What country has the most tornados?
Tornado climatology
Tornadoes have been recorded on all continents except Antarctica and are most common in the middle latitudes where conditions are often favorable for convective storm development. The United States has the most tornadoes of any country, as well as the strongest and most violent tornadoes. A large portion of these tornadoes form in an area of the central United States popularly known as Tornado Alley. Other areas of the world that have frequent tornadoes include significant portions of Europe, South Africa, Philippines, Bangladesh, parts of Argentina, Uruguay, and southern and southeast Brazil, northern Mexico, New Zealand, and far eastern Asia.
Tornado myths
It is often thought that tornadoes only occur in North America. The majority of recorded tornadoes do occur in the United States; however, tornadoes have been observed on every continent except Antarctica.
Tornadoes of 2014
A tornado outbreak produced 12 tornadoes across England, France and Belgium, 11 of which were F1 (T2/T3) and one an F2 (T4).
The strongest tornado was an F2 (T4) that traveled 12.8 km on the border between France and Belgium, damaging the town of Halluin. 3 people were injured.
Tornadoes of 2011
There were 1,697 tornadoes confirmed in the United States in 2011. It was the second most active year on record, with only 2004 having more confirmed tornadoes. 2011 was an exceptionally destructive and deadly year for tornadoes; worldwide, at least 571 people perished due to tornadoes: 12 in Bangladesh, two in South Africa, one in New Zealand, one in the Philippines, one in Russia, one in Canada and 553 in the United States (compared to 564 U.S. deaths in the prior ten years combined). Due mostly to several extremely large tornado outbreaks in the middle and end of April and in late May, the year finished well above average in almost every category, with six EF5 tornadoes and nearly enough total tornado reports to eclipse the mark of 1,817 tornadoes recorded in 2004, the current record year for total number of tornadoes.
Tornadoes of 2007
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks that occurred in 2007, primarily (but not entirely) in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally, particularly in parts of neighboring southern Canada during the summer season. Some tornadoes also take place in Europe, e. g. in the United Kingdom or in Germany.
Tornado climatology
A large region of South America is characterized by storms that reach the level of supercells and produce intense hailstorms, floods, and tornadoes during the spring, summer, and early fall. The region recently appointed as the (South America) is considered as the second largest in the world in terms of the formation of extreme weather events. It covers most of central Argentina, southern Paraguay, southeastern Brazil, and Uruguay.
Tornadoes in the United States
Tornadoes have been documented in every U.S. state (not including the non-state territories of Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico) at least once since 1950, although some regions and states are hit by tornadoes far more than others. For example, the average number of tornadoes to hit the states of Alaska, Rhode Island, and Vermont is less than one, while the state of Oklahoma receives an average of 52 tornadoes per year, and the state of Texas is hit with 126 tornadoes in an average year. The state with the most tornadoes per unit area is Florida, though most are weak tornadoes of EF0 or EF1 intensity. A number of Florida's tornadoes occur along the edge of hurricanes that strike the state. The state with the highest number of strong tornadoes per unit area is Oklahoma. States such as Oklahoma and Kansas have much lower population densities than Florida, so tornadoes may go unreported.
Tornadoes of 2013
On May 21, an EF2 tornado touched down near the small community of Glenarm, Ontario about west of Fenelon Falls, and Environment Canada confirmed that the roof of a home was torn off by the tornado and a barn was destroyed. No injuries were reported in this storm. This was Ontario's second tornado of the 2013 season.
A large, slow moving system produced 86 tornadoes across the Great Plains in the last week of May. Many tornadoes, some strong to violent, touched down across Kansas and Nebraska from the 27th through the 29th, with weaker tornadoes recorded in other states. One of the most notable tornadoes of the outbreak was a wide wedge tornado that struck near El Reno, Oklahoma on the evening of May 31. It was the widest tornado ever recorded. The tornado was initially rated an EF5, with estimated winds being measured at > by a mobile Doppler radar; however, the worst damage was rated EF3, thus on August 30, 2013, the tornado's rating was downgraded to EF3. Eight deaths were attributed to this tornado including four storm chasers; TWISTEX project leader Tim Samaras, his son Paul, fellow chaser Carl Young, and amateur storm chaser Richard Charles Henderson. That same evening, a large EF3 tornado moved through several St. Louis suburbs, resulting in major damage and two injuries. In total, the outbreak resulted in 93 tornadoes.
Tornadoes of 1981
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1981, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Tornado
Tornadoes are most common in spring and least common in winter, but tornadoes can occur any time of year that favorable conditions occur. Spring and fall experience peaks of activity as those are the seasons when stronger winds, wind shear, and atmospheric instability are present. Tornadoes are focused in the right front quadrant of landfalling tropical cyclones, which tend to occur in the late summer and autumn. Tornadoes can also be spawned as a result of eyewall mesovortices, which persist until landfall.
Tornadoes in the United States
Most tornadoes in the United States occur east of the Rocky Mountains. The Great Plains, the Midwest, the Mississippi Valley and the southern United States are all areas that are vulnerable to tornadoes. They are relatively rare west of the Rockies and are also less frequent in the northeastern states. Tornado Alley is a colloquial term for an area particularly prone to tornadoes. There is no officially defined 'Tornado Alley' – at its broadest this area stretches from northern Texas to Canada with its core centered on Oklahoma, Kansas and northern Texas. Another highly significant region – colloquially known as Dixie Alley – is the southern United States and particularly the northern and central parts of Alabama and Mississippi. Florida is one of the most tornado-prone states. However, Florida tornadoes only rarely approach the strength of those that occur elsewhere.
