Tornadoes of 2011 facts for kids

A graph showing the number of tornadoes in the United States during 2011, compared to past years.

This page tells you all about the tornadoes that happened in 2011. Tornadoes that cause the most damage usually form in the United States, Bangladesh, and eastern India. But they can happen almost anywhere if the conditions are right. Tornadoes also show up often in southern Canada during the summer. They happen less often in Europe, Asia, and Australia.

In 2011, 1,897 tornadoes were reported in the U.S., and 1,704 of them were confirmed. This year was very busy for tornadoes. At least 577 people died from tornadoes in 2011. Most of these deaths (553) were in the United States. Others died in Bangladesh (12), South Africa (2), New Zealand (1), the Philippines (1), Russia (1), and Canada (1). There were several huge tornado outbreaks in April and May. The April outbreaks caused the second-highest number of deaths from tornadoes in U.S. history for a single year.

The tornadoes described here are ranked using the Enhanced Fujita Scale. This scale measures how strong a tornado is based on the damage it causes.

Tornadoes in January 2011

In January, 29 tornadoes were reported in the U.S., and 16 were confirmed.

A series of deadly tornadoes continued into the early hours of January 1. Seven tornadoes hit Mississippi in just three hours. The strongest one was an EF3, with winds of 145 mph (233 km/h). It caused a lot of damage along Mississippi Highway 19. The total damage in Mississippi from these tornadoes was about US$10.4 million. Three people were hurt.

Three tornadoes also formed in eastern Europe in late January. Two were in Turkey and one in Greece. The strongest was an F2 tornado that hit northern Rhodes.

Tornadoes in February 2011

In February, 68 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.

Several tornadoes hit parts of the Southern United States on February 24. The strongest tornado was in Nashville, Tennessee. Another tornado formed in Wilson County, where an emergency was announced. Both of these tornadoes were rated EF2.

A home destroyed by an EF2 tornado in Dubois County, Indiana.

Another big storm system happened on February 27 and continued into February 28. It affected the Midwest and South. At least 35 tornadoes were reported across several states. The tornado that caused the most damage was in Franklin County, Tennessee on the afternoon of February 28. One person was killed by an EF2 tornado. This was the first death caused by a tornado in 2011. Other tornadoes formed in parts of Missouri and Illinois. There were 22 tornadoes in that area, some as strong as EF2. No one was killed in those tornadoes, but they caused about $12.8 million in damage.

Tornadoes in March 2011

In March, 75 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.

An EF0 tornado hit Crowley, Louisiana on March 5. An EF2 tornado struck Rayne, Louisiana later that afternoon. It tragically killed a mother who was protecting her daughter. At least 12 other people were hurt. Two EF0 tornadoes were also confirmed in eastern North Carolina.

Several tornadoes formed on March 8 in northern Texas. They then moved eastward towards the Florida Panhandle. Louisiana was hit the hardest. The most damaging tornadoes, rated EF2, formed just north of New Orleans.

There was a short tornado on the afternoon of March 21 near Maxwell, California. The same storm system caused more severe weather in eastern Nebraska. Later, a group of powerful supercell thunderstorms started producing tornadoes in south-central Iowa. On March 23, more tornadoes and severe weather developed. The strongest tornadoes formed in eastern Tennessee, causing a lot of damage.

Damage from one of the tornadoes near Tampa.

On March 29, a warm front from the Gulf of Mexico moved north into the Gulf Coast States. This brought some severe weather. Three tornadoes formed in Louisiana. One person was killed in Mississippi when lightning caused a house fire. The worst weather then moved into central Florida on March 30. Ten tornadoes formed over the next two days. The damage totaled more than $5 million. Seven people were hurt when one of the tornadoes hit a local festival.

Tornadoes in April 2011

In April, 768 tornadoes were confirmed in the United States. This set a new record for the most tornadoes in the country during one month. The old record was 552 in May 2003.

April 4–11: Early April Storms

Two tornadoes were reported in Kentucky during the early afternoon of April 4. Both were rated EF2 and caused several injuries. Many buildings were destroyed, trapping people inside. One person was killed by an EF2 tornado in Dodge County, Georgia. Nearly 100,000 homes in Tennessee and 147,000 homes in Georgia lost power.

Two tornadoes formed on April 8. One was an EF2 that caused very bad damage in Pulaski, Virginia. Many houses were damaged, and eight people were hurt. On the afternoon of April 9, supercells moved through parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina. At least four tornadoes formed.

Damage from the EF3 Mapleton tornado.

On the evening of April 9, several severe thunderstorms developed across Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa. In western Iowa, a single supercell formed a group of ten tornadoes. The first one was 0.75 mi (1.21 km) wide and hit Mapleton, Iowa. It destroyed about 100 homes. No one was killed, but about 14 to 16 people were injured.

April 14–16: Mid-April Outbreak

The Tushka, Oklahoma tornado.

