Tuesday, May 24, 2011

NOAA: 2011 Tornado Information

2011 tornado information

Updated: May 23, 2011, 4:00 p.m. EDT


Preliminary tornado statistics including records set in 2011

May 2011
  • NOAA satellite shows storm system moments before spawning tornado in Joplin, Mo.
    NOAA satellite shows storm system moments before spawning tornado in Joplin, Mo.
    (Credit: NOAA)
     The May 22, Joplin, Missouri tornado, with an estimated 89 fatalities, is the highest death toll from a single tornado since the 1953 tornado that hit Worcester, Mass., which caused 90 fatalities on June 9, 1953.
    • If the fatalities exceed 90, the Joplin tornado will become the deadliest since Flint, Michigan (116 fatalities - June 8, 1953).
  • National Weather Service's (NWS) preliminary estimate is more than 100 tornadoes have occurred during the month of May 2011. 
    • The record number of tornadoes during the month of May was 542 tornadoes set in May 2003.
    • Deadliest Tornado Years in US History
      (Official NOAA-NWS Record: 1950 - present; Research by Grazulis: 1875-1949)
      1925794
      1936552
      1917551
      1927540
      1896537
      1953519
      1920499
      1908477
      2011454
      (365 + 89 estimated Joplin fatalities as of May 23)
      1909404
      1932394
      1942384
      1924376
      1974366
      1933362
       The average number of tornadoes for the month of May during the past decade is 298.
    • May is historically the most active month for tornadoes. 
2011 Year-to-Date (and record annual) Statistics
  • NWS’s preliminary estimate is that there have been approximately 1,000 tornadoes so far this year.
    • The previous yearly record number of tornadoes was set in 2004 with 1,817.
    • The overall yearly average number of tornadoes for the past decade is 1,274.
  • The preliminary estimated number of tornado fatalities so far this year is 454.  NWS records indicate that there were 365 tornado fatalities before the Joplin tornado.  Media reports currently indicate 89 fatalities in the Joplin event.
    • The US tornado death toll is the highest ever through the month of May in the NOAA-NWS official record (1950-present).
    • The highest recorded annual death toll from tornadoes in the NOAA-NWS official record (1950-present) was set in 1953 with 519 fatalities.
April 2011
  • April 2011 set a new record for the month with 875 tornadoes.
    • The previous record was set in April 1974 with 267 tornadoes.
    • The average number of tornadoes for the month of April during the past decade is 161.
    • The previous record number of tornadoes during any month was 542 tornadoes set in May 2003.
       
  • NWS records indicate 321 people were killed during the April 25-28 tornado outbreak.
  • NWS records indicate 361 people were killed during the entire month of April 2011.
  • April 25-28 Preliminary Tornado Tracks Map (Based on NWS Storm Survey Findings)

Deadliest Single Tornadoes in NOAA-NWS Official Record

(1950 - present)
TornadoFatalitiesDate
Flint, Michigan116June 8, 1953
Waco, Texas114May 11, 1953
Worcester, Massachusetts90June 9, 1953
Joplin, Missouri89 (est.)May 22, 2011
Udall, Kansas80May 25, 1955
Hackleburg, Alabama78April 27, 2011
Tuscaloosa-Birmingham, Alabama61April 27, 2011
"Candlestick Park," Mississippi & Alabama58March 3, 1966
Cary, Mississippi58February 21, 1971
Judsonia, Arkansas50February 21, 1952

Single Day Tornado Fatalities

Single Day Outbreak Number of Fatalities Records:  Source: Grazulis for pre-1950, NOAA/NWS data for post-1950
DateEyewitness Reports
March 18, 1925747
March 21, 1932332
May 17, 1840317
April 27, 2011314 (NOAA data)
April 3, 1974310 (NOAA data - US only)
May 27, 1896305
April 11, 1965260 (NOAA data)
April 5, 1936249
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