History of Tornado in Timeline

A tornado is a violently rotating column of air connecting the ground to a cumulonimbus cloud. Often called twisters or whirlwinds, they vary in size and intensity. Most tornadoes have winds under 180 km/h, are about 80 meters wide, and travel a few kilometers. However, extreme tornadoes can exceed 480 km/h, span over 3 kilometers, and travel over 100 km. They are typically visible as a condensation funnel with rotating debris.

November 1915: Great Bend, Kansas Tornado

In November 1915, a tornado which affected Great Bend, Kansas, carried debris a very long distance, including a check found 305 miles away in Palmyra, Nebraska.

March 18, 1925: Tri-State Tornado

On March 18, 1925, the Tri-State Tornado, the record-holding tornado for path length, affected parts of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana and was on the ground continuously for 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 issued in the United States

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

1952: First tornado watches and convective outlooks

In 1952, the first tornado watches and convective outlooks came about in the United States, enhancing the warning system for 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 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 on April 3 and 4, featuring 148 tornadoes in 18 hours and causing more than 300 deaths.

1974: Establishment of 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.

April 26, 1989: Daultipur-Salturia Tornado in Bangladesh

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

1991: 1991 Tornado Outbreak near Andover, Kansas

During the 1991 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

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

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 within a violent tornado.

May 22, 2004: Hallam, Nebraska Tornado

On May 22, 2004, a tornado affected Hallam, Nebraska, with a damage path 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 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, using engineered wind estimates and better damage descriptions.