The event occurred over the course of 4 days April 25-28, 2011 and 359 tornadoes touched down in 21 U.S. states and 1 tornado in Ontario, Canada. Early morning tornado damaged or destroyed over 750 homes and businesses in Ciudad Acua. Download it here. 1953 523 During this process, Doppler velocity was incorporated, further improving tornado prediction ability by detecting any rotation present in a storm at different scan angles. Produced a violent F4 that literally wiped, $48M in damage. Brief but violent F4 tornado devastated the small town of Saragosa, killing 30 people. Anxiety and guilt. There were 62 tornadoes in Alabama that day And so many places were affected other than. Estimated to have been F5 intensity. F5 tornado leveled many homes in Fergus Falls, killing 57 people. Unusual nocturnal outbreak produced numerous violent, large, long-tracked tornadoes in. Learn how your comment data is processed. The event occurred over the course of 4 days April 25-28, 2011 and 359 tornadoes touched. (34 significant, 1 violent, 17 killer), Long-tracked tornado family killed seven people at a school in, Deadliest tornado in Ohio history, estimated to have been an F4. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Estimated F5. Growth in the general interest of weather brought us The Weather Channel. A total of 62. A record-setting 216 tornadoes (most of which took place in Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi) touched down that day, leading to 316 fatalities. Several long-tracked tornadoes touched down in, Tornado outbreak sequence of May 30 June 3, 1954, This outbreak produced a catastrophic F4 tornado in, Multiple long-tracked F2-F3 tornadoes touched down. Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia also experienced numerous significant and long-lived tornadoes on this day. While April 27 was by far the most active and deadly day, it was just one part of a multi-day outbreak that spanned much of the central and eastern U.S. Twenty-one different states and even southern Canada saw tornadoes from the April 25-28 Super Outbreak. An EF3 tornado caused significant damage near, A significant tornado outbreak took place primarily across, Deadliest Mexican tornado, also struck the city of. Continuing into the 4 th before a break and additional tornadoes, 114 twisters occurred in this part of a sequence during the week. An F3 caused major damage near, Widespread outbreak produced numerous tornadoes, some strong. Your email address will not be published. A beloved Alabama weatherman learned mid-broadcast that a tornado hit home. He zoomed into the radar map of a rotating thunderstorm in Walker County, Ala., and leaped right into coverage mode. There were no fatalities or serious injuries, but the storm did over a million dollars in damage. Spann and his team quickly worked to create a plan before the afternoon storms developed. A tornado outbreak March 24-25 dropped several long-track, powerful tornadoes in Alabama, one of which impacted cities like Greensboro, Brent and Centreville and stayed on the ground for more. Other violent tornadoes killed numerous people in, Produced numerous killer tornadoes in Arkansas, including one that killed 25 people. It resulted in roughly $12 billion in damages and left an estimated 321 people dead. Produced a large outbreak of mostly weak tornadoes, though in, Largest hurricane-related tornado outbreak ever recorded. (21 significant, 6 violent, 16 killer), Estimated F5 tornado led to the formation of the, Among largest known outbreaks ever recorded. By Monday, the messaging was involving the potential for violent, long-track tornadoes.. This outbreak sequence produced the widest tornado on record, a massive, A large severe weather event began with a few strong tornadoes in, A powerful and dynamic storm system produced a small but intense late-season tornado outbreak, mainly across, Many large and strong to violent tornadoes touched down across, A small outbreak of tornadoes occurred in association with a larger system on December 20-21. Describing the tornadoes as likely "one of the largest" storm outbreaks in history, Biden on Saturday approved an emergency disaster declaration for the worst-hit state of Kentucky, where at. Was the second-deadliest tornado event in Florida, behind the outbreak of, Produced two EF2s that caused major damage and one fatality in, Produced several strong tornadoes, especially in, Numerous strong to violent tornadoes across the Midwest and South, including a destructive EF4 in, Produced a moderate outbreak of tornadoes across the South. Katie currently works as a GIS Analyst for EA Engineering, Science and Technology, Inc., PBC in Hunt Valley, Maryland. They killed 271. so violent for half an hour as it blew down multitudes of trees. He spoke firm with his eyes locked on the viewer, assuring them that, if they took appropriate measures, they would survive. A generational event with 63 tornadoes, and