This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 2011. Extremely destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Bangladesh, Brazil and Eastern India, but they can occur almost anywhere under the right conditions. Tornadoes also appear regularly in neighboring southern Canada during the Northern Hemisphere's summer season, and somewhat regularly in Europe, Asia, and Australia.
There were 1,715 tornadoes confirmed in the United States in 2011, which was the third most in a single year on record, with only 2024 and 2004 having more confirmed tornadoes. 2011 was a catastrophic and extremely deadly year for tornadoes; worldwide, at least 570 people perished due to tornadoes: 12 in Bangladesh, three each in Russia and Japan, two in South Africa, one each in New Zealand, the Philippines, Greece and Canada, and 547 in the United States (compared to 564 deaths in the prior ten years combined). Due mostly to several extremely large tornado outbreaks in the middle and end of April and in late May, the year finished well above average in almost every category, with six EF5 tornadoes and nearly enough total tornado reports to eclipse the mark of 1,817 tornadoes recorded in 2004, the current record year for total number of tornadoes.
The 547 confirmed fatalities marks the second-most tornadic deaths in a single year in U.S. history, behind only 1925 in terms of fatalities attributed to tornadic activity. Most of the damage and over two-thirds of the total fatalities in 2011 were caused by a late-April Super Outbreak and an EF5 tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri, in late May, becoming the costliest tornado on record.
Synopsis An ongoing outbreak at the end of 2010 continued into the first three hours of 2011. During that period seven tornadoes developed in Mississippi. However, during the remainder of the month, tornadic activity was suppressed by a cold air mass, with nine additional tornadoes – all weak – taking place.
This inactivity continued through much of February before a pattern shift. Two consecutive outbreaks took place on February 24 and 27 – 28, producing a combined 55 tornadoes. Overall, 63 tornadoes were confirmed in the month, making it the fourth most active February on record. Activity in March was split between the start and end of the month - with a total of 75 tornadoes recorded, it ran slightly above average for the month.
In early April, a prolific severe weather event produced 46 tornadoes and more than 1,200 reports of wind damage, setting the tone for the month.
A nearly continuous series of major tornado outbreaks followed thereafter in the remainder of April, including two extreme multi-day tornado outbreaks that were among the largest in U.S. history (one of them the deadliest and the costliest; and the other involving a widespread tornado outbreak in North Carolina, the worst since the March 28, 1984 outbreak) and two major tornado outbreaks in a time period from April 8 - 11 and April 19 - 24, resulting in an incredibly active month. April 2011 was the most active month for tornadoes on record, with an extremely large margin of 773 tornadoes in total.
However, in an abrupt reversal, the activity did not continue into May (normally the most active month for tornadoes), and the first half was remarkably quiet, becoming one of the least active Mays on record by the middle of the month. The lack of activity continued for three weeks until a tornado outbreak sequence began on May 21, and a deadly EF5 tornado hit Joplin, Missouri the following day in the event.
Additional strong to violent tornadoes occurred on May 24 in Oklahoma, including another EF5 in the city of El Reno. The outbreak sequence continued for the next several days, with 241 confirmed tornadoes, bringing the month of May to near average. Despite its near average count of tornadoes, it was catastrophic when it came to fatalities - 158 of the deaths came from the Joplin tornado.
The first day of June brought a rare outbreak into New England. Several tornadoes occurred, some of which were destructive. However, another reversal took place afterward and much of June was fairly quiet, with the exception of an active period in the third week of the month which included a moderate tornado outbreak.
July was also relatively quiet for the most part with below normal activity, occurring mostly within the northern Plains. August was more quiet with below normal activity and only 59 confirmed tornadoes. September and October were also below average. November was somewhat more active, primarily due to two moderate outbreaks in the first half of the month. December saw a return to inactivity for most of the month, but there was a small outbreak of 13 tornadoes on December 22, making it the final tornado outbreak of the year and ending what was the worst year for tornadoes since 2008.
Events United States
January January 1 (United States)
A deadly late-season tornado outbreak continued through the early hours of January 1, with seven tornadoes occurring in Mississippi over three hours. The strongest of these, rated EF3 with winds of , reached in width along its track and caused significant damage along MS 19. Several structures were damaged or destroyed and two people were injured. Near MS 35, thousands of trees were uprooted by the tornado. Another EF3 tornado formed near Macon, damaging or destroying several structures, and one person was injured. Overall damage in the state from tornadoes amounted to $10.4 million.
January 24–25 (Europe)
In late January, three tornadoes occurred in eastern Europe: two in Turkey and one in Greece. In Kemalpaşa, Turkey, an F1 tornado caused the wall of an industrial building to collapse. Several other structures sustained roof damage. The strongest of these tornadoes, rated F2, was in northern Rhodes, where it destroyed small structures and killed several heads of cattle. Hail up to in diameter fell in some places, damaging farmland and greenhouses. Accumulations of hail also reached in Mersin Province, Turkey.