On the afternoon of April 14, a warning was issued for much of eastern Oklahoma. Supercells developed over central Oklahoma, and several tornadoes were confirmed. A large and very strong tornado caused major damage in the towns of Atoka and Tushka. Many houses in these towns were destroyed. Two people were killed and 25 more were injured in Tushka. Another two people were killed in Arkansas.

Thunderstorms developed again over parts of Mississippi, and tornadoes started forming. An emergency was declared for the northern Jackson area. A destructive tornado moved through the area, causing very bad damage and several injuries. A large tornado formed in east-central Mississippi and west-central Alabama, and another tornado emergency was issued. At least eight people were killed between these two states.

On April 16, a huge outbreak of tornadoes hit North Carolina. It was the state's worst tornado outbreak in 25 years. At least 24 people died, and 135 were badly injured. Tornadoes also struck South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Twelve supercells produced at least 25 tornadoes. At least 32 counties were affected. A total of 21 businesses and 440 homes were destroyed. Another 92 businesses and 6,189 homes were badly damaged. The worst damage was in Raleigh County.

April 19–24: Late April Storms

More severe weather developed across the Midwest and southern Great Plains on April 19. Thunderstorms started in the late afternoon and early evening. They brought large hail and several tornadoes. A large tornado was reported near Octavia, Oklahoma. The supercells then joined together into a very large squall line. Overnight, the squall line moved eastward and caused major wind damage. It formed several tornadoes across many states. A few were as strong as EF2, but most were short and weak. In the early hours of April 20, a tornado moved through Oregon, Ohio. It caused some damage, but no one was injured. Three tornadoes hit New Albany, Indiana and Jeffersonville, Indiana. On April 22, several more tornadoes caused damage in the area. The strongest was rated EF4 and hit St. Louis. It caused huge damage to the city. A few more tornadoes were reported on April 23–24, but most did not cause severe damage.

Severe weather returned to parts of the Midwest on April 22. St. Louis was hit the hardest. The airport was badly damaged. Several tornadoes were reported in other areas. These included an EF2 tornado that moved through Henderson, Webster, and Union County in Kentucky.

April 25–28: The Super Outbreak

Between April 25 and 28, a huge outbreak of tornadoes happened across much of the Southern United States, and parts of the Midwest and Northeast. There were over 300 confirmed tornadoes. A total of 325 people were killed. It was one of the worst tornado outbreaks in U.S. history. More than 40 tornadoes were confirmed each day: 46 on April 25, 55 on April 26, 206 on April 27, and 51 on April 28. This event ranks third for the number of very violent tornadoes (with 15 EF4/5 storms). Only the 1974 Super Outbreak and 1965 Palm Sunday outbreak had more.

Tornadoes in May 2011

The Albany tornado caused very bad damage to buildings in its path.

In May, 326 tornadoes were confirmed in the United States. There was also one tornado in Taiwan and another in the Philippines. The one in the Philippines caused very bad damage and killed one person.

On May 3, a series of thunderstorms hit northern New Zealand. Around 3:00 pm NZST, a tornado formed in the Albany suburb of Auckland. Winds were estimated at 125 mph (201 km/h). The tornado was a strong EF2. It caused bad damage to much of the area. A total of 50 homes were damaged along the tornado's path. One person was killed, and at least 20 others were injured.

On May 9, two tornadoes formed in South Dakota. They were rated EF1 and EF2. The storm system slowly moved eastward to Minnesota on May 10. Thunderstorms in Minnesota produced large hail. One EF1 tornado formed there.

On May 21, several tornadoes formed in Kansas. One person was killed in Topeka, several others were injured, and at least 20 houses were destroyed. After hitting Topeka, it hit several other towns. Several other tornadoes formed in the region that evening.

The Joplin Tornado

On May 22, a supercell thunderstorm that produces tornadoes formed over Minnesota. It caused major damage in and around Minneapolis. A strong tornado also moved towards Harmony that afternoon, and a tornado emergency was issued. Late that afternoon, a very large and strong tornado caused serious damage in Joplin. Entire communities were destroyed. Many people were reported to be trapped in destroyed houses. A total of 158 people were killed, and more than 1,000 others were injured.

Tornadoes in June 2011

In June, 156 tornadoes were confirmed in the United States.

The Springfield tornado.

A tornado watch was issued on June 1 for parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. That afternoon, an EF3 tornado formed in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts and traveled east for 39 miles. It caused major damage to many towns, and many injuries were reported. The tornado in Springfield was the first tornado in Massachusetts to kill someone since 1995.

A large EF3 tornado formed north of Hill City, Kansas on June 19. Another formed later that afternoon near Elm Creek, Nebraska. Several other tornadoes were reported across the region, including near Ravenna and in York County. Some were reported to be very large and strong, but they mostly stayed in open country. On June 21, tornadoes were reported in Anoka County, Minnesota, and Green Lake and Fond du Lac Counties in Wisconsin. A series of tornadoes moved across the area around Louisville, Kentucky late on June 22. A total of five tornadoes were confirmed in the area, including two that were rated EF2. One of the tornadoes hit Churchill Downs and badly damaged several buildings. Tornadoes were also confirmed in Mississippi, Tennessee, Michigan, and Indiana.

