This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1979, 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.
 Tracks of all US tornadoes in 1979. | |
| Timespan | January 1 - December 23, 1979 |
|---|---|
| Maximum rated tornado | F4 tornado
|
| Tornadoes in U.S. | 855[1] |
| Damage (U.S.) | Unknown |
| Fatalities (U.S.) | 84 |
| Fatalities (worldwide) | >84 |
Synopsis
edit  Approximate touchdown location of killer tornadoes in 1979 | |||||
|
Numbers for 1979 were similar to that of 1980. Deaths were near normal, but injuries were above normal.
Events
edit| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 349 | 318 | 116 | 28 | 6 | 0 | 855 |
January
edit16 tornadoes were reported in the U.S. in January, of which all were confirmed.[3]
February
edit4 tornadoes were reported in the U.S. in February, of which all were confirmed.[4]
March
edit53 tornadoes were reported in the U.S. in March.[5]
March 18
edit| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
On March 18, a minor outbreak swept across Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The strongest tornado was an F3 that struck Copan, Oklahoma. An F2 tornado hit Catoosa, Oklahoma, a suburb of Tulsa.[6]
March 29
edit| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
On March 29, tornadoes touched down across Iowa and Illinois, including an F4 tornado that hit Braddyville, Iowa. An F0 struck a small suburb of Denver.[7]
April
edit123 tornadoes were reported in the U.S. in April.[8]
April 10–12
edit
| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 10 | 19 | 25 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
A large tornado outbreak also called "Terrible Tuesday",[9] broke out in Texas and Oklahoma. Several deadly tornadoes occurred, including an F4 that decimated buildings in Wichita Falls, killing 42 people. An F2 tornado was notable for killing one person when it struck a mobile home park in Boonville, Indiana. A tornado killed three people in Lawton, Oklahoma. Overall, there were 58 deaths and over 2,000 injuries.
May
editThere were 112 tornadoes reported in the U.S. in May.[10]
June
edit150 tornadoes were reported in the U.S. in June.[11]
June 28
editA small, but deadly outbreak of tornadoes broke out in Iowa and Minnesota, including an F4 that killed three people in Manson, Iowa.[12][13]
July
edit132 tornadoes were reported in the U.S. in July.[14]
July 16
editAn F3 tornado struck Cheyenne, Wyoming causing one fatality and 40 injuries. The tornado first to receive national attention by videotape as it ripped apart 500 homes.[15]
August
edit126 tornadoes were reported in the U.S. in August.[16]
August 7 (Canada)
editAt least three tornadoes touched down in Woodstock, Ontario, killing two people and injuring 142 others.
September
edit69 tornadoes were reported in the U.S. in September.[17]
September 5
editAn F3 tornado touched down in Tysons, Virginia, killing one person.[18]
October
edit47 tornadoes were reported in the U.S. in October.[19]
October 3
editAn F4 tornado touched down in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, being a very rare New England tornado. The tornado was ranked as one of the costliest tornadoes in U.S. history, killing three people.[citation needed]
November
edit21 tornadoes were reported in the U.S. in November.[20]
December
edit2 tornadoes were reported in the U.S. in December.[21]
See also
edit- Tornado
- List of tornado outbreaks
- List of F5 and EF5 tornadoes
- List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of 21st-century Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of European tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks in Asia
- List of Southern Hemisphere tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of tornadoes striking downtown areas
- Tornado intensity
References
edit- ^ "1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "Severe Weather Database Files (1950-2021)". Storm Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. July 11, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
- ^ "January, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "February, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "March, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "March 18, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "March 29, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "April, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "Weather History: Terrible Tuesday 1979". AccuWeather.com. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "May, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "June, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "June 28, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "Minnesota Tornado History and Statistics".
- ^ "July, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "Tornado History Project: 19790716.56.17". www.tornadohistoryproject.com.
- ^ "August, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "September, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "Tornado History Project: 19790905.51.7". www.tornadohistoryproject.com.
- ^ "October, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "November, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^ "December, 1979". Tornado History Project. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
External links
edit- U.S. tornadoes in 1979 - Tornado History Project