Lists
of Alabama Tornadoes, 1950 to 2003
25
Deadliest Tornadoes | 10 Highest Years | 25
Longest Tracks
25 Deadliest Tornadoes in Alabama
Since 1880
Ranking Based on Number of Deaths
This table lists the top
25 tornadoes ranked in order based on the number of deaths that occurred
in Alabama. Several of the tornadoes noted crossed state lines; in
those cases, the number of deaths refers to the number that occurred
in Alabama. Under "Counties Affected", the number in brackets
is the number of deaths in the other state.
# # width length F-
# Date time dead inj yards miles Scale Counties Affected
1 3/21/1932 1630 49 150 800 60 F4 PERRY/BIBB/CHILTON/SHELBY/COOSA
2 4/20/1920 0800 44 700 900 130 F4 OKTIBBEHA/CLAY/MONROE/ITAWAMBA MS [44]/
MARION/FRANKLIN/COLBERT/LAWRENCE, AL
3 3/21/1932 1910 41 325 400 25 F4 TALLADEGA
4 3/21/1932 2000 38 500 400 75 F4 MORGAN/MADISON/JACKSON, AL [38]/MARION, TN [0]
5 3/21/1932 1600 37 200 400 20 F4 TUSCALOOSA
6 1/22/1904 0020 36 150 300 15 F4 HALE/TUSCALOOSA
7 4/08/1998 1952 32 256 880 31 F5 TUSCALOOSA/JEFFERSON
8 3/21/1932 1730 31 200 800 50 F4 PERRY/CHILTON /COOSA
9 4/3/1974 1750 28 260 unk 51 F5 LAWRENCE/MORGAN/LIMESTONE/MADISON
10 3/21/1913 0430 27 60 400 13 F4 CLARKE/WILCOX
10 4/20/1920 1230 27 100 400 20 F4 MADISON
10 5/27/1917 2045 27 100 800 25 F4 JEFFERSON /BLOUNT
13 5/12/1945 1722 26 293 100 13 F3 MONTGOMERY
13 5/19/1884 1430 26 100 400 35 F4 CALHOUN /CHEROKEE, AL [26]/FLOYD, GA [4]
15 4/15/1956 1500 25 200 300 20 F4 JEFFERSON
16 4/4/1977 1500 22 130 500 15 F5 JEFFERSON
16 3/27/1994 1055 22 130 880 53 F4 ST. CLAIR/CALHOUN/CHEROKEE,AL [22]/POLK, GA [0]
18 4/20/1920 1000 21 50 400 50 F4 FAYETTE/WALKER/WINSTON/CULLMAN/MORGAN
18 11/15/1989 1630 21 463 800 19 F4 MADISON
18 4/5/1933 0230 21 200 500 35 F4 BIBB/SHELBY
21 4/3/1974 1950 20 280 900 102 F5 MONROE,MS[10]/MARION/WINSTON/LAWRENCE/MORGAN,AL[20]
22 4/8/1903 0130 19 100 100 20 F4 CULLMAN /BLOUNT
22 3/28/1920 1445 19 125 400 50 F4 ELMORE/TALLAPOOSA/CHAMBERS,AL[19]/TROUP,GA [7]
24 10/25/1925 0200 18 60 300 65 F4 CRENSHAW/PIKE/BULLOCK/BARBOUR
24 3/21/1932 1630 18 100 600 25 F4 CULLMAN/MORGAN/MARSHALL
26 3/25/1901 0945 17 100 50 15 F3 JEFFERSON
Note: Tornado statistics
prior to 1950 are based largely on historical research; after 1950,
the National Weather Service began a stronger effort to collect and
document the effects of tornadoes and other types of severe weather.
10 Highest Years
of Tornado Deaths Since 1950
This table shows the ten
years with the highest number of tornado deaths. There are actually
thirteen years on the list since seven deaths were reported in each
of the years of 1995 and 1996 and 10 deaths in 1957 and 1973.
Interestingly, the years
of 1989 (6th) and 1994 (5th) had a large number of deaths, but in
each of those years, all of the tornado deaths were attributed to
one tornado. In 1989 it was the Huntsville tornado on November 15,
1989, and in 1994, it was the Piedmont/Goshen tornado on March 27,
1994.