Tornado records
The infamous 1974 Super Outbreak of April 3–4, 1974, which spawned 148 confirmed tornadoes across eastern North America, held the record for the most prolific tornado outbreak for many years. Not only did it produce an exceptional number of tornadoes, but it was also an inordinately intense outbreak producing dozens of large, long-track tornadoes, including 7 F5 and 23 F4 tornadoes. More significant tornadoes occurred within 24 hours than any other week in the tornado record. Due to a secular trend in tornado reporting, the 2011 and 1974 tornado counts are not directly comparable.
Tornadoes of 1986
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1986, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Tornado
The United States averages about 1,200 tornadoes per year, followed by Canada, averaging 62 reported per year. NOAA's has a higher average 100 per year in Canada. The Netherlands has the highest average number of recorded tornadoes per area of any country (more than 20, or 0.0013 per sq mi (0.00048 per km), annually), followed by the UK (around 33, or 0.00035 per sq mi (0.00013 per km), per year), although those are of lower intensity, briefer and cause minor damage.
Tornadoes kill an average of 179 people per year in Bangladesh, the most in the world. Reasons for this include the region's high population density, poor construction quality, and lack of tornado safety knowledge. Other areas of the world that have frequent tornadoes include South Africa, the La Plata Basin area, portions of Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and far eastern Asia.
Tornadoes of 1974
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1974, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
1974 was exceptionally above average with a record number of seven F5 tornadoes in one year. 366 deaths occurred and almost 7,000 injuries occurred. The worst tornado outbreak of the record-breaking year was the Super Outbreak, which spawned all seven F5 tornadoes.
Tornadoes of 1984
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1984, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Tornadoes of 1995
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1995, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes, however by the 1990s tornado statistics were coming closer to the numbers we see today.
Tornadoes of 1992
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1992, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes, however by the 1990s tornado statistics were coming closer to the numbers we see today.
List of Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan all average 15 tornadoes per season, followed by Quebec with fewer than 10. New Brunswick and the British Columbia Interior are also recognized tornado zones. All other provinces and territories have significantly less threat from tornadoes. The peak season in Canada is in the summer months when clashing air masses move north, as opposed to the spring season in the United States southern-central plains, although tornadoes in Canada have occurred in spring, fall and very rarely winter.
Tornado climatology
South America has its own , composed of central and northern Argentina, southern and southeast Brazil, Uruguay, and part of Paraguay, and is considered the second highest frequency tornado region in the world. Argentina has areas with high tornadic activity, and the strongest tornadoes in the southern hemisphere like the F5 in San Justo, and the in Buenos Aires with more than 300 tornadoes registered in less than 24 hours.
Canada Tornado Alley
Ontario reports the most tornadoes of any province due to its large population, in addition to its proximity to Canadian Tornado Alley. Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba rank in second place behind Ontario but rank before Quebec.
List of Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
The reported increase in numbers of tornadoes in recent years may reflect more reporting by citizens and media involvement rather than an actual increase in tornado occurrence (although some natural increase has not been ruled out), in addition to better detection technology i.e. Doppler weather radar and satellite imagery. The upswing could also be attributed to other factors, such as improved aerial and ground damage assessment after the fact in sparsely populated areas (particularly the case in remote parts of the Canadian Prairies and Northern Ontario, for example), better trained spotter capabilities and increased use of digital recording devices by citizens. Tornadoes in Canada are enough of a threat for a public warning system to be in place, overseen by the national weather agency, Environment Canada (EC).
Tornado climatology
July is the peak month in Austria, Finland, and Germany. On average, there are around 294 tornadoes throughout the United States during the month of May, and as many as 543 tornadoes have been reported in the month of May alone (in 2003). The months with the fewest tornadoes are usually December and January, although major tornado outbreaks can and sometimes do occur even in those months. In general, in the Midwestern and Plains states, springtime (especially the month of May) is the most active season for tornadoes, while in the far northern states (like Minnesota and Wisconsin), the peak tornado season is usually in the summer months (June and July). In the colder late autumn and winter months (from early December to late February), tornado activity is generally limited to the southern states, where it is possible for warm Gulf of Mexico air to penetrate.
Tornado climatology
Not every thunderstorm, supercell, squall line, or tropical cyclone will produce a tornado. Precisely the right atmospheric conditions are required for the formation of even a weak tornado. On the other hand, 700 or more tornadoes a year are reported in the contiguous United States.
Tornadoes of 2015
This page documents notable tornadoes and tornado outbreaks worldwide in 2015. Strong and destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Bangladesh, Brazil 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, winds and hail.
Tornadoes of 1985
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1985, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Tornadoes in the United States
The United States has seen 58 F5 and EF5 (the highest intensity and damage ranking) tornadoes since records began in 1950. No tornadoes prior to 1950 were officially ranked F5, due to inadequate engineering data and other information on the historical tornadoes. From 1950–1970 tornadoes were assessed retrogressively, primarily using information recorded in government databases, and newspaper photographs and descriptions. Beginning in 1971, tornadoes were rated by the NWS using on-site damage surveys.
