA | | | 2 | 10 | |
| April 23 | 7:00 AM EST | F2 | Boykins, NC | 3.7 | 150 | | 8 | |
| April 23 | 11:00 AM EST | F2 | SW Barnwell/NE Blackville, SC | 8.9 | 100 | | 5 | |
April 27 2 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| April 27 | 3:45 PM CST | F4 | Belton/Midway, TX | 15.2 | 200 | 5 | 20 | |
| April 27 | 4:15 PM CST | F2 | S Cameron, TX | 10.1 | 100 | 1 | 9 | |
May 9 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| May 9 | 4:00 PM CST | F2 | NW Beloit, WI | 4.1 | 200 | | | |
May 12 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| May 12 | 5:15 PM MST | F2 | Santa Fe, NM | 1.3 | 30 | | | |
May 13 8 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| May 13 | 3:00 PM CST | F2 | SW Troy, KS | 3.0 | | | 1 | |
| May 13 | 4:15 PM CST | F3 | NW Olathe/Kansas City, KS | 22.1 | 100 | 1 | 5 | |
| May 13 | 4:30 PM CST | F3 | E Whitesville, MO | 7.2 | 200 | 1 | 8 | |
| May 13 | 4:45 PM CST | F2 | Kansas City, KS/Kansas City, MO | 8.5 | 150 | 3 | 50 | |
| May 13 | 5:00 PM CST | F2 | Pattonsburg, MO | 5.1 | | | | |
| May 13 | 6:00 PM CST | F2 | N Keelville, KS | | 250 | | | |
| May 13 | 7:40 PM CST | F2 | SE Webb City/Carterville/Nw Carthage, MO | 20.3 | 200 | 2 | 33 | |
| May 13 | 8:15 PM CST | F3 | N Kaseyville to Bevier MO | 12.8 | 200 | 3 | 10 | |
May 14 4 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| May 14 | 2:30 PM EST | F4 | S Vistula, IN to S Burr Oak, MI | 45.0 | 400 | 1 | 10 | |
| May 14 | 6:00 PM EST | F2 | Southport, IN | | 100 | | | |
| May 14 | 6:30 PM EST | F2 | N Amity/S Franklin, IN | 3.5 | 100 | | | |
| May 14 | 7:50 PM EST | F2 | E Fairview/N Connersville, IN | 10.1 | 250 | | 3 | |
May 15 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| May 15 | | F2 | S Butte, MT | | | | 6 | |
May 17 3 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| May 17 | 9:30 AM CST | F2 | Denison, TX | 2.2 | 100 | | 20 | |
| May 17 | 4:15 PM CST | F2 | Valparaiso, NE | 8.4 | 50 | | 10 | |
| May 17 | 5:00 PM CST | F2 | Omaha, NE | 1.3 | 70 | | | |
May 18 21 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| May 18 | 5:00 PM CST | F2 | S Drake, MO | 3.4 | | | | |
| May 18 | 5:50 PM CST | F4 | Capron to Alden, IL to WI | 15.2 | 200 | 4 | 15 | |
| May 18 | 6:00 PM CST | F3 | W Gasconade/Rhineland/SE Jonesburg, MO | 30.1 | 200 | 1 | 8 | |
| May 18 | 6:20 PM CST | F4 | Greasy Prairie, IL | 20.0 | 400 | 8 | 50 | |
| May 18 | 6:30 PM CST | F3 | Hermann, MO | 6.8 | 200 | | 5 | |
| May 18 | 6:45 PM CST | F4 | Racine, WI | 18.9 | 150 | 8 | 85 | |
| May 18 | 7:00 PM CST | F2 | Harmony, AR | 5.7 | | 1 | 15 | |
| May 18 | 7:00 PM CST | F3 | S Wright/Foristell to N Wentzville, MO | 14.9 | 200 | 1 | 6 | |
| May 18 | 7:30 PM CST | F4 | S Springfield to E Kenney, IL | 40.1 | 800 | 11 | 50 | |
| May 18 | 8:00 PM CST | F2 | SE Eureka Springs, AR | | 400 | | | |
| May 18 | 8:00 PM CST | F3 | W Collinsville/E Edwardsvillle to E Carpenter | 14.9 | | 1 | 3 | |
| May 18 | 8:15 PM CST | F2 | Grafton, IL | 3.0 | 50 | 2 | 15 | |
| May 18 | 8:15 PM CST | F4 | Literberry, IL | 26.2 | 800 | 12 | 50 | |
| May 18 | 8:30 PM CST | F3 | Prairietown/Mt. Olive/Staunton, MO | 12.4 | | 5 | 30 | |
| May 18 | 8:45 PM CST | F4 | W Shipman to N Gillespie, IL | 21.0 | 400 | 5 | 30 | |
| May 18 | 9:00 PM CST | F2 | SE Mason City, IL | 5.1 | | 1 | 4 | |
| May 18 | 9:30 PM CST | F3 | SE Staunton to N Hillsboro, MO | 25.1 | 200 | 2 | 10 | |
| May 18 | 10:15 PM CST | F3 | S Pontiac/E Cayuga, IL | 9.0 | | 1 | 4 | |
| May 18 | 10:30 PM CST | F3 | Nokomis/Rosamond to N Pana | 13.5 | 100 | | 1 | |
| May 18 | 10:45 PM CST | F2 | Peotone, IL | 3.5 | 70 | | 2 | |
| May 18 | 11:30 PM CST | F2 | Pesotum, IL | 3.0 | | 1 | 3 | |
May 19 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| May 19 | 4:15 PM EST | F2 | Wabash. IN | 4.7 | | | 5 | |
May 20 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| May 20 | 4:00 PM EST | F2 | Soddy-Daisy, TN | | | | | |
May 25 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| May 25 | 12:00 PM CST | F3 | S Mountain Home, AR/Moody/S West Plains, MO | 37.3 | 300 | | 20 | |
May 28 3 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| May 28 | 4:00 PM EST | F2 | W Clay City, IN | 4.9 | 100 | 2 | 6 | |
| May 28 | 4:15 PM EST | F4 | E Clay City to SE Patricksburg, IN | 7.1 | 200 | 5 | 8 | |
| May 28 | 7:00 PM EST | F2 | Lebanon/Genntown, OH | 6.5 | | | | |
June 2 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| June 2 | 7:15 PM CST | F2 | Greenville, TX | 2.9 | 100 | 1 | 5 | |