February February 21 (Australia) A tornado in an outer rainband of Cyclone Carlos struck Karratha in its central business district, damaging approximately thirty-eight homes and multiple businesses. Later reports specified twenty-two homes with significant damage and at least nine commercial properties, including a Mercure All Seasons hotel and a Woolworths supermarket. This tornado never received an official rating.
February 23 (Greece) A strong, F2 tornado struck the village of Gennadi on the southeastern coast of Rhodes, during the afternoon. The tornado caused significant structural damage, destroying two seaside restaurants, tearing solar heaters from rooftops, uprooting trees and utility poles, and reportedly lifting a shipping container over a house, damaging it severely. It lasted roughly half an hour, and while the storm left extensive property damage, no injuries were reported.
February 24 (United States)
Several tornadoes occurred across the Southern United States. The most significant tornado was in the southeastern part of Nashville, Tennessee where significant damage was reported near Hickory Hollow Mall and near Percy Priest Lake in the evening (with widespread wind damage all across Middle Tennessee), and a tornado emergency was declared shortly thereafter for areas to the northeast in Wilson County where another tornado developed, causing injuries. Both tornadoes were rated EF2. Other tornadoes formed, with varying degrees of damage in the Missouri Bootheel, West Tennessee, Mississippi, southwestern Kentucky and parts of Arkansas including three others rated EF2. The overall damage from this system amounted to $1,500,000.
February 27–28 (United States)
Another severe weather event developed on February 27 and continued into February 28 across the Midwest and South. While a large portion of the damage was due to damaging straight-line winds, at least 35 tornadoes were reported across several states. The most destructive tornado was in Franklin County, Tennessee on the afternoon of February 28 where one person was killed by an EF2 tornado. It was the first fatal tornado of 2011. Another strong tornado, rated EF3, resulted in houses destroyed near Eminence, Kentucky. Concentrated tornado activity also occurred in parts of Missouri and Illinois with 22 tornadoes in the region, some as strong as EF2, related to a series of squall lines with many embedded tornadoes. None of those tornadoes resulted in any fatalities. Overall damages from this system amounted to $12,800,000.
March March 5–6 (United States)
One confirmed EF0 tornado hit the town of Crowley, Louisiana. Another reportedly hit Greene County, Mississippi on March 5. It formed in a squall line, which hit portions of Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. A deadly EF2 tornado struck Rayne, Louisiana early that afternoon, killing a mother while she protected her daughter. about 12 others were injured. Initial assessments indicate that 62 homes were destroyed and 50 more damaged. Two EF0 tornadoes were also confirmed in eastern North Carolina.
March 8–9 (United States)
Several tornadoes formed on March 8 into March 9 from North Texas eastward to the Florida Panhandle, with Louisiana hardest hit. The most destructive tornadoes, rated EF2, began just north of New Orleans in St. Tammany Parish.
March 21–23 (United States)
A tornado developed in the afternoon of March 21 near Maxwell, California, and crossed I-5. It caused no known damage and was on the ground for only a few minutes. The same system produced more severe weather ahead of a dry line across eastern Nebraska, where tornadoes were reported northeast of Omaha. Later, a cluster of supercells began producing tornadoes in south-central Iowa, where a tornado was reported in Greenfield, Iowa, and at least 2 tornadoes were reported near Winterset, Iowa. Several funnel clouds were reported in Des Moines. These funnels were associated with the storm that produced the first tornado to hit Greenfield and Winterset.
On March 23, more tornadoes and severe weather developed with the most significant tornadoes occurring in East Tennessee where significant damage was reported. Near Greenback in Blount County, an EF3 tornado was confirmed with severe damage in the area. Another notable tornado was recorded in southwestern Pennsylvania, most notably in Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania. It was rated EF2.
March 29–31 (United States)
On March 29, a warm front over the Gulf of Mexico associated with an upper-level low over Texas moved northward into the Gulf Coast States, bringing scattered severe weather. In Louisiana, three tornadoes transpired, including an EF1 which caused a three-story building to collapse. In Mississippi, one person was killed after lightning caused a house fire. A strong microburst also took place in Copiah County, producing winds up to . Activity shifted into central Florida on March 30 as a frontal boundary stalled out across the state. During the two-day period, ten tornadoes occurred and a series of squall lines produced widespread wind damage on March 31. Significant damage took place in several communities and damage exceeded $5 million. Seven people were injured when one of the tornadoes hit a local festival.
April April 4 (Bangladesh) During the afternoon of April 4, a powerful tornado struck seven districts in northern Bangladesh. At least 12 people were killed and more than 150 injured as the tornado destroyed hundreds of homes and uprooted large swaths of vegetation.
April 4–5 (United States)