List of tornadoes causing 100 or more deaths
There is also meteorological uncertainty with the nature of many tornadoes on this list. Before the 1970s, and even now outside of North America, most tornado paths were not thoroughly surveyed to ensure that the storm was indeed a single tornado and not a series of tornadoes from the same storm (a tornado family). Often a single supercell can produce a new tornado soon after or even before the demise of an old tornado, giving the appearance to many observers that a single tornado has caused all the damage. On this list, if it is likely that the tornado was in fact two or more tornadoes, it will appear in "italics".
Tornado
Tornadoes occur most frequently in North America, particularly in central and southeastern regions of the United States colloquially known as tornado alley, as well as in Southern Africa, northwestern and southeast Europe, western and southeastern Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh and adjacent eastern India, and southeastern South America. Tornadoes can be detected before or as they occur through the use of Pulse-Doppler radar by recognizing patterns in velocity and reflectivity data, such as hook echoes or debris balls, as well as through the efforts of storm spotters.
Tornadoes of 2014
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 2014. Strong and destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Bangladesh, Brazil and Eastern India, but they can occur almost anywhere under the right conditions. Tornadoes also appear regularly in neighboring southern Canada during the Northern Hemisphere's summer season, and somewhat regularly in Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Tornado climatology
More tornadoes occur in Texas than in any other US state. The state which has the highest number of tornadoes per unit area is Florida, although most of the tornadoes in Florida are weak tornadoes of EF0 or EF1 intensity. A number of Florida's tornadoes occur along the edge of hurricanes that strike the state. The state with the highest number of strong tornadoes per unit area is Oklahoma. The neighboring state of Kansas is also a particularly notorious tornado state. It records the most EF4 and EF5 tornadoes in the country.
List of tornadoes by province (Canada)
For a variety of reasons, such as Canada's lower population density and generally stronger housing construction due to the colder climate, Canadian tornadoes have historically caused far fewer fatalities than tornadoes in the United States.
Tornadoes of 1987
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1987, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Tornadoes of 1983
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1983, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Tornadoes of 1970
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1970, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
9 tornadoes were reported in the United States in January, as well as a rare, violent tornado in Australia.
Tornadoes of 1999
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1999, primarily (but not entirely) in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally, particularly in parts of neighboring southern Canada during the Northern Hemisphere's summer season. Some tornadoes also take place in Europe, e. g. in the United Kingdom or in Germany. One particular event, the Bridge Creek, Oklahoma F5 tornado, was known to produce the highest wind speed ever recorded on Earth, which was .
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.
Tornadoes in the United States
Tornadoes are more common in United States than in any other country. The United States receives more than 1,200 tornadoes annually—four times the amount seen in Europe. Violent tornadoes—those rated EF4 or EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale—occur more often in the United States than in any other country.
Tornadoes of 2009
In 2009, tornadic activity was generally near average. Each year, tornadoes and tornado outbreaks occur worldwide primarily under conductive conditions, though a majority of tornadoes form in the United States. Tornadoes also occur to a less frequent extent in Europe, Asia, and Australia. In the U.S., there were 1,304 reports of tornadoes received by the Storm Prediction Center , and 1,159 tornadoes were confirmed to have taken place. Worldwide, 45 fatalities were caused by tornadoes, with 22 in the U.S., 15 in India, four in Canada, two in Greece and one each in Serbia and Russia.
Tornadoes in the United States
The Southern United States has suffered more tornado fatalities than any other part of the country. Some areas experience repeated damaging tornado events, such as the Tennessee Valley and in northern Alabama. The state of Alabama is tied for the most reported F5 tornadoes. For the period 1950 to 2006, three hundred and fifty eight people were killed by tornadoes in Alabama, ranking the state third nationwide behind Texas (521) and neighboring Mississippi (404). Fourth is Arkansas (336) and fifth is Tennessee with 271 fatalities.
Tornadoes of 2000
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 2000, primarily (but not entirely) in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally, particularly in parts of neighboring southern Canada during the summer season.
Tornado outbreak of May 26–31, 2013
By far the most significant tornado of the outbreak was an extremely large EF3 that struck areas near the town of El Reno, Oklahoma on May 31. With a maximum width of , it was the largest tornado on record. The second highest wind speeds recorded on Earth, around , were also observed in this tornado. The twister was responsible for eight deaths, including famous storm chaser Tim Samaras, his son Paul, and Carl Young as a result of being caught off-guard by the tornado's unprecedented width. In addition, the tornado caused an unknown amount of injuries.
Tornadoes in the United States
In the Southwestern United States, New Mexico reported 485 tornadoes during the 1950 to 2006 period (NCDC figures), California reported 355, Arizona reported 209, and Nevada reported 75. New Mexico borders the notoriously tornado prone states of Texas and Oklahoma, hence the noticeably higher figures. Most of the tornadoes here happen in the very eastern part of the state. New Mexico's region and the desert landscape of the state help prevent the amount of twisters that happen in Oklahoma and Texas. Arizona and New Mexico experience regular summer thunderstorms during their monsoon season. These are sometimes tornadic but rarely produce violent tornadoes.
List of United States tornadoes from January to March 1982
This is a list of all tornadoes that were confirmed by the National Climatic Data Center in the United States from January to March 1982. During this period, 81 tornadoes touched down across 23 states, resulting in 7 fatalities and numerous injuries. The strongest of these storms was an F4 in the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles on March 18. Activity greatly varied between the three months, with January being above average, February at record low levels and March around average. Aside from two notable outbreaks, tornado events were sporadic and scattered across the country. More than half of the 60 tornadoes in March occurred during a single outbreak from March 14 to 17.
