Biggest tornadoes in Tennessee | WHNT.com

Of the more than 1,600 tornadoes that occur worldwide each year, the vast majority occur in the United States.

Much of the central United States, nicknamed Tornado Alley, has become famous for its high number of annual tornadoes. however, even though it’s been cast in movies like “The Wizard of Oz” and “Twister,” storms can happen anywhere. The Southeast experiences tornadoes with a similar frequency, and even seemingly unlikely states like Hawaii have experienced them.

Meteorologists use the Enhanced Fujita Scale to classify the severity of tornadoes. Storms are rated on a scale of EF0 to EF5 based on wind speed and associated damage, with EF5 storms having wind speeds over 200 mph. Most tornadoes in the United States have wind speeds below 110 mph, making them primarily EF0 and EF1 storms. Yet even smaller-scale storms can cause significant damage. Storms EF0 and EF1 have caused more than $900 million in property damage since 2012, averaging $75,000 per storm. EF1 tornadoes are associated with shattered windows, lifted roofs and demolished garage doors.

Less than 3% of tornadoes have reached EF3 status, meaning wind speeds between 136 and 165 mph, or more since 2012. Although they represent only a small percentage of events, their impacts cause a disproportionate share of property damage. EF4 or stronger storms can level entire homes. Although the United States has only experienced one EF5 storm in the last decade – it was part of a series of tornadoes that hit central Oklahoma in May 2013 – this storm has claimed the lives of 24 people and caused billions of dollars in damage.

Tornadoes cause about 71 deaths per year, most of which are due to flying debris. The prevalence of mobile homes in tornado-prone areas of the Southeast can put people at increased risk of death or serious injury. 2023 has already recorded more than 500 tornadoes, according to preliminary counts, a high number at the start of the season. And at the end of April, almost two thirds of the 23 deaths recorded this year had occurred in mobile homes.

Citing data from NOAA’s Storm Event Database, Stacker identified Tennessee’s largest tornadoes since 2012. Storms are categorized by the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with length and width serving as a tiebreaker . During an outbreak of multiple tornadoes, the storm with the highest rank on the Enhanced Fujita Scale was used. Storms rated “EFU,” which means they caused no property damage or fatalities, are not included.

Read on to see if you remember the biggest storms to hit Tennessee in the past decade.

#15. March 25, 2021

– Number of tornadoes: 6
– Maximum tornado scale: EF2 (111-135 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 9.0 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 350 feet
– Property damage estimate: $450,000
– Estimated deaths: None

#14. November 16, 2018

– Tornado scale: EF2 (111-135 mph)
– Estimated length: 15.6 miles
– Estimated width: 500 feet
– Estimated property damage: None
– Estimated deaths: 0 direct, 0 indirect

#13. December 11, 2021

– Number of tornadoes: 26
– Maximum tornado scale: EF2 (111-135 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 21.9 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 600 feet
– Estimated material damage: $9.9 million
– Estimated deaths: None

#12. November 16, 2018

– Number of tornadoes: 15
– Maximum tornado scale: EF2 (111-135 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 15.2 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 700 feet
– Estimated material damage: $5.2 million
– Estimated deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect

#11. April 1, 2012

– Number of tornadoes: 5
– Maximum tornado scale: EF2 (111-135 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 6.9 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 880 feet
– Estimated material damage: $3.6 million
– Estimated deaths: None

#ten. February 29, 2012

– Number of tornadoes: 4
– Maximum tornado scale: EF2 (111-135 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 12.1 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 1,000 feet
– Estimated material damage: $1.7 million
– Estimated deaths: 3 direct, 0 indirect

#9. November 30, 2016

– Number of tornadoes: 4
– Maximum tornado scale: EF3 (136-165 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 11.3 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 350 feet
– Estimated property damage: None
– Estimated deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect

#8. April 1, 2012

– Number of tornadoes: 12
– Maximum tornado scale: EF3 (136-165 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 16.8 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 400 feet
– Estimated material damage: $40.9 million
– Estimated deaths: None

#7. April 28, 2014

– Number of tornadoes: 3
– Maximum tornado scale: EF3 (136-165 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 20.9 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 500 feet
– Estimated property damage: None
– Estimated deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect

#6. July 27, 2014

– Number of tornadoes: 4
– Maximum tornado scale: EF3 (136-165 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 7.1 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 800 feet
– Estimated property damage: None
– Estimated deaths: None

#5. December 23, 2015

– Number of tornadoes: 9
– Maximum tornado scale: EF3 (136-165 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 25.3 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 800 feet
– Estimated material damage: $5.6 million
– Estimated deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect

#4. April 12, 2020

– Number of tornadoes: 6
– Maximum tornado scale: EF3 (136-165 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 12.8 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 1,500 feet
– Estimated property damage: None
– Estimated deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect

#3. December 23, 2015

– Number of tornadoes: 3
– Maximum tornado scale: EF4 (166-200 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 14.3 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 1,300 feet
– Estimated material damage: $1.5 million
– Estimated deaths: None

#2. March 2, 2020

– Number of tornadoes: 9
– Maximum tornado scale: EF4 (166-200 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 26.7 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 1,600 feet
– Estimated property damage: $1.6 billion
– Estimated deaths: 24 direct, 0 indirect

#1. December 10, 2021

– Number of tornadoes: 19
– Maximum tornado scale: EF4 (166-200 mph)
– Maximum tornado length: 27.8 miles
– Maximum tornado width: 1,800 feet
– Estimated material damage: $27.1 million
– Estimated deaths: 4 direct, 0 indirect