a death toll of 252. They could have lived in Chilton County all their life and not know where the tornado is. An F3 hit Pine Bluff, Arkansas on May 14, injuring two. It is of similar design to the F-Scale, but those who developed it believe it more accurately matches wind speeds to severity of damage caused by a tornado. Most were weak, though an F2 tornado caused major damage in the, A late-year autumn outbreak, it was the largest October tornado outbreak in, Strong and deadly tornadoes touched down in Tennessee, including an F3 and an F4 tornado that struck, Largest January outbreak on record. F4 tornado killed 36 people in and near Tyler. It claimed more than 300 lives, injured 2,775 and was responsible for $12 billion in total damage . Tornadoes in the United States 1950-2019 These are some notable tornadoes, tornado outbreaks, and tornado outbreak sequences that have occurred in North America . An F3 caused major damage near, Rare November outbreak in the Great Plains. Farms south of. Get Access to: Feeling . Estimated F5. In 1988, the WSR-88D (NEXRAD) Doppler radar system was given a green light for production. It was the first time it had stated the probability of all hazards significant tornadoes, destructive winds and very large hail was high. Forecasts were done by hand, on printed weather maps. In Louisiana, an F3 tore a 12 mile path from Urania to Clarks, killing one. This is the earliest estimated F5 that can be verified in the U.S. according to Grazulis. You have to stay calm, said Spann, remembering back to 2011. An F2 tornado killed two in, Outbreak produced several violent and killer tornadoes across the, Narrow, but powerful F5 tornado killed nine people and injured 150 in, Significant tornadoes struck the Midwest for six consecutive days. Ten years later, there's still a lot we can learn from the largest U.S. tornado outbreak on record. James Spann is still haunted by the memories of April 27, 2011. (8 significant, 2 violent, 1 killer), 1948 Alton-Bunker Hill-Gillespie tornado outbreak, Early-morning F4 killed 33 people in Illinois. Tornado outbreak occurred on Easter Sunday. Hundreds of people were killed by violent tornadoes across the, Second-deadliest continuous tornado outbreak in US history. The moviewas undoubtedly a cause for increased storm chasing in the years and decades ahead. 324 fatalities and approximately 3,100 injuries were reported. I had nightmares for years waking up in a cold sweat. Volumetric scans also became available allowing further investigation of storms on radar and providing detailed wind information. He called out an on-air warning to his wife, but continued coverage without wavering. Hes a veteran in the field and beloved by meteorologists and the public alike. Produced a deadly multiple-vortex tornado in, Multiple long-track tornadoes crossed upstate New York, August 1851 Waltham, Medford, and West Cambridge tornado, Waltham, Medford, West Cambridge Massachusetts. Entire farms were obliterated, and house timbers were embedded into the ground 3mi (4.8km) away from the foundations. Tornadoes also struck, A rain-wrapped F4 tornado killed seven people in the suburbs of, Largest tornado outbreak in Virginia history. All parameters suggest that strong/violent and long-track tornadoes are possible, forecasters wrote. Spawned the, Produced killer tornadoes in Texas and Oklahoma. First of the Palm Sunday outbreaks; one of the deadliest outbreaks in US history. The storm caused moderate damage to roofs of homes and buildings and injured several people. Destroyed two schools and a wood shop. Amid the emotional scars, Spann credits the 1974 outbreak for putting him on the path that has since shaped his career. The EF-Scale also improved damage parameter descriptions. An F4 struck, Several strong tornadoes occurred across the South. This isnt working, recalled Spann. A lot of people are walking around today because they heard the warnings and got into a safe place.. Tuesday marks the 10th anniversary of a once-in-a-generation tornado outbreak that ripped across Alabama. A total of 252 were kille. As the storms passed and the sky cleared, Spanns tone became increasingly serious as he wrapped up the morning show. And it was just the start of a long day ahead. After a quick update, Spann promised a swift return to regular programming, but his gut told him to hold the line. In May of 1982 it began broadcasting around the clock, and provided more information during severe weather outbreaks. Live coverage of the generational tornado outbreak from James Spann and Jason Simpson; this event featured 62 tornadoes in Alabama. "This is an historic, if not generational event . 