Tornadoes in the United States
Although the period in which most tornadoes strike ("tornado season") is March through June, tornadoes – including violent tornadoes and major tornado outbreaks – have been documented in the United States during every month of the year. Two examples of this are when a series of tornadoes hit the state of Indiana on November 22, 1992, and injured at least nine people. Another notable non-season tornado was where a tornado struck the area of McLean County, Illinois. Even though the tornado was during a winter month, it blew 20 railroad cars off their tracks, and hauled a camper over 100 yards (91 m).
Disaster area
Tornadoes are narrow aggressively rotating mixtures of air that come from the base of a thunderstorm, being the most violent of storms. Tornadoes are usually hard to see unless they form a condensations funnel made from:- dust, water droplets and debris. Tornadoes take place in several parts of the world, such as Australia, Europe, Africa but mostly occur in the United States, Argentina, and Bangladesh.
Tornado records
The greatest number of tornadoes spawned from a hurricane is 118 from Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Caution is advised comparing the raw number of counted tornadoes from recent decades to decades prior to the 1990s since more tornadoes that occur are now recorded than in the past.
Tornado climatology
The reliable climatology of tornadoes is limited in geographic and temporal scope; only since 1976 in the United States and 2000 in Europe have thorough and accurate tornado statistics been logged. However, some trends can be noted in tornadoes causing significant damage in the United States, as somewhat reliable statistics on damaging tornadoes exist as far back as 1880. The highest incidence of violent tornadoes seems to shift from the Southeastern United States to the southern Great Plains every few decades. Also, the 1980s seemed to be a period of unusually low tornado activity in the United States, and the number of multi-death tornadoes decreased every decade from the 1920s to the 1980s, suggesting a multi-decadal pattern of some sort.
Tornadoes of 2008
There were 1,692 tornadoes confirmed in the United States in 2008, with 126 confirmed fatalities. This made 2008 the deadliest year in that country since 1998. Nine other fatalities have been reported elsewhere in the world: three in France, two each in Bangladesh and Poland and one each in Russia and China. With 1,692 confirmed tornadoes, 2008 ranked as the third most active US tornado season on record, only 2011 and 2004 have had more tornadoes confirmed with 1,697 and 1,817, respectively. The US state of Kansas received the most tornadoes in the United States in 2008 with 187.
List of United States tornadoes from January to February 2012
In January and February 2012, the local weather forecast offices of the National Weather Service confirmed 134 tornadoes in the United States, indicating an above-average period of tornadic activity. On average, 64 tornadoes occur in the first two months of the year, with 35 occurring in January and 29 in February. However, in 2012, the count for the two months was 79 and 55, respectively. The first confirmed tornado in January (and 2012) was an EF0 tornado which struck Fort Bend County in Texas at 1445 UTC on January 9. The last tornado of February was an EF0 that affected Blount County in Tennessee at 0030 UTC on March 1, though in terms of Central Time Zone, where the tornado took place, it was still February 29. The period's strongest tornado was ranked as an EF4 and occurred on February 29 in Saline and Gallatin counties in Illinois. Total economic losses in the United States from the first two months of 2012 amounted to over $600 million.
List of tornadoes by calendar day
North America
Multiple-vortex tornado
The largest tornado ever documented was a multiple-vortex tornado; it struck El Reno, Oklahoma on May 31, 2013 taking the lives of tornado researcher Tim Samaras, his son Paul, and their TWISTEX colleague, Carl Young. This storm also took the life of local amateur chaser, Richard Henderson. It had a maximum width of and a maximum recorded windspeed of at least , however, due to a lack of property damage, the tornado achieved a rating of EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. Nevertheless, the El Reno tornado is one of the two strongest tornadoes ever recorded in terms of maximum wind speeds, the other being the 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado.
Tornadoes of 2015
Throughout much of the first half of 2015, tornado activity was near record low mostly due to a continuous pattern of a trough in the east, which brought colder than average temperatures there, and a ridge in the west, which brought warmer than average temperatures in the west. The pattern changed, slightly, in late March and early April to allow for some severe weather. During May, a few large tornado outbreaks occurred, which led it to be the most active tornado month since April 2011, and the most active May since 2008. Due to a significant El Niño event, November and December were extremely active months with over 20 fatalities in December alone. 93 tornadoes were reported in December, well above average for that month. Furthermore, 2015 was the first year since 2011 to see a total of more than 1,000 tornadoes across the United States. In synopsis, 2015 was the first average or above average year in terms of the number of tornadoes since 2011.Final totals through December 31
There were 32 tornadoes reported in the U.S. in January, of which 27 were confirmed.
Tornadoes of 1989
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1989, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Tornadoes of 2019
There have been 19 preliminary reports of tornadoes in the United States in 2019, all of which have been confirmed. Six tornado-related deaths have been confirmed worldwide; four in Cuba and two in Turkey.There have been 19 tornadoes reported in United States in January, all of which have been confirmed.
Tornado climatology
The time of year is a big factor of the intensity and frequency of tornadoes. On average, in the United States as a whole, the month with the most tornadoes is May, followed by the months June, April, and July. There is no "tornado season" though, as tornadoes, including violent tornadoes and major outbreaks, can and do occur anywhere at any time of year if favorable conditions develop. Major tornado outbreaks have occurred in every month of the year.
Tornadoes of 1964
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1964, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Tornadoes of 2019
This page documents notable tornadoes and tornado outbreaks worldwide in 2019. Strong and destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Brazil, Bangladesh and Eastern India, but 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, Argentina and Australia. Tornadic events are often accompanied with other forms of severe weather, including strong thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail.