Tornadoes in July 2011

In July, at least four tornadoes formed in Alberta, Canada. They did not cause any major damage.

There were 101 tornadoes confirmed in the United States in July. On July 1, winds as high as 125 mph (201 km/h) caused damage through South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. The worst damage was along the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Seven tornadoes formed, two of which were rated EF2. On July 16 and 17, at least 16 tornadoes formed over the northern Plains. Most of them were reported in North Dakota. A few of them caused major damage, including a house that was destroyed by a strong EF3 tornado in LaMoure County.

Tornadoes in August 2011

On August 1, an F2 tornado struck the city of Blagoveshchensk, in Russia. It stayed on the ground for 13 minutes. The storm damaged over 100 homes and 150 cars. One person was killed, and 28 were injured. Damage from the tornado was estimated to cost €1.2 to 2 million ($1.8 to 2.9 million).

There were 59 tornadoes confirmed in the United States in August. Early on August 10, a strong tornado hit Oklahoma near Locust Grove. The tornado destroyed a mobile home, killing one person and injuring two others. The tornado was rated as an EF2.

A tornado formed in Wausaukee, Wisconsin on August 19. It was rated EF1, with winds up to 105 mph (169 km/h). It killed one person.

A strong tornado formed late in the afternoon of August 21 over Goderich in Ontario. It struck the center of town and caused very bad damage. It was the strongest tornado in Ontario since 1996. At least 37 people were injured, and one person was killed. Winds were up to 300 km/h (190 mph; 160 kn). Environment Canada rated this storm as an F3 tornado.

August 26–28: Hurricane Irene Tornadoes

Hurricane Irene produced several tornadoes as it moved onto land in North Carolina and traveled northward. These tornadoes were reported across several states along the east coast.

Tornadoes in September 2011

There were 51 tornadoes confirmed in the United States in September. Tropical Storm Lee caused at least 55 reports of tornadoes along the northern Gulf Coast starting on September 3 and into September 4. Damage was reported from central Louisiana to the western Florida Panhandle.

Tornadoes in October 2011

Two tornadoes formed in South Africa on October 2. One was in the Free State and one in the East Rand, Gauteng. Several homes were destroyed, and two people were killed in the township of Duduza.

There were 23 tornadoes confirmed in the United States in October. Several tornadoes formed in central Virginia on October 13. The worst damage was in New Kent County. One other tornado formed near Dumfries, Virginia. In total, five tornadoes were confirmed on this day.

At least three tornadoes formed in Florida late on October 18. Dozens of homes were damaged in Broward County by a tornado with winds of 120 mph. A second tornado with wind speeds of 85 mph struck Indiantown. A third tornado with winds up to 65 mph caused major damage to a home in Indiro.

Tornadoes in November 2011

There were 46 tornadoes confirmed in the United States in November.

A tornado near Manitou, Oklahoma on November 7.

A series of tornadoes formed across the south-central U.S. on November 7 and 8. They were mainly in Texas and Oklahoma. A total of 20 tornadoes were reported across the region. One of the tornadoes was rated as an EF4. This was the first F4 or EF4 tornado in Oklahoma in November since records began in 1950. Most of the tornadoes, however, stayed in very rural areas.

A long series of tornadoes formed across a large part of the U.S. starting on November 14 and continuing into November 15 and 16. Two EF2 tornadoes formed in southwestern New York. Farther south, more tornadoes formed late on November 15 into early on November 16 across Mississippi and into Alabama. Several of these tornadoes caused very bad damage and many injuries. The activity spread into the Carolinas that afternoon. An EF2 tornado just south of Rock Hill, South Carolina caused the deaths of three people. Another EF2 tornado south of Thomasville killed two people and caused very bad damage. Another person was killed in Forsyth County in Georgia.

On November 29, a tornado hit Manchester, in England, and damaged trees and buildings. An F1 (T3) tornado was confirmed in Rossington, South Yorkshire, on the evening of November 28.

Tornadoes in December 2011

At least 15 tornadoes were confirmed in the United States in December. These were reported across Alabama and Georgia. The strongest tornado was an EF3. It caused very bad damage in parts of Floyd and Gordon Counties. At least two people were injured.

The north-west of Melbourne, Australia, was hit by three tornadoes on December 25. The first tornado was reported in Fiskville, about 15 km west of Bacchus Marsh. The second was reported in the city of Melton. Another tornado was reported in Taylors Lakes.

Images for kids

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  The cyclone responsible for the historic outbreak on April 27.

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  Road surface stripped by an EF5 tornado near Philadelphia, Mississippi.

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  This transmission tower near Wall, South Dakota was bent by an EF2 tornado.

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  St. John's Regional Medical Center after the May 22 Joplin tornado.

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  The Polk County tornado.