Here’s a look at the 25 worst tornadoes ever to touch down in the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center.

Because some of these storms happened before the era of comprehensive damage surveys, it’s possible that they may have been composed of multiple tornadoes along a damage path. Death counts for events in the 1800s and early 1900s should be treated as estimates since recordkeeping of tornado deaths was erratic.



1. 3/18/1925

Missouri, Illinois, Indiana 695 Deaths



2. 5/6/1840

Natchez, Miss. 317 Deaths



3. 5/27/1896

St. Louis, Mo. 255 Deaths



4. 4/5/1936

Tupelo, Miss. 216 Deaths



5. 4/6/1936

Gainesville, Ga. 203 Deaths



6. 4/9/47

Woodward, OK 181 Deaths



7. 4/24/1908

Amite, La., and Purvis, Miss. 143 Deaths



8. 6/12/1899

New Richmond, Wis. 117 Deaths



9. 6/8/1953

Flint, Mich. 115 Deaths



10. 5/11/1953

Waco, Texas 114 Deaths



11. 5/18/1902

Goliad, Texas 114 Deaths



12. 3/23/1913

Omaha, Neb. 103 Deaths



13. 5/26/1917

Mattoon, Ill. 101 Deaths



14. 6/23/1944

Shinnston, W.Va. 100 Deaths



15. 4/18/1880

Marshfield, Mo. 99 Deaths



16. 6/1/1903

Gainesville/Holland, Ga. 98 Deaths



17. 5/9/1927

Poplar Bluff, Mo. 98 Deaths



18. 5/10/1905

Snyder, Okla. 97 Deaths



19. 4/24/1908

Natchez, Miss. 91 Deaths



20. 6/9/1953

Worcester, Mass. 90 Deaths



21. 4/20/1920

Starkville, Miss., and Waco, Ala. 88 Deaths



22. 6/28/1924

Lorain/Sandusky, Ohio 85 Deaths



23. 5/25/1955

Udall, Kan. 80 Deaths



24. 9/29/1927

St. Louis, Mo. 76 Deaths



25. 3/27/1890

Louisville, Ken. 76 Deaths



Source: www.spc.noaa.gov