3 min read. An EF1 caused considerable damage and killed one in, Very large outbreak across the Great Plains. F2 and F3 tornadoes in, Tornado outbreak sequence of December 1721, 1967, Active December produced three outbreaks with this one being the third and most severe of them. Several tornadoes touched down mostly in the, A derecho produced an outbreak of tornadoes across the, An intense late-season tornado outbreak affected northeastern Texas, southeastern Oklahoma, northwestern Louisiana, and western Arkansas on November 4. They put us in the hospital to establish a radio link with relief agencies in Birmingham.. An F4 that struck downtown Louisville killed 76 people alone. (9 significant, 2 violent, 2 killer), 1938 Charleston, South Carolina tornadoes, Included a long-tracked F5 tornado family on April 14 in Oklahoma and Kansas that killed seven people. This system is a network of 159 high-resolution S-band Doppler weather radars. The reactions can be different for each generation, but they could include: Shame. 5) A severe thunderstorm is defined as any convective storm that produces one or more of hail of 1 inch or large in diameter, storm induced winds of 58 mph or greater, or a tornado. An early morning EF3 tornado produced major damage in, An EF3 tornado caused major damage in eastern New Orleans, making it the strongest tornado ever recorded in the city's history. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. Two F4s struck the, Tied U.S. record for most tornadoes in one state during a 24-hour period, with 67 tornadoes in South Dakota on the 24th. It lifted up their meeting house at Newbury, the people being in it. Killer tornadoes touched down from, May 1898 Mississippi Valley tornado outbreaks, Devastating (estimated) F5 destroyed the town of, May6 named "day of the cyclones" by the press. An F3tornado killed one in, Outbreak produced many destructive and deadly tornadoes across a large swath of the country. Plus, lets cut to the chase: any record is better than no record. (7significant), The most prolific days were April23 and 25, when multiple long-tracked, large, and strong to violent tornadoes touched down, including five that traveled over 50 miles (80km). Theyll tell you things. Was part of a small mid-Summer outbreak that occurred in Wisconsin. The last of the tornadoes occurred in Eastern North Carolina that afternoon before moving offshore. Severe damage throughout the Twin Cities. A tornado struck downtown, Produced many tornadoes. The center of Arlington, MA was devastated by a strong tornado. A long-tracked F5 on May 7 in Kansas killed 10 people and injured 300. The generational tornado outbreak of April 27, 2011 was responsible for 62 tornadoes in the state of Alabama alone, which killed 252 people and injured countless others. The April 25-28, 2011, Super Outbreak was one of the worst tornado outbreaks in U.S. history. An EF1 tornado caused considerable damage in, This outbreak severely impacted the same regions worst affected by the previous outbreak. At least 36 tornadoesincluding 27 killers and several long-lived tornado families occurred across the. An F3 killed 13 people in the northern suburbs of, Six strong tornadoes touched down across the South. An F2 struck, Produced multiple strong tornadoes across the South. Grand Forks is located another 75 miles north of Fargo in North Dakota. Around noon local time, a large EF-5 tornado developed in east-central Mississippi, killing three people before it eventually tracked into northwestern Alabama. Nearly 40 years later, Spann found himself at the helm of this operation, leading the state through what he called a generational tornado outbreak. (5significant, 2violent, 3killer), Small, but destructive outbreak spawned a violent, long-tracked F4tornado in, An F4tornado killed five and injured 100 in, Destructive series of three tornadoes touched down, all of which caused major damage, injuries and fatalities. A 1.5-mile wide EF-4 twister killed 60 people as it moved through Tuscaloosa, Ala. and eventually tracked into Birmingham, Ala.'s northern suburbs. It was part of a localized outbreak of tornadoes that impacted the Southern United States, mainly Louisiana. The tornado there led to a rethinking of the potential northern boundary of tornado activity in the United States at the time. Small outbreak produced an F4 that struck, An F2 killed one person near Union, Arkansas. Then I rolled up my sleeves and got to work., The storms that shaped Spanns career path, [A]ll we can do is pray for these people, Leading with unparalleled local knowledge. A look. Hardest hit was the state of Alabama, where multiple EF5s and more than half a dozen EF4s carved deadly scars into the landscape. Produced several killer F3+ tornadoes in Mississippi and Georgia. 