Number of # of # of
Ranking Year Tornadoes Deaths Injuries
1 1974 39 79 950
2 1998 50 34 256
3 1956 5 25 208
4 1977 21 23 144
5 1994 19 22 264
6 1989 23 21 478
7 1953 22 16 258
8 (tie)2000 43 13 146
2002 25 13 100
9 1964 26 12 31
10 (tie)1957 45 10 192
1973 45 10 408
Please note that this list
is based on tornado statistics since 1950. Data prior to 1950 is
based largely on historical research; after 1950, the National Weather
Service (formerly the Weather Bureau) placed more emphasis on collecting
and documenting information about tornadoes and other types of severe
weather.
25 Longest Tornado Tracks
In Alabama Since 1880
Width Length F-
Date Time Dead Inj yards miles Scale Counties Affected
5/27/1973 1720 7 208 800 135 F4 HALE/PERRY/BIBB/SHELBY/TALLADEGA
4/20/1920 0800 44 700 900 130 F4 OKTIBBEHA/CLAY/MONROE/ITAWAMBA,MS [44]
/MARION/FRANKLIN/COLBERT/LAWRENCE, AL [44]
4/24/1908 1440 35 188 105 F4 WALKER/JEFFERSON/BLOUNT/MARSHALL/DEKALB
4/3/1974 1935 3 178 500 103 F4 PICKENS/TUSCALOOSA/FAYETTE/WALKER/CULLMAN
4/3/1974 1950 20 280 900 102 F5 MONROE, MS [10]/MARION/WINSTON/LAWRENCE/MORGAN,AL [20]
3/28/1902 1530 2 30 70 90 F2 CALHOUN/PONTOTOC/LEE/ITAWAMBA, MS /FRANKLIN, AL
1/11/1885 1830 2 20 400 80 F4 GREENE/HALE/BIBB/CHILTON
3/21/1932 2000 38 500 400 75 F4 MORGAN/MADISON/JACKSON, AL [38]/MARION, TN [0]
11/10/2002 2015 7 53 1100 73 F3 FAYETTE/WALKER/WINSTON/CULLMAN
11/3/1968 1755 0 18 200 70 F2 MOBILE/BALDWIN, AL/ESCAMBIA, FL/ESCAMBIA, AL
10/25/1925 0200 18 60 300 65 F4 CRENSHAW/PIKE/BULLOCK/BARBOUR
4/3/1974 1650 1 20 200 65 F2 CLEBURNE, AL/HARALSON/PAULDING/COBB/BARTOW/CHEROKEE,GA
3/21/1932 1630 49 150 800 60 F4 PERRY/BIBB/CHILTON/SHELBY/COOSA
1/11/1885 2115 2 20 600 60 F3 COOSA/CLAY/RANDOLPH
3/3/1966 1930 1 27 150 55 F2 PICKENS/TUSCALOOSA
4/8/1957 0946 0 5 55 F3 MARION/WINSTON/LAWRENCE
3/5/1989 1940 1 6 150 53 F2 CHAMBERS/RANDOLPH, AL/HEARD/COWETA, GA
2/19/1938 1900 1 0 30 53 Fl CRENSHAW
3/27/1994 1055 22 130 880 53 F4 ST. CLAIR/CALHOUN/CHEROKEE,AL [22]/POLK, GA [0]
4/3/1974 1750 28 260 51 F5 LAWRENCE/MORGAN/LIMESTONE/MADISON
12/5/1954 1300 0 17 100 50 F2 LEE, AL/MERIWETHER, GA
3/21/1932 1730 31 200 800 50 F4 PERRY/CHILTON/COOSA
4/5/1936 2215 5 13 200 50 F3 LAUDERDALE/LIMESTONE/MADISON, AL/LINCOLN, TN
4/20/1920 1000 21 50 400 50 F4 FAYETTE/WALKER/WINSTON/CULLMAN/MORGAN
5/27/1973 1750 1 76 400 50 F3 JEFFERSON/ST.CLAIR/ETOWAH
3/28/1920 1445 19 125 400 50 F4 ELMORE/TALLAPOOSA/CHAMBERS, AL [19]/TROUP, GA [7]
4/3/1974 1825 16 250 500 50 F4 LIMESTONE/MADISON, AL [16]/LINCOLN, TN [6]
Note: Today, with the benefit
of aerial surveys, it is generally believed that tornado lifetimes
generate path lengths with a maximum of 75 to 80 miles. This is due
to the dynamic structure of supercell-type thunderstorms, and the
general belief that tornadoes occur in families with each damage
path ranging from 20 to 75 miles or so. Much of the information presented
here comes from historical research, so path lengths are estimated
from narrative accounts without the benefit of the aerial survey
often made today.