List of United States tornadoes in April 2011
A total of 360 tornadoes touched down in this extremely large tornado outbreak; 359 tornadoes were in the United States and 1 was in Canada. For more details, see List of tornadoes in the 2011 Super Outbreak.
Tornado outbreak of April 14–16, 2011
The tornado outbreak of April 14–16, 2011 was among the largest recorded tornado outbreaks in U.S. history, producing 178 confirmed tornadoes across 16 states and severe destruction on all three days of the outbreak. A total of 38 people were killed from tornadoes and an additional five people were killed as a result of straight-line winds associated with the storm system. The outbreak of severe weather and tornadoes led to 43 deaths in the Southern United States. This was the largest number of fatalities in an outbreak in the United States since the 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak. However, this outbreak was soon surpassed no less than two weeks later by the 2011 Super Outbreak, which killed 324 people.
Tornadoes in the United States
The Midwestern states are very prone to tornado activity, as they are part of "Tornado Alley." States included in the area that are hit by tornadoes the most are Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. The Midwestern States are often hit by tornadoes during the late spring and early summer months, especially the months of May and June. This is due to the aforementioned air mass moving northward into the Midwest and combining with another air mass that move southward from Canada. This creates unstable air, creating the potential for storms to strike the most during these months. The frequency begins to decrease in the middle of the summer, as the air mass moves northward into the Great Lakes states.
Tornado climatology
Since 1900, deadly tornadoes have occurred in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Italy (such as the F5/T10 of Udine-Treviso on 24 July 1930, which killed 23 people,), Malta, Poland, Ukraine, Portugal (such as the F3/T7 of Castelo Branco on 6 November 1954, which killed 5 and injured 220), Romania, Russia and the United Kingdom. The 1984 Ivanovo–Yaroslavl outbreak, with more than 400 fatalities and 213 injured, was the century's deadliest tornado or outbreak in Europe. It included at least one F5 and one F4. Europe's perhaps deadliest tornado ever (and probably one of the World's deadliest tornadoes) hit Malta in 1551 (or 1556) and killed about 600.
Tornadoes of 1990
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1990, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes, however by the 1990s tornado statistics were coming closer to the numbers we see today.
Climate of Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is one of the leading states in incidents of tornadoes though they are rarely stronger than F1 . Southwestern and northern sections of the state have historically reported the largest amount of tornadoes. The areas closest to the Florida border report F0 and F1 tornadoes associated with summer afternoon thunderstorms. However, tornadoes of F3 intensity or greater within Georgia are uncommon, with three events reported on average each year.
Tornado climatology
The United States has the most tornadoes of any country. Many of these form in an area of the central (with some definitions including Southern) United States known as Tornado Alley. This area extends into Canada, particularly the Prairie Provinces and Ontario; however, activity in Canada is less frequent and intense than that of the US. The high frequency of tornadoes in North America is largely due to geography, as moisture from the Gulf of Mexico is easily advected into the midcontinent with few topographic barriers in the way. The Rocky Mountains block Pacific-sourced moisture and buckle the atmospheric flow, forcing drier air at mid-levels of the troposphere due to downsloping winds and causing cyclogenesis downstream to the east of the mountains. Downsloping winds off the Rockies force the formation of a dry line when the flow aloft is strong, while the Gulf of Mexico fuels abundant low-level moisture. This unique topography allows for frequent collisions of warm and cold air, the conditions that breed strong, long-lived storms throughout the year. This area extends into Canada, particularly Ontario and the Prairie Provinces, and strong tornadoes can also occur in northern Mexico.
Tornadoes of 2012
There were 939 tornadoes confirmed in the U.S. in 2012. 86 fatalities have been confirmed worldwide in 2012: one each in Poland, Japan and Italy, three in New Zealand, five in Indonesia, six in Turkey and 69 in the United States.
List of tornadoes by province (Canada)
Due to increasing detection (i.e. Doppler weather radar, social media and satellite imagery), particularly in the US and southern Canada, numbers of counted tornadoes have increased markedly in recent decades although number of actual tornadoes and counted significant tornadoes has not. In older events, the number of tornadoes officially counted is likely underestimated. The upswing could also be attributed to other factors, such as improved aerial and ground damage assessment after the fact in sparsely populated areas (particularly the case in remote parts of the Canadian Prairies and Northern Ontario, for example), better trained spotter capabilities and increased use of digital recording devices by citizens.
Tornadoes of 1997
The 1997 Benton, Arkansas tornado outbreak was a major tornado outbreak that struck portions of the central and southern United States mostly on March 1, 1997, with initial activity on February 28. Affecting areas mostly from Arkansas to Kentucky, the two-day outbreak produced 39 tornadoes and killed at least 27 people including 25 in Arkansas alone with one death in each Mississippi and Tennessee.[2] This was Arkansas' deadliest tornado outbreak since May 15, 1968, where 34 were killed in Jonesboro.[3] Over 400 others were injured during this event which was about 45% of the yearly average of tornado-related injuries in the United States.
