History of Tornado in Timeline

A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from the ground to a cloud, typically a cumulonimbus. Visible as a condensation funnel often accompanied by a debris cloud, most tornadoes feature winds under 180 km/h, are about 80 meters wide, and travel several kilometers. Extreme tornadoes can exceed 480 km/h, span over 3 kilometers, and travel over 100 km. These events are significant weather phenomena capable of causing substantial damage and destruction.

November 1915: Great Bend, Kansas Tornado Debris Fallout

In November 1915, a tornado which affected Great Bend, Kansas, resulted in extreme debris fallout, with a "rain of debris" occurring 80 miles (130 km) from the town and debris found as far as 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, traveling on the ground continuously for 219 miles (352 km).

1936: Gainesville Tornado

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

1950: First Public Tornado Warnings Issued

In 1950, the first public tornado warnings were issued in the United States, marking a significant advancement in severe weather detection and communication.

1952: First Tornado Watches and Convective Outlooks

In 1952, the first tornado watches and convective outlooks were established, enhancing the ability to prepare for and respond to severe weather events.

1953: 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 several miles away.

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 and significant fatalities on April 3 and 4, 1974.

1974: TORRO Spotter Network Established

Since 1974, the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO) has maintained a network of spotters in the United Kingdom.

April 26, 1989: Daultipur-Salturia Tornado

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

1991: Andover, Kansas Tornado

In 1991, video captured during a tornado outbreak near Andover, Kansas, showed a news crew and others safely taking shelter under an overpass on the Kansas Turnpike, contributing to the misconception that overpasses provide adequate shelter from tornadoes.

May 3, 1999: Oklahoma Tornado Outbreak

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

1999: Bridge Creek-Moore tornado

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

2000: Tri-State Tornado Cost Estimation

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

June 24, 2003: Manchester, South Dakota Tornado

On June 24, 2003, near Manchester, South Dakota, a probe measured a 100-millibar (100 hPa; 3.0 inHg) pressure decrease during a tornado event.

May 22, 2004: Hallam, Nebraska Tornado

On May 22, 2004, a tornado that affected Hallam, Nebraska, was up to 2.5 miles (4.0 km) wide at the ground.

2005: Birmingham Tornado

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

2006: London Tornado

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

2007: Tri-State Tornado Reanalysis

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