June 8 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| June 8 | 5:30 PM CST | F2 | Springfield, IL | 4.2 | 50 | | | |
June 10 2 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| June 10 | 6:30 PM EST | F2 | E Brownstown, IN | 4.7 | | | | |
| June 10 | 7:00 PM EST | F3 | S North Vernon/S Nebraska to Osgood, In | 20.1 | 400 | 2 | 20 | |
June 11 4 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| June 11 | 3:00 PM CST | F3 | S Elkport, IA | 7.7 | 100 | | 8 | |
| June 11 | 5:30 PM CST | F2 | SE Harvard, IL | 4.1 | 100 | | 1 | |
| June 11 | 10:00 PM CST | F2 | Valley Falls, KS | | 300 | | 5 | |
| June 11 | 10:00 PM CST | F2 | NE Manchester/Industry, KS | 4.3 | | 1 | 8 | |
June 18 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| June 18 | 5:45 PM EST | F2 | Stuebenville, OH/Brooke County, WV/Dinsmore, PA | 11.6 | 100 | | 2 | |
July 2 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| July 2 | 5:00 PM EST | F2 | Pittsfield, MA | | | | | |
July 10 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| July 10 | 10:00 PM CST | F3 | Soldier City, KS | 1.5 | 100 | 4 | 14 | |
July 11 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| July 11 | 5:30 PM CST | F2 | Cimarron, KS | | | | | |
July 16 2 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| July 16 | 1:20 PM CST | F3 | SW Ft. Atkinson to N Wales/S Dousman, WI | 26.0 | 150 | | 18 | |
| July 16 | 5:30 PM CST | F2 | SW Geuda Springs, KS/Kay County, OK | 5.1 | 25 | | 1 | |
July 18 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| July 18 | 6:30 AM CST | F3 | S Redfield/N Hitchcock to SE Crandon, SD | 11.1 | | 3 | 4 | |
July 21 2 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| July 21 | 11:30 AM CST | F4 | SE Dodge Center to SE Douglas, MN | 14.5 | 800 | 4 | 30 | |
| July 21 | 12:00 PM CST | F2 | Elgin, MN | 6.9 | 300 | 1 | 8 | |
July 22 2 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| July 22 | 1:45 AM CST | F2 | Cobb, WI | | | 1 | | |
| July 22 | 2:00 AM CST | F2 | Dodgeville/Ridgeway, WI | 9.8 | 100 | 2 | 9 | |
July 23 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| July 23 | 12:10 PM EST | F4 | N Eaton Rapids to S Leslie, MI | 14.0 | 200 | 3 | 15 | |
August 3 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| August 3 | 6:00 PM CST | F2 | Midlothian, TX | | | | | |
August 15 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| August 15 | 5:30 PM CST | F1 | Pine Bluff, AR | 2.2 | | 1 | | |
August 21 3 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| August 21 | 3:30 PM CST | F3 | Pleasant Grove/S Rochester, MN | 2.9 | | 2 | 10 | |
| August 21 | 5:30 PM CST | F5 | Rochester tornado, MN | 43.2 | 1,500 | 37 | 200 | |
| August 21 | 8:30 PM CST | F3 | N St. Charles to N Lewiston, MN | 10.8 | | 1 | 19 | |
October 1 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| October 1 | 6:00 PM CST | F2 | SE Humboldt, KS | | | | 3 | |
October 8 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| October 8 | 11:55 PM CST | F2 | E Arcadia, WI | 4.1 | 500 | | 5 | |
October 29 3 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| October 29 | 12:50 AM EST | F2 | Columbus, IN | 1.3 | 50 | | | |
| October 29 | 2:00 AM EST | F1 | Huston/Monterey, KY | 6.1 | | 2 | 1 | |
| October 29 | 3:00 AM CST | F2 | SW Kirks Ferry/Waterproof, LA | 10.6 | 300 | | 5 | |
November 5 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| November 5 | 1:45 PM CST | F2 | N Republic/Springfield, MO | 20.3 | 300 | 7 | 40 | |
November 6 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| November 6 | 4:00 PM EST | F2 | Reading, NY | 14.9 | 100 | | | |
November 20 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| November 20 | 4:00 PM CST | F2 | Colmesneil, TX | | 75 | | 7 | |
November 21 5 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| November 21 | 1:30 AM CST | F2 | N Charleston/NE Clarksville, AR | 37.7 | 100 | 2 | 20 | |
| November 21 | 2:30 AM CST | F2 | SE Searcy County, AR | 21.4 | | | | |
| November 21 | 3:45 AM CST | F3 | SW Melbourne to Lacrosse, AR | 20.2 | 400 | 7 | 100 | |
| November 21 | 4:00 AM CST | F2 | N Pocahontas, AR | | | 1 | 1 | |
| November 21 | 7:00 AM CST | F2 | Bertrand, MO | | | 2 | 4 | |
November 25 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|
| November 25 | 9:00 PM CST | F3 | Bridgeport, WI | 4.9 | 100 | 1 | 2 | |
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.