Portal:Tornadoes

The Tornadoes Portal

An F5 tornado near Tracy, Minnesota, in 1968

Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air that are in contact with the Earth and either a cumulonimbus or a cumulus cloud. Tornadoes are often referred to as twisters, whirlwinds, or cyclones. While most tornadoes attain winds of less than 110 miles per hour (180 km/h), are about 250 feet (80 m) across, and travel a few miles (several kilometers), the wind speeds in the most intense tornadoes can reach 300 miles per hour (480 km/h), are more than two miles (3 km) in diameter, and stay on the ground for dozens of miles (more than 100 km). Various types of tornadoes include the multiple vortex tornado, landspout, and waterspout. Other tornado-like phenomena that exist in nature include the gustnado, dust devil, fire whirl, and steam devil. Most tornadoes occur in North America (in the United States and Canada), concentrated in a region nicknamed the Tornado Alley. Tornadoes also occur in South America, South Africa, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.

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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.

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. Fatalities were also reported elsewhere in the world: Eighteen in China, three in France, two each in Bangladesh and Poland, and one in Russia. With 1,692 confirmed tornadoes, 2008 ranked as the fourth most active US tornado season on record; only 2011, 2024, and 2004 have had more tornadoes confirmed with 1,713, 1,797 and 1,817, respectively. The US state of Kansas received the most tornadoes in the United States in 2008 with 187. (Full article...)

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The tornado outbreak sequence of June 3–11, 2008 affected much of the central United States and parts of Canada starting on June 3, 2008 and lasting until June 11; 192 tornadoes were confirmed.

The first outbreak affected much of the Midwest and Ohio Valley area on June 3 producing over 20 tornado reports including an EF3 in Moscow, Indiana. Several people were injured, including one critically who died two months later. (Full article...)

Selected image -

An EF4 tornado near Katie, Oklahoma in May 2016.

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Tracks of all US tornadoes in 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. (Full article...)

2026 tornado activity

(Full article...)

Tornado anniversaries

February 15

February 16

  • 1995 – An F3 tornado struck Joppa and Arab, Alabama killing 6 people and injuring 130. Most of the deaths were in mobile homes. A newborn, whose mother was injured, died on delivery. About 160 homes and businesses were destroyed.

February 17

  • 1927 – A tornado outbreak resulted in 41 deaths across the Southeastern United States. A strong tornado (at least F3 and probably F4) killed 14 people in Pleasant Hill, Sabine Parish, Louisiana, 7 in one family. An F2 tornado killed 13 people near Lake Bruin.
  • 1938 – An F4 tornado destroyed a large portion of Rodessa, Louisiana, killing 21 people. The corrugated metal that made up many of the buildings dismembered many victims.

Did you know…

General images -

The following are images from various tornado-related articles on Wikipedia.

Featured Article or List -

This is either a featured article or featured list, which represents some of the best articles on English Wikipedia.

In the evening hours of Friday, May 4, 2007, amid a severe weather outbreak across the central United States, a devastating tornado moved through Kiowa County in southwest Kansas, heavily damaging the city of Greensburg. The tornado, known as the Greensburg tornado, tracked 28.8 miles (46.3 km) through the area, killing 11 to 12 people and injuring 63. The tornado was the first to be rated EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita scale after the retirement of the original Fujita scale in the United States on February 1, 2007.

The tornado touched down south of Greensburg at around 9:03 p.m. CDT, moving to the north while continuing to widen. It eventually entered Kiowa County, crossing U.S. Route 183, before reaching a peak width of 1.7 miles (2.7 km) to the south of Greensburg, entering the city after making a northwest turn. The tornado dissipated northwest of Greensburg after being on the ground for just over an hour. (Full article...)

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