1957 26 There are continued efforts to better judge tornado ferocity as well. (10 significant, 2 killer), May 1214, 1956 tornado outbreak sequence, Five separate outbreaks hit five separate states. An F3 tornado caused major damage in, Mid-summer outbreak produced several destructive tornadoes in Minnesota. In Alabama, multiple strong tornadoes touched down, including an EF3 tornado that severely impacted the, Several tornadoes formed from February 28-29. The outbreak produced three F3 tornadoes, including a long-tracked tornado near, Produced a violent nighttime F5 tornado that moved through several suburbs of, Large and dynamic outbreak produced many strong tornadoes, some of which were embedded in an extremely intense derecho. At 2 p.m., Spann interrupted local programming and began a marathon of coverage that wouldnt end until the 11 p.m. news was through. Tornado counts significantly increased following this advancement in technology, as radar was now able to detect when and where strong winds occurred without eyewitness accounts. Numerous large, intense, long-tracked tornadoes touched down and two tornado emergencies were issued for, An overnight tornado outbreak affected Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Also one of the first documentations of a. The storms killed 252 people. A total of 238 people lost their lives in Alabama alone. Tornado records are released in the spring following the end of each year. These are some notable tornadoes, tornado outbreaks, and tornado outbreak sequences that have occurred in North America. The Mid-1970s also featured the first GOES satellite, which was launched into orbit in October of 1975. Both F4tornadoes were killers along with two F2tornadoes. An F3 tornado caused major damage near. A long-lived family of tornadoes, the strongest of which was rated F4, killed at least 30 people in, A destructive tornado, estimated to have been at F1 or F2strength, tore through. Worst tornado outbreak ever recorded in the Carolinas. (12 significant, 3 violent, 11 killer), 1938 Bakerville, Missouri tornado outbreak, F5 near Oshkosh killed three students at a leveled school. Its surreal, said Spann on air, standing in front of a live camera view of an enormous tornado churning through Tuscaloosa, a city of 100,000. Eyes on storms are at an all-time high. Tornadoes have been documented throughout American history, but the modern database has a much shorter record. On May 20-21, an outbreak affected Texas and Louisiana, killing six; three F2's touched down in Harris County, Texas, killing three. Produced a large and deadly nighttime EF5 that destroyed 95% of. On April 27, 2011, the largest tornado outbreak in nearly 40 years tore through the South, spinning up 216 tornadoes on a single calendar day and claiming more than 300 lives. Estimated to have been an F4. Produced one of the strongest documented tornadoes. My hobby then was ham radio. I didnt understand the morning convection and how significant that would be, recalled Spann. Ive had my ham radio license since I was 14, said Spann in a recent phone interview. Localized outbreak produced a large EF4 that devastated the town of, Rare January outbreak produced strong tornadoes as far north as Wisconsin, where an EF3 tornado caused major damage in the town of, One of the deadliest modern outbreaks to hit, Strong tornado hit downtown Atlanta for the, Tornadoes struck the Midwest and South, including an EF3 that hit, A long-track EF4 tornado killed 21people in, Large outbreak produced strong to violent tornadoes across the Great Plains and Midwest. An extratropical cyclone developed ahead of this upper-level trough between northeastern Oklahoma and western Missouri, and moved northeastward. Touched down shortly after 9am, estimated F3 strength. The first significant tornado of the Outbreak occurred on the evening of April 25, when a long track EF2 tornado tracked through Vilonia, Arkansas killing 4 people in the town. The F5 rating is widely accepted. Outbreak produced seven estimated F4 tornadoes. (2 significant, 1 violent), A very long-tracked F3 tornado touched down near, Very large and deadly outbreak produced multiple killer tornadoes across the Ohio Valley and Southeastern United States over the Veteran's Day weekend. It uses GPS for more accurate locations and automatic positioning for spotters and chasers who relay information to those issuing warnings. A large F4 wedge tornado devastated, Unusually severe outbreak affected mainly the northeastern states just days after a similar outbreak affected roughly the same region (see previous event). RadarLab, the weatherTAP mobile app, lightning data & much more! Tornadoes touched down during at mid-afternoon near Demopolis. A tornado outbreak sequence, or tornado outbreak day sequence, sometimes referred to as an extended tornado outbreak, is a period of continuous or nearly continuous high tornado activity consisting of a series of tornado outbreaks over multiple days with no or very few days lacking tornado outbreaks.. Major tornado outbreak sequences occurred in the United States in May 1917, 1930, 1949, 1965 . EF3 tornadoes destroyed homes in and around, Following a significant outbreak just a week prior, a second tornado outbreak affected many of the same areas. Stories that explain the news through charts, maps, photography and videos. 1952 230. 