History of Tornado in Timeline

A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from the ground to a cloud, often visible as a condensation funnel. Typical tornadoes have wind speeds under 180 km/h, are 80 meters wide, and travel a few kilometers. However, extreme tornadoes can exceed 480 km/h, span over 3 km, and travel over 100 km. These are among the Earth's most destructive weather phenomena.

November 1915: Great Bend, Kansas Tornado

In November 1915, a tornado which affected Great Bend, Kansas, resulted in debris fallout up to 80 miles (130 km) away, with a cancelled check from the Great Bend bank found in a field outside of Palmyra, Nebraska, 305 miles (491 km) away.

March 18, 1925: Tri-State Tornado

On March 18, 1925, the Tri-State Tornado affected parts of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, holding the record for the longest path length at 219 miles (352 km).

1936: Gainesville Tornado

In 1936, the Gainesville Tornado, one of the deadliest tornadoes in history, occurred at 8:30 am local time.

1950: First Public Tornado Warnings in the US

In 1950, the first public tornado warnings were issued in the United States, marking a significant step in advance warning systems.

1952: First Tornado Watches and Convective Outlooks

In 1952, the first tornado watches and convective outlooks were introduced in the United States, further improving the prediction of severe weather.

1953: Confirmation of Hook Echoes Associated with Tornadoes

In 1953, it was confirmed that hook echoes were associated with tornadoes, enabling meteorologists to detect potentially tornadic 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 on April 3 and 4, featuring 148 tornadoes in 18 hours, with many violent tornadoes including seven of F5 intensity, resulted in more than 300 deaths.

1974: Establishment of TORRO Spotter Network in the United Kingdom

Since 1974, the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO) has maintained a network of spotters in the United Kingdom to help identify and track severe weather.

April 26, 1989: Daultipur-Salturia Tornado in Bangladesh

On April 26, 1989, the Daultipur-Salturia Tornado in Bangladesh killed approximately 1,300 people, making it the deadliest tornado in world history.

1991: Andover, Kansas Tornado Overpass Incident

In 1991, during a tornado outbreak near Andover, Kansas, a news crew and several other people took shelter under an overpass on the Kansas Turnpike and safely rode out a tornado.

May 3, 1999: Oklahoma Tornado Outbreak Overpass Strikes

On May 3, 1999, during the Oklahoma tornado outbreak, three highway overpasses were directly struck by tornadoes, resulting in fatalities and life-threatening injuries.

1999: Bridge Creek-Moore Tornado Wind Speed

In 1999, the Bridge Creek-Moore tornado produced the fastest wind speed ever logged using Doppler radar, estimated at 486 ± 32 km/h (302 ± 20 mph).

2000: Estimation of Tri-State Tornado Costs

In 2000, the Tri-State Tornado was estimated to be the third costliest tornado when adjusted for inflation.

June 24, 2003: Pressure Decrease Near Manchester, South Dakota

On June 24, 2003, near Manchester, South Dakota, a probe measured a 100-millibar (100 hPa; 3.0 inHg) pressure decrease during a tornado, with pressure dropping to 850 mbar in the tornado's core.

May 22, 2004: Hallam, Nebraska Tornado

On May 22, 2004, a tornado affected Hallam, Nebraska, reaching 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 and caused significant damage and injury in the United Kingdom.

2006: London Tornado

In 2006, the London tornado registered F2 on the Fujita scale and caused significant damage and injury in the United Kingdom.

2007: Reanalysis of the Tri-State Tornado Path

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

2007: Implementation of the Enhanced Fujita Scale in the United States

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

May 31, 2013: El Reno, Oklahoma Tornado

On May 31, 2013, a tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma, was approximately 2.6 miles (4.2 km) wide, making it the widest tornado on record.

2021: Western Kentucky Tornado

In 2021, the Western Kentucky tornado was on the ground continuously for 165.6 miles (266.5 km).

2025: Bangladesh Tornado Death Toll

As of 2025, Bangladesh has had at least 24 tornadoes in its history that killed more than 100 people, almost half of the total for the rest of the world.

2025: Record Wind Speed Measurement

As of 2025, the record for the fastest wind speed ever logged (using Doppler radar) was produced by the 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore tornado, with an estimated wind speed of 486 ± 32 km/h (302 ± 20 mph).

2026: Tri-State Tornado Considered Deadliest in US History

As of 2026, the Tri-State Tornado, which occurred on March 18, 1925, is considered to be the deadliest single tornado in United States history, with 695 deaths.