History of Tornado in Timeline

A tornado is a rotating column of air connecting the Earth's surface to a cumulonimbus or cumulus cloud. Often called twisters or cyclones, they vary greatly in size and intensity. Most tornadoes feature wind speeds under 180 km/h, are roughly 80 meters wide, and travel several kilometers. However, extreme tornadoes can exceed 480 km/h, span over 3 kilometers in diameter, and remain on the ground for over 100 kilometers. They are typically visible as a condensation funnel with rotating debris and dust beneath.

November 1915: Great Bend, Kansas Tornado Debris

In November 1915, a tornado that affected Great Bend, Kansas, resulted in debris being carried a very long distance, including a check found in Palmyra, Nebraska, 305 miles (491 km) away.

March 18, 1925: Tri-State Tornado

On March 18, 1925, the Tri-State Tornado, the record-holder for path length, continuously traveled across parts of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana for 219 miles (352 km).

1936: Gainesville Tornado

In 1936, the Gainesville Tornado, one of the deadliest in history, occurred at 8:30 am local time, demonstrating that destructive tornadoes can happen at any time of day.

1950: First Public Tornado Warnings

In 1950, the first public tornado warnings were issued in the United States, marking the beginning of rigorous attempts to warn of tornadoes.

1952: First Tornado Watches and Convective Outlooks

In 1952, the first tornado watches and convective outlooks came about, enhancing the ability to provide advance warning of severe weather.

1953: Hook Echoes Associated with Tornadoes

In 1953, it was confirmed that hook echoes were associated with tornadoes, allowing meteorologists to detect tornado-producing thunderstorms from a distance.

1974: 1974 Super Outbreak

In 1974, the Super Outbreak affected a large area of the central United States and extreme southern Ontario, featuring 148 tornadoes in 18 hours, with multiple violent tornadoes causing over 300 fatalities.

1974: Establishment of TORRO Spotter Network in the UK

In 1974, the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO) established a network of spotters in the United Kingdom to help spot severe weather.

April 26, 1989: Daultipur-Salturia Tornado in Bangladesh

On April 26, 1989, the Daultipur-Salturia Tornado in Bangladesh, the deadliest tornado in world history, resulted in approximately 1,300 fatalities.

1991: Andover, Kansas Tornado Overpass Shelter

During the 1991 tornado outbreak near Andover, Kansas, a news crew and others took shelter under an overpass on the Kansas Turnpike. They remained safe because the storm was a weak tornado, did not directly strike the overpass, and the overpass itself was of a unique design.

May 3, 1999: Oklahoma Tornado Outbreak Overpass Fatalities

During the May 3, 1999, Oklahoma tornado outbreak, three highway overpasses were directly struck by tornadoes, resulting in fatalities at each location, highlighting the danger of seeking shelter under overpasses.

June 24, 2003: Manchester, South Dakota Pressure Drop

On June 24, 2003, near Manchester, South Dakota, a probe measured a 100-millibar (100 hPa) pressure decrease during a tornado event, with the pressure dropping to 850 mbar (850 hPa) in the vortex's core.

May 22, 2004: Hallam, Nebraska Tornado

On May 22, 2004, a tornado that affected Hallam, Nebraska, reached a width of up to 2.5 miles (4.0 km) at ground level.

2005: Birmingham Tornado

In 2005, the Birmingham tornado registered F2 on the Fujita scale, causing significant damage and injury.

2006: London Tornado

In 2006, the London tornado registered F2 on the Fujita scale, causing significant damage and injury.

2007: Tri-State Tornado Reanalysis

In 2007, a reanalysis of the Tri-State Tornado's path suggested it may have begun 15 miles (24 km) further west than initially believed.

2007: Implementation of Enhanced Fujita Scale

In 2007, the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale was implemented in the United States as an update to the older Fujita scale for rating tornadoes by damage caused, using engineered wind estimates and better damage descriptions.