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November 2008                                                                                                   Volume 15 - Number 2

Perspectives...

Tornado Activity from 1950 – 2007

By: Janusz Wasiolek

Tornado Activity from 1950 – 2007

Data not available prior to 1950 via either NOAA or private data collection organizations

Data take from:
www.tornadohistoryproject.com/

http://www.statemaster.com/graph/geo_tor_tot_cos_of_dam-geography-tornadoes-total-cost-damage
www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/historical.html

Total

Number: Slightly over 50,401 (data only through mid-2007)

Size (Average of F-class): 1.5

Location: In almost every state except Alaska but concentrated in the Midwest (Tornado alley), see state map on following page

Deaths: 4,173

Injuries: 71,358

Insured Loss: $19,198,781,343.00 between 1950 and 1994

1950s

Number: 4796

Size (Average of F-class): 1.69

Deaths: 1215

Injuries: 12385

1960s

Number: 6813

Size (Average of F-class): 1.65

Deaths: 826

Injuries: 15409

1970s

Number: 8579

Size (Average of F-class): 1.53

Deaths: 756

Injuries: 17024

1980s

Number: 8196

Size (Average of F-class): 1.40

Deaths: 444

Injuries: 9691

1990s

Number: 12139

Size (Average of F-class): 1.42

Deaths: 569

Injuries: 11364

2000s (up through 2007)

Number: 9878

Size (Average of F-class): 1.33

Deaths: 363

Injuries: 5485