Tornadoes of 1993
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1993, 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, however by the 1990s tornado statistics were coming closer to the numbers we see today.
![]() Radar image of the deadly tornado-producing derecho as it moves onto the Florida coast during the overnight hours of March 13, 1993. | |
Timespan | January–December 1993 |
---|---|
Maximum rated tornado | F4 tornado
|
Tornadoes in U.S. | 1,173[1] |
Damage (U.S.) | unknown |
Fatalities (U.S.) | 33[2] |
Fatalities (worldwide) | >228 |
Synopsis
Like 1992, the 1993 tornado season was unusually late. While April and May saw less activity than normal, June again was very busy with 313 tornadoes and July saw 242. Fall was very quiet and saw no large outbreaks. 1993 was also the first year since 1989 to be without an F5 tornado.
Events
Confirmed tornado total for the entire year 1993 in the United States.
FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 733 | 324 | 80 | 30 | 6 | 0 | 1173 |
January
There were 17 tornadoes confirmed in the US in January.
February
There were 78 tornadoes confirmed in the US in February.
February 21–23
Tornadoes confirmed | 24 |
---|---|
Max. rating1 | F3 tornado |
Areas affected | Southeastern United States |
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale |
A tornado outbreak produced 24 tornadoes, associated with a line of severe thunderstorms blasted the county with marble-sized hail and a tornado that damaged homes and left 7,000 residents without power into much of the night. One of the hardest hit communities was Lenoir City, Tennessee. Multiple buildings and businesses were destroyed resulting in damages more than $2 million.
March
There were 48 tornadoes confirmed in the US in March.
March 12
FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Five people were killed in Florida by three separate tornadoes spawned by major derecho with embedded supercells. This derecho was the southern edge of the 1993 Storm of the Century.
April
There were 85 tornadoes confirmed in the US in April.
April 8
Three people were killed in Jefferson County, Louisiana by an F2 tornado.
April 24
Seven people were killed and 100 injured by an F4 tornado in Catoosa, Oklahoma. Those seven fatalities were the most by any one tornado in 1993. The tornado damaged or destroyed 75% of the town's businesses.
May
There were 177 tornadoes confirmed in the US in May.
June
There were 313 tornadoes confirmed in the US in June.
June 7
An outbreak of 40 tornadoes, primarily in South Dakota, resulted in two F4 tornadoes, but no fatalities.
July
There were 242 tornadoes confirmed in the US in July.
August
There were 112 tornadoes confirmed in the US in August.
August 6
FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 3 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
A rare tornado outbreak occurred in the Southeastern United States on August 6. It was very rare in that most tornado outbreaks in this region occur in the spring. 22 tornadoes touched down, with one F4 killing four people and injuring over 200.
August 8–9
FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A small, but deadly tornado outbreak occurred over the Upper Midwest of the United States. An F0 tornado near Littlefork, Minnesota lifted and moved a mobile home, killing its two occupants. It is Minnesota's most recent single tornado to cause multiple deaths. Other minor tornadoes occurred in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin, causing limited damage.
September
There were 65 tornadoes confirmed in the US in September.
October
There were 55 tornadoes confirmed in the US in October.
October 30
An F2 tornado killed three people in Lee County, Georgia.
November
There were 19 tornadoes confirmed in the US in November.
December
There were 6 tornadoes confirmed in the US in December.
See also
- 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
- "U.S. Annual Tornado Maps (1952 - 2011): 1993 Tornadoes". Storm Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
- "Annual U.S. Killer Tornado Statistics". Storm Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 18, 2016.