The U.S. state of Louisiana experiences several tornadoes per year. There have been at least 2,514 recorded tornadoes since 1950. At least 267 people have been killed and 3,861 others have been injured by these tornadoes. Numerous other tornadoes occurred within the state prior to 1950, but only tornadoes that caused fatalities or were estimated to have been F2 or greater intensity on the Fujita scale were recorded.
The deadliest tornadoes to impact Louisiana mostly took place prior to 1950, before tornado warnings could be issued by forecasters. A total of 1,078 fatalities and 5,079 injuries were recorded during this time period, and all but one of the state's ten deadliest tornadoes had taken place. The three deadliest tornadoes took place in 1908, which impacted Concordia Parish, Amite, and Gilliam. The former two took place during the 1908 Dixie tornado outbreak, the first of which killed 39 people, and the second killed 47 people within the state. The lattermost tornado killed 49 people, making it Louisiana's deadliest tornado on record.
Starting in 1950, forecasters were allowed to issue their own tornado warnings, which led to the amount of tornado-related fatalities significantly decreasing over time. However, several deadly and destructive tornadoes still took place after 1950. In 1964, a deadly tornado produced by Hurricane Hilda killed 22 people and injured 165 others in Larose. The first and only tornado to cause F5-rated damage within the state of Louisiana took place in 1971, which destroyed multiple structures outside of Delhi and killed 11 people within the state. Louisiana's costliest tornadoes took place in 1978 and 2020, the former struck the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area, causing $250 million (1978 USD) in damage and killing two people. The latter tornado struck Monroe and also caused $250 million (2020 USD) in damage. Climatology
Louisiana is located in Dixie Alley, which is an expanse of land stretching from eastern Texas to southwestern North Carolina. Tornadoes occur most frequently during the afternoon and early evening hours in Louisiana, and most activity occurs during the spring months of March through May. However, in the southern part of the state, tornado activity is more likely to remain consistent throughout the year, while reaching a minimum during the summer months of July and August. Due to Dixie Alley's close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, tornadic storms in that region are often high-precipitation supercells which produce rain-wrapped tornadoes that are difficult to spot, resulting in a higher risk of fatalities. Tornadoes in Dixie Alley are also more likely than those in other regions to occur at night and tend to travel faster, making them more likely to catch people unprepared.
The number of tornadoes that have been recorded within Louisiana is the highest within the 21st century. This is partially due to the fact that overall tornado counts tend to show higher numbers in more recent years, mainly due to improved detection and reporting of weak tornadoes. +Most active tornado years for LouisianaYearMax F/EF#TornadoesDeaths2024 EF310822018 EF210312017 EF39732019 EF39441992 F38722009 EF2820
Deadliest tornadoes +Ten deadliest Louisiana tornadoesMultiple sources:DateF/EF#DeathsInjuriesHardest-hit communityMay 13, 1908 F449135GilliamThe deadliest tornado to impact Louisiana took place on May 13, 1908, in the community of Gilliam. This tornado touched down west of Oil City and moved directly through Gilliam, destroying many of its structures and killing 34 people. The tornado continued northeast and impacted the western side of Bolinger, where more homes sustained severe damage or destruction, and 9 people were killed. It then moved south of the Lela community before lifting just south of the Louisiana-Arkansas state border. This tornado traveled and had a peak width of .Multiple sources:April 24, 1908 F447270Amite, PineThis destructive tornado was first seen in Weiss just before it killed two people in the Dennis Mills community. The tornado passed near Montpelier, killing two more people, before directly striking the city of Amite, where complete destruction occurred to numerous structures and 29 people were killed. The tornado also severely damaged or destroyed structures near Wilmer, where four people were killed, and within Pine, where nine more people were killed, before crossing into Marion County, Mississippi. In total, at least 143 people were killed and 770 more were injured along the tornado's track across Louisiana and Mississippi, making it the eighth-deadliest tornado in U.S. history.Multiple sources:April 24, 1908 F439150Concordia ParishAt about 5:00 a.m. CST, this tornado touched down north of Lamourie, and instantly killed three people in Richland. As the tornado continued northeast, four more people were killed in the community of Ruby, and it injured 25 people as it moved between Effie and Center Point in Avoyelles Parish. As the tornado crossed into Concordia Parish, it widened to and leveled numerous plantations and tenant homes, causing at least 30 fatalities. After impacting Concordia Parish, the tornado crossed into Adams County, Mississippi just north of Natchez. Through the tornado's entire path across Louisiana and Mississippi, at least 91 people were killed and at least 400 people were injured.Multiple sources:May 1, 1933 F428400Gillark, MindenAt about 4:00 p.m. CST, a violent, large tornado hit Minden, causing more damage than any other Louisiana tornado at that time. The funnel first impacted Gillark, a community just outside Minden, killing 16 or more people. Homes there were lifted, "blown apart and scattered" aloft, according to tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis. In Minden the tornado destroyed or damaged 500 homes, with losses worth $1,250,000 (1933 USD). Dozens of houses were flattened, many of which were swept off their