16 farms were blown away and the town of Grinnell was devastated, as well as the Grinnell College campus. Tornado Outbreak. This was followed a short time later by a tornado near Linden and Faunsdale. (6 significant, 3 killer), F4 tornado devastated New Albany, Indiana. On April 27, 2011, four EF-5 tornadoes tore through Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, killing hundreds and forever scarring the region. Four other F4s, including a long-tracked tornado family that killed 21 people in southern Indiana and northern Kentucky. Two F4 tornadoes caused major damage in, Widely photographed and filmed F3 tornado struck, Produced several destructive tornadoes across the, April 1827, 1957 tornado outbreak sequence, Long-lived outbreak sequence produced numerous significant tornadoes. An F3 caused major damage in, Widespread outbreak produced mostly weak tornadoes. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Thursday marked 11 years since the devastating EF-4 tornado ripped through southern Indiana. An early morning EF2 tornado hit near, A fall tornado outbreak caused major damage in the, A two-day tornado outbreak extending from, This small but devastating outbreak resulted in 25fatalities from three separate tornadoes in Tennessee, which were all produced by the same supercell that produced all 10tornadoes in the state from the outbreak. In particular, communication methods for severe weather are drastically different thanks in large part to key takeaways from that fateful day. A total of 55 tornadoes occurred April 26 with 4 being EF2s and 1 EF3 tornado. . Longtime viewers knew that was a bad sign. Multiple strong tornadoes touched down across the Great Plains. One of the oldest known tornado photographs. From a single radar frame, he can often tell which pet store, car dealership or restaurant is at risk. (25 significant, 8 violent, 15 killer), Produced deadly, long-tracked F3+ tornadoes in Tennessee. Additionally, an F2 tornado in, Tornado outbreak sequence April 28, 1964, Tornado outbreak sequence April 1214, 1964, Large outbreak produced multiple strong-to-violent tornadoes, including a longtracked F5 tornado killed four in, Four states were hit by tornadoes produced by Hurricane Hilda, including a violent F4 tornado that caused catastrophic destruction in, Hurricane Isbell generated one of the most prolific tornado outbreaks ever recorded in South Florida as nine short-lived, but destructive tornadoes hit the state. Late-night F5 killed nine people in, Unusual tornado outbreak was among the most intense recorded, the largest such outbreak in the region. The official NWS storm spotter network continues to grow, and there have never been more storm chasers. Jason Simpson, the morning meteorologist at Spanns station, spent hours on air covering it beginning around 3:30 a.m. Spann, who usually worked in the evenings as chief meteorologist, rushed to the studio to help with coverage. (27 significant, 2 violent, 18 killer), April 1927 Southern Plains-Midwest tornado outbreak, One of the most prolific outbreaks in US history. Fatalities spanned across six different states, with five deaths taking place outside of April 27 (316 of the 321 tornado deaths from the outbreak took place on April 27). Estimated to be an F5. Estimated F3 tornado killed nine people in St. Louis. A total of 42 tornadoes occurred on April 25 with 4 being EF2s and 1 EF3 tornado. I needed six months to grieve and go through all of the emotions [from the outbreak], said Spann. (24 significant, 6 violent, 16 killer). Get our free mobile app He's sharing his thoughts in a new memoir titled All You Can Do Is Pray--a phrase many Tuscaloosans remember Spann saying on April 27, 2011. 610K views, 2.6K likes, 108 loves, 699 comments, 13K shares, Facebook Watch Videos from James Spann: ON THIS DATE SEVEN YEARS AGO: A generational tornado outbreak for Alabama. Strongest August tornado, though only rated F5 based on corn damage. An F4 tornado killed two in, Active December produced three outbreaks with this being the second one. Third-deadliest tornado in Canadian history, formed in, Deadly tornado family devastated multiple towns in Texas and Oklahoma, producing F5 damage. Ive never seen that before, said Spann, pointing to a computer-derived index used to gauge the likelihood of a tornado. Some wear suspenders. Two tornadoes of F1 and F2 strength passed through the area, resulting in severe damage. EF3 tornadoes devastated the towns of, A large tornado outbreak produced many tornadoes, one of which was a, The largest continuous and fourth-deadliest outbreak in United States history caused the most tornado-related deaths since, This was one of the largest and deadliest U.S. outbreaks on record. Twister also hit the scene in the 1990s. This was exemplified in the predicted violent tornado outbreak that failed to realize on May 20, 2019. Track the storms with us at weatherTAP.com using our exclusive RadarLab Studio ! An EF2tornado killed one person near, This major and deadly outbreak produced many strong to violent tornadoes across the Deep South into the, Several strong tornadoes touched down across the Great Plains and Deep South. Rare high-altitude F4 tore through parts of, Produced a series of strong tornadoes across Oklahoma, Texas, and Mississippi. History is replete with big tornado events that bring discussion of their destructive forceout of hiding. 