Tornado Outbreaks

The Super Outbreak of April 3-4, 1974, was until last week the largest tornado outbreak in American history. One hundred forty-eight tornados rampaged across thirteen US states and the Canadian province of Ontario, killing over 300 people.

1974 Super Outbreak. Map from NWS

Though I was too young to remember the outbreak, I was told stories about the event when I was young. My dad was in Xenia, Ohio, on business the morning of the outbreak, and left the town only hours before it was hit by an F5 in late afternoon. Between that story and other tornado sightings in the 60s by members of the family, tornadoes were talked about a lot when I was growing up. Add to this that the house we lived in had no basement, and you might see why I have a fascination with tornadoes.

Last week’s April 25-28, 2011, outbreak killed over 350 people. Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, Alabama, were especially hard hit, but devastation was seen all over the South. On April 27 alone, there were 257 tornadoes, with more than 425 over the four-day period.

2011 Outbreak.  Map from NWS

Different mapping technologies over the 40-year span, yes. But it's the length of the 2011 paths that you can really only see in the maps that really gets me.