Modern history
Major tornado outbreaks since 2000
Every major US tornado outbreak of the 21st century. What year had how many. What killed the most.
2000s decade
- 2003 May 4-10 outbreak — 401 tornadoes over week. Multiple deaths.
- 2004 May 24 — 116 tornadoes.
- 2007 May 4-5 Greensburg — EF5. 13 dead.
- 2008 Super Tuesday (Feb 5-6) — 87 tornadoes. 57 dead.
- 2008 May 22-25 — 235 tornadoes across Midwest.
- 2009 April 9-11 outbreak — 90 tornadoes.
2010s decade — the modern peak
- 2011 April 25-28 Super Outbreak — 360 tornadoes. 324 dead. Deadliest since 1974.
- 2011 May 22-27 Joplin outbreak — 202 tornadoes. Joplin EF5 alone 158 dead.
- 2012 March 2-3 outbreak — 80+ tornadoes. 41 dead.
- 2013 May 18-20 Moore outbreak — 82 tornadoes. Moore EF5 24 dead.
- 2013 May 31 El Reno outbreak — Widest tornado (2.6 mi). 8 dead including TWISTEX researchers.
- 2013 Nov 17 outbreak — 78 tornadoes late-season.
- 2015 May 6-9 outbreak — 51 tornadoes.
- 2016 Feb 23-24 outbreak — Deep South.
- 2017 Jan 22 outbreak — Deep South. 20 dead.
- 2017 April 28-30 outbreak — 79 tornadoes.
- 2018 April 13-15 outbreak — 80+ tornadoes.
- 2019 May 27-29 outbreak — 66 tornadoes.
- 2019 Dec 16-17 outbreak — Deep South late-season.
2020s decade
- 2020 March 2-3 Nashville outbreak — 25 dead. Nashville, Cookeville.
- 2020 April 12-13 Easter outbreak — 34 dead across Southeast.
- 2021 Dec 10-11 Quad State outbreak — 88 tornadoes overnight. 89 dead including Mayfield candle factory.
- 2022 April 4-5 outbreak — 70+ tornadoes.
- 2022 May 12 outbreak — Midwest.
- 2023 March 24-27 Rolling Fork outbreak — Rolling Fork EF4 26 dead.
- 2023 March 31-April 1 outbreak — 150+ tornadoes over weekend.
- 2024 May 6-9 outbreak — 100+ tornadoes.
- 2024 May 25 outbreak — Iowa impact.
- 2024 Nov 2 outbreak — Late-season Southeast.
- 2025 April 2-5 outbreak — Deep South.
The single worst outbreak: 2011 Super Outbreak
April 25-28, 2011. The deadliest tornado outbreak since 1974.
- 324 dead — most since 1974.
- 360 tornadoes over 4 days.
- Peak day April 27 with 200+ tornadoes.
- 4 EF5 tornadoes: Hackleburg-Phil Campbell AL, Smithville MS, Rainsville AL, Philadelphia MS.
- Multiple EF4s.
- 65 dead in Tuscaloosa-Birmingham EF4.
- 43 dead in Hackleburg EF5.
- Long-track tornadoes: many 40+ mile paths.
- $11 billion damage.
- Reshaped Alabama emergency management.
- Reshaped storm shelter culture in Deep South.
The Quad State Dec 2021
Dec 10-11, 2021. First deadly December outbreak in decades.
- 89 dead. Deadliest since 2011.
- Long-track tornado from Arkansas through Kentucky.
- Mayfield KY candle factory collapsed.
- Bowling Green KY hit hard.
- Overnight tornado — extreme fatality driver.
- ~150 mile continuous track (or multiple in sequence — debated).
- EF4 rating.
- Reshaped winter tornado awareness.
The 2023 April Rolling Fork EF4
- March 24-25, 2023.
- 26 dead in Rolling Fork, Mississippi.
- EF4 tornado through the town.
- Rural, mobile home density.
- Reshaped tornado safety for Mississippi Delta.
- One of series of outbreaks that year.
Outbreak statistics 2000-2025
- Total tornadoes: about 30,000.
- Average per year: ~1,200.
- Total tornado deaths: ~1,900.
- Worst year: 2011 (~553 dead).
- Best year: 2018 (~9 dead).
- Median year: ~65 dead.
The seasonal patterns
Spring peak (March-June)
Peak tornado season historically.
Fall peak (Oct-Nov)
Secondary peak in Deep South.
Winter tornadoes (Dec-Feb)
Increasingly common Deep South.
Summer relatively quiet
Except Northern Plains.
The specific dates you should know
April 3-4, 1974
Original Super Outbreak. 148 tornadoes. 335 dead.
April 27, 2011
Modern Super Outbreak peak day.
May 20, 2013
Moore EF5 anniversary.
May 22, 2011
Joplin anniversary.
May 31, 2013
El Reno anniversary.
March 3, 2020
Nashville anniversary.
Dec 10, 2021
Mayfield anniversary.
March 24, 2023
Rolling Fork anniversary.