This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1953 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. This was the first year to record an F5 tornado as well as one of the deadliest tornado seasons in official U.S. records, which go back to 1950.
The total count of tornadoes and ratings differs from various agencies accordingly. The article, therefore, documents information from the most contemporary official sources alongside assessments from tornado historian Thomas P. Grazulis.
Events
Despite not many tornadoes being documented, 1953 was an extremely deadly season and set the record for most tornadoes recorded in the U.S. in a single year at the time. The first six months of the year generated several large outbreaks and outbreak sequences that killed over 400 people. Activity abruptly slowed after that before another outbreak sequence in early December killed 49. Many of the fatalities were caused by the unusually large number of violent tornadoes that were recorded that year. This included five F5 tornadoes, the first F5 tornadoes recorded in the US tornado database created in 1950. In all, there were 523 tornado-related fatalities in the US alone in 1953, the most since 1925. This high death toll would not be repeated until 2011. There were 5,131 injuries recorded throughout the year as well. 1953 is also the only year since 1950 to have three tornadoes kill over 90 people and to have two tornadoes kill over 110. On a positive note, major changes were made to improve both the warning and radar systems. These changes were successful and since 1953, only one tornado, the 2011 Joplin tornado, has killed more than 100 people.
United States yearly total
January There were 14 tornadoes confirmed in the US in January.
January 7–9
A three-day outbreak of seven tornadoes impacted the Southeast. Late on January 7, a skipping F2 tornado passed near Macedonia north of Warren, Arkansas damaging several homes, two extensively, damaging two barns, destroying several small outbuildings, and damaging trees. Two people were injured. The next day, an F2 tornado passed directly through Talladega, Alabama, damaging the roofs of 23 structures and blowing down trees onto telephone and power lines. Later, another F2 tornado passed near Effingham, South Carolina, destroying a home and 13 outbuildings and damaged 27 other homes and 44 other outbuildings. About 40 families were affected and two people were injured. On January 9, another F2 tornado moved through southwestern Hillsborough County, Florida, destroying five homes and damaging 53 others, and injuring 12 people. Overall, 16 injuries were confirmed.
February There were 16 tornadoes confirmed in the US in February.
February 6 An isolated, but large F3 tornado touched down near Centerville, Louisiana and moved east-northeastward through Albany and Northern Hammond. It destroyed 26 homes and 35 other buildings, including warehouses. 107 other homes and 35 other buildings were heavily damaged. Strawberry crops were also damaged by both flying debris from the tornado and heavy rains. Two people were killed and 21 others were injured.
February 19–20
An outbreak of 15 tornadoes struck Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama. Six F1 tornadoes touched down across the two Plains states on February 19 before several strong tornadoes struck the other states the next day. An F2 tornado destroyed a home in Glen Allen, Mississippi, injuring two people. Another F2 tornado passed through rural areas north of Pontotoc, Mississippi, damaging an unoccupied home and injuring one person (the CDNS report does not list an injury). Later, a brief, but destructive F3 tornado impacted the Wheeler Mountain community southwest of Tuscumbia, Alabama, destroying a home and four other buildings while damaging four other homes and seven additional buildings. One person was killed and eight others were injured. Further to the south, a strong F2 tornado near Winfield destroyed seven homes and 11 other buildings and damaged five more homes and two additional buildings, injuring two people. Another person was injured by another F2 tornado that destroyed five homes and 24 other buildings and damaged two more homes and three additional buildings north of Jasper in Macedonia. The outbreak ended with a destructive F2 tornado in Vina that destroyed 10 homes and 30 other buildings while damaging 39 other homes and 46 additional buildings. Six people were injured. Overall, the tornadoes killed one and injured 20.
March There were 40 tornadoes confirmed in the US in March.
March 12–15
The first major outbreak of the year struck areas from the Great Plains to the Ohio Valley. The worst tornado occurred on March 13, when an F4 tornado struck the towns of Jud, O'Brien, and Knox City, Texas, killing 17 and injuring 25. The same day, a destructive F3 tornado killed one and injured eight in Bradley, Oklahoma. A long-tracked F3 tornado family passed over Lake Murray State Park and struck Earl, Oklahoma, killing two and injuring 11. Several strong, destructive tornadoes touched down in Arkansas overnight into March 14 before another deadly F2 tornado killed one in Altitude, Mississippi. The outbreak ended the next day after an isolated, narrow but intense, long-track F3 tornado ripped through Northern Wilson, Macclesfield, and Crisp, North Carolina, injuring one. Overall, the outbreak produced at least 23 tornadoes, killed 21 people, and injured 72 others.