Tornadoes in the United States
Tornadoes create different damage depending on how fast their wind speeds are. The Fujita Scale classifies a tornado by its wind speeds. For example, if the tornado's wind speeds are low, then it is classified as a F0 tornado. If the tornado's wind speeds are about 200 miles per hour or at 200 miles per hour, then it is classified as a F5 tornado. In the United States, tornadoes have been known to form at high and low intensities. The probability of a high intensity or violent tornado differs by location across the country. For example, due to the high frequency of tornadoes in the "Tornado Alley" area mentioned before, a more violent tornado would be more likely to form there due to the strength of the thunderstorms produced by the two bordering air masses. The states with the highest number of F5 and EF5 rated tornadoes since data was available in 1950 are Alabama and Oklahoma, each with seven tornadoes. Iowa, Kansas, and Texas each are tied for second most with six. The state with the highest number of F5 and EF5 tornadoes per square mile, however, was Iowa. The state with the most number of tornadoes classified as "violent", or F4 and F5, is Kentucky, and the state with the highest average intensity ranking for tornadoes is Alabama.
Tornadoes of 2014
There were at least 928 tornadoes confirmed in the United States in 2014. 54 fatalities have been confirmed worldwide in 2014: 47 in the United States, three in Brazil and two each in Australia and Russia.
Tornadoes of 2013
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 2013. Strong and destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Bangladesh, Brazil and Eastern India, but they can occur almost anywhere under the right conditions. Tornadoes also appear regularly in neighboring southern Canada during the Northern Hemisphere's summer season, and somewhat regularly in Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Tornadoes of 1961
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1961, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Climate of the United Kingdom
It is internationally recognised that the United Kingdom has a higher incidence of tornadoes, measured by unit area of land, than any other country in the world. Dr T. Theodore Fujita (inventor of the Fujita scale), an American meteorologist, was the first to recognise the UK as the top site for tornadoes in 1973. The United Kingdom has at least 33 tornadoes per year, more than any other country in the world relative to its land area. Although most tornadoes are weak, there are occasional destructive events, for example, the Birmingham tornado of 2005 and the London tornado of 2006. Both registered F2 on the Fujita scale and both caused significant damage and injury. The largest ever recorded was thought to have been an F4, again in London in 1091. The most deadly occurred on 28 December 1879. All 74 lives were lost when a passenger train plunged from the Tay Bridge (Tayside) into the Tay Estuary, when the middle section of the bridge collapsed. Although the bridge was poorly constructed and had already been weakened in earlier gales (including the pre-existing winds at the time of the tragedy), the ultimate failure is believed to have been caused by two or three waterspouts which were sighted close to the bridge immediately before the accident. A tornado also developed in London on 3 July 2007.
The UK also holds the title for the highest known 'outbreak' of tornadoes outside of the United States. The largest tornado outbreak in Britain is also the largest tornado outbreak known anywhere in Europe. On 23 November 1981, 105 tornadoes were spawned by a cold front in the space of 5.25 hours. Excepting Derbyshire, every county in a triangular area from Gwynedd to Humberside to Essex was hit by at least one tornado, while Norfolk was hit by at least 13. Very fortunately most tornadoes were short-lived and also weak (the strongest was around T5 on the TORRO Tornado Scale) and no deaths occurred.
List of Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
This page lists tornadoes and tornado outbreaks which have touched down in Canada prior to the 21st century. On average, there are around 80 confirmed and unconfirmed tornadoes that touch down in Canada each year, with most occurring in Southern Ontario, the southern Canadian Prairies and southern Quebec. Canada ranks as the country with the second most tornadoes per year, after the US. The most common types are F0 to F2 in damage intensity level and usually result in minor structural damage to barns, wood fences, roof shingles, chimneys, uprooted or snapped tree limbs and downed power lines. Fewer than 5% of tornadoes in Canada are rated F3 or higher in intensity, where wind speeds are in excess of . Prior to April 1, 2013, Canada used a slightly modified Fujita scale, and as of that date the Enhanced Fujita scale, again slightly modified, was put into use to rate tornado intensity, based on the damage to buildings and vegetation.
Tornadoes in the United States
Of the states around the Rocky Mountains, Colorado reports by far the greatest numbers of tornadoes. Eastern Colorado, both climatically and physically, has much more in common with the neighboring Plains states of Kansas and Nebraska than with the mountainous areas further west. Small cities such as Limon, Kit Carson, Thurman, and Flagler are some places in Eastern Colorado that have experienced dangerous tornadoes. The same can be said, to a lesser extent, of eastern Wyoming. Tornadoes are less frequent in mountainous areas. Of the states in this region – according to NCDC figures for the 1950 to 2006 period – Colorado reported 1,617 tornadoes, followed by Wyoming with 560, Montana (345), Idaho (175), and Utah (114).
Tornado climatology
On average, the United States experiences 100,000 thunderstorms each year, resulting in more than 1,200 tornadoes and approximately 50 deaths per year. The deadliest U.S. tornado recorded is the 18 March 1925, Tri-State Tornado that swept across southeastern Missouri, southern Illinois and southern Indiana, killing 695 people. The biggest tornado outbreak on record—with 353 tornadoes over the course of just 3 1/2 days, including four F5 and eleven F4 tornadoes—occurred starting on 25 April 2011 and intensifying on 26 April and especially the record-breaking day of 27 April before ending on 28 April. It is referred to as the 2011 Super Outbreak. Previously, the record was 148 tornadoes, dubbed the 1974 Super Outbreak. Another such significant storm system was the Palm Sunday tornado outbreak of 1965, which affected the United States Midwest on 11 April 1965. A series of continuous tornado outbreaks is known as a tornado outbreak sequence, with significant occurrences in May 1917, 1930, 1949, and 2003.