foundations.Multiple sources:October 3, 1964 F422165LaroseThe deadliest tropical cyclone-spawned tornado to impact the United States took place on October 3, 1964, in the city of Larose. This tornado was spawned by an embedded supercell within Hurricane Hilda, and it destroyed numerous homes and vehicles within the city. The tornado killed 22 people, injured 165 others, and caused $2.5 million (1964 USD) in damage. This was only one of two tornadoes that were spawned by a tropical cyclone to reach F4 strength and the deadliest tornado to be produced by such an event since 1900.February 17, 1938 F421≈40Rodessa Forming just outside town, this tornado mangled oil derricks before striking Rodessa, where many homes "vanished", most of which were small and frail, according to a report quoted by Grazulis. The tornado tore into corrugated metal buildings, ripping them to shreds. It piled up or blew machinery, automobile parts, and shacks miles away. Building debris mutilated victims. Losses totaled $250,000 (1938 USD).Multiple sources:December 31, 1947 F418225Cotton ValleyThis tornado began south of Benton, and caused major damage in much of Cotton Valley, where 100 houses and several businesses were destroyed. An estimated 500 people became homeless following the tornado, and 14 people were killed within the town. Significant damage also took place within Dykesville and Haynesville in Louisiana before lifting north of Three Creeks, Arkansas, traveling a total path length of and peaking at a width of .April 4, 1923 F415150PinevilleNumerous structures sustained damage from this tornado as it traveled across western Alexandria and Pineville, reaching a peak width of . Fifty to sixty houses were damaged or destroyed, and several commercial buildings also sustained devastating damage. The lighting system was also knocked out in the city of Pineville, which made it diffcult to identify the extent of destruction and rescue victims in the tornado's path.February 17, 1927 F31470Pleasant HillThis tornado touched down south of Converse, and it damaged or destroyed 50 homes as it moved south and east of Pleasant Hill. In the areas surrounding the town, 13 people were killed, including seven in one family. A child's body was carried for and a car was displaced by . The tornado traveled a path and had a peak width of before lifting south of Hanna. Grazulis listed this tornado as a "probable F4."April 5, 1907 F313100JacksonThis tornado touched down west of Jackson, and severely damaged numerous tenant homes as it moved north of the town, killing nine people. After moving into East Feliciana Parish, the tornado impacted a lunatic asylum, killing four patients there. The tornado traveled in total and had a peak width of before it lifted north of Clinton.
Costliest tornadoes +Ten costliest Louisiana tornadoesDateF/EF#Damages (in United States dollars)Hardest-hit communityDecember 3, 1978 F4$250 million (1978 USD)Shreveport, Bossier CityApril 12, 2020 EF3$250 million (2020 USD)MonroeDecember 14, 2022 EF2$150 million (2022 USD)Gretna, ArabiMay 2, 1984 F3$100 million (1984 USD)RinggoldOctober 29, 1974 F3$50 million (1974 USD)Estherwood, CrowleyNovember 15, 1987 F3$50 million (1987 USD)ShreveportApril 8, 1993 F2$50 million (1993 USD)Grand IsleApril 25, 2019 EF3$50 million (2019 USD)RustonMarch 2, 2023 EF1$50 million (2023 USD)ShreveportApril 24, 2010 EF4$36 million (2010 USD)Tallulah
Intense tornadoes Pre–1925
A total of 86 known significant tornadoes impacted Louisiana before 1925, which killed 817 people and injured 2,716 others. During this time frame, 21 intense tornadoes impacted Louisiana. This was the state's deadliest time frame for tornadoes, with each tornado killing an average of 9.5 people. Five of the state's 10 deadliest tornadoes took place during this period, including its three deadliest tornadoes in Gilliam, Amite, and Concordia Parish, all three of which took place in 1908.
+Intense (F3+) tornadoes in Louisiana, pre–1925Multiple sources:F#DateDeathsInjuriesLocationParishPath lengthMax width F4May 7, 1840317109Deer ParkConcordia‡ F3April 22, 1883430Esperance LandingConcordia‡ F3October 22, 1884210GaryvilleSt. Charles F3March 23, 1893730N of ManghamRichland F3September 7, 1893425LockportLafourche F3February 17, 189425S of HaynesvilleClaiborne F3January 2, 1897521MooringsportCaddo F3October 5, 1906320Devalls to SlaughterWest Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana F3October 5, 1906430PonchatoulaTangipahoa F3April 5, 190713100Jackson to E of WilsonWest Feliciana, East Feliciana F4April 24, 190891400N of Lamourie to N of VidaliaRapides, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia F4143770S of Knapp to Amite to NE of AngiePointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, Livingston, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, Washington F4May 13, 190849135GilliamCaddo, Bossier F3February 20, 1912850Shreveport to Bossier CityCaddo, Bossier F3March 13, 1913950Florien to S of ProvencalSabine, Natchitoches F3March 16, 19191750E of Baskin to S of Twin OaksFranklin, Richland, Madison, East Carroll F3December 23, 1921630Spencer to S of Lake ProvidenceUnion, Morehouse F3March 14, 1922430W of LobdellWest Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge F4April 4, 192315100Alexandria to PinevilleRapides F3April 12, 1923525N of ThibodauxLafourche F3April 29, 192405CrichtonRed River
1925–1949
A total of 132 known significant tornadoes impacted Louisiana from 1925 to 1949, which resulted in 261 deaths and 2,363 injuries. Out of these tornadoes, 26 of these were intense, the deadliest of which struck the city of Minden, killing 28 people and injuring 400 others. Several other places were significantly impacted by intense tornadoes during this time period, including Bastrop, Pleasant Hill, Rodessa, Shreveport, and Cotton Valley. The tornadoes which impacted these cities all caused significant loss of life, with each one killing at least 10 people.