2004 1,817 I was in Jasper [a city about 35 miles northwest of Birmingham]. (1 significant), This tornado outbreak produced caused 20 tornadoes causing 7 injuries. Tornadoes occurred in supercells embedded in a very intense ", Unexpected outbreak produced an F3 that struck the Illinois towns of, Very large outbreak sequence. The towns of, Active December produced three outbreaks with this being the first one. The revolutionary radar can properly visualize precipitation and wind. This article was published more than1 year ago. Several violent tornadoes, including one F4 that hit, January 1929 Mid-Mississippi Valley tornado outbreak, 1929 Slocum, Texas-Statesboro, Georgia tornado outbreaks, Very intense and prolific outbreak sequence including a deadly F4 tornado in, November 1930 Southern Plains tornado outbreak, One of the most intense outbreaks in US history, produced 10 violent tornadoes. Parents need to know that Tornado Outbreak ' s hyper-kinetic action allows kids to revel in the fun of destroying property. A series of outbreaks occurred, spawning tornadoes from Texas to Michigan. It's believed that the tornado touched down west of. An F4 tornado devastated the Dallas suburb of, 1994 Thanksgiving Weekend tornado outbreak, Produced several strong tornadoes across the South. I dont know if I did stay calm that much. This week marks the 10 year anniversary of the generational tornado outbreak called the 2011 Super Outbreak. On tornado outbreak days, the temperature can decrease with height by nearly 30F per mile (10C per kilometer) over a depth of several miles. (4 significant, 2 killer), One of the strongest and most prolific tornado events west of the, A massive and powerful storm system produced a widespread, Many tornadoes, including six EF2 tornadoes, touched down across the southern and eastern United States. A high-end EF2 tornado moved through the, This major, destructive, and deadly nighttime tornado outbreak caused catastrophic damage and numerous fatalities across the, Several intense tornadoes struck areas mainly across southeastern, Numerous tornadoes occurred across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama from March 2122, with the most severe damage occurring in, Another tornado outbreak struck the same areas affected by the previous outbreak a week prior. An F1 tornado killed three people and injured 166 others in, Fourth-most violent outbreak in U.S. since 1950 with 11 F4 tornadoes, most intense ever in, Moderate outbreak produced a large F4 tornado outside of, Several intense tornadoes touched down, including an F4 tornado in, Produced a devastating F4 tornado that killed 17 in Western, Produced five deadly F4 tornadoes across four states, including one that killed 18 on, Two F3tornadoes and an F4tornado touched down over a two-day period, causing catastrophic damage and several fatalities. Also in 1975, the Tornado Intercept Project began, led by the National Severe Storms Laboratorys Bob Davies-Jones. At least 300 homes were destroyed, some swept away. An F2 tornado also hit the, An F3 tornado killed 20 people in and near, One of the deadliest Plains outbreaks on record. The most significant day of the outbreak was, by far, April 27 when a total of 216 tornadoes occurred during a 24 hour period. Damage following the April 27, 2011 tornado outbreak in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Dave Martin), Tornado damage in Birmingham, Ala. following the April 27, 2011 tornado outbreak. The outbreak from April 25-28, 2011, challenged and surpassed the records set by almost all previous tornado events, ranking as one of the deadliest and most expensive meteorological disasters on record. This will be a day that will go down in state history and all we can do is pray for these people.. Tornadoes devastated the. Partly built from cobbled-together news accounts and the subjective ratings that come with them, the tornado record is fraught with issues, but it also tells a bunch of stories. DALLAS - The first storm system of meteorological spring produced tornadoes, hail and hurricane-force winds on Thursday across at least three southern states, and residents captured the scenes on video. Both rising, spinning, warm air and sinking cool air are important for tornado formation. Produced five violent tornadoes across three states, one of which was an F4 that destroyed the community of, Produced a destructive F4 (possibly F5) tornado in. Entire communities were either partly or totally swept away in both states.