Tornadoes of 2003  This page documents notable tornadoes and tornado outbreaks worldwide in 2003. Strong and destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Bangladesh, and Eastern India, but they can occur almost anywhere under the right conditions. Tornadoes also develop occasionally in southern Canada during the Northern Hemisphere's summer and somewhat regularly at other times of the year across Europe, Asia, and Australia. Tornadic events are often accompanied with other forms of severe weather, including strong thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail. There were 1,395 tornadoes reported in the United States in 2003, of which 1,374 were confirmed. 2003 is currently the seventh-most active year for tornadoes in the United States since reliable record-keeping began in 1950. January had no tornadoes confirmed in the United States. It was only the fifth time since 1950 that an entire calendar month went tornado-free. The other months were; October 1952, December 1963, November 1976, and January 1986. There were 18 tornadoes confirmed in the US in February. A tornado killed 17 people near the town of Yumbi in the northwestern Bandundu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over 4,000 people were injured, 217 seriously. On the 17th, a tornado killed five people and injured 35 in Gadap Town, Pakistan. More than 80 structures were destroyed, and many livestock were killed as well. Another tornado struck the next day near Lahore in eastern Pakistan, killing two people and injuring 150. 400 homes were destroyed in four villages. A rare winter storm caused eight tornadoes. At 3:13 PM, an F1 tornado touched down in the rugged rural hills of extreme western Breathitt County, Kentucky, near Athol. Two people were killed as five trailers were destroyed, and many damaged. There were 43 tornadoes confirmed in March. A tornado outbreak produced 27 tornadoes from Texas to Georgia. During a three-day period from the 17th to the 19th, 22 F1 and F0 tornadoes touched down across a widespread area, mostly in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee. On the 19th, an F1 tornado near Cookeville, Tennessee killed one person when a trailer was thrown 100 yards. The tornado damaged houses, barns, trailers, garages, sheds, and at least one church. Many trees were downed as well. Another F1 tornado damaged three mobile homes, 11 homes and four businesses from the Rosalie to Flat Rock communities in Alabama. The final day of the outbreak was the most devastating.