List of tornadoes causing 100 or more deaths
There are many sources of uncertainty in the statistics mentioned on this page. Before the 20th century, and even until recently in third-world countries, records-keeping was spotty at best. Before the American Civil War, slave deaths were often not included in tornado death tolls. Fatalities of African-Americans in the Southern US were routinely not counted through the 1940s and in some cases into the 1950s. Most tornadoes from many decades ago had no official government report on damage or casualties, so statistics must be compiled from local newspapers, which are not always a reliable, consistent, or comprehensive source. Many death tolls were published with people still missing, or with people critically injured and likely to die later. News media, Red Cross, and other counts don't necessarily distinguish whether a death was directly caused by a tornado and can include deaths during cleanup efforts. Routine counting of fatalities began in the US in the 1950s. In Bangladesh and India, exact populations of towns were often not known, so most death figures are approximate. Individual tornado descriptions go into more detail on these uncertainties. Officials in some areas, for example in Russia (and the USSR) and parts of Europe, until recent years denied that tornadoes occur in those areas thus fatalities may not be counted as tornadic.
Tornadoes of 1991
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1991, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes, however by the 1990s tornado statistics were coming closer to the numbers we see today.
Tornadoes of 1962
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1962, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Tornadoes of 2013
There were at least 903 tornadoes confirmed in the United States in 2013. 115 fatalities have been confirmed worldwide in 2013: 55 in the United States, 31 in Bangladesh, 24 in China, three in Turkey and two in Brazil. One of these tornadoes was the largest ever at 2.6 miles wide.
Tornadoes of 2017
This page documents notable tornadoes and tornado outbreaks worldwide in 2017. Strong and destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Brazil, 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,Argentina and Australia. Tornadic events are often accompanied with other forms of severe weather, including strong thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail.
List of tropical cyclone-spawned tornadoes
These are the tropical cyclones that are known to have spawned tornadoes. The list is most complete for the U.S., but does include other areas. Within the United States 1,163 tornadoes were associated with tropical cyclones, accounting for slightly under 6% of all tornadoes. The most tornadoes spawned by a single tropical cyclone were associated with Hurricane Ivan, which spawned 120 tornadoes.
List of Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
For a variety of reasons, such as Canada's lower population density and generally stronger housing construction due to the colder climate, Canadian tornadoes have historically caused far fewer fatalities than tornadoes in the United States. The deadliest tornado in Canadian history, the Regina Cyclone of June 30, 1912, does not even rank in the top 25 when compared to American tornado fatalities. Urban centres are not immune from the threat of severe tornadoes. Nine medium to large size Canadian cities have been hit by significant strength tornadoes (F3 or higher), which caused large-scale damage and fatalities: Regina (1912); Windsor (1946 and 1974); Sarnia (1953); Sudbury (1970); Woodstock (1979); London (1984); Barrie (1985); Edmonton (1987) Goderich (2011), Alonsa, Manitoba (2018) and Ottawa-Gatineau (2018). All figures for damages are in Canadian dollars.
Tornado climatology
The world's single deadliest tornado struck the Manikganj District of Bangladesh on April 26, 1989, killing an estimated 1,300 people, injuring 12,000, and leaving approximately 80,000 people homeless. Five other recorded tornadic events have killed more than 500 people in Bangladesh, the most recent on May 13, 1996 when multiple tornadoes swept through the Jamalpur and Tangail districts, killing more than 600.
Tornado Alley
The average tornado usually only stays on ground for 5 minutes but these figures, reported by the National Climatic Data Center for the period between 1991 and 2010, show the seventeen U.S. states with the highest average number of tornadoes per per year.
After the U.S., Canada gets the most tornadoes in the world. The average number of tornadoes per is highest in the southern parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as well as Southern Ontario. Northern Ontario between the Manitoba border and the Lake Superior lakehead is also prone to severe tornadoes, but tornadoes in this area are believed to be underestimated due to the extremely low population in this region.
Tornadoes of 2008
This page documents notable tornadoes and tornado outbreaks worldwide in 2008. 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.
Tornadoes of 2008
The largest severe weather outbreak in Europe in 2008 took place. At least 20 tornadoes were reported across a large section of the continent. At least one person was killed and one other was injured in northwestern Russia, with the fatality taking place in Udmurtiya where a house was destroyed. The strongest tornado was at least an F2. Other tornadoes were reported in Germany, Italy, Poland, Croatia, Latvia, the Netherlands and Denmark.
After a lull in activity, several small tornado events took place in the second week of July, mostly in the northern Plains region. On July 7, several tornadoes were reported near the Manitoba/North Dakota border causing damage to trees, roofs, and boats. Among the areas hit were Bottineau, Rolette and Towner Counties in North Dakota as well as Lake Metigoshe and Turtle Mountain Provincial Park in Manitoba. An EF3 tornado destroyed 12 homes and damaged 18 homes in Rolla and destroyed eight homes and damaged 47 homes in Belcourt. An EF1 tornado also touched down in Green Lake County, Wisconsin. On July 8, a barn roof was removed by an EF0 tornado that hit Whitley County, Indiana. An EF1 tornado ripped off part of a warehouse roof in Petersburg, Virginia on July 9.
List of F5 and EF5 tornadoes
In all, 63 tornadoes have been officially rated F5/EF5 since 1950: 59 in the United States and one each in Italy, France, Russia, and Canada. The works of Grazulis also revealed 16 more F5 tornadoes between 1950 and 1995, with four later being accepted by the NCDC. Since the implementation of the Enhanced Fujita scale on February 1, 2007, there have been nine officially rated EF5 tornadoes in the United States from May 4th, 2007-May 20th, 2013 to date, while previously fifty tornadoes were officially rated F5 on the original Fujita scale from May 11th, 1953-May 3rd, 1999.
