United States Tornadoes
Violent tornado tracks on April 27, 2011. Map by Katie Wheatley. Data: SPC. Map base: ESRI.
The Super Outbreak of April 2011 will hopefully be a benchmark that proves difficult to top in the future. April 27 alone surpassed all other tornado outbreaks in modern history by numbers. Additionally, all 15 of the violent tornadoes (EF-4+) of the multi-day outbreak happened on the 27th, as the ingredients came together to produce numerous tornadic supercells across the South.
The tornadoes highlighted here are listed in order of their touchdown times, and some of the key statistics for each are also noted. Amazingly, three of these tornadoes had track lengths greater than 100 miles, with one falling just shy of that mark. The Hackleburg, AL to Huntland, TN EF-5 topped the list at 132 miles, and sadly also in total death count with 72.
Several of the violent tornadoes were seemingly not caught on video, and in those instances a clip of the aftermath is included as a supplement.
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EF-5 Tornado (map)
Locations: Philadelphia to Mashulaville, MS
Counties: Neshoba, Kemper, Winston, Noxubee
Deaths/Injuries: 3/6
Track Length: 28.28 miles
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EF-4 Tornado (map)
Locations: Cullman to Arab, AL
Counties: Cullman, Morgan, Marshall
Deaths/Injuries: 6/48
Track Length: 46.88 miles
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EF-5 Tornado (map)
Locations: Hackleburg, AL to Huntland, TN
Counties: Marion, Franklin, Lawrence, Morgan, Limestone, Madison, Lincoln (TN), Franklin (TN)
Deaths/Injuries: 72/145
Track Length: 132 miles
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EF-4 Tornado (map)
Locations: Near Carrollton, AL to near Hopewell, AL
Counties: Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Fayette, Walker, Cullman, Blount, Marshall
Deaths/Injuries: 13/54
Track Length: 127.8 miles
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EF-5 Tornado (map)
Locations: Smithville, MS to Hodges, AL
Counties: Monroe, Itawamba, Marion (AL), Franklin (AL)
Deaths/Injuries: 23/137
Track Length: 37.1 miles
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EF-4 Tornado (map)
Locations: Section, AL to Fairview, GA
Counties: Jackson, DeKalb, Dade (GA), Walker (GA)
Deaths/Injuries: 13/50
Track Length: 46.98 miles
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EF-4 Tornado (map)
Locations: Tuscaloosa to Birmingham, AL
Counties: Greene, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson
Deaths/Injuries: 64/1500
Track Length: 80.68 miles
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EF-4 Tornado (map)
Locations: Near Fackler, AL to Haletown, TN
Counties: Jackson, Marion (TN)
Deaths/Injuries: 1/0
Track Length: 30.24 miles
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EF-4 Tornado (map)
Locations: Raleigh, MS to N of Uniontown, AL
Counties: Smith, Jasper, Clarke, Choctaw (AL), Sumter (AL), Marengo (AL), Perry (AL)
Deaths/Injuries: 7/17
Track Length: 122.04
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EF-5 Tornado (map)
Locations: Rainsville, AL to just past GA state line
Counties: Dekalb, Dade (GA)
Deaths/Injuries: 23/0
Track Length: 36.63 miles
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EF-4 Tornado (map)
Locations: Shoal Creek Valley to Ohatchee, AL
Counties: Jefferson, St. Clair, Calhoun, Etowah, Cherokee, Polk (GA), Floyd (GA), Bartow (GA)
Deaths/Injuries: 22/85
Track Length: 97.33 miles
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EF-4 Tornado (map)
Locations: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN
Counties: Monroe, Blount
Deaths/Injuries: 0/0
Track Length: 14.5 miles
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EF-4 Tornado (map)
Locations: Ringgold, GA to northeast of Cleveland, TN
Counties: Catoosa, Hamilton, Bradley, Polk, McMinn
Deaths/Injuries: 20/335
Track Length: 48 miles
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EF-4 Tornado (map)
Locations: Lake Martin/Dadeville, AL area
Counties: Elmore, Tallapoosa, Chambers
Deaths/Injuries: 7/30
Track Length: 44.18 miles
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EF-4 Tornado (map)
Locations: Near Dunlap, TN
Counties: Sequatchie, Bledsoe, Rhea
Deaths/Injuries: 4/12
Track Length: 40.16 miles
Defense and foreign policy researcher at a D.C. think tank. Writer, forecaster and photographer for the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang. See full bio.
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