March 21–22
An outbreak of 10 tornadoes struck the Midwest and the Mississippi Valley. On March 21, an F1 tornado east of Danbury, Iowa destroyed a barn and a machine shed and damaged building on a farm. The roof of the machine shed fell on two occupants, injuring both of them. Later a large F3 tornado moved through Emmett County passing near Ringsted, striking at least two farms. It damaged or destroyed several barns, machine sheds, chicken houses, and other buildings and killed two cows and 100 chickens. There were no casualties from this tornado. In Minnesota, a brief but strong F2 tornado north of St. Cloud destroyed a launderette, storage warehouse, a lumber yard, and several garages and blew out several store fronts. A boy was killed in the launderette and three others were injured. (The CDNS report says that the three injuries actually came from another tornado that also killed one person when it struck Gibbon. That tornado is not officially counted and is, therefore, unconfirmed) The next day, a long-tracked F1 tornado tracked through Simpson, Smith, Jasper, Newton, and Lauderdale counties in Mississippi, damaging or destroying several homes and injuring one person. Around the same time, an even longer-tracked F2 tornado traveled through Louisiana and Mississippi (although this was more than likely a tornado family rather than just a single tornado as it was described as the jump-skip type). It first moved through Vernon, Natchitoches, Grant, Winn, Caldwell, Richland, West Carroll, and East Carroll parishes in Louisiana with the most severe damage in Columbia. Two people were killed and 22 others were injured in the state before the tornado crossed over into Washington County, Mississippi, doing additional damage before dissipating. Overall, the tornadoes killed three and injured 28.
April There were 47 tornadoes confirmed in the US in April.
April 5 (Bermuda)
Four waterspouts moved from south to north over Bermuda in short succession, causing severe damage. About 90 properties were damaged, a few of which were deemed uninhabitable. The first of these storms passed near the Bermuda Meteorological Service, producing two wind gusts over as well as an eight millibar drop in pressure. The third one, which was the most damaging, struck Hamilton and Harrington Sound, killing one person. Several injuries were also confirmed from these storms.
April 9
A series of three tornadoes struck Kansas, Illinois, and Indiana. In Kansas, a brief F1 tornado touched down north-northwest of Dighton with no casualties. (the CDNS report says that this tornado was actually two tornadoes that occurred on April 29) Later, in Illinois, an F2 tornado hit the northwest side of Lincoln, striking the Logan County Fairgrounds before moving northeastward into rural areas and damaging buildings on six farms. Three people were injured. The worst tornado was a large and extremely long-tracked F3 tornado that traveled through Illinois and Indiana and was up to . Grazulis stated that this event was a tornado family of four tornadoes. Embedded within a larger area of damaging straight-line winds and large hail, the tornado began near Leverett, Illinois in Champaign County and tracked east-northeastward through Vermilion County, causing major damage in rural areas and several small communities. Particularly hard-hit was the towns of Collison, Jamesburg, and Bismarck. Across the Illinois part of the track, eight homes were destroyed and 72 others were damaged, some field crops were damaged, and many stored crops and livestock were lost. One person was killed and 10 others were injured. The tornado was also the first tornado to be associated with a signature detected by weather radar as a hook echo was found as it passed by Champaign. After crossing into Indiana, the tornado moved at an average speed of ~ as it passed south of Attica. It moved through Warren, Tippecanoe, Clinton, Tipton, Madison, and Delaware counties before finally dissipating in Albany. It severely damaged or completely destroyed 150 buildings, threw a car before destroying it, and cut power to both Attica and Muncie. Two people were killed in Albany, while 12 others were injured. In all, the tornado killed three people and injured 22 others. The tornado was rated F4 by Grazulis based on the damage done north of Newtown, Indiana in Fountain County and damage in northwest Randolph County, although official records do not indicate that the tornado moved into Randolph County. In the end, the three tornadoes killed three people and injured 25 others.
April 18
Three strong and destructive tornadoes struck Alabama and Georgia. Most of casualties came from a large, long-tracked F3 tornado that traveled 39.8 miles through Alabama into Georgia. The 400 yard tornado touched down in Lochapoka, Alabama and moved southeast through Lee County damaging or destroying hundreds of homes. It then moved into Georgia and striking Bibb City on the north side of Columbus destroying 599 homes and other buildings and damaged over 2,500 others. Hundreds of trees and utility lines were blown down, blocking streets, knocking out electric services and smashing numerous automobiles and other property. The tornado killed eight people and injured 495 others. This, as of , was the most injuries caused by an F3/EF3 tornado in the United States. Two additional F2 tornadoes also touched down in Georgia that day. The first one struck Montezuma, destroyed three homes and eight other buildings and damaging 73 other homes and 8 additional buildings, including a metal hangar that was lifted from its foundations and carried some distance across the Montezuma Airport. One person was injured and 75 families were affected. The second one struck Buena Vista, destroying 10 homes and 40 other buildings while damaging 25 other homes and 20 additional buildings. Many trees and utility lines were blown down, knocking out services and a large number of crops in storage, (mostly cotton seeds) were destroyed. Two people were injured and 50 families were affected. In the end, the tornadoes killed eight people and injured 498 others. Some of the same areas taken out by the F3 tornado were hit again by an even stronger and deadlier EF4 tornado on March 3, 2019.
April 23–24