Tornadoes of 1975
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1975, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Tornado climatology
Some people mistakenly believe that tornadoes only occur in the countryside. This is hardly the case. While it is true that the plains states are the most tornado-prone places in the nation, it should be noted that tornadoes have been reported in every U.S state, including Alaska and Hawaii. One likely reason tornadoes are so common in the central U.S is because this is where Arctic air, cold fronts that have not been "weakened" yet first collide with warm tropical air from the Gulf of Mexico. As these fronts head further east, they sometimes lose their strength as they travel over more warm air. For this reason, tornadoes are not as common on the East Coast as they are in the Midwest. However, they have happened on rare occasion, such as the F3 twister that struck Limerick Township, Pennsylvania near Philadelphia on 27 July 1994, the F2 twister that struck the northern suburbs of New York City on 12 July 2006, the EF2 twister in the borough of Brooklyn on 8 August 2007, or the F4 twister that struck La Plata, Maryland on 28 April 2002.
Tornadoes of 1980
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1980, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
List of Rhode Island tornadoes
This is a list of all tornadoes reported in the US state of Rhode Island. Although tornadoes are very rare in this state, at least 15 have been recorded in modern history. Additionally, because of high population density and property values, Rhode Island ranks 5th among states in potential losses due to tornadoes.
Tornadoes of 2018
There were 1,169 preliminary reports of tornadoes in the United States in 2018, of which at least 987 have been confirmed. Fifteen tornado-related deaths were confirmed worldwide; ten in the United States, four in Brazil, and one in Canada. The United States saw below-average numbers of tornadoes in 2018, with near record low tornado amounts in the typical peak month of May. Elsewhere in North America, the only officially-rated violent (EF4-EF5) tornado of the year occurred near the town of Alonsa, Manitoba on August 3; therefore, making 2018 the first year that the United States has not had a violent tornado touchdown through the entire year. With only 10 fatalities in the United States, 2018 also had the lowest number of tornado-related fatalities on record in the United States.16 tornadoes were reported in the United States in January, of which 15 were confirmed.
List of 21st-century Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
For a variety of reasons, such as Canada's lower population density and generally stronger housing construction due to the colder climate, Canadian tornadoes have historically caused far fewer fatalities than tornadoes in the United States. The deadliest tornado in Canadian history, the Regina Cyclone of June 30, 1912, does not even rank in the top 25 when compared to American tornado fatalities. Urban centres are not immune from the threat of severe tornadoes. Nine medium to large size Canadian cities have been hit by significant strength tornadoes (F3 or higher), which caused large-scale damage and fatalities: Regina (1912); Windsor (1946 and 1974); Sarnia (1953); Sudbury (1970); Woodstock (1979); London (1984); Barrie (1985); Edmonton (1987); Goderich (2011); and Ottawa-Gatineau (2018).
Tornadoes in the United States
Hurricanes and other tropical storms can also generate tornadoes. Louisiana and the coastal regions of Mississippi and Alabama are most at risk from these storms. The Atlantic seaboard states can be affected too. According to NCDC figures for the 1950 to 2006 period, Mississippi reported 1,787 tornadoes, followed by Louisiana (1,644), Alabama (1,608), Arkansas (1,579), Georgia (1,324), North Carolina (1,042), Tennessee (892), South Carolina (819), Kentucky (710) and Virginia (565). West Virginia, by contrast, is one of the least vulnerable states of all with just 120 tornadoes reported over the period.
Daulatpur–Saturia tornado
Bangladesh is one of the countries with the highest frequency of tornadoes, behind the United States and Canada. Bangladesh has received other deadly tornadoes, but this particular storm was the worst in the country's history.
Tornadoes of 1977
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1977, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Tornadoes of 1963
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1963, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Tornadoes of 2010
There were 1,282 tornadoes confirmed in the United States in 2010, with 45 confirmed fatalities. Elsewhere in the world, 11 people were killed in tornadoes: six in Argentina, three in the Bahamas and one each in Bangladesh and Germany. The year was near average for tornadoes despite an extremely quiet early spring period, however such changed after a huge upswing starting in late April and a busy late spring and summer period. The autumn months were slightly above average.
Tornadoes in New England
Tornadoes are a violent weather phenomenon that occur most often in the United States, to the east of the Rocky Mountains. However, they most often occur in the Southern and Central United States, and are comparatively rare in New England. However, no region is immune to tornadoes if the weather conditions are right.
Tornado climatology
Europe has about 300 tornadoes per year – much more than estimated by Alfred Wegener in his classic book "Wind- und Wasserhosen in Europa" ("Tornadoes and Waterspouts in Europe"). They are most common in June–August, especially in the inlands – rarest in January–March. Strong and violent tornadoes (F3–F5) do occur, especially in some of the interior areas and in the south – but are not as common as in parts of the US. As in the US, tornadoes are far from evenly distributed. Europe has some small "tornado alleys" – probably because of frontal collisions as in the south and east of England, but also because Europe is partitioned by mountain ranges like the Alps. Parts of Styria (Steiermark) in Austria may be such a tornado alley, and this county has had at least three F3 tornadoes since 1900. F3 and perhaps one F4 tornado